Project Moogs Motahs - sinking the seat

[The Moog]

After the trackday yesterday I took opportunity to finally change the pads.

 

The pit crew looked at them at lunchtime but we decided that they would last to the end of the day. They did although brake feel at the end was rubbish with a huge amount of travel.

 

You can see how much the fluid dropped over the course of the day

 

 

Up in the air (there are axle stands under it)

 

Ohhh crispy

 

Discs still have life in them with no real wear.

 

You can see how low the pads have got

 

I declare them dead

 

They are fiddly to put back together as they have these annoying shims that hold the pads in which cause me to swear a fair amount.

 

Pushing back the piston I think I have found the issue with the brake feel. Luckily I can get a pair of front calipers from eBay for £100 brand new so not worth repairing them.

 

[The Moog]

This is the new car on the fleet - a deal was done involving the roffle Volvo.

 

It has just had the headgasket done by the local car wizard.

 

 

Could be a 90s garage

 

I was a serial c900 licker and loved my T16s's.

 

 

This is a totally different beast with the 8v engine mated to a slushbox.

 

Some nice touches

 

It has its challenges

 

Some rusty bits

 

Both windows don't close properly

 

Sagginess

 

Comes with indoor swimming pool

 

We think the moistness is from the sunroof not sealing properly.

 

The safety dog was sulking about lack of rover but made do with 406.

[The Moog]

Titan wet n dry out to get the car emptied.

 

Just as I finished it started raining - I must have angered the wet god's by disturbing their sacred pool

 

Then onto the Peugeot. Got an issue with one washer working - they have already been changed but keep blocking. It's an odd method as the jets are tucked under the bonnet edge

 

But the fluid goes through the rubber bonnet seal

 

I am wondering if it is breaking down a bit and blocking the jets.

 

Root through the hose box found some fuel hose

 

I have run it through at the moment but I need to find a better solution I think.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Sorry - had to laugh at the pissing down just after getting shot of the first pool...... just my type of timing. You had me sold on the 900i until you mentioned slush box. 

What've you fixed* the windows and suspected sunroof leak with? 

[The Moog]

So plan with Saab is to stick it in for a MOT to see what it needs and go from there.

 

Not sure it is a keeper but just sitting in driver's seat brought back so many memories. But I might kick myself that it isnt a manual, isn't a turbo and is only 8v.

 

On other hand it owes me pretty much nothing, still is a good looking car and I bet it drives nicely.

[The Moog]

Sorry - had to laugh at the pissing down just after getting shot of the first pool...... just my type of timing. You had me sold on the 900i until you mentioned slush box.

What've you fixed* the windows and suspected sunroof leak with?

I have stuck a plastic bag over the sunroof and ignored the gap in the windows. So pretty much fixed then!

[Guest Slongchod]

Sunroofs aren't usually sealed. They have drains down the A and C posts on most cars.

 

The drains block or rust away.

 

Clear them by poking strimmer cord down them.

[Shirley Knott]

Those footwells look much like the one's on my 940 did when I got it, I had an utterly miserable experience trying to dry it out and will 100% never buy a car with a sunroof again.

 

Otherwise the Saab looks nice though. 

[Broadsword]

Damn, if only it were a manual. What is it with so many of the remaining 900s in the UK being autos? Still love it though.

[Zelandeth]

Hello old friend!

 

Most likely water ingress issues will be blocked drains from the sunroof or the heater intake. Unlikely to be the windows as there's enough of an overhang that even when raining it doesn't tend to let too much rain in.

 

Would be curious to know if there are any photos going around from when the head gasket was done given that it let go with quite some style!

 

She's one of the best driving classic 900s I've ever driven that car is. Still question whether I made the right call selling it. While the auto gets a lot of stick, the one in that car suits it well I think and is well matched to the engine (far more so than the 16v version).

 

The Extra button by the way is an override to turn the cooling fan on, as (as with every C900 I've driven) the gauge gets higher than I like before the fan kicks in. The reason for the spaghetti is that it's in addition to the normal thermoswitch, so it will still work as normal if you don't manually turn it on.

[hairnet]

gaffa tape for sunroof obv

 

the doors - dont think ive ever seen a 900 that didnt do that unless it was a kgf stylee for a millon quid

[NorthernMonkey]

I didn’t remember to take any pictures of the old head gasket but rest assured it had let go pretty spectacularly in several places!

 

Thankfully there was no sign of any collateral damage...once back together, it bled up fine and the temperature gauge now sits resolutely just between a third and half way up the gauge with the fan cutting in and out just as it should.

 

The flooding is almost certainly down to blocked drains with the vegetation from your tree along with slightly crusty seals which need a good clean up.

 

It does handle remarkably well though. Not the fastest thing on four wheels but it really doesn’t feel any the worse for it.

[The Moog]

Next on the list was the sunroof drains. 

 

There are repair pieces available for the door bottoms, so may be tempted to try to fix them (I probably wont and be too scared) 

 

Njgleeds was a bit gutted at handing it over, he drove it over to mine and quite liked the way it went. 

 

I was preparing to not like it as it was meeting my hero again, when secretly I have been thinking about whether I should get another turbo as well! 

[Zelandeth]

She can keep up with a well sorted MX-5 on a twisty roads, that I can vouch for - handles far better than a car that size and weight has any right to. It's not that quick initially off the mark, but is surprisingly punchy midrange I think. Sounds lovely too.

 

Only thing I ever wished for was an overdrive/lockup function as she's a bit vocal on the motorway - though the audible *whhaaaaa* from the exhaust comes in very audibly at exactly an indicated 75mph...so useful as an indicator if she starts to creep upwards - which she does like to.

 

Glad my prompt action (or at least I'd like to think so!) saved there being any other damage from when the HG went. Did everything I could to try to dry things out once I'd removed the coolant etc. Engine was run for a total of less than a couple of minutes after it dropped a cylinder, never overheated and never mixed oil/water until after it was parked up after the aforementioned event - after which it dumped the entire contents of the cooling system into the sump! Hence the three or four oil changes that followed to try to remove the gunk! Thankfully I was careful enough to have checked, so it was never run like that.

 

Can report that she's had a diet of oil changes ever six months and only Shell V-Power petrol for the most part since 2012. I'm bloody awful at documenting service history, especially last few years because of the house move(s).

 

Sunroof has never leaked in the time I've had it - so yep, blockages courtesy of that bloody tree would be favourite.

 

One thing I'd always wanted to do was drive her back over to Oakley Garage where she was originally bought from and snap a photo. Was sad that the head gasket failing when it did put an end to that plan.

 

She's been a good old car to me and is still very much missed.

 

If it weren't for space issues I'd totally say the classic "I'll buy it back should you come to sell it!" but I know I've nowhere to put it... that's why I sold it!

 

 

She should scrub up well though... here's a photo from a few years ago.

 

[The Moog]

Did a run to Leicester and back today to see my mate who is currently having chemo. Pug performed faultlessly and the wonderful world of eBay meant hose and washer jets ordered yesterday arrived today.

 

New pipe in

 

Seamless install

 

Unblocked jets

 

And squirty squirty!

 

On flipside I think the brakes need looking at as it vibrates a bit on full braking. Will add that to list.

[hairnet]

Mx5 eng in rover obv

[The Moog]

Pump

 

 

Poke

 

 

Suck

 

 

Hmmm

 

[Guest Hooli]

That last pic looks like some awful 80s yank abortion.

[hairnet]

Pump

 

 

Poke

 

 

Suck

 

 

Hmmm

 

Saab quicker

[The Moog]

Saab quicker

Quicker than a hairnet spin?

 

 

Might have taken the Saab for a spin on some private roads. Drives well enough but just leaves me missing a turbo and manual box.

 

Going to MOT it this week then will put it up for sale.

[dome]

Quicker than a hairnet spin?

 

 

Might have taken the Saab for a spin on some private roads. Drives well enough but just leaves me missing a turbo and manual box.

 

Going to MOT it this week then will put it up for roffle

FTFY

[The Moog]

FTFY

Will probably be too expensive for a toggle as anything in double figures struggles.

[hairnet]

I didn't murder any cones

[The Moog]

Today

 

 

First panic was boot wouldn't open. Fixed by testing the horn (flipping Saab trolls) - that made all the central locking work and then the rev counter started up.

 

Now in for the test

 

Place your bets now

 

 

[gadgetgricey]

Come on man - Any news......

Still miss mine

[The Moog]

Come on man - Any news......

Still miss mine

.

[Broadsword]

Could be worse. How long has it been off the road?

[The Moog]

Just over a year.

 

Shouldn't be too bad to fix and got 10 working days for a free partial restest.

 

He did say the front jacking point has a hole but as outside prescribed areas is an advisory. Also rear shock turrets need cleaning up and preventative steps taken before rust through.

 

Tester found it quite funny, was going to get the apprentice to plug in the diagnostic computer to pull the codes

[DodgyBastard]

That saab looks great, I do regret selling my last 900 so might be interested in this one if it comes up for sale.

Did I read somewhere that you're after a rover T-series?

[The Moog]

That saab looks great, I do regret selling my last 900 so might be interested in this one if it comes up for sale.

Did I read somewhere that you're after a rover T-series?

M series ideally but a t series at a push.