Jump to content

Beko's ZX 1.4 of Temptation - Fin.


beko1987

Recommended Posts

It's only noticeable when lifting off at speed, as soon as the 'power' is back on it goes away. And over 75 which tbh it struggles to be happy at anyway so I don't bother.

 

You have achieved AS Master level as that was the correct response that now allows you to access hither to unheard of pleasures whilst logged onto the forum. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

So. I've had a morning on this. I didn't touch the cambelt in the end as I wasn't sure if it was that, so I had the rocker cover off

 

IMG_20190512_114739.thumb.jpg.3c92955e9827fb3ee2c1f231d6f39942.jpg

And adjusted all the tappets until a 0.20 feeler slid nicely between all of them (found a video on YouTube). 

I had the aux belts off to do this as I was going to reset the belt, but it occurred to me that I couldnt pin the flywheel no matter what I used (drill bit in this picture), and I'm wondering if this is where u went wrong before. Is it even the right hole? 

 

IMG_20190512_114811.thumb.jpg.b34acddbae55af411104efad816c23ec.jpg

Anyway, I put it all back together and drove up the road and all seemed OK (my right ear is fully blocked up so I probably wouldn't hear anything if it was there) but when I came back, I noticed the engine was hunting alot. Didn't stall, the rev needle stayed constant, but there's deffo a wobble. I have filmed it but get an error 200 trying to upload it. 

What might the cause be? Could I have over adjusted the tappets somehow or put one of the aux belts on too tight? They are the only things I've done today to it! 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All better, I'd properly fucked up the valve timing! It probably still sounds like a sack of shite because I can't hear it but it doesn't have a really lumpy idle anymore, which is nice!

 

The pin was in a small hole in the flywheel housing, next to a massive one.  Ican feel it scraping against the flywheel as it turns but it never finds a hole and slots in...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

All seemed fine this morning, although I hate driving the day after working on cars as THE FEAR is not nice! Can't tell if it's any quieter as I don't get my ears pressure washed until thursday, but it seems happier.

Someone on facebook suggested trying a smaller drill bit rather than a 5.5mm one or brake pipe. But, it seems to be running very happily, there's no wear on the cambelt and it's not exploded in over 1000 miles so I am minded to just leave it alone for another 30,000 miles* and try again next time.

Next on my niggles list is the awfully vague gear change, and the tinny knocking noise it makes at idle out of gear. As soon as it's in gear with the clutch down it vanishes, but doesnt vanish with just the clutch dipped so I think maybe it's all linked and I need to replace some bushes or something. A refresh of the gearbox oil probably would not do any harm at all and I doubt it's an expensive job.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's either a miracle or a trap! 

Went to get some petrol earlier and save fucking about in the morning. But the pump carried on past the 27 litres it usually gets to before clicking off. Tentatively I carried on and chickened out at 40 litres... Thus has never happened before! Went to pay, eyeing up the ground under the car as I went waiting for it to all start pissing out... Nothing! 

Ah, I know, I thought as I walked back after paying, the inside will reek of petrol. Nope! Even the bloody fuel needle went up to above 3/4 full, which again its never done before even when it's pissed out the broken sender seal at the top of the tank! 

Either it's magically fixed itself (as I've not done anything to the fuelling since my last post on the matter), or I'll wake up to a damp floor tomorrow... 

Once I triple check the engine timing with a smaller drill bit to lock the flywheel (it drives fine tbh, as quiet as a 1997 1.4 zx could be anyway, but doesn't feel as nippy as it did when I first got it) I might be able to just leave it alone and move onto the gearbox fluid and linkage bushes. 

I'm very happy now! (with a small worry in the back of my mind) 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Yep, nice dull smell of unleaded! Not too strong though, the kind of smell that will give it character! (must lift the back seat up and see if i can twist the retaining ring a bit more...)

75 fast-ish miles later (it sits at 70 happily now!) and i still have 3/4 a tank! Need to see what the needle does though so I can make decisions about when I need to stick the emergency tenner I keep in the glovebox at all times in

I parked up a kerb facing uphill earlier too and had the needle at the full tank mark, so the contacts on the float do work. Wonder what was fucking it up before?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

On the way home during SF19, my car started making a knocking noise again from the front end. It started as I left Mr Kirtons driveway. Meh, it got home with no drama.

 

I;ve just jad all the wheels off one at a time in the pissing rain, and nothing is amiss/about to fall off. It's the same hollow sort of knock it made when the front droplinks were fucked, although it doesnt happen when I actually hit a bump/drain cover with the wheels, more when I drive over an undulating/fucked bit of road.

Most of me thinks the crap droplinks it has fitted have just died again, might lob another pair on next month, will see what falls off in the meantime though which might make itself noticed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, beko1987 said:

On the way home during SF19, my car started making a knocking noise again from the front end. It started as I left Mr Kirtons driveway. Meh, it got home with no drama.

I;ve just jad all the wheels off one at a time in the pissing rain, and nothing is amiss/about to fall off. It's the same hollow sort of knock it made when the front droplinks were fucked, although it doesnt happen when I actually hit a bump/drain cover with the wheels, more when I drive over an undulating/fucked bit of road.

Most of me thinks the crap droplinks it has fitted have just died again, might lob another pair on next month, will see what falls off in the meantime though which might make itself noticed.

 

Remove one (not both!) droplink and go for a drive, if the noise disappears then it is likely a droplink that's failed.  Cheap droplinks often don't last very long.

Be careful with any "enthusiastic" cornering with the droplink removed (and ARB effectively disabled) though as you will get some comedy lean angles....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm thinking droplinks, because they were cheap ones. And it'll get cheap ones again frankly, can't afford decent ones but their not difficult to change, I lathered the exposed thread in coppaslip so it'll only be a 5 minute job. It's exactly the same noise, must be those silky smooth Devon roads we had! 

By the time I've faffed about removing one and going for a drive I may as well live with the knock for a week or 2 and just change them

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 minutes ago, ruffgeezer said:

Try pulling the handbrake on at low speeds, if the clonk appears then, it is the rear beam mounts which often go unspotted.

Ill try that tomorrow, thanks! It started very suddenly though, and seems to be coming from the front end, although I'm shit at hearing the direction of noise, been caught out with that before

The whole car was properly quiet with my tent in the back on the way there, I think the rear bushes could do with changing anyway. 

The tent probably saved my life, weighed the car down so much I didn't aquaplane in the biblical rain I drove through! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's deffo the front end, and I think deffo the drivers side. 

Coming out of my parking space I go from gravel to tarmac over a huge bump. Masses of noise from the front end, nothing from the rear. 

This morning, driving to get petrol the road there is like a ploughed field on the left hand side, which you have to drive through because of cars parked on the other side. Drivers side is buttery smooth because the gas company had it closed for weeks (gr9 fun) and filled their trench in. Still masses of noise from the drivers side, presumably the anti roll bar wobbling about. 

 

Tldr I'm gonna lob another set of drop links on when I get some money and see if it fixes it, for the price it seems as cheap as spending time fault finding it. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Clonk fixed! Worryingly the top bolt on the drivers side droplink was quite loose... Tightened it back up again and voila! No more knock. Had the passenger wheel off too and checked those, they were tight. 

Whilst I was under there I eyed up another job I want to do, the baggy and loose gear lever. It's very loose here

IMG_20190622_095946.thumb.jpg.33aee94ad4703ff621d1340ebfa05221.jpg

Where it comes out of the car, and here

IMG_20190622_095956.thumb.jpg.f8449a1e3d377f312e8303266c43b83a.jpg

Where it goes into the gearbox stuff. Is there a Bush kit I can buy or something? And is it a tricky job? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, snagglepuss said:

Good job on free fix. Normally you can get replacement bushings although not 100% on zx

Was bloody lucky, I had ball joints in my head and did check ECP's stock, fuck all! So I was prepared to troubleshoot it, then order for delivery and fuck about again in the week. Just been on a 60 mile shakedown to pick up a Saab touchscreen headunit for a vacuum collector that was near me, and it's fine again! I even wound it up to 80 for the first time in my ownership. It doesn't like 80 much... 4k rpm is loud

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 months later...

So, this old thing. It's been utterly reliable quite frankly all summer! One of the droplinks came loose leaving Shitefest, and I had to get 2 tyres the other week, but THAT'S IT! 

Ticked over 66k a while ago, and it's MOT time soon. So this morning, it was not pissing it down which is fab, so I get out there! 

IMG_20191110_120057.thumb.jpg.d7411b2b31de1c6df7b2d55e38c16be9.jpg

And proceeded to put the brand new, and 300 mile old tyres on the front, the second best two on the rear, and then the worst, which has just started to edge its shoulder in a fine-for-several-thousand-miles-but-get-the-tracking-done kind of way, so it's now the spare! 

IMG_20191110_121350.thumb.jpg.a4f53a29dd9449f6b25453b6436359a0.jpg

Whilst I was doing this I noted how filthy it was, I've washed it once, in summer at my dad's with a sponge... It's now November... 

IMG_20191110_121356.thumb.jpg.c04b15ae38fcf7746532b7302a5d6e77.jpg

IMG_20191110_121405.thumb.jpg.7b594df42b1b2522c2130229928d8745.jpg

That done, it was time for the next job. The spotlights. Their fu king brilliant quite frankly, both for making other people turn their lights down, or at night on the back roads. But, their screwed to the bumper under the numberplate and I've not had a definitive answer to if their going to be MOT friendly, and frankly I'd rather not get a spotlight hating tester and it go against the car. So I found how they were wired in

IMG_20191110_121535.thumb.jpg.db27411deb2277cfa4db0f3a699e7bf8.jpg

And took it all off

IMG_20191110_122108.thumb.jpg.c2aae95a7236d1fe885475a1ea18abe4.jpg

They will return, possibly with a new light bar as I used it as a parking sensor a few months ago. 

Then I gave it a clean, starting with the engine bay

IMG_20191110_123002.thumb.jpg.2af4f9a12a7b1840ee9b2fcb6decb180.jpg

IMG_20191110_123748.thumb.jpg.bc51397395e8689d333f1250ab73027e.jpg

G101 and brushes were used

IMG_20191110_124349.thumb.jpg.4a44112b788287cb4c3a3d2c3b80dc57.jpg

IMG_20191110_125321.thumb.jpg.adc91f02fc059c4fb9da62bd978a1f2f.jpg

IMG_20191110_125325.thumb.jpg.a036b80a30bb4742c030f021bf2df749.jpg

Looks way better! It's very clean under all the filth, just a few surface scabs here and there. It also now drains from the scuttle, and bar a panic as I tripped the fuel cut off it fired back up and I let it dry the exhaust off. 

And did the wheels and tyres and arches

IMG_20191110_125806.thumb.jpg.4c579565b46afd7b88331b33411d691a.jpg

Then the door shuts 

IMG_20191110_130334.thumb.jpg.2d95e8396b36f1f481e3b15862a6f01d.jpg

IMG_20191110_130737.thumb.jpg.c9c6f5c20936700ead2b13027c421bd6.jpg

Which came up a treat! Then it was time for snowfoam! 

IMG_20191110_131343.thumb.jpg.57d278383d8570016ffa60f97e87ab88.jpg

Then a good go around all the tight work, which I doubt has ever been done, and a fucking good wash with Chemical Guys citrus wash and gloss

IMG_20191110_132904.thumb.jpg.7ac7fba2f50e280f4e033a57a9d3d8dd.jpg

We deviate a bit here. Whilst I ran the engine to dry the engine, the exhaust leak finally showed itself! So once I'd rinsed it off and packed the wash gear away, I made some ramp extenders and up she went

IMG_20191110_134912.thumb.jpg.beda67874fbce343a7eb98bbb305e86e.jpg

And I got fucking soaked crawling underneath to find that handily it's just the front silencer that's gone, nowhere near the joint to the very good rest of the system

IMG_20191110_135040.thumb.jpg.f9b35ef008411f89c65916c6351d1000.jpg

I'm sat drinking tea atm typing this, will carry on with the interior in a bit but my question is, can I just get a front silencer pipe or does it have to be a front cat? 1997 1.4 ZX R579SLX if anyone has access to the definitive proof! 

Thanks, and enjoy your Sundays! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

 

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

Just keep in mind that you will probably have to get a £20 cat *really* hot to get through the emission test...and don't count on it lasting more than a year.

Id not bet on the car lasting more than a year tbh! 

I got a bit carried away for the rest of the day... It looked really good when it dried... 

So I went around with some Black Hole and gave it a good light polish

IMG_20191110_144525.thumb.jpg.351295455b05fc009a89132c8a57acba.jpg

Then applied dressing to the tyres

IMG_20191110_151002.thumb.jpg.3342d9769c060e544cad26f13dc4b305.jpg

Wax next! The entire car got a good coat of my favourite Nattys Blue, bar the bonnet which has 50/50 Nattys and Dodo Juice rainforest rub, because why not! 

IMG_20191110_151320.thumb.jpg.6e86220b97558e066a1c8e016d0343cc.jpg

Glass got done

IMG_20191110_152137.thumb.jpg.c5ce16127cf27619befaba86dfacd953.jpg

Then the tiny amount of black plastic trim

IMG_20191110_152427.thumb.jpg.cfc78485c2be4d29e49da8ffb436e7e9.jpg

I then went back to repairs, and applied the patented Mercedes bodywork repair tape to the hole in the tailgate

IMG_20191110_154441.thumb.jpg.6472a2f92a1a5e4980eb36cf5758525d.jpg

Hole there! 

IMG_20191110_154609.thumb.jpg.581898156cc0dcad634380833288c343.jpg

Hole gone! 

I then went round and buffed the whole car! Which was a bastard as I hit the dew point. Still better than it was though! 

IMG_20191110_154613.thumb.jpg.5fd12e9f64b65113b50edc6adb70fab9.jpg

IMG_20191110_154616.thumb.jpg.6e89f54f146dd9e6a6f88cb40a8a077d.jpg

IMG_20191110_154622.thumb.jpg.6ae2ab21fafcce49ab61846b0f7ed48f.jpg

IMG_20191110_154628.thumb.jpg.84e2a6d783677ea44742cddb30535674.jpg

IMG_20191110_154633.thumb.jpg.538ef35418d3c355a383f8370882bac9.jpg

IMG_20191110_154637.thumb.jpg.6997cbc6cb60aad7e51de5f745379455.jpg

Thought I would check the lights still worked after removing the light bar, and uh oh

IMG_20191110_154858.thumb.jpg.ea228da38e0c741e2b2c2d40b1577ad7.jpg

Id not plugged that light back in. Easily fixed, and I admired the engine bay whilst I was there

IMG_20191110_155031.thumb.jpg.efee69fc1ecdfce2815d60bb4f3516fb.jpg

IMG_20191110_155034.thumb.jpg.d9cd7dcc4b68d8778c403762105acfe0.jpg

Fixed

IMG_20191110_155037.thumb.jpg.bad1238f986a0e7be641b6830a100443.jpg

I put the spare wheel away and got the clamp done up just with the lowering thing from the 406 which sort of fitted... And noticed a side light out at the rear

IMG_20191110_155136.thumb.jpg.f3e86f76fbacd42c6e3f47c4949d20bc.jpg

Ah well. I packed up and went to the petrol station to even out the tyres, then to the chip shop, where all my shrapnel got me some cheps

IMG_20191110_161310.thumb.jpg.c31d0fe2b3b70faa148bd2bc7fd02ce4.jpg

Came back and there was some snow foam still lingering

IMG_20191110_161757.thumb.jpg.ff32c2f667d6ab0f814c2c0f4b03f7ec.jpg

And now I'm done! Will order the cheap cat later and start to persuade @gnomeot to sign off an afternoons annual leave without the required 2 weeks notice...

IMG_20191110_162026.thumb.jpg.e69a048dae8997870a744d2319a5792c.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...