Sadly not headed that way, but I can recover the OEM one from the bin. It ran fine, but didn't seem to have much pressure. I'll hook out the barrel and motor part. I had taken the head off to have a look inside and I think that has sunk into the nightmare!
Edit: Rescued - but not the lightest thing to post. Where are you? (PM)
Richard, you're a star.
I managed to mangle both pumps during "rebuild" one was my fault - snapped a bolt trying to tighten the head back onto the piston barrel. The other one must have been locktited to death as the first bolt I tried to remove snapped. I really CBA drilling out bolts from these things so I'm probably going to be buying disposable Dunlops from now on.
OK, thanks Richard. I'll double check next time I try that EAS box. For now I'm running the original I rebuilt about 6 years ago.
Yes it did, and I was surprised when I wandered back from putting my tools away and the car was up, I thought the bonnet inhibited the EAS as well? I had left it up because I wanted to fill the reservoir first.
Grrr, I pulled the first spare apart and it's one with grooved lockring on the piston. The X8R video shows a smooth sided ring so I dont think this seal is going to work :(
There was an O Ring in the groove but it was so brittle it's like weak plastic. Time for some measuring!
Even with the boot lid open?
When I lived in some flats in York, I had a sort of doorless garage on the ground level with an alarm system using a PIR motion sensor. My Fiat Coupe Turbo would be hot when I parked (they all do that, officer) but as the turbo cooled the PIR would register motion and trigger the alarm. I had to leave the car 10 minutes or so before setting the alarm. It did take me a little while to figure it out.
Garvin wrote:
Do not use Vaseline on rubber seals. It eventually degrades the rubber resulting in leaks. Use specific brake rubber grease - designed for the purpose. I always have a ready use spare rebuilt valve block ‘on the shelf’ (together with a spare pump) and swap the valve blocks and pumps over every three years as a maintenance activity. I have not had a leak between services since using rubber grease.
This is my ambition. But I'm starting with 3 pumps and two valve blocks of varying function.
I'm starting to wonder about the electronic bit in the reserve EAS box. Nanocom reported that the rear valves were open from startup and it wouldn't let me shut them. I'll compare with my working EAS box...
Gilbertd wrote:
Take a 12mm open ended spanner too for the pipe to the pump......
OOOH good shout. Thank you!! :D
While I was switching between EAS boxes yesterday, I remembered that the cruise control vacuum has been disconnected at the usual T for err.. quite some time. So I took the opportunity to reroute the long line from the accelerator in front of the bracketry and that made it long enough to connect up again.
Once I had air in the bags again I went for a test drive, wondering if the CC would come back to life. It didn't :(
Have I knackered it by leaving the vacuum circuit open to atmosphere?
I set the CC button on the dash, got to about 50mph and then pressed the SET+ button on the wheel. Nothing happened. I kinda remember a light on the dash as well, but if that was ever a real thing, it isn't now. Is there anything else I can try?
Well that only took two years :)
https://eatlard.net/index.php/s/ZP4pjqtTwiByLwi
and here's a little Marty Memo: https://eatlard.net/index.php/s/m4zBr7BSd5jgE95
Miss you, Marty!!
Oh, and I do have an intermittent cheque book light.. so there's that too. Luckily it goes out on longer journeys (on restart).
For ref, here's a video with a decent description of the tear down/rebuild. It's not directly related to the buttons but there is a nice shot of how they're meant to look!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vzt_GTnLyAo
I used used 99.98% isopropanol and some kitchen roll to clean off the copper contacts under the rubber membrane as advised by Richard. All buttons now working!
Well I ran them both and one gives about as much air as the current Dunlop using the 100% accurate "can I keep my thumb over the exit" test (yes, rather too easily).
The other one produces enough air to gently waft a candle flame.
The good news is they both ran smoothly so they seem like good candidates for a rebuild.
Sadly my newly rebuilt valve block was a total failure. After 20m of pumping, I gave up and pulled off the pipes without a single hiss. This was using my best, albeit weak, pump.
So plan B for our trip to the South next week is to take a rebuilt compressor and an 8mm socket.
When I put everything back to how it was before I started my 2 hour swapathon the Duchess stood up before I had put my tools away; even with the bonnet open, which was a nice suprise.
Ah well live and get confused...
Dear God, I've lost any ability to use images on my normal web hosting. Sorry for the slow domestic hosting!
Hi folks :)
I tried rebuilding a Dunlop branded EAS compressor a while back and it was so totally grenaded inside I gave up as the bearings were shot.
I've got two more in the garage of uncertain provenance. What do you reckon to my chances with these ones?
Back in the day, I had a BMW E30 Touring. 325i Manual. I loved it but it did not have a stellar reputation for handling snow. One year we had a real dump and I bought some proper snow tyres and mounted them on some spare wheels. It wasn't relaxing but I was able to drive to work up some significant hills 4 up. Michelin Alpin if you're wondering.
Since then I've firmly believed that tyres are the biggest factor, along with light weight.
Got the exhaust fixed (again). Back to smooth and silent!
I've rebuilt a EAS valve block. It was the perfect activity for a wet and windy Sunday afternoon and it was nice to get it off The List. Whether it works or not remains to be seen. The driver pack looks suspiciously crispy on the back...
I'm hoping to have a full Valve Block/Driver Pack/Compressor setup in the plastic box so I can stick it in the boot for long journeys.
cool, thanks! a very light amount of silicone grease has been applied.
I'll see if this valve block works and report back. Eventually.
The "fully tested" Valve block/compressor assembly will eventually become my spare once I get it working. I guess I should have made sure it was test as "working" instead of "knackered compressor and valve block that failed with a known good compressor" but caveat emptor eh? £100 doesn't buy you much on the bay of thieves.
So, what's the best lubricant for the O-rings in the EAS valve block please?
I've got the Vitron ones from X8R and they recommend Vaseline or di-electric grease.
I do have Vaseline, I also have some Silicon grease (from Carbusonic) which I think I used last time. A quick google for di-electric grease comes back with Silicon grease, am I OK to use this stuff on Vitron?
Morat wrote:
The Duchess has a new LPG reducer courtesy of Simon the LPG wizard. LPG is 99ppl round here vs Petrol at 130ppl but it's still a saving I guess.
Running a treat!! Thank you Simon :D