1986 Toyota MR2 - an uncontrollable evacuation of the bowels

[Sweetpea]

I think we should start todays lecture with a photo of the painted valve and bracket nestling nicely under the air intake.




Ok, I’ll admit the bracket doesn’t look very much like old Toyota-san designed it but, over all, it doesn’t look too horrible. I was worried that a washing machine valve and pile of plumbing bits would look like they’d fallen off a passing washing machine. But, with a quick look round the engine bay it doesn’t stick out like a sore thumb. I can live with it.

Next I need the electronics to turn it on and off. That’s going in the boot and will be mounted on that bracket I’d started making in the last enthralling episode.

Finished bracket before paint…




Which then got painted black and wired up.
I needed a handy 12V feed in the boot that came live when the ignition was on. As luck would have it there is a switched feed to the engine ECU which lives in the boot.




So I took a sniff of that and ran it through a fuse to power the little temperature monitoring board.




That just needs bolting to a handy captive nut in the boot. It’s going on the wall between the boot and engine bay. About in the position that the air cleaner is on the later cars.
In that photo the 21.5 degrees it’s measuring is the ambient air temperature. The sensor was just hanging in the engine bay. I need it to measure the coolant temp. On the original installation there is a bypass of coolant that is fed through the (now faulty and defeated) waxstat to heat it up. So in an ideal world it’d be nice to get the temperature probe in that coolant path. Then it’d be measuring exactly what old Toyota-san intended.

The hoses that feed cooling water to the waxstat are about 8mm inside diameter. So I beetled off to the plumbing shop in town to buy some 8mm pipe and fittings.




Now this could be interesting…

[Sweetpea]

The idea is to build a manifold out of this 8mm stuff that the water can run through and (some how) mount the temp probe in the end. But, for preference, without it blowing the probe out, leaking, etc…




So that was the easy bit. The water runs in and out of the fittings at the bottom. I’ve put couplers on the end to get a tight fit in the hoses and to stop the hose clips crushing the pipe.
The stainless probe goes into the 3rd orifice. If the back end of the probe is flush with the end of the copper pipe the tip of the probe will be just about at the corner of the T piece. But how to fit it in?

What I thought I’d do is push the probe too far down the tube…




And then fill the space behind it with silicone sealant.




Then I put my fingers over the end with the wire between them and pulled the probe back into the sealant.




Some sealant blobbed out past my fingers but, hopefully, I’ve got the probe embedded in the silicone without having covered the end that does the measurement. Looking up the hose connector I can see the end of the the probe and it’s clean. I just can’t tell how much sealant got between the probe and the pipe.

Anyway, I left it to go off and then went for a rummage in my tool drawer.

I have a ratchet crimper that’s intended for crimping connectors onto RF cables. It crimps a hex shape and it had a size that was just right so I squished it for good measure.




I don’t think I needed to do that but it seemed like a good idea since I had the tool.

Sweet!
Wonder if it works?


So here it is, on the end of the little bypass hoses.




Probably should cut the tie wrap off one day.

So how well does it work? Well it’s pretty good so far. I’ve got the temp set for 60 so that if you leave it idling on the drive from cold it’s warm enough to settle into a steady slow idle. The only interesting thing is that there is not much thermal mass so it cools off quickly after you stop it. When you start it again it tends to run at a fast idle for a few seconds until it pumps fresh hot water through. I don’t know yet but I suspect it won’t do that if it’s properly hot. It was only me stopping it soon after it it got over 60 degrees.

Next on the agenda, painting the garage.

Next for the car, MOT next weekend… Wish me luck. Then a bit of work on the TVIZ and messing with the exhaust to try and shut it up.

James

[teaboy]

Nice plumbing Sweetie, do you want to come and fit this shower for me? 😀

[toast00]

This is getting like Project Binky with sexy brackets being made!

[Sweetpea]

Jun 23, 2019 17:51:43 GMT teaboy said:

Nice plumbing Sweetie, do you want to come and fit this shower for me? 😀

Only if you are doing it in 8mm pipe!

Jun 24, 2019 16:04:59 GMT toast00 said:

This is getting like Project Binky with sexy brackets being made!

Blimey, there's a flattering comparison. Fortunately I recovered the situation by fastening the little manifold to a handy rubber hose with a cable tie!

[varelse]

Jun 24, 2019 20:44:03 GMT Sweetpea said:

Jun 23, 2019 17:51:43 GMT teaboy said:

Nice plumbing Sweetie, do you want to come and fit this shower for me? 😀

Only if you are doing it in 8mm pipe!

You'll end up with a shower head full of silicone...

[bstardchild]

Nice work - no idea on the electrickery part but everything else is bob on

[georgeb]

Very nice little job. Good thinking!

Just to save you typing time, Japanese colleagues told me there's no need for the -. I used to use it but apparently, Toyota san is the normal way

[Sweetpea]

Jun 24, 2019 22:25:42 GMT bstardchild said:

Nice work - no idea on the electrickery part but everything else is bob on

Thank you BC. Actually the electric bits are just off the shelf. A few quid from Amazon. Even cheaper if you don't mind it coming from China.

'Ere, BC... What's your little avatar picture? I know it from when I was a kid but I just can't quite place it. I remember it as being some kids TV show or music or something. It's driving me potty.

Jun 25, 2019 12:46:09 GMT georgeb said:

Very nice little job. Good thinking!

Just to save you typing time, Japanese colleagues told me there's no need for the -. I used to use it but apparently, Toyota san is the normal way

You see, I had a moment of doubt about that. I'm sure, in the past, I've missed out the hyphen but then I checked it the other day and found both ways... So I used one. I guess the equivalent here would be "Mr-Smith" which is clearly nonsense. But only if you know... Anyway, nice to know for certain, thanks!

[bstardchild]

Jun 25, 2019 22:02:35 GMT Sweetpea said:

'Ere, BC... What's your little avatar picture? I know it from when I was a kid but I just can't quite place it. I remember it as being some kids TV show or music or something. It's driving me potty.

Banana Splits - Bingo

[darrenh]

Jun 25, 2019 22:41:15 GMT bstardchild said:

Jun 25, 2019 22:02:35 GMT Sweetpea said:

'Ere, BC... What's your little avatar picture? I know it from when I was a kid but I just can't quite place it. I remember it as being some kids TV show or music or something. It's driving me potty.

Banana Splits - Bingo

have you seen they have made it into a horror movie this year ?

[Sweetpea]

Banana Splits! Thanks bstardchild. It's come back to me now.
Unfortunately so has the theme music which will be stuck in my head for the rest of eternity.
And the camera work!? Speaking as a TV executive (which I'm not) it's shocking. Who thought that was a good idea?

Great times though.

Jun 26, 2019 12:11:17 GMT darrenh said:

have you seen they have made it into a horror movie this year ?

And can you tell the difference?

Speaking of which...
Years ago I was in Prague with work. My colleague found a huge cuddly toy for his toddler daughter. Trouble was it wouldn't go in any of our luggage, it was so big. So we spent a while taping it into bin liners and it went into the hold of the plane.
Heathrow... It came out more or less intact. A few holes in the bin bags but it survived.

So he took it home and presented it to his young daughter who starred up at this huge thing towering over her. She screamed, ran to hide and wouldn't come out until it had gone away.

Some you win... Some you don't.

[Sweetpea]

Project Portia went for its MOT today.


But first…
It started on the button, settled to a fast idle (about 1400 revs) and, about 3 or 4 streets away when the idle was up around 1700 revs it dropped to a nice 800. I’m calling that a win!


So… MOT…

I went to pick it up.

Me. “Did it pass?”
Garage man. “Yep.”

The UK’s horrifically lax MOT rules constantly amaze me. Or maybe my car isn’t a bad as I make out? Well it passed, I’m not complaining.

Me. “Any warnings?”
Garage man. “Oh yeah, a few.”
Me. “Ok, lets have ‘em.”
Garage man “Front near side anti roll bar drop link has a sloppy ball joint.”

This wasn’t a surprise. It’s been on every MOT I’ve had.

Me. “That’s waiting for me to do a suspension rebuild..”
Garage man grins slightly. “Front near side damper is weaping oil slightly.”

Ok that was a new one on me. I took a look later and he’s quite correct. The dampers are toast anyway. The car has a slight floaty feel at speed and feels like it’s steering from the rear when you push it round bends.

Me. “I think the suspension rebuild just went a few places up the list of jobs.”
Garage man. “The exhaust is blowing a little.”
Me. “From the patch I put on last year?”
Garage man. “That’s the one.”
Me. “I’m fed up of the booming noise at 1800 revs so it’s got to go anyway.”

Just between you and me, I have a really stupid plan that I want to play with. It’s a pointless experiment but I want to play. It’s my car. I’m allowed!

Garage man. “And lastly, your rear number plate is going dark between the letters.”
Me. “That is a massive pain in the bum. I’d seen that but I really want to keep that plate on the car.”


Here’s a photo.




You can see the problem around the S and P. I think the backing is coming adrift. It actually looks worse in real life.
So why is this a problem? Surely just buy a new one.

It’s a problem because it’s original and it’s got the dealer logo on it. Not an exciting one I’ll admit but I want to keep it. 
I can easily take a photo and make good the artwork but I have no idea who might make it for me…

Like I said, it’s a massive pain in the bum.

[georgeb]

Good result James, with no hidden horrors. I'd call that a win.

I'm sure somebody will be along with a number plate solution.

[vulgalour]

Me! I have a solution because I had this very problem. You want a little heat and a lot of patience so you can peel the backing away more fully where it's started to lift. Clean as thoroughly as you dare and then re-glue with an adhesive of your choice. Providing the backing hasn't gone too brittle and you can warm it just enough you should be able to save the plate and it may even reactivate the glue to stick it back down again. Get some plastic polish on the outside surface of the plate to remove the fogginess and it should look like new again. Usually, a plate like that is several layers: perspex, decals and numbers, reflective layer and, sometimes, an additional clear layer. Looks like yours has gone where the yellow reflective is lifting around the numbers and the dirt is just what's washed in there and got stuck on the adhesive.

[CaptainSlog]

Did you call 081-459-0005 and ask Mr. Hassop if he would make you a new set?

[bstardchild]

I’m sure there is a company that does that - makes new plates in old font with all correct dealer details

[darrenh]

DMB graphics were the most recommended, but have stopped doing dealer plate sets. Probably due to legal issues, need two bits of ID and V5 document, which must be like pulling teeth via mail order, and several hundred tyre kickers a week

Exact same thing is happening to mine, water is ferreting around. Keep getting "but not likely to be miss-read" advisories

[Sweetpea]

I did a bit of surfing. One of the online companies can get close in terms of colour and font. But I can't swap to the red part way through and, of course, I can't do the stylised "for" either.

I stumbled on DMB earlier too but that's not going to fly if they don't do them anymore. Damn it! I guess a phone call wouldn't harm.

Interestingly Hr Hassop does still exist. It's now an independent garage selling "quality used vehicles". (Who sells the rubbish ones?) They must have lost the Toyota dealership at some point. Anyway, what's the chances of them having 30 year old artwork in the bottom of a drawer?

So that leaves vulgalour's suggestion of taking it apart. Now I had wondered if the backing would peal off and then, maybe, I could replace it? But with what exactly? Parts for making number lates aren't exactly easy to get hold of. Surely nobody would be dishonest and make false ones?
Still I reckon this is worth a try some day. Maybe over winter when it's too cold to play outside.
Thanks for the suggestion Mr V!

At the end of the day, it's an "unlikely to be mis-read" advisory so I could just ignore it.


In the mean time, I've been playing with the garage. Expect a post in the excuses thread!

[vulgalour]

Number plates aren't that complicated when it comes down to it. A sheet of perspex, several sheets of vinyl, that's about it. You can sometimes find the old fashioned hand-roller machines for making them (our local motorfactor still uses one) which is how you prevent the bubbles between the layers. All the tech to make your own replicas, that would be indistinguishable from originals, is available, the hardest bit to get is the reflective vinyl backing.

Technically, it's not legal to make your own number plate. However, if you're exactly copying what the car was originally fitted with, and what is a legal plate anyway, then I'm not sure how you're realistically doing anything illegal. It's a shame really, you're doing your best to keep the car perfectly legal and since we don't have to upgrade our number plates every so often as is the case in other countries, it must be those with nefarious intent that have spoiled it for the number plate geeks like us that like the original details.

I'd love to get proper replacements made for the BX, it's still on the original plate on the back and the font is just great, the front one is a modern replacement, sadly.