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35356

General Discussion Area / Re: Paperclip test ??

« on: 23 February 2007, 19:08:04 »

as far as I know,  a single point takes a feed from the lambda sensor to monitor it's feed, it's a little strange

It could be that the strategy for Lambda control is slightly different between the gas system and the petrol system, i.e. it operates over a slightly different load / rev range. This might result in a small part of the fuel map where the petrol ecu thinks it's in closed loop but the gas ecu is not, therefore the corrections for that part of the map go out of range.

It's not a problem except that it might run a bit ropey when you switch back to petrol after using gas for a while but the ECU should re-learn the petrol settings pretty quick.

It might be worth taking it to an LPG specialist. The gas system probably creates a "false" Lambda signal for the petrol ECU when running on gas to keep it happy. Maybe the gas ECU settings can be tweaked to stop it. Then again, the petrol ECU probably won't go into closed loop until it's fully warmed up so why it complains at start-up I'm not sure.

Kevin

35357

General Discussion Area / Re: Paperclip test ??

« on: 22 February 2007, 20:18:11 »

by chance I have figured out my EML problem, it is due to the gas conversion, I have ran now 500 miles purely on gas so the EM has lowered the oxygen sensor reading, therfore when running on the expensive stuff my car complains (and it's not the only one  Grin)

That figures. The petrol ECU doesn't know it's not providing the fuel. Over time it will adapt the fuel map based on sensor readings and its' adjustments may evenually hit the limit because it's not actually controlling the fuelling. Does the LPG system take an input from the Lambda sensor or the fuel injector outputs on the petrol ECU or does it just use a fixed (open loop) mixture?

Another way of clearing it might be to disconnect the battery for a while (or just disconnect the petrol ECU). It depends on the type of non volatile memory used by the ECU but this could well clear the correction values and restore it to defaults.

Kevin

35358

General Discussion Area / Re: Paperclip test ??

« on: 21 February 2007, 22:24:33 »

Its hard to tell what she is thinking (like all women!)

Yeah. Imagine the riches awaiting a man who can design a fault code reader for one of those

Kevin

35359

General Discussion Area / Re: Parts for tomorrow

« on: 23 February 2007, 15:39:27 »

I'm short of the two plastic clips that hold the panel above the driver's feet on.

Guess someone pulled out the trafficmaster and couldn't be @rsed to put them back.

If they're the same clips I'd be glad of them...


Cheers,

Kevin

35360

General Discussion Area / Re: Question for Mr McBurger? Maybe others?

« on: 22 February 2007, 14:24:30 »

One point to add about overtaking (thinking more of the single carriageway case here). Why do so many drivers overtake from a position of tailgating? They don't have a good view of the oncoming traffic from this position and can't judge how quickly they'll get past the vehicle ahead. They'll also do all their accelerating whilst exposed to danger on the other side of the road.

I was always taught to start the manoevre from well back, accelerate towards the vehicle in front whilst checking behind me and for oncoming traffic ahead of the vehicle in front. You arrive behind the vehicle with a good idea of the space you have in front, a good idea of how your vehicle is accelerating and therefore a better feel for how quickly you'll get past. You reach a point where you can decide to continue the overtake or drop back armed with much more information, and you probably have an extra 10-20 MPH on the vehicle in front before you're exposed to danger.

I agree with the minimum time of exposure to danger too. If the overtake is obviously going to be a leisurely affair then there's no need to go mad (I.E. very slow vehicle and plenty of space). If you're going to have to break the limit to get it over with then you probably shouldn't have started the manoevre in the first place but facing the oncoming traffic is the wrong time to hesitate or speedo-watch.

There's a lot of envy in some drivers' responses to being overtaken too, IMO.


Kevin

35361

General Discussion Area / Re: Colour, a moving taste violation

« on: 21 February 2007, 09:44:00 »

yeah, but the Dolly Sprint is same kind of era and class as the Rs2000 was  , probably the same Orange as well

Ahh, those were the days. You could have any colour you like. As long as it was dayglo orange, cack brown, baby puke green,...

 

Kevin

35362

General Discussion Area / Re: Hideous squealing from front turning corners.

« on: 21 February 2007, 11:08:09 »

A new pump needed perhaps?

Not necessarily. Could just be a worn or loose belt. It's normal for the load on the belt to increase due to steering input and it may just be slipping because its worn.

Is there any sign of fluid leakage from the pump? Another possibility is that fluid has leaked and contaminated the belt. Often you can see a trail of fluid on the surrounding components at a tangent to the pump shaft where it has been "thrown off" the rotating pulley.

Kevin

35363

General Discussion Area / Re: Hideous squealing from front turning corners.

« on: 21 February 2007, 09:54:49 »

If it was in for an MOT why were they working on it at all? MOT testers are not permitted to dismantle anything during a test, even if it is necessary to reach an item they need to inspect.

If they managed to shear off bolts removing the cam cover they're incompetent. I can understand a decent mechanic sometimes shearing an exhaust manifold stud, for example, because they're liable to sieze, but a cam cover bolt?

Edited to say:

Before I started ranting about incompetent mechanics I meant to ask if the noise you're getting is the aux drive belt? Maybe the load from the PAS pump is causing it to slip and squeal?

Kevin

35364

General Discussion Area / Re: 44% reduction in road use - new car/road tax

« on: 20 February 2007, 21:04:52 »

lets rememebre it was us folk maybe not every member on this site that put Labour into power, not that any of the rest of them are any better for that matter.

This is true. Not much green grass on the other side at the moment. However, I believe that government just needs to change every so often. Our current lot have become stale, arrogant and have forgotten who put them in power in the first place. (Just like the last tory govt did IMO) If they thought they'd have a battle on at each general election they would at least get a sharp reminder to pull their socks up every 4 years. As it is they will descend into the mire until they are unelectable at which point the balance will eventually tip.

We've also got a PM who will be well out of it at the next election, of course, which makes matters worse.

They will also, of course, pull a few token rabbits out of the hat just before the election, everyone will forget all the cr@p and everything will smell of roses again.

Just glad I didn't buy the ex-HM government Elite that I test drove. The thought of that slimy lot having been all over my back seat wouldn't be nice to live with :-/. Well, that and the fact that it was only firing on 4 cylinders!

Kevin

35365

General Discussion Area / Re: 44% reduction in road use - new car/road tax

« on: 20 February 2007, 17:03:44 »

IF public transport ws viable......we would use it....

Absolutely. I often go to Germany on business and don't miss my car. There are trains, buses, trams, underground systems,... It's all open most of the night, it's cheap, reliable, clean and not full of to$$ers.

Our government has been encouraging housing development as fast as it can with no thought to transport (or other) infrastructure for many decades. It's going to be a whole generation before that can change, no matter how much motorists' money is ploughed into public transport (or wars). We have and we continue to develop communities for which there is no alternative but to use the car for most journeys.

Trains and buses could improve vastly tomorrow and there'd still be nothing I could use. The only train line near me only goes to London and I don't work there. The only bus near me stops every 250 yards making a 20 mile commute a bit painful!

The government can increase taxation on car use and, without an alternative, it's just increased taxation. It'll make the country less productive, less competitive, there'll be a recession and the tax take will plummet as a result. Back to square one.

We really need to broaden our thinking. Is it really necessary for people to travel to work to sit at a desk they could just as easily have at home? Is is impossible to have a form of transport that's as flexible as a car but without the environmental burden or the need for decades of investment?

Kevin

35366

General Discussion Area / Re: 44% reduction in road use - new car/road tax

« on: 20 February 2007, 10:53:17 »

Much as it pains me to say it, it's getting to the point that we need to take a leaf out of the French book of civil protest. Barricade the ports, airports, motorways and bring the country to a halt, and then see how the government feel about forcing their fancy new schemes on us as they watch billions get flushed down the toilet.

It's not a "British" way to behave, of course, but then that could be said of the way the government are acting today and perhaps you've got to fight like with like.

The thing we lack is solidarity between all the minority interest groups - Hauliers, private motorists, Police, etc.

Kevin

35367

General Discussion Area / Re: 44% reduction in road use - new car/road tax

« on: 19 February 2007, 21:03:15 »

"Public don't understand"

That sums it up, doesn't it? You don't know what's good for you so you need a nanny state to force it down your neck.

I'd like to see someone try to fit a black box to my cars! If they succeed - it's not that difficult to jam a GPS signal.

It's only the fact that this government has yet to sponsor an IT project, let alone one of this scale, that actually works, that gives me any hope.

Kevin

35368

General Discussion Area / Re: Questions for TheBoy tho other may be intreste

« on: 20 February 2007, 21:10:08 »

Does anyone know when the gearbox update happened? I.E. what age range of cars are likely to benefit?

Cheers,

Kevin

35369

General Discussion Area / Re: Oil

« on: 20 February 2007, 09:54:30 »

I read somewhere that someone's contesting Mobil's description of the oil as fully synthetic, claiming it contains mineral stock.

But its price is more indicative of clever marketing and trading on a name than the composition of the oil.

I used to use it religiously but then I got to thinking that I've never had an issue with engine wear with any car anyway (Including my kit car with a 200 BHP tuned Ford Zetec). They normally get tatty, go rusty or I get bored with them before engine condition becomes an issue. I just find a decent value fully synthetic oil (Currently Chevron oil from Costco looks good - 50 quid for 20 litres) and change it regularly.

You can also look at it from the point of view that if you're going to change your oil yourself it costs you nothing to do so you might as well do it more regularly than the 20k Vx now recommend. You then don't need a premium quality oil that lasts for ages.

Anyway.. This is becoming an Oil thread... Must resist...

Kevin

35370

General Discussion Area / Re: Should I add TheBoy's Caravan to my Avatar?

« on: 20 February 2007, 09:58:53 »

I prefer proper camping. ie, a bloody tent!

Damned right! And, unlike a caravan, it'll fit in the boot of my Westfield let alone the Omega and leave the driving experience unchanged

Kevin