David Sparkes
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Posts posted by David Sparkes
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Heating a damp area is almost totally pointless, all you end up with is warm damp instead of cold damp.
As warm air will hold more moisture than cold air you actually make the damp problem worse.
A bog standard domestic Dehumidifier, from the sheds, is the start of the answer. These draw air in the back and blow it out of the front. Mount the dehimidifier on a shelf, as high up the wall as possible. Orientate the D so it is side on to the wall, that way neither the entry or the exit air flow is compromised.
The height improves the efficiency, as the air is slightly warmer, and warm air contains more moisture, so more can be extracted. Also the blown air covers a greater volume (than if the unit was floor mounted) which again increases it's effectiveness.
Power consumption is probably less than 100W, although I'd estimate that for the first 6 months it will be on 24/7.
Obviously insulate the roof, but as far as heating is concerned, I prefer a fan assisted convector heater. Again these are cheap from Argos etc, and again I prefer to wall mount this as I feels this benefits circulating the air.
This topic has been covered before, and on every occasion I have contributed I've mention the D word, so I suggest a search on that.
Mind you, my earlier contributions mayhave been in other forums, not this one :-)
HTH
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IIRC the TD had different pistons lowering the compression , I may be wrong though
The N/A lump was a stronger unit
From http://www.british4x4.nl/TheSpecialist/engine.htm
Engine number interpretation - 4 cylinder diesel
prefix --cc-- -- type -- -- ratio -- bhp
10J -- 2286 -- na -- -- -- 23:1 -- 59
12J -- 2495 -- na -- -- -- 21:1 -- 67
19J -- 2495 -- turbo -- -- 21:1 -- 85
If you can believe anything you can find on the internet!!
Personally, I wonder if the pump will supply too much fuel, even though it has a boost pressure sensor which will detect 'low' pressure.
There again, I see Les has practical experience.
Cheers.
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I'll suggest an alternative which I have found to both work, and have some nice touches in the design.
It uses a variation on the expected launch screen, and immediately after the application starts the date is reverted to the current date, thus you are never operating the PC with an incorrect date.
I use this with XP, fully updated.
HTH
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Thanks all, Dont really want to go down the Laptop route to be honest so was looking more towards a ruggardised device.
Pity you didn't say that originally, as it would have saved some of us from wasting our time.
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............
Although I would like to know what I did wrong and how to prevent it happening on the other 5 nipples.
Look at posts 11 and 12, then read the Useful Tips mentioned.
Note that you should never attempt to PULL the gun nozzle off.
http://forums.lr4x4.com/index.php?showtopic=25369&hl=
Site tip.
On this site, at least once a day use the 'View New Posts' link, towards the top right of the screen.
Then you have a chance of picking up items which are of interest to you, but not in 'your' particular section. Thus you would have seen the Grease and Grease guns thread.
BTW, I would NOT encourage you to tackle UJ replacement as an 'almost first' job.
I agree with JST, just drive the vehicle, but in addition, ask locally for someone who will happily tackle removing the stub of the grease nipple. This isn't difficult, to someone who knows and has the kit. You may have to pay, but the willingness to tackle this job indicates someone to go back to when you need practical assistance.
This person may be trade, but can be private.
Whichever, the value is doubled if you are allowed to watch / participate.
HTH
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GPS Receiver
Holox 351 (note spelling, a Holux is a different product range).
Power is from internal battery, with auto sleep, and auto wake-up.
External power (including re-charging) is via a mini-USB socket fed from PC USB socket, or car 12 volts, or mains, via suitable adapters.
Connection from the Reciever is via Bluetooth.
Navigation (visual and audio prompts).
PC Navigator 7 Europe v 7.2 (mapfactor.com via http://www.directions.ltd.uk/) running on an XP equipped Laptop.
GPS is set as NMEA.
Mapping
MemoryMap v5
COM port splitter
PC software to distribute GPS receiver input across both (many) applications, allowing simultaneous connection / operation of the live position update.
Xport (http://curioustech.home.insightbb.com/xport.html)
This is free, and less sophisticated that Franson GPS Gate, but does the basic essential COM port split function.
Cheers
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Title bar of any Thread, above Post 1; at the RH end is says Options, Left Click, what Display Option is shown? I suspect your preference is for 'Standard'.
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"Turns out it was the condenser fan, thats the fan on the front of the radiator for the air con, should have checked it really but didn't think it would be something so easy!!!"
Especially when you had been pointed to it already!!
From post 4 "... what about the radiator fan?"
Cheers.
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Unlike AllyV8 I'm a private owner, and 'advice by Forum' is the closest I get to working on someone else's vehicle.
From my reading of different threads, in different forums, and my own experiences, this problem seems centred around the high pressure Fuel Injection Pump, driven off the camshaft and situated above the alternator.
I've seen cures claimed by different actions:
Adjustment, as already described (but you need the equipment (Bosch or Blackbox Solutions)).
Changing the fuel temperature sensor, which is accessible by removing the top cover (although this is more to do with poor warm starting).
Removing this cover and giving eveything a good drenching in spray on brake / carb cleaner.
Changing the pump.
In my own case I changed the top half of the pump, called the HDK unit, while leaving the pump on the engine.
I cannot recommend this course of action, as removing the unit destroys the internal pump calibration, and it's a real hit and miss to get this back anywhere near while on the vehicle.
I assume more accurate recalibration can be done on the specialist test & overhaul bench.
The difference lies in the cost.
My 'used but guaranteed good' unit, with money back gaurantee, cost about £30.
A new unit would have cost about £150 (Trade source, but incl VAT, IIRC).
A new (rebuilt) pump from a diesel specialist will cost around £1,000, probably +VAT and fitting (but do check locally).
Clearly, having the pump changed is the most expensive option, and I would get prices locally so you have a comparison figure. I'm thinking here that gambling £50 to save £200 is not a good bet, gambling £50 to save £1,500 might be more acceptable.
While getting quotes you can also ask the local Diesel Specialists for their opinions, remember the Customer Base for these engines includes BMW 325/525 and Vauxhall Omega cars, so they should have some experience. Given the exchanges in this forum you have some background information.
The problem does get worse, to the point where the engine dies and needs a bump or key restart, so how urgent the repair is depends on how long you can put up with this. Bear in mind that you 'can't' sell the car as it is, so the sooner it's fixed, the more time you have enjoying a car in good condition. It seems daft strugging with a car for months just to save a repair bill, then having to pay anyway, or lose on the sale price. You might as well spend now and have some time to enjoy the result.
I thnk that's as far as I can go, good luck.
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AllyV8 has perhaps missed this first time around, so perhaps my response will help, although I can't speak for him.
I've looked under Engine, Clutch, and Information, going back to 1994, and have not found a bulletin about the Dual Mass Flywheel, although I suspect not every Technical Notice made it to the RAVE CD, which is what I'm looking at.
'Scoping' the crank sensor means monitoring with an oscilloscope. AllyV8 has the experience, but I think you are looking for variations as much as what the actual value is. Note that (from the reading I recommended earlier) the air gap is critical. Too big and the signal is weak, too close and the sensor is smashed, calling for gearbox removal to clear the remains from the bell housing.
Worth buying a new one? Don't know, I'll leave that to AllyV8.
Signal from the 4th Injector.
Go back to the reading I recommended, this is a 'Start of Injection' signal, so happens once every 720 degrees of crankshaft rotation, against the CKP getting 12 signals during the same time period.
When you release the accelerator, and the engine is being driven by the vehicle, the fuel supply is cut, thus no 'start of injection'. Fuel supply should resume as the engine speed drops, I forget the figure, assume about 1500 rpm.
Yes, he is a professional, so sees many more vehicles than I do, for instance. He is also an enthusiast, otherwise he wouldn't be here, helping us all.
EDC is Electronic Diesel Control, a term coined by Bosch, I think. EDC codes refers to the fault codes the ECU (Electronic Control Unit) puts out. Anyone with experience of Microsoft, or other computing software, will be aware that error codes can have a very approximate relationship with what is 'wrong'. I read AllyV8s comment as saying that his experience is the EDC fault codes are helpful.
It's difficult for anyone to give you recommendations of people to go to if people offering advice don't know where in the country you are.
HTH.
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I'm looking at a Manual which says its for a later year, and for the V8 engine (is that what you have?) but the fuses appear to be for the blower and the radiator fan, as well as the compressor clutch. Clearly, from what you say, the blower and the clutch are operating, but what about the radiator fan? I'm thinking you would only notice it's absence if the engine got so hot the condensor failed to work and an AC pressure switch broke the circuit for the compressor clutch.
HTH.
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" the "check engine" light which looks like the picture of the end of an injector complete with spray pattern."
Check Engine is good enough, the Workshop Manual Section 19 Description refers to it as a 'diagnostic lamp'.
WM Section 19 pages 1 to 11 inclusive is recommended reading, to make yourself familiar with the different components and their functions.
ETM Section A6 pages 1 to 4 inclusive is also useful reading, as it generally states against each component if the Diagnostic Lamp is illuminated when the component fails, which helps answer "Anyone know the circumstances in which this warning light should illuminate".
However, as your problem is intermittant, this is only a partial help.
Summarising the points from the Rovacom threads ...
The initial suggestions have to be around 'is the fuel system set-up correctly?'.
Pay close attention to the Timing Modulation : "On a fully warm engine this value should steadily remain between 45% and 55% (at tickover). There should be no erratic fluctuations.".
Do this by manually swinging the pump a fraction, with the engine stopped.
In my view, this change takes preference over the setting by dial gauge, as described in the workshop manual. The dial gauge gets it close, but adjusting to meet the dynamic figures gets it closer.
If this doesn't completely cure it, adjust the tickover upwards : "Idle value: This value should normally be 128 and may be altered to increase or decrease the idle speed, however, moving this value more than two or three in either direction may have undesirable consequences."
One enquirer changed the setting from 128 to 130, and the idle changed from ~750 to ~800 rpm.
There has been a suggestion that a slight defect with the Dual Mass Flywheel affects the output from the Crankshaft Position Sensor, with the resultant erratic output slowing the engine. In my view this is 'not proven' wrt producing the symptoms you are experiencing. Note that the ECU does not output any information which directly shows the CKP output, so a Rovacom etc cannot relay the information to you. To monitor this you will need an oscilloscope / data recorder.
HTH
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This topic (intermittant short flash of the engine warning light) has been covered, by myself and AN Other, but on the Blackbox Solutions Rovacom Forum (Owners only).
Assuming you aren't an owner, this will have to wait until tomorrow evening for any other input by me.
You might like to update your profile to say where in the country you are., although it isn't mandatory!
Cheers.
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1. .... We're after a few things, one being a tow-hitch plate which we can swap between NATO (already on) and ball hitch quickly and easily. I remember it being a type with a name something like Braxton-Hicks, but my wife (with a wince) assures me it's not that.
Jon
:-)
I suspect the name you are after is Dixon-Bate.
HTH
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I'd add one vote to the pile 'avoid K&N, and similar'. I've used one, and however good or bad they are out of the box, there is no way the average home user can make sure they work as well after washing and re-oiling, despite the 'Recharger' kits you can buy.
I'd add another vote to the 'use a standard filter and housing' pile.
From reading other people posts, the one noise dampening kit that does work is Horse mat, or Cow mat. A bit more expensive than anything you get from the sheds, and damps by virtue of it's weight, as well as the fact it doesn't support vibration itself.
HTH.
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Thanks Green110, I was thinking the name began with 'A', Abnox it is, they have obviously realised the benefit of keeping the positive kudos of the Wanner name.
Frightening price though!
I have always used the one handed gun.
Angle of attack (of the nozzle onto the nipple) can be critical, and some nipples just won't seal properly, although I seem to recall that some 4 jaw nozzles are available.
I've done all propshaft UJs with this gun, although sometimes the prop has to be rotated to give access.
BMC Mini front suspension can be another test, successfully met with this gun, as the internal grease pressure can require a lot of force to get more grease in, and leave the gun locked onto the nipple, where the pressure release screw on the gun comes in handy.
I see there are some links to useful tips at the bottom of the Stephens Lube page.
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Thanks Paintman, plenty of posts in there.
I only have secondhand experience of LPG on a 38A petrol, and my understanding is that the modified ECU, which is compatible with petrol running as well as LPG running, is there to minimise the blowpack potential of a venturi system on these engines.
By blowpack we mean an internal explosion with enough force to shatter the air filter box, and occasionally damage the bonnet. The mass air flow device can also be destroyed. If this happens once, I understand the repair costs outweigh any savings gained by the initial fit of the simpler system.
As a broad brush answer, I would read up on the Iwema site, and contact Hugo, of that site, for people in the UK who are using his kit, and are near to the enquirer. Gordon Finlay is good, but he is in one corner of the UK, so out of reach of a lot of people; nice area for a holiday though!
HTH
PS, If it helps, I used the Search function on the LRO Message Board, as they call them.
'38' found nothing.
'P38' + 'Search all terms', + LPG Forum only, + Display results as 'Posts', produces some promising looking returns, that cover MPG and fuel costs, as well as the technical detail.
From a historical perspective (I haven't read his later posts) Cruiser always stated strong opinions on the 38A, but didn't run one, although he did move from 'I would never own ...' to 'I might own ...'.
I didn't always agree with his opinions, but only partially because they were not based on direct 38A experience. Make your own judgement, because sometimes 'you are wrong' can mean 'I didn't want to hear that, go away'!!
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Never had a problem with the grease pots with a plastic ring in the top of them, specifically for filling the said grease guns
Maybe, maybe not.
I've mainly used Wanner grease guns (They've had a name change, but I can't remember the new one) and these have a floating cup/disc seal in them. This means that when you compress the spring by pulling a chain out of the back of the storage tube, the floating cup stays at the head end. Unscrew the head, invert the tube over the 'plastic disc with hole', press slowly but firmly, and the grease is pushed in with no air as the cup pushes the air out past the spring.
You can buy trigger grease guns that look very similar, but 'save' on the floating cup bit. These make life more slimy, as expressed by the others. The trick with these is not to retract the piston, THEN fill with grease, but to invert the tube over the 'plastic disc with hole' then co-ordinate your efforts such as the tube is pushed downwards on the disc, AT THE SAME TIME, slowly pull back the plunger. This prevents air getting into the guns grease container.
The only virtue of this method is that it's better than the 'knive, spatula, finger' method, but it still doesn't beat the cartridge syestem, which is probably better than the Wanner floating cup system.
As described earlier, I should think your local agricultural suppliers is the best place to go, as I can't see the farmers wanting the grease yourself up system, when working in areas that are naturally dirtier (with small particles) than a garage.
HTH.
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Have you found the site www.rangerovers.net?
This site is THE world authority on the 38A, learn to like it, find your way around it.
I'd suggest starting with the main site, (this will take several hours), then move onto the 4.0/4.6/P38A forum off the front page.
If you have electric front seats, raise them to the highest position before disconnecting the electrics.
Wind the drivers window fully open before disconnecting the electrics.
NEVER leave the key in the ignition.
I'd suggest the wipers running could be the BECM faulty, but I suggest you also check for damp affecting wiring and connectors. In particular lift the carpet in the RH footwell and check the underfelt for damp, and the wiing there for swollen areas caused by corrosion.
Pull the plugs on the BECM and check for corrosion. You may eventually have to remove the BECM, open it, and look for overheating damage.
Lift the all the relays from the Engine Bay fuse box and check for signs of overheating where they plug into the base.
Unbolt the fuse box, remove the wiring connection plugs and look for corrosion or overheating.
HTH
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I didn't know these so, so Googled to find http://www.reallyusefulproducts.co.uk/uk/html/boxdetails.php
HTH
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The engine does not smell hot. Putting the heaters on did not make a significant change to the engine temp (in other cars i've had, when doing this, the gauge has reacted very quickly), but the heater does blow hot air.
When the engine is hot, a blip of the throttle does not cause the fan to speed up.
To me, sitting securely and comfortably facing my PC, these results tell me the engine is not overheating
I have not ruled out a duff gauge. I only thought of it now, but the alternator light is taking longer and longer to go out (i.e. it doesn't go out when the car is started and is idling, it only goes out after you have pulled away and the revs have risen a bit).On a 38A, a bad engine to chassis earth connection is often revealed by the temperature gauge malfunctioning. I hestitate to carry the cause / result comparison too far, and the visible effects of high resistance earths can be difficult to define on paper, but....
Note that all car electrical systems have two earths, the alternator case, and the battery Negative terminal. If these are electrically tied together everything is fine. If the link is high resistance, then the gauge sender will be sending the alternator earth, via the high resistance path to the gauge, which is completing the circuit to the battery earth, thus you see that the different earth potentials cause problems.
I'll have a look at the earth strap from car to battery - perhaps it's got grubby and is causing the gauge to malfunction?Note there are two earth cables to check, engine to chassis, chassis to battery. Yours may be Engine to Battery, Battery to Chassis, but they both need checking.
So, I have an action plan for this weekend.Start the car with the bonnet open, see if the fan initially roars into life, before slowing down.
Take the car on a quick run, but not up to temperature. At this point the silicon fluid should have been distributed round the fan and it should not be locked - i.e. easy to spin by hand.
Get the car hot, turn it off, see if the fan is now "locked".
I guess this should prove the condition of the viscous coupling?
"Get the car hot" in this case means very close to or into the black, although as I said earlier, I don't think the engine is overheating, so even if you get the gauge into the Red, the engine won't be hot enough to tighten up the VC.
Gauge sensor or poor engine earth, or possibly faulty alternator, are my current favourites.
If you have a digital voltmeter, with the engine running, measure the DC voltage between the alternator case and the battery negative terminal. Put a heavy electrical load on, headlights, + any heated screens, + heater fan on high. You are looking for fractions of a volt on a good system. One volt would be a bad system.
Then just for kicks, set the voltmeter to AC, and measure across the alternator, +ve to case. This should be nothing, but it sometimes finds a faulty alternator, otherwise it proves it 'clean'.
Hope it doesn't rain too much, I'm green lane navigating and gate opening on Saturday pm :-)
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Hi
Is there no way you can do it without plugging it in.
Cheers Nick
I don't think so.
There are cheaper alternatives for the EAS, and possibly for the Engine, but I don't recall seeing one mentioned for the SRS.
By all means wait for a second opinion.
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With a Rovacom, Autologic, or Testbook.
new microcat
in International Forum
Posted
Steve_a.
I'm a user, not a software engineer.
This was available, it works, and from a users point of view has some nice design features .
If it offends you for some technical reasons then neither I nor (I suspect) anybody else, will object to you replicating the functionality in a more technically adept package.
As a software engineer you clearly get disturbed by software you see as 'suspect'.
As a user I get disturbed by software that is not available when I want it. The best (designed and functional) programme in the world is useless if it is not available.
This is the same as saying Joe Bloggs sells the best winch at the cheapest price, but he hasn't any in stock, so the only thing pulled is one of these vapour ware creations people keep referring to.
Cheers.