JTbo's vario issues (vacuum test results)

[jtbo]

I like from the price mostly, also it says that it can be used to test compression from cylinders too, which is nice.

Should do the trick for vacuum, although the positive scale only goes to 10 PSI which would do "fuel pump pressure" (as on the face of the gauge), but wouldn't do cylinder compression (which would be up to 20 times greater).

But the ad did promise Bastards!

To be honest, when I will do compression testing, I will get meter that can be screwed into place of spark plug, so much easier when working alone.

[jtbo]

It was sunny morning, up until now, looks like that might rain soon, so I did use time that I had, took one hour to move snow off and gain access to tools and vario.

Then I adjusted valves, two or three were fine, but rest were either too tight or too loose, so adjusted accordingly. It did make small difference to how car idles, imo. However I'm bit puzzled how it even runs.

Here you can see distributor cap, middle black coal(?) is not, well small remains of it are there, but it really is not what it should be. Also there is plenty of wear to some of those metal spots whatever you call them.


Here is rotator(?) I really wonder why people don't replace these as these are one of the cheapest parts to put into car and also make big difference to reliability of petrol motor, metal where spark jumps to distributor cap metal spot is not extending much at all over plastic, I guess good 1mm has gone from there? Center is very corroded.


I did sand those parts clean, but can't really do much to them, both parts need replacing, distributor cap is in such state that I don't think that I will drive car now, might be failing at anytime completely.

Points at least with my eyeballing looked fine, maybe bit of sandpaper could do them good too, usually it is so, but next point of inspection is spark plugs, tomorrow is perhaps good for that. Spark plugs say Volvo, but I'm afraid they might from time before Google, like summer tires of the car are...

Here is video how it idles when motor is fully warmed up and with those poor condition parts. It might take a while for video to start playing as file is rather large, took it with DSLR and it is PITA to get that to editable form which I could compress better.
http://jtbo.pp.fi/images/video/343_vario/343_idle.mov
http://jtbo.pp.fi/images/343_vario/343_idle.mov This is original 30MB HD quality video if you have Nikon codecs.

Oh crap, send before adding links, moment.... edited links in, should be bit better now

[jtbo]

Here is pic from valvetrain, you can also see how my feeler set is not in perfect condition, has taken bit of rust at cold storage, well, tips are still usable.

[Chris_C]

middle black coal(?)

Carbon dude.

I agree the arm especially is epically worn as well as rusty on top. Foggy should have bags of points still, I got given 15 or so in a bag once to look after, so gave them to the VOC register keeper

[macplaxton]

Distributor cap metally bits look normal. Centre carbon brush is f'cked. Rotor arm seen better days.

Beware buying parts for Ducelliers & SEV Marchals (In fact, any make!). I got supposedly the correct (SEV) rotor for my Citroen, but it was a very sloppy fit (see HERE). The contact breaker I'd file square if I was been economy minded.

[jtbo]

Good thing that online shop I can get parts here is giving no trouble to swap part to another or money back if part is not fitting.

Rotor arm cost 3.03 euros, I wonder how it can't be rounded to 3? Anyway I wonder more why anyone would not buy every year when it does cost that little? Distributor cap is 4.5 euros, it is ridiculous not to replace these bits often enough

Good point with this 1.4 is that it is very easy to work with, maybe I find 1.4 for winter use as well, tall ratio 5-speed maybe?

Prices will be low at autumn again, so might try to look then.

Plate at side of engine says B14 3E, so that must be what motor is

I have been told that engine oil drain plug would be possible to open with window handle or with racket, but same I have been told with 360 and for 360 I have not managed to find any bit or piece from my tools or window openers that would work, I wonder what kind it is with 1.4? Haven't actually even looked under there yet

[macplaxton]

Oil drain plug is a 10mm square. A 3/8" square extension bar can be used, or buy a posh Facom or Beta wrench. (8mm square the other end, useful on French crap)

[Chris_C]

Both on my 1.7 and 1.4 I always did the dizzy's every (at max) 12months, the fuel economy falls through the floor after that.

F7R genuine dizzy caps and rotors are £85 from Renault though

[jtbo]

Oil drain plug is a 10mm square. A 3/8" square extension bar can be used, or buy a posh Facom or Beta wrench. (8mm square the other end, useful on French crap)

So 3/8" is what I have not, must look of such then, thx.

My french crap has nothing else than Torx bolts, well oil drain plug was standard 17mm I think, but it surprises me that wheels are not attached with Torxes, annoying thing, lot of sharp edges to tear hands to and no space for any work, grrr.

343 is completely opposite

I found out that online shop offers also full service kit for carb, might get that too, never know when I need that.

Got the tool for oil plug from same shop too, 100 euros poorer I should have almost everything for the car, rust repairing stuff, vacuum gauge etc on top of that and it will be around 160 euros that I have invested to car now, some point will need new belts of course and then it will be 200 more, so 400 + 160 + 200 would set total of 760 euros and it should be then more or less on top condition, surely some good amount of labour hours needed too, but it should be rather good then, something that would sell for perhaps 1000-1200 if I would sell...

Well, might need some new vario drivetrain stuff still, we will see about that soon. MOT is running out at beginning of next month, but when I get new ignition parts and filter I will go and see what additional bits I need to do, should not be too much.

Thing with online shopping is that you have to wait to stuff to come and there is not knowing exactly when it will come...

[jtbo]

I forgot to add, petrol pump leaks oil where it does connect to block, I think that I fix that with instant seal as pump looks rather new from overall appearance and I can't find seals to that anywhere. My instant seal seem to be easy to remove but still sticks really well from my experience from 360 at least.

[jtbo]

Today I washed 343, then wanted to wax it, so I started, then I did notice that waxing is not doing much good as paint is full of tiny small scratches that makes it look bit dull, so I need to t-cut to make it good again. I wonder if my t-cut from 2004 could still do a trick, it has been frozen last 4 winters

Maybe I just get new stuff.

Next week is last one before MOT runs out, I hope that my ignition parts will arrive on time for that and also would like to have that vacuum gauge here too, have still not arrived.

I was thinking a bit of using spark plugs from 360, B14 seem to have same plugs as B19A but B200K has different ones, maybe not so good idea then.

Might try to get them from Volvo next week, as I have to go to town then anyway, I have been too afraid to look at them or start the car meanwhile

[jtbo]

Windshield is leaking from top, from bottom, from middle and from corners, there is also crack at lower left but it should pass MOT, however I think there is no way around of replacing windshield, also need to take old one out and do quite bit of metalwork there it seems.

Found out that as wet snow came down and there was several streams of water inside. That also means that car needs probably bit of floor restoration...

I did moved it to car tent now, problem is that it is very damp place, especially from below, but at least there is no more water to interior of car so it can dry at least a bit. Also I left ten door up so that it will be at least bit of dry.

I did put very large sheet of plastic to bottom of car tent, drrove car on that an pulled edges of plastic sheet up so that there will be not so much of moisture coming from ground to underside of car, but it is not quite optimal place.

Would be better at open, but we get now wet snow from sky, always so that when old one starts to go away new one arrives so everything at everywhere are constantly wet. Sun shows between snow showers so that it is even more wet.

Even ignition parts are same old ones, car started really well, I would say that bit better than previously after being sat for awhile, I think that cleaning contacts a bit and adjusting valves had some effect for sure, giving good service must make it really like a new one then.

[jtbo]

Today I put new ignition parts in and also air filter too.

It did made a lot of difference of how car starts and runs, it was not bad before, but now it is incredible good, I never have had 360 running or starting this well, maybe it is not even possible with B200K, but this little motor in 343 purrs like happy kitten

Spark plugs and oil change left to do, bit wet on yard now, which means it has inch of wet mud, so 343 is staying at car tent for few weeks I guess, will be late MOT then, but can't be helped at the moment.

Oh and I got vacuum gauge too, just haven't opened the packaging yet, might do some testing tomorrow if I can connect it to EMV reliably, at least I start making adapter.

I'm running tad low on budget, so little waiting with MOT might be good because of that too.

[jtbo]

So, I tested vacuum from gearup side of EMV, result is 300mbar.

I took video of it too, well theorically at least, I had no memory card in place and as camera's display is broken I could not tell that it is not shooting video until now.

Anyway, it does jump directly to that value after certain rpm and drops immediately when I let go of throttle. I think that it is tad low?

How do I get more?

[jtbo]

I found this post, so probably I have same issue as well and need better spring, so it looks like that once again I have to take EMV apart and I have not yet figured out how to get it back into firewall, those rubber bits are too large to holes they came off from
http://www.volvo300mania.com/forum-uk/v ... or#p153491