Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

wotzgoingon

I had a car that was like that civic underneath, I used to say he must have used to park it in a lake overnight.

TrailerBob

Had a go at tidying up the fog lamps that had gone quite cloudy. 1500 & 2000 Grit paper, some ultra fine polish and a drill mop and they turned out ok. Now I'll be able to use them properly in the.... eh..... fog

Mod: Photo's are a bit large so un-embedding them for now.

TrailerBob

Sorry can't seem to make them smaller from the phone.. gosh darn new fangled gizmos, I remember back in nineteen dickety two, I was wearing an onion on my belt, which was the style at the time.......

eringobragh

........Revisited:

Changed the ACIS head bolts due to the untorqueing plesantness!

P/N 90511-B0620 6 of them at around a euro each



All torqued to 8.5nm this time

All back together





Working grand since

Decided to do the oil today a fresh change - somehow the dipstick feckin broke 3 inches from the top - cursed at the moment! Will tackle that tomorrow- gluteny for punishment



A side note anyone with an MR2 mk2 knows how this hanger joins up with the mount - assume its a bolt of some guise theres currently nothing joining the 2 - its just not clear from the EPC









Far engine side

JohnBoy26

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

First bit of DIY on the lawnmower today. The exhaust heatshield had decided it had had enough just days after I bought the car. It had rusted around 3 of the 4 mounting points and was swinging around having a great time slapping off of the back box over even the mildest of road suface imperfections.

You can see the corroded hole here.


I just took the bolts out and used bigger washers. It's not a life-long solution I dont think but if it lasts a few months i'll be happy. I probably should get a heat shield really.


It was easier to do this myself than to bring it back under warranty, they'd probably have done the same thing anyway.

I'm still a little bit in awe of how corroded this car is underneath. I don't mean to sound fanboi'ish but I don't think a similar mileage '07 Auris would have this much surface corrosion underneath. The rear subframe is very nasty looking, obviously the heat shield was rotting through, the rear disc shields have the same consistancy as a tayto crisps as you csn see the top is just flaking awsy. A lot more rust than I was expecting on an low mileage original irish car.

This photo doesn't really do it justice.

That's the axle and that rust isnt too out of the ordinary tbh. It's very common on uk cars, maybe not so much on irish cars but you still see some. The axle is built with heavier metel though so that is a long way off rotten. I wouldn't worry about it if the car's chassis is rust free. Worst case scenario is you'll be replacing an axle if it gets really bad. An axle should be easily sourced at a breakers but I cant see you needing to.change it anytime soon.

Slideways

So I did the clutch on my Landcruiser a few months back, also changed the rear main seal while I had the 'box out.
It fecking leaked.
I also had a leak between the main gearbox and the transfer case.
This is the job I attempted to do in my driveway today. Then I realised I had to drop the rear crossmember. Well I got a bit carried away and ended up with the gearbox out and flywheel off.
Rear main changed, flywheel back on and main gearbox back in place. Then the mozzies landed so I called it a night before I got bitten ta fück.

In hindsight doing it on my own with just a trolley jack was a bit loose but I got away with it. Transfer case will have to be lifted by hand tmrw

CJhaughey

Looks like a good job, I did stuff like that on my back on a gravel drive. Now I am in the process of clearing the shed so I can stick the car in there and work in comfort in winter.

CJhaughey

CJhaughey wrote: »

Looks like a good job, I did stuff like that on my back on a gravel drive. Now I am in the process of clearing the shed so I can stick the car in there and work in comfort in winter.

The gravel is a disaster. I end up dropping a nut and spend the next ten minutes looking for the thing as the light starts to fade..

CJhaughey

MAXFANTANA wrote: »

The gravel is a disaster. I end up dropping a nut and spend the next ten minutes looking for the thing as the light starts to fade..

Been there too.
I'd love to epoxy the floor with a paint flake in it.
The floor paint I used has chipped and worn in places, Tradesman brand from Akso Nobel so it should have worn better.
I might lash another thick coat on and see how it goes.
Anyone have any recommendations for Garage floor paint?

Alanstrainor

This is one of my favourite threads on boards. There's some fantastic work being posted here!

I'm going to examine my rear springs tomorrow, my car has always sat a fraction too low. The wheels on the rear are right on the limit of being too wide, so when I have any passengers in the rear (very rare admittedly), the tire rubs on the rear passenger side. I don't believe there's anything wrong asides from my wheels being a fraction too wide, and the car being a fraction too low, but we'll see.

So the plan is, lift the car, remove wheels and check for damage. If everything seems okay I'm going to replace the spring pads with new ones I bought in BMW. They are 10mm, over the original 5mm, so hopefully that will give me a fraction more height to play with. I had been looking at replacing the springs, but I just can't be certain what height the car will end up at, and I really only want to raise the car very slightly.

mcbobbyb

Alanstrainor wrote:

I'm going to examine my rear springs tomorrow, my car has always sat a fraction too low. The wheels on the rear are right on the limit of being too wide, so when I have any passengers in the rear (very rare admittedly), the tire rubs on the rear passenger side. I don't believe there's anything wrong asides from my wheels being a fraction too wide, and the car being a fraction too low, but we'll see.

Alanstrainor wrote:

So the plan is, lift the car, remove wheels and check for damage. If everything seems okay I'm going to replace the spring pads with new ones I bought in BMW. They are 10mm, over the original 5mm, so hopefully that will give me a fraction more height to play with. I had been looking at replacing the springs, but I just can't be certain what height the car will end up at, and I really only want to raise the car very slightly.

When my cars tires rubbed on the inside of the arch with people sitting in the back it was due to the axle bearings collapsing. Wouldn't have known from driving on my own.

Alanstrainor

mcbobbyb wrote: »

When my cars tires rubbed on the inside of the arch with people sitting in the back it was due to the axle bearings collapsing. Wouldn't have known from driving on my own.

Ah no. Mine is to do with the sport springs and bigger wheels. Unless there's a cracked spring I'm not really expecting to see much wrong under there!

Slideways

Update on the 'cruiser.

All back together, filled her up with fuel ($160 to fill :eek: ) and no leaks as of yet.

Fingers crossed it stays like that.


The Golf I bought was making a rather loud booing noise and I was sure it had a rear wheel bearing on the way out. It needed tyres in a very bad way so had 4 fitted today. Booing noise now gone, it appears it was one of the tyres that was the cause

Ded_Zebra

Alanstrainor wrote: »

This is one of my favourite threads on boards. There's some fantastic work being posted here!
.

Totally agree! I've got a bit lazy about posting about what I have been doing over the last while. In an effort to post more I'll tell you all what I was pottering away at this evening!

So for the little 156. When I got it it didn't come with the plastic engine cover thingy. Not really a problem but if you did open the bonnet (not that I ever do ) it was a bit like looking into the back of a washing machine. my mechanic gave me one for free but it was missing the plastic clips that hold it on. Spent the evening cutting some plastic and bolts to size then painting them black. I'll try get a couple of pics tomorrow and fit it to the car.

Next it was the turn of the jeep. I painted up some more of the suspension components. Progress has been on the slow side recently, I've just been busy with stuff on other cars like the 166 156 and the Civic.

I'm hoping to get a little more done on the jeep again tomorrow. I really should update the jeep project thread too....

Slideways

I had a look at the zook project, good work bud. I'd love to do something like that...

The Golf was bought with engine light, P0401 if I remember correctly. EGR not responding.

Pulled the valve off. Bottoms bolt was loose, and another bolt that holds intake pipe was cross threaded. Gave them a quick clean, put the intake hose bolt in straight and deleted the fault code. Let's hope it stays deleted!




You can see the half arsed job someone had made of putting in the bolt of the intake pipe. Luckily I got it to start on the right thread again

blade1

Heading of for the NCT now!
Kind expecting a fail on a rear shock but I thought i'd just put her through and see if anything else is needed!

blade1

Yay!! Passed!!
Hasn't failed one yet.

Hal1

She ain't no trailer puller anyway.

blade1

No!
What tells you that?

Hal1

The nct report. Looks like there's been lots of work done recently or you avoid every pothole, bump etc on the road.

blade1

Hal1 wrote: »

The nct report. Looks like there's been lots of work done recently or you avoid every pothole, bump etc on the road.

I like to keep my stuff in good nick.
Usually like to replace something before it goes and i do most of the work myself.
The car is definitely worth more to me than what i'd get for it if i sold.
What's a 03 A4 sport 1.8t worth? Around 2k????

Car always gets complimented and the previous owner asks me every now and again if i'd sell it back to him.
I have it 5.5 years and it let me down once (oil pump failure)

Alanstrainor

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I'm going to examine my rear springs tomorrow, my car has always sat a fraction too low. The wheels on the rear are right on the limit of being too wide, so when I have any passengers in the rear (very rare admittedly), the tire rubs on the rear passenger side. I don't believe there's anything wrong asides from my wheels being a fraction too wide, and the car being a fraction too low, but we'll see.

So the plan is, lift the car, remove wheels and check for damage. If everything seems okay I'm going to replace the spring pads with new ones I bought in BMW. They are 10mm, over the original 5mm, so hopefully that will give me a fraction more height to play with. I had been looking at replacing the springs, but I just can't be certain what height the car will end up at, and I really only want to raise the car very slightly.

I wasn't lazy, I just didn't get my spring compressors so didn't bother looking at the car! I'll hopefully get them this week and tackle this next weekend. Very interested to see if this will make any difference at all.

Foxhole Norman

Cheers lads, really happy with how it's coming! Fixed my Throttle issue tonight, delighted with myself, was the main problem with this car and sorted already

The issue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cO2MeX7WYO8

Took out the ICV and Throttle Body, the butterfly valve in the body was glued shut with gunk and with what looked something like limescale! Gave it all a good clean, it freed up the valve, reinstalled and she's working perfect now

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hyB3ezI92qU

The lower intake boot has seen the end of its days too so will order a new one

MetzgerMeister

That engine bay is awful manky looking......

Foxhole Norman

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

That engine bay is awful manky looking......

17 years of hard work for that engine would do it :pac:

ianobrien

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

That engine bay is awful manky looking......

Give him a chance will ya!

ianobrien

Well, decided to try to dig the Escort out as I haven't had a chance all summer to use it (I was living in Longford and its in Cork). Threw a battery charger on it. Just got the petrol changed and that involved a length of hose, biological vacuum, mouthwash, and a trip to the petrol station with a jerry can. Next is to clean the interior while it's charging.

Tomorrow when it's charged, it's whip out the plugs, turn it over to build oil pressure, stick the plugs back in and see if it fires. If it does, it's an oil and coolant change then. I'll see if it wants to move and stop under its own power. I'll see what the job list is like after that.

ianobrien

ianobrien wrote: »

Well, decided to try to dig the Escort out as I haven't had a chance all summer to use it (I was living in Longford and its in Cork). Threw a battery charger on it. Just got the petrol changed and that involved a length of hose, biological vacuum, mouthwash, and a trip to the petrol station with a jerry can. Next is to clean the interior while it's charging.

Tomorrow when it's charged, it's whip out the plugs, turn it over to build oil pressure, stick the plugs back in and see if it fires. If it does, it's an oil and coolant change then. I'll see if it wants to move and stop under its own power. I'll see what the job list is like after that.

Well, can you guess what happened this morning?








Dead starter solenoid!

The feckin' thing worked long enough for me to build oil pressure with the plugs out. Once the plugs were back in, all I got was a large "click" with no dimming of the headlights (no dimming of headlights when trying to start showed there was no load being drawn by the starter). The blooming thing is now sitting on a bin. That's today's fun over.....

Foxhole Norman

Cleaned out the ICV a bit too when I did the intake. Replaced the front discs, pads and wear sensor today on the 528i, Pagid Discs, Apec Pads, TRW Sensor, had Bosch pads but they sent me V8 pads, not 6 Cylinder pads unfortunately so had to run down to grab a set of Apec. Replaced the wipers with new Bosch units too.

Old scrap:


Fresh metal:






Hopefully I'll get the rear brakes done and get the car serviced by the end of the week and NCT then!

Alanstrainor

Alanstrainor wrote: »

I'm going to examine my rear springs tomorrow, my car has always sat a fraction too low. The wheels on the rear are right on the limit of being too wide, so when I have any passengers in the rear (very rare admittedly), the tire rubs on the rear passenger side. I don't believe there's anything wrong asides from my wheels being a fraction too wide, and the car being a fraction too low, but we'll see.

So the plan is, lift the car, remove wheels and check for damage. If everything seems okay I'm going to replace the spring pads with new ones I bought in BMW. They are 10mm, over the original 5mm, so hopefully that will give me a fraction more height to play with. I had been looking at replacing the springs, but I just can't be certain what height the car will end up at, and I really only want to raise the car very slightly.

I managed to get around to do this yesterday.

Took wheel off, and gave everything a good look around. No damage that I could see at all, the spring is in good condition and everything looked great under the rear arches to be honest.

However, I was unable to complete the job. The spring compressors I bought were just too large to use on my small rear springs. I had no room under there to get the compressors on, and couldn't compress them enough to remove. I removed the shock and all to allow as much room to manoeuvre as possible and things were still tight. I'm not entirely sure how to go about removing the springs given the lack of space, but I think I'll just need to read up on it more.

Even though the job was aborted early on, I was glad to get it up and inspect everything. The car is approaching 140,000 miles now and over the last 4.5 years it has been nothing short of fantastic. Here's to many more miles and smiles!