The rest of my photos can be found here.
J
Sunday, 22 January 2017
Monday, 12 December 2016
Back on the road
4 x new tyres, wheel alignment and the beast is back!
Better in every way to how it was before.
HUGE thanks to JtC!
There is no way I could have taken this photo, in this time frame, without his help.
Thanks again.
J
Better in every way to how it was before.
HUGE thanks to JtC!
There is no way I could have taken this photo, in this time frame, without his help.
Thanks again.
J
Friday, 2 December 2016
Swappin' Relays + Grit Blasting
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John
Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2016 at 12:56 PM
Subject: Verrry interesting...
To: JtC
P0036
Packed the bonnet hinges and bonnet latch into the Commodore in the hope that I can find some time this arvo to give them a grit blast.
< Edit... done! Photo below >
With all the starts I have been giving the Chev this week, I decided to disconnect the negative terminal and put the battery on trickle charge.
From: John
Date: Fri, Dec 2, 2016 at 12:56 PM
Subject: Verrry interesting...
To: JtC
Yo!
This morning I swapped the fuel pump relay with one of the thermo fan relays and gave it a start. Buzzing as usual. I thought I would check fault codes...
P0036
P0056
P0463 and
P0483
...are all usual suspects, no problems there.
The interesting one is P0480...
Cooling Fan Relay 1 Control Circuit
Extract:
"The causes for this DTC may include:
- Faulty fan control relay 1"
Don't know B2aaa, but I think "B" is something to do with body control module (which is deleted). I know the low-speed thermo fan function is managed by the BCM, so there is every chance it is tied-in with P0480.
Video here...
After switching the car off I swapped the relays back again.
A few other things...
Coolant is below the top of the core.
< Edit... done! Photo below >
With all the starts I have been giving the Chev this week, I decided to disconnect the negative terminal and put the battery on trickle charge.
J
Thursday, 1 December 2016
OBD2 Fault Codes
Entered a custom sensor ID for the oil pressure into the OBD2 scanner last night. Tried it this morning... no good. Will keep trying.
Read the fault code log. There were a few there. I cleared the log, then checked again and nothing resurfaced, so it looks like the sensors we are no longer using (e.g. post-cat O2 sensors) have been switch off. I'll keep an eye on it.
Log of fault codes...
P0036
P0054
P0056
P0060
P0123
P0223
P0463
Doing a bit of research (e.g. http://grego.ca/limp.htm), a TPS fault is treated REALLY seriously (which makes sense as the computer can't reliably know where the throttle blade is).
And I quote...
"When this code is stored, the PCM will usually enter limp in mode. Engine acceleration will be severely limited (if not disabled) in this mode".
Here's hoping that clearing that fault will be the simple fix to the lack of power!
Itching to take this thing for a drive...
J
Read the fault code log. There were a few there. I cleared the log, then checked again and nothing resurfaced, so it looks like the sensors we are no longer using (e.g. post-cat O2 sensors) have been switch off. I'll keep an eye on it.
Log of fault codes...
P0036
P0054
P0056
P0060
P0123
P0223
P0463
Doing a bit of research (e.g. http://grego.ca/limp.htm), a TPS fault is treated REALLY seriously (which makes sense as the computer can't reliably know where the throttle blade is).
Remember how the throttle butterfly plug wasn't plugged in? This one caught my eye...
P0223 Throttle Position Sensor/Switch B Circuit High Input
P0223 Throttle Position Sensor/Switch B Circuit High Input
"When this code is stored, the PCM will usually enter limp in mode. Engine acceleration will be severely limited (if not disabled) in this mode".
Here's hoping that clearing that fault will be the simple fix to the lack of power!
J
Monday, 28 November 2016
LS Starter Solenoid
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: John
Date: Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 12:58 PM
Subject: LS Starter Solenoid
To: JtC
From: John
Date: Mon, Nov 28, 2016 at 12:58 PM
Subject: LS Starter Solenoid
To: JtC
Interesting read...
Thinking about the gauge of purple wire from the VZ, I wonder if we are giving the solenoid enough juice?
If the starter problem surfaces again, we could try feeding terminal 30 of the starter relay with larger gauge wire from battery +ive.
J
Sunday, 27 November 2016
The Big Push - Day 2 (wiring + fluids + START!)
Yesterday's efforts broke the back of the last leg to start-up, with the only remaining wiring being the interface with the existing Chev circuits:
- wire ignition on (pink 4mm wire).
- wire into the brake circuit (red 2mm wire).
- wire the reverse lights (yellow 2mm wire).
Then it was a case of adding all fluids, holding our collective breath and turning the key!
Nothing.
With "ignition on", we could hear the fuel pump relay click and the fuel pump whirr into life for a couple of seconds then stop. All good. Part of the design.
Then twist to start, we could hear the starter relay click, as well as a loud clack from the starter solenoid... but nothing.
After a couple of twists with nothing, one last twist caught and the engine stumbled into life...
A couple of things... you can hear some lifter tap, so there was a bit of concern around oil pressure. The idle is rough and hunting, plus the accel pedal did nothing.
We killed it and scratched our heads for a while; we needed to know what was going on.
I took a drive to a mate's house (Stu the Aussie champion) who lent me his OBD2 ELM327 adaptor. But on my return, JtC had nailed it!
The plug to the throttle butterfly was loose. A quick click and voila! Smooth idle!
We even had gears. First time in daylight for nine months...
A quick run up the hill showed that the thing was gutless as anything. Full throttle saw the car crawl up the hill... something awry there.
And one final issue, a buzzing from the relay that feeds the fuel pump...
One final video that highlights the baulk on start. The first crank is a no-go and the second fires...
So the issues are:
- baulks intermittently on start-up
- buzzing fuel pump relay
- gutless
Interestingly in the last video, the fuel pump relay is much quieter.
Time to do some research but the issues do not seem insurmountable.
HUGE thanks to JtC for all his efforts! There is no way I could have achieved all this in the time we did without his time, efforts and experience. Well done!
J
- wire ignition on (pink 4mm wire).
- wire into the brake circuit (red 2mm wire).
- wire the reverse lights (yellow 2mm wire).
Then it was a case of adding all fluids, holding our collective breath and turning the key!
Nothing.
With "ignition on", we could hear the fuel pump relay click and the fuel pump whirr into life for a couple of seconds then stop. All good. Part of the design.
Then twist to start, we could hear the starter relay click, as well as a loud clack from the starter solenoid... but nothing.
After a couple of twists with nothing, one last twist caught and the engine stumbled into life...
A couple of things... you can hear some lifter tap, so there was a bit of concern around oil pressure. The idle is rough and hunting, plus the accel pedal did nothing.
We killed it and scratched our heads for a while; we needed to know what was going on.
I took a drive to a mate's house (Stu the Aussie champion) who lent me his OBD2 ELM327 adaptor. But on my return, JtC had nailed it!
The plug to the throttle butterfly was loose. A quick click and voila! Smooth idle!
We even had gears. First time in daylight for nine months...
A quick run up the hill showed that the thing was gutless as anything. Full throttle saw the car crawl up the hill... something awry there.
And one final issue, a buzzing from the relay that feeds the fuel pump...
One final video that highlights the baulk on start. The first crank is a no-go and the second fires...
So the issues are:
- baulks intermittently on start-up
- buzzing fuel pump relay
- gutless
Interestingly in the last video, the fuel pump relay is much quieter.
Time to do some research but the issues do not seem insurmountable.
HUGE thanks to JtC for all his efforts! There is no way I could have achieved all this in the time we did without his time, efforts and experience. Well done!
J
Saturday, 26 November 2016
The Big Push - Day 1 (wiring)
It has come to this.
Through the week I booked the exhaust for 9/12 and rego inspection for 12/12, so there is a real urgency now to knock-off the last items on the to-do list... the majority being related to keeping smoke within wires.
We had mini working bee Tue night to fit the battery tray and drill through the firewall on the passenger side for battery positive, thermo fan and starter wires.
During the week, various parts were acquired ready for a committed weekend of wiring...
- 25 mm2 cable (battery to starter, batter to alt, ground)
- lugs for 25mm2 cable
- distribution post for feeding battery +ive to various circuits
- relay base (will reuse a relay from the VZ for P/N start conditioning)
- plug for thermo fan connection
- 10mm dia split conduit
- 16mm dia split conduit
So to the weekend: a HUGE double header from JtC, making the trip north on both Sat (wiring till midnight) and Sun in an attempt to get the beast started.
First mission:
- Create new battery/ground cables.
- Wire the battery positive/starter/alternator/ground harness.
- Wire the existing Chev battery positive harness to the existing horn relay.
- Wire constant power source (red 2 x 6mm wires) from EFI to battery positive...
Detailed shot of the battery +ive distribution post arrangement...
Secondly: Wire the fuel pump (purple 4mm wire). We ran the wire under the carpet (down the passenger side of the car), under the base of the seat and dragged it though into the boot using floor board tongue...
From there we passed it under the car, through a re-purposed grommet (that was used for the old fuel tank vent), up to the fuel pump and terminated.
Third task takes place under the dash (hard to take photos as the wiring is so well hidden!):
Wire a starter relay which is conditioned to feed the starter solenoid only when the trans is in Park or Neutral (managed by the ECU... the existing Chev P/N switch is by-passed).
We grabbed a relay from one of the VZ relay blocks and mounted into a relay base that clipped to the end of the string of relays in the ECU harness.
existing Chev start trigger wire = pin 86
grey 2mm wire from ECU = pin 85 (switched ground).
existing Chev start trigger wire = pin 30 (looped from the feed to pin 86)
wire to starter solenoid = pin 87
Fourth: Wire the thermo fan (green 2 x 5mm wires).
More tomorrow.
J
Through the week I booked the exhaust for 9/12 and rego inspection for 12/12, so there is a real urgency now to knock-off the last items on the to-do list... the majority being related to keeping smoke within wires.
We had mini working bee Tue night to fit the battery tray and drill through the firewall on the passenger side for battery positive, thermo fan and starter wires.
During the week, various parts were acquired ready for a committed weekend of wiring...
- 25 mm2 cable (battery to starter, batter to alt, ground)
- lugs for 25mm2 cable
- distribution post for feeding battery +ive to various circuits
- relay base (will reuse a relay from the VZ for P/N start conditioning)
- plug for thermo fan connection
- 10mm dia split conduit
- 16mm dia split conduit
So to the weekend: a HUGE double header from JtC, making the trip north on both Sat (wiring till midnight) and Sun in an attempt to get the beast started.
First mission:
- Create new battery/ground cables.
- Wire the battery positive/starter/alternator/ground harness.
- Wire the existing Chev battery positive harness to the existing horn relay.
- Wire constant power source (red 2 x 6mm wires) from EFI to battery positive...
Detailed shot of the battery +ive distribution post arrangement...
Secondly: Wire the fuel pump (purple 4mm wire). We ran the wire under the carpet (down the passenger side of the car), under the base of the seat and dragged it though into the boot using floor board tongue...
From there we passed it under the car, through a re-purposed grommet (that was used for the old fuel tank vent), up to the fuel pump and terminated.
Third task takes place under the dash (hard to take photos as the wiring is so well hidden!):
Wire a starter relay which is conditioned to feed the starter solenoid only when the trans is in Park or Neutral (managed by the ECU... the existing Chev P/N switch is by-passed).
We grabbed a relay from one of the VZ relay blocks and mounted into a relay base that clipped to the end of the string of relays in the ECU harness.
existing Chev start trigger wire = pin 86
grey 2mm wire from ECU = pin 85 (switched ground).
existing Chev start trigger wire = pin 30 (looped from the feed to pin 86)
wire to starter solenoid = pin 87
Fourth: Wire the thermo fan (green 2 x 5mm wires).
More tomorrow.
J
Sunday, 20 November 2016
Intake + Thermo Fan Finalised
The most annoying work is having to do work a second time. This was what was before us in having to remove the Commodore thermo fan and start the mounting process from scratch with the Falcon fan.
JtC made the trip up and got stuck in.
Thankfully, it was more material removal required than making a shroud. The Falcon fan sat well, hard against the radiator core with a slim profile, allowing the intake pipe to thread its way between the radiator and the power steeering reservior...
The MAF/pod filter assembly is supported and held in position by a bracket off the radiator support.
Note the exposed length of alloy pipe at the throttle body inlet.
Clearance everywhere... a work of art!
BIG thanks to JtC in enduring the pain of doing a task twice-over, all the while taking his time to do it right!
J
P.S.
While inlet + thermo fan was happening, I wire-brushed and painted the battery tray ready for refitting.
JtC made the trip up and got stuck in.
Thankfully, it was more material removal required than making a shroud. The Falcon fan sat well, hard against the radiator core with a slim profile, allowing the intake pipe to thread its way between the radiator and the power steeering reservior...
The MAF/pod filter assembly is supported and held in position by a bracket off the radiator support.
Note the exposed length of alloy pipe at the throttle body inlet.
Clearance everywhere... a work of art!
BIG thanks to JtC in enduring the pain of doing a task twice-over, all the while taking his time to do it right!
J
P.S.
While inlet + thermo fan was happening, I wire-brushed and painted the battery tray ready for refitting.
P.S.S.
The photos above were taken before the steam pipe was connected, but JtC connected it as well <phew>!
Thursday, 17 November 2016
Four Letter F-word
So the original plan to use a thermo fan from a VS V6 Commodore (see here) wasn't going to work.
Once we started dummying-up the intake, it soon became obvious that the massive shroud over the top of the VS fan was going to foul the pipe to the throttle body.
After a bit of research, it was decided to go with a thermo fan from the dark side... a big single from a FG Falcon...
J
Once we started dummying-up the intake, it soon became obvious that the massive shroud over the top of the VS fan was going to foul the pipe to the throttle body.
After a bit of research, it was decided to go with a thermo fan from the dark side... a big single from a FG Falcon...
J
Sunday, 13 November 2016
Intake
Time to turn our thoughts to the intake...
Short piece of silicon hose and alloy pipe off the throttle bode to ensure the 90 degree bend could clear the power steering reservoir.
The more astute reader will notice the missing radiator fan.
Clearing the power steering reservoir meant the huge shroud of the V6 Commdore thermo fan we had installed a couple of weeks prior was now going to foul the intake <sigh>.
Solution to that little issue next post.
The good news is the top radiator hose I sourced here, worked a treat (with a bit of judicial trimming)!
Trialing the MAF/pod position...
Dummied-up...
This will be the final position of the pod/MAF, with some tweaks to be made to the reducer section length (4" section too short... swapped for a longer one), and exposing some of the alloy pipe at the throttle body (by reducing the 90 deg. bend leg length).
J
Short piece of silicon hose and alloy pipe off the throttle bode to ensure the 90 degree bend could clear the power steering reservoir.
The more astute reader will notice the missing radiator fan.
Clearing the power steering reservoir meant the huge shroud of the V6 Commdore thermo fan we had installed a couple of weeks prior was now going to foul the intake <sigh>.
Solution to that little issue next post.
The good news is the top radiator hose I sourced here, worked a treat (with a bit of judicial trimming)!
Trialing the MAF/pod position...
Dummied-up...
This will be the final position of the pod/MAF, with some tweaks to be made to the reducer section length (4" section too short... swapped for a longer one), and exposing some of the alloy pipe at the throttle body (by reducing the 90 deg. bend leg length).
J
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