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D2 - Engine Bay Everything under the bonnet

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Old 20th November 2019, 09:41 AM
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johnny_quattro johnny_quattro is offline
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Default Cowl drain - water bath

I've had problems on both of my A8s with the classic cowl drains getting blocked with leaf debris. Due to the design of the car and the location of the air blower motor, the drain hole gets blocked and fills the area with water. This can be seen with the aid of a torch if you look downwards to the right of the blower motor. Photo attached showing my syphoning procedure with a length of soft plastic hose/tubing using gravity to decant the surplus water.

I've replaced the blower motor 2-3 years ago so I know what's involved in removing/replacing it but the motor sits in its own little plastic cubbyhole so that would have to be removed as well. Far too much hassle in my view so I invested in an endoscope camera that attaches via USB/OTG to your phone or tablet. The camera was inserted where the plastic tubing was located in my first photo. There are a couple of short videos attached, showing the swimming pool of water in the first clip where you can just about make out where the hole is on the left-hand side. The second video shows me using the camera to poke around a bit to clear the debris and then flushing some water to clear it. I hope this proves useful to others to visualise exactly where this hole/drain is.
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File Type: mp4 CowlDrains3.mp4 (6.42 MB, 449 views)
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Old 20th November 2019, 10:29 AM
HPsauce HPsauce is offline
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Originally Posted by johnny_quattro View Post
I invested in an endoscope camera that attaches via USB/OTG to your phone or tablet.
Brilliant idea! Any particular model you recommend?

There seem to be loads online with a variety of connections including WiFi options, ideally I'd like the flexibility of laptop or iPhone (not Android) but they're probably not compatible.
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2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions, ski hatch retrofit; extended leather. Aftermarket DVB-T, reversing camera and full XCarlink (Bluetooth etc.).
2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (A much rarer model than a D2 S8 by the way!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one!
Finally: gone, but not forgotten.....
1998 D2 PF S8. AgateGrey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors.
e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later)
1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon, Auto-dim mirror, Leather, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer.
And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850!
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Old 20th November 2019, 10:43 AM
vagdream vagdream is offline
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I have used one of the Aldi special buys in the past and it seems adequate for the purpose!
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Old 20th November 2019, 10:45 AM
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I purchased something called 'PiAEK Endoscope Inspection HD Camera 3 in 1 Endoscope Android USB/Micro USB/Type-C 2.0 Megapixels Waterproof Camera Semi-rigid Cable Borescope' for about 20 quid from that well-known rainforest company. The smart phone/tablet app suggested by the manufacturer was completely useless and didn't work at all, which was surprising as [1] they made the camera and [2] they'd gone to the trouble of displaying a QR code on the instructions/marketing blurb.

In the end, I downloaded some generic endoscope app which works fine (apart from a somewhat clunky interface with dodgy spelling). I'll be honest here and say it's probably one of my best purchases. Before I even got to work on the A8, I was sticking the endoscope down plug holes and inside the waste pipes on the washing machine at home.

Whilst the majority of the length of the supplied camera cable is fairly rigid, I added some strength to it by supporting it/taping it to some stiff metal wire so that I could direct the angle of attack. The first 20 cm or so is normal softer USB cable so care needs to be taken in supporting the USB/OTG adapter where it fits in to your phone or tablet. Despite the camera being about 7mm, it has an LED ring of 6 separate lights which is controllable via a potentiometer alongside a push button, which I assume is for taking pictures. I obviously didn't read the instructions 'cos I'm a bloke.
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Old 20th November 2019, 11:09 AM
HPsauce HPsauce is offline
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I just ordered an eBay one, there are loads very similar from different suppliers.
I chose the 1 metre hard cable WIFI version, £13 from this UK source: https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HD-Waterp...K/163906648653
The semi-rigid cable should be ideal for poking into the scuttle.
__________________
2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions, ski hatch retrofit; extended leather. Aftermarket DVB-T, reversing camera and full XCarlink (Bluetooth etc.).
2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (A much rarer model than a D2 S8 by the way!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one!
Finally: gone, but not forgotten.....
1998 D2 PF S8. AgateGrey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors.
e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later)
1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon, Auto-dim mirror, Leather, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer.
And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850!
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Old 20th November 2019, 12:09 PM
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johnny_quattro johnny_quattro is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by HPsauce View Post
The semi-rigid cable should be ideal for poking into the scuttle.
Mine certainly exhibited a level of stiffness but required extra reinforcement with some malleable metal wire, something similar to the stuff they use for chain-link fencing. Without that extra assistance, I just couldn't manage to manoeuvre the camera into the required position.
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Old 20th November 2019, 03:05 PM
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnny_quattro View Post
showing the swimming pool of water in the first clip where you can just about make out where the hole is on the left-hand side.
These endoscopes are brilliant little pieces of equipment. I bought one several years ago, and have used it for several spying episodes. From finding a dropped washer in a Shogun engine cylinder, broken bits of a chain tensioner in a BMW engine, checking a chimney lining for cracks and feeding electric cable under a floor from one side of the room to the other, to name a few. The one I bought has a USB connection, with the lead being about 3-4 metres long, with a control to vary the intensity of the light at the end.

BTW Watch the first video with the volume up full? The background noise sounds like water, and about 14 seconds into it, it sounds like the start of the Jaws theme.
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My DIY jobs - Replaced alarm horn, Replaced Coolant Temp sensor, Updated RNS-D firmware, Installed Reversing Camera and Digital TV, Dashcam Installation, Retrofitted Rear Blinds, Auto-Dimming Rear View Mirror, Chrome Boot Struts

Sold! 2008 S8 D3 5.2 V10 - Engine: BSM, Gearbox:KLW, Colour:LY7F Suzuka Grey Pearl Effect, Interior:Black/Black with Silver/Black valcona leather with carbon atlas inserts, Bang & Olufsen, Heated windscreen, Soft-close doors, TV, DAB, AMI, Quad Zone, Auto Boot, Auto dim Mirrors, Keyless entry, PDC with rearview camera, AFS II Headlights

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Old 26th November 2019, 12:19 PM
HPsauce HPsauce is offline
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Mine arrived today, seems to work OK though the screen aspect ratio doesn't match an iPhone properly.
Comes with various attachments including a 90-degree mirror.

And the downloaded program doesn't work on Windows 10 until you set it all the way back to XP-SP3 compatibility mode - no mention of that in the instructions. (Something to install on my VCDS laptop)
__________________
2003 D2 FL S8. Irish Green Pearl/Beige. Solar sunroof, auto-dim mirrors, electric rear seat functions, ski hatch retrofit; extended leather. Aftermarket DVB-T, reversing camera and full XCarlink (Bluetooth etc.).
2016 Volvo V40 T5 Cross Country (4WD) with ALL the toys including adaptive cruise etc. etc. Osmium Grey with Blonde/Charcoal leather interior. Polestar performance "optimisation". (A much rarer model than a D2 S8 by the way!) Oh, and a brand new engine at just under 30,000 miles on the factory one!
Finally: gone, but not forgotten.....
1998 D2 PF S8. AgateGrey/Platinum. Every option (I think) except electric rear seats, tiptronic steering wheel, ski hatch, towbar & dimming door mirrors.
e.g. Cruise control, NavPlus/TV, Bose, GSM, Xenons, Solar roof, Parking sensors, Alcantara/leather everywhere of course. (internal dimming mirror added later)
1998 (very early) Ford Focus 1.8 Zetec; ABS/TCS, Heated screen/mirrors, Aircon, Auto-dim mirror, Leather, Trip computer, Cruise control, OEM Ford SatNav with CD changer.
And before that a lot of Rover 800s, a few oddities, a lovely Triumph Dolomite 1850HL with Overdrive and way back in my schooldays an Austin Seven aka Mini 850!
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Old 26th November 2019, 12:40 PM
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The_Laird The_Laird is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnny_quattro View Post
Mine certainly exhibited a level of stiffness but required extra reinforcement with some malleable metal wire, something similar to the stuff they use for chain-link fencing. Without that extra assistance, I just couldn't manage to manoeuvre [the camera] into the required position.
Oo er missus!
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Current mods: solar sun roof, 20mm rear spacers, 15 mm on front, red brembo callipers, 6k headlights, rear view camera, engine remap, alloy dash dial rings, alloy navi rings, tt/phaeton pedal upgrade, (and custom matching foot rest) dension ipod interface & parrot hands free kit (both fully hidden), av input, tv in motion switched thro' PF switch in blanking plug right of steering column, Audi 'quattro' sill covers, repositioned centre console switches, radio clock, .
Planned mods: auto-dimming rear view mirror, dash cam (as steamship's), fit the ski hatch, refit philips drl's (or maybe not - nope, definitely not - horrible botch!).
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Old 26th November 2019, 04:06 PM
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Oo er missus!
Don't. I was being really good
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