George and her Depravities

Driving along, hm hm hmmm... Next I get that sinking feeling and think "Air we go again!"

Only the front hits the deck, the arse is still in the air like some Merkin drag strip plug

The last couple of miles to my mates garage (which was where I was heading anyway) was torture

Dropped her off, took another mates truck back to town (as he wanted it anyway) and got wife's car, picked up valves n' shit, and off I went back to the garage.

Did the deed, took all of five minutes and re-inflated George to her former glory, hooked "A" frame to wifes car & towed it home, all good....

......except it wasn't

Her car lit up like Homer Simpsons desk at work and disaster loomed with dire warnings of gearbox failure and ABS, ESP, etc

It would only change gear manually and wouldn't go above 3rd.... I wasn't convinced it was as dire as the messages foretold. I was thinking the CV boot had split and covered the sensor in grease

I wasn't far wrong, it was all of the above and more. Never seen this before, but the boot had split, then started flapping as the tear got bigger, the flap got longer until the centrifugal force caused it to rip the wires clean off the sensor and out of the connecting plug further up the strut

Before we looked under, we looked at the codes, binned the worst and were left with the sensor

Anyway, now CV boot and new sensor 48 quid all in. No charge from my mate for doing the job

So, to George, I went out next day and one corner on its arse

One faulty valve/elbow... Replaced both for under ten quid. But why stop there?

So I spent a wedge and put in a shut off valve as well as an airline quick connect and new hose & tyre blower upper wossname thingy.

So I suspect a (several) dodgy sensor(s) as they were ropey anyway. All I know is the tank is holding air (it was full when I disconnected stuff) the valve block has been done (but not the NRV's...) as has the pump (pump twice now filled the tank in minutes).

Looks like I have to do the NRV's (I have a whole spare block & pump + all the kit to service it) or sensors. I know how to do the NRV's, I just need to learn how to check sensors.

Meanwhile, some photo's

Bypassing relay to operate pump...



All my valvy bits...



Shiny new placcy on off valve...



And me showing off

They say bad luck comes in threes, so you should be ok now until Monday.

Col

Already had 49846583 bad lucks, is that a lifetimes worth ?

One other depravity, I got so fed up of the over fueling and misfire I decided to disconnect the MAF in the meantime.

BOOM! No more over rich running, using gallons less fuel, misfire gone and drives beautifully. In fact, I'll go as far as to say, the engine is livelier the car feels faster and much more drivable!

I am assuming she's running on a base map as there is no MAF input. But would this suggest the wiring may "not" be wrong? Or will I still have to spend a year looking for a possible glitch in the wires?

Meanwhile, wife agree'd to let me spend some of my insurance money (when/if it comes in) reinstating the LPG with new parts & full service. That may find whats wrong with the MAF an all

Not if you own a rangie.

Col