It’s only a small leak, honest

[Saltire]

A productive couple of days in the garage over the weekend while SWMBO was watching the weepies on Netflix (fortunately I wasn’t asked to join in). I’ve finally completed the remote boot, fuel and tonneau releases which a certain Epipete egged me on to do back at Castle Combe.

Each of the remote releases is controlled by a solenoid which operates a cable release just like the manual ones. The new cables are standard bicycle brake cables, Teflon coated, running in an outer cable sheath.

Fuel and tonneau solenoids mounted in the OSR wheel arch recess (behind the hood well end panel).

The fuel cable is mounted at the flap end into a 15mm aluminium block with suitable holes, and arranged so the original manual pull in the door jamb is still operational. There’s a similar block at the solenoid end to anchor the cable firmly. The tonneau release cables (two catches) are again mounted in an aluminium block at the solenoid end, and I’ve made up small ally plates which fit into the existing catch brackets and allow for the required leverage on the catches. The original cables are left in place, both as a back up and also so I can revert it to standard if required.

Mounting block for fuel release; original cable black, new cable silver

The boot solenoid is of a different type, and is mounted in the boot lid with a direct cable connection to the boot catch. I cut a small section out of the boot lid frame and mounted the solenoid inside on a rubber sheet to protect the boot lid. I’ve made up a cover plate from 2mm ABS sheet, carefully bent to replicate the shape of the boot lid frame, and I just need to give that a quick spray from a rattle can to finish it off.

Relays mounted in the battery compartment. The red knurled items above are the release cable adjusters

I thought long and hard about how to wire the solenoids, and eventually decided that the fuel and tonneau should be ignition controlled, because I don’t want those accidentally triggering when I’m merrily driving along. So I’ve used a changeover relay which senses when the ignition is switched on, and isolates the supply to those two relay coils. I’ve wired the boot solenoid for operation at all times, as I sometimes need a passenger to be able to open the boot when parked but with the engine running. All three are operated by a small (ex-Audi TT) switch mounted in the ashtray. When they’re not needed, I can close the ashtray and it all looks perfectly original.

Three release switches mounted in the ashtray, which can still be closed when they’re not needed

Pictures give some idea of how it’s installed. All working well, and I just need is some spring weather and a reason to go out for a test run

[Jamie N]

Great work Jonathan, and very clever. Well done.

[dapinky]

Jonathan,

Not sure if you have incorporated it, but if not .......

....... speaking as a man who has the same (or similar!) electric releases, there was something I noticed, and addressed.

Boot - no problem in case of failure (or electric loss) as it has a key.

Fuel flap - likewise - can always be opened with a credit card......

Hood cover..... Hmmm - flat battery, can't open it to get to battery....... no problem, it's an S2 - so I can stick jump leads on the bits under the bonnet (assuming you can get into car and open the bonnet!)......

.... however - there is always that 1 in a thousand (or million) chance that the solenoid will fail at some point - or the fuse will blow, or the cable will come adrift, and then you could be a bit stuffed as these things tend to happen miles from home, just as the rain is starting and you need to put the hood up NOW.

I simply drilled a 10mm hole in the front of the catch framework (behind the seat, facing into the car) - these can be sealed with a simple rubber grommet and are thus fairly invisible....... but it gives access to the actual bit which catches on the metal 'loop' from the cover..... and it can be easily tripped with a small screwdriver (or metal rod, or hairgrip, or stick or anything else you have to hand).

Aprat from the initial 'test' phase, I haven't needed it yet - but sods law says that one day I will.

[Saltire]

Good point, well made, Dave. In fact I have left the original manual release in place in the OS door jamb, so I can always use that in case of solenoid failure. I did consider an option like you suggest, but reasoned that there was no point in removing the original and then reinstating it in a different way

The electric release is for convenience rather than anything else, and the tonneau release was the least important of the three - in fact, if I hadn’t been wiring for the fuel and boot anyway, I probably wouldn’t have bothered with the tonneau.

Flat battery will hopefully only be an issue if I fail to find the annoying parasitic drain I’m currently experiencing - but that’s another (ongoing) story . . .

Thanks again for the thought

[dapinky]

Ah, yes - leaving the original is probably the easiest way round it!

I did mine just prior to getting the paintwork done, so removed both fuel and hood cover cables, filled the holes and then had it all painted.

[Rambo]

Looks a neat solution Jonathan but that switchgear in the ashtray could never work for Dave as it would get covered in fag ash

PS isn't your mental welfare a good enough (essential) reason to go for a run out ? Escaping from SWMBO, the outlaws and the interminable box sets and Tik Tok crap could be several others. Or even a jaunt out to pick up a nice Madras curry from the Spice Merchant in Malmesbury

[Simon_P]

Should I:

- panic
- hope it will miraculously cure itself
- take the bulb out

The correct answer is number 3.

Rather late to the party but I think there is a number 4.
4. Unplug the connector that should be disconnected ans bound up, then it can never come on.

[Saltire]

Looks a neat solution Jonathan but that switchgear in the ashtray could never work for Dave as it would get covered in fag ash

PS isn't your mental welfare a good enough (essential) reason to go for a run out ? Escaping from SWMBO, the outlaws and the interminable box sets and Tik Tok crap could be several others. Or even a jaunt out to pick up a nice Madras curry from the Spice Merchant in Malmesbury

Funnily enough I was down there on Christmas Eve, collecting a Tier Two Takeaway As he usually does, Mustafa asked me about LEC, and hoped to see us again if things improve in 2021.

We have no outlaws, and all the family live many miles away (even if we could see them). But I must confess I’ve grown a little tired of the diet Of Christmas TV - even worse than usual

[Simon_P]

Looks good Jonathan I like the switches in the ashtray.
Is the next project soft touch opening for the ashtray?

[Saltire]

Should I:

- panic
- hope it will miraculously cure itself
- take the bulb out

The correct answer is number 3.

Rather late to the party but I think there is a number 4.
4. Unplug the connector that should be disconnected and bound up, then it can never come on.

I would like to go for no 4 - if only I could find said connector. According to one manual page I’ve seen, it’s supposed to be on the pre-cat, but I don’t recall seeing the sensor on mine during reassembly. Anyway, it’s SORN at present, so I’ll wait for the warmer weather and get it up on the ramp for a look.

[Simon_P]

I think that you may have plugged the EGR valve plug which should hang loose, into the nearby socket on the loom which should be bound up.

[Saltire]

I think that you may have plugged the EGR valve plug which should hang loose, into the nearby socket on the loom which should be bound up.

That makes perfect sense, Simon, especially as the phenomenon only occurs once the engine is fully warm. Thanks a million

[Saltire]

Looks good Jonathan I like the switches in the ashtray.
Is the next project soft touch opening for the ashtray?

I did look at that, but insufficient space behind the dash for the damper.

I’m still thinking about a damped opening for the fuel flap though.

[Saltire]

I think that you may have plugged the EGR valve plug which should hang loose, into the nearby socket on the loom which should be bound up.

That makes perfect sense, Simon, especially as the phenomenon only occurs once the engine is fully warm. Thanks a million

Simon, just to clarify, did you mean the cable connected to the solenoid (item 2EGR), or is there a cable connection to item 10, which is actually listed as the EGR in the parts list (1995 S2, with cat and O2 sensor).

EGR valve diagram

Thanks

[Simon_P]

or is there a cable connection to item 10, which is actually listed as the EGR

Yes, item 10.

I tried to take a picture, but it is obscured - On the EGR valve you will see a stainless steel hexagon with a wire coming out of it the wire is covered in a heat resistant sheath. On the one I have just looked at, it is folded back on itself and then bound onto the loom and not plugged in. On the Green car it is just hanging down - I'll guess that the correct arrangement is tie wrapped to the loom.

[Saltire]

Thanks, Simon; I’ll take a look when the temperature warms up a bit in the garage!

[Rambo]

Thanks, Simon; I’ll take a look when the temperature warms up a bit in the garage!

I thought you had a centrally heated Dickies boiler suit Jonathan. No excuses !! Fire a Spice Merchant vindaloo into your mouth, don the boiler suit and away you go

Happy New Year from Banterland

[Simon_P]

I thought you had a centrally heated Dickies boiler suit Jonathan. No excuses !!

I thought that too and had a good chuckle. Then remembered the enthusiasm I had to work up to go and take the photo, which quickly wore off when it became too hard - hence no photo.

[Saltire]

I thought you had a centrally heated Dickies boiler suit Jonathan. No excuses !!

I thought that too and had a good chuckle. Then remembered the enthusiasm I had to work up to go and take the photo, which quickly wore off when it became too hard - hence no photo.

Very good both However, it’s not centrally heated, but insulated. And as any heating engineer will tell you, insulation only helps to retain heat, not to generate it. What comes out of the wearers mouth is the heat generator, at least in my case

Anyway, I did go and have a look, and I did find the wire to which Simon referred - exactly as described. And it is plugged into the wiring harness. Can’t see any cable colours, or where/how as yet, but the plot thickens. Next step is to unplug and leave the car warming up, to see if it a) runs normally and b) cures the problem.

Thanks all; more news later.

[Saltire]

Update on the above: I started the car and drove out of the garage yesterday to warm up and get the oil circulating (I haven’t unplugged what I think of as “Simon’s cable” as yet). And the light didn’t come on . . .

Mind you, when I went back into the garage briefly, I noticed a splash of crimson fluid on the nice clean garage floor, just behind and inboard from where the offside front wheel would have been, so finding that will be the next little task