[sridhar-v]

I had previously reported a peculiar starting problem in my Grand Vitara.
After that the PRV & EGR valves were cleaned and the problem seemed to have gone away.
Last fortnight the problem cropped up again.I suspected petrol contamination. So I added a can of petrol additive to the tank. It was supposed to clean the injector and fuel system. The problem went away for a few days, only to crop up again.
My MASS FNG kept the vehicle for a few days but the problem did not crop up at the service station. So as a matter of abundant caution we decided to clean the injectors, remove the fuel tank and clean the fuel pump and the tank. All these items were clean and trouble free.

After all this work was done, and fortunately for me, the SA decided to keep the vehicle overnight for greasing the seat rails. And the problem cropped up in the morning when the SA was moving the car. Turns out it was a problem of the key's immobiliser chip not being read properly. So I am getting a duplicate key being made.

[Samurai]

Couple of eventful days with the Grand Vitara...

Sunday I discovered that my SIM had gone bad. I could receive sms/calls, but I couldn't make calls or send sms. No internet either. On Monday morning, I took off to the nearest Airtel office in Udupi. Suddenly, I notice that the engine light is staying on.



Oops! I can't even call anyone, or even message anyone. Do I drive towards Maruti workshop or continue towards Airtel office?

The engine sounds fine, I don't feel any difference in drive feel. Airtel office is a slight diversion from the workshop, so I decide to continue towards Airtel office. I park and enter the almost deserted Airtel office. After checking my number, the lady says Udupi Airtel office doesn't handle post-paid numbers. For that I have to go the Manipal Airtel office.

This is one more dilemma. Should I drive to Manipal (about 6 kms) with an engine light on? Finally I chickened out and took the autorickshaw to Manipal and got my SIM replaced. After I came back to Udupi same way, and then drove the Grand Vitara to Maruti workshop. They connected the laptop and discovered it was the oxygen sensor rising a flag. They cleared the flag and all looked good. However, the car was scheduled for service later this week, so we decided to check the oxygen sensor during that.

Tuesday I had religious duties assigned by the family, to help out with the Ganesh Chaturthi puja at our family's boota sthana. Those who have seen the movie Kantara would know about this. These are private shrines owned and managed by families over generations.

This is the view from the shrine...



Here is the shrine that was totally rebuilt few years ago. I had covered the opening event in another thread.



After the event, I had the chore of dropping off relatives and prasada to 6 homes including mine. The engine light had come back again, but this time I wasn't worried. However, as I stopped at the first home, I notice steam coming out of the bonnet. I ran out and open the bonnet. And this is what I see...



The green coolant was splattered all over, like the blood of Predator (the movie). The radiator cap and coolant tank cap looked intact. So, how did all the coolant get out? I quickly called my friend at the Maruti workshop and he asked me to locate the leak. I couldn't find it. Then he asked me to add water and see if it holds. So I opened the radiator cap (it was lukewarm) and filled it until the brim. But I saw it slowly drop and then hold. Then he asked me to drive it slowly while watching the temp gauge and drive it back home. This is something I have done a lot in my Jeeping days, where losing coolant hose was a regular event.

So, that is what I did. I visited 4 more homes dropping off prasada and finally reached home without any incident. I filled water two more times just to be safe, each time 1/2 water was needed. But the temp gauge was always at normal.

This needs to be sorted out when I drop it off for scheduled service.

[sridhar-v]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Couple of eventful days with the Grand Vitara...

The green coolant was splattered all over, like the blood of Predator (the movie). The radiator cap and coolant tank cap looked intact. So, how did all
So, that is what I did. I visited 4 more homes dropping off prasada and finally reached home without any incident. I filled water two more times just to be safe, each time 1/2 water was needed. But the temp gauge was always at normal.

This needs to be sorted out when I drop it off for scheduled service.

The O2 sensor is a known culprit. My SA says if the engine is firing properly and the check engine light comes on it is 99% due to O2 sensor.
I am planning to change the same as it keeps giving errors.

From the spray pattern I suspect the water pipe to the ERG valve is leaking. It is very tricky to approach this and generally ignored in visual inspections.

While you are at it check the radiator inlet hoses. As these are hot side they tend to swell and can crack. 16 years is as good as it goes. Part nos are 17841-65J00 & 17842-65J00.

My cars' hoses were swollen. So I changed them in January. The water pump bearings were noisy and I was getting a lot of cavitation noise. So as a matter of abundant caution I also changed the water pump, thermostat and temperature sensor.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by sridhar-v

I am planning to change the same as it keeps giving errors.

It is already ordered on Monday. Hopefully it should arrive before I leave for Bangalore.

Originally Posted by sridhar-v

While you are at it check the radiator inlet hoses. As these are hot side they tend to swell and can crack. 16 years is as good as it goes. Part nos are 17841-65J00 & 17842-65J00.

I already gave it for service, and both cooling circuit and O2 circuitry will be thoroughly checked.

Other than that I have HSRP plate installation to be done. I already bought and handed over frames, since I didn't want it to be simply riveted. The rear camera needs to be moved, since it is currently on the number sticker.

[Samurai]

The leak turned out to be crack in the radiator core. Since it is made of aluminium, it can't be repaired. It must be replaced, at a cost of 20K.



The O2 sensor needs to be replaced too, at a cost of 9K.

Both have been put on express order, ETA is yet to be known.

[Samurai]

Picked up the car today from workshop. The radiator, O2 sensor and brake pads replaced. My friend at the Maruti workshop was wondering whether the whole ruckus was started by a faulty fan motor. If it had stopped working temporarily, it would have caused higher temp, thus higher pressure, leading to radiator core burst and spraying of predator blood. Plausible theory. I have asked for the price of the fan motor, if it is cheap enough, we will replace that too.

Other than that, the AC gas was topped up, HSRP installed, reverse camera reinstalled, and regular service with oil change was also done.

Looking clean and ready after a two weeks hiatus.

[Ashtoncastelino]

Originally Posted by Samurai

HSRP installed, reverse camera reinstalled, and regular service with oil change was also done.

Crisp update Samurai ! Glad the GV is back in action. How are the quality of your HSRP plates. I've been hesitating to get them due to reading a lot of posts correlating to poor quality plates. Do let me know

Regards
Ashton Castelino

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Ashtoncastelino

How are the quality of your HSRP plates.

It is thin. I ensured I had good quality frames, so plates are well protected.

[HTC]

Got KA HSRP number plates installed.

Felt AC was not cooling properly. Went to AC mech to get it checked. He said cooling is happening correctly. After seeing the AC condenser, he asked to get it cleaned as the muck and inscts struck to it might be blocking proper air flow. Still I went ahead and got the AC gas replaced ( 1 can, 1100rs). Will get the condenser cleaned asap.

While the bonnet was up, observed some sediments in brake fluid reservoir. Attaching pic. Anything to be alarmed of?

[cooldip]

Originally Posted by HTC

While the bonnet was up, observed some sediments in brake fluid reservoir. Attaching pic. Anything to be alarmed of?

Brake fluid is hygroscopic. I'm sure it has been a while since the fluid has been flushed thoroughly. Typically the system must be drained every couple of years. Our GVs are old. The hoses and seals are tired. I keep the system flushed every couple of years. DOT 3 brake fluid should be colourless.

I suggest you get it flushed. Also get the clutch bled well going through the steps at least a couple of times.

[Ashtoncastelino]

Originally Posted by HTC

While the bonnet was up, observed some sediments in brake fluid reservoir. Attaching pic. Anything to be alarmed of?

You can easily pull these out from the reservoir using a tube and syringe. Also does your GV master cylinder have a filter at the reservoir? If not, then better to install a filter to avoid debris into the reservoir. Flushing the entire braking system is highly recommended.

Filter at the reservoir

Originally Posted by cooldip

DOT 3 brake fluid should be colourless.

IIRC Dot 3 majorly is available in Red. Advisable to put Dot4 and it is colorless/golden color.

Regards
Ashton Castelino

[Samurai]

After two days of picking up the car, I ran into a new problem. I started the car and discovered that the clutch has become too light, and I can't change into 1st gear, no matter what. My usually heavy clutch was sinking like a stone, not even coming back in a hurry. The brake was working fine, only the clutch was having the problem. Luckily, I was at home, just 2Kms from the workshop. I called up and the workshop's mobile repair van showed up in 20 minutes. The mechanic concluded that the slave clutch cylinder could be leaking, but we couldn't spot any leaks. He pumped the clutch repeatedly and it started responding fine after 2 minutes.

Until then I was thinking that this will be the first time my Grand Vitara was stranded, requiring a tow to the workshop. No, I am not counting the many times it had to be towed out of an offroad trail, those were not due to mechanical issues.

Once the pressure came back, I drove it out of the basement and removed all the stuff from the car, so that they can take the car to the workshop. I also noticed a screeching noise from the fan belt mechanism, when we were looking for the possible leak.

By next day, the problems were diagnosed.
1) Slave clutch cylinder needs replacement.
2) Tensioner bearing needs replacement. They temporarily fixed the problem by spraying some lubricant, but it can dry off soon and start screeching again.

Meanwhile, I had to go around in auto rickshaw for my work and errands. Upon hearing this, the works manager asked if I want to drive it around until the parts arrive. I said YES, and rushed to the workshop and picked up the car. So, I have been driving around town since Friday in the GV with a faulty slave clutch cylinder. Only once the clutch just dropped like a stone, but it came back up after pumping couple times. I hope the parts will arrive this week and it can get back to normalcy. This is like my good old Jeep days, the vehicle is functional even with failed parts.

Originally Posted by HTC

While the bonnet was up, observed some sediments in brake fluid reservoir. Attaching pic. Anything to be alarmed of?

They usually take care of these in the regular service. When was the last service done?

[sagarpadaki]

With the kind of running, you do and the age of the Grand Vitara, these failures are nothing out of the ordinary I feel. I would rate your Grand Vitara as supremely reliable. These are small hiccups only.

[HTC]

Originally Posted by cooldip

Brake fluid is hygroscopic.
I suggest you get it flushed. Also get the clutch bled well going through the steps at least a couple of times.

Originally Posted by Ashtoncastelino

You can easily pull these out from the reservoir using a tube. Advisable to put Dot4 and it is colorless/golden color.

Regards
Ashton Castelino

Originally Posted by Samurai

They usually take care of these in the regular service. When was the last service done?

Cooldip, Ashton, Samurai,

Thanks for valuable suggestions. I will get it checked at MASS. Had gotten mini service ( fluid top ups etc) done some 5k kms before. Will give for 10k service in few days time.

[Styler]

Hello All

If you all would recall 2 years ago I had given off my GV 2.0L 2017 and got a GV 2.4L 2010 registered in 2012. I still have a few years with it in Delhi NCR.

I saw this thread after some time today and read about the Oxygen Sensor errors Samurai faced. I also faced the repeated Oxygen Sensor Error causing the Engine Check Light. I had figured it out through my OBD2 Scanner. I would clear the error and it would come back.

In the last service a few weeks ago the Oxygen Sensor was removed. I told them to see if the Oxygen Sensor of any other Vehicle is similar and guess what, we found one. The Oxygen Sensor of the Wagon R has the same structure that goes into Exhaust system. The Coupler at the other end has a different structure, but the Number of Wires and Colors of the Wires is the same. It was decided to take out the Metal Pins from the Wagon R Oxygen Sensor and put them in the Plastic Coupler body of the Original Grand Vitara Oxygen Sensor. I'm glad to report it is working perfectly for the last few weeks. The cost of the Wagon R sensor was 1500 or something compared to 8000 of the Original one. More than that we could replace it immediately without ordering and waiting for it to arrive.

I was thinking if it makes sense to replace the Low Beam H7 and High Beam HB3 bulbs replaced for better visibility at night. Has anybody tried LEDs ? Any views ?

Styler