How do you tell...

[Boris]

How do you tell if your gaskets and belts have been replaced?
Nothing leaks, and my belts seem nice & tight without any cracks...

The reason I ask is because I don't want to replace something that could of been potentially been already done. My 100k service is coming up in a few months. I didn't get a complete service history.

Sorry if this is a silly question...

[smorison]

How do you tell if your gaskets and belts have been replaced?
Nothing leaks, and my belts seem nice & tight without any cracks...

The reason I ask is because I don't want to replace something that could of been potentially been already done. My 100k service is coming up in a few months. I didn't get a complete service history.

Sorry if this is a silly question...

if you spit a timing belt you'll be up for a lot more than the cost of just replacing the belt. a mechanic may be able to have a look at it and let you know what sort of condition it is in, bu tsaying 500-700 now could cost you thousands later on

[payaya]

you drive belts dont have to be replaced if they arent damaged. Visually inspect them, if they are crack replace them if not dont worry about them.

No gaskets need replacing unless they are leaking, they arent a service item.

The only belt is the timing belt, just replace it as i doubt someone would of replaced it before 100,000 because they felt like it.

[payaya]

you can inspect the timing belt for wear, it doesnt have to be replaced at 100,000 exactly.

Ive done 150,000 still on my original im replacing it tomorrow. As long as you see the timing belt is in good nick, the tensioners etc are fine, theres no need to if you know what to look out for.

[Boris]

Thanks heaps for all your advice... much appriciated...
I hope one day I can actually help ppl, instead of ask questions...

Here are more questions...

1) How would you guys check that your negative cable from the battery earths well?

2) How thick should the negative cable be? Cos the stock one looks a bit thin? I presume the thicker the better...

3) When ever I rev hard, my battery warning light comes on, i have new battery, new alternator (coils look new), new starter motor. Could this be related to number 1?

4) How do you know if your car is running either too lean or too rich? without plugging it into fancy computers, or getting results from a dynos...

[payaya]

do your headlight dim ect when indercators are on? The earth cable is thin on the FTO but i doubt you'll have a problem with that.

You can tell your car is running too lean or rich by taking out the spark plugs. Do a search on the net for so some comparison chart.

[ruchi]

The battery is there primarily to turn over the starter motor and power any devices when the engine isn't on.

When the engine is on, the car is primarily powered by the alternator and the battery mainly acts as a reserve, providing extra power when the load is too high for the alternator.

Given that the problem is occuring when the engine is running, I would suggest it would have more to do with the alternator or regulator than it does the battery.

Is there something going on with your car that makes you suspect it is running too lean or rich?

[Boris]

Given that the problem is occuring when the engine is running, I would suggest it would have more to do with the alternator or regulator than it does the battery.

*sight* Good point, I guess i will have to check my alternator, and it's belts. Still, I don't regret getting this fto

Is there something going on with your car that makes you suspect it is running too lean or rich?

Hmm, I can't explain it, I can feel in my mind that it's running a bit rich on the fuel, I think sometimes there is too much fuel in the cylinders... But i'm still observing this hunch.

[ruchi]

Hmm, I can't explain it, I can feel in my mind that it's running a bit rich on the fuel, I think sometimes there is too much fuel in the cylinders... But i'm still observing this hunch.

The FTO uses various sensors and a computer to automatically adjust the air/fuel mixture. The car should only be running rich or lean if the sensors are providing the wrong information or if the computer is progammed to do so.

There's no real harm in running rich, other than you'll use more fuel, and you'll get slightly more performance. Too lean a mixture can cause greater problems, although the FTO should adjust the timing of the engine to compensate if it is unable to do so via the air/fuel mixture. The downside being you'll have slightly less power, but your engine should be protected.

Most of the FTO's I've seen tend to run a little rich while warming up (slight fuel smell from the exhaust), but generally settle down and run normally once up to temperature.

[Boris]

Most of the FTO's I've seen tend to run a little rich while warming up (slight fuel smell from the exhaust), but generally settle down and run normally once up to temperature.

Yeah, thanks. I didn't know that.
I think that's whats happening with mine, cos I can smell the extra fuel from the exhaust when my car is cold, and you can hear I think from the node of the exhaust that it's possibly running a bit rich.

I had a quick look, without getting too serious. My alternator looks brand new, even the casing. The alternator belt looks new, and even the pulley thingy for the alternator that the belt sits on is brand new and shiny.

Thing that I didn't check was the wiring from the alternator, I don't have time till tonigh, can this be done without getting under the car?

[payaya]

its not running rich during startup! Think about it, it takes ages for your cat to warm up, so during startup your cat is letting through unburnt fuel, which you can smell. Totally normal on all cars.

But if your car is definately running rich, check out the oxygen sensor.

[MADFTO]

Just a minor tech correction for some people who are wondering why on earth piggyback systems work then if the main ECU is doing adjustments all the time based on sensors.

The ECU runs in closed-loop mode most of the time that you're driving (Closed loop = engine monitors sensors and adjusts fuel injection to the conditions).

However, when the you've got the throttle past the programmed what setting on the ECU, it runs in Open Loop mode, I believe primarily because the ECU cannot keep up with the sensor changes, thus it runs on pre-programmed maps.

Anyways, this is the primary reason why piggy back systems work. Besides, the ECU can only make adjustments so far as a safety feature ( You wouldn't want it to lean it out so far to cause detontation =P)