Thunderbird2 & Turbo Coupes

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scotty2
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scotty2 » Wed Dec 04, 2019 9:38 am

Instrument backlighting:
Just curious but TB2 has orange instrument lighting and TGM has green. Was it an option to choose or is it an age thing? Can you select or change the colour?
Also the ABS light on TB2 is on the left of the dash, TGM on the upper right. Is this another age thing?
We had to change the clock in TGM and the one we put in is orange back lit while the rest of the dash is green.
Not much else to report apart from an irregular idle from the LPG on TGM which we are putting down to the cold weather. A bit of research says to try and change plugs and leads so might do that anyway.
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scoobyh123
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scoobyh123 » Wed Dec 04, 2019 10:40 am

Dusan changed the backlighting to green during his ownership of TGM, it's all LEDs and modified the clock to suit. If you take the meachanism out of your new clock, set it to midday then pull the hands off you can remove the face - this is important!

Now, do similar with the original one, fit the face from the original to the new one and refit the hands at midday position. Swap the green LED from the old clock into the new one and job done.

Throughout production, the only instrumentation colour available was amber/red depending on your viewpoint of the colour they used.

Image

Gives you an idea! The reason for swapping the clock faces is the back is screen printed with the amber colour including shading to avoid shadows in use. This has to be removed to allow the light from the LED using acetone. As you can see, i've done mine as well. :wink: :D
Cheers,
Dave

'02 Honda CR-V SE Executive
'99 Jag S Type 3.0 V6 SE


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'94 827 Sterling saloon
'88 Volvo 760 V6 Estate
'95 827 Coupé LPG gone but not forgotten!

scotty2
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scotty2 » Thu Dec 05, 2019 4:11 pm

Ah.. If I had retained said clock... Think I have another in my box of spares. What about the ABS lamp position? is that just an age related change?
(I don't have access to the good book - Rover 800 story- as I am working away this week)
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scoobyh123 » Thu Dec 05, 2019 5:59 pm

Ah, there lies the moral of Rover ownership - never bin the old parts until you're sure the new one is right and only when you've plundered the old one for anything useful! :P

If you have some acetone (or steal your wifes nail varnish remover) get some kitchen roll, fold it over 2 or 3 times to make a small wad, put it on the end of the open bottle and tip some acetone onto it.
Gently wipe from cente to edge on the back of the new clock face to remove the amber colouring and darker shading, find a T5 LED and replace the standard bulb with it.

This will restore it to how it was and match the rest again.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/T5-COB-LED-D ... 3083242519

Those have worked well for me, very bright with a good spread of light although lattely i've had one or two that have failed in service. Cheapest if you buy 10 in one go.

On another note, your fusebox is pretty much ready, just got a few more joints to do, give it a clean then lacquer it and it's ready to post. :wink: :D
Cheers,
Dave

'02 Honda CR-V SE Executive
'99 Jag S Type 3.0 V6 SE


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'94 827 Sterling saloon
'88 Volvo 760 V6 Estate
'95 827 Coupé LPG gone but not forgotten!

scotty2
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scotty2 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 9:41 am

Update: TB2 - Nothing to report. In daily service.
TGM: Fault has developed on the LPG. Having difficulty getting someone to diagnose the fault. It beeps and switches back to petrol straight away. Not the same action when it runs out. Still running fine on petrol. Plugs changed and old ones were fine. It's a King sequential system. Note from the history that it is running on one bank of a V8 system so might need an ECU. It is supposed to have a plug in diagnostic if I can find someone to plug something in!

It now appears to have a broken NSF spring. Checking on history I found this snippet:
"The front has lowered springs with blanking plates to retain the correct ride height, and again adjustable shock absorbers. This makes for a firm, but excellent to drive ride – for a car it’s size it handles really well!"

I think I might have to order Vitesse spec springs?
800 Saloon, Fastback and Turbo Coupe!

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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scoobyh123 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 10:11 am

You'll need the lead, software and a copmatible lapt Scott, preferably an older laptop with an RS232 port on it. You can use later ones with USB ports but for some odd reason, they aren't as a reliable connection as the RS232 ports.

Without seeing what's happening on the LPG i'd only be guessing but are you sure there's LPG in the tank? Don't rely on the level indicator, they have been known to stick and the LPG ECU relies on gas pressure to function.

If you have a laptop i'll have a root around on fleabay and find the software/lead package you need, most of it runs on different Operating Sytems but the favourite is XP usually as XP based laptops tend to have the RS232 port.

I can't remember if the owner before Tom (down in Somerset) refitted normal springs after trying the adjustable ride height things. I may have a pair of normal front suspension spring/shock assemblies, i'll have to have a look for you. Trying to find Vitesse spec springs these days is nigh on impossible, the manufacturers have gone for a "one size fits all" approach. Also before you order any springs, it would be worth measuring the trim height on the back end from the centre of the wheel to the wheelarch.

Image

If the rear is standard ride height, you'll need standard front springs. Lesjofors were an OE manufacturer for springs for the 800, Kilen is a subsidiary company that still makes a lot of the older springs so try those first if you do need springs. Once it warms up a bit i'll have a look and see if i still have those front spring/shock units.
Cheers,
Dave

'02 Honda CR-V SE Executive
'99 Jag S Type 3.0 V6 SE


Image
'94 827 Sterling saloon
'88 Volvo 760 V6 Estate
'95 827 Coupé LPG gone but not forgotten!

scotty2
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scotty2 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 10:17 am

It still has the lowered set up. Luckily having two cars I can measure the difference to see how much it was lowered. Seem a few available on the bay of E. I'll measure tonight.
Quite noticeable when parked beside each other.
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scoobyh123 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 11:19 am

scotty2 wrote:
Tue Jan 21, 2020 10:17 am
It still has the lowered set up. Luckily having two cars I can measure the difference to see how much it was lowered. Seem a few available on the bay of E. I'll measure tonight.
Quite noticeable when parked beside each other.
At the front maybe but the back ones are these :

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00BFCJU4E

Standard ride height, heavy duty or at least so i've been lead to believe. Could be worth chcking the trim height on the rear as i suggested then buying the fronts to match the nearest. It has heavy duty rear springs to cope with the extra weight of not only the LPG tank but the various mods done to mount it.

It's possible the back end still sits lower than standard ride height, in which case go for lowered springs, if it's more or less normal, go for the normal ride height unless you want to keep the "nose in the weeds" look.

Just been thinking about your LPG system and remembered there is a diagnostic socket somewhere inside the cabin, where i'm not sure but the idea was to have a permanently installed connector he could access without having to run a cable from under the bonnet inside the car for test purposes etc.
I'll try and find out where and what sort of connector it is then you should (hopefully) just need the laptop and software.
Cheers,
Dave

'02 Honda CR-V SE Executive
'99 Jag S Type 3.0 V6 SE


Image
'94 827 Sterling saloon
'88 Volvo 760 V6 Estate
'95 827 Coupé LPG gone but not forgotten!

scotty2
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scotty2 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 1:36 pm

Found this:
http://www.lpgtrade.com/software/king/K ... iagram.pdf

Bit of help there and they have the software which I might have just downloaded.

ETA It has downloaded but in Italian...
Last edited by scotty2 on Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:14 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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scoobyh123
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scoobyh123 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:01 pm

That's the wiring diagram but it mentions the bit i was suggesting about having run out of gas. I'll try to find the fault-finding version of a similar pdf later but most of it is in the software, several versions of which exist and you need the right version or you won't be able to fully communicate with the ECU, even with the right lead.

This might be useful too :

https://tinleytech.co.uk/shop/lpg-kits/ ... g-systems/

The picture appears to show a CD-ROM as well with the software on it. The instructions should be here :

https://www.aeb.it/Istruzioni-en-US

However my internet is playing up at the moment so can't be sure that link works, if not give TinleyTech a call (you should be able to find their number by clicking the Home page link from the USB lead above) and see if they can point you in the right direction, they're usually pretty helpful! :wink: :D
Cheers,
Dave

'02 Honda CR-V SE Executive
'99 Jag S Type 3.0 V6 SE


Image
'94 827 Sterling saloon
'88 Volvo 760 V6 Estate
'95 827 Coupé LPG gone but not forgotten!

scotty2
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scotty2 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:16 pm

I think first action will be to put some LPG in even though he tells me it had some. Might find a leak somewhere.
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scoobyh123
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scoobyh123 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 4:20 pm

scotty2 wrote:
Tue Jan 21, 2020 2:16 pm
I think first action will be to put some LPG in even though he tells me it had some. Might find a leak somewhere.
Had some and used it probably! :roll: :lol: :wink: :D
Cheers,
Dave

'02 Honda CR-V SE Executive
'99 Jag S Type 3.0 V6 SE


Image
'94 827 Sterling saloon
'88 Volvo 760 V6 Estate
'95 827 Coupé LPG gone but not forgotten!

scotty2
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scotty2 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 6:27 pm

Suspension measurements in cm.
TB2: FNS 40.0 FOS 40.0 RNS 38.0 ROS 37.0 So almost to the book.

TGM: FNS 34.0 FOS 37.5 RNS 36.0 ROS 36.0. Rears OK for "Sports Setting" front has an issue. Checked the spring and not broken as far as I can see (wheel off and a good feel around...).

The difference shows TGM lowered by approx 2.5 cm or an inch to some. Might need new front springs but I'll have to have a good look on the ramp at the weekend.
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by scoobyh123 » Tue Jan 21, 2020 7:58 pm

Looking at those figures, i think you'll want -20mm front springs, maybe even -25mm springs.

More worrying is the 3.5cm difference between left and right, whether the adjusters have worked loose and it's just in need of a fettle to sort it or whether a coil has broken or what i'm not sure but also worth checking the bottom ball joint and the bushes in the lower arm.
Cheers,
Dave

'02 Honda CR-V SE Executive
'99 Jag S Type 3.0 V6 SE


Image
'94 827 Sterling saloon
'88 Volvo 760 V6 Estate
'95 827 Coupé LPG gone but not forgotten!

mercedade
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Re: Thunderbird 2 & The Green Machine

Post by mercedade » Wed Jan 22, 2020 8:48 am

Re: springs

http://www.moto-build.com/roverturbo.html

I bought a set of front springs with a barely-perceptible 10mm lower.

As in, 10mm lower than Vitesse spec.

I have to say, I was really impressed with the quality. UK manufactured to order, tapered seat end, and sit the car absolutely spot on. I think they were £70 delivered - took a month though!

Email Darryl through the website (they also have an ebay shop, but I struggled to get a response that way)

I can't load pictures at work, but it's transformed the handling and the appearance
Adrian
1998 Rover Mk2 820 Vitesse Hatchback (white gold)
Gone...1998 Rover Mk2 820 Vitesse Hatchback (green)
Gone...1992 Rover Mk1 827 SLi Manual (green)
Gone...1998 Rover Mk2 825 Diesel (green)

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