kevwill
Active Member
- Posts
- 930
- Location
- Sunny Hastings
The old P38 (4.6) has been behaving itself for quite some months. The exhaust system was showing its age (and some holes) so before the mot was due, had a new system fitted; centre box and 2 back boxes. Still with the original cats.
Then off for an MOT. I'd grown my fingernails to give me something to chew and loaded up with tobacco. Took it to my local garage who have always been quite good (they also fitted new exhaust).
Failed on 3 things;
Rear brake light panel in the window. 3 of the 5 bulbs had gone. If less than 50% of the bulbs work its a fail, although strangely if you take all the bulbs out, it will pass as its counted as not connected!
Then front suspension lower ball joint. The ball joint was fine, but they had noted that the rubber dust boot was so badly perished it would not prevent ingress of dirt. This used to be an advisory a couple of years ago but now means removing brakes, callipers and disc, hub, swivel hub, drive shaft etc.
Well guv, to fit a new ball joint would be £280 they said.
Finally, my CO2 emissions were off the scale. Apparently trees were dying as I drove past and I'm responsible for the recent floods.
Cat converters need replacing they told me, £830, plus more if they needed to replace the sensors. I could book it in for the following week.
No I bloody couldn't, as I'd spent too much money on tobacco and probably on the petrol they'd used, revving the rangey to high heaven trying to get it thru its emissions.
Plus I'd rather have a look at it myself first, after having a glass of single malt.
So after a couple of days of weeping, and waiting for the rain to stop, thought I'd tackle the emissions problem first. Visually they looked ok, sounded ok, no rattling and no eggy smell. But I could hear the exhaust blowing somewhere; where the exhaust manifold meets the block (drivers side), could feel it blowing out air. So - either the gasket had blown or I'd got a split in the flexi part of the exhaust.
I'd replaced the exhaust gaskets when I did the head gaskets a couple of years ago, but that damn unreachable bolt at the back had been put back with plenty of washers as it was the only way I could just about get a socket on it.
So this time I removed the intermediate steering shaft (why the hell didn't I do this before?) and replaced the exhaust gaskets. Manifold luckily was ok.
Fired up the engine, and no blowing. Great stuff - and this would of course affect the CO2 emissions.
Next was the ball joint. Not looking forward to this at all. I bought a new ball joint, but intended on only replacing the dust boot. I know the argument is that after doing all the work you might as well replace the whole ball joint, but after checking rave and noting that they can only be replaced up to 3 times before the axle yoke is worn and needs replacing; and not having a meaty enough press available; and not wanting to be sitting in the road in February repairing cars; it was going to be dust cover only.
Everything ready, jack, axle stands, tools etc. Just as I started to lift the car the heavens opened. 'Bollo', not wanting to get my hair wet; packed up and back indoors.
Following morning, thought I'd have a look at offending perished rubber boot before setting up again. Turns out it wasn't exactly perished, but had a small split in the seam of the rubber.
So out comes the tube of black silicone gasket sealer. Cleaned up the boot with some cellulose cleaner, applied the gasket sealer, smoothed it out; and when dry covered the whole thing in brake dust. Looked as good as an old but sound dust boot.
Replaced the 5 bulbs in brake light. Oil change, new ngk plugs and a new one of those high tec reusable air filters, and I was ready to give it a go at another Mot.
Didn't go back to the original garage, but to a branch of 'Just MOTs'.
Poured in a bottle of cat cleaner and took it for an 'Italian Tune Up' in sports mode.
It flew thru. Good emissions results and not a single advisory (even for ball joint dust boots). Happy days.
Bit of a long winded post but I guess the moral is, don't always take as gospel what the garages tell you. I spent about £20 for the manifold gaskets and the ball joint ( which I didn't use ) instead of well over a grand to them. I would have had new cats but still had a blown exhuast gasket.
The ball joint bodge dust boot is holding up well, although I'll keep an eye on it and silicone it up as long as the ball joint is ok.
:tea:
Then off for an MOT. I'd grown my fingernails to give me something to chew and loaded up with tobacco. Took it to my local garage who have always been quite good (they also fitted new exhaust).
Failed on 3 things;
Rear brake light panel in the window. 3 of the 5 bulbs had gone. If less than 50% of the bulbs work its a fail, although strangely if you take all the bulbs out, it will pass as its counted as not connected!
Then front suspension lower ball joint. The ball joint was fine, but they had noted that the rubber dust boot was so badly perished it would not prevent ingress of dirt. This used to be an advisory a couple of years ago but now means removing brakes, callipers and disc, hub, swivel hub, drive shaft etc.
Well guv, to fit a new ball joint would be £280 they said.
Finally, my CO2 emissions were off the scale. Apparently trees were dying as I drove past and I'm responsible for the recent floods.
Cat converters need replacing they told me, £830, plus more if they needed to replace the sensors. I could book it in for the following week.
No I bloody couldn't, as I'd spent too much money on tobacco and probably on the petrol they'd used, revving the rangey to high heaven trying to get it thru its emissions.
Plus I'd rather have a look at it myself first, after having a glass of single malt.
So after a couple of days of weeping, and waiting for the rain to stop, thought I'd tackle the emissions problem first. Visually they looked ok, sounded ok, no rattling and no eggy smell. But I could hear the exhaust blowing somewhere; where the exhaust manifold meets the block (drivers side), could feel it blowing out air. So - either the gasket had blown or I'd got a split in the flexi part of the exhaust.
I'd replaced the exhaust gaskets when I did the head gaskets a couple of years ago, but that damn unreachable bolt at the back had been put back with plenty of washers as it was the only way I could just about get a socket on it.
So this time I removed the intermediate steering shaft (why the hell didn't I do this before?) and replaced the exhaust gaskets. Manifold luckily was ok.
Fired up the engine, and no blowing. Great stuff - and this would of course affect the CO2 emissions.
Next was the ball joint. Not looking forward to this at all. I bought a new ball joint, but intended on only replacing the dust boot. I know the argument is that after doing all the work you might as well replace the whole ball joint, but after checking rave and noting that they can only be replaced up to 3 times before the axle yoke is worn and needs replacing; and not having a meaty enough press available; and not wanting to be sitting in the road in February repairing cars; it was going to be dust cover only.
Everything ready, jack, axle stands, tools etc. Just as I started to lift the car the heavens opened. 'Bollo', not wanting to get my hair wet; packed up and back indoors.
Following morning, thought I'd have a look at offending perished rubber boot before setting up again. Turns out it wasn't exactly perished, but had a small split in the seam of the rubber.
So out comes the tube of black silicone gasket sealer. Cleaned up the boot with some cellulose cleaner, applied the gasket sealer, smoothed it out; and when dry covered the whole thing in brake dust. Looked as good as an old but sound dust boot.
Replaced the 5 bulbs in brake light. Oil change, new ngk plugs and a new one of those high tec reusable air filters, and I was ready to give it a go at another Mot.
Didn't go back to the original garage, but to a branch of 'Just MOTs'.
Poured in a bottle of cat cleaner and took it for an 'Italian Tune Up' in sports mode.
It flew thru. Good emissions results and not a single advisory (even for ball joint dust boots). Happy days.
Bit of a long winded post but I guess the moral is, don't always take as gospel what the garages tell you. I spent about £20 for the manifold gaskets and the ball joint ( which I didn't use ) instead of well over a grand to them. I would have had new cats but still had a blown exhuast gasket.
The ball joint bodge dust boot is holding up well, although I'll keep an eye on it and silicone it up as long as the ball joint is ok.
:tea:
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