TD5 Oil in loom

Sam Jennkins · Jan 30, 2016

Morning all. Ive Just bought a td5 disco and carried out a service on it yesterday. I thought id check the red plug for oil and yes theres oil in there. Ive removed the ecu and sprayed contact cleaner in the plugs and the sockets on the ecu. Is there any reason why i cant leave ecu off to drain as much oil out of loom and ecu whilst im not using the car?
Ive orderd a new injector loom and was going to use potting compound where all the wires terminate in the plug inside cam cover to try and help seal up the plug. Has any one else done this and had success.
Any advice would be appreciated cheers Sam

Bennehboy · Jan 30, 2016

No reason why you can't leave the ECU off, but I suspect it's the vibration that assists the oil in being carried down the wires via capillary action, so you might not see much come out... better to soak everything in switch cleaner

markomate2 · Jan 30, 2016

The oil migrates down the wires between the conductors and the insulation, not really much that can be done about it.
I cleaned my red plug by using a lot of IPA and a vacuum over the plug to suck the residue out, seemed to work ok.
Dont use aggressive cleaners like brake cleaner as they can attack plastics.
Mark

Thor1950 · Jan 30, 2016

markomate2 said:
The oil migrates down the wires between the conductors and the insulation, not really much that can be done about it.
I cleaned my red plug by by using a lot of IPA and a vacuum over the plug to suck the residue out, seemed to work ok.
Dont use aggressive cleaners like brake cleaner as they can attack plastics.
Mark

make a little cut/opening in the insulation at a low spot before the ECU will help

The Mad Hat Man · Jan 30, 2016

Thor1950 said:
make a little cut/opening in the insulation at a low spot before the ECU will help

it wont help in the slightest. you obviously do not understand the problem.

Dippypud · Jan 30, 2016

Thor1950 said:
make a little cut/opening in the insulation at a low spot before the ECU will help

It is capillary action that 'sucks' it up the loom ...

Thor1950 · Jan 30, 2016

The Mad Hat Man said:
it wont help in the slightest. you obviously do not understand the problem.

That has been discussed on other forums as a fit/help doing it in the engine bay. as cutting the loom, ( a small cut/hole) helps to prevent oil from migrating/slows down from getting into the ecm. by breaking the capalarie(sp) siphon action

Dippypud · Jan 30, 2016

Thor1950 said:
That has been discussed on other forums as a fit/help doing it in the engine bay. as cutting the loom, ( a small cut/hole) helps to prevent oil from migrating/slows down from getting into the ecm. by breaking the capalarie(sp) siphon action

Bless your heart

biggeeeee · Jan 30, 2016

The Mad Hat Man said:
it wont help in the slightest. you obviously do not understand the problem.

Not for the first time!

blue beasty · Jan 30, 2016

Thor1950 said:
That has been discussed on other forums as a fit/help doing it in the engine bay. as cutting the loom, ( a small cut/hole) helps to prevent oil from migrating/slows down from getting into the ecm. by breaking the capalarie(sp) siphon action

Capillary and syphon are different things. Preventing syphoning by reducing pressure such as allowing air in (and out) can increase capillary action

Thor1950 · Jan 30, 2016

blue beasty said:
Capillary and syphon are different things. Preventing syphoning by reducing pressure such as allowing air in (and out) can increase capillary action

Dippypud · Jan 30, 2016

Thor1950 said:
That has been discussed on other forums as a fit/help doing it in the engine bay. as cutting the loom, ( a small cut/hole) helps to prevent oil from migrating/slows down from getting into the ecm. by breaking the capalarie(sp) siphon action

It is better to either replace the loom and clean the ECU socket or if not too bad just clean and clean ... but replace the O-ring that fails ... LR don't say the part number or size, but CAT make a replacement

Here read this : http://www.discovery2.co.uk/Injector_harness.html

The Mad Hat Man · Jan 30, 2016

Thor1950 said:
That has been discussed on other forums as a fit/help doing it in the engine bay. as cutting the loom, ( a small cut/hole) helps to prevent oil from migrating/slows down from getting into the ecm. by breaking the capalarie(sp) siphon action

you are talking bolloxs.
I make these looms.... the problem is capillary action along the WIRE STRANDS, not along the insulation. ypu would have to cut holes in the insulation of all 60 wires, which would ensure that any dampness would, at best, add extra capacitance and, at worst, ensure that you would get random shorts.
I would also like to see you do it - especially on the screened pair.

markomate2 · Jan 30, 2016

Dead right about it travelling down the cores. Ive seen water travel over 500m down the cores of a cable, in a very short time, just because someone didnt properly seal/pot the end in the wet area.
BTW VW have similar issues with the loom on their PD system.
Mark

The Mad Hat Man · Jan 30, 2016

the only way to cure the problem would be to isolate the engine wires from the ecm - however opto-isolating 60 wires would be fun to achieve

markomate2 · Jan 30, 2016

The Mad Hat Man said:
the only way to cure the problem would be to isolate the engine wires from the ecm - however opto-isolating 60 wires would be fun to achieve

LOL, we were considering something like that when were trying to stop Jet A1 migrating down a sensor cable and into a junction box (which was full of Zener barriers!)
I think we did by potting the sensor end with tank sealant, we also considered pressuring the junction box!
Mark

Harrymattson · Apr 7, 2016

Been there, done that pressurising the electronics box with nitrogen to try (and I do mean try!) to stop water finding its way down wire cores on a surface system on the railways. Was ok until the nitrogen runs out and you cannot get to it to refill for a few days - bleeding disaster

Much better to pot the wet end...

TD5 Oil in loom

Sam Jennkins

Member

Bennehboy

Well-Known Member

markomate2

Well-Known Member

Thor1950

Well-Known Member

The Mad Hat Man

Well-Known Member

Dippypud

Never Knowingly Understood

Thor1950

Well-Known Member

Dippypud

Never Knowingly Understood

biggeeeee

Retired - Living the dream

blue beasty

Leaks an prone to bits dropping off

Thor1950

Well-Known Member

Dippypud

Never Knowingly Understood

The Mad Hat Man

Well-Known Member

markomate2

Well-Known Member

The Mad Hat Man

Well-Known Member

markomate2

Well-Known Member

Harrymattson

Member

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