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MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 02 Aug 2010, 11:08

So much for declaring success. This matrix job has been fighting us all the way (but in reality it's probably just my inexperience and annoying knack of always finding the wrong way to do things initially).

The problem I had was not being able to push the double-elbow connector fully home as if the o-rings were too large. I tried lubing them, pushing hard (at risk of breaking something) and even got a lump of wood pressed against it so I could put my whole bodyweight behind it but it wouldn't budge.

This seemed to match with Xac's experience where it wouldn't stay locked in place so I tried fitting the o-rings inside the matrix connectors and voila! It clicked straight on! Initial tests showed no leaks but then, flushed with confidence, I asked Toby to remove it again so he could get a sense of how they feel when they click in place.

Unfortunately, when it came to bleed the coolant, I found it was leaking again.

Yesterday, I had time to try again and managed to get a neighbour (a Citroen trained mechanic, no less) involved. He had the same problem (with the o-rings on the male connectors) and gave up saying he didn't want to risk breaking anything, suggesting I forget the o-rings and use RTV sealant instead. Understandly, time is money for a professional but I have the luxury of time and preferred to use the o-rings (which cost me £2 each

)

I'm not sure how but using light to medium force at varying angles on the connector, it eventually clicked in place and, after running up the engine, could see no evidence of leaking so I'm cautiously optimistic that this particular hinderance is now history.

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 15 Aug 2010, 16:01

A week later and there's no sign of coolant loss though the drivers footwell carpet had taken a heavy soaking - presumably from the inner o-ring leak I accidentally induced. I can't be bothered to strip it out so I place a newspaper under my right heel to dry it out the lazy way.

Meanwhile, the car's still going well despite my best efforts to kill it off. I was harbouring concerns I'd popped the head gasket recently but there's been no evidence of failure yet, touch wood. However, the engine does sound different when cold and under low load so I guess I've caused some damage somewhere.

And finally, a visit from jgra1 yesterday en route to collect a rather large metal vice from Poole. Originally, I'd planned to tune his TD as his other half was complaining about it struggling up hills but due to unforeseen events, did not accomplish my goal.

The problem was evident when I'd removed the LDA top and realised there was no movement of the diaphragm as I leant on it. Usually, these can be easily pushed down against spring pressure but it actually required a very strong push to get it moving - I would've said it was actually seized in the bore. As I forecefully teased it out (and I was actually fighting a strong vacuum), all became clear. A seal had allowed fuel (WVO in this case) into the atmospheric chamber and was doing it's best to gum up everything relating to boost fuelling. Initially, I thought I was looking at lumps of hardened grease but John assured me it was fuel. If anyone needs evidence of how hot the fuel gets heated from the pump itself, this was a great example. Solid fuel anyone?

I've always said these pumps are so hardy they'll easily conceal restriction problems and other inefficiencies but even I couldn't quite believe what I was witnessing. To add to this, we spotted a small hole in the diaphragm itself and the boost feed pipe was beginning to split which all in, is a miracle this car was producing any boost, let alone the above-stock 17psi reported by his gauge! The good news being, John is in for a very pleasant surprise when it's all sorted.

For me, it's just re-inforced the idea that WVO is likely to cause severe gumming problems for these pumps and regular maintenance inspections should be carried out or at least use a good strong cleansing additive with every fill up.

KP · Unread post by KP » 15 Aug 2010, 20:09

Mike what do you think would be strong enough to cleanse as a mixer with WVO? petrol?? AVGAS

??

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 15 Aug 2010, 20:52

Mike, sorry to say this but your laziness (your words!!!) may just come back and bite you.. There's a wealth of electrics under the passenger footwell carpet that might be happily corroding away as we speak!!!

Good your HG seems OK.

Excellent on the work you did for John

Very interesting to one of your fellow diesel pump tinkerers

I have Xac's oold pump in bits at the moment and as you know, that one has been running SVO since the reign of Victoria. In his there is not the slightest trace of gum or anything harmful at all, in fact it looks immaculate. It only came apart because it was leaking more than Deepwater Horizon so it appears the gumming issues you found on John's was strictly a WVO affair. Now that is very interesting.

Mind, if a pump was running either SVO or WVO and spent a period laid up ( as I guess yours was John, whilst you swannied around the Antipodes) then I'd expect gum to form. I believe it does even on a pump running diesel if it is idle for long enough.

Will, petrol is very effective for removing gum but even petrol won't shift polymerised veg (i.e. veg that has baked itself on in the presence of oxygen).

Those lumps you saw Mike. They're interesting and if they came off easily with a solvent, they won't be polymerisation, just lumps of fat! Temperature-wise, however hot the pump body gets in normal running. say, 90 degrees on average...

Please tell me you're going to strip your interior Mike

jgra1 · Unread post by **jgra1** » 16 Aug 2010, 00:09

Mind, if a pump was running either SVO or WVO and spent a period laid up ( as I guess yours was John, whilst you swannied around the Antipodes) then I'd expect gum to form. I believe it does even on a pump running diesel if it is idle for long enough.

hmmm.. I do think the car seemed slower this year than last....

must have been that hard winter you all had to suffer eh?

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 16 Aug 2010, 13:26

KP wrote:Mike what do you think would be strong enough to cleanse as a mixer with WVO? petrol?? AVGAS ??

Sulphuric acid perhaps?

I don't know but I was thinking Moly Diesel Purge if it can be sourced in the UK?

CitroJim wrote:Mike, sorry to say this but your laziness (your words!!!) may just come back and bite you.. There's a wealth of electrics under the passenger footwell carpet that might be happily corroding away as we speak!!!

It's the drivers side, Jim - the passenger side has been dealt with. I'm hoping the surplus that's being soaked up by the newspaper will reduce but it hasn't yet and if it continues another week, I'll have to pull the carpet. Unfortunately I'm feeling somewhat deflated from the matrix job, still tender in the old joints and to add to my depression, my BIL passed away last week. I can't find the energy to finish my mod wiring and this is holding up the refitting of the centre console and passenger seat blah blah, excuse, excuse...

It's good to know Xac's pump is still immaculate internally - I'll be stripping mine at some point (when I can get my spare rebuilt) and, to be honest, didn't know what to expect. I certainly would be very pleased if it's as good as Xac's as I'm beginning to doubt the wisdom of long-term SVO use.

With John's pump, the clumps of hardened WVO had to scrapped off and some of it - particularly that which had coated the LDA pin cone - would not budge at all without risk of scratching the polished surface. Equally, the bore it slides in was also coated to the extent it caused severe friction and even created an air-tight seal - hence the strong resistance to being removed and the audible pop of the vacuum released.

I do think heat played a big part in solidifying this gum. Don't forget, it was leaked into an area that has no flow. I'll get a proper temperautre reading of the pump soon but I think 90 degrees might be about right. It's certainly too hot to touch for more than a second or two.

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 16 Aug 2010, 14:17

Don't forget Cassy was laid up for ages while I had Dex and then when we swapped her head.

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 16 Aug 2010, 21:05

Xac wrote:Don't forget Cassy was laid up for ages while I had Dex and then when we swapped her head.

That's true Xac and she never suffered

That confirms it as a WVO thing then...

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 16 Aug 2010, 21:15

Well, john did have that issue with his fuel filter suddenly gumming up and stopping the car running didn't he?
The most i've had after neglecting the filter change for a few thousand more miles than it should have had was the K light come on when using the full weight of my foot and slow acceleration.

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 16 Aug 2010, 22:33

That WVO is not how I imagined it would be. There's what I'd describe as a gloss-brush-soaking-in-white-spirit smell to it - same as the first pump I stripped, as it happens. You only need to check my Bosch pump blog to see what can happen inside.

Xac wrote:... the K light come on when using the full weight of my foot and slow acceleration.

This is what I'm currently experiencing, after replacing the fuel filter but two tanks ago, I assume it's the pick up strainer that's requiring attention on mine. I've yet to do that job and am quite looking forward to it. Would it be ok to go in while there's still over half a tank left or should I let it run dry so I can mop the bottom of the tank too, if need be?

Xaccers · Unread post by **Xaccers** » 16 Aug 2010, 22:43

I'd clean it sooner rather than later, then run the tank down and mop out any crud you see.

KP · Unread post by KP » 17 Aug 2010, 08:33

The problem with WVO is any suspended water in the mix or bits.

What micron do you filter the WVO to and how long does it settle? Do you do a pan test on it as well??

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 18 Aug 2010, 18:33

KP - I don't use WVO, mainly because of the gumming I've witnessed in a pump I stripped. My choice of fuel is SVO (along with a few experimentational additives and dilutants). It's jgra1 that uses WVO.

As for my fuel starvation, I immediately suspected the tank strainer because my fuel filter is only 300miles old but how wrong I was! I was all set to open the tank, bought a new fuel filter as a matter of course and decided to change it first. Well, it was obviously blocked as I removed it and a quick test drive confirmed, I can rag it over 3K (actually 4K now) again without loss of power or the k-light coming on.

I know what caused the blockage so will not be doing that again. I'll wait until the tank is empty before checking the strainer - it wouldn't suprise me if it's partially restricted and the tank will undoubtedly have some contaminants worth mopping out.

Still happy to report no coolant loss, it's still sitting at the prescribed level in the header tank. Yet I haven't refitted the ashtray, the top vents, the steering cowling, fusebox cover and panel or the centre console as I've got some wiring problems that run through them and I need the access to trace the offender.

As such, it means the passenger seat is still in the shed too! That'll have to be put back soon though as I'll be a designated driver for my BIL's funeral next Monday, who peacefully passed away last week.

Not sure when I'll find time to do all this as the 4-day Bournemouth Air Festival begins tomorrow. We've already been treated to a small teaser today as two RAF Red Arrows took a flypast and the dutch F-16 practiced his display over Bournemouth itself then gave the airport a thrill by doing a bit more over there. I get quite excited when I here the roar of military jets (as John and Toby can attest) so I'm currently charging camcorder batteries in preparation. They say the Avro Vulcan will be making two (or more) appearances again this year, along with the faithful Battle of Britain memorial flight (Lancaster escorted by Hurricane and Spitfire). Plus a host of other land, sea and air displays including a beach assualt which is actually a real practice session for them.

If you've never been and can get down here, I highly recommend it, not least because it's free and by the sea!

Unread post by **myglaren** » 18 Aug 2010, 20:38

Sorry to hear about your Brother In Law Mike.

The airshow should be good - I always contrive to miss ours but one year - the first year they held it here IIRC - I was underneath my Hillman Imp, fixing something or other (there was always something

) when the ground began to shake and I got out from under as fast as a scalded cat, thought it was an earthquake.

Immediately above me at not many hundreds of feet, was a Vulcan standing on it's tail. The roar from those engines was something to experience, believe me!

MikeT · Unread post by **MikeT** » 20 Aug 2010, 12:46

I agree - the sound of those engines is unique and as it's displaying without the payload it's designed to carry is able to go almost vertical as soon as it's undercarriage is up. The sight and sound is remarkable.

As for the BAF, some clips from previous years...

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/v ... ive_page=0

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/v ... ive_page=0

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/v ... al/103670/

http://www.bournemouthecho.co.uk/news/v ... ive_page=0

Unfortunately, I missed Thursday's Vulcan run but even in the short time I was there (2-4pm) I saw some impressive displays and I was a mile or two short of Bournemouth.

A further disappointment though not unexpected was the absence of the Hurricane in the BofB Memorial Flight, as it has been all year so far.

Even the Dutch F-16 surprised me as it was firing it's flares during the display, something I've never seen before.

I've been to some of the largest airshows in Britain including Farnborough and Mildenhall but none compare to this as the fun continues into the evening with "Night Air" and fireworks. Imagine, a glider with roman candles/flares on it's wingtips at dusk flying through a beach barrage of shooting fireworks (see the Bournemouth Echo videos for a clip of this). Or hot air balloons launching from the gardens, their huge propane burners lighting up the coloured balloons as they eerily drift up into the night sky. Very colourful and unique and considering there's no admission charge, I can't praise or recommend it enough.