Our new Astro

a91_formula · August 21, 2006, 04:17:24 AM

Well, we finally managed to get the "service" done on her - what a pig that was taking the front wheels off (especially the drivers side) only enabled us to get to no 1 spark plug. The other two on that side had to be done from inside and only with small hands - mmmmm guess who got that job

Spent all day yesterday putting a stereo in (yes we decided to go for a normal one!) and making her ready for the first day of her daily duty.

So today was the day - first day of hopefully many to get us to work and back. Got halfway down the M4 and the SES light came on. Still drove ok though. Pulled off motorway at our junction and came to a stop. She was chugging beyond belief and coughing and spluttering everywhere, put foot down to drive off and she cut out, started her up, she cut out etc etc etc

We had this problem coming back from picking her up and Mr R said it was the EGR coked up, we took the EGR off and thoroughly cleaned and put back together and she was fine.

Anyone got any ideas why after only 60 miles would this of happened again? To say we are gutted is an understatement.

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! anyone please.........................

55starchief · August 21, 2006, 04:26:18 AM

You really need to get a code reader or get the code read to determine the fault.

a91_formula · August 21, 2006, 04:46:00 AM

We have put a code reader on - no codes except the normal 12

ianjpage · August 21, 2006, 06:08:03 AM

Is the valve blocked again or not??

If so might be some cr*p in teh tank / engine - try a fuel / injector treatment perhaps?

F Body · August 21, 2006, 08:00:44 AM

Quoting: a91_formula

She was chugging beyond belief and coughing and spluttering everywhere,

Yep our Astro is doing that but only when cold ?
Rev's when you put your foot down but sounds like it's only running on 5 or 4 cylinders

I checked all the plug leads were on last week.
Hasn't thrown any codes yet so I'm going to have a look at the dizzy cap tonight , it had new plugs 5,000 miles ago.
Hadn't given the EGR valve any thought but it could be part of the problem ?
How difficult is it to remove the EGR valve ?

a91_formula · August 21, 2006, 08:35:12 AM

Quoting: F Body

Rev's when you put your foot down but sounds like it's only running on 5 or 4 cylinders

On idle it soudns like it's on on 4 or 5 but when you then rev it, it cuts out.

Quoting: F Body

Hadn't given the EGR valve any thought but it could be part of the problem ?
How difficult is it to remove the EGR valve ?

Very easy - took "me"

about 5 mins.

F Body · August 21, 2006, 03:30:49 PM

Had the old girl apart tonight :

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/fbody007/Misc/DSC00743.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">

I'll order a new dizzy cap, rotor arm & plug leads tomorrow

Management gave her a run out today and she didn't miss a beat, it's always really difficult with intermitent faults, but at least the sparking system can be crossed off the list.

NB : Note the very careful lead numbering before I took the cap off, I've been bollocked a couple of times doing fag packet sketches only to find it don't run afterwards and quite often the manual is wrong because they changed something or another

Let me know how you go on with your problem ?

ianjpage · August 21, 2006, 04:56:47 PM

ahh so thats wot it looks like when the inside cover is off lol!

55starchief · August 21, 2006, 04:59:03 PM

Quoting: ianjpage

ahh so thats wot it looks like when the inside cover is off lol!

not what we were expecting after seeing the maro engine bay

ianjpage · August 21, 2006, 05:09:39 PM

Quoting: 55starchief

not what we were expecting after seeing the maro engine bay

lol!

F Body · August 22, 2006, 07:42:11 AM

Quoting: F Body

I'll order a new dizzy cap, rotor arm & plug leads tomorrow

Dizzy cap £7.31 & Rotor arm £2.63 , plug leads on order

philoldsmobile · August 22, 2006, 08:16:52 AM

Quoting: a91_formula

We have put a code reader on - no codes except the normal 12

might be worth hooking it up to a tech 2 -some of the cheap code readers only show a fault if the code is constant, rather than the history of any code that has occured..

if the SES light has come on, the ECU will have loggedd it, even if it wasn't a constant code, and a tech 2 or laptop will be able to retireve this, and also monitor any real time data to see if anything odd is happening there..

might be worth throwing a shot of injector cleaner through it, STP is the best stuff i have used, not cheap @ £15 per bottle, but i've had excelent results..

F Body · August 22, 2006, 01:12:35 PM

Took the EGR valve out once I found out where it was ?
The manual said at the front of the engine next to the thermostat housing, wrong on top the engine at the rear

Dirty but working without any excessive carbon build up :

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/fbody007/Misc/DSC00744.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"> [img]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/fbody007/Misc/DSC00744.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=150>

After a bit of cleaning :

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/fbody007/Misc/DSC00745.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"> [img]http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/fbody007/Misc/DSC00745.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"\" width=150>

Quoting: a91_formula

We have put a code reader on - no codes except the normal 12

According to the work shop manual an code 12 ( one flash,pause,2 flashes) is just the diagnostic code, any additional trouble codes will appear after code 12 has flashed 3 times.
After reading the diagonostic chapter I go EGR valve first, then throttle position sensor, then IAC valve.

ianjpage · August 22, 2006, 05:35:58 PM

mm shiny things

F Body · August 23, 2006, 01:22:44 PM

OK whilst fitting the new dizzy cap & rotor arm I noticed that the right hand plug leads appear to have been shorting out on the gearbox dip stick tube

Taped up the leads and fitted a plastic sleeve to the tube :

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c294/fbody007/Misc/200608231718_00063.jpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\">

philoldsmobile · August 23, 2006, 01:30:51 PM

Quoting: F Body

Yep our Astro is doing that but only when cold ?
Rev's when you put your foot down but sounds like it's only running on 5 or 4 cylinders

mine was doing that when i bought it.. water ingress is a problem into the dizzy, all mine needed was new cap, arm and a damned good cleanup of the dizzy shaft.. problem solved.

55starchief · August 23, 2006, 01:48:13 PM

Quoting: F Body

OK whilst fitting the new dizzy cap & rotor arm I noticed that the right hand plug leads appear to have been shorting out on the gearbox dip stick tube

That could well be the cause of the misfire mqate. had a simaler problem on my rangerover where the pluglead had shorted out on the manifold leaving me with 7 cylinders when ever the lead moved

F Body · August 23, 2006, 02:50:51 PM

Quoting: 55starchief

That could well be the cause of the misfire mqate.

Yep could be , time will tell !
Still gona change the leads when they arrive ( 10 days ) because they are well past there best.

a91_formula · August 29, 2006, 04:26:32 AM

Well she's fixed

Mr Redbourne sorted it out for us. Went up to Birmingham on Sunday and drove all the way back with no problems what-so-ever.

My Dave spent Sunday afternoon and all day yesterday washing, t-cutting and polishing her. Well what can I say - a totally different looking vehicle - piccies to follow once my camera is charged

Unfortunately we have decided that it isn't going to work for us, so have decided not to keep her So for those of you who don't know:

1995 Chevrolet Astro 4.3 V6 - high top, American Freedom conversion - think it's quite rare as not seen another one around. She has 43500 (ish) miles and we have just done an engine service (plugs, leads, cap, rotor, fuel filter).

If anyone is (or knows of anyone) that may be interested please let me know.

Thanks Mr R :)