The big experiment - amateur 3B shenanigans

[Nj]

starting a major project again? oooh! thought you were getting sensible with the slipper wagon?

[Azman]

good old boy keep it going...... I'm starting again!!!

[Nj]

whahey! Good old Az. Thanks for the support mate. I'll be honest - I sat on the spare wheel in the garage on Sunday morning, looking out at the s2 sat in the rain and thought to myself that you had the right idea breaking the car. Almost started hacking it apart again right there and then. But I gave myself a mental slapping, reminded myself it only has 103k on the engine and got stuck in again. come on self! I need the Rocky music belting out at me while I do the rest

[Azman]

Keep going matey you sound like you are getting on very well at the mo. Keep plugging!!!

[Nj]

This must be what blogging's like. rambling away to myself and sending it out into the ether.
I've finally done it. I've bored them all to death.....

[Nj]

A reasonable afternoon yesterday at the car despite leaving with frozen feet after standing in a puddle at some point.
New rear seatbelts in, shelf edges in, back seats and bolsters etc, parcel shelf, spare wheel etc. Looks kinda like a normal coupe from the back now.
I sorted out the boot not closing issue by taking the seal off and redoing it, pushing it on with as much force as possible. Seems to have done the trick and now locks.

Managed to wrestle the ECU into place too. I was having a really hard time until I found that I still had a metal sleeve on the old one and a plastic one exists in the car in place . must be different for the 'with A/C" cars. so I felt a bit of a dumbass but at least it's in now. trims replaced here and there so the passenger side is all looking good apart from the missing glovebox. My dash came out of a car without A/C and has a bigger glovebox. I sent it to James (Terrybullwon) but he can't get it to fit his dash that had the smaller glovebox. So I now need a small glovebox and brackets or if that doesn't work i'll need the whole sodding dash.. or a non A/C blower unit (like the one I sent to James) again..

Further to my strange sidelight coming on while braking issue when I started it yesterday there's no life in the speedo, fuel gauge etc. the backlights come on but the dials don't work. I haven't looked but it might be a fuse (I hope). one more time..

The bonnet continues to confuse me. Is there an art to getting it lined up right? When I close it it doesn't quite go down all the way on the driver's side and it locks tight so that I have to get in with a screwdriver to release it on that side. maybe the catch is coming out to one side of the tubular bit it locks into. anyway.. that's to be investigated too.

All these small things are really adding up. I'm particularly looking forward to replacing the driver's seatbelt, which involves bringing through the whole Procon Ten cable from under the cabin and feeding the new one through to replace it. The 3Bs seem to have one solid cable all the way but the pdf manual that Paul N sent me suggests that later models have a join in the cale that lets you replace the seatbelt and part of the cable (join is located under the plastic door trim).

right - i'm off to consider whether the s2 rebuild has contributed to the reappearance of my ulcers.

[Nj]

Also - anybody good with bonnet catches? Stuck the new bonnet on and it seems to close ok but the left catch is.. well.. catching. when the cable is released the passenger side unlocks ok but the driver's side doesn't. I had to poke the tubular bar back and out of the way to release it. (the thin bar under tension that sits in the slot and locks the catch until the cable pulls it out to the side)
would the bonnet being slightly off to one side cause this? can't quite get my head round it.

[Nj]

Bit more tinkering today. everything is taking an eternity. Looks like someone has cut 3 out of 5 seatbelts so I have to replace each one. aghh!

couple of questions about electrics.
1) what is the single spade connector for on the power side of the head unit wiring loom? I see an additional plug on the part with the speaker wires and assume that was for the original stereo. spade connector looks a bit odd though.


2) I have a bit of loom with a label on it reading "L7 - 895.971.733 B MKR 15.02.90". The red connector is there but the black one has been cut off. What are these connectors for please?


Should be like this (old loom cut off but this bit wasn't labeled. doh!)


3) I connected this chap to the corresponding place on the brake pedal and whe
n I braked the left side repeater lit up. Only noticed because I was putting the car into the garage and it reflected off the wall. What the hell does that mean? I haven't been able to check the other lights. I'll need an assistant for that.


cheers lads

[Nj]

cheers Paul, that's all good reading. looks like I need to get my multimeter out.

[S2central.net]

http://www.s2central.net/ds_G42.html

and

http://www.s2central.net/ds_G62.html

and

http://www.s2central.net/ds_N_N70.html

plus a bunch of other stuff at http://www.s2central.net/motronic_02.html

[Nj]

yeah the boot has to be something daft if it shut ok without the seal but won't shut now.

the bigger issue is the engine. how would I go about checking the air and coolant sensors besides checking the wiring?
coil sounds possible. Yeah it's a 3b by the way. it's firing fine once warmed up though. would the coil be affected by the temp in some way?

cheers for the input
Noel

[S2central.net]

Boot lid shouldn't need to be slammed - smells of bad adjustment.

On the cold start issue, I'd suggest its an ECU sensor issue - the ISV wouldn't be doing much until it starts. Check air and coolant temp sensors.

Alternatively if its struggling to spark when cold, then it could be a problem with the coil - its a 3B innit ?

Paul

[Nj]

Boot lids are always a pita and require a bit of effort to shut.

you mean i'm a big girl and shut it harder or something needs adjusting?

Idle - could try cleaning your idle valve, could also be that the car just needs more using or a service?

I'll try the idle valve. good thinking. I did change the filters and oil while I moved the engine across. sparks plugs seem ok. just seems very odd that this happens until the car is warmed up and then it's happy.

cheers mate

[Acidburn]

Boot lids are always a pita and require a bit of effort to shut.

Idle - could try cleaning your idle valve, could also be that the car just needs more using or a service?

[Nj]

here's a doozie for the big brains....

When I go to start the car it turns over and splutters a bit. I persist and it starts and turns over for a few seconds but very lamely. I persist more and it will idle but very lamely and eventually it will lift in tone and idle properly. If I try to rev it a bit it chokes and may stall. But persisting will get it running properly. I can leave it like that or take it for a spin (I did take it to halfords at the weekend and propelled myself a strip of dual carriageway like a missle so the engine works ok) and if i turn the engine off for a bit (as I did going into halfords) it starts again no problem. But when I leave it long enough to cool down i'm back to p155ing about to get it started again.

Does anybody have a friggin clue what's going on? seems as if the engine will only start if warm. or I could have an issue with fuel getting through?

Also the boot was shutting and locking ok until I put the plastic strip in (that goes from the parcel shelf lugs either side round the back and around the lock mech) and the rubber boot seal in. now when I close it, it just thumps like the mech is locked. seems to line up properly and I haven't adjusted the position of teh tailgate. also has me stumped.

All answers greatly appreciated.. or some possibly scorned and poked fun at.

cheers