Astra Mk1 in glorious poo-brown. SOLD

[TagoraGL]

Dulux New TV Ad - Home Improvement - Son's Bedroom

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oI_f7qMGVH8&feature=player_embedded

[Louise2cv]

Well the part arrived. It appears to be a bent outer column (collaspe-able cage) so I'm guessing it won't be much use in trying to put my bent column right. On the plus side it does have the ignition barrel and key.

 

Am I wasting my time looking for a replacement column?

 

Is it likely that both parts of the column will have been bent?

 

Couple of ebay members with bits so I'm messaging them now. Wish me luck!

[Louise2cv]

On the plus side it does have the ignition barrel and key.

 

Scratch that, the bit that would turn the switch appears to be snapped off. £25 well spent then.

[Louise2cv]

Trying to find a positive in all this, at least I've had a chance to have a go at removing one of those shear head bolts. I was a bit nervous of doing it, but as I think some of you said, once you get it turning (I used a cold chisel) it comes out quite easily. The one I was removing had half its diameter right up against it's housing but once I'd got the bolt spinning I could remove it by grabbing it with my finger nails. Hopefully, if I ever get a steering column, the one on that will be just as easy to remove.

 

Does anyone know if there is a way of finding out what parts from other GM models or versions of the same model are transferrable? I guess a steering column would be pretty model specific but what about the ignition barrel or switch?

[M'coli]

I'd imagine that the mk2 Astra column would be fairly similar, but I don't know for sure. The ignition switch and the like are compatible with many Vauxhall models, and as Pete-M has mentioned, they are easy enough to remove once you know how (Haynes book of lies for my Cav said it needed to be on position 2, cue much swearing when it didn't come out - position 1 was what mine needed).

[Louise2cv]

Yeah I think it was position 1 on mine, although Haynes did say 1 it still took about half an hour and two people to get the damn thing out! Maybe I'm just a bit special!!

[Louise2cv]

Also I'm whinging and I am a bit annoyed/disappointed the part I got won't be usable, but secretly I'm happy because I do like tinkering. Getting the barrel out and housing apart has been strangely statisfying even though I don't know where to go next!!

 

Its just unfortunate that my tinkering always end up a bit of a ham-fisted mess

[Pete-M]

Took me about 1/2 hour to get the one out of the Senator.

 

Unfortunately, I left it in the boot when Andy bought the car, so I no longer have a barrel for you.

 

If it'll help, I'll ask at the place I got my lock set from, they may just possibly have a lock set to fit yours.

[Louise2cv]

Thanks Pete. I've had a quick look on ebay but they don't look the same as mine, maybe I'm being dense!

[Pillock]

I had to swap the column on a cretin-damaged Mk2 GTE and it was a right royal pain in the derriere.

Shear-head bolts needed angle-grinding off, no amount of teasing them around would work. It was one of those jobs where I used to wake up, remember what I had to try and finish that day and just pull the duvet back over my head.

 

Oh, and back then (erm, 2008ish?) I got a lock set over the counter from a Vauxhall dealer. It was even in stock - ignition, two doors, boot and glovebox. Dirt cheap too, about £28 quid or summat.

[Timewaster]

It is worth knowing that all GM parts of that era have the part number on them somewhere. This can help no end with 2nd hand parts or googling.

Look for an 8 digit number starting in 90******

 

I'm pretty sure the ignition switch is pretty common to all Vauxhalls of that age but was available with either 4 or 5 terminals. (And as a security feature they were a joke, and snap off the barrel if you look at them).

 

Keep the faith

[dollywobbler]

Have you tried Vauxhall Green Parts? Chap called Kevin (IIRC) runs it and holds lots and lots of old Vauxhall stock. http://www.vauxhallgreenparts.co.uk/

[Albert Ross]

Caution though, casting numbers ALSO have the same 90 start, but it is only a casting number. The part number may differ from that! What you need is a 2 letter code known as the "Ident" which Vauxhall tend to supply as a sticker. (Mostly yellow on trim parts, hidden from view) White on wiring, folded like a bread bag sticker. I will have a banter with a friendly parts bloke at work tomorrow if I get a chance!

[Louise2cv]

Cheers Guys. I have found a number on the ig barrel but it seems to have a K-number following the 90* one and google brings up only K1 parts where as mine says K3. The K1 look similar except they don't have a bit on the bottom that goes through the housing to the bit where the steering lock gubbins is. Unless I'm missing the point. Which is highly likely.

[cms206]

Took me about 1/2 hour to get the one out of the Senator.

 

Unfortunately, I left it in the boot when Andy bought the car, so I no longer have a barrel for you.

 

If it'll help, I'll ask at the place I got my lock set from, they may just possibly have a lock set to fit yours.

 

 

I still have said barrel if you wanna get in touch I'll post it somewhere.

[Louise2cv]

I might just do that thanks, what do you want for it?

 

On to problem No.416:

 

The car wouldn't start the other night, the battery is totally flat, but trying to jump start it, it wouldn't idle.

 

I got it going (with a jump start) with the accelerator pedal to the floor and when I first got in the car there was a strong petrol-y smell. I think (in my clueless girly way) that that might point at a carb problem? Is something stuck open, thus flooding it?

 

It would run on high revvs but as soon as I backed off it would cut out.

 

Any ideas?

[scaryoldcortina]

It does sound like the carb is flooding. Probably debris in the needle valve on the float chamber. To check, take the air filter off and look for leaks around the top of the carb (it will probably be wet and very fuelly smelling if there is a problem)

 

Also, this arrived today, and I thought straight away of you!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

AP NEWS LATEST

 

A man in a debadged Vauxhall Astra broke down in the fast lane of the M1, causing disruption to today's Andrew Page Parade. There were no injuries but severe damage was done to perspective, allowing passing vehicles to appear poorly photoshopped onto the road.

 

"The guy just stopped in the fast lane" said the driver of a Citroen Floatervan, which was stuck hovering a couple of inches off the ground behind the Astra. "Then he opened the bonnet, and started bellowing so hard, steam shot out of his mouth, making the road all misty".

 

Unaffected was the world famous Depot float - an articulated lorry with a small replica of the Andrew Page depot perched precariously on the roof. It, along with 4,000 other Page vehicles, were able to reach the home for sad children to distribute goodybags of alternators and EGR valves. "God damn it, every bloody day more alternators" said one of the sad children.

 

The Astra driver was unavailable for comment.

[myglaren]

Andrew Page - unmatched in supplying the wrong parts that you were going to fit on Sunday

[Louise2cv]

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaanyway

 

I've got the old snotter home. It goes a little something like this:

 

To start it no choke and foot to floor, then as soon as it catches choke right out and then leave it out and it might not stall before you get home

 

Does it just need a good service ( ) and timing doing or is it something more sinister?

 

The flat battery was because someone had left the ignition on for 10 hrs Would this add to the causes of the issues?

[MrDuke]

To start it no choke and foot to floor, then as soon as it catches choke right out and then leave it out and it might not stall before you get home

 

Sounds like an idle-control valve issue? Assuming it has one? I doubt the battery would have anything to do with that, unless yours has a prototype ECU 10 years early or something...

[Louise2cv]

Ta, I shall consult my Hanyes manual.

 

As for the battery thing, I was just wondering if it had fried the coil or burnt something, but I'm guessing it wouldn't run at all then, would it??

[scaryoldcortina]

All this foot to the floor to start and choke malarky sounds like carburettor not ignition! You are right to assume that if the coil was burnt out it wouldn't go at all though.

[MrDuke]

I think you'd only have burnt out the coil if the heater/fan was left on, dash lights shouldn't have done anything... in fact, if your headlights and radio were off, I wouldn't expect the battery to be flat anyway?

[Louise2cv]

Well this is why I didn't believe Matt when he told me the battery was dead. It did run flat due to a radio being left on last week and was prob left on the car while it was off the road last year. It doesn't look like a new battery was put on for us to buy the car so who know how old it is.

 

We got a new battery, hopefully that won't run flat and rules out the electrical nonsense.

 

As for the running problem I thought fuel, but remember running the 2cv by playing with the choke and heel toeing the brake and accelerater at junctions and that was a timing issue IIRC.

 

I imagine it wouldn't hurt at all to service it as a starting point, it's just finding the time and enthusiasm.

[dollywobbler]

Timing too retarded might make it struggle to idle, as you say, but it'd be odd for it to suddenly slip out. A fuel mixture that's too weak might do it too, which is why checking the carb seems a sensible step.

 

A service is certainly a good idea, as that'll rule out all the basics - ie points gap closing up or something. Rachel's Mini becomes a pig to start when the gap closes up. Which it does. A lot.

[scaryoldcortina]

Dolly, did you remember to oil the little wick that lubricates the points cam? If it's dry the plastic follower on the points wears out and the gap closes up.....

 

Louise, take the spark plugs out and have a look at them. Black = rich (floody carb) White = lean (blocked carb) tan = correct mixture. There will be a page in the haynes that shows pics of these.

[dollywobbler]

Yes SOC. We do remember. Doesn't seem to make a difference. The first time Rachel fitted a set of points to the Mini, she threw that away thinking it was just packing material... (I didn't know any better either to be fair!)

[Cavcraft]

It'll be fuel related but bang some new plugs into it too as the current ones sound like they're fouled up, this'll be down to the fuel problems as it'll be flooding the car hence the problems. Personally I'd try and find a second hand carb and lob that on, shouldn't cost much and if nothing else you'll have a spare you can rebuild.

 

The battery could well go flat if ignition left on for ten hours, especially if (battery) unknown age and condition. Also take the parcelf shelf out and check the car in the dead of night as I seem to recall these suffered from the same sticking (interior) boot light as Cavaliers and these will flatten the battery in no time.

[Louise2cv]

Oooooooo spark plugs! I knew there was something left to buy!