Dan302's new car

[sierraman]

Strangely enough I’ve ordered some 5w30 fully synth and a filter to do just such a job on our Mk2 Focus. 

[mrbenn]

31 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Very unlikely it would still be running on the original fuel filter - most garages will replace the original clip with something improvised or a jubilee clip. They do get neglected though and frequently along with the in pump filter, bring about the demise of the fuel pump. Never had the fuel unions break though unless someone had been at them with pliers before? 

Quite possibly re the pliers! That car was 8 years old with 80k on. Filter was a Motorcraft part which looked like it could be original to the car but I wonder if someone tried to get it off and failed, weakening one of the pipes in the process.

I did one on my brother's ST170, 7 years old with 67k miles at the time. The filter was a decent third party item so wasn't original. The clamp bolt had been replaced with a cable tie - not a bad idea, but the pipes were so well stuck on the filter. I had a real mare getting them off. No idea why as everything looked fine when eventually released. I had a tantrum and promised myself there and then that I wouldn't do another Focus filter

[Dan302]

I used to do them as an apprentice (I only did 6 months) and always ended up with and armpit full of petrol . This was 22 years ago at a vauxhall dealership, I imagine it's still a massive PITA still though ?

[sierraman]

Official procedure is to pull the fuel pump fuse, let the engine die out (if it’ll start at all) thus reducing the fuel system pressure. 

[Dan302]

6 minutes ago, sierraman said:

Official procedure is to pull the fuel pump fuse, let the engine die out (if it’ll start at all) thus reducing the fuel system pressure. 

I'm still likely to cock it up, get petrol in my face, break the fuel pipes and just general be a massive oaf ?

[Dan302]

@sierraman when I'm underneath looking for grot will be it quite obvious if the trailing mount area is rotten? Or are they hidden?

[sierraman]

You can feel the inside apex from the outside, it sits inboard of the sills, a good feel of it will determine if it’s crunchy. I’d just give the mounts a prod with a blunt screwdriver, you will be able to tell if the rust is through or not. Also check in front of the fuel filter at the tail end of the floor, the mastic breaks and let’s water in with predictable results. Easy enough to check the boot floor to arch tubs, pull back the carpet that goes on the inner arch all the way round to the seatbelt mounts. Strictly speaking it would be a fail on the test corrosion here as it’s within the 30cm prescribed area round the suspension mounts. But in practice it’s hidden by the inside trim and the felt liner on the inside of the arch so seeing as it’s hidden it can’t be failed as such if he can’t see it, it could only be advised if there was a suggestion it might be corroded from what the tester can see. 

[Dan302]

Thanks! I'll give it a good poke

[Dan302]

Just got to work, noticed the Focus wasn't quite as keen to accelerate and while sat in traffic noticed a lovely acrid smell, clutch felt fine so I figured I've got a brake binding. Parked up at work and the front drivers side wheel is bloody hot. ARSE.

[sierraman]

Caliper piece of piss to change on those. Undo the 2 7mm hex sliders, clamp hose, slacken the flex, then spin the caliper off. Obviously bleed it after but should be minimal air as you’ve clamped the hose. 

[Dan302]

I'm at work so I'll probably call the RAC later rather than drive the 30 miles home, I'm on lates tomorrow so hopefully can get it in a garage in the morning before work in the afternoon.

@sierraman is it a new caliper job or could it possibly be freed off?

[sierraman]

New calliper. You might be able to free it off for a while but it’ll stick again. Plating has probably gone on piston.

[Dan302]

1 hour ago, sierraman said:

New calliper. You might be able to free it off for a while but it’ll stick again. Plating has probably gone on piston.

Thanks man, hope I've not cooked the wheel bearing!

[sierraman]

Probably not. 

[Dan302]

Just waiting for the RAC chap

[sierraman]

New caliper is £30 delivered. Bit of brake fluid and it’s sorted for £35. 

[Dan302]

And some brake pads it's cooked them!

[sierraman]

1 hour ago, Dan302 said:

And some brake pads it's cooked them!

Oh hell forgot those

[Dan302]

Due to me not having axle stands and needing to get to work in the afternoon I took the car to a garage I use, brand new caliper, pads and labour came to £104.78 which wasn't as bad as I was expecting. Will feel nicer once the pads are bedded in.

[mrbenn]

Bargain!

[Eyersey1234]

That's not too bad. 

[Dan302]

I think £35 ish for the caliper, £15 ish for the pads, £40 labour then the rest was VAT 

[Dan302]

Going to pop it back to the garage in the morning, I know the pads need to bed into the discs but but the pedal travel is massive before anything happens, it wasn't like that before. Feels almost like the piston retracts too far back so the pedals travelling about twice as far as normal before the pads contact the disc. Does that make sense? I don't think I've explained it too well.

[sierraman]

Sounds like he hasn’t bled it properly. 

[Jamie]

Yeah that needs bleeding. Air in the system 

[Dan302]

Took it in, they bled it again, much better now

[Dan302]

And more importantly he stuck it up on the lift so I could have a nose about underneath, no oil leaks ? and it's all nice and solid looking, even the rear trailing arm mounts, surface rust on the subframe but all looks solid. The only mention of rust in any of the MOT history is the 50p size hole I had welded on the sill last year. I haven't dared have the rear arch liners off yet though.........

He also showed me how to get the smashed fog lamp off so I can fit the new one.

[Dan302]

Had some nearly new Uniroyal Rainexperts put on the rear so that's a full set now

[Dan302]

Finally got round to replacing the smashed front fog light. I started by unscrewing what I though was holding it in but ended up being the adjustment screw.

I then removed the surround trim.......which obviously I snapped.

I then found the actual screw, removed the unit and swapped the backing frame over to the new unit and fitted it.

New trim pieces on are £15 on eBay so the broken one has gone back on, it's not really noticeable, also I couldn't get the adjustment screw to go back in. I don't use the lights anyway I just wanted it to look tidier than having a smashed one. 

[Dan302]

Changed the oil today and popped a new Bosch filter on, old filter came off easily (as I knew it would as I made sure not to over tighten last time) I got the correct grade oil from Eurocarparts for about £16 delivered iirc. Forgot to take photos ?