Have we been foolish? Yes but we're all grinning from ear to
Discussion
Have you ever done something so incredibly foolish that the only outcome has to be good?
3 friends and I left a commission bid on this: http://www.barons-auctions.com/details.php?ID=6522
We left a bid well below the lowest guide without even driving to see it, only to get the call to say that we won it!
I picked it up on Wednesday:
I've driven it around my yard a bit and it seems to go really well, she's not the tidiest of old girls but everything seems to function. It's having a pre-MOT check today and hopefully will go through next Wednesday. The most pressing issue is the front seat keeps motoring forward on its own to the stops all the time. Would this be an errant micro switch or the much more expensive ECU? Is there a particular connector I could unplug to stop it doing this temporarily?
I was also wondering where I would be able to get service items and spares for reasonable cost? Tyres look a bit rare, any good sources out there? Any recommendations would be welcome!
A foolish purchase maybe? I can't help thinking I am going to have enormous fun finding out!!
d2t
3 friends and I left a commission bid on this: http://www.barons-auctions.com/details.php?ID=6522
We left a bid well below the lowest guide without even driving to see it, only to get the call to say that we won it!
I picked it up on Wednesday:
I've driven it around my yard a bit and it seems to go really well, she's not the tidiest of old girls but everything seems to function. It's having a pre-MOT check today and hopefully will go through next Wednesday. The most pressing issue is the front seat keeps motoring forward on its own to the stops all the time. Would this be an errant micro switch or the much more expensive ECU? Is there a particular connector I could unplug to stop it doing this temporarily?
I was also wondering where I would be able to get service items and spares for reasonable cost? Tyres look a bit rare, any good sources out there? Any recommendations would be welcome!
A foolish purchase maybe? I can't help thinking I am going to have enormous fun finding out!!
d2t
Thanks for all the replies. We put it (her) up on the lift yesterday: everything seems really solid underneath. Obvious mot items are the driveshaft gaiters which are brittle and cracked and the tyres, 2 of which are unsafe. The spare looks good so we may only need one especially if we use a cheaper tyre as a spare for mot.
d2t
d2t
Jordan. said:
It's VIN SCBZR04A7KCH27529 so post 24502 so series II right?
To identify the year - from the exterior I check the headlamp washers - 1988 and prior have flat jets flush with the bumper - 1989 cars and beyond have the protruding box dual washers. To tell a 1989 car from a 1990 I check the interior, there are 4 bulls eye vents on a 1990 and only 2 near the centre on a 1989. I'm sure there are more ways to tell as well - especially with engine bay shots. Series II cars have more plastic engine cover bits near the strut towers as well as different cooling hoses etc.
Yes, we only have 2 vents inside and dual washers on the bumpers. There are some crude plastic panels attached to the struts but no great swathes of plastic covering the engine.To identify the year - from the exterior I check the headlamp washers - 1988 and prior have flat jets flush with the bumper - 1989 cars and beyond have the protruding box dual washers. To tell a 1989 car from a 1990 I check the interior, there are 4 bulls eye vents on a 1990 and only 2 near the centre on a 1989. I'm sure there are more ways to tell as well - especially with engine bay shots. Series II cars have more plastic engine cover bits near the strut towers as well as different cooling hoses etc.
It failed its MOT today on driveshaft gaiters (which I had spotted), rear wheel bearing, and rear brake assemblies. The gaiters are straight forward, they say that they can tweek up the bearing and they will strip and clean the rear assemblies while the wheels are off etc.
I've been researching tyres. She's running Avon 255/65VR15 tyres which seem difficult to find and are ar*e twitchingly expensive. Would I be able to fit the more common and much cheaper Avon 235/70VR15 ?
Had my first proper drive today on the way to the MOT. Everyone should have one, it is absolutely mind blowingly awesome and I have not grinned so much for a very long time!
d2t
2woody said:
235/70 is acceptable. Its the speed rating really - you need to have the original speed rating, which shrinks the available tyre pool to just Avon.
I read somewhere that the Avon 235/70 with a V speed rating were correct and they were the ones I had been looking at. Happy to be corrected especially when bus queues are involved!d2t
PS Would these be ok?
http://www.camskill.co.uk/m53b0s1709p119751/Avon_T...
Edited by drive2tractors on Wednesday 7th May 00:05
After some 3 weeks of parts searching and finding the right tyres at the best price, the old girl now has an MOT!
I collected her on Friday afternoon, put £110 of fuel in and then settled in for a weekend of wafting. Sadly 40 miles in to my plans she has started to develop a stalling problem. When at a junction or stopping in traffic the engine dies and will restart straight away. It has also died completely when on full flow. Starting also seems to be a problem with the last few times requiring plenty of cranking even after the fuel pump has primed the system. The idle speed seems low (sub 450) and my instinct is to look for an idle speed screw but I guess there is not one on an injection car! I'm guessing it might be one of three things: Fuel pump, pressure regulator or idle control valve.
Has anyone experienced the same? Are there some basic tests I can do? Are any of these parts going to benefit from removal and service? I'm wondering if the stepper motor in the idle control valve is suffering from lack of use.
Any tips or suggestions would be most welcome!
d2t
I collected her on Friday afternoon, put £110 of fuel in and then settled in for a weekend of wafting. Sadly 40 miles in to my plans she has started to develop a stalling problem. When at a junction or stopping in traffic the engine dies and will restart straight away. It has also died completely when on full flow. Starting also seems to be a problem with the last few times requiring plenty of cranking even after the fuel pump has primed the system. The idle speed seems low (sub 450) and my instinct is to look for an idle speed screw but I guess there is not one on an injection car! I'm guessing it might be one of three things: Fuel pump, pressure regulator or idle control valve.
Has anyone experienced the same? Are there some basic tests I can do? Are any of these parts going to benefit from removal and service? I'm wondering if the stepper motor in the idle control valve is suffering from lack of use.
Any tips or suggestions would be most welcome!
d2t
V8 FOU said:
Clean the ICV with carb cleaner. Check the fuel pressure - these are prone to fuel pump problems. Some fuel system cleaner in the petrol may also help. I trust you put in some decent, non supermarket, petrol?
Yes, decent petrol and some Wynns cleaner. I am tackling the fuel filter this afternoon and I'll try and get hold of some carb cleaner this week. I think I will pull the spark plugs and look at them too.Thanks for the suggestions, I'll update later.
d2t
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