Dash top bolts

Dash top bolts

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QBee

Original Poster:

20,957 posts

144 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
I'm only 4 years behind you, Steve, so not looking forward to this job, but as the sun is shining I had better get out there and give it a go.

Thanks everyone for the good advice. Lets hope the problem IS the connections on the back of the AFR gauge (which says "sens" for most of every journey right now), as I cannot even see the wiring to the wide band lambda sensor, never mind reach it. It must be somewhere under the turdbo, I guess. I am not going there, it's what i have a Mat Smith for.

Next job is the rocker cover gaskets on both our ancient Saab 9-5s. I have finally had enough of the smell of burning oil, which seems to have found it's way down the front of the engine to the turbo on both cars. Peter has given good advice on what i need to do, but there are times when I wish I lived in leafy Surrey. Not for the wonderful traffic, I might add, but to be near a guy who cannot bear to watch an amateur like me trying to wield a socket set. whistle

QBee

Original Poster:

20,957 posts

144 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Update:

I got the dash top off after a bit of a struggle with the driver's side bolt being caught on the leather that surrounds the screen.
Some levering with a screwdriver, a certain amount of twisting the dash top, and it came off.

Undid the screw to the right of the heater controls and was able to pull the whole dash panel up and towards me.....and the plugs in the back of the gauge were seated fine and pulling them out and putting them back in again made no difference.

Next job was check the wide band lambda plug, which is under the nearside chassis rail - a good steer from Jools helped me find it. Jack car up, front nearside wheel off. Plug pulled apart, no sign of any damp in there.

Break for pain relief and lunch. I will next spray some contact cleaner in the plug and see if the gauge reads properly. After that, it's order a new Bosch lambda sensor.


Not started on the Saabs yet, gaskets don't arrive until 3pm, and so will the rain.

Zener

18,957 posts

221 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
QBee said:
Update:

I got the dash top off after a bit of a struggle with the driver's side bolt being caught on the leather that surrounds the screen.
Some levering with a screwdriver, a certain amount of twisting the dash top, and it came off.

Undid the screw to the right of the heater controls and was able to pull the whole dash panel up and towards me.....and the plugs in the back of the gauge were seated fine and pulling them out and putting them back in again made no difference.

Next job was check the wide band lambda plug, which is under the nearside chassis rail - a good steer from Jools helped me find it. Jack car up, front nearside wheel off. Plug pulled apart, no sign of any damp in there.

Break for pain relief and lunch. I will next spray some contact cleaner in the plug and see if the gauge reads properly. After that, it's order a new Bosch lambda sensor.


Not started on the Saabs yet, gaskets don't arrive until 3pm, and so will the rain.
These after-market wide band controllers with Bosch sensors are generally shorter lived than narrow band and generally not controlled as well as are OE ecu controlled just out of interest , they dont last forever and the RV8 isn't the cleanest engine for sensor longevity


Edited by Zener on Wednesday 28th October 15:38

QBee

Original Poster:

20,957 posts

144 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Zener said:
These after-market wide band controllers with Bosch sensors are generally shorter lived than narrow band and generally not controlled as well as are OE ecu controlled just out of interest , they dont last forever and the RV8 isn't the cleanest engine for sensor longevity


Edited by Zener on Wednesday 28th October 15:38
That was Jools's view too, when I called him, and I read similar on an online thread.
It seems very likely that the engine failure last autumn (big end bearing spun etc) caused the Lambda failure due to oil in the exhaust.
£56 for a genuine Bosch one from a UK supplier, seems not too bad for a let's find out.

Steve_D

13,741 posts

258 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
I have a number of those dead sensors in the corner of my desk.

Steve

QBee

Original Poster:

20,957 posts

144 months

Wednesday 28th October 2020
quotequote all
Thanks Steve. Everything now pointing to the sensor being the problem.
New sensor arriving at the weekend, I will fit it and report back.
Jools has warned me not to over-tighten it.

QBee

Original Poster:

20,957 posts

144 months

Saturday 31st October 2020
quotequote all
New sensor fitted, we now have readings on the AFR gauge.

Here are the two sensors side by side, mid-fitting.
Get your crayons out and draw your own conclusions.




Dash top back on, but not before sawing about 70% of the right hand bolt off. It was that or rip the fake leather.
I don't normally bolt mine down anyway, CBA.

SILICONEKID 357HP

14,997 posts

231 months

Saturday 31st October 2020
quotequote all
Did you sort it ? I've just bought a new battery so need to sort a fault out under the dash .
I have a dimly lit illuminated light on even with the ignition off .

Steve_D

13,741 posts

258 months

Sunday 1st November 2020
quotequote all
SILICONEKID 357HP said:
Did you sort it ? I've just bought a new battery so need to sort a fault out under the dash .
I have a dimly lit illuminated light on even with the ignition off .
A single lamp or all of them?

Steve

QBee

Original Poster:

20,957 posts

144 months

Sunday 1st November 2020
quotequote all
Daz, you need to work out what the light is, what the dimly lit means, and sort the fault where it is coming from. Personally I would be looking elsewhere before the faff of getting the dash top off, and then getting it back on.
In my case the removal was totally unnecessary, the fault was the lambda sensor itself.

I keep offering to pop over and help you find your faults, this, your battery issues, etc etc. Just say when you have sometime available and I can do as offered.

SILICONEKID 357HP

14,997 posts

231 months

Sunday 1st November 2020
quotequote all
I had to buy a new Battery,county batteries tested it and tried to charge it .

I had to pay 150 quid for it .
I think the dimly lit light is somthing to do with the Cobra alarm .
It's at the bottom between speedometer and rev counter .

Edited by SILICONEKID 357HP on Sunday 1st November 14:03

Steve_D

13,741 posts

258 months

Sunday 1st November 2020
quotequote all
SILICONEKID 357HP said:
I had to buy a new Battery,county batteries tested it and tried to charge it .

I had to pay 150 quid for it .
I think the dimly lit light is somthing to do with the Cobra alarm .
It's at the bottom between speedometer and rev counter .

Edited by SILICONEKID 357HP on Sunday 1st November 14:03
I'm guessing that will be the charge.

Steve

SILICONEKID 357HP

14,997 posts

231 months

Sunday 1st November 2020
quotequote all
What do you mean Steve ? .
It looks like somone as added another cable to the red light .
This is the reason the battery had to be replaced .

Steve_D

13,741 posts

258 months

Sunday 1st November 2020
quotequote all
How many wires go to the lamp and what are their colours?

Steve

SILICONEKID 357HP

14,997 posts

231 months

Monday 2nd November 2020
quotequote all
Steve_D said:
How many wires go to the lamp and what are their colours?

Steve
I'm taking the dash top off in afew days .
I will post .
When I changed the dash I may well of put some wrong wires together .

SILICONEKID 357HP

14,997 posts

231 months

Monday 2nd November 2020
quotequote all
Steve_D said:
How many wires go to the lamp and what are their colours?

Steve
I'm taking the dash top off in afew days .
I will post .
When I changed the dash I may well of put some wrong wires together .