Annoying door locking issue + other probs
Discussion
Car has come out of hibernation and needs a bit of work:
Door locking mechanism:
Started last year, currently suspect that there is a short to earth somewhere. Doors won't remain locked and the hitting of any kind of bump in the road causes the mechanism to click. This can be heard coming from behind the passenger seat. Reversing or lifting the rear LHD wheel will lead to the mechanism buzzing 50 to the dozen.
Stereo:
Works for 5 mins then fades and crackles as if reception has gone, but get same effect on cassettes as well. Using any electrics like lights or windows will cause stereo to go very quiet.
It is an old sterio but before I spend money putting a new one in was wondering if it may actually be a power feed problem in the car.
Excessive fumes in car:
Fumes now induce vomitting on short town journeys. Never been this bad. Have replaced manifold gaskets every other year for ages but this time there is no excessive leak so fumes are just pouring in somehow. Wondered if there could be an air pipe lose etc.. Vents are closed in car but fumes still come in.
Thanks in advance if anyone has any experience on these things.
Plus, thinking of having someone tinker with the engine and apply any modern mods to make engine run smoother etc. Based in North London. Any ideas?
Door locking mechanism:
Started last year, currently suspect that there is a short to earth somewhere. Doors won't remain locked and the hitting of any kind of bump in the road causes the mechanism to click. This can be heard coming from behind the passenger seat. Reversing or lifting the rear LHD wheel will lead to the mechanism buzzing 50 to the dozen.
Stereo:
Works for 5 mins then fades and crackles as if reception has gone, but get same effect on cassettes as well. Using any electrics like lights or windows will cause stereo to go very quiet.
It is an old sterio but before I spend money putting a new one in was wondering if it may actually be a power feed problem in the car.
Excessive fumes in car:
Fumes now induce vomitting on short town journeys. Never been this bad. Have replaced manifold gaskets every other year for ages but this time there is no excessive leak so fumes are just pouring in somehow. Wondered if there could be an air pipe lose etc.. Vents are closed in car but fumes still come in.
Thanks in advance if anyone has any experience on these things.
Plus, thinking of having someone tinker with the engine and apply any modern mods to make engine run smoother etc. Based in North London. Any ideas?
You've probably already tried this, but the door thing could be down to the interior light switches in the door shuts not completely switching off every time the door's closed - stick a bit of card to the door where the switch hits it, to give the switch more 'travel', then see if the fault reappears.
It's the 27th of May and you finally drag a car that really wants to be driven out of what you describe as 'hibernation'!! 
In that respect, what would you determine as a nap? Two months?
Geez, no wonder there's niggles with it.
(expecting flames- especially as I'm a bandit with a Chimaera- but felt it had to be said none the less)
Kenny.
In that respect, what would you determine as a nap? Two months?
Geez, no wonder there's niggles with it.
(expecting flames- especially as I'm a bandit with a Chimaera- but felt it had to be said none the less)
Kenny.
Kenny, A fair point well made. 
I only tax the car for 6 months and by putting it on the road at the beginning of May it gives me 'till October to drive the thing. Since buying it 10 yrs ago summers have got progressively later and some of the best driving is now September/October.
It has been sitting taxed and MOT'd since start of May but last weekend was the first time I'd been around to drive it and all these little problems had gotten worse from last year.
Andy. Thanks, will have a look. However, it is definately the central locking mechanism which is clicking all the time.
I only tax the car for 6 months and by putting it on the road at the beginning of May it gives me 'till October to drive the thing. Since buying it 10 yrs ago summers have got progressively later and some of the best driving is now September/October. It has been sitting taxed and MOT'd since start of May but last weekend was the first time I'd been around to drive it and all these little problems had gotten worse from last year.
Andy. Thanks, will have a look. However, it is definately the central locking mechanism which is clicking all the time.
Horse (nice nickname!!!),
With regard to the chattering central locking, Andy is probably correct. I had the same problem:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=9&t=96049
...and it was down to the switch at the bottom of the door. Sit in the drivers seat, open the door and right at the bottom corner of the door (furthest corner from the wing mirror), you'll see a little black rubber sticker (the size of a 5p piece) that butt's up against the corresponding micro-switch on the car body. If it's missing - that’s definitely your problem! Anyway, to solve, just build this up with an appropriate piece of packing so that it guarantees to press the switch when the door is closed, and more importantly will continue to apply pressure when the door flexes after going over a manhole cover at 150mph!!!
w.r.t. the fumes - I’m afraid that's out of my league - but good luck.
>> Edited by Thatch on Friday 28th May 10:27
With regard to the chattering central locking, Andy is probably correct. I had the same problem:
www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=9&t=96049
...and it was down to the switch at the bottom of the door. Sit in the drivers seat, open the door and right at the bottom corner of the door (furthest corner from the wing mirror), you'll see a little black rubber sticker (the size of a 5p piece) that butt's up against the corresponding micro-switch on the car body. If it's missing - that’s definitely your problem! Anyway, to solve, just build this up with an appropriate piece of packing so that it guarantees to press the switch when the door is closed, and more importantly will continue to apply pressure when the door flexes after going over a manhole cover at 150mph!!!
w.r.t. the fumes - I’m afraid that's out of my league - but good luck.
>> Edited by Thatch on Friday 28th May 10:27
Thatch,
Read the thread I seem to have every single one of those symptoms I know that the doors need a bit of TLC and it looks like this is the exact problem. Thanks.
Much appreciated.
Nickname is a nickname I picked up whiel working as a salesman in an american bank. It seemed to stick
Read the thread I seem to have every single one of those symptoms
I know that the doors need a bit of TLC and it looks like this is the exact problem. Thanks. Much appreciated.
Nickname is a nickname I picked up whiel working as a salesman in an american bank. It seemed to stick
Thatch said:
to solve, just build this up with an appropriate piece of packing so that it guarantees to press the switch when the door is closed, and more importantly will continue to apply pressure when the door flexes after going over a manhole cover at 150mph!!!
w.r.t. the fumes - I’m afraid that's out of my league - but good luck.
>> Edited by Thatch on Friday 28th May 10:27
Or stick an appropriately cut to length piece of fuel pipe over the pin on the pin switch (but not so long it stops the switch from pressing in...).
Manifolds seem to blow from the 4-1 welds on either side. Might also be blowing at the Y-piece to centre pipe join, under the LH engine mount.
Thanks Griffter,
Had 500 manifolds fitted the other year as the old 4.3 ones were cracked all over. Will have a butchers around the pipes this weekend and see if there is a blow elsewhere than at the gaskets.
It's definately gone again at the gaskets but it is only making a slight 'putput' noise rather than the usual all out 'Farmer Giles tractor on heat' noise but the fumes are worse than it has ever been, to the point of being undriveable.
Had 500 manifolds fitted the other year as the old 4.3 ones were cracked all over. Will have a butchers around the pipes this weekend and see if there is a blow elsewhere than at the gaskets.
It's definately gone again at the gaskets but it is only making a slight 'putput' noise rather than the usual all out 'Farmer Giles tractor on heat' noise but the fumes are worse than it has ever been, to the point of being undriveable.
Door lock issue fully resolved.
Thanks again for the heads up on the switch. It was worn down on the passenger side but gone on the drivers. Stylish piece of orange plastic and a spot of superglue has done the trick.
Found a blow in the pipes which probably explains the excessive fumes and the stereo works as long as you keep the revs up, which suggests some sort of power issue, most likely to be withing the amp.
Spent the weekend crawling over the car with a set of spanners and an oil can, most of the squeaks have gone.
Replaced the seats with some Cerb ones which I bought a couple of months ago. Lost a bit of head room but the seats just popped in and although wider and deeper they do just fit and are a darn site more comfortable.
Next stop is re-trim, nose blow in and a spot of engine tinkering.
Thanks again for the heads up on the switch. It was worn down on the passenger side but gone on the drivers. Stylish piece of orange plastic and a spot of superglue has done the trick.
Found a blow in the pipes which probably explains the excessive fumes and the stereo works as long as you keep the revs up, which suggests some sort of power issue, most likely to be withing the amp.
Spent the weekend crawling over the car with a set of spanners and an oil can, most of the squeaks have gone.
Replaced the seats with some Cerb ones which I bought a couple of months ago. Lost a bit of head room but the seats just popped in and although wider and deeper they do just fit and are a darn site more comfortable.
Next stop is re-trim, nose blow in and a spot of engine tinkering.
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