Project Spa - Delivered!

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These have fine filters which can block, meaning oil doesn’t get to the solenoids quite quick enough on start up.

Microfilter has been replaced with last oil change, according to invoice by Gilberts.
Janis.

Thanks. That is the pollen filter in the cabin

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No progress today. Spent the day in Gorleston replacing all the discs and pads on a 3.0i.
Came home to find a set of Bilstein front struts and Lemforder top mounts on the doorstep, ready for another owner to get the front suspension replaced.
Then managed to track down a centre airbag module for another owner which needs sorting asap for the MOT.

Word of advice: don't retire and start playing with zeds. It gets out of control.

[Pondrew]

Word of advice: don't retire and start playing with zeds. It gets out of control.

Sounds like it's becoming a nice little business. And you love it! Win win.

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Word of advice: don't retire and start playing with zeds. It gets out of control.

Sounds like it's becoming a nice little business. And you love it! Win win.

Sorry dear, no time to help in the garden again today.

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Well the rain finally stopped so I'm starting to dive in to clean out these two vanos non-return valve/filters.
The rocker gasket leak isn't making it much fun, so while I'm waiting for the degreaser to do its thing I thought I'd put a wee request on here.

The car is missing the upper headlight access panels from the arch liners on both sides.

I am making a cheeky appeal to anyone on the forum who may be able to help out with these while keeping Wayo11's costs within budget.

If we can't get hold of any then I will be attempting a temporary solution using 'speed-tape'. Worked on Tornados so should be ok.

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Well in the end the dreaded job only took an hour to get the filters out.
No way can this be done from above unless you own a trained mouse!

General location.JPG (56.67 KiB) Viewed 262 times

In there somewhere.JPG (55.01 KiB) Viewed 262 times

Wheel off and arch liner removed. Then you can just about see the lower filter. (All the following photos are taken through the wheel arch). Luckily I just about had enough reach with my 3/8 extension bars.

Lower one.JPG (56.12 KiB) Viewed 262 times

The filters aren't magnetic so once unscrewed they were a little tricky to pull out.
The lower filter didn't actually look too bad, but dropping it in a bath of plusgas soon saw plenty of black oil seep out.

Lower.JPG (75.21 KiB) Viewed 262 times

On to the upper filter and I immediately realised I couldn't even see it.
However, by removing the bracket that supports the loom the upper one came into view.

On the upper one.JPG (56.66 KiB) Viewed 262 times

The state of this one was another story!

Upper.JPG (75.1 KiB) Viewed 262 times

I believe the upper one feeds the intake vanos, so i am pinning my faint hopes on this causing the 'Vanos inlet' code.

Now to do the 'refitting is simply the reverse of removal' bit and pray.
This is where they go back to, hopefully.

Holes once removed.JPG (61.03 KiB) Viewed 262 times

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Back indoors, all done. Including the cleaning and stopping to take photos, post updates, etc., it was less than three hours from wheeling the jack out to putting the last tools away. Better than I expected.
I soaked the filters for a good 20 minutes and agitated with a toothbrush. The results were quite shocking. The amount of debris, including a lot a shiny metal bits at least showed the filters did their job.

After first soak.JPG (35.09 KiB) Viewed 242 times

View through filter.JPG (19.97 KiB) Viewed 242 times

First debris.JPG (40.82 KiB) Viewed 242 times

I did a second 10 minute soak and there was still stuff coming out.

Second soak.JPG (28.83 KiB) Viewed 242 times

The third time was clear though so i put it all back together.

Annoyingly the symptoms are still there! At least I've ruled out those filters.
Next step will be eccentric cam sensor when it arrives.
Doing things one at a time will hopefully aid others when (and IF ) I nail down the culprit.

EDIT: Almost forgot: I had heard that if the oil filter cage is missing or dislodged it can allow the filter to collapse and allow unfiltered oil through. Checked that and all good, so one more potential issue ticked off.

[1536Z4]

Such fun isn`t it Shame it didn`t solve the problem but definitely needed doing . Cant help with the wheel arch covers i`m afraid hope someone will have some lying about .

[pvr]

Bet you cleaned the washer bottle whilst you were at it there as well

My washer filters looked like that as well

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Such fun isn`t it Shame it didn`t solve the problem but definitely needed doing . Cant help with the wheel arch covers i`m afraid hope someone will have some lying about .

Very frustrating chasing faults like this.
On the plus side, I finally found a job that bigwinn hadn't already done before.

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Bet you cleaned the washer bottle whilst you were at it there as well

My washer filters looked like that as well

Funny you should say that. I did! Not refitted yet as it's one less thing in the way when I do the top cover etc.
As it happens though, this is the very first one I've had that has a washer level sensor fitted! Every car seems to have the moulding to fit one on the outside, but never seen one installed before. Is this a facelift thing?

[pvr]

Bet you cleaned the washer bottle whilst you were at it there as well

My washer filters looked like that as well

Funny you should say that. I did! Not refitted yet as it's one less thing in the way when I do the top cover etc.
As it happens though, this is the very first one I've had that has a washer level sensor fitted! Every car seems to have the moulding to fit one on the outside, but never seen one installed before. Is this a facelift thing?

I have that as well yes, hence fairly gentle in cleaning, I was worried that I would get the warning light if I cleaned it a bit too enthouastically

[bigwinn]

Such fun isn`t it Shame it didn`t solve the problem but definitely needed doing . Cant help with the wheel arch covers i`m afraid hope someone will have some lying about .

Very frustrating chasing faults like this.
On the plus side, I finally found a job that bigwinn hadn't already done before.

*yet

Spanners being warmed up as we speak

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Such fun isn`t it Shame it didn`t solve the problem but definitely needed doing . Cant help with the wheel arch covers i`m afraid hope someone will have some lying about .

Very frustrating chasing faults like this.
On the plus side, I finally found a job that bigwinn hadn't already done before.

*yet

Spanners being warmed up as we speak

Check my photos to be sure you have long enough extension bars. I found I could reach over the wing to support them whilst I turned.

Torx T40

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Another day, another small step.
Bit short of time amongst other commitments so not done very much really.
Removed the top cover. Already knew it had leaky gaskets and of course it had to come off to replace the oiled up Eccentric Cam Sensor (ECS)
It's a bit of a fiddle to remove on your own, with a loom passing over the top and not wanting to disconnect every plug as some parts of the loom disappear into the depths. I found by removing the loom from the plastic carrier along the bottom edge of the cover it gave me enough space to ease the cover out forwards. May need an extra pair of hands to refit it I feel.

Cover off.JPG (68.42 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Before the cover can come off you need to remove the valvetronic servo motor. I bench tested it with a battery and it spins freely in both directions.

Servo motor.JPG (64.41 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Once the cover was off I set it aside with a liberal dosing of degreaser. The oil in the photo has come from the top of the cover, which is supposed to be dry. The brittle lump of rubber and metal that was supposed to be the servo motor seal has long since relinquished its responsibilities!

Top cover and oil.JPG (67.53 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Old servo motor seal.JPG (67.1 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Then I removed the old ECS and fitted the new one. A fiddly job as even though the bolt holes in the sensor are designed to grip the bolts, you are still acutely aware of what happens if you drop one into the depths!

ECS 1.JPG (45.39 KiB) Viewed 153 times

ECS 2.JPG (45.53 KiB) Viewed 153 times

ECS 3.JPG (29.56 KiB) Viewed 153 times

Old ECS in situ.JPG (59.33 KiB) Viewed 153 times

New ECS in situ.JPG (56.1 KiB) Viewed 153 times

I was relieved to find the vanos unit in one piece as I had read stories of some earlier versions shearing their bolt heads.

Inlet vanos.JPG (56.58 KiB) Viewed 153 times

And that is as far as I got today.
Having used large quantities of Surfex with a stiff brush, I hosed off the top cover and have left it to dry.
Time and weather permitting I will attempt to put it all back together tomorrow.