How to make a VIS motor test box

[RLeon]

The VIS motors of the inlet manifold are often faulty. The faults can be loose contacts of the end switches, end switches internal broken, electromotor contaminated with oil, pcb tracks burned. Faulty VIS motors gives poor performance of the engine. If a faulty VIS motor is noticed in an early stage it often can be repaired. Experience of members is that even a new VIS motors can be faulty. For repairs see How to repair a VIS Valve Motor

To test the VIS motors I have build a test box.



Here is the parts list and diagram for the test circuit.

The test circuit, part list is:
-1 mini switch on/off/on (powervalve/off/balancevalve)
-1 mini switch or push button on/off(relays on=change direction)
-1 led (Cathode = - / Anode=+) (feedback) optional
-1 battery holder 9V
-1 box about 70x60x30mm lxwxh
-2 original Rover connectors (hard to get)
- Some Heat-Shrinkable Sleeving, I used this to avoid short circuit with the connections and switches
- Some wire
Total cost about 20 pounds

If you are not comfortable with the LED, you can leave it out. It only shows if there is a feedback to the ECU. For the rest it’s soldering the correct wires together. The negative site of the battery is a bit crowed, here I used some extra wire.




The connectors have the numbers on them.
Power Valve the following numbers and colours:
1=orange/yellow=control line change direction of rotation (earth=relays "on")
2=black=earth (0V)
3=yellow/blue=feed (12V)
4=blue/pink=feedback to ECU(0V valve closed, 12V valve open)

Balance Valve the following colours:
1=slate/black=control line change direction of rotation (earth=relays "on")
2=orange/blue=feedback to ECU(0V valve closed, 12V valve open)
3=black=earth (0V)
4=yellow/blue=feed (12V)

Using the test box: Connect to one or both Vis-motors, select one of the motors with the top switch, motor runs and stops, use the other switch to change the direction. This can be done with the VIS motors on the car.
If one of the end switches or the electro motor is faulty you only will hear the relays click.

For those who build it, have fun testing .

[The_Monk]

Genius! Excellent How-to :lol:

Not sure if i'm allowed to reply in a how-to thread

[Simon]

How-To now copied and posted into the Technical How-To forums here: http://www.the75andztclub.co.uk/foru...ad.php?t=26980

Any amendments that need to be made please PM a moderator as we can add any amendments into the How-To post.

[Keith]

It is worth underlining the extremely noticeable difference between the relay clicks of a faulty Vis and the sound of the motor in operation as this seems to have caught a few people out

Thinks, this could benefit from a YouTube clip and a link!

The motors when working are loud and can be heard from a considerable distance. To hear the relays you have to be virtually on top of them!

[bigfella]

Many thanks for this one, just ordered all the bits I need now. Cost around £15-20.

Just wondering, am I OK to add some power LEDs on for each VIS motor.

So one LED running from B4YU and one from P3YU?

[stocktake]

Originally Posted by bigfella

Many thanks for this one, just ordered all the bits I need now. Cost around £15-20.

Just wondering, am I OK to add some power LEDs on for each VIS motor.

So one LED running from B4YU and one from P3YU?

You can do but remember you may get a fancy light telling you which motor you have selected but all it does in real terms is shorten battery life. Would be an advantage to know condition of the 9v battery I suppose, but mine always started to slow down in operation when on its way out.

In fact I have just built a second one and used 12v supply.

[bigfella]

Thanks .

Well you talking about a 12v supply has got me thinking...I could do the same.

There is a constant 12v supply with the ignition on coming from the VIS motor connections. That means if you source a VIS motor socket you could us that to power the testing box .

[stocktake]

Originally Posted by bigfella

Thanks .

Well you talking about a 12v supply has got me thinking...I could do the same.

There is a constant 12v supply with the ignition on coming from the VIS motor connections. That means if you source a VIS motor socket you could us that to power the testing box .

Two crocodile clips to the battery would do!

I have found with the 12v one if you test VIS motors out of situ with no butterflies or flaps connected, they can run past where they should stop. On the balance one I have seen them just continue round and on the power one I had one that just overran made contact with both micro switches at the same time and stopped! Had to strip it again to move the cam. Once in situ in the manifold performed perfect.

So, I use the 9v one when bench testing and the 12v one for in situ.

HTH

[bigfella]

Well that would do, but we don't like just making do!

Nice factory job would be nice.

So you are saying they need some resistance?

[stocktake]

Sorry Matt, didnt realise we were looking to make the mother of all test boxes

All I can tell you is from my own experiences probably repaired around 30 now for members. Only just built my 12v test box and did it because
1 located a set of connectors
2 had some bits left from my last build
3 9v battery seemed to run out quite quickly
(was testing many VIS at meets and others posted to me for repair)

On one or two occasions with the 12v box and no load, the motors ran past there intended stop point. ( never happend with 9v) this may also be the case if the microswitch has been fitted in slightly the wrong place. They do have locating pegs on but can still be "fine tuned" to the absolute position, don't know how critical that is?


As I say on a power motor it ran past and depressed the return action switch and just sat there. If it had been connected to the butterfly rod that would have stopped it from going that far. In fact I know that to be the case as I installed it into a manifold and it works fine.