http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_med5xbwJz51rc22qso1_1280.jpg
If you look carefully, you'll notice that there's no tin in his mouth. Even Flava knows best although with that harsh toxic environment, I suspect that even pure diamond would disintegrate.
So gang, Here is where the GCK install project stands today. I figure I'm half-way there, depending on whether you see the ECU as a big hairy audacious job or just another cog in the chain. Today I tackled the idle regulator, the evap-canister sensor, and both ignition coil sensors. Took me about 2 hours all in. Not lightening fast, but I am being methodical. Drove the old girl after (I always treat myself to a nice long drive after a few sensor swaps) and she's still having issues with rough idle and CELs, but I realize this is a long process and I won't really see progress on that front until the ECU is done and I wrap up the last few sensors. ketel Image Unavailable, Please Login
ketel, when you get to the throttle position sensors take a look to see if the pins in the sensors are gold and if the connector has gold terminals in it already. On my 95 the TPS/connectors are gold on gold from the factory.
Ketl, I'm going to guess that the ecu harness will be what fixes your CEL. I'm betting that it is the low clamp force of the original design. How many times has your motor been out for a belt change?
No need to worry about clamping force being lost in the SRI kit as Dave has tested them for well over 100 disconnects and reconnects.
Gang, In my desire to be methodical, could any of you kindly confirm the location of these remaining sensors on my 5.2 355? - Crank Sensor - Throttle Pot. - Cam Phase - Knock Sensor 1-4 - Knock Sensor 5-8 - 5.2 Rectangle Plug I have been going off the WSM to determine where they are and am perhaps 90% sure I know which are which but don't want to take any chances. The names are not always consistent and don't want to run the risk of replacing a different sensor than the one I was supposed to replace. If any of you can run out and take pics of the different sensors and name them, even better! thanks all. ketel
17 = Crank sensor -- On the front of the engine. Under car. You have to remove the underbody cover to access the area around the front of the crankshaft. It's on the right side (looking at the engine fromthe front, or otherwise onthe driver's side) behind the AC compresser belt. Tough to ge to. 9 = Throttle position sensor -- look at the back of the engine. It is on the back of the passanger side throttle bodies. 16 = cam phase or engine timing sensor. Mounted on the end of the cam shaft. 18 = knock sensors Image Unavailable, Please Login
Choose wisely indeed! Maybe you drive your car often, like me, or maybe not. Maybe you choose to just look at it in the garage and then go back to the couch. I don't know but if you do actually drive it often you are welcome to check and clean and de-ox your contacts weekly (be aware that they were built for only about 5 cycles so...) in hopes of keeping the gremlins away. And believe me the gremlins will appear: the on/off CEL or SD light, the errant idle that sometimes kills your car, the alternator going out every 1-2 years, etc. Check your codes and follow the arrows and repair what the arrows point to and see how long it lasts before the arrows start pointing again. I, rather Dave, as he has stated in a previous post, did this numerous times to my car to no avail. His sounding board before proceeding with this kit were numerous highly respected and experienced aeronautical, electrical, and mechanical engineers. His experimenting with many types of wires, clamps, clamping size, clamping power, tin connectors, concentrations of gold and "other materials and alloys used" was soooooooo far over anything anyone on this site would ever undertake that it boggles the mind. This kit is what he decided on and it is constantly being upgraded. Dave does not need me to defend him or his work, it stands on its own very high merits. Some on here seem to think that this kit would be easy to emulate just using new tin connectors. Then by all means please do it. Just think of the money to be made by under cutting what has been done thus far. And as you say tf- "we will not know for years to come". That's the whole point "years" because we already have cars with 5 years on them that show no sign at all of any fretting, oxidation, or anythinge else. And "in the near future" is a very relative term, define it. 'Cause as near as I can tell we are all going feet up in the future, near or far. Steve
is this what he says or did he give actual names of these engineers we can contact? these aeronautical engineers would disagree. dissimilar contacts has been implicated in at least 5 f-16 crashes.. Catastrophic Uncommanded Closures of Engine Feedline Fuel Valve From Corroded Electrical Connectors
Man,,, scary stuff,,,, think of it as you no longer have a control over the car while you are driving down the highway....
didimao-, glad you're back. I don't know these engineers personally and it's not my place to give out names just because. I'm with you on the jets though, I hate it when F-16s crash due to corrosion and I'm serious. I suspect that if our kits corrode and stop working we'll be stranded on the side of the road...just like the pre-gold kit days but it will take a much longer trouble free time to get there. Steve
That's only a preview page. Without the full report I would not draw any conclusion or have any opinion. Engineering 101 I did not inhale....
Hey Steve, Thanks for your input. So how much harness do you have left after all of the experiments on your car? What exactly caused your CEL? The truth is that no one knows. You simply made a blind attempt at solving your problem by replacing every possible connection. Can you give me ANY reason (just one would be sufficient) as to why the very BEST connector on your ECU would not be Tin with higher clamping force? Not one person in all of these pages has been able to come up with an answer other than what you have stated..."well, it fixed my car.....temporarily speaking" This thread has provided you so much data to the contrary, I find it simply arrogant and ignorant that you are simply disregarding this. Are you simply saying " who cares if it takes years." ? I hope I am just misunderstanding you. Gold will not make your ECU to run better, and will not be the reason your CEL went away. I can only imagine like has been said over and over, that fresh crimps with higher clamping force will. I do drive my car, and I am not separating my ecu harness because I believe this will lead to a potential problem. However, if I do get a CEL...I will check the light and trouble shoot accordingly. At that point, I will upgrade my connectors and post the results. They will not be Gold at this point because no one here can prove to me that gold is better at the ecu junction. In addition, if I can get sensors(water temp, maf, tps etc) that have gold plating then I will use a gold plated connector. I agree that gold/gold is better because I believe the data, but I will not use the tin/gold "fools gold" alloy. Tin/tin is better. Oh... I almost forgot to list my name ....like this is supposed to mean anything... Tim not to be confused with Tin
I for one lost about 1/4 inch per connector and have a car that idles much better, shifts crisper (F1) and has no CELs, that is my actual outcome. Good timing too, this week since I am back from travel and have lots of projects wrapped up I get to finally spend some time with the car on my new lift. One task is to install the last gold kit item from a year ago, the crank sensor, which will be cake to do now.
Are you kidding me! Read the last 18 pages of this drivel. If you don't have something new and of substance to add to this thread then please don't. Image Unavailable, Please Login
In an attempt to add something new and of substance I will add some scientific facts, written in layman terms: 1. Tin is less noble than gold 2. When corrosion occurs (and it will) tin will be the sacrificial part and will corrode away leaving the gold intact 3. For these scientifically proven basic principles there are multiple public domain reference sources which advise against gold/tin or any other mixed metal electical connectors. 4. Bosch, Siemens, Boeing, BMW, VAG etc. etc. all have design standards prohibiting mixed metal electrical connectors (I have several of these documents due to my profession). The worst case failure mode is galvanic corrosion of the ECU pins, the loom pins will be intact. As far as I know, there is no pin replacement kit for the ECUs, and a replacement ECU, if you can find one, runs to several thousands of euro.
I think you understated the cost. 50 years from now when these ECUs fail it will be more expensive due to inflation. Meanwhile, just enjoy a sweet running vehicle with mismatched metal.
In 50 years...much less actually we will be smog exempt and not worry about OBD and we will be able to run a stand alone system instead of this cranky old antique vacuum tube takes 30 minutes to warm up MoTronc garbage
If you thought gold connectors were good wait until you install my room temperature superconductor wiring harness.
