Myles Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Car was running like a dog when I took it out for a few miles of pre-mot shakedown. This is a k-series that lives outside (the Westie lives in the garage, lucky blighter). Sho'nuff, when I got it back home, I found that the two cylinders that have the coil-packs were basically full of water and the leads were very corroded. I've removed as much liquid as possible by smoking it up with paper towel - and cleaned up the tips of the leads on those two cylinders. Engine now runs much more smoothly and should get me to the mot ok. I have resisted the temptation to remove the plugs as there is still a small amount of moisture - and a fair bit of grot. My fault for leaving the spark-plug cover off, I guess. Other than asking my friendly mot man to give me a good squirt of air down the recesses, is there anything else I can usefully do to reduce the likelihood of getting rubbish in the engine when I take the sparks out? Or am I being too cautious - will the grot just get ejected through the exhaust on first firing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2GBR Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 I always use the small nozzle on my garage only Henry the Hoover (other brands are available) before unscrewing the plugs then vacuum again when the plugs are out Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 Thanks - I don't think the snoot on my Miele is narrow enough. Mebbe time for a Henry (swmbo will be most impressed...!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Durrant Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 If you do not have access to a compressor how about an aerosol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted June 15, 2014 Author Share Posted June 15, 2014 I did think of that but didn't think it would really have the oomph to scoosh everything out reliably. I feel an Aldi compressor coming on next time they're available... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jason Plato Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 just take it to a garage and explain and ask to us the compressed air line . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TomB Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Syringe pump to suck out any liquid? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alan Reeves Posted June 15, 2014 Share Posted June 15, 2014 Garden leaf blower Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Biddle Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Hair dryer? Tie off the trigger and rig to blow down the gap. leave for a while to get things thoroughly hot. Or just drive it for a while if its running reasonably smoothly, that will dry them out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted June 16, 2014 Author Share Posted June 16, 2014 Thanks mike - the water isn't an issue any more - and the run to the mot should defo sort any residual moisture. I'll ask my mot man if there's a handy air line - they are very accommodating. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike Biddle Posted June 16, 2014 Share Posted June 16, 2014 Good point though, I sometimes have concerns about removing plugs, is there any debris down there that could get into precious cylinders? Surely I could come up with a vacuum equipped plug socket, shove it on, press the tit, and hey presto, a clean plug cavity before unscrewing it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Mot went so well that I forgot to ask - couldn't see an air hose near the mot ramp anyway. There is rubbish down there - I'll tread easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Molecular--Bob Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 Get a can of air, it is surprisingly effective. I found that it has enough power to disassemble a spider when I used one to clean my keyboard as the space bar had gone crunchy, there were legs everywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10uptobase Posted June 17, 2014 Share Posted June 17, 2014 I have some 1/2" plastic tube that I gaffer tape to the end of the hoover hose. Sounds like a mongoose being strangled, but works well at getting debris our before removing the plugs... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted June 17, 2014 Author Share Posted June 17, 2014 Ooh! I like that thinking! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
10uptobase Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Good luck! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed White Posted June 19, 2014 Share Posted June 19, 2014 Quoting 10uptobase: I have some 1/2" plastic tube that I gaffer tape to the end of the hoover hose. Sounds like a mongoose being strangled, but works well at getting debris our before removing the plugs... pmsl. How do you know? Airline is the best way. Watch your eyes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted September 5, 2014 Author Share Posted September 5, 2014 Ok, I need to get this sorted as the car is idling with mirror-wobbling vibration and the exhaust pops quite a bit on overrun - and is quite sooty. I need the plugs out as one of the diagnostic steps. I can pick up a £100 Aldi-alike kit from screwfix with the usual 5-piece starter kit of tools - which would undoubtedly solve my spark plug issue, but maybe nothing else. There is a suggestion that the fittings might not be the usual 1/4 BSP either, so further expansion could be a pain. The output of this unit is not clear either. Alternatively, I could look at one of the Machine Mart jobs - starting with either an oiled or oil-free 24litre version. Trouble is, beyond my immediate requirements, I'm not sure what future jobs I'd want it for - only thing that springs to mind is the possibility of stripping and rebuilding the chassis over the winter - for which a riveter might be nice (but they ain't cheap either...) What to do? Canned air is still an option, but seems expensive for a consumable... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Titanium7 Posted September 5, 2014 Share Posted September 5, 2014 If your exhaust is popping the first this to check is that your exhaust pipe junctions are sealed and air is not getting air sucked in. This was the case on mine recently. The collector pipes are now sealed and the popping has almost disappeared. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Myles Posted September 6, 2014 Author Share Posted September 6, 2014 Yep - I've always had a poor seal on the collector - the point is that the popping is much more noticeable than it used to be - and when you add in the sooty exhaust etc., it's time to look further up the line. Regardless of the condition of the exhaust (I quite like the pops -it's just that they have signalled a change recently), the plugs do need to come out... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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