N19's fleet - carpet laying

[Dyslexic Viking]

2 minutes ago, N19 said:

Yeah that's what I'd assumed it'd be! I may just have a nosey around the motorfactors on Saturday. I have some generic gasket material as well.

I found this below where it is clear that is a gasket there. Is the second joint also like that?

 

Because if this is the right part diagram, you need 2 gaskets. And think these are part numbers that are in the picture.

[sierraman]

On 1/16/2022 at 9:20 PM, N19 said:

I should have known things were going too well. 

Having been called into work on a Sunday to put right some issues, I headed off in the Mondeo. It was not happy at all. Engine stuttering, revving but failing to provide power, really a struggle to do anything. Gave up and left it outside the local garage with the keys through the door after a nice text with the owner - manic week next week and no time to look at it. It's not the clutch (replaced last year, and the third-gear test gives a healthy stall). Idle is all over the place too.

Haaaarumph!

So the Bluebird took up the mantle adequately (although, with the exhaust still blowing, noisily). Looks like the centre section of the exhaust can be had for £70 or so, so I'll order one up tomorrow and hopefully change it at the weekend. I had a session of WD40-spraying on the bolts earlier, and I'll do a couple more during the week to hopefully make the process a bit easier on the day.

Sounds like the coil to me on Mondeo.

[N19]

On 1/21/2022 at 9:12 AM, sierraman said:

Sounds like the coil to me on Mondeo.

Apparently some flakey wiring in the loom - sorted now anyway ( haven't had a chance to go and ask more).

[sierraman]

10 minutes ago, N19 said:

Apparently some flakey wiring in the loom - sorted now anyway ( haven't had a chance to go and ask more).

Had a similar issue on a Mk2 Focus, the heat/vibration made the wires break at the connector, just spliced anew bit of loom in with a bit more ‘give’. Job done. 

[N19]

I've not fitted an exhaust before, so I decided to read up on tips on this site. The general consensus seemed to be "don't bother, chuck it at a garage". So naturally I did it.

It wasn't actually too painful, then again I was only replacing the middle section. All fixings had been liberally soaked in WD each night for the last week. Six point sockets and breaker bar came out, and all but one were smooth as anything (the final one succumbed after the freezer spray was wielded).

I realised I hadn't picked up any fitting paste, and prepared myself for a trip to the Sunday motor factors in Watford, then decided to pop in at the local hardware / emporium / we sell all sorts of stuff shop. Bingo! 

On closer inspection of the old exhaust, there's a small hole at the back of the silencer as well as the pretty large split in the flexi. The car has always had a tiny blow in the time I've had it, and this would explain it.

Mating faces cleaned up, fitting paste applied, everything offered up loosely and then tightened up in sequence, and surprisingly less faff than anticipated...

Ran up nicely in the garage without any feared leaks! I was convinced I'd manage to cock it up somehow. I left it to idle whilst packing tools away, and it settled down to a quiet purr once up to temperature. Job done!

I'd ordered (separately) the back section from a supplier last night, as I'd convinced myself I'd end up having to do the whole thing. The rear section looks in good nick though, so I've asked if I can cancel it. If not I'll fit it too anyway or keep it for a rainy day.

It needs to go back to the garage for a bit of welding, and there's also a driveshaft gaiter to be fitted, then it's all up to date with the MoT advisories.

[sierraman]

Hardest but is getting the old one off. This is where a reciprocating saw with some metal blades on is your friend. 

[N19]

Luckily it seemed to release quite happily - I don't know if I was just fortunate, or if the WD had worked the magic. The angle grinder was on standby though.

[High Jetter]

Well done for getting stuck in and having a go. Satisfying, isn't it?

[N19]

4 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

Well done for getting stuck in and having a go. Satisfying, isn't it?

Very much so - I do most minor bits and pieces myself, but will chuck it at the garage if it's more involved.

Key for me is deciding what the 'worst that could happen' is (and in this case it'd be giving up halfway and/or having to bodge the old blowing exhaust back on, slapping paste around it enough that I can limp it to the garage so it can be done properly).

If I had a larger garage and/or a space to work that wasn't also where I store the Capri, I'd be able to do more... I don't like to rush things unless I know them like the back of my hand, so any job involving the Mondeo/Bluebird that will/could leave the car unable to move, needs to be done outside at the moment.

[N19]

I put the drivers window down on the Bluebird the other day to a >clunk< as it fell in. Fiddlesticks.

I got the regulator out and it's done exactly the same as the previous one did. I'm not quite sure what's wrong with the door/window setup on the drivers door of the Bluebird - it's never sat right and always had some play to it, initially I thought this was a worn runner but it continues despite replacement. I'm eyeing up one of the Bluebird groups to see if someone has a red door with working window mechanism in, that I could swap out entirely.  The steel cable in this one is completely mullered.

... so the temporary bodge is to hold it up on the now-severed cable, screwed down through a spare fixing. See also strategic cable tie to prevent the window controller for the remaining windows fouling the door when it closes, and scrap UPS unit being used to hold the door open for work.

The Mondeo continues to look... weathered... and I still need to get a new power steering pump for it (although the current one has been groaning for a while, so I should think it'll last a bit longer, hopefully).

 

[N19]

I was having a think about the fleet this morning and am slowly coming to the conclusion that the Bluebird may need to move on. 

Over the last year it's had a new gearbox, clutch, cambelt, it had 4 tyres in 2020. Mechanically it'll probably be bombproof for a while, some welding will need doing (mmm crispy sills). But the bills do tot up and  is that money better spent elsewhere? Also, the ULEZ will expand in a few years, and fuel isn't getting any cheaper - neither the Bluebird nor Mondeo are ULEZ compliant or fuel efficient in any way, but the Mondeo has the saving grace of being bigger and useful for odd jobs, and being an excellent long distance driver with all the toys. 

So I'm thinking it may be time to sell it on, buy something cheap and economical, keeping the Mondeo for usefulness and some share of daily driving whilst it's still usable in suburbia.

Hmm.

[N19]

The cassette player in the Bluebird at the moment needs work (azimuth is off), so when @AnnoyingPentium offered a cheap working unit it was perfect timing. Postie dropped it off this morning ("which car is this a part for, then?").

It's a late 90s or early 00s model I think - based on the phone number on a sticker (which starts 0113, so must be after 95). You can tell the difference in sound quality compared to the 80s head units I normally have kicking around! Mr Pentium also included a couple of 80s cassettes foc which will start off in the Bluebird (start off? yes, every so often I have a good old shuffle around of tapes, otherwise I find myself thinking every car has a soundtrack. Tonight, Tonight, Tonight by Genesis or Heart by PSB tends to make me think of the Bluebird - whereas Burning Bridges (Quo) reminds me of the Capri and Stop! (Erasure) the Mondeo)

After a bit more thinking, I've decided that whilst the Bluebird will have to move on one day, that day isn't now. There haven't been any changes to ULEZ announced fully yet, so it makes sense to wait until there's a date in mind and there's clarity on what the standards will be. And, yes, I've got to fork out £200 or so on some welding, but a new car could come with all those challenges and more.

Mondeo had the plenum off and a good clean of the throttle body, which was pretty caked in gunk. Then a bit of redex down the throat whilst revving - smoky. See  if that makes any difference to its odd idle.

[AnnoyingPentium]

22 minutes ago, N19 said:

The cassette player in the Bluebird at the moment needs work (azimuth is off), so when @AnnoyingPentium offered a cheap working unit it was perfect timing. Postie dropped it off this morning ("which car is this a part for, then?").

It's a late 90s or early 00s model I think - based on the phone number on a sticker (which starts 0113, so must be after 95). You can tell the difference in sound quality compared to the 80s head units I normally have kicking around! Mr Pentium also included a couple of 80s cassettes foc which will start off in the Bluebird

Glad to see that it's getting used as it wasn't when I had it. Good to see the illumination is working properly too. I place that head unit around 1997/1998 just out of best guesses really. It's redeeming feature is the CD 'aux' input for me on the front as well since I could plunk the iPod in if I didn't have something on cassette.

There's a little bit of history around that unit too which I gave you a brief synopsis of in our chats via PM. I bought it c. 2015/16 off of a guy at the boot sale in Ayr for a meagre £5 or so in the original Goodmans box with all the fitting gear. The original intention was to buy one that I could hack the wiring up on to run in the house with a pair of speakers within an old Ikea unit we had kicking about.

I got it home and used a power transformer from an old model railway controller to get it to run. My Granda and I initially ventured to Shewalton breakers in Irvine to procure ourselves a set of speakers for the stereo to use. However, we couldn't get them out of the Y-reg Civic we hacked to bits, so just bought a set from a car audio shop as cheaply as possible. 

Fast forward a few years and I put the wiring back to ISO/DIN standard (with some soldering) and fired it in the Fabia. However, it wasn't what I was looking for, so got retired once again.

I like to think it's in better hands now with you instead!

P.S. Don't ask me how to set the damned clock, I have no clue. You can change audio settings with the recessed 'SEL' button if my memory serves. With a good set of speakers it can produce some nice bassy outputs along with some clear highs. Once again, enjoy. 

EDIT - here it was in the Fabia...

[N19]

Cheers mate. I think for proper audio quality I should replace the NSF speaker that is in two bits - I did order up a new one and it is somewhere in my belongings...

[AnnoyingPentium]

It's Pioneers I've got all round which can make the most of just about anything you throw at them. 17s in the front, 10s in the back. I don't know what a Bluebird takes, but they're a solid choice.

[N19]

If only I listened to the old mantra "measure twice, cut once".

Bluebird job this last week was doing a CV gaiter, which I managed to turn into a complete farce. I went with one of the glue-on kits because sod pulling the leg off, but managed to bugger it up by cutting in the wrong place. Twice!

Never mind, it's done now. New gas struts arrived too, £15 for the pair in a clearance, so will fit them to the boot. Then just need to nail down a window regulator for the drivers door - one on ebay now.

[N19]

I've got a week off work, and a list of things to do. I don't want to spend the entire week fiddling underneath old cars, but hopefully a day or so will sort out many of the bits.

 

As seen in News 24, somebody pranged the bumper of the Bluebird last week. I'm  hoping to get that back into position, then get the tailgate struts replaced so they hold the thing up properly, and when arrived fit the NSF door runner.  

On 3/4/2022 at 8:58 PM, N19 said:

Came back to the Bluebird to an apologetic note on the windscreen. "I think I touched your car".

I think it'll go back on with some new fixings and maybe some washers where fixings have pulled through the plastic.

 

The Mondeo has a jammed passenger door. It won't unlock either on the key or on the interior handle. Possibly a door card removal and WD40 job? Paging @sierraman just in case there's a secret trick or knack?! The N/S and O/S sills also need re-rustproofing as they are starting to grow orange.  And a couple of odd smaller jobs, niggles to investigate etc. Capri needs a bit of radio wiring re-doing and a general service/checkover. I'm hoping that if I go down tomorrow and spend a day on them I can crack most of the jobs off the list!

[N19]

Oh yes, the ULEZ.

End of 2023 it'll expand to encompass Barnet. So some fleet decisions will need to take place.

I think I want to spend some time focussing on the Bluebird, getting the 'niggles' that it's got ironed out, give it a deep clean and tidy up, get the welding done, polish the paintwork where it's dull etc. And then get some proper use out of it for the next 18 months or so whilst I still can. Then as ULEZ approaches it'll likely need a new home. Funds from that sale then go into something cheap, boring, economical etc (Fiesta size?) to do the day-to-day running around with. Meanwhile the Mondeo gets relegated to being used on long trips where comfort and space are key, and the odd DIY/big shopping trip, covering if the new car is off road etc trips down the road to the lockup out of sight of cameras. I'd be saving money running something economical around town anyway, both the Bluebird and the Mondeo return 25mpg on the commute around the suburbs (40+ on the motorway) but hopefully something more suited would save substantially petrol-wise. The Capri, exempt from the stipulations, plods on regardless (it capably swallowed a 150-mile round trip to Oxford today with no preparation, in the usual stylish fashion!).

[stuboy]

please please paint the mondeos bumper

[N19]

9 minutes ago, stuboy said:

please please paint the mondeos bumper

It looks a heck of a lot better than what was there before!

I worry about a rattle can job looking worse...

[sierraman]

11 hours ago, N19 said:

I've got a week off work, and a list of things to do. I don't want to spend the entire week fiddling underneath old cars, but hopefully a day or so will sort out many of the bits.

 

As seen in News 24, somebody pranged the bumper of the Bluebird last week. I'm  hoping to get that back into position, then get the tailgate struts replaced so they hold the thing up properly, and when arrived fit the NSF door runner.  

 

The Mondeo has a jammed passenger door. It won't unlock either on the key or on the interior handle. Possibly a door card removal and WD40 job? Paging @sierraman just in case there's a secret trick or knack?! The N/S and O/S sills also need re-rustproofing as they are starting to grow orange.  And a couple of odd smaller jobs, niggles to investigate etc. Capri needs a bit of radio wiring re-doing and a general service/checkover. I'm hoping that if I go down tomorrow and spend a day on them I can crack most of the jobs off the list!

Sounds like the door lock has jammed, try locking and unlocking it in rapid succession, might undo it. Other than that you might end up cutting into the door card - hopefully not!!

[N19]

16 hours ago, stuboy said:

please please paint the mondeos bumper

Used the rattle can I had in the garage. First coat... Need to get another can for coat 2 tomorrow.

It doesn't exactly look great but the car as a whole is definitely a ten footer anyway.

[sierraman]

I sprayed one once in same colour, just concentrate on getting it even with no banding then whack the lacquer on top. 

[N19]

A productive day was had. 

First, the Bluebird bumper. A bit of persuasion later and it's back on, a couple of fixings replaced. There's still the crack, and the paint is flakey as anything, but it's better than it was.

Mondeo has had a few bits and pieces sorted. Passenger door opened after a bit of key jiggling, trying to lock and unlock quickly, thanks @sierraman that got it open fine! Soaked in WD40 and seems to have behaved after that. Changed a bulb, changed fag lighter fuse, cleaned the inside, grind back and krust and paint the sills where they're bubbling, and do a coat on the bumper. cc @stuboy. from this angle it looks almost half decent! Will do another coat in the morning and lacquer. 

[N19]

New window regulator arrived yesterday. In a rare display of common sense, I set it up on the bench with the motor and gave it a good test first.

In we go, 

Replace some rubber washers to give some cushioning (previously it was vibrating)

Put the trim back together...

Hurrah. There's still excessive play in the track mind, despite that being a new part itself - something somewhere must be awry. But it works.

Next jobs, the CV boot recently fitted feels loose, I think it's those steel cable ties, so will need to re do. And I may even look at the bluebird central locking that hasn't worked properly since I got the car.

Unusually, when I got back home there was a space next to the Mondeo so both 'moderns' could park together.

 

[N19]

Not much to report, work has been too crazy to do much else!

I did get a bit of garage re organisation done though, these shelves were kicking around at home. Wheels are spares for the Bluebird which I don't need but would otherwise have been thrown out by a friend as surplus!

[N19]

I got some replacement gas struts with different fixings for the Bluebird, the originals were past their best. 

Naturally, the studs sheared off and resisted all attempts to remove. Had to drill this one out. I thought there was enough thread left to be able to screw in the new one - but it doesn't hold under load. Think I'll have to nut and bolt from the other side.

 

[N19]

 A few things have been plodding along, not especially quickly, as time just seems to evaporate!

Finished kurusting/painting the sills on the Mondeo, and had a look over the brakes at the same time, all still good.

Back to the Bluebird's struts. I'm sure I had a tap set kicking around, but it was nowhere to be found. Picked up a new one from Screwfix which was put to immediate use and solved the issue, so the boot now stays open.

 

the good weather this morning gave an opportunity for some checks on the Capri, which I haven't really touched this year, having only gone on a few trips to keep everything going.

but what's this?

 

...fuel hose I installed two years ago, if that! Looking inside it doesn't seem to have any cracks that far in, but still not good at all. Now being a paranoid sort I always keep some fresh lying around, promptly put into use, then went out for a spin around the back ends of Herts and Bucks.

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

1 minute ago, N19 said:

so the boot now stays open.

Stops you getting a sore head.

[N19]

388 miles later, Edinburgh achieved.

(Although photo in Jedburgh)

The Mondeo is definitely the "comfort and spacious" element of the fleet. At no point was anything too difficult and we just seemed to float up the A1 and A68 (albeit floating at 38mpg which is about as good as it'll do...)