4722 replies to this topic

[mbes2]

A pic from a couple of days ago; took my boots and went for a long walk along the dark ridge line behind the car. The sky looks a bit grey and moody, but the sun came out quite a bit during the day.

You need a bigger wing.

What I really need is some spare time and dry weather to drive him, I'm off to America for 2 weeks on Monday to meet my boss, which won't help with that. He's offered to take me out in his Porsche, I will have to bite my tongue and say nice things about it.

Vs the 20 year old Vauxhall:-p

[ditonics]

You realise is it's a GT3 RS nipper will seem like a milk float especially in the bends.

[Nev]

You realise is it's a GT3 RS nipper will seem like a milk float especially in the bends.

 

Milk float?

[Nev]

Booked my next skiing holiday - excited.

 

Clip from last year: https://youtu.be/1op-7sN8e1Q

 

[Nev]

This popped up on my facebook. An Utlitima was what I was originally going to build many years ago, but ended up with a VX instead somehow.

 

https://youtu.be/wtfn40F_jDk

[Nev]

I guess CV19 might get me into the garage to find some things to do on Nipper. Getting bored in the house already after just 3 days.

 

One thing I noticed I need to do is add additional bracing to the wing struts. Even though they are solidly mounted to the subframe, the wind resistance over the years has flexed the struts back a few mm such that it's cut into the clam a bit.

 

[Nev]

Decided to roll the car back a few inches in the garage to stop the tyres getting flat spots. It's 2+ months since I've driven it.

 

BTW, there is a 6 month suspension on all car MOTs if you didn't know already.

[Nev]

Got in the car to drive it at the weekend, and found the brake pedal was soft and sinking down way to low. If I pump it rapidly a few times it resumes hardness and works for 1 press briefly, but then becomes poor again. I've checked the reservoir and it's still full, so I don't think it's a hydaulics leak.

 

I have my suspicions whats wrong, just want to see if it concurs with other peoples thoughts... any suggestions?

 

[CocoPops]

Master cylinder seals?

[Arno]

If you pump up the pedal, does it then remain solid as you keep pressure on it, or does it slowly sink to the floor?

 

In the first case it's an air pocket in the system, but no fluid leak.

 

In the second case it's a leak, either an internal one in the MC (no drips to be found) bypassing the main seal and feeding back to the reservoir, or an external leak somewhere on a pipe, joint, etc.

 

Bye, Arno.

[Nev]

Bought a new master cylinder today. Looks dead easy to fit (easiest job on a VX?!), my worry however is purging the air out of the ABS unit, as I've heard it traps it.

 

I guess I will try and prime the pipes and cylinder with some fluid using a syringe, to try and recude the amount of air in the system to a minimum. Hopefully then I won't have to travel to find somone with Tech2 (?) to hook up to the ABS unit and oscilate it.

 

[smiley]

This guy mentioned he used on autel for that.

http://www.vx220.org...ngy-brake-pedal

 

[Arno]

Bought a new master cylinder today. Looks dead easy to fit (easiest job on a VX?!), my worry however is purging the air out of the ABS unit, as I've heard it traps it.

 

You can work around that..

 

Before you start the job, pull the brake pads from the calipers and fit some thin (ply)wood in it's place that's about the thickness of a worn pad. Pump the brake pedal to extend the pistons fully.

 

Now change the brake MC. Either bench-bleed it or do it in the car buy running hoses/pipes from the MC outlet back to the reservoir and pumping it until there's no bubbles coming out anymore.

 

Your MC should now be totally full and free of air. Suck some of the fluid from the reservoir to bring the level down.

 

Re-connect the brake lines to the ABS unit (messy! cue brake fluid dripping out and manic re-fitting..  )  and tighten up the connections.

 

Now go around the car and press the caliper pistons back. This will force fluid back up the system and will take any remaining bubbles in the MC to ABS connection back up to the MC and out to the reservoir. Bascially use the calipers as small reservoirs of fluid to back-flush.

 

Refit pads, pump the brakes. If nice and solid, feel free to do a flush of the system to get nice fresh fluid out to the calipers too and go out for a drive!

 

This way you should have only a very, very tiny chance of any air getting into the ABS hydraulic block.

 

Bye, Arno.

[Nev]

That's an intriguing process, thanks for the input. I only wonder how air from the ABS pipes could manage to pass back through the master cylinder - is this acutally possible, as I would have imagined that if the master cylinder blocks fluid then it would also block air...?

Edited by Nev, 05 June 2020 - 07:20 AM.

[Nev]

I've had a look at the workings of a "typical" dual circuit master cylinder. Seems that most of them are designed with a purge hole for each circuit to let air up/out. Hopefully our design has this, as I am concerned that I swap the thing out and the car brakes are non-operational. There isn't even a Lotus place in Bristol to go to in order to get the ABS purged.

Edited by Nev, 05 June 2020 - 12:03 PM.

[hairy]

Nev - what about Williams over in Chipping Sodbury? They did my ABS module.

 

https://www.lotuscar...-lotus-bristol/

[Nev]

Nev - what about Williams over in Chipping Sodbury? They did my ABS module.

 

https://www.lotuscar...-lotus-bristol/

 

I rang them this morning and asked if they worked on VX220s and they said no.

 

How long ago did they do that work for you please?
 

Edited by Nev, 05 June 2020 - 12:12 PM.

[FLD]

Isn't the risk with the system getting air in the pump part which you can then purge by activating the abs?  Alternatively, if you have the 2 channel version you can turn the pump on in opcom to purge it.

[Nev]

Isn't the risk with the system getting air in the pump part which you can then purge by activating the abs?  Alternatively, if you have the 2 channel version you can turn the pump on in opcom to purge it.

 

From what I've read, yep.

 

The problem is with so much rubber on my car, if the ABS is initially full of air, it might be the case that I can't deliberately trigger the ABS (unless I was on snow or lots of gravel).

 

The alternative of driving (with already bad brakes) to a Lotus place to get the the ABS unit purged sounds worrying. I only have 1 lotus place near me in Bristol and when I rang them, they said they dont work on VX220.

 

Edited by Nev, 05 June 2020 - 01:11 PM.

[hairy]

 

Nev - what about Williams over in Chipping Sodbury? They did my ABS module.

 

https://www.lotuscar...-lotus-bristol/

 

I rang them this morning and asked if they worked on VX220s and they said no.

 

How long ago did they do that work for you please?
 

 

 

I think it was 2014 / 15 but they needed a bit of persuasion. You might also try Neil Garner (now Kudu) near Malmesbury - they have done most of my servicing and also work on Lotuses.