The Rebuild

[Paul Sheridan]

Well here we go, chassis fabrication work has now been completed and as you can see from the pic below has been stripped back down for final welding and capping of any open box sections, this will start tonight, the roll bar will be cut off again (only tacked on) and sent away for chroming. Rivnuts will be fitted along the bottom chassis rail for the mounting of the side skirts ( stolen the idea from our German friend Jorg )

Two coats of POR15 will then be applied ...........

[Paul Sheridan]

Doubtful Pete, Duttons on hold for the moment due to me having to fit central heating and a kitchen into my daughters new flat ........... what with that and work, Dutton spanner time is non existent.

[Paul Sheridan]

I never consider myself a failure, as I can always serve as a bad example   ;-)

[James Doulton]

That is a really good line - I might get a plaque made up and put it above my desk!

[Paul Sheridan]

Well. today didn't go according to plan :-(    All ready for the first run of the engine, video cameras rolling, ECU wiring checked and double checked, all fluids now in and staying in this time !!!! ( had a small problem with the old water pump deciding to leak from the tell-tale hole), 20 litres of fresh fuel in the tank .............. here goes, turn on ignition, all warning lights working, the ECU fires up the fuel pump to prime the system ....... hold ya breath and push the engine start button, whoohoo she spins over and over and over and over and over and over, oil pressure light goes out and oil pressure gauge is starting to come up, but feck all else :-)))    Bugger!!!    After an hour of checking all the easy things, I start the daunting task of fault finding on the engine management system. another hour spent with the multi meter and I discover that the ECU is cutting off the earth control to the injector and coil pack power relays after about 50 seconds of cranking. 

This ECU was supposed to have a start up map pre installed on it by the people who sold it to me, well im thinking that this is not the case. I have now downloaded the software to install the base map, and went to a computer shop on the way home and got a lead, so will have another go tomorrow. if all fails, will call Omex on Monday.     

[James Doulton]

That is so frustrating. However, it won't be able to resist for long. Once you can get into the system and see what the ECU is 'thinking' then it should be fairly easy.

[1midz0wwbl268]

Thats why us "old school"  types avoid ecu's like the plague, at least with a simple ignition system you can trouble shoot without having to plug it into the nearest lap top,   

[Paul Sheridan]

Ahh but you old school types cant get your engines to play a rendition of 'God save the Queen'  ;-))

[1midz0wwbl268]

at least  ours do actually start, even mine when it feels like it  if it could play a tune, it would have to be Col Bogie 

[Paul Thomas]

now now martin you should not wind Paul up, remember all your issues

[Paul Sheridan]

Well after a bit of a run around and eventually buying it from Ebay, I now have a data lead long enough to go from the computer to the ECU, with it all connected and the two talking to each other, my suspicions were correct, there is no start up map installed. So a quick call to the very nice people at Omex, and an initial map is being written/sent for my engine spec.

I have just downloaded the 600 Series tuning manual, all 60 pages of it !!!   some good reading for tonight ;-)) 

[Paul Sheridan]

WHOOOO HOOOOOO     SHE LIVES !!!!   and sounds the dogs bo!!ocks    :-)))    Even afforded myself a little sit in the driving seat ( just to check that the clutch works you understand ) 

[James Doulton]

Well done. Now go out and get it dirty!