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Author: Subject: Have I killed my C20XE with REDEX?
mcg

posted on 26/7/16 at 09:43 PM Reply With Quote
Have I killed my C20XE with REDEX?

As part of the ongoing fun of getting my F27 ready for Brands Hatch in a couple of weeks, i thought i would 'treat' the engine to some 'REDEX'. (See picture), whilst i am running it sort a bunch of other things whilst its up on axel stands.

I (probably stupidly), put 1/2 a bottle of this stuff in the tank, and the tank had only about 5 liters of fuel in.

I was in the process of warming the engine up as part of the 'Holts Speed Flush' process, and had the car on fast idle. (I had wedged moderately open the throttle body with a screw driver)

Up to that point it had been happily ticking over for a couple of minutes. I got the throttle wedged open (cant have been doing more than 2.5k revs), and then after about 1 minute it stalled, and i have not been able to get it started since.

I have checked the battery, and it is good.

Starter motor is cranking but it sounds like there are no ignition.

Could i have coated everything by having too much of the redex in relation to the fuel?

Am i doomed!

I am planning on emptying the tank and putting clean fuel in tomorrow, as well as banking in some new spark plugs.

Any thoughts on what it could be?





Things were going so well! Any help would be great!

Many thanks

Matt,

(ps sorry for the upside down pic!)

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loggyboy

posted on 26/7/16 at 10:06 PM Reply With Quote
Check sparks?





Mistral Motorsport

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Ugg10

posted on 26/7/16 at 10:20 PM Reply With Quote
Wouldn't have thought it would be the RedEx, I used to pour it neat into the carb on my old escort 1.1 ohc, unless it has killed the plugs or injectors as previously said.

[Edited on 27/7/16 by Ugg10]





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perksy

posted on 26/7/16 at 10:30 PM Reply With Quote
Aslong as it's been used as per the directions I doubt its the Redex that's caused the problem

Start with the usual basic checks and then go from there


Years ago I remember seeing folk pour Redex neat into carb intakes and can't remember one going bang
I remember quite abit of shite coming out of the exhausts though

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scott h

posted on 26/7/16 at 10:41 PM Reply With Quote
It might sound stupid but are you sure there is still fuel in the tank? Last summer a friend of a friend bought a 7 type kit car and it broke down. I was asked to take a look as it was known that I am involved with kit cars. It was a few days before I got time to look and several people had tried various things but all failed. I checked for a spark which there was then asked if there was any petrol in it. Yes, half a tank came the reply. How do you know I asked? The gauge says so came the reply. So we dipped the tank and it was empty! Red faces all round!
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coyoteboy

posted on 26/7/16 at 10:41 PM Reply With Quote
REdex is mostly Naptha. Which is mostly a combustible hydrocarbons like petrol






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cliftyhanger

posted on 27/7/16 at 04:38 AM Reply With Quote
I think your proposed action is sensible.
At least it is simple. Maybe rather than initially try new plugs, clean the old ones see what they are like?

I reckon the redex at that quantity/concentration may well be the issue. Chucking a few squirts in an intake is fine, but a whole bottle in 5L does seem a lot!

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Slimy38

posted on 27/7/16 at 07:18 AM Reply With Quote
I've done exactly the same on my bike, got it down to 5 litres (probably less) then added half a bottle. Whilst it didn't exactly solve my misfiring issue, it also didn't stop the bike running. As mentioned, it is combustible, although running pure redex might not get you very far.

It may be as simple as flooding the engine, or a fuel blockage somewhere. Did the car smell of petrol after trying to turn it over?

Do you have an immobiliser, could that have kicked in somehow?

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Norfolkluegojnr

posted on 27/7/16 at 07:45 AM Reply With Quote
Have you tried some easy start in the filter to see if it'll fire up?

Spark testers on the plugs to check its firing correctly?

As said above - simple one, but you did refill the tank I presume? If so, perhaps the fuel pump has run dry or blown a fuse? fuse for the injectors?

Don't feel bad - we've ALL done stupid things in the garage. I nearly burnt mine down checking a suspected water leak with a lighter. It wasnt water.......

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Bluemoon

posted on 27/7/16 at 07:57 AM Reply With Quote
Looks like you had Austrian redex, that's probably the issue..
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mcg

posted on 27/7/16 at 08:44 AM Reply With Quote
Do you mean Australian?!

quote:
Originally posted by Bluemoon
Looks like you had Austrian redex, that's probably the issue..

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mcg

posted on 27/7/16 at 08:53 AM Reply With Quote
definitely fuel in the tank. Added another 5 liters to dilute the redex further. (I can see the level through the filler)

I have taken the spark plugs out and letting it air for a bit. I will then put new ones in and try again!


quote:
Originally posted by coyoteboy
REdex is mostly Naptha. Which is mostly a combustible hydrocarbons like petrol

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BenB

posted on 27/7/16 at 11:18 AM Reply With Quote
New plugs should sort it. I recently injected pure Seafoam (similar stuff) down the plug holes of my ST1100 engine as they were looking a bit dark on my borescope. Spun it over an a whole load of crud shot out of the exhaust (which was promising). I then put the plugs back and it ran fine- albeit it with a Red Arrows style white smoke plume out of the exhaust. Next time I took it for a drive it wouldn't rev properly and was running 2 on two cylinders. I twiddled the idle and went for a drive- sounded like a tractor but hey. After a minute the two remaining plugs simultaneously fired up and I discovered my idle (when running properly) was set at 6krpm. Cue some accidental very rapid acceleration. I ended up shifting up into higher gear whilst applying brakes until I could pull over and switch off the engine!!

As said Redex etc are just hydrocarbonss. They create extra smoke and foul the plugs. In my case driving it for a whole obviously washed the plugs enough to get them going.

Some new plugs will likely work wonders.

I did take some borescope pictures before putting the Seafoam in and was going to repeat afterwards but decided it was all a bit of a faff. The black goop splattered all over my garage walls made me believe it had done something and that's good enough for me.

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MikeR
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posted on 27/7/16 at 11:26 AM Reply With Quote
Nah, that works upside down unlike the Austrian's

quote:
Originally posted by mcg
Do you mean Australian?!

quote:
Originally posted by Bluemoon
Looks like you had Austrian redex, that's probably the issue..


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mcg

posted on 27/7/16 at 12:43 PM Reply With Quote
Okeydokie. A bit of messing around, and i think the issue is the fuel pump.

Firstly tried the spark plugs and they are sparking as expected.

So i took apart the fuel system, tried running the pump directly from a spare (fully charged) battery, and it sounded stuck, or like there wasn't enough power to make it work.

I then tried my 12v battery charger, and it started working.

I then tried it back on the battery, and it is working.


As per a previous thread, i had been pumping gunky, rusty, old fuel through the pump a few weeks ago, and i wonder if that clogged it up?

I am thinking that a new pump would be a good idea, so wondered if anyone can recomend where to get one that is reasonably priced?

As a back up, is there a good way to clean this old pump, or not worth the time?

Cheers

Matt

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02GF74

posted on 27/7/16 at 07:48 PM Reply With Quote
Fuel pumpo shouldnt get blocked as there *shoukd be a filter* before it. If there isnt. fit ine. A £2 plastic one willy be fine.

Is it facet metal cube tyoe? These have a metal filter, it is easy to remove filter and tap it on wooden surface to clear it.






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nobrakes

posted on 27/7/16 at 08:46 PM Reply With Quote
Has it been driven with the current pump?
I only ask because ethanol in the fuel caused the rubber seals in my pump to fail, it's by the engine so has to suck rather than pump if you see what I mean.
I took the pump off another one of my vehicles, it used to work fine but was mounted next to the tank not in the engine bay because it pumped rather than sucked, and it wouldn't deliver fuel.
I tried another pump which I knew was a sucker and the engine started and ran just fine.
Could be something to consider?

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mcg

posted on 27/7/16 at 10:58 PM Reply With Quote
unfortunately one of the sealed ones. I put my fuel filter just before the engine, but can see now that left the pump exposed.

Out of interest would having 2 filters in the system be pointless and also reduce flow?


quote:
Originally posted by 02GF74
Fuel pumpo shouldnt get blocked as there *shoukd be a filter* before it. If there isnt. fit ine. A £2 plastic one willy be fine.

Is it facet metal cube tyoe? These have a metal filter, it is easy to remove filter and tap it on wooden surface to clear it.

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mcg

posted on 27/7/16 at 11:01 PM Reply With Quote
The whole engine and pump came from a running nova, so have assumed it will work with my set up. Sounds like I have messed up the pump without a filter inline. Lesson learnt!


quote:
Originally posted by nobrakes
Has it been driven with the current pump?
I only ask because ethanol in the fuel caused the rubber seals in my pump to fail, it's by the engine so has to suck rather than pump if you see what I mean.
I took the pump off another one of my vehicles, it used to work fine but was mounted next to the tank not in the engine bay because it pumped rather than sucked, and it wouldn't deliver fuel.
I tried another pump which I knew was a sucker and the engine started and ran just fine.
Could be something to consider?

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