Cottees' 1987 Sigma GN GSR Super Edition

[Cottees]

I have been busy with work, so I have had to stop doing any Sigma stuff for now. I am also waiting on some gaskets I ordered almost a month ago. Since I should be getting them on Monday. I might try and find some free time next week to get the head off the car again, redo the head and exhaust gaskets, and try getting everything finished. I might end up having to get another computer, but I might as well try and fix this one first. It'll also be a bit of practice for when I get a MegaSquirt to replace the stock ECU.

[81GL]

Farnell hmm... not really the cheapest people for that stuff... but yeah, quick to post.

When it comes time to replace them, ensure you have completely de-soldered the legs before trying to remove, don't want to remove the 'hole-through' of the board with the old components
-Hot iron & good quality solder wick FTW.

-Then thoroughly clean the board with Isopropel alcohol & an old tooth brush or cotton buds to remove the old flux etc.
Should come up all sexy then.

All the best with it mate.
Nick.

[Cottees]

Farnell hmm... not really the cheapest people for that stuff... but yeah, quick to post.

Fernell didn't seem to be *too* expensive. I doubled up on my order, and still was under their $10 min. Also got some desolder braid to make up the $10. I also got the more expensive caps. Just have to find my soldering iron and get it fixed.

I picked up a power steering set up today, thanks to Philbaggins . I am going to clean that up while I get the car running, and will probably get the car back to my house before changing over the steering over. With getting the gaskets tomorrow, I should be able to wrap up the EFI conversion, clean up the car and register it within the next 1-2 weeks. That is if there is no more problems

[oldn64]

I also picked up a set of Cordia Turbo seats from U-Pull-It. They looked pretty nice, and were quite comfortable, but they wont bolt straight into the Sigma. There should be a way to do it since I did it to a set of Pulsar Turbo seats a couple years back.

I have run out of Sigma money at the moment so I can't buy any new parts for it for the moment. I do have enough parts etc. to keep me going for a while. Earlier I had a look at both a Sigma and Cordia seats and how they all work. The Cordia seats wont bolt straight into the Sigma, and the Sigma rails wont bolt straight to the Cordia seats. from what I can see, if I drill 2 more holes, weld in 3 new nuts, and add some enforcing plates as suggested by GB_BB4C, it should then bolt into the Sigma. I also am going to make some brackets so that I can mount a Magna TR/TS electric fan to the Sigma radiator where the fan shroud used to be. I'll post pics once I have finished them.

Right just to add a little comedy relief/different thought process for a little..... (rather than concentrating on the motor at present.. ;) )

Cordia seats are not bolt into anything apart from Cordias. Whilest yes comfortable they use the outside rail as a structual member for the bottom of the seat remove this rail and you will need to re-engineer some strength into the seat. Sigma seats are not bolt into a Galant though people keep saying they do. What I do know is putting cordia seats into a galant requires the outrail to be cut and then strengthened and then the original galant rail (with extra hole drilled in them to suit the cordia bolt holes) will bolt into a galant. This is needed as the Cordia seats use only the outer rail as the support for the back as well. if you dont do this then the bottom will fold and the back of the seat will laydown while you are driving. If you can swap the foams and covers wo another seat you will probably have a better solution otherwise it will be alot of work to make them fit in a car that was never intended for them.

I have looked at the nimbus seating which is very similar to the cordia but more conventional in mounting. I have not looked at or had a go at mounting them but it might be another avenue to look at. Hope the sigma gets up and happy soon for you.....

Cheers

[A112H]

Just to mix it up How about Starion seats into Galant???

[astronturbo77]

not having a stir mate, but does this go yet?

[Cottees]

not having a stir mate, but does this go yet?

It is running, but not very well. I have been ill and have been busy with work. I had the day off today, but since I am trying to get over a chest infection for the past 4 weeks, I decided to try and rest instead of working on the Sigma. Hopefully I can get back into it later in the week.

Cordia seats are not bolt into anything apart from Cordias.

Yep, found that out as soon as I got them home. I have been modding them to get them to fit into the Sigma, but as above, just haven't had time to finish it. Will post pics when I have more of it done.

[Cottees]

FINALLY found a time to work on the car where I was not sick, working or extremely exhausted from long hours at work.

Got the head off. The gasket looked mostly ok...


...Except for where I damaged it putting the timing chain cover back on without removing the head.


The head looks ok as well. Nothing has broken so far.


Got the new head gasket on. It is red this time. It might make it go faster. I'll be happy if it just goes.


New exhaust gasket this time. It looks like the old crappy one I used was making exhaust leak from the 4th exhaust port.


Head, exhaust and intake gaskets are done.


Once I get her running, she really needs a good clean.


Tomorrow hopefully I can get some oil and oil filter, and try staring her again. The cooling system was full of water last time I did any work on the car, and almost 2 months later, it was still full. So it looks like there is no leaks at the moment.

[TUFSIG]

thats going to need some serious cut and polish lol

[DanTurboLancer]

Well done Cottees,
nearly there

Hope all goes well for you!

[Cottees]

I was all ready to get the finishing work on the EFI conversion done to the Sigma, then I get a call from my mum saying her Lexcen (Commo VN) had blown a hose again. So now I have to fix that, and delay the Sigma for a couple days. I ended up getting my smashed Commodore VN towed to my place to use it as parts, and after sitting there for 6 months, only being started once, it started first time. It is a real shame that I can't use it since it runs well.

thats going to need some serious cut and polish lol

Yeah, I have some cut and polish waiting. I just don't want to clean it before I finish doing the EFI conversion.

Well done Cottees,
nearly there

Hope all goes well for you!

Thanks. Hopefully I'll be able to have it running soon.

[Cottees]

Haven't been able to do any work on the Sigma today, but got another photo of the damage to my Commodore.

[Cottees]

I finally got some time to do some work on the Sigma, and have a look down at U-Pull-it. While there I had a look at some of the 4x114.3 15" rims that were around.

Saw a pepper pot rim. I lifted it to move it out of the way, and it was lighter than I had thought.


These are from the Magna Elite. They looked ok.


This Sigma was a little confused.


The main reason for going is that I needed another ECU. I found a '047' ECU which is from an Auto. I also found several '021' "ECI"s. Out of the list of the 4 TR/TS computers, there isn't one that ends in '021'.





I got back to the Sigma and put everything back together, put in water and oil. Still no luck though. Think it might be the ECU I got. Even though it is a '047' ECU, it was found in a Manual Magna TR. Also, after running, I checked the ECU, and it was reporting back that there wasn't anything wrong.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zPcKFDTQi5M

Not sure if this is a reason why, but this was in the car that I got the ECU from.


While I was there, I saw the GC Galant that was for sale. They had given up on selling it and is now there to be parted out. While I was getting the ECU out of the car next to it, an old bloke was trying to get the rear lights out. Got chatting and he lives in Whyalla and has an Orange Galant with White roof. He was having some trouble getting the lights out, so I gave him a hand.

[A112H]

I scored the dash out of that Galant on Saturday, lol

[Cottees]

I decided to get a start in trying to repair the first ECU I got. I got the first known faulty Capacitor. It made a bit of a mess.


Instead of bulging out the sides, the Capacitor bulged out the bottom.


The tracks look to be unbroken. It did melt under the Capacitor a little between the tracks that run underneath the Capacitor.


The new Capacitors to replace the 2 larger ones are a little smaller, but will still fit. They are the exact same voltage and capacitance, but the temperature rating is higher than what was originally used.


I have had the engine running better than the last test. Hopefully replacing the caps will fix the ECU, and get the engine running properly. If not, I am planing on buying a wrecked/broken TR/TS Magna that has a running engine, and use that to debug the Sigma.

[Superscan811]

Instead of bulging out the sides, the Capacitor bulged out the bottom.

Typically the will bulge out the top or bottom, that is one reason they have the indents in the top.

If one electro cap is FUBAR, most likely all 3 are.

Also, what did you use to clean the PCB. The electrolyte will corrode the tracks and solder too.

Grab a spray can of PCB cleaner, an old tooth brush, and toothpaste/brasso. Clean down all the surrounding tracks (use toothpaste or brasso for the stubborn stuff) and re-solder the surrounding tracks. Then clean it all down with the PCB cleaner.
Let it dry for 30min before using it.

Cheers.

[Cottees]

I have only de-soldered that one capacitor so far. I'll grab some cleaning stuff when I am out tomorrow. I'll de-solder the other 2 caps and give it a good clean before soldering on the new caps.

[A112H]

Hey Cottees, not wanting to have a dig mate as I like the ideas and that you are having a crack at it but I gotta ask.
You have a Sigma that is refusing to run in every way, you have a Commodore that is wrecked but with great running gear. Am I the only one who see's an easy out for both problems??

[Cottees]

I did consider it, also considered a Sigma on ebay that was already modded ready for the Commodore engine and trans, but i didn't want to risk getting it defected. The set up I have has been running ok, just with an exhaust leak. Now it has new plugs, leads, gaskets. Just need an ecu that wants to behave.

[Cottees]

The ECU PCB cleaned up with Isopropyl Alcohol.


All Capacitors removed



New Capacitors soldering in. My soldering is not the best, but it should be ok.

[Cottees]

I got to try out the mended ECU on the sigma today. The good news, the ECU is working. The bad news, the car wont stay running like the other ECU was doing. I tried pushing the accelerator again this time, but this time remembering to attach the accelerator cable to the throttle body . The ECU ended up returning the error code '42'. It must be taking the piss since there is no code 42. There is 24 which is speed sensor circuit, or 41 which is the injectors. It gave 4 long pulses, and 2 short ones.

[Cottees]

I also forgot to add that it was starting up and cutting out like last time. When I would push the accelerator, it would rev up to 3krpm, and then start to cut out till it stalled. It might be faulty injectors.

I am looking at getting a running wrecked TR Magna from the Aussie Magna forums, so I have a known running engine, and can put parts from that onto my Sigma, and it should then work properly.

[Skidmark]

I admire your commitment cottee. You havnt had an easy run with this ,hopfully it comes good for you soon.

[Cottees]

Thanks. I should have just bought a running wrecked Magna to begin with. At least I would have started with known working parts. All the parts I bought from U-Pull-It were all in unknown condition. It'll get there eventually. It has been something I have wanted to do since my first Sigma, so not going to give up just yet.

[75wagon]

I bought an injected Commodore VK that didn't run. The Gregories workshop manual came with a pin out of the plug, plus a testing list for where to put your meter across to test each field was working properly. You could test everything but the actual computer itself. I found it very helpful and learnt alot about how injection worked.

Is there something like this available for the injected 2.6's?

Dave...

[Cottees]

Yeah, I have a service manual for the TR/TS as well as the GK/GN. I'll be working on the car tomorrow, so I'll have to take a multi meter with me this time. I could just get some more parts from U-Pull-It, but going with the idea of getting a running 4G54, then I can use that for parts, and have a heap of spares.

[Cottees]

I picked up some parts.



The car trailer I was originally going to use was longer, but the lights weren't working. Ended up getting the shorter trailer thinking that a Magna Sedan isn't that long. It fit, but only just.

[Cottees]

I was looking up MegaSquirt ECUs, and looks like one of the new DIYPNP units they have would plug straight into a stock Magna TR/TS loom.
http://www.diyautotune.com/catalog/diyp ... p-390.html

[Cottees]

Picked up a new toy today. It is like a big boy's Mechano set.


All ready to free the poor Astron from the donor car.


When taking off the bonnet, I now fully understand why people swap them for fibre glass or carbon fibre replacements.

[shuggy]

what do cranes cost these days?