V8Granite wrote: Thu Apr 21, 2022 8:46 am
Take the car out for a run before changing a glow plug, if it’s had short runs in it’s life the tip can be pretty gummed up with carbon and not come out easily.
It's definitely had some good long runs since buying it Noted though, a warm engine is always better to work on.
Changed them on the Auris the other day, weirdly no code or glow plug light, but cold starting had started to take a couple of attempts and a fair bit of smoke. 45 squid for bosch duraterm's. The cheapo dupes don't last ime.
Mini update. Realising that the MOT expires in the first week of May, the insurance expires on 27 April and that my stepdaughter has lost interest in passing her driving test and will be off to university in September, it'll be sold. But it needs a longer MOT so I charged up the replacement battery last weekend, fitted the new cam angle sensor which I'd bought a while ago and booked it in for its MOT today.
I didn't really check anything until Tuesday night and discovered that one of the side-light bulbs was out, so picked a pair up from Halfords on the way home from work last night. Fitted it this morning (what a palaver, had to remove a wheel to do so - there's sufficient access with the steering turned if the car's new and fresh but not when the plastic's a bit old and won't move without persuasion). Gave it a quick blast with the pressure washer too, to get months and months' worth of moss and garden grime off it. Realised the front tyres had perished so got it booked in for the cheapest pair from ATS before going to the MOT, checked the washers, wipers etc, reset the service indicator light which hadn't been done when it was serviced last year and all good to go.
And... it failed. Two things: a perished seal on the fuel filler (christ, never even realised that was checked - it's not bad, but I've ordered another for £4 delivered from eBay). And smoke from the exhaust meaning they didn't check the emissions. I warmed it up before the MOT but it hasn't been used at all until this week in maybe 9 months. It's quite possible that it's the valve stem seals though it wasn't smoking last year. So I'm wondering if it's possible to revive dried out valve stem seals - anyone got any cheap tips, perhaps using it for a decent trip? It is booked in to a Mini specialist next Monday but I'm sure the answer is going to be to replace all the stem seals, which is going to be hundreds of pounds if not a grand, inevitably.
It's a really fun car, thoroughly enjoyed driving it today. And it's a nice spec, relatively low mileage (82,500) and should easily find a buyer. Just wish my stepdaughter hadn't lost interest in driving.
You could come and get it tested in London (or, I imagine Birmingham will be the same). If the number of cars emitting noxious black soot out their exhausts is anything to go by seemingly the law is different here…
Is it a BMW era one? PCV system in the valve cover can fail causing that. I've never really heard of valve stem oil seals failing on that era of car tbh.
Holy shit it's in my drive! And it works! Came back at 5pm yesterday, with a request to return it for an hour tuesday just to re-check and re-torque everything. We went out in it last night, and enjoyed some silky smooth wafting with no untoward noises. Long may it last.
Today I will fit the new coolant temp sensor and see if that encourages it out of open loop. Fingers crossed.
tim wrote: Fri Apr 22, 2022 7:27 am
Today I will fit the new coolant temp sensor and see if that encourages it out of open loop. Fingers crossed.
It didn't. Hmm.
MAF? Elvis did one on a 3.2V8 Jag of 2000's vintage on WD dream car. It seems that it can cause open loop and doesn't throw a code. Not sure if you'd already done it.
It's a consideration. But I'm getting what appear to be pretty normal flow rates via my OBDII at idle, 2k and full chat. I suspect it's one or more O2 sensors.
Noted though, a warm engine is always better to work on.
