The big experiment - amateur 3B shenanigans

[ciaranthemurph]

Looking excellent mate! It'll be ready for the Scottish gathering on the 30th! And we can try and figure out whether or not it is standard as previously discussed

[Nj]

could be close mate. need the new screen fitted and an MOT before then. And for that to happen I need to get to the bottom of the starting issue and sort out the lights. I only have the council lock up with no 'leccy so i'm stuck with weekend only.

You in glasgow any time soon?

[Nj]

2 issues before I can MOT it
1) the starting issue. takes a couple of mins turning over. it catches, runs lumpy, then smooth, then lumpy and eventually all is well. If I try to rev at any point it will choke and die until it's running steady and in that case it's all good. When the car is warmed up I can stop and then start again with no issues. My neighbour suggested a sticky injector or rod so I put a good injector cleaner in the petrol (redex advanced or something along those lines) and let it run for a while. Then later I took it out for a rapid run up the dual carriageway and back home again. I'm not convinced that will be it sorted though.

2) the electrical issue. lights work, brake lights work, indicators work... but when i brake the passenger side repeater lights up a bit. And if the passenger indicator is on and i press the brake it cancels the indicator until I lift my foot again. Any ideas where the short might lie?

Any suggestions very welcome. Not looking good for the meet just now.

cheers

[Knight Rider S4]

With the rear lights i would check your earth as it sounds like the problem..The cold start problem must be water temp sensor (possibly wiring on wrong as it was mix and match )as it is only when the car is cold you have the issue ..ecu is not getting to know if the car is cold ..would not bother with injectors as they are fine

[Nj]

thank you sir. i salute you. right enough the temp on the main gauges didn't move when I went out a spin last night. It has been reading ok until now but odd that It didn't move. The fan still came on at one point when sitting still though. that'll be the main temp sensor on the block as opposed to the one at the bottom of the radiator then yes?

[Knight Rider S4]

Yes sensors on water manifold

[Nj]

nuts. pulled the thermostat off one of the 2.3s but problem is the same. Looks like i'll need some vagcom help
Of course i'll get a new thermostat on tuesday but i'm not sure about it being the thermostat now.

[Knight Rider S4]

Thermostat???

[Nj]

sorry. thought the thermostat was the temp sensor thing that is screwed into the water manifold. 30mm spanner affair?
oh-oh

[urquattro-island]

wow

looking good there, mm and red

[newsh]

sorry. thought the thermostat was the temp sensor thing that is screwed into the water manifold. 30mm spanner affair?
oh-oh

Thermostat is a device in the water system which closes to slow down the flow of water when the engine is cold and opens as it warms up. No electrical connections to it, its filled with wax which changes size with temp. It tries to keep the engine at the correct running temperature at all times in conjuction with the fan. It will not be your problem at this point.
The big unit under the water manifold is the MFTS (Multi function temp sender). Connects to the temp warning system, hang onto the spare ones they cost a small fortune.. I think the smaller sensor is the one the ECU looks at or there's another one on the back of the head? Maybe that is disconnected.
It just sounds like your car is not going into cold start mode, so it won't run properly till its warmed up. Has to be a sensor or a wire to one of them.

[Nj]

looking good there, mm and red

thanks mate

John - thanks for the explanation. Glad i'm at least working with the right thing, even if I don't know what it's called
I'll need to go over each sensor and check everything. Hopefully Rob can give me a hand with my vagcom and see what it says. might point me at the right sensor at least (if i can then identify it by name. hmm. )
cheers
Noel

[Nj]

aha!!!

vagcom didn't want to play and I forgot all about my blink code reader so pulled it out today and there's just one code looping round. 2322- which I believe is Intake Air Temp Sensor (G42). So that's the chap on the top of the IM is that right?

[Nj]

well despite having checked twice before I had to take the fault code as a sure sign that something was up and... one of the connections was broken within the shrink wrap. I still need to solder it but a quick tape up and the car starts properly and idles much better. woohoo!

[Knight Rider S4]

excellent news