FE54 - making her mine.

[talkingcars]

And finally for this weekend.

On Sunday I went out to refit the cat, ummed and arghed about the best way to get underneath and decided to have a look at the dodgy lambda probe first which lead me to pop the engine cover off to see what was involved in changing the non working thermostat to find it was leaking so had to be changed for the one I've had in the shed for 2 years.

That also lead to me changing the inlet for the one I got off a scrap yard ZT that had a 2010 manufacturing stamp on it so nearly new.

Car started first turn of the key and warmed up properly with no leaks and a nice warm heater as it should.
And although the old inlet wasn't noisy I'm sure the new one was quieter.

[talkingcars]

So weekend two of the MOT repairs dawned with snow on the ground!

It had melted by the time I got going so it was out with the trolly jacks and axle stands and on with the biggest water proof coat I have.

Didn't take long to change the cat but, as I knew it wouldn't, didn't sort the open loop/closed loop issue.

[carmadbaker]

You sir have the patience of a saint! She seems to be giving you no end of rubbish! Need more zed owners like you bud! i found the reason that clifford was playing up too btw, looks like water had got into the main control board and basically rusted away a quater of the board and its components! Hence why it started playing up. Swiftly found its way to the bin

[talkingcars]

Sorry to hear that Dan.

Pre-empting that the lambda probe would need to come out I tried to undo it with a C spanner while I was under there but it didn't budge so decided I'd need to get a lambda probe wrench or socket. While breaking for lunch (3 bacon and 2 egg sarnie) I checked online at Halfords (bicycle peddle), ECP (7 piece kit) and screwfix (a sink) to see who listed either. I tried machine mart who have several but are at least 25 miles away, their store finder said Brighton is only 7 miles.

I jumped in the F and drove to Crawley (8 miles) and checked Halfords and ECP and predictably neither had anything, they did recommend a local factors who are good for tools but pointed out that they were closed on Saturday afternoons.

Dejected I bought some crimp butt terminals from ECP and came home.

I was either going to have to make the spanner work or cut the wires and use a socket.
I didn't want to use a hammer to start the probe moving as the last time I did that, on the F, it took the thread out of the hole which was replacement manifold time!

I offered up the spanner, hit it the wrong way with my fist, hit it the right way with my fist again and it moved.

Brought it indoors and repaired the damaged sections of wire with the butt terminals and went to refit. As it is tight under the car I plugged the probe lead into the loom and lowered it down, got under the car and teased it through only for the plug to separate as the locking tab had dropped off when I undid it.

I repeated plugging from above and the second time managed to get it all refitted.

Time to road test - I only drove about 500 yards before the loop started switching - success - the scangauge temp was only reading 67' at this point so I thought I was on a winner - 4 miles of dual carriage way and still switching - then it went open loop and stayed open loop .

When I got home I popped the bonnet to see that the plug had separated - today I'll reconnect it and use one of Mrs TCs headbands to hold it together - there are loads around the bathroom and bedroom so I doubt she'll miss one.

Tomorrow is retest - lets see what happens.

[talkingcars]

That didn't work - even ensuring the plug is in she isn't switching after a 10 minute drive, guess the probe is coming out again and I'll replace all the wire

[talkingcars]

Nor did swapping the plug over onto the probe that came off the F - think I shall be buying a new probe - a little frustrated.

[M17TT180]

One of those fist shaking sweating moments right there.

[petet16]

Frustrating

[talkingcars]

I left 40 foot tyre marks leaving one road junction to left off a bit of steam, worked a bit.

I've done a click and collect on a probe from ECP but I do wonder why the OBD2 fires up codes for the heating crcuit on both front and rear sensors.

[talkingcars]

So £47 and a bit of lying under the car in the road when the thermostat shows -0.6 later and we are still open loop.

Check both both probes and wrigle the wires and shes going closed loop.............