₦airaland Forum

Two ways of looking at this:

1. "There’s No Such Thing As Bad Publicity"

2. "All publicity is good if it is intelligent”

Whichever is the case....traction is being built around certain monikers, and nairaland gains a ton of traffic

Good for business you would say.

Peace.

Out.

Repinning ECU pins due to a change in the ECU from the one built for one continent to the one built for another continent, like is described in this video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PY7qNIFwE28

Sorry no video from my end, but that video above and this video below illustrates what I had to do


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vuV2JJTcQ4Y

The ECU comes from the factory with certain empty slots, this knowledge is also useful for fixing cases of destroyed ECU wires or wires cut too short by thoughtless techies

Also relevant for engine swaps

Not to sound patronizing but anything can be achieved if you have

1. the money

2. the time

3. the tools

4. the training

Like Toyota techies did to the Nissan Skyline GT-R below, it took over 1 and a half years though,

https://www.roadandtrack.com/car-culture/classic-cars/a32754631/toyota-employees-restore-nissan-skyline-gt-r/

You need a few more more tools,

1.a camera
2/3. a notebook and pen to take detailed notes
4. several containers to keep the fasteners/screws from each part you take apart together, will make coupling things back a breeze
5. labels for each of the above containers

Good luck

What says Car Talk?

adanny01:
I really get am for strong head but I dey fear failure too.

I really cannot understand why DIY car painting is perceived to be such an impossible job when I turn my head and see badly painted cars daily. Every time I see such badly painted car, I tell myself, I can do better than this shit.

I know what I am up against. The only fence that is too tall to climb now is the locked borders. I can't get some tools locally, I need them soon before I lose steam or divert my attention to other things.

Can it be done? YES

Can anyone do it? NO

What is the proof it can be done? Articles like this https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a3110/a-diy-guide-to-painting-your-car-15998013/ and tons of YouTube videos.

I replaced my transmission at home even when I had not undergone formal technical training. But I used an apprentice, who I paid with food and drink and a new phone to replace the one he lost - Day 1, dropped the transmission, Day 2- installed the new one, Day 3 - made sure everything was restored to factory settings, and the vehicle drove fine.

In the final analysis, it boils down to mindset.

I reverted my fans to factory setting all alone despite all the warnings not to.

So you can do it if you set your mind to it.

I would like to do this project also.

This guy says he has resumed shipping https://www.nairaland.com/onepunchman but I haven't yet tried him, do your due diligence and proceed

The mind of someone who has lived in the US and Nigeria has a wider horizon than the one who has lived all his life in Nigeria.

Our techies are like the guy who has lived all his life in Nigeria

Don't ever box yourself in.

What others consider limitations should be considered stepping stones

adanny01:
I have a metal sheet around the house for that purpose. I also planned to practice painting a house gate.

An apprentice is a good idea, I'll be on a look out for one.

HVLP is an acronym that I came across so many times. The design for the pump I intend to get is HVLP. The 2 spray guns I have found are quite nearly a replica of each other. 1 from Jumia and 1 from Konga.

I have seen a lot of these sprays on AliExpress and Amazon with specifications better than the ones on local marchant sites. Those I am sure should suffice but shipping is a headache. I have items from AliExpress that are over 2months and not arrived. Its the same story for everyone using any foreign marchant store. Besides, the shipping cost for such an item is 8 times the cost of the item. Its not logical to buy something for 15k and spend over 100k to ship it.

For now, everything has to be local.

Further refine your research to the pros and cons of gravity feed versus electric HVLP

Also go into comparing compressor spraying and HVLP spraying (since you are still worried about the final finish without the use of a compressor).

It seems in the final analysis, it is the technique that makes a world of difference and not necessary how much you invested in the tooling

I understand the bit about the export/import debacle. I am a victim myself.

My reason for asking you to go to Amazon was to study the specifications

adanny01:
So, after watching these videos and a lot of others. I find myself asking one simple question.

Can the Total Electric Spray Gun be adequate for an average car paint finish?


The only determining factor of this project happening is having an effective and affordable spray gun. Getting an air compressor is out of the question due to budget constraints.

The issue apparently is getting proper atomisation of the paint at a reasonable flow rate. Proper atomisation will reduce the orange peel effect especially during clear coat painting. Good atomisation at fairly high flow rate will speed up painting process.

I also understand the nozzle size is important especially with filler primers. I have not found the nozzle size specification for the spray gun plus it only comes with 1 nozzle as against other manufacturers that include as much as 3.

I am still searching for information on the practicability of this spray gun painting a car before I waste money in buying the spray gun.

Oh, i also realized from watching these videos that our local painters don't do nearly half of the work done to produce a good finish.

The research continues.

get a disused body panel or panels to hone your craft

I also second the idea( which was mooted by sholarb) of hiring an apprentice to work with you..they are grossly underpaid and will jump at the chance to earn some extra while giving you the benefit of a badly needed second mind

Research the following term "High Volume Low Pressure spray guns" therein lies the answer you seek

Finally, you might just have to change your source of spray gun to Amazon, in other words, spend some time on the automotive spray guns on sale there and compare with you have locally

adanny01:
While most painters use an air compressor, I don't see anyone renting out. Except for furniture makers. If successful with a DIY Electric spray gun, I am sure by the time i rent 3 times, the cost of the spray gun will be covered. That is the most expensive tool to buy.

I will certainly watch these videos before I make my conclusion and will share progress if I embark on the project.

I meant, build yourself a makeshift spray booth ( I am sure you have seen local ones) or better still rent a proper spray booth.....to mitigate the effect of dust...that was the point I was trying to make

Piyke:
Unrelated, about to invest in my most expensive tool to date. My head is still struggling . Considering a bidirectional diagnostic tool...

J2534?

Best investment you would ever make

All makes and model or manufacturer specific?

You have my seal of approval on the investment!

Question is...will it be your toy or will you service clients? Whichever the use case, I repeat, best investment you would ever make

It would set you apart from the "I have a scan tool" crowd, that would mean you have gone professional

adanny01:
So, my car is about 6yrs and the paint is in bad shape, thats apart from scratches and dents by family and friends.

The plan is to buy an electric spray gun (see image below), sanding discs for electric drill, buffer for electric drill, paint, thinner, clear coat, primmer, scotch tape and old newspapers. The panel beating will be done by competent panel beater.

My motivation is lack of funds to contract the best services for the job. Also, the cheap ones will not do a good job. I paid 30k for my sister's car last year but at this time, my car painted 6yrs ago is far better off.

From my reading, the main work in painting a car is the preparation (sanding precisely). Actual painting does not take more than 5hrs but the preparation will take days - weeks to get it right. I know if I Do-It-Myself, it will come out better. The only part I am scared of is the actual painting i.e getting right viscosity and colour.

Challenges:
- I am not sure if the electric spray gun will be adequate. The main decision is buying the spray gun.
- The Spray gun itself cost more than half of the budget but if successful, I may do 2 other projects which will eventually be the cost advantage.
- I have no experience in paint mixing or thinning
- I am also afraid of the job being too tedious or that without a garage cover, dust may make the job bad.

I wish you the best, but why not build a temp garage with whatever materials you can afford or rent the stuff that can act as one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-mGoUzHeUk


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lw0ObOdWnRE


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qtph1e--kek


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BEZf1tfxepQ

And please share your results

GAZZUZZ:
Waiting for more gist

Repair in progress...it involved ECU surgery and component sourcing from overseas which has been affected by the impact of COVID-19 on global logistics/distribution chains...will post once repair is complete

GAZZUZZ:
This should be my first educational 2020 post on Nairaland, hope it helps someone in the near future.


Sharp Toks 2007 Toyota Rav4 driven to workshop on a Monday morning, old client That has just added to his growing fleet.

Major issues.
1. warning lights, anti skid, abs tpms.

2. Transmission flare between gear 2-3 .

3. Loud exhaust system

4. Noises from steering wheel when in use.


Diagnosis.

Went for a short test drive to asertain problems, 2, 3, and 4.

All issues were confirmed.

Vehicle scanned and there are permanent communication issues between engine ECU and ABS module.

Ran a quick check on the vin and noticed car was bought as a non runner.

Inspected engine bay for Hankey Pankey, no abuse found.

Client explains that the engine ecu has been replaced recently for certain reasons. (Original engine Ecu Available in vehicle)

Client takes his leave and I'm all alone with the car.

Educative thread

Love the title, sometimes indeed we do it right but get it wrong, external factors calling.

About the ECU stuff it seems one gets better results importing than buying locally

I once contacted an ECU dealer in the US, he sent his parts guy to check and he told me, he would not be selling to me that the ECU I wanted to buy was under water. In Nigeria, it seems that ECU would be sun dried or air dried and sold to me.

Why not make a post on why it is wrong to purchase an ECU without a visible part number?

GAZZUZZ:
You no those sharp practices you usually do to save a few bucks that actually works, well post your vehicle fabrications that actually worked in this thread

...
No vex if I didn't mention you, means you no de find trouble

Sometimes one cannot help but not follow the manufacturer's instructions...what if for example through no fault of the manufacturer...the part that needs to be replaced is not available on the market and no one else makes that part but the client wants the car to be drivable, I have recently run into this issue, then the ingenuity of the technician comes into play...it makes for an interesting story...more on this soon

sooperrescue:
Which one is ilsac6 again? Total just introduced ilsac gf5 0w20 engine oil. Let me follow your advice and go and read. SN plus nko?

API SN PLUS was introduced on 1 May 2019 due to the delays in the development of ILSAC GF-6. It came as a result of requests from OEMs for a supplement to the SN category to ensure the adequate protection of current vehicles for a potential problem that was not being addressed fast enough. It introduced the Sequence IX test to enhance low-speed pre-ignition (LSPI) protection and often shifted engine oil formulations to a more magnesium-rich detergent system with less calcium detergent.

ILSAC GF-6 looks to include those improvements for LSPI protection but also adds other performance improvements. By including new limits and new tests, it delivers improved deposits, wear and efficiency as OEMs push the engine design envelope for performance, longevity and fuel economy. The new category also addresses two specific operational issues by providing LSPI protection (consistent with API SN PLUS) and a newly added element of timing chain wear protection. In addition to better fuel economy across today’s ILSAC viscosity grades, ILSAC GF-6 establishes a specification that now enables lower viscosity SAE 0W-16 oils to be introduced to support fuel economy improvement with an ILSAC certification mark.

During the update of ILSAC GF- categories, the prior category is only valid over a one year transition period. This means that GF-1 to GF-4 are obsolete and GF-5 will no longer be recommended after May 1 2021. However, the API specification only becomes obsolete when it is no longer required or when the tests become unavailable. This has been the case because the ILSAC specification is specifically designed to meet the emission and fuel economy regulations for North American vehicles. OEMs would prefer that all vehicles are upgraded to the latest lubricant, and therefore recommend the current oil, which is back serviceable to the older engines. The API S specifications are used globally and some of the older S specifications are still used in developing countries and with engines not requiring the current level of fuel economy or durability.

I will not take credit for the above analysis, it is all courtesy of Infineum International Limited.

In any case whether we like it or not from May 1, 2021 all new cars will recommend the use of
ILSAC GF-6 oils

lalasticlala
Dominique
Mynd44
Seun

oshosegun27:
Hi, I have a 2006 Toyota Highlander Hybrid.
The 12v battery was changed recently and I noticed the "check vsc system" error code.

Now, it displays both "check hybrid system" and "check vsc system" error codes. It won't show ready when I start until I disconnect and reconnect the negative battery terminal.

I had someone scan it for me and I got the following codes.

Seen. Will get back to you.

Gazzuzz
Trygo
Kingreinn
Any other hybrid specialist or aficionado is welcome to take on this guy

Please feel free to chime in, the thread is not meant to be monopolized by me

Are you ready for ILSAC GF-6 oils?


The first allowable use of ILSAC GF-6 is set for May 1, 2020.

You have got a month and a few days to read up, stock up and generally prepare for the new classification.

Very strong possibility that the 2021 Sienna is going to be a hybrid

Would you buy one?



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wmhmcp7QK-w&t=8s

aninweze:
Let me drop this link and screenshot for people with Dementia, and those not active on autos and Cartalk.

How Gazz.uzz settled 86k matter wey no concern am.

https://www.nairaland.com/5489200/update-issue-autoelectng-resolved

Call me a Gazz.uzz disciple, no wahala. But all this Kain hate is d kind pri sch children do, where the girl they push and are mean to, is actually the one dey like d most.

LOL

I have thus far maintained a dignified silence...Maybe it is time I told my(the) full story for the record

oshe11:
Yes!

Electrical work like 4days ago and One of my Boys use another Battery to start the Car, because mine was Dead, that Night before Driving Me home

I posted a prepared answer of long ago above.

The work done is very likely behind the fire. What sort of electrical work was it?

It is sad but true, if indeed you said the car is a Toyota Sienna 2016 model, then rest assured you are not the first to experience it. I have read in the recent past of at least two such incidents in a Toyota Sienna forum I am privileged to belong to, the vehicle models involved were very recent.


Here is her first person report for one of the vehicles:

Well, it happened. Toyota has officially turned their back at my sienna car fire and the girl in Kansas City with the same exact vehicle made in the same plant. Probably turned their backs on the other three as well. How can they do this to people. Smdh. Shame on you toyota. I recommend anyone with a 2017 or newer, watch for recalls. It's going to happen again. Watch. Only next time, everyone might not be as fortunate to get out.

The car Started shutting down on its own. Slowing down. One of the gages said all wheel drive brake override contact dealership. And we immediately pulled over and the car made a loud noise and shuddered and came to a complete halt and that's when I saw the flame coming from the engine on the driver side. And then the fire consumed the whole entire car within 5 minutes.

I have attached her picture of the vehicle in flames.

Here is the first person report of the second person with a similar story whose story was carried by the media:

I was driving down the highway & all my alarms started flashing. I started to lose power & pulled over. I then saw black smoke from the engine. I jumped out the passenger door, as I was on a very busy interstate. I got my son out of the back & ran off. By the time I got a safe distance away my van was fully engulfed. There was no warning before. Car was driving perfectly fine until the fire. This is a very dangerous situation. I would look in the previous comments for the service bulletin issue & see if your van is included in this.

That is her story in the media https://www.kctv5.com/news/families-question-why-minivans-burst-in-flames-on-highways/article_c387359e-d3af-11e8-b7c4-575323523da4.html

Note: I am not saying that the cases in this post are identical, I am just alerting you to the fact that it may not be arson after all.

This underscores the importance of comprehensive insurance because like they say: "you never know when it can happen to you"

Piyke:
Sulfation is the formation of lead sulfate crystals on the battery plates. If prolonged, this will lead to a longer charge duration and ultimately early battery failure. A weak charge (<12.6volts) is one of the major causes of sulfation. This applies whether the car battery is on a shelf or in a parked vehicle.

My car battery died recently and I was in the market for a new one. I will detail my experience in subsequent posts...

I made a post on the same a while ago https://www.nairaland.com/4743543/tips-tricks-make-automotive-battery#71543973

For the avoidance of doubt and to set the record straight, there is no court case between AutoElectNG and anyone else at this moment, and most certainly not with any client as at today, and there is none that was conducted in the past either (Court documents are public documents and so this can be independently verified).

AutoElectNG cannot speak for the future though, because AutoElectNG reserves every right to pursue to the maximum limit prescribed by and permitted by law any infractions (violations and abuse) of AutoElectNG's rights.

Two wrong do not a right make, and so AutoElectNG guided by equity has thus exercised extreme restraint even though pushed to the wall on this thread.

AutoElectNG would like to apologize to its followers, supporters, well-wishers, onlookers and indeed the entire Car Talk family and the extended
Nairaland community that this thread had to be opened.

Could the OP do us the favor of deleting any and all references to anyone else except the original vendor?

Our profound apologies to the OP.

Our profound apologies and regrets to radautoworks for the unfavorable mention on this thread (we have asked for the reference above to be deleted)

Profound thanks to Gazzuzz for being a brother in need and indeed, AutoElectNG owes you beyond what words can express.

AutoElectNG does not wish to join issues with the OP on this thread, however, AutoElectNG wishes to add that some facts have been suppressed (read that to mean not included in the above narrative of the events).

AutoElectNG believes that there is an appropriate time, place and forum to address the unbalanced narrative above – being so convinced of the same AutoElectNG will not allow itself to be dragged into correcting or including the missing information here.

We ask that our conviction be respected.

It is important to note that AutoElectNG is not fraudulent and never will be, even if the moniker might have become entangled in a business deal gone south.

AutoElectNG will not be deactivated.

Once again profound apologies to everyone.

We hope to back and better, God willing.

Thank you everyone.

We are sorry we had to be part of this kind of movie on this forum.

We apologize profusely for taking so much time to respond to the allegations above.

If your thermostat is fine, and your radiator is fine, and your water pump is fine, and there is no leak from any part of the cooling system, then this would be my workflow.

Are all cooling system sensors operating correctly? Mazda MPV 2003 has one engine coolant temperature sensor. Mazda MPV 2000/1 had two. This means conducting continuity and resistance checks.

If yes, are all the relays that control the cooling system operating optimally?

If yes, is everything ok with the fan motors and the fan blades?

If all the above check out, then you have a problem with the fan modules!

It seems you are flying blind, solving problems from symptoms, not from the source of the trouble, check this vehicle for DTCs so you will not take us along with you on this blind flight.

Checking for DTCS should actually have been your starting point.

Hellustic:
Hello... yes.. i travelled to Epe last week and noticed it also overheats during heavy traffic... but during the traffic while it was overheating.. i came out to check the Fan and both were blowing very well..... confused here...

Did you say fan or fans? During periods of extremely hot weather, both fans should spin.

Remember that I said; If the vehicle cooling system fails during reverse, it should also fail during heavy traffic.

You have confirmed this to be true.

Do your fans come on as soon as you turn on the ignition? If yes, computer engine management has been bypassed, and this maybe the reason for your woes.

Please confirm or disprove.

Is this statement still true? i can travel for 7hours non-stop and everything is okay..

Remember I said something about the fan control module and that is because it has been the subject of a recall campaign for the fan control module to address issues related to the cooling fans either running 24/7 or not running at all or running erratically due to factory soldering errors in the fan control module .

You can confirm or disprove if your vehicle is the subject of this recall and if recall was performed on your ride by visiting https://www.mymazda.com/MyMazda/welcome.action, signing up, inputting your VIN.

You can also learn some more about the recall in question here: http://www.mpvclub.com/recalls.php?id=16

I am inclined to believe your problem is with a failed fan control module or with running the fans direct assuming of course all other parts of the cooling system are running in their stock configurations.

All the best.

Hellustic:
Hello May Fellow Nairalanders
who can help me out.
recently i begin to notice that anytime i engage in reverse, my Mazda MPV 2003 begins to overheat..
but when i switch off the engine and let it cool like 5mins, switch back on... it stops.
i can travel for 7hours non-stop and everything is okay.. but the minute i have a cause to reverse.. the Temperature starts rising.
I have changed my Radiator, removed the Thermostat but the situation still persist..
any ideas on how to deal with this challenge.?
Thank you

Have you tested this car in slow moving traffic?

I am inclined to believe that you have problems with your fans or the fan control module for your ride.

Extensive electrical testing is recommended to rule out the actual cause of the fault.

If the vehicle cooling system fails during reverse, it should also fail during heavy traffic.

Please remediate ASAP.

I know that I am late to the party ....but if we are going to avoid Canadian cars, then we might as well avoid American cars from the following States.

See image below.

For those who have images turned off, here is the list:

Connecticut,
Delaware,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Iowa,
Kansas,
Maine,
Maryland,
Massachusetts,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
Nebraska,
New Hampshire,
New Jersey,
New York,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island,
Vermont,
Virginia,
West Virginia,
Wisconsin, and
Washington DC

And that is why absolute generalizations are a bad thing.

Now that that is out of the way.

There is more information to consider.

What kind of rust is it? Surface rust? Then go ahead and get the car. Structural rust? Then you may pause and consider. Can I afford the cost of repairs? Carfax has a nice article that differentiates between the two. I encourage you to read it up here: https://www.carfax.com/blog/inspecting-rusted-cars

I would like anyone interested in this topic to read the question asked by someone about a planned move to a Salt Belt State (Massachusetts) due to worries about the effect of rust on his car. His concern was how much time he has to plan to either repair or replace his car due to rust from the road salt? He mentioned 10 or 15 years? The answers given indicate that the rate of rust in a Salt Belt region and a non-Salt Belt region are not the same. They also indicate which components are likely to be affected by rust. What can be done to reduce or eliminate the effects of rust.

One of the commenters made the following observations that 'unibody construction, galvanization and rotisserie paint jobs' are some of the means employed by vehicle manufacturers to address problems from road salt. He added that if the owner abused the car (that is did not care to do all things necessary to stop damage from road salt) the car could still last 15 to 25 years. My understanding of that statement is that if the car is taken out of the Salt Belt and properly maintained, the car can still last those 15 to 25 years if not more, when taken out of that context.


You may check out the entire discussion here: http://www.city-data.com/forum/boston/1822914-drivers-how-long-can-car-last.html


This other article addresses common myths surrounding vehicular rust https://www.hotcars.com/10-things-people-mistakenly-believe-about-rust-on-cars-10-they-should/


I'll close out with a guide to deal with vehicular rust: https://shop.advanceautoparts.com/r/car-projects/how-to-remove-rust-from-a-car

Me thinks, if are going to avoid Canadian cars, then we might as well avoid, cars from

Connecticut,
Delaware,
Illinois,
Indiana,
Iowa,
Kansas,
Maine,
Maryland,
Massachusetts,
Michigan,
Minnesota,
Missouri,
Nebraska,
New Hampshire,
New Jersey,
New York,
North Dakota,
Ohio,
Pennsylvania,
Rhode Island,
Vermont,
Virginia,
West Virginia,
Wisconsin, and
Washington DC


So enjoy your purchases of Canadian cars, if you are so decided.

Wherever or from whomever you buy a car it is the course of wisdom to conduct an inspection to determine its state before purchase.

cc: AMDMAN

Evil day postponed but for how long?

Evil day postponed but for how long?

Respect

slimad02:
Hi, any ideas on where to purchase 1234yf refrigerant in Nigeria ?

What's your application?

Personal or commercial?

What size?

and for what vehicle or vehicles ?

How did the USA contribute to the modern rebirth of the hybrid vehicle?

With the passage into law of the the Electric and Hybrid Vehicle Research, Development, and Demonstration Act of 1976 in response to rising gas prices, associated shortages (think of the kind of queues Nigeria is known for) and worst of all the Arab Oil Embargo of 1973.