The new news 24 thread

[Zelandeth]

O2 sensor or temperature sensor would be my prime suspects.

Just because the temperature sensor has been replaced doesn't mean it's working properly...there will be a table out there somewhere of the correct resistance Vs temperature somewhere... it's an easy thing to check.

Wouldn't be the first time I've known a car to into a garage to have that changed and to come back finding the garage changed the sender for the temperature gauge rather than the ECU either...I only chucked that at a garage as it was a sod to get at and the middle of December.  On the plus side, the garage did refund me.

A totally dead O2 sensor will throw on the EML (if it's the same error table as used on the GM ALDL injection system equipped Ladas, code 13), but they can have drifted out of spec a fair ways, more than enough to foul up the emissions, while still returning values which make sense to the ECU. 

Try not to tear out too much hair, once sorted the GM TBi systems are generally very reliable.  A paperclip, printed out cheat sheet with the codes on and a multimeter are all you need to sort most issues.

Not sure if it's the same in this application, but on the Ladas if you left the paperclip in place and started the engine, once the system went into closed loop mode it would give an indication as to what the lambda value was doing (so whether the fuel trim was being pushed towards rich or lean) by varying the flash rate of the check engine light.  A very primitive but still useful real-time data output.

No idea if that applies here...but I know Lada bought the system essentially off the shelf from GM just with a tweaked map for their 1.7 engine, so it's entirely possible. 

It is entirely possible to build a computer interface to get real-time data out of the ALDL bus too... though finding a garage with the correct gear would probably be less hassle.

[N19]

1 hour ago, BorniteIdentity said:

I think - with garages right now - there are a few things going on.

1.  There's a lot of work.  A LOT.  Thousands of people basically moth-balled their car last year and deferred maintenance.  

2.  Staffing.  I'm hearing this, albeit anecdotally, quite a lot at the moment.  Garages are struggling to get staff - there just aren't the CVs there used to be.

3.  Batteries, exhausts and servicing is easy money.  Even an ape like me can do it.  An exhaust takes 30 minutes but you charge for the hour etc.

 

My local trusted garage is just swimming in work.  I wanted some tyres fitting and, as a regular customer (who even buys petrol there) was asked to wait two weeks and two days.  For a simple, straightforward job.  

Other work I have to take the car an hour away into Hertfordshire just to guarantee I get a good job but they are expensive (£80ph).  However, you get what you pay for and everything always comes back immaculately done with quality parts etc blah.

 

Stay patient with them @Split_Pin - I think they'll come good for you.  At 0.7 something is terribly, terribly wrong.  I wouldn't even expect it to be that high with a straight through piece of scaffold pipe.  Excuse my ignorance, but does it have two lambda sensors (one either side of the cat?).  It will (if I'm correct) help control the fuelling and so it could be one of those that's not in the rudest of health.  

 

This is exactly my experience. The local garage I use have two mechanics, two fitters/assistants, and an MoT tester. They have a modest garage with space for 5 cars, other than Mot bay. They have so much work now they could easily use two additional staff, only they can't get staff and don't have space. They have four clutches needing doing waiting to come in - they're subletting those to elsewhere which they usually avoid like the plague. The owner is pulling his hair out with cars everywhere! 

[Burnside]

6 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Put Cataclean in on the stated 1/4 tank, checked the air filter which was spotless, did an oil and filter change, took the Cav for a long run, drove great but didn't even bother testing it. Went straight on the emissions but they were 0.7 when they should be 0.2. I don't really know what that means but its a country mile out.

They are going to have a look into why they are so high but, given that I have tried just about all the options I don't think it looks good. He asked how I managed to get it through last year but I obviously couldn't answer that as I've only had it a couple of months.

Going to complete the test just to see what the rest is like anyway.

Pretty disappointed after all the work I put in but at least I gave it my best shot up to this point. Just glad I didn't sell the Corsa.

Hi @Split_Pin sorry to hear that the Cav failed the emissions.

I did have a new cat previously fitted which was apparently a higher quality type2 item? 

After having a cheaper cat fail previously within 2 years. Must have been 4/5 year's ago in the service history? 

Although I have read on the MK3Cav forum that one 1.8 Cav had to have a new cat every 12 mths to pass. 

I'm sure I've mentioned this before possibly when laquerpeel had it, but it could be worth checking the egr valve.

As someone did blank it off for me for reasons I forget now, although I know it wasn't working. 

I have read since that it may have not been the wisest move. So I'm more than happy to put something towards a new one, if you think it's worth a try? 

[richardmorris]

This was nice, being the Bentley.

[Split_Pin]

11 minutes ago, Burnside said:

Hi @Split_Pin sorry to hear that the Cav failed the emissions.

I did have a new cat previously fitted which was apparently a higher quality type2 item? 

After having a cheaper cat fail previously within 2 years. Must have been 4/5 year's ago in the service history? 

Although I have read on the MK3Cav forum that one 1.8 Cav had to have a new cat every 12 mths to pass. 

I'm sure I've mentioned this before possibly when laquerpeel had it, but it could be worth checking the egr valve.

As someone did blank it off for me for reasons I forget now, although I know it wasn't working. 

I have read since that it may have not been the wisest move. So I'm more than happy to put something towards a new one, if you think it's worth a try? 

Not at all man but thanks for the offer! Its a very old car thats been sat about basically since last March so it was bound to be an issue. Hopefully  the new 02 sensor will cure things and see me rolling in it for a wee while.

[wuvvum]

I have to say that in my experience, when CO readings have been comically high it has tended to be the Lambda sensor rather than the cat.  The C4 I owned a couple of years ago had no cat left at all (the casing was completely empty) but it was only just over the limit.  The Perodua Myvi, with its low mileage modern Japanese engine, was several orders of magnitude over the limit for both CO and HC - turned out that two wires had come off the pre-cat Lambda sensor as it had been fitted by an idiot.

[wuvvum]

On 4/18/2021 at 5:53 PM, LightBulbFun said:

no Police national computer record so thats good LOL but impressive they managed to lose the V5 given the last one was only issued in late march!

(was quite surprised to find that it only has an 875cc engine mind! we need a back to back comparison/review with a singer chamois LOL)

Well I've sent off the V62, so we shall see what we shall see.  I couldn't find the VIN plate, but helpfully the service book has the VIN handwritten inside the back cover.

[Zelandeth]

I have wasted HOURS over the last couple of years trying to get the pulley nut off this Dynastart.  I gave up last time when the locking holes in the fan pulley started to oval out because of the amount of torque I was applying (hanging off the end of a four foot bar).

Finally unearthed the impact gun today (it had been missing in action buried in the garage for Some Time). 

Buzzed it off in about 0.3 seconds without me even needing to lock the pulley.  Really does show how important the impact side of things is beyond raw torque figures.

Sometimes having the right tool for the job does make all the difference!  This thing is heavy and unwieldy but it's bloody useful sometimes!

[PhilA]

I think I loaned my old impact gun away to someone. Many years ago. I forget.

Either way I need a new one.

 

Whhhrrrrrttttt-ZIUUUIEEEeeeee!

[High Jetter]

Great news! Can you remember why you wanted to get it off though?

[Fumbler]

23 hours ago, Fumbler said:

Am I stupid or am I brave? I suppose we'll find out tomorrow.

Well it made the 175 mile journey all on its own, requiring a brief adjustment of the idle jet and it only cut out twice. I'm calling that a win.

[Zelandeth]

14 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Great news! Can you remember why you wanted to get it off though?

Yes.

Exhibit A: Former tension level on the outboard belt.

The screech of progress on engaging the starter becoming progressively more unhappy sounding prompted me turning the place upside down to find the correct tool for the job today.

Belts are basically trashed, but at least changing them is easy now!

[Fumbler]

I've just calculated the BX's MPG too. 43.2 MPG is really, really good. I'm impressed.

[PhilA]

Talking to some Mopar guys to get a better idea of what kind of Frankenstein's monster this engine is.

So far there's been a fair bit of "wtf".

[Steviemillar]

9 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Well in spite of that Conversation, this certainly looks like its worth persevering with.

 

Have you contacted/spoken with Dougie who has the Once Driven Forever Smitten YouTube Channel? I know you mentioned watching his vids before, he has been messing  with 1.8 engines Cavs quite recently and might have the answer to getting a Pass?

Just a thought.

[stuboy]

missus drove the daddy wagon ford galaxy and said ohh yeah the clutch pedal is high, ur need a clutch soon... she says been such a good motor to get the clutch done, i was hoping to convince her let me buy a toy, she has the sensible head, i have the champagne ideas on bitter shandy money...

[Craig the Princess]

3 hours ago, N19 said:

This is exactly my experience. The local garage I use have two mechanics, two fitters/assistants, and an MoT tester. They have a modest garage with space for 5 cars, other than Mot bay. They have so much work now they could easily use two additional staff, only they can't get staff and don't have space. They have four clutches needing doing waiting to come in - they're subletting those to elsewhere which they usually avoid like the plague. The owner is pulling his hair out with cars everywhere! 

Not what I've found here. Our local garage/mot station (who I've always found fair and trustworthy) are dead at the moment, blaming the slowness on the MOT extension at this time last year meaning far fewer getting mots at the moment.

 

[Pete-M]

Currently working doing courier jobs in a Sprinter XLWB 116. 

Four years old, 190k miles. It actually drives well. It has a sleeper bunk and it's pretty quiet. 

Drove it up from Surrey this afternoon. Quite surprised that it did 34 mpg. That's pretty impressive for something the size of a planet. 

[dozeydustman]

7 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

The EGR was blanked off some years ago but I doubt its that.

The garage finally phoned me, he said he's confident that the o2  sensor is responsible for the overfueling. He can get one for £40 which is cheaper than I can get it so its worth a shot.

I agree garages are awful just now. Just because they're in demand though doesn't mean its always going to be that way. People will get pissed off and either go somewhere else, or, heaven forbid, buy a new car. I was thinking of farming out the timing belt job but I'm fairly certain I'm doing that myself now.

A couple of years ago the wife’s Corolla failed on something similar. The connector on the O2 sensor had corroded. Garage remade the connection and emissions all tickety-boo. Fingers crossed it’s as simple as that, but £40 for a sensor (if it needs one) is a fair price.

[Angrydicky]

17 hours ago, BorniteIdentity said:

Honey Harman was a solid 14/9.

 

I'd forgotten about her! She was gorgeous. 

Sam Nixon was another one who used to be lovely.

[PhilA]

12 hours ago, PhilA said:

Talking to some Mopar guys to get a better idea of what kind of Frankenstein's monster this engine is.

So far there's been a fair bit of "wtf".

Ok, so engine numbers have been uncovered from under many layers of paint and decoded.

Both engine blocks I have are 318's; the one in the car is a 1973 engine, the spares block a '72.

Apparently it's possible to do a 60 thou overbore and make a 327 so I'll pull the heads and measure the bores. If they aren't 3.91" (the spares block is) then it's just another 318.

Phil

[Borsuq]

To welcome spring the Fiat got its annual wash.

Now that I've washed it the weather is inevitably about to go to shit for the next few weeks.

Also, this car wash isn't really designed for cars this narrow and the extendo rotating brushes that wash the wheels aren't able to reach them. And no, they wouldn't issue a partial refund because of that.

[Split_Pin]

Well, no word from the garage and the Cav  is still not showing as passed online. Hopefully  they are just busy and they aren't all either standing there wondering why replacing the 02  sensor didn't make any difference to the emissions or have shoved it in a corner hoping it will just go away.....

I will have to phone them later.

[MarvinsMom]

i have trouble every year with the Mini MPi and the emissions on the mot test.

unless the engine, and by extension the exhaust and the cat are piping hot then it will not get anywhere near the ministry's requirements.

several times i have had to take it for a thrash up and down the bypass to get it hot enough so that the tester gets the right answer from the probe up it back pipe. i wonder if the cav needs something similar?

[Split_Pin]

I did that yesterday, went up hill and down Dale and they put it straight on the emissions thereafter. 

Hopefully thats what they will be doing, I just thought that bolting in one sensor would have been a job they would have got out the way quickly. 

[Split_Pin]

Finally!!

 

[RobT]

That's a massive win after all the faff you've had to deal with.  Good work!

[phil_lihp]

I found a remarkably well preserved* 1983 Western Morning News in the garage roof space at the weekend. 

*Well, the bits a mouse hadn't eaten were in good condition anyway.

I think I might call up about the 1978 BMW 520, see if they've still got it.

[Burnside]

55 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Finally!!

 

Yes! Well done @Split_Pin,  glad to see your perseverance has paid off at last.

[Zelandeth]

Oh wow...that moment where you pick up a new V-belt and compare it to the one you're replacing and realise quite *how* wrecked the original belt is.

New one is about 1/16" wider for a start!