Estate(s) of the nation

[Six-cylinder]

I didn't have any experience of Greyhounds until I met Heidel_Kakao original Greyhounds, when I found they would rather catch the bus than run!😀

[Heidel_Kakao]

Yeah just because they can run at 40mph doesn't mean they actually will. Rose is probably actually the laziest one I have ever had, I sometimes have to tip her off the couch for her evening walk.

[Sunny Jim]

Rose is lovely. Stripey dogs don't have to run to prove they are winnars.

[Heidel_Kakao]

I had an FTP with the ZT yesterday, I had gone to the park with Rose and when I got back in it to come home it wouldn't crank at all. I still had electrics so I ruled out the battery and a quick Google suggested it might be the starter solenoid, I didn't have any tools with me and it was nearly dinner time so I walked back home with Rose (luckily I had gone to a local park) and decided to come back today on the bike with tools to investigate further.

However when I got there today it just started first turn of the key.... So not sure if it's an intermittent ECU issue or the starter. I know they are notorious for the plenum filling up and drowning the ECU so I need to check that and I am also going to order a starter solenoid rebuild kit and do that anyway as it's cheap enough to do.

[Mally]

Starter solenoid is very easy. I can't remember how, but it was easier than I imagined

[Heidel_Kakao]

23 minutes ago, Mally said:

Starter solenoid is very easy. I can't remember how, but it was easier than I imagined

Yeah it looks pretty simple, just have to remove the battery tray and you can access it from above.

[Mally]

https://the75andztclub.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=227316

Looks much harder than I remember.

 

[Mally]

Ah Fancy pants one yours, probably be different to my old man car.

[Heidel_Kakao]

The internet lied the starter motor is more under the air filter housing than the battery box.

With the air filter housing bracket removed access is pretty good, I couldn't remove the starter today as the only tool kit I have at home goes up to 14mm and I think the starter bolts are 15mm. So I will need to pop over to my mom's and grab some more tools and wait for the solenoid rebuild kit to arrive in the post.

[Heidel_Kakao]

The solenoid repair kit arrived and the old plunger is definitely pitted and dirty so it may well have been the issue, it's all back together again now and starting fine still so fingers crossed it's fixed for now but if not at least I can rule out the solenoid being the problem.

I also got another Minidisc head unit in the post and swapped it for the Sony, as you can see this one doesn't need the face to fold down to load an MD so I was able to reinstate the surround trim.

[Heidel_Kakao]

So this happened on the way home on the motorway today. I had noticed something not quite right yesterday when I got home and the radiator fan kept running so I disconnected the battery and checked the coolant level and it was fine so after a quick Google the internet suggested it might be a stuck fan relay. When I connected the battery this morning the fan didn't start running again so I thought I would have a proper look soon.

Asda's cheapest water came to the rescue and I drove the few miles home in diagnostic mode so I could monitor the temperature accurately (side note whoever decided that an ECU controlled temperature gauge that doesn't accurately display the coolant temperature will be first against the wall when the revolution comes) and it seemed okay.

I don't think it's done a head gasket(s) as no sign of smoke from the exhaust or oil in the coolant so I am leaning towards it being a thermostat issue maybe but my plan currently is to give the system a good flush and replace the header tank and cap and the thermostat and then see what it does.

Just ordered a thermostat kit and tank cap from DMGRS so will get it changed next week.

[Heidel_Kakao]

On 04/04/2025 at 17:36, Heidel_Kakao said:

I don't think it's done a head gasket(s) as no sign of smoke from the exhaust or oil in the coolant.

This may have been wishful thinking as I believe it may be blown on the exhaust and is pressuring the coolant as a result.

I like it enough that I will fix it properly and do the the timing chains as well but for now it's sitting at my mom's house while I work on the Corrado and use a bike for transport as we are now definitely in biking weather.

[Imhotep]

26 minutes ago, Heidel_Kakao said:

This may have been wishful thinking as I believe it may be blown on the exhaust and is pressuring the coolant as a result.

I like it enough that I will fix it properly and do the the timing chains as well but for now it's sitting at my mom's house while I work on the Corrado and use a bike for transport as we are now definitely in biking weather.

Did wonder why the front end was missing when I drove past earlier

[Matty]

Well within your capabilities though and well worth doing for the car 👍