I'll AX this only once... though there is an Echo in here
Discussion
darkyoung1000 said:
<snip>
I'll have the opportunity to do this, due to the brake bleeding fun that was had. The off-side rear wheel cylinder bleed nipple is now somewhere between 7mm & 8mm due to being corroded. An 8mm spanner spins merrily round, and while a socket frees it off, that's no good for bleeding....
<snip>
You need the adjustable 'spanner of spanners'. I'll have the opportunity to do this, due to the brake bleeding fun that was had. The off-side rear wheel cylinder bleed nipple is now somewhere between 7mm & 8mm due to being corroded. An 8mm spanner spins merrily round, and while a socket frees it off, that's no good for bleeding....
<snip>
TonyRPH said:
Yes, that is a good last resort, really chews it up though! I think it's probably worth replacing the wheel cylinders if I'm going to be doing the flexis and possibly the brake lines....That is a pre-MOT issue though, for now, the problem isn't making it stop, it's making it go....
Got about 200 yards from the front door before the accelerator cable snapped. No-one in York has one (no great surprise there), but can't get one either - "obsolete part I'm afraid."
I prefer to use the local factors where possible, however a large well known distributor of car parts, possibly for less money than you'd pay elsewhere (allegedly) has one they can deliver to a collection point for Monday. I must have got really lucky, as they just happened to have a sale on too. Who would have thought.
Still, £20 isn't bad. The next challenge is to pick it up in my infected state....
Bobberoo said:
Oh no, not the dreaded Covid???
Unfortunately so. My 2 year clean streak is at an end! I shall see what the tests say on Monday and if I’m still positive, ask someone who isn’t to grab it for me (as it’s fortunately only collection).Still, this self isolation malarkey means I’m getting the NC30 ready for sale, which I’d been putting off for months!
First part achieved, I have the cable. It was not straightforward....
I took the only bike that was legal to collect it, and the battery gave out when I got there. Still, having broken doorn outside ECP, they did at least have a battery on the shelf, so I was able to eventually get going again (for a price....). This was after the bump start and jump pack had shown beyond a doubt that the existing battery was shot....
So, I have the replacement... and it's not great to be honest. I suppose this is what you get from an aftermarket kit when off the shelf replacements aren't available.
I'll try and build the cable kit tomorrow and install it, here's hoping it's correct....
I took the only bike that was legal to collect it, and the battery gave out when I got there. Still, having broken doorn outside ECP, they did at least have a battery on the shelf, so I was able to eventually get going again (for a price....). This was after the bump start and jump pack had shown beyond a doubt that the existing battery was shot....
So, I have the replacement... and it's not great to be honest. I suppose this is what you get from an aftermarket kit when off the shelf replacements aren't available.
I'll try and build the cable kit tomorrow and install it, here's hoping it's correct....
The book of lies is pretty good in the guidance, although it's not a complicated process....thr best thing you can do with the aftermarket kit though (in hindsight) is ignore a lot of it, especially the very detailed instructions about the length of cable and sheath you'll need...
As I couldn't make sense of the instructions, I deconstructed the existing arrangement, left most of it in situ, and ended up only using the new cable, screw in place cable end, and outer sheathing.
This is a decision I wish I'd made a lot sooner rather than trying to work out how to build a replica then install it....especially when the stated length of cable required was wrong.
I was left with a lot of spare so ended up cutting it to length in situ:
Again, with the wonders of hindsight, the only thing you really need is some thick gauge stainless wire, the connection with the pedal and a screw on cable end, but I was desperate to get it sorted as the other half has a horse in her life again, which requires transport to be available!
A quick test drive reveals all to be well, and probably merely down to having fixed A THING, it feels a lot peppeier on the throttle. It could have been my finely honed reflexes detecting the slight alterations in cable tension as the final strands stretched.... but its more likely my imagination!
As I couldn't make sense of the instructions, I deconstructed the existing arrangement, left most of it in situ, and ended up only using the new cable, screw in place cable end, and outer sheathing.
This is a decision I wish I'd made a lot sooner rather than trying to work out how to build a replica then install it....especially when the stated length of cable required was wrong.
I was left with a lot of spare so ended up cutting it to length in situ:
Again, with the wonders of hindsight, the only thing you really need is some thick gauge stainless wire, the connection with the pedal and a screw on cable end, but I was desperate to get it sorted as the other half has a horse in her life again, which requires transport to be available!
A quick test drive reveals all to be well, and probably merely down to having fixed A THING, it feels a lot peppeier on the throttle. It could have been my finely honed reflexes detecting the slight alterations in cable tension as the final strands stretched.... but its more likely my imagination!
Good news for the AX, another year's ticket (and the slightly deteriorated rear hoses weren't an advisory this time strangely).
Having only had new tyres last September, I suspect that the front suspension play has led to the OSF wearing unevenly (there's plenty of tread on the outside of the tyre). Combine that with a soft compound, and this is the result.
I was going to rotate the tyres front to back anyway, so that is on the cards... along with fixing the front suspension and then getting it tracked.
I've ordered the new lower arms from the local factor's so that's hopefully a job for a couple of weeks time. For anyone interested, a well known large supplier sell them, made by someone I've never heard of at a price that's too good to be true. I've opted to spend more so I'm not doing it again in 6 months time....
I'll do an oil change and general check over at the same time as we're off to Le Mans in it next month!
darkyoung1000 said:
Good news for the AX, another year's ticket (and the slightly deteriorated rear hoses weren't an advisory this time strangely).
Having only had new tyres last September, I suspect that the front suspension play has led to the OSF wearing unevenly (there's plenty of tread on the outside of the tyre). Combine that with a soft compound, and this is the result.
I was going to rotate the tyres front to back anyway, so that is on the cards... along with fixing the front suspension and then getting it tracked.
I've ordered the new lower arms from the local factor's so that's hopefully a job for a couple of weeks time. For anyone interested, a well known large supplier sell them, made by someone I've never heard of at a price that's too good to be true. I've opted to spend more so I'm not doing it again in 6 months time....
I'll do an oil change and general check over at the same time as we're off to Le Mans in it next month!
You're off to Le Mans in it?!?!?
Bobberoo said:
WHOA!!! What?!?!?! Did I just read that right????
You're off to Le Mans in it?!?!?
Oh yes, had the tickets since 2020 and the time is finally here!You're off to Le Mans in it?!?!?
With the Corrado still in the paint shop, it was this or the in-laws camper.... That was tempting but would use twice as much fuel on the way....
@Cambs_Stuart, the spares availability was also a consideration (although the camper is a Vauxhall Arena aka a Renault Tragic, so we would probably have been ok there too!
) The fuel gauge had become somewhat.... erratic of late. Insert your own French electrics joke here. It would read full, then empty, then somewhere in between, but was definitely not to be trusted.
This was OK as we know roughly how much we get from a tank, and the Internet confidently informed me that the low fuel light would continue to work, even if the gauge was erratic.
The Internet, as with so many things was wrong. This led to an exchange of messages with my OH about who had last fueled it, and had they reset the trip. There then followed some real world testing on exactly how fuel efficient the AX is.....
She made it to the petrol station 15 miles away as it was beginning to sound distinctly unhappy and fluffy on the throttle. A 43 litre tank will take your 448 miles in normal (enthusiastic) driving, and while knowing that is handy, I think I'll investigate and try and fix the gauge, not least because the trip reset is also playing up a bit.
This was OK as we know roughly how much we get from a tank, and the Internet confidently informed me that the low fuel light would continue to work, even if the gauge was erratic.
The Internet, as with so many things was wrong. This led to an exchange of messages with my OH about who had last fueled it, and had they reset the trip. There then followed some real world testing on exactly how fuel efficient the AX is.....
She made it to the petrol station 15 miles away as it was beginning to sound distinctly unhappy and fluffy on the throttle. A 43 litre tank will take your 448 miles in normal (enthusiastic) driving, and while knowing that is handy, I think I'll investigate and try and fix the gauge, not least because the trip reset is also playing up a bit.
I have often wondered 'which gauge is the most worrying to lose?'. I always settled on the temperature one, as everythign can be filled in a bit with checks and observations, but once driving the temp gauge you don't really have a clue unless fans kick in or steam starts rising!
Best to check all those wires and see what's going on behind the dash. If erratic it could be a loose wire, groudn or perhaps the float int he tank sticking. It may clear out with a full tank and some enthusiastic driving.
I find the Alfa 164 has a perfect, smooth fuel needle above 1/2, then below half its all over the place. I think the float gets stuck. The Saab - well, I was also informed the fuel light is separate to the needle, but other than the moment we bought the car I have yet to see it illuminate. My wife keeps the car above 1/2 at all times.
PS. You mean... the internet was wrong?
Best to check all those wires and see what's going on behind the dash. If erratic it could be a loose wire, groudn or perhaps the float int he tank sticking. It may clear out with a full tank and some enthusiastic driving.
I find the Alfa 164 has a perfect, smooth fuel needle above 1/2, then below half its all over the place. I think the float gets stuck. The Saab - well, I was also informed the fuel light is separate to the needle, but other than the moment we bought the car I have yet to see it illuminate. My wife keeps the car above 1/2 at all times.
PS. You mean... the internet was wrong?
A couple of things to do before heading to Le Mans next week, some important, some less so....Still, a good place to start is with the MOT advisories on the front suspension and tyre wear and an oil change.
For the oil change, I thought I'd stick with the 5w40 fully synthetic, some left over from last time, and some acquired from Freecycle. I actually had enough to take the stuff I bought back and save it for next time! Nice and simple to do as well.
As to the MOT items, it's likely that the suspension wear was causing the tyre wear (especially as I had the tracking done when the tyres were changed). The plan was therefore to change the bottom arms and then swap the tyres front to back, as the rear ones had a lot more life left in them (must be the power of that 4 branch....) I'd already tried a quick swap but the centre caps at the back put up quite the fight so it was going to need more time and percussive implements.
Still, got started on the 'easy' job first with a brand I'd heard of....
Not a particularly complicated job with the right tools, it's all they're in front of you, and requires only 4 nuts and some of the right tools. Haynes say suitable metal bar, what they actually mean is the tuning fork and a big hammer....
It would also be helpful if they was a line in the step by step guide that indicated just how easily the drive shaft will pop out of the gearbox... Still here was are and what DIY job wouldn't be complete without an emergency trip to Halfords?
Aside from that however, two nuts in the footwell under the carpet on each side, and out it comes....
Old and New (got the correct one, phew....)
You can see both the original bushes were perished :
After that, well its the reverse of removal of course.... Yes, just that. So easy, so very, very easy to manipulate the much stiffer not perished bushes on the new suspension, and the not worn ball joints into exactly the correct position using that third arm I had managed to grow along with my name change to Zaphod....
I ended up using the jack to support the section under the ball joint and bear hugging the suspension arrangement to push the drive shaft towards the gearbox and perfectly align the ball joint arrangement and the groove in it that has to line up perfectly....
Apart from that, perfectly simple. A lot of Waxoyl applied to the finished job as in the passenger side, the suspension a connection in the footwell is directly under where the water is still getting in...
Interestingly, the new suspension arms and the underside of the car both have the fittings for an ARB. That might be nice if I can find one....
Managed to get the wheels swapped over on both sides although the centre caps on the rear put up a massive fight as they were both painted and rusted in.... I broke a wooden mallet and suffered some large soft tissue damage in the process.
However, with the gearbox oil topped up, the shakedown run revealed that the handling felt better than it had done in the previous months and that we could move onto the less crucial aspects of the fettling (separate post to follow)
For the oil change, I thought I'd stick with the 5w40 fully synthetic, some left over from last time, and some acquired from Freecycle. I actually had enough to take the stuff I bought back and save it for next time! Nice and simple to do as well.
As to the MOT items, it's likely that the suspension wear was causing the tyre wear (especially as I had the tracking done when the tyres were changed). The plan was therefore to change the bottom arms and then swap the tyres front to back, as the rear ones had a lot more life left in them (must be the power of that 4 branch....) I'd already tried a quick swap but the centre caps at the back put up quite the fight so it was going to need more time and percussive implements.
Still, got started on the 'easy' job first with a brand I'd heard of....
Not a particularly complicated job with the right tools, it's all they're in front of you, and requires only 4 nuts and some of the right tools. Haynes say suitable metal bar, what they actually mean is the tuning fork and a big hammer....
It would also be helpful if they was a line in the step by step guide that indicated just how easily the drive shaft will pop out of the gearbox... Still here was are and what DIY job wouldn't be complete without an emergency trip to Halfords?
Aside from that however, two nuts in the footwell under the carpet on each side, and out it comes....
Old and New (got the correct one, phew....)
You can see both the original bushes were perished :
After that, well its the reverse of removal of course.... Yes, just that. So easy, so very, very easy to manipulate the much stiffer not perished bushes on the new suspension, and the not worn ball joints into exactly the correct position using that third arm I had managed to grow along with my name change to Zaphod....
I ended up using the jack to support the section under the ball joint and bear hugging the suspension arrangement to push the drive shaft towards the gearbox and perfectly align the ball joint arrangement and the groove in it that has to line up perfectly....
Apart from that, perfectly simple. A lot of Waxoyl applied to the finished job as in the passenger side, the suspension a connection in the footwell is directly under where the water is still getting in...
Interestingly, the new suspension arms and the underside of the car both have the fittings for an ARB. That might be nice if I can find one....
Managed to get the wheels swapped over on both sides although the centre caps on the rear put up a massive fight as they were both painted and rusted in.... I broke a wooden mallet and suffered some large soft tissue damage in the process.
However, with the gearbox oil topped up, the shakedown run revealed that the handling felt better than it had done in the previous months and that we could move onto the less crucial aspects of the fettling (separate post to follow)
Thanks both, @Cambs_Stuart, the rear beam seems OK for now (that's it, I expect it to fall apart soon.... )
Other shenanigans this weekend were around the cosmetics. That bonnet.... the time had finally come! If found the colour match, ordered the kit including undercoat and was going to make the most of the weather. There were also the rust bubbles that needed seeing to on the doors, and nothing unforeseen ever comes from poking a rust bubble right.... (I was thinking of Spinakerr's post when I started).
Got the bonnet taped up ready for the quick and dirty rattle can respray:
There was some sanding to get the existing lacquer off and key in the existing paint:
Then the primer went on....
All of it. And I could still see blue. Blast.
At this point, kicking myself for underestimating the amount I needed, I decided to stop, leaving the bonnet a beautiful white primer in contrast to the rest of the car. That's a job for after Le Mans when the extra paint, primer and lacquer has arrived.
Then went hunting around the car for all those rust scabs I'd been meaning to tackle...
The ones on the outside of the doors weren't that bad, the worst bits were where the door seals clamp on, and over time trap moisture against the top of the sills....
Ah. No access to a welder that day, so continuing the quick and dirty theme, this will have to suffice for now.
It's not pretty, but it's better than fresh air, and as all rusty bits that I've found (apart from the front wing, that will need more work....) have been treated with K-rust and Hammerited, I'll come back to those too after Le Mans.
The main thing is to stop the rust spreading on the structural parts which for now at least is complete!
)Other shenanigans this weekend were around the cosmetics. That bonnet.... the time had finally come! If found the colour match, ordered the kit including undercoat and was going to make the most of the weather. There were also the rust bubbles that needed seeing to on the doors, and nothing unforeseen ever comes from poking a rust bubble right.... (I was thinking of Spinakerr's post when I started).
Got the bonnet taped up ready for the quick and dirty rattle can respray:
There was some sanding to get the existing lacquer off and key in the existing paint:
Then the primer went on....
All of it. And I could still see blue. Blast.
At this point, kicking myself for underestimating the amount I needed, I decided to stop, leaving the bonnet a beautiful white primer in contrast to the rest of the car. That's a job for after Le Mans when the extra paint, primer and lacquer has arrived.
Then went hunting around the car for all those rust scabs I'd been meaning to tackle...
The ones on the outside of the doors weren't that bad, the worst bits were where the door seals clamp on, and over time trap moisture against the top of the sills....
Ah. No access to a welder that day, so continuing the quick and dirty theme, this will have to suffice for now.
It's not pretty, but it's better than fresh air, and as all rusty bits that I've found (apart from the front wing, that will need more work....) have been treated with K-rust and Hammerited, I'll come back to those too after Le Mans.
The main thing is to stop the rust spreading on the structural parts which for now at least is complete!
TonyRPH said:
Be aware that some (if not most?) primers are porous - so any moisture will likely get under that primer, and any bare metal will obviously rust.
Thank you, that is good advice. Thankfully, rubbing the bonnet back didn't expose any metal, so the primer is on top of some existing top coat. I'm planning on finishing the job when we get back (assuming that is we have a trouble free run).I meant to add in the updates that after fitting the new suspension arms, I could suddenly hear a suspicious knocking noise that was in no way related to braking, acceleration or cornering. Much panic until jumping up and down on the sills revealed it was coming from the fuel tank....
Perhaps the fuel gauge issue isn't solely an electrical one, but again, something to investigate later (and when the tank is nearly empty).
After fitting new suspension to my clio there was a knocking noise fromnthe back. I checked and re-checked all the bolts, made sure the exhaust wasn't catching, checked the brakes, rear bushes and all the interior trim. Turns out I'd left a roller in the spare wheel well after applying some sound insulation.
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