Nifty Posted July 6, 2007 Author Share Posted July 6, 2007 I think I have isolated the possible cause. I've wired the engine loom to vehicle loom connector incorrectly I believe. Unfortunately I can't do anything about this until Martin Woodham returns tomorrow night because he's got all the tools etc. to fix this. So, we are planning a major session in my garage tomorrow night. I do have one further question .... On the old 1400 Supersport there was a white lead from the ignition to the coil and on to the loom connector which was obvioulsy live when the ignition was on. There was also a white lead with a black trace that fixed on the other side of the coil. Since the coil is no longer on this wiring and has it's own wiring from the ECU do I need to do anything with these wires, i.e. do they need to be attached to something else 🤔 My personal thought is that they don't. Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Edited by - Nifty on 6 Jul 2007 14:10:42 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 6, 2007 Share Posted July 6, 2007 Nifty, I'll be in England next Friday. If you panic I cna drop in to see if I can resolve your problem. I haven't read through the last posts as I'm too tired to read properly, but give me a shout if you want help. /regin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 Regin, That's very kind of you but I shall be very p155ed off if I haven't cured this by then because I've a trackday on Wednesday, which I will then have missed. Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 OK, If you blatmail me your telephone No I can call you tonight (I'm in Sweden at the moment, but will return at 9ish) and try to talk you through &r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 Cheers Regin. I've actually got an L7C friend coming round tonight who is an electrics buff and he's going to bring all his kit. If we still fail to cure the problem then I might take you up on the offer. I'll see how Martin and I get on Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 I've got in doubt whether you in fact have to places to connect brown wires with traces, ISTR I have one from my engine loom attached directly to the battery and one to the purple wire on the main loom. I will have to have a deep look into the diagrams and my notes though. If you panic then feel free to blatmail me, and I shall respond as quickly as possible. If my ISP will, I'll instantly get a notification on my mobile... There is never enough time to do it properly, but there is always time to do it again Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 The white wire with a black tracer is for the rev counter and connects to the coil output on the ECU (Grey plug pin 2) I didn't remember correctly about the brown wires! only to be connected to the purple of the main loom /regin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 I think I've got that correct Regin. Anyway, progress has been made. I now have an engine that cranks over on the starter when the starter button is pressed. However, cranking for a short while produced no oil pressure to register at all on the gauge. How long should I have to crank for to get a pressure reading? More importantly, will I get a reading since my gauge is a VDO. I did fit the VDO sender unit from the 1400, but will this give an incorrect signal to the ECU 🤔 Does the MBE ECU use the oil pressure signal for anything ? Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davef Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Nifty, changed the oil on my seven today (R400). The oil pressure came up within a few seconds (4-5 secs, that was on idle). I know from previous changes that if you crank without the engine firing it can take what feels a long time for pressure to appear - 15-20 secs maybe? On mine there is no oil pressure signal going near the ECU (I have a mech guage and a low pressure light that I added) If you're using a VDO guage and a VDO sensor it should work as you expect. Dave Edited by - davef on 8 Jul 2007 09:18:29 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 I presume your dry sumped, like me. I'll give it a good cranking in the morning then Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Edited by - Nifty on 8 Jul 2007 00:57:55 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davef Posted July 7, 2007 Share Posted July 7, 2007 Yep - dry sumped. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 7, 2007 Author Share Posted July 7, 2007 Cheers *thumbup* Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rj Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 The oil pressure signal *is* connected on the R400, however just to enabæe logging of the pressure, probably for resolvinr warrenty issues. As the Stack dash uses VDO sensors there's a chance it may work with your VDO unit. ISTR the "Stack" sensor is 10 bar and the standard Caterham VDO is only 5 bar, that'll give a misreading, but not to be worried about. Crank the engine with the plugs removed, it may take more than 30 secs for pressure to build up if the engine has been strored for a preiod. Remember to disconnect the coil and the injectors. The coil to protect it, the injectors to avoid a mess... /r Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 All good advice from Regin. Plugs out otherwise "cranking to get pressure" is no different to starting. Can take 30 seconds. Coil and injectors disconnected. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davef Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 The oil pressure signal *is* connected on the R400, however just to enabæe logging of the pressure, probably for resolvinr warrenty issues. It's not on mine. There is no oil pressure sensor - just the feed to the mechanical oil gauge. (I misread the circuit diagram last night so ignore what I said about that 😳) Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share Posted July 8, 2007 Sorry chaps, didn't make it clear. Plugs are out and fuel pump fuse is removed. I haven't disconnected the coil though, will do that before returning to crank this morning (very shortly). I'll refit the fuel pump fuse but remove the inlet pipe from the injection rail to check for fuel too (I need a little petrol for cleaning purposes and it will be better to collect this 'stale' stuff rather than use fresh Optimax from my jerry can). Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share Posted July 8, 2007 I realised you'd misread the diagram Dave, the oil pressure feed into the ECU crosses the earth wire on the diagram .. you did have me going for two seconds though ! Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share Posted July 8, 2007 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 🙆🏻 Got the engine cranking but it doesn't want to fire. When I remove one of the plugs to investigate I don't appear to have a spark ❗ ☹️ Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Edited by - Nifty on 8 Jul 2007 16:15:31 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 Make sure you have the coil power leads and crank position sensor wires the right way round. Also remove the coil lead from the dizzy cap and see if you have a spark as the cap and rotor arm are known to fail. Mark D Comp Sec Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share Posted July 8, 2007 [ ] Er hmmm ... Mark Durrant wins the award for clairvoyancy ❗ [/ ] Engine now fired up, with the help of a starter boost from the Land Rover Was running fairly rough until I remembered that the fuel I pumped out this morning was a nasty yellowy colour .. like urine. A bit of fresh Optimax in the tank and things improved no end. CRB is making a lot of noise. This is a new one of the new design ... should I preload it .. I've never bothered in the past. Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peter Carmichael Posted July 8, 2007 Share Posted July 8, 2007 I cant hear the noises that you are listening too, but very likely the new engine is idling more roughly than the 1400ss, so you are getting more layshaft rattle. If it sounds like a bucket of spanners until you dip the clutch then this is the likely cause. TADTS Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 8, 2007 Author Share Posted July 8, 2007 Very good point Peter. It does sound like a bag of spanners until I dip the clutch or give it some more revs, when it disappears, and as you say the engine doesn't idle smoothly, in fact I've stalled it several times trying to move off slowly - a bit of a pain in the 🙆🏻 since I've run the battery down with all the cranking so have to jump start it every time. Nevermind, the battery is on charge tonight and the fitting of the Emerald and getting it mapped properly should sort the idle out I believe. Many thanks for your advice earlier Peter *thumbup* Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Edited by - Nifty on 8 Jul 2007 23:55:28 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Unclefester Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 "Distributor head"? "Rotor arm"? So.....what exactly WAS the problem then? Tracking rotor/cap? Nasty case of DAMP, maybe? Deepest condoliences, as they say in France....... Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds..ooooh hooo hooo!!... 😬 😬Abbey Road Time-Machine *eek* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davef Posted July 9, 2007 Share Posted July 9, 2007 give it some more revs, Raising the idle speed slightly (50-100 rpm) quietens it down alot. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nifty Posted July 9, 2007 Author Share Posted July 9, 2007 Good point Dave - will bear this in mind when I map the Emerald. Unclefester, See my post here ❗ Keep off the straight and narrow 😬 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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