Its an SSD. I shall try the suggestions when I get back from my weekend away visiting the in-laws...
Now that's interesting, I have an old hard drive kicking around here that sudddnly stopped 'existing'...
Lpgc - I'll look into that, thanks.
In the absence of a diagnostics tool for my DSE I have been fine tuning the fuel quantity delivery controller on top of the pump with one 2lb hammer being used as a drift whilst being carefully tapped with a small lump hammer. Calibrated of course...
Oh, and I also have a generously proportioned conk. "Up the peoples front of Judea!"
I thought they made him a rather distinguished gent.
Ooh, if you could please, PM on its way.
That's not a bad picture, does anyone have any objections if I were to use it?
Hello folks,
Did any of the attendees of this years summer camp take any photos? My cameras SD card has corrupt and I've lost mine. I have a few low-res copies of some of them that I posted on my thread on the Retro-Rides forum but there are a few missing and I'm trying to write this months (rather late) submission.
Cheers,
Smiler.
There are a couple of LPG filling points near me, just not the two closest garages that I use. It would require a detour. I'd be doing this detour a little more often than my present range with a full tank, the fill up would just cost less. But is a marginal consideration.
I think in the real world they are probably about the same expense per mile.
Benefit of the diesel:
I don't have to divert (and so spend money depending on where the nearest one is) to the filling station as often.
Less complication.
A bit easier to work on.
Cheaper to service (no plugs, leads, LPG system).
Benefit of the V8:
Its not a diesel!
Better driving experience (less revy).
Better comfort.
Better torque and power.
Quieter, and not unpleasant when it does make a noise.
But as the main driving factor with a purchase of a P38 is the condition of the vehicle I shall stick with what I've got as I seem to have bagged a tidy one. :)
2.5 straight six Turbo diesel - M51. Only Diesel engine ever fitted to the P38.
A good engine (once remapped) but a bit stretched in a P38.
I hate this thread! It's just proving that my DSE has the wrong lump fitted to it!
My self god-like proclamation only lasts for 24 hrs each time.
Anyway, for the usage of the vehicle the hot-start fix kit is probably the most cost-effective fix.
Diving into timing chains etc... means removing a lot of stuff to get to it (all the radiators, rocker cover, timing covers) which then have the potential to leak in the future. You need timing/locking tools to set the static timing of crank to pump to camshaft. You then need a special DTI that inserts into the end of the pump and then much like an ignition distributor, you slacken the mounting bolts and rotate the whole pump assembly. In this case you rotate it until you get the correct reading on the DTI as per the spec for the engine (don't know it off the top of my head). The DTI measures the displacement of the plunger shaft within the pump. The pump contains its own cam disc and as you rotate the pump body you are moving the plunger shaft about the cam lobes, much like the points in an old dizzy.
I do now quite fancy playing with Martys spare diesel lump... :)
Thank you.
To be fair Martys tracking only took as long as it did because of the bent adjuster on the track rod.
Driving around it became apparent that it was a little more hesitant pulling out of junctions. A small adjustment with a big hammer now has it slightly more responsive than it was previously but with no adverse effect on the idle. So looking good.
At the end of the day there is only so much that can be adjusted with a diesel, there is no air/fuel mixture to worry about and no ignition timing to get excited over.
Just injection timing, set by rotating the pump body much like rotating an ignition system distributor which hasn't been disturbed; and fuel quantity which is the bit that I have been playing with. The more fuel the more revs so just back it off and then start slowly increasing it until you get the correct idle speed. Basically the equivalent of setting the idle stop on a carb or throttle body.
Success! Turns out I really am a mechanical genius/god!
The first start was a bit shaky with no rev-counter, a high pulsing idle, a locked out EAS and an alternator failure message. But after a brief panic, a quick search on google and a check of all electrical connectors I found a plug dangling underneath the starter motor. Once it was plugged back into the crank position sensor all was back to normal.
Having said all that, I haven't actually driven it yet...
Cheers Marty, though it might still not work yet.
I made a couple of marks on the quantity controller body but these things are so sensitive apparently that even tightening the mounting bolts changes the settings!
Lots of photos taken right up to the scary bit. Then I got too focused and failed to take any (not that I had any spare hands to hold a camera/phone.
Couldn't get any decent shots of the gubbins inside as it was in a dark hole surrounded by bright aluminium so neither phone nor camera would focus in.
A bit more work yesterday evening. I try'd something and appear to have succeeded in replacing the pump head seal without loosing anything inside. The head has certainly bolted back down fully home anyway.
The quantity control lump has been refitted to the top with its new seals and the engine rebuilt around it all minus inlet manifold.
This evening I intend to bleed the fuel system and attempt a start. I may need to make very minor adjustments to the quantity controller (it is REALLY sensitive apparently) but hopefully I'll get a nice smooth (it's a diesel, everything is relative) idle and it'll respond to the accelerator pedal.
If all is good I shall refit the inlet manifold and plumbing and take her for a test drive and then come home and bask in my own heroic glory.
If I've ballsed it up I shall finish off that whisky bottle!
Right, made a start today. The engine bay is looking even emptier!
Top half of the pump containing the fuel quantity control gubbins is all off so that'll never be the same again.
Unfortunately my pump differs from that in the video I mentioned and my pump internals are becoming unloaded before I have the O-ring under the pump head fully exposed. This is bad as it means the shims will fall out of position inside the guts of the pump. I am currently reviewing my options. I might go hunting for some small off-cuts of wood tomorrow to try to fashion some wedges from...
I like to be just that little bit different. 🙂
I have also found a video of two blokes repairing a similar pump from the same family with the same leaks. It looks like it's perhaps not such a big deal if you are careful (oh dear...) and know what you are doing.
From what I have learnt so far it would appear that the only real killer leak is if the shaft 'O' ring fails allowing fuel into the engine through the timing chain cavity.
I might look at buying a spare scrap pump to rebuild and create a guide for others.
Smiler.
Cheers Marty.
I just found an old Bosch training video describing the operation of the VE pump which was a great help in at least understanding what's going on in there. It appears that the entire body is full of fuel which puts my mind at rest a bit that it's not an internal seal that has failed and is flooding the thing.
Right, got one on order. Should arrive on tuesday (it better had!).
I now need to make sure I know exactly what I'm doing. There is a surprising lack of decent youtube videos out there on this. Perhaps I should tun it into a magazine article (actually, perhaps not, that's guaranteed to jinx it).