Xsara - airbag light back on 😂

[320touring]

Great news @beko1987!

 

Good work!

[beko1987]

Just dropped it off at a place to get the tracking done. Then the work will finally be complete and the next round of work can start 😂

The next round of work is optional though

[beko1987]

There we go then, just collected it and it doesnt pull to the left at all now! 

Means I can look at the cost of the most expensive MOT the car's given me to date...

Test - £54.85
1st Parts Run - £36.84
Inner rod/2nd Parts Run - £20.49
-£11.88 for the boot I returned (refund came in this morning)
Tracking - £42

Total cost - £142.23, the vast % of which went on the test and tracking! Could be worse I guess!

I then get to hand over more money to someone for more parts for planned work later today 😂

[beko1987]

Looking at my invoice they measured the tyres too... The rears must have not worn at all as their the same depth as the fronts, on which I might have driven 2000 miles so far being generous? Rears have been on for a good 20k as they were the fronts for a short spell too 😂 Same brand of tyre as well.

Meh. We'll see how good their tracking is in 20k when the fronts wear right out again and see how they wear

[beko1987]

Had half an hour to spare earlier, so went out with a can of brake clean and a shitty cloth to have a poke around and see if my turbo issues are blatently obvious. 

The symptoms: a rare but occasional total loss of turbo. The car just turns into a n/a until I change up or down, then normal service is resumed for usually the rest of the drive.

I've had it happen in both light and dark, and each time pinned the throttle and kept a keen eye in the mirror and there's no smoke HOWEVER, a few weeks ago we went to my dad's, and the car was blowing some grey clag out... It never does this, and at the time I put it down to it being 7.30am and the weather was turning, but I did pull over, nothing was amiss and 20 miles later it had gone, but it did happen... Not done it since. Probably a red herring but it was odd for the car. Equally it pissed the emissions on the mot 2 weeks ago so it can't be that bad

 

Liveable for now, but I don't want to ignore it if I can catch something early. 

The leaking rocker cover gasket wasn't helping anything so I removed the top hose and did some cleaning

But didn't find a split vac pipe or anything really. I didn't quite have the balls to remove the plastic connector pipes, is that something I should do and fire some brake clean through them? Or would it be somewhere else? 

If nothings immediately obvious then I'll follow @dollywobblers lead and get some decent magic potion and thrash it to work and back a few times and keep an eye on it.

Brakes are planned for this weekend, partly why I had half a hour now and can get straight to them Saturday morning. Toolstation sell dot4 for £4.80 a bottle so I swung in and picked one up on the way home 

I guess in other catch up news, I met with @Andyrewand exchanged a pleasingly small amount of dough for new discs, pads, an air filter and wiper blades.

Fitted the new blades at the FoD, and put my front ones on @Six-cylinders Royale as they were the same size! And I'd only replaced them because they were starting to screech and that fucking bugs me, other than that they were fine, and much better than the blade-less ones fitted to the Vauxhall! The air filter got done at home (and I did wonder if that would cure the issue but nope it didn't)

Soon all the yearly maintenance will be over and it'll want nothing over the winter 🤞

[beko1987]

Work was a bit slow this afternoon. Something catastrophic to a Tuesday deployment happened this morning which doesn't involve me thankfully, but meant all my work dried up for the day. 

Nice! 

Time to throw these on! I assumed the position

Wheel off

And on the passenger side at least, it all looks grim but not horrifying. 

Took the pads and carrier out and ah, it doesn't look so pretty now... 

[beko1987]

Then one of the disc retaining screws started to strip. Luckily hammering a larger screwdriver bit into it worked

Then I turned the wheel and got the T55 torx bit and the breaker bar out

It went with a mighty crack on each bolt but came off nicely otherwise

[beko1987]

All came off nicely and I gave it all a good clean up

Sliders were quite grim, and even after cleaning them up one is looser than the other, and the tighter one of the 2 feels quite stiff. But they do slide. 

Had this tube of goop for years now, it's been very handy! 

[beko1987]

All was going well, and we're going back together! New disc on, retaining screws in and then the caliper bracket. I got the bolts started, and ran them in and gave them a few clicks with my small impact gun. I then went at the bottom bolt with the breaker bar and

Arse. A text to a local mate who said he had one and would text me later gave me some relief, and as I'd mildly ugga dugga'd the top one in imminent doom was not going to happen, and I can get to the bolt later so I carried on

Much shiny, more thick

[beko1987]

All looks much better from this angle now

And I gave the wheel bolts a clean off with the wire brush and brake clean

They spin in so much nicer now! Currently paused waiting for a replacement T55 to be in my hand (and I'd best buy a new one so I've got it) then I'll finish off this side and do the other. It all certainly wants changing, which is good to see now I'm changing it! 

[RoverFolkUs]

2 hours ago, beko1987 said:

Sliders were quite grim, and even after cleaning them up one is looser than the other, and the tighter one of the 2 feels quite stiff. But they do slide. 

That's normal, one of them has that rubber boot on the end which will make it stiff, it's there to stop the caliper rattling

[beko1987]

15 minutes ago, RoverFolkUs said:

That's normal, one of them has that rubber boot on the end which will make it stiff, it's there to stop the caliper rattling

Oh that's good to know then, and yes one is different! Does it matter what at they go? I swapped them round until they were as good as they would be, and hopefully that'll do it! 

My mate came round with his medium size impact and a T55 bit and in 6 minutes we went from this to this

He went home after this and I carried on with the pads, which went well until I noticed fluid pouring from the engine bay... 

[beko1987]

Obv this was the brake fluid pushing back out again and the pistons needed to go back alot 😂 Fired some brake cleaner at it, will do it again tomorrow in the daylight

I taught Charlie what down and up means and we got the brakes bled. They didn't need bleeding but I pushed 5/6 pumps through, it was a bit grotty

The time is 172k, just an oil change and maybe the rocker gasket if I can be arsed to fit in this year now! (oil change is overdue, but only by a month, and last year it got changed at 12 months/sub 5,000 miles so it's fine 😂. And keep an eye on the turbo issue 

Brakes felt way sharper pulling to round to my parking spot, and hopefully the small marks on the road will soften over winter... 

[beko1987]

Replacement T55 bought, especially as I know what it fits now, and if I have need to get back in there it's probably gonna be a fucking urgent need 😂

We went into town earlier, nearly put Eva through the windscreen braking at the usual shove I do at the first roundabout 👌 I can lightly breathe on the pedal and slow down a good amount now, must have been very used to it not doing much before to the point I didn't notice at all

[beko1987]

First proper drive completed, and to work and back so familiar. The fact the car stops better and with less pedal needed isn't even the best bit, something must have been binding somewhere as I don't loose anywhere as near as much speed as I used to just lifting off the accelerator! 

Hope that translates into a free mpg bump! 

[beko1987]

It was warm and sunny at 4pm when I shut my laptop down, so I pulled the car round and assumed the position! 

The time is 172k

Time to chuck this in! The only thing I've paid for is a new sump plug 👌 got the under tray off and had her drain. Noticed a few oil leaks... The rocker cover gasket isn't getting any better, I cleaned this all when I was last under here.  Active but slow drips

The oil runs uphill too 🤣 The bottom of the intercooler is a bit moist too... 

It's coming out of a little bung, which is nice as that side won't rust now

[beko1987]

I then grabbed the new drain plug and washer and tbh I don't even know why I bothered, the old ones fine

I think I hammered the torx in the last 2 changes... 

Washed and re used the oil filter AND I was clever, and before I dropped the oil I loosened the filter with one hand and a couple of grunts before I got all oily 👌💪

Lobbed the entire bottle and 1l I had kicking around else where to bring the level up on the dipstick to the middle, I left the axle stand under as I did it so my fat arse would fit back under to refit everything and I think I actually angled rhe engine backwards and the sump was level and loads flowed out. Certainly wasn't all pouring out the bottom so meh! 

Held down the magic button 

And that's the service warning not coming on every time I start the car! Bloody modern cars with their warnings on the dash 😡 (that tbh I completely ignore, I ignore the oil level thing too as I park at a backwards angle mostly so it's never accurate from there) 

Left it out on the road incase my mate comes early tomorrow, otherwise I'll park it back up and he ca hope there's a space when he turns up! I get to do it all again to a 2019 astra 1.0 tomorrow... (that's what paid for the oil) 

[beko1987]

It can get a vacuum out tomorrow too 

To test this! Found it on the side of the road earlier 

It'll then be refurbished and make a nice dent in the "Eva needs a new laptop that'll run fortnite" fund 👌

[beko1987]

George works very well! 

Didn't take long as the car wasn't filthy but I then got my Vorwerk VK150 out (£2,000 odd worth of vacuum!) and got the turbo brush all over the velour and carpets

Then took the mats in and put the carpet head on them which is really aggressive. 

Paid £40 for it in the summer and it's fab! I might keep it and sell the others, I don't need 5/6 of them... Do I? 

Currently refurbishing the green ones, anyone fancy a cheap REALLY good vacuum in a few weeks? Stripped and washed the floor heads, main bodies are next on the to-do list

 

[beko1987]

I mean it could be worse, a friend said this cold snap took his grandad out the other week, here I am moaning about it taking some bulbs out!

Yesterday I became aware one of the brake light bulbs had gone on the back. Fair enough, no bother, got it changed. Came out this morning to de-ice the car to nip out somewhere and ah...

Explains why I felt I couldnt see shit Tuesday night coming home from work! Luckily I was only nipping out, not going to the office so just turned them off and carried on. Came home and had a peek under the cover to check the connector hadn't melted or some other annoyance. Luckily all seems fine

I gathered all the random bulb packs I have from the car and house and did find 2 H7 bulbs, which the manual (which is falling apart now sadly) says I need

Their a mis-matched pair though, which I can almost forsee being an annoyance...

However, I channeled my inner LBF and one is an Osram 64210-L. I've heard of Osram. The other bulb says HNG and some code that google thinks is an I7-1255U and gives me nothing else.

Given how I've been moaning about the shite headlights for the past few winters, and officially their a bumper off job to change, I've opted to push the boat out. Toolstation supposedly sell an Osram 64210-B for £7 and my local one had one in stock. So I've ordered one of those, and will put a matched Osram pair in, hope the B and L suffixes don't denote something important and keep the rando no name bulb in the kit for emergencies!#

And only slice my hands up in the freezing cold on Saturday once 👌 Although the main beam bulbs are easier to get at. I had to do the sidelights last time which were buried far down and in, if I pop the battery off and unplug the ABS mobule (or even just unplug the ABS module...) I should have good* access.

The brake light was nice though, who actually noticed was the Ex and Charlie out driving, they must have been behind me driving home, so Charlie got to help pop the cluster off, check which bulb it was and fit a new one, which he seemed happy about. (I didn't tell him Amy had text me prior but it wasn't the sidelight and I can't easily check the brakes on my own...)

[beko1987]

I now have 2 matching part number bulbs. 

One brand new from toolstation, one that's been sat in a bulb kit in the boot of probably my last 4 cars 😂 I wonder which one won't work... 

[grogee]

On 07/10/2023 at 14:29, beko1987 said:

Fancy a cheap REALLY good vacuum in a few weeks?

 

Colour me interested. Am I right in thinking you're north of the border? 

[beko1987]

Just now, grogee said:

Colour me interested. Am I right in thinking you're north of the border? 

I'm south near Oxford, but it could be posted. TBH I've done zip about this since posting, could put a 'best' set together for you? (their all sat in the corner of my room being in the way 😂)

[grogee]

14 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

I'm south near Oxford, but it could be posted. TBH I've done zip about this since posting, could put a 'best' set together for you? (their all sat in the corner of my room being in the way 😂)

Oxford is an hour away so easy peasy. I will be visiting Woodstock on 10th Feb, I could collect then, and even better I'd be able to pay for it at that time. 

[beko1987]

Oooh a deadline! 😱 You can have one of the nicer older heads, and a good set of tools (did you want tools or just the vac?) 

[beko1987]

Ah that wasn't nearly as bad as the fb group people made it out to be, and nowhere near as bad as the sidelight bulbs are. 7/10 would be higher but it's 0 degrees here. 

I chucked the possibly used osram of unknown origin on the passenger side, confirmed it's operation and then fitted the brand new 0 hours bulb to the drivers side to treat myself. I need a back rubber cover for that side... 

Huzzah. Checked the full beams

Marvellous! So what came out? 

The Classic had classically shat it's pants

But the mighty KX is still fully working

So it went into the bulb kit with the HnnNnnnG to make 2 working spares for emergencies! Chucked a few sidelight and other random bulbs I had in the kitchen from buying packs of 10 on ebay so we iz well stocked now! 

If I'm lucky I'll be able to see more when I next drive in the dark, which will probably be Tuesday evening... 

Here ends an exciting update for a boring car! (It needs to carry on being boring and reliable too please 🙏) 

[grogee]

16 hours ago, beko1987 said:

Oooh a deadline! 😱 You can have one of the nicer older heads, and a good set of tools (did you want tools or just the vac?) 

The full set I guess. It'll replace the garage Miele on which the 'on' switch is bust and the lid thing flaps about. Do you want that for spares? 

[beko1987]

Just now, grogee said:

The full set I guess. It'll replace the garage Miele on which the 'on' switch is bust and the lid thing flaps about. Do you want that for spares? 

Wouldn't say no, thanks. Miele motors are the valuable part 😂

Although for a garage vac... I'll refer back to my image of using the VK150, they don't stand up at all, you'd be chucking it on the floor at best. Or... I give you the scruffiest one, and find a long bit of hose to chop and extend the og hose it has... Then you could screw it to the wall or something 😂

[grogee]

1 minute ago, beko1987 said:

Wouldn't say no, thanks. Miele motors are the valuable part 😂

Although for a garage vac... I'll refer back to my image of using the VK150, they don't stand up at all, you'd be chucking it on the floor at best. Or... I give you the scruffiest one, and find a long bit of hose to chop and extend the og hose it has... Then you could screw it to the wall or something 😂

Well I mean it lives in the garage but gets used for cars. And occasional swarf and sawdust duties depending on what I'm fixing making worse at the time

[beko1987]

5 minutes ago, grogee said:

Well I mean it lives in the garage but gets used for cars. And occasional swarf and sawdust duties depending on what I'm fixing making worse at the time

Fair enough. Paper bags will be mega cheap for it which will be a bonus! Plus (I'll make sure it has one) it has a shoulder strap so you can wear it to clean up 👍