Time to Start Doing a Few Jobs

Just for future reference there is some one on fb who makes gaiters for the gear leaver (and autos) does a good job as well

Thanks for your replies people.

Looks like ive got a few jobs to do which im really looking forward to. Wont be able to do any of em until my hols, but at least ive got time to get the parts in. Already ordered replacement rear diff mounts, VCU hangers/damper, reverse light switch for the gearbox and somre replacaement head lining fabric and adhesive. Will get replacement/reconditioned VCU next, and then some tyres.

Havae also ordered the regular service items, fluid, filters, plugs, etc. However on the subject of the ird, what fluid should i be using on that??

Phil

selkent1 said:

Will get replacement/reconditioned VCU next, and then some tyres.

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If you get a replacement VCU from Bell engineering, then it comes ready assembled with the bearings and damper to bolt straight on, so no need to buy those items separately. Cheap after market bearings are crap anyway, and generally don't last 12 months, so it's better to use what Bell supply with there VCU.

Getting matching tyres should be the priority, before anything else.

selkent1 said:

However on the subject of the ird, what fluid should i be using on that??

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Full synthetic gear oil in a 75W90 grade.

Nodge68 said:

I can also tell that the steering wheel is a black wheel that has been coloured to match the rest of the interior. The colouring is now coming off, which wouldn't happen if the wheel was the correct colour from the factory.

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Is it Nodge68 or Poirot68 lol

Thanks for the info again people. However, i have noticed that the steering wheels are available coloured from the factory as i am seeing different shades of grey and even another one my colour, although they were all in varying states of decay regarding the colour!

Just been reading through this thread with interest. The OP's first post talks about knocking when turning. I know he's said it sound like it's coming from the middle of the car but it sounds like it might be more like a CV joint to me. The diff mounts usually cause a "thump" with power on/off don't they?

kernowsvenski said:

Just been reading through this thread with interest. The OP's first post talks about knocking when turning. I know he's said it sound like it's coming from the middle of the car but it sounds like it might be more like a CV joint to me. The diff mounts usually cause a "thump" with power on/off don't they?

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At first but if you allow the fault to "Develop" They will make a rumbling sound then "Develop" into a loud knocking banging noise which sounds like its coming from under the seats in the middle of the car..

Madmustang said:

At first but if you allow the fault to "Develop" They will make a rumbling sound then "Develop" into a loud knocking banging noise which sounds like its coming from under the seats in the middle of the car..

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Fair enough

Nodge68 said:

If you get a replacement VCU from Bell engineering, then it comes ready assembled with the bearings and damper to bolt straight on, so no need to buy those items separately. Cheap after market bearings are crap anyway, and generally don't last 12 months, so it's better to use what Bell supply with there VCU.

Getting matching tyres should be the priority, before anything else.

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Thanks for the info. Have only had a look at their website so far but will order the whole "kit" from them, price doesnt seem as bad as i thought it would be, given what some are charding on ebay!

Had a brief look underneath when i got to work yesterday at the VCU support bearings and their does appear to be a bit of what i can best describe as "sagging",and interestingly, on the subject of tyres, i thought id check em yesterday after all the tyre discussion, and the pressures were all over the place!

n/s/f was 24psi
o/s/f was 26psi
n/s/r was 21psi
o/s/r was 24psi

....so changed em all to 30psi, and checked again about 10 hours later and the pressures had not changed, and this had made some difference to my "knocking", as even though its still there, it doesnt happen as much. Would such a symptom as this confirm that its the VCU?

Phil

Correctly maintained tyres, as in make, location and pressure are absolutely vital, if expensive drive-line damage is to be avoided.

Folks fit an odd tyre, when the original was damaged, and normally chose a budget or at least different tyre as a replacement. This normally gets fitted wherever the damaged tyre was removed. This then leaves the vehicle with a permanent strain on the transmission components, which will cause damage. I'm not talking damage in many thousands of miles, but damage within hundreds or sometimes tens of miles. So before spending money on new components like VCUs, it's vital that the odd tyre issue is corrected first. You only need 1 tyre that is identical to the other 3. If the spare is worn, then fit the new tyre to the spare wheel and put the current odd rear tyre on the boot for emergency use as the spare.

Nothing really new to report since last apart from still getting a little stash of parts. No other probs to report apart from the front passenger door. It locks with the central locking but wont unlock. I know this has prob been posted loads of times in various places but am being lazy and not doing a search. I thought maybe a replacement door actuator however, there are none on eblag at the mo. Any ideas peeps?

Phil

selkent1 said:

there are none on eblag at the mo. Any ideas peeps?

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Search for River 75 door actuators, as those are cheaper and identical.

Thanks for all the info peeps. Finally starting to get together a box of "bits", ready to starting getting to grips with the various probs. Thought id go over the whole car to see if there was anything else, and the onlt thing i could find was a small oil leak. I had noticed a couple of drips on the driveway before, but the leak was so small, for some reason i only thought to look around the bottom of the engine and could find nothing. Until, i look at the top and oil appears to be coming from what looks like a seal on the cam on the right side (as you look at it) of the engine.




The end of what i am pressuming is the cam is exposed, lacking any kind of cover or plate, etc. I this normal on these engines, and if so is this a cam out job to fix? Anyone else had anything similar?

Phil

selkent1 said:

The end of what i am pressuming is the cam is exposed, lacking any kind of cover or plate, etc. I this normal on these engines

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It seems to be the new normal, but it would have had a cover when it left the factory.

selkent1 said:

if so is this a cam out job to fix? Anyone else had anything similar?

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Easy fix. Pull out the old seal and tap in a new one.

Make sure you get the correct seal though as the exhaust and inlet are different.

Hi all,

Still getting a nice parts box. Camshaft oils seals, exhaust, roof lining, diff mounts (polys!), all got. Replacement VCU next. Still working my way through things to be done. Got a couple of queries. My reverse lights and reverse parking sensors have only ever worked a couple of times (normally when it rains) so was looking at replacing the switch on the gearbox. I ordered one from eblag, and it seems different from the one on the car.

From the info ive gathered the switch is the one located at the lower fron of the box (as you look at the car), yet thins seems to have a plug fitting onto the top of the switch. I specified that i had the 1.8 K series and the one i recieved has two wires with what appear to be male and female bullet connectors attached to them!

Anyone got any clarity on this?

Phil

Also, if anyone takes a look at the pics at the beggining og this thread youll see pics of my interior. Youll also see that my drivers seat appears to have been eaten by the previous owner. Anyone know that the colour/spec of the interior is and where i might be also the get replacement covers to go over the foam! I know that Rimmers sell them but i dont know what colour im looking for!

Phil

Sorry, my trim books only go up to 2003 !

andyfreelandy said:

Sorry, my trim books only go up to 2003 !

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No worries dude!

Anyone else got any ideas. I did try looking up codes for the interior trim but seem to be getting different results from different sources!

Any suprise, on the way home from work my reversing lights started working along with the parking sensors! Bet they wont be working in the morning!!!!!!!

I have also checked with no less than four different parts suppliers regarding the reverse light switch and all come up with the one i ordered from eblag!

Confusing! Does this mean i have to cut and join the wires???