Project All MX-5s are green. But which green.

[New POD]

So,

Today I changed the oil.

And Filter.

And discovered that the filter that I fixed the leak with back at the start of this thread was slightly loose which would explain 90% of the current leaking.

 

I also took discovered that there is a slight oil leak from the crank position sensor. I wonder if the seal is available.???

 

I also cleaned out the engine breather pipes. Yuk. Stupid fucking design.

 

New front discs and pads on order, hopefully here by Saturday.

 

Also had to scrape ice off inside of front screen this morning.

[New POD]

So I've hinted in other threads about trying to run this 210k car as a daily for more than 400 miles a week.

 

And minimal time for maintenance.

 

So this week it has developed a misfire.

 

Now it's not turning on the engine management light,

 

It was after very heavy rain. But I've sealed the usual leak from scuttle with silkaset much earlier.

 

I know that it was early 2017 so 40k ago that I replaced the spark plugs and at the time I thought the coil packs were on their way out, so i got hold of some new ones but I've kept the old ones. And also fixed one rocker gasket

 

I also changed the fuel filter at the same time.

 

So I've bought plugs and fuel filter.

 

I'll try them and if that doesn't work try swapping to the old coil packs. And if that fails - pay someone.

 

Sometime between 9 and 17:00 autoglass are coming to replace the screen.

 

The car also has another fault.

 

It's pulling under braking.

 

And continues to leak oil (From crank sensor)

 

Wife says I should get something newer and sensible.

 

A focus ST 2.5 IS in budget.

 

Anyway It fucking raining so will they do the screen ?

[New POD]

Looking at the routing of your crank sensor wiring ( sad arse I know) It is possibly the original, I do hope sir is carrying a spare ?

Just read this. I don't think my symptoms point to this, but yes I should pi perhaps get one in stock.

[Bradders59]

Unlikely to be crank sensor. That usually causes the car to stop randomly a few times, followd by complete refusal to start. As mentioned though, if the wiring to it is routed impossibly close to the exhaust manifold, get one in stock as it will fail at some point.

I would be surprised if its original on a 210k car, although mine lasted to 170k, so you never know.

Misfiring is almost always due to issues connected to coil packs/ leaking cam covers/ leaking windscreen scuttle.

All the issues from cam cover leaks to  worn wishbone bushes are well known and relatively easily solved. Individual choice though whether its worth putting the time / effort / money into fixing them.

On the one hand, its money you will never get back. On the other you end up with a really good under rated car which is a pleasure to drive.

I chose the latter course with my 3.2, and although Ive spent a lot more then the car is worth, its a superb car to drive. So much that although I really want a CL500, I cant bring myself to part with the Omega.

[New POD]

Reading your last 2 paragraphs make me think that you are me.

I think that I should just throw money at it, despite that I would love a CL500.

[New POD]

 

The rain held off for the whole 90 mins it took the guy to do the screen

 

He did say it's been done before, but not the best job.

[New POD]

No pictures, but I've replaced the fuel filter. No effect. Managed to get petrol in my eyes.

 

Then I replaced the spark plugs.

 

It's a fucking ball ache of a job.

 

The old ones looked past their best.

 

There is a bit of oil in the plug holes on one side of the V.

 

I have cleaned it out.

 

On a positive note there wasn't a leak on the other side. The side I fixed in 2017.

 

Put it back together.

 

And it runs fine.

 

Need to find time to do the rocker gasket on the leaky side.

 

Weirdly the fault codes which were showing are not on the official Omega owners forum list for my car.

[New POD]

Just driven 65 miles on the motorway to stoke. The engine management light came with no particular reason. I had floored it to join the M6 from the M62 safely.

And went off about 15 miles further on.

It had stored 2 fault codes.

P0170 and P0173

[New POD]

Both fuel trim level. Left bank and right bank.

[Squire_Dawson]

 

Wife says I should get something newer and sensible.

 

Listen to the wife.

[Lacquer Peel]

It's a great looking car in that colour with the debadged grille and big 5 spoke alloys.

[New POD]

Listen to the wife.

I haven't mentioned a Monaro. But might.

[New POD]

Petrol station shot. Another 70 quid on premium unleaded

New screen.

[New POD]

 

So probably for the high mileage club but the number combination appealed.

 

Now. None Vauxhall issue.

Bini 2001 Cooper

100k on the clock

Can't find why there's coolant pooling on top of the gearbox.

I've taken off the battery box and the air box and run it until its nice and hot, but cant see a leak.

I can see that one of the 2 mechanics who had the gearbox off - clutch 8 weeks ago, gearbox last week, is a total wanker.

Someone broke the lid off the air box, instead of putting it right they drilled 4 holes , fitted wood screws and painted the top of them black. If I knew which one had done it, I'd go and demonstrate. I'll just show that picture again.

[mrbenn]

Does it matter which one of them did it? Go back and ask them to replace the part that was broken in their care.

[New POD]

Does it matter which one of them did it? Go back and ask them to replace the part that was broken in their care.

2 different garages. Which one?

[mrbenn]

2 different garages. Which one?

 

Ah. I see the problem.

[New POD]

This bastard car has taken to viciously and vendictively attacking me.

That because I needed to take the wipers off to get the scuttle panel off to fix this

The fucking wiper would not come off. And then it did.

I have an appointment with the dentist at 9:30 On Monday morning.

Which means I will loose half a days pay.

Anyway this is the intake after taking off the inlet fannimould.

This is the fsnnymoul

This is the variable length plenum chambers

And here are 2 of the 4 cam shafts

[New POD]

Tackled the Bini water leak. It's under there somewhere

That's where the problem is

Cleaned up

The replacement (assembled upside down)

No pictures of the rear exhaust hanger I bodged later with tie wraps.

[Bradders59]

Shouldnt need to remove the scuttle panel to remove the cam covers. If you need to remove the wiper arms do the same as you would a steering wheel.

Undo the nut almost completely but dont remove it. Then wiggle & waggle until it comes loose, then remove the nut and the wiper arm.

A bit late I know, but theres always next time.

[New POD]

Shouldnt need to remove the scuttle panel to remove the cam covers. If you need to remove the wiper arms do the same as you would a steering wheel.

Undo the nut almost completely but dont remove it. Then wiggle & waggle until it comes loose, then remove the nut and the wiper arm.

A bit late I know, but theres always next time.

Have you seen the size of my hands? To remove cam cover, you have to remove in let manifold. To do that you have to remove breather pipes, and electrical connections and vacuum tubes.

 

It's easier to see what you are doing with the scuttle removed.

 

The trick about keeping the nut in place. Yeah. Hindsight. I had safety specs on. Which means I've become complacent.

[New POD]

And now the fecking omega has decided to loose lots of coolant. It's all over the floor in front of the bastard car.

RAC called.

I am in Stoke.

I have follow on cover, so going to insist they deliver it to a local garage and provide hire car. I wonder how that will work.

[New POD]

RAC man is taking it to a garage locally. It has a split in the radiator.

 

Europcar delivering car sometime in next hour or so.

[New POD]

A white Tipo...

 

What else..?

[mrbenn]

A white Tipo...

 

What else..?

 

Not all bad then!

[New POD]

Ah the joys of Binis

 

So apparently the 2001 Cooper is still Using coolant.

 

I've just spent 2 hours trying to find a leak.

 

There's nothing wrong as far as I can tell.

 

I marked up the coolant reservoir when it was cold. Let it run until hot,

At this point the coolant has gone up a little.

 

disassembled the air filter to get a better view. Nothing. No leak when hot.

 

Eventually at the point the fan kicks in. The coolant has gone up 3 cm

 

So I took it for a b road blast.

 

Coolant has not moved from the point where fan was kicking in.

 

So I plugged the obd2 reader in. Btw specific. Nothing dead.

 

I checked it works on another car. Turns on.

 

 

Why would OBD 2 socket be dead in the Bini. Noticed the clock does not work. Can't see any blown fuses.

[beko1987]

In the blue laguna I had the obd port had a seperate fuse down by it, which was dead. I took a deep breath before replacing said fuse incase the dash lit up like a Christmas tree but all it did was make the obd port work.

[New POD]

I am.a lazy cunt. I'm just using this car and ignoring anything that isn't dangerous.

The omega is up to 225500 miles. Probably needs an oil change. 

Definately needed 2 tyres. Uniroyal rainsport 3. The old ones were worn out. 

New ones on the back. 

Faults 

4 CDs stuck.inside the stereo. TADT apparently.

Central locking playing up. Its the front solenoids. Both sides.

Smells of oil. Drips a bit. I've replaced both rocker gaskets in the past and have cleaned out the engine breathers at every oil change and it's not the oil filter and so I can't be arsed 

Exhaust is leaking. As you can see the chrome tips fell off. 

It's not sticking in 3rd at the moment despite me not changing the gearbox oil. Despite the oil and filter sitting in the garage for 18 months

And the random engine management light is not coming on so often. 

Oh but the fucking condensation. 

I love this car like a wife.  Take it for granted and rarely give her the care she needs. 

 

 

[New POD]

I changed the oil today, 6 litres of GMs finest trade club 5W30 fully synthetic detox II 

New lodger has a 200 litre barrel in his garage, so I paid him £2 a litre.  

FRAM oil filter from GSF for £3.75 

I await spark plugs and air filter off eBay. 

[New POD]

So had some text messages this morning about the BINI in this thread. 

It's making a squeaking sound.  Daughter wants to know if I can look at it on Saturday if she comes back tonight. 

Further questioning rules out terminal failures of engine, gearbox, and suspension.

I redirected my return from Derby via Salford hospital, where she works. Found her car about 10 minutes walk away in a housing estate. Parked up, and went to get the keys 

Got wet because rain and puddles and twats in cars. 

Anyway, oil was low (How many times do I have to tell her and her boyfriend. Check the oil every time you fill up with petrol) 

Having added some GM dexrox2 10w40 (I don't care but hey it's fully synthetic and I've been using that for 60k in it)

So I went for a drive. 

Nope, can't really tell. Possibly because the brake pads you can see are very low, and although they work well they are spongy. At 50 mph is sounds like a rub rub rub and I'm sure it's not the wheel bearings. 

The exhaust has a hole. But it's not a squeak. That was replaced about 40k ago. 

One of the top mounts may be on its way out, but couldn't really tell. 

So, I've decided that the front pads and discs need doing. 

GSF code END60 

2 discs 4 pads 47 quid. 

I ordered them in Salford and picked them up in Aintree. 

I should have bought glue. The interior is falling apart. Pictures tomorrow.