Project Domes shonky autos - Grand Cherokee departs, Kangoo titivation and 911 dug out.

[Split_Pin]

Hurrah!

 

Persevere With Hope and If in Doubt, Turn up the Radio.

 

These should be 2 new Autoshite slogans.

[The Moog]

See we had no doubts it would get you home.

[320touring]

Fuck, you've been hanging aboot with me too long if you buy scrap like that...

[cort16]

That centre console looks like the bionic man old leg.

I thought these would quite tough things to destroy. There must have been some good old gear mashing going on by the previous owner to kipper the box.

[NorthernMonkey]

I bought a Zafira last year on eBay with a knackered gearbox as I needed the lump out of it for another car.

Was going to grab it in the truck but the seller insisted it still drove ok and I was passing through Halifax where it was located the following evening with the Mrs so I thought I’d have a nosy at it.

There was a large hole in the bottom of the gearbox through which you could inspect all the gears....undeterred, I decided to start limping it back over to Burnley with the intention of getting it as far as I could before sending Claire off home on her own so she could bring the truck back and rescue me.

It only bloody made it all the way! What’s more, it got quieter if anything the further we went....was almost sorry to break it after the determined fight it put up on its final voyage.....

[drum]

It's incredible that some people can't be arsed to remove their own litter from a car they're selling. Isn't it, or is it just me?

[dome]

It's incredible that some people can't be arsed to remove their own litter from a car they're selling. Isn't it, or is it just me?

It had shat itself on the way back from the Lake District with his pregnant wife in it after recently* getting a grand spent on it so I suspect it wasn't flavour of the month.

 

Letting it get to that stage in the first place then not cleaning it out whilst actually using the thing, that's what gets me...

[dome]

There are fucking socks in the car. Actual socks.

 

What there doesn't appear to be is a locking wheel nut key. Mind you, fucking shergar could be in there somewhere and he'd be hard to find with all the sweet wrappers.

 

That'd explain the smell mind you

[Kiltox]

I found used nappies in a part ex once. Wondered what the smell was...

[Supernaut]

Do we call you domecrafttouring now?

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

With you on the cleaning it - at least a little for fucks sake - before anyone else sees the pit you've been rolling around in........

 

On another note - have you priced up a gearbox for this?

I've always wondered on the real life actuality of grabbing a 'bargain' plus cost of 'box, free labour included then 'punting it on' - I've never EVER had this actually work!

 

Best of Britich fella

 

p.s. How's the locost?

[dome]

With you on the cleaning it - at least a little for fucks sake - before anyone else sees the pit you've been rolling around in........

 

On another note - have you priced up a gearbox for this?

I've always wondered on the real life actuality of grabbing a 'bargain' plus cost of 'box, free labour included then 'punting it on' - I've never EVER had this actually work!

 

Best of Britich fella

 

p.s. How's the locost?

 

Been quoted £200 for a box by a local scrappy with them removing it. I had hoped to get one a bit cheaper but that is local and they'll remove it for me saving rolling around in a scrappy.

 

I like to think I do OK off this kind of thing and I sometimes do, especially when it's a car I have no real interest in-I turned a £350 Fusion with a fucked turbo into £750 with a spend of around £50 on a turbo rebuild kit and an oil change.

 

The Freelander at the start of this thread was an exception as it was free. I'd spend under £200 fixing it and tarting it up before swapping it for the S-Type.

 

The one's where it becomes a grey area are when I like the car.  I just made money off the Clio 182 because it kept fucking breaking on me. I let it off because it was brilliant fun. 

 

I always register and insure the car in my own name and smoke about in it for a while to fix all* the issues, I'm always honest when I sell it too, telling prospective buyers I bought it broken.

 

For things like the Clio which I'd always wanted it's a way of justifying to myself(and my better half) if I am doing it to make bit of cash. i'm not sure she believes me all the time though...

 

I plan on keeping a spreadsheet of my costs on this one and not using man maths as I sometimes do. There was no doubt other expenditure on the Fusion.

 

The Locost is still tucked up for the winter, I'm dying to get it out but it'll have to wait! The main thing I have to do is a complete fuel system overhaul, I keep putting it ff though even though I have all the parts and have for about a year! It's still driveable though

[artdjones]

Toyota boxes are always expensive-it seems to be one of their fee weak points.I'm talking about the ones on the smaller FWD cars.Although usually the problem is with the shaft bearings which can be accessed without taking the box off.Of course a lot go to 200k without a problem.

[dome]

Just had a quick nosey at this in the middle of a fucking blizzard.

 

Couldn't see the gearbox code to check I was ordering the right thing. I did find the locking wheel key and throw away what looks like the original pollen filter. It can do without that. 

 

Phoned the scrappy to say I wanted the gearbox but they've shut. Don't blame them!

[dome]

Well, having been stuck in the house since Wednesday cabin fever has set in. That, coupled with the fact the good lady is threatening to tidy the house today which means I need to vacate for my own safety means I plan on making a start on this.

 

Behold my workspace for the day.

 

 

I'll see how far into removing the gearbox I get before frostbite sets in or I end up swearing at another broken car.

 

But first, Frasier and coffee. And square sausage.

[dome]

The snow we were forecast seemed to be holding off so I made a start. 

 

Workspace cleared. A bit.

 

 

Behold, the power* house

 

 

Battery off and on to charge, then airbox off. Air filter is fresh as is the oil so looks like they weren't lying about it being serviced recently

 

 

I prised off the centre cap with it still on the deck and managed to get the driveshaft nut off fairly easily.  Theres what looks like a fresh wheel bearing on the passenger side. I noticed mention of a noisy wheel bearing on the one receipt I have so I guess it was this one and has been replaced.

 

Then up in the air

 

 

And balljoint removed and driveshaft out.

 

 

I got to this stage fairly easily but by this time the snow had started again and i was getting soaked. I came in to heat up and check up on how to get the driveshaft out of the box (prise it out with a crowbar!) and have given up at that. I am a wimp. 

 

I had hoped to only have to take one driveshaft out and that the other would pull out of the box easier. I think taking the other side out too is a better idea.

 

Currently watching a how to on youtube with a Scandinavian dude who is very detailed. He's doing it in the rain, they're obviously hardier over there...

[dome]

So, after getting a phone call on Monday to say my gearbox was out and waiting for me I thought I'd better get my finger out.

 

Wednesday morning I went to the scrappy to pick it up.

 

Into the belly of the beast...

 

 

I'm always nervous driving unto scrapyards in case they assume it's a one way trip for the car....

 

Saturday dawned and I thought I'd get stuck in. Nature had other ideas though, it was pishing doon as we say up here. 

 

To give you an idea of how bad it was I met Gene Kelly who said he was fucked if he was dancing in that. Anyway, might as well crack on.

 

In between showers I managed to get the drivers side driveshaft removed and engine mounts undone as per my scandinavian youtube guide. I got to the stage of splitting the gearbox but could I get the bugger out from the engine bay? Not a chance due to lackof clearance. I actually managed to rotate it 180 degrees in the ingine bay trying to squeeze it out but no joy. Suitably soaked and frutrated I gave up for the day. 

 

I studied my Scandinavian friends youtube videos (over 4 hours worth on how to remove a gearbox, which is the approximate time to actually remove it...) I had skipped past the part where he removes a section of subframe to allow access. Baws!

 

Sunday dawned dry so i got stuck in again. I undid the crossmember which the gearbox was now resting on and it fell out with a thud. Luckily to save damaging the driveway it landed on the used gearbox oil container, spilling it all over the driveway...

 

 

 

 

I compared gearboxes and swapped over the bits I needed to, not noticing that the new one had a dowel in it which had came out of the old one when I removed it and was still in the block. 

 

This, as you can imagine coused some confusion as by the time i realised this I had single handedly managed to balance the new box on a trolley jack and ift it in to the bay before discovering my duplicate dowel. Any local kids within earshot learned some new words...

 

 

I eventually got it in and bolted up. It was slightly* tricky doing it single handedly and it's safe to say every part of my body aches today.

 

New box in 

 

 

 

Back on with the engine mounts, starter and clutch slave then linkages and all the other gubbins. I had to nip out to get some gearbox oil and luckily remembered to refit the driveshafts before filling the (already drained) box up after lunch and a trip to Halfords for said gearbox oil.

 

As this isn't currently insured i wasn't bitten by the "Oooh, must get it driving tonight" bug. I did however chuck the battery in it and fired it up. All gears engage quietly and smoothly on the stands so I'm calling that a win. A test drive later in the week using Cuvva insurance will hopefully confirm.

 

There's still a few bits to finish off under the bonnet and I've ordered a set of front pads-might as well do them while it's still up on axle stands.

 

Next mission: Cleaning. My girlfriends Dad has volunteered to help with this. It'd be rude not to let him. He has seen it so must be mad...

 

 

 

 

[Supernaut]

You fucking legend.

[Split_Pin]

Result!! All things considered, that seemed to go really smoothly (based only on your account and photos!)

[The Moog]

well done .. .now watch some mike brewer videos to learn how to say Owld ya and owt, youv just bought an auris

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Virtual hat doffed and appropriate quantities of 'scottish champagne' quoffed in your honour fella. Fair play to getting into this and getting 'er done.

 

11.79865487545/8 would donate car with fucked gearbox again

[dome]

This may go some way to explaining the problem

 

 

I took the bolt out to show off my hole. Cough

 

Also, the old gearbox rattles when you shake it.

[cort16]

Nice work dome.

[Pillock]

Nice one!

 

Gearboxes may be packed full of magic spells and ancient runes (for that's the only way I can see they work) but actually they're just good old fashioned engineering so I've had a couple of success stories just getting on with it and swapping one. I think the perceived size of the job puts people off but it's just bolts and stuff. Rather do a gearbox than a head gasket where it's all torque settings and tolerances.

 

Mind you, auto boxes can do one.

[dome]

You fucking legend.

 

The first time that phrase has ever been uttered involving a Toyota Auris.

 

Result!! All things considered, that seemed to go really smoothly (based only on your account and photos!)

 

Aye, it wasn't too bad considering the weather and the fact the one online guide took longer to watch than it took to actually get the gearbox out...

[Minimad5]

Well done that man.
Working in the pissing rain and snow, been and done that Not Nice.

[dome]

Well, I'd left this thing up on axle stands while i waited for my front pads to arrive. They did so yesterday so last night I went out to fit them.

 

There are two different options of caliper on this, Bosch or Akebono. Duly noting the word BOSCH on mine I ordered up the cheapest ones I could find a suitable set from eBay. 

 

Being paranoid when they arrived the first thing I did was google the part number which confirmed they were indeed correct.

 

I got home, stripped the caliper off, pushed the pistons back (incredibly easily, this working on new cars stuff is great!) and... they didn't fit. Arse. Looks like the wrong pads were in the box

 

 

Ah well, pads can wait. I stuck it back together and prepared it for it's first journey to work today, via the local council offices to get the keys for my new lockup.

 

I decided to try and give it a clean first. It's hard to describe how fucking bogging this thing is, especially on the outside. I've already taken a bin bags worth of crap out of the interior, it'll get done properly, hopefully not by me!

 

 

Crap pictures but the whole body was ground in dirt with loads of tar spots and bird shit. Obviously not washed in a long time

 

 

I decided to go balls deep on the bodywork. Gunk, diluted 3 to 1 in a spray bottle. Mainly because I had some in the garage

 

I attacked the whole car with it this morning and went over it with a mildly abrasive scourer on the bad bits. A worn one from the kitchen does this well and doesn;t leave scratches. Tar spots etc came off no bother. 

 

I then jetwashed it and gave it a wash with regular shampoo. It's made a massive difference. It still needs some more work and a polish/wax before it goes on sale but it's a bit less offensive now.

 

So, to the council office!

 

 

And it drives like... a car. Definitely a car. 

 

Gearbox is quiet and there are no apparent issues that way. It drives fine though and feels very modern. There's a lot of dash between the driver and the windscreen. It's very quiet too. Inoffensive is the word. A car for people who don't have any interest cars. And that's fine.

 

I stopped off at Euro Car Parts and picked up a new set of brake pads which look like the right thing, definitely different to the first set. It's pishy and wet tonight so they can wait.

 

Oh and I found this whilst cleaning it out. From December. Seller wasn't lying....

 

 

I cheekily called the garage to see what had been done. 

 

What could possible cost £950?

 

2 rear calipers

A set of rear pads

A front wheel bearing(the one I spotted when changing the gearbox)

 

And that's it apparently...

 

No wonder they wanted rid when the gearbox shat itself. Although I can't help wonder if the noise wasn't the wheel bearing but the gearbox(which is on that side) starting to go?

[Ian_Fearn]

What could possible cost £950?

 

2 rear calipers

A set of rear pads

A front wheel bearing(the one I spotted when changing the gearbox)

 

And that's it apparently...

 

I can see why non-car people just buy new these days.

 

I helped out a young lady at work recently with her 208. Its like a 2012ish and has cost her an absolute fortune just in basic repairs over the last 6 months that should have been MUCH cheaper.

[CreepingJesus]

I'd check the car with a fine toothed comb from front bumper to rear, on the evidence of that D+G receipt alone. They are without doubt the shadiest garages in the east.

[Split_Pin]

Sounds like its now doing exactly what it should, result.

 

I have D&G Autocare numberplates on my Corsa. They probably cost £100 or something. What a shower eh!

 

Wild flailing stab in the dark £1995?