Astra Mk1 in glorious poo-brown. SOLD

[Cavcraft]

Well... this is what's confusing me, it's supposed to be a 1.2 but your guess is as good as mine! All the lit says the 1.2 uses the Delco Remy unit. Having said that the parts I have so far (rotor arm, points, condenser have all been bought having asked for stuff to fit the bosch unit and they have gone on a treat).

 

No idea where the engine number is but it is def OHV which was only on the 1.2 I think???

 

One way to find out (if you haven't got the V5 to hand) is to go onto eBay as if you're selling a car. Take the option with the most, err, options and you'll find a bit where you enter the reg. no. and it'll display all the details inc. engine size etc.

They did make a Nova 1.2 by the way which (I assume) would have used the same engine, so there's the chance of finding engine parts from one of those I expect if you're stuck.

 

*Edit: According to this (as you said) the 1.2 was OHV, the others were not...

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vauxhall_A ... tra_Mark_1

[Louise2cv]

That would work unless someone had changed the engine without updating the V5. I don't think anyone has though.

 

I've found a new dizzy on the bay of e, but at £70 I don't think I'll get it past the accounts dept. just yet.

 

Also found a few part numbers and poss lists of what other cars it was used on, so I can research those later.

[Louise2cv]

Just put the strobe back on it and the timing's gone to cock. For why? Just a case of me not doing something up enough?

 

Just replaced the dizzy cap, but that shouldn't have changed owt, should it?

[M'coli]

Gone to cock how - advanced or retarded? Just thinking out loud here, but could the self-tapper be long enough to just bear upon something underneath that prevents the vacuum advance from moving freely? It's just a thought, and easy to check by pulling the vacuum pipe off the dizzy when the engine's running.

[John F]

Just put the strobe back on it and the timing's gone to cock. For why? Just a case of me not doing something up enough?

 

Just replaced the dizzy cap, but that shouldn't have changed owt, should it?

 

You sure you tightened up the bolt that holds the dizzy in position after setting the timing?

[MonsterMaster]

Cack brown! a winner everytime..

[Louise2cv]

"Gone to cock" as in "I'm a dick". The dial for RPM on the strobe had been knocked round from the timing setting. I discovered this after checking the points gap and static timing again. What a berk.

 

Anyway it still won't run, with the temp gauge well up it still needs the choke and even then its lumpy. F*cking thing. I don't think there is anything else I can do. I am a shite failure.

 

Cack brown! a winner everytime..

 

Totally... Wanna buy it?

[Louise2cv]

Fuel pump?

 

There is no fuel filter so far as I can see, apparently some have a small filter in the pump, but mine is a sealed unit.

 

As for air leaks I'm a bit stumped as to where to look.

[Pete-M]

You're in Norf Wales, right? Somewhere near Llanberis? I need to pop to Pete's Eats in the next few days, possibly tomorrow or Thursday, so if you want me to look at it then PM me a number and address.

[Louise2cv]

Really? That's amazing Pete, I'll PM in a mo.

 

Only thing is we are the other side of Llanberis so it's not really on yourway I'd guess. Its about 10-15 mins from Llanberis.

[Pete-M]

Really? That's amazing Pete, I'll PM in a mo.

 

Only thing is we are the other side of Llanberis so it's not really on yourway I'd guess. Its about 10-15 mins from Llanberis.

 

15 mins is bugger all.

[MrDuke]

Can I come and stand next to the car nodding my head and making intelligent noises? I will bring cake.

[Louise2cv]

Totally! Lets have a party!

[Louise2cv]

Just promise you won't laugh at me too much. I'm bound to have got something very very wrong.

[dollywobbler]

I'm planning on being oop north again on Saturday, but I fear all tinkering time will be taken up with yet more BX fettling. However, if there's going to be cake...

[Pete-M]

Just promise you won't laugh at me too much. I'm bound to have got something very very wrong.

 

Is giggling allowed?

[Louise2cv]

Maybe. But let's keep it off here eh?

[Morgan84]

If you can't see a fuel filter,and there is a suitable place in the fuel line under the bonnet,cut a filter into the fuel line - can help keep the shite out of the carb if there's any dirt in the tank

[Louise2cv]

Last night at about 1AM I realised I was *expecting people who look like Bricktop and Robert Mugabe to come and have look at my car*.

[Danblez]

Last night at about 1AM I realised I was *expecting people who look like Bricktop and Robert Mugabe to come and have look at my car*.

Hhaha! I really hope the brown peril comes out of the other side, you deserve it if not for your perseverance alone.

[Cavcraft]

Where about in N. Wales are you Louise? Not trying to belittle your sterling efforts so far or trying to patronise you, but would it help if we tried to get a working party together and blezz over one day to try and help? I'm pretty rubbish at mechanics but have a few tools so if you get the parts maybe some other As-ers could tip up too and we could have a crack at getting it done?

Just a suggestion so no shooting the messenger please!

[Louise2cv]

Way over the otherside of Caernarfon.

 

It's a great offer,but I don't want to put anyone out. Esp as it's likely to be something utterly stupid that I have done/not done*.

 

*Aside from the utterly stupid decision to buy an overpriced dodgy looking Astra

 

I might admit defeat and take it to the garage soon. We'll see.

 

What about the exhaust... I had that downpipe done not long ago, could that have worked loose? Would that give merunning probs like these?

[Cavcraft]

Can't see the exhaust making a big enough difference and would personally think the carb is still the problem but I'm no expert.

It's a shame it's not useable as is because you could have taken it to Chodmondly and we could have sorted it there!

Anyhow if anyone fancies a working party one Saturday let me know as we could whizz over and try and sort it. No point in you paying a garage to do it if we can help for nothing!

[Louise2cv]

I have a horrible feeling about the head gasket now too.

 

What a crock of shit.

[Louise2cv]

Last night at about 1AM I realised I was *expecting people who look like Bricktop and Robert Mugabe to come and have look at my car*.

 

With this in mind I have added an avatar in order to give Pete and MrDuke something to look forward to.

 

Anyway on to my OMGHGF... I have mayo on the filler cap and in the air cleaner box. When I removed the air cleaner box to have a look at the carb watery shit shot out of one of the rubber tubes that should be connected to the air cleaner.

 

However I was thinking, I replaced the 'stat, could it be the seal for that has gone?

[dollywobbler]

Probably just because you've been running the engine a lot for short-ish periods. Once it's running properly, I'd take it for a good hard drive and see if the mayo clears.

[M'coli]

As, DW says, that could just be from condensation through lack of use, rather than HGF.

 

Can you take a photograph of the carburettor and get it posted up here at all? It might help us in at least we'll have something to look at, shake our collective heads and suck air in through our teeth!

[Morgan84]

Older engines will get a bit gunky in the tubes if they do lots of short runs,and suffer from not having the oil and filter changed as often as they should.It's perfectly normal - ask the majority of Ford owners who have a 1.1 or 1.3 HCS engine whats lurking under the oil filler cap !

[Louise2cv]

Well I've just had it running without the choke. Hurrah!

 

It did however stall after revving it a bit and that was the end of that. Now OH has gone to work so "baby care stops play".

 

I suspect the dodgy distributor is a problem: revving the engine knocks the timing off maybe?

 

Also it gets hot, which Idon't thinkit ever used to. The temp gauge was pretty much in the red by the time I'd finished playing Shouldn't the fan kick in at some point???

 

I've also got smelly smoke coming from the fanimold... source of my air leak perhaps??

[MrDuke]

I've also got smelly smoke coming from the fanimold... source of my air leak perhaps??

 

 

More likely you've spilt a few drops of something on it, when you were checking the oil maybe?