Skoda Rally Blog

Well, one thing is definitely getting closer – Rally GB 2010.  It’s only four weeks today that the last stages will be running.  So really it’s three weeks to go.  Usually at this point, things are getting desperate, so I’ve had a nice week thinking that although there are still things to do, a lot has been done and the car is mostly there – running well, etc.

I have a list of jobs to do, and it’s split into three sections – mechanical/electrical things (i.e. bits that make the car go), mandatory (things which are related to safety and regulations changes), and cosmetic (which are nice, but let’s face it, I could live without).  This list gets printed out at the beginning of any time I spend in the garage, and then I’ll do something from it.  This weekend’s main thing was improving the engine mapping, so on Saturday morning I got out in the drive fairly early (although it was a bit cold) and fired the car up.  It ran, but not well – it seemed really lean, and the O2 meter confirmed that it was running very lean.  I expected it to clear once it warmed up, and the quickest way to do this is to drive the car.   On  the way down the road I thought it might be getting low on fuel, so I limped to the petrol station, but it made no odds.  I had a very slow, sick car that was a challenge just to keep it going and get it home – not helped by a couple of idiots cutting me up and blocking me in on the dual carriageway outside my place.

Anyway, got back and had a look – everything on the ECU seemed fine – right speed, right map settings, until I saw that there was no compensation programmed in for air temperature changes.  Which is necessary as cold air is more dense, so more fuel is needed.  A bit of searching came up with the right figures for this, and I set them up, as well as isolating the temperature sensor from the plate it is mounted on.  Should have been an improvement, but made no odds at all, leading me to the conclusion that there was something in the “real world” that was stopping it running.

Last week I fitted the quick-disconnect fuel sampling valve, and it came in very handy for the next test – checking the fuel pressure, which was very easily done by attaching a gauge to the hose that came with the sampling valve, and plugging it in.  I was surprised to see that the fuel pressure was 2 Bar (about 30psi), well short of the 3 Bar it should be.  A quick tweak saw rock-solid fuel pressure and a car now running properly.  I may get a replacement regulator soon, but in the meantime that will do.  Then went for a drive and made some improvements to the map – adjusting the rich running on full throttle, which made the car run cleaner, and it will now take full throttle from 1500rpm in top gear (although pulls slowly due to the cam), which is a good thing in case of inept driving (!)

Next up, a small crack had appeared in the exhaust, so that was welded up, and then the next improvement to the car – anyone who saw the pictures of the engine bay after a forest rally will know how messy it can get, and side guards which will stop most of the mud getting in (flung by the front wheels) will improve matters greatly, as well as stop rocks hitting anything important, such as the engine!

Splash/stone guard.

This is the right-side one,  but the left is pretty much the same.  These have been made up from 5mm polypropylene sheet, which is easy enough to cut and bend (using a blowtorch to soften it), but hard enough to resist damage.  It also takes rivnuts well, so it made for a nice job, but took a few hours to get right – Saturday was over.

Sunday’s tasks had to be done after fixing my Mum’s car (changing the glow plugs, which is only a small job but took an age as it was so awkward to do), and they were to do some more mapping, and also to chase an oil leak – while it’s not a bad one, there was some leaking from what looked like the sump gasket, so careful cleaning and then running the car was needed to check this, and lo and behold, it was indeed leaking.  That’s now been changed for another new one, so hopefully this time it will be oil tight.  What isn’t is the gearbox – the gearshift shaft oil seal is leaking, and I can see why – the shaft is quite pitted.  I’m not sure whether it’s possible to change it in situ, nor am I sure whether it would make much difference, but obviously what I don’t want to do is ruin it trying to change it and then be unable to do so.  One of the driveshaft oil seals is also leaking, so that needs to be done, but that’s straightforward.

Other than that, the list of things to do is now looking pretty small, other than get some new tyres (which have gone up a lot), get a service van hired, and find some money.  Oh, and get my licence upgraded – getting a medical done has been a right pain to get done, so I’m hoping that will be done on Wednesday.  I have the week after next off, so that’s a big bonus, and although it certainly won’t be like the hell of 2007, there are still lots of things to do.

Like remember (or learn!) how to drive.

Oh, and finally, the cheque has been cashed for Rally GB entry, so I will take it that our entry has been accepted!