Sandringham 6x6

[sako243]

Ahead of you @FridgeFreezer - slightly...

Enter a very janky setup for cleaning out the injectors, brake cleaner squirted into the hose pipe, 12V to injector and gently squeeze tyre gauge whilst holding onto the injector in case it makes a bit for freedom (several tried, none succeeded).



I considered machining up a nice tube etc., on the lathe to seat things properly but by the time I'd have done that I could have managed this bodged technique. I'll probably regret that decision if I need to do it again but hey ho such is life. Some of them (at least one definitely on a cylinder that was cold) weren't very happy initially (I think) but then started squirting more cleanly.

It was difficult to tell as the tyre gauge seemed to have two settings on the valve - no air and blow the injector across the workshop setting. That combined with the need to angle the injector down slightly to let the brake cleaner into the nozzle meant it was difficult to tell definitively whether it was clogged or just the bodged setup. Regardless all of them at the end seemed to be squirting cleanly (mainly because by the time I did the 8th one I'd learnt all the tricks).

I also pulled all the plugs and tested the compression across the cylinders - #6 and #3 stand out from the others but I know I'm not convinced I managed to get the hose tighted as much on #6 in hindsight. Especially considering it's a freshly built engine that's not run very much I'm not overly concerned at the moment - they're all building good compression.



I did notice when reinstalling the plugs that some of the ends felt a little looser on the plugs than others, that combined with one bank of leads being rather tight I will be making some new ones (I've got the leads, just need to get some more of the coil pack ends and I think I have enough of the spark plug ends).

We know we've got spark on a good chunk of the cylinders but there is a hardware test mode on the ECU that allows me to drive the coil packs without cranking the engine so I may well do that just to check them all over.

Also a new thing arrived just now... The dilemma is do I claim the VAT back via the house for hunting for cold spots / draughts or via the business for debugging electronics...

 

[sako243]

After a bit of a panic rush on some work stuff I managed to spend most of this morning in the workshop. First job apart from tidying up a few things was better fixing the exhaust ducting with some scrap mig-wire to the downpipe. This just looped out underneath the vehicle and was wedged by the big door - Dad saved it from the tip when it was ripped out my sister's house. Despite my trepidation it actually performed reasonably well (we did have a wet towel over the joint) and meant we could keep the vehicle inside and not out in the wet.



Then onto some final checking. Speeduino has this hardware test mode in which you can fire injection and ignition channels without having to crank the engine. We knew the injectors were working so final test was the spark plugs.



And channel 1 and 3 produced no clicking / spark / nothing. Channel 2 and 4 produced audible clicking from the coil packs whilst turned on briefly, with or without plugs attached. Suspicious. At this point Dad arrived to act as a second pair of eyes given I'd be stuck holding the throttle pedal and monitoring the laptop in the cab.

Cue some updating of the whiteboard and ooo - brain wave! Channel 1 and 3 correspond to A+C on the coil pack diagram - so that's basically one pack out of action. Swapping plugs on the backs confirmed it was following the wiring not the coil pack.



Pulled the plug off and bingo - no 12V supply to the coil pack on the left. Trying to remember how @Bowie69 had wired things up I remembered there was a connector half way down the bulkhead which I introduced when I pulled the engine. Stuck the multimeter into the back of the connector and voila no power there. I then went to pull the plug apart and noticed - ah there's the issue, the feed for the left coil pack had been pulled out of the crimp. Unplugged the other half, managed to pull the wiring loom down underneath the engine and from underneath I was able to pull out the crimp from the housing and crimp on a new receptacle.

Plugged things back together and with some small jump leads grounding the plugs to the chassis, Dad on the left bank and me on the right we went through each of the ignition channels and confirmed we had spark on each HT lead. Duly checked, plugs reinstalled and dogs fed it was time...


That's the cam run in successfully, finally... Oil is currently draining and I'll put a new filter on.

Next on the list is reassemble things to the point where it's roadworthy again, insure it and MOT it (the exemption is feeling rather tempting though).

Immediate list:

1. Change oil & filter
2. Fix wiring in both wings
3. Add a proper earth strap between engine and chassis
4. Reinstall dash
5. Actually build the coolant gauge so I at least have something
6. Reinstall gearbox tunnel
7. Put doors back on
8. Quick spray can paint on the seatbelt -> chassis straps whilst they're accessible
9. Put bed back on
10. Front bumper and grill
11. Check / adjust brakes
12. Make a bulkhead fitting for the vacuum line for the ECU & replace the housing with a sealed one.
13. Reinstall air-filter
14. Make something more secure for the IAT sender - ideally I'll weld a nut onto the air filter housing so it can be plugged in there safely
15. ...

 

[Pete.]

A 9v battery is a hand aid for cleaning fuel injectors. You can usually use 9v to hold the injector open indefinitely without overheating overheating the coil. Use the battery to hold it open and dump it in the ultrasonic cleaner.