What did you do to your Grand today (ZJ/WJ)?

[JeanLuke]

Interesting day in the garage today...

I noticed when I did the swirl-vane actuation test that I could hear the motor but could not see anything move. They were always in the closed position - the link to the rear of the car. I had the fuel filter out for a change (had water in it) so while I was there I dug deeper.

After removing the fuel filter holder (three bolts) I could get my hand to the swirl vane motor and feel around, although I could not see anything. I could manually actuate the vanes and see them move. I could also feel the link to the motor was off. After pulling out the throttle position sensor (two easy bolts) I could get both hands in there. No way could I feel how to put the link back onto the motor.

Finally, I gave up and put a zip-tie around the connecting and actuating links, so that as I tightened the zip-tie it pulled and held the vanes open. Now that's easy to type, but it was all done blind with very restricted access.

After a test drive, I have to say I had not noticed how much the "top end" had been strangled by the vanes. Boy she goes now. Less smoke too.

EDIT: note to self... set aside a long weekend to remove the intake manifold, clean it, and completely remove the swirl vanes.

[billygoat]

Is it right that the swirl flaps are normally only closed at idle
Have you noticed any difference to the way it idles

[Adrian D]

They are closed at low load conditions, to increase combustion chamber swirl, for improved combustion.

[bodgie]

Originally Posted by JeanLuke

EDIT: note to self... set aside a long weekend to remove the intake manifold, clean it, and completely remove the swirl vanes.

Also make sure you schedule a frontal labotomy the following week It's a bugger of a job, the biggest challenge is the electrical connectors and wiring path through some braces on the inlect manifold. You'll likely have some fun cleaning out the old crap from the inlet manifold at the 4/5 end as it gets bloody hard and is very difficult to move without some mechanical persuasion.

If you've never replaced the oil cooler, I'd suggest this is an excellent time to do that job as it will be loads easier. It's alos a good time to do the EGR delete too. I also attacked my manifold with a die grinder, can't help myslef and I need to smooth and profile corners and match ports etc.

The pain will be worthwhile in the end though.

Jason

[JeanLuke]

Originally Posted by billygoat

Is it right that the swirl flaps are normally only closed at idle
Have you noticed any difference to the way it idles

No difference to the idle. Big difference to the top-end poke.

It now pulls solidly all the way to the redline with no fuss or smoke. It used to taper off over 3200rpm, got a real rattle about it and got pretty sooty. I did a series of 0-80kmh runs. First one was with rattles and smoke. Second was less so. Third blew my mind how well it went, but it emitted some puffs of smoke.

I suspect that I sucked a pile of tar out of the manifold and burnt it!

On Jason's advice, I might leave the intake alone since it goes so well now and has stopped smoking completely.

EDIT: ... or I might just pull out the starter motor for access from below and fix the linkage.

[piper]

a pic of my manifold i cleaned modified,cut the lugs off

[Grannyguste]

I installed my EGR Delete harness and the EKAS Cut off Dongle and my manifold intake are always clean....