Astacus’ S3

[Astacus]

So just a quick job for today.

Bailing out the boot and unblocking the drains

[url]|https://forums-images.pistonheads.com/38897/202406164946296[/url

Still waiting for the connectors to deal with the rear lights

[vixen1700]

Enjoy it, they're such great, fun cars.

Drove my old S2 down to Aix-en-Provence back in 2014 and it was more or less breakdown free.

[v8s4me]

The leaking boot is a common problem. Click HERE and scroll down to the post on the 7th June to see a solution. This mod fixed the problem for the remainder of the time I had the car.

[mk1fan]

Warning, warning MG owner in the house. Please do not approach. Suitably trained staff are on their way. Nothing to see here. Move on.

Hello Joe

[v8s4me]

Hello Richard - what are you doing here?

Got bored with the same old, same old on Fartbook? What's Max had for lunch?

[mk1fan]

Call me Richard. Some years ago - never mind how long precisely ..

I never left! Do use facialbakue aswell though. Max had beer for lunch.

[Astacus]

Ok so using the resource posted by Mentall., I have identified my ECU as coming from a catless 2.4 Granada Scorpio automtic

I am not saying this won’t work but if I can find a correct ECU I’d rather use that and know I am on a firm footing for any future issues.

So if anyone has one that they are prepared to part with for the appropriate number of beer tokens, please do let me know.

Thanks

Edited by Astacus on Friday 28th June 16:13

[mk1fan]

I'll try and remember to have a look this weekend. Drinkies at the moment but seeing the car in the morning may remind me

[v8s4me]

Stu - If you only drink the drinks you remember you might remember to look for the ECU

[Astacus]

Thanks fellas, much appreciated

[mentall]

Astacus said:

Ok so using the resource posted by Mentall., I have identified my ECU as coming from a catless 2.4 Granada Scorpio automtic

I don't believe it will ever work properly.

After I bought my S3C, it took me two years to discover that it had been refitted with a second-hand 2.4 engine! Still with the 2.9 'cat' ECU, of course.

It ran like a pig! I got it through an MoT, but the (friendly) tester was doubtful about the CO2. It always had wet plugs, and stalled for a pastime.

Here's my theory:

The ECU was carefully delivering pulses of fuel measured for 500cc cylinders into 400cc cylinders. There's no official means of adjusting the mixture on these 'modern' engines: it's supposed to be totally under ECU control.
It was therefore grossly overfuelling the engine. Hence the symptoms.

If the poor ECU ever tried to get into closed-loop mode (when it would presumably try to correct the mixture to something like normal) it would find that the over-fuelling had wrecked the Lambda sensors (as was indeed the case).

Of course, a second-hand 2.9 engine cured it!

Astacus said:

The car idles beautifully, but hates being in first or second. It runs really roughly under any load in low gear, but seems to run fine when given loads of revs. It won't go anywhere near the red line in any gear, but seems to accelerate well.

I reckon your ECU is under-fuelling in just the same way. You can get it to run by adjusting what you can adjust (specifically the idle speed. The throttle stop is not an idle adjustment: idle speed is totally under ECU control on these engines).

No: I believe you need a 2.9 ECU. Possibly, the other details (auto/manual, year of manufacture etc. are unimportant. For instance, my replacement 2.9 is a solid-lifter engine (it came from a TVR, but I guess non-cat) rather than a hydraulic-lifter unit which is what a cat car should have. but it runs fine.

Isn't this fun?

Good luck!

[mentall]

Just a thought: are you sure you've got a 2.9 engine? The Engine Identification Code (left front corner of the block) should be BRD.

From memory, the 2.4 engine was ACE.

I checked mine by measuring the bore and stroke, before I threw it away!

[Astacus]

That all rings true doesn’t it! And makes perfect sense. All the more reason to start with the right ECU

I love the idea you kept the ECU and changed the engine I imagine there aren’t many colognes around anymore, unlike for crossflows which you can still pick up for a couple of hundred quid.

[mentall]

Well: seriously, who wants a 240S? And the replacement engine was free (it came through PH, for my grateful thanks, from one of the guys who'd replaced his engine with a Jag V6).

This was all 10 or so years ago. I also threw £100 at a local ex-scrap 2.9 Granada engine, so I'd have some spare parts: one day, I may get it rebuilt. There are probably still Scorpios in the scrapyards?

[Astacus]

mentall said:

Well: seriously, who wants a 240S?

Well quite.

[Astacus]

Any luck Mk1fan?

[mk1fan]

Sorry forgot.

I've written it on my 'to do' list but unlikely to be before Sunday this week.

[Astacus]

Ta

[Astacus]

Morning all, does anyone have a recommendation for a car cover that fits the S series well. The poor girl is outside and it’s that time of year again when the sap from my lime tree gets everywhere. No sooner washed than covered in sap again with little dry buds stuck in it everywhere.
Advice much appreciated as ever

[phillpot]

Whenever owners ask about outdoor covers the majority opinion is always don't!

they apparently trap moisture causing micro blisters in the paint and will invariably move in the wind causing scratches.

Perhaps just a top half cover to protect the hood and plenty of wax/polish on the paint so the sap washes off reasonably easily?


But if you must . . . . . . . . . .

Edited by phillpot on Tuesday 2nd July 10:29