SKcats fleet. Mazda 323f collection.

[Skcat]

I thought I would get the remote working but the case and button on the pcb was damaged. The PCB was so dirty I gave it too a friend with a cleaner for it too solder it up (rather then me damage it myself). I thought the pcb was a bit simple as it only had basic components on it. 

After the clean it became apparent what was wrong. 

Someone has taken the integrated circuit. Really weird... 

The pcb looks in good shape so won't be chucked but it's very weird. 

[Skcat]

Took the volvo in for its Mot and it passed without a advisory! Pretty good going but it gets shoved back in the garage for another year! 

Not much to update on the 405, battery died so had to replace that. Fitted a replacement drivers headlight lens as the old one was shattered. 

Replaced the antenna mast and base so the radio now works, replaced a backbox hanger, fitted a new air filter and ordered up a full service kit with cambelt kit. 

Gave it a good clean up but there is only so much you can do. 

The 405 gearknob had shattered and I missed the metal gearknob on my old 405 so ordered a metal gearknob from a 206, it fitted like it was meant too be in the 405 but I had too cut 30mm off the shifter arm. 

[Skcat]

Have some alright photos I took today when I had a moment!

[lisbon_road]

That looks really good.  They just used to be everywhere.....

[Skcat]

Picked up some alloys the came off a 205 gentry! Ought too look right on my 405, I think they were a option on the GLX! 

He had some cool cars, I might be interested in the Renault 25. 

 

[Skcat]

Attended le French fest today! Most cars were just modern clios but some fun oddballs were around! 

[Scruffy Bodger]

On 3/26/2022 at 7:27 PM, Skcat said:

Picked up some alloys the came off a 205 gentry! Ought too look right on my 405, I think they were a option on the GLX! 

He had some cool cars, I might be interested in the Renault 25. 

 

Very lucky to find those with the centre caps, they have a habit of flying off so are like rocking horse shit. I've a set on my Quasar less the caps and they look crap, I've bought some C5 alloy/steels in 15" off a mate to replace them.

[Skcat]

My old steel wheel bolts are conical so I got a set of flat faced ones, And the end of those are too wide! 

Got these alloys but they are annoying me as I can't actually fit them! 😑

[Scrubworks]

On 3/27/2022 at 4:25 PM, Skcat said:

That's Grey's Talbot

[Skcat]

Picked up some new wheel bolts so I can fit the alloys, a new arm rest for the drivers door, new fog  light switch.

I fitted a new light stalk the other day as they are £11 new on ebay and mine looked all melted!

Hopefully I can get the bits fitted today and take photos. 

[Skcat]

The new alloys and stupid new grill. Don't worry the old stuff will be kept with the car! 

[Skcat]

Whoever thought making the handbrake shoes fit with weird spring hooks and not the regular retaining bar needs to be shot. Such a terrible job to do! 

Silly little handbrake adjusters were seized solid so I left them in a glass of white spirit overnight and got them free with some plumbgrips. What I wouldn't give for a vice! 

[Scrubworks]

7 hours ago, Skcat said:

Whoever thought making the handbrake shoes fit with weird spring hooks and not the regular retaining bar needs to be shot. Such a terrible job to do! 

Silly little handbrake adjusters were seized solid so I left them in a glass of white spirit overnight and got them free with some plumbgrips. What I wouldn't give for a vice! 

White Vinegar, that will derust anything over a couple of days.

[Skcat]

4 hours ago, Scrubworks said:

White Vinegar, that will derust anything over a couple of days.

White spirit did the job, Just what I had in the garage! 

[Skcat]

Pug has new owner, its going down to Portsmouth and I'm going up north for my next car! Hopefully it will be good as I've only bought a one way ticket!

Was nice enough to taxi me too the train station in the 405.

And now I wait for my first of quite a few trains in northampton! 

Even got come samosas and other things I'm not quite sure made by my neighbor are but they all taste good! 

 

I'm sure some people will ask why I got rid of the pug so quickly, the diesel was relatively economical but when I'm only really doing 500 miles a month it just feels like a wasted effort running about in a old minicab. I will need to put more effort into getting more exciting cars now otherwise I just get bored in weeks. So no more mondeos, primeras and automatic rover 800 type cars I think! 

[Skcat]

Made it too Liverpool. 

Getting excited!!! Been after one of these for a decade, I hope its not rubbish! 

[hairnet]

laaaaaaa

 

[Skcat]

Got it! Now to drive home 

 

[Skcat]

I made it home just fine! Drives and runs great but I found so many stupid electrical gremlins on the way home. The engine smokes when vtec engages. Forums from 2004 say this is normal however, I will keep checking the oil! 

I filled up after I got it and was pretty annoyed by the fuel gauge not working as it should. But before I got home I topped it up again to find in the 142 miles between fill ups I had used 16L of fuel, so the gauge is probably fine. I was not going fast but I did not think it would be that good, the cruise control Probably helps a fair bit too. I never thought It would get 40mog though. 

Its not the best of preludes but I've released that there are basically no amazing Mk4 preludes. This one appears too have a lot of surgery in the past to the rear arches but from 10ft away it looks fine. Does not matter now as I have it! 

[Pat Earrings]

21 hours ago, Skcat said:

Pug has new owner, its going down to Portsmouth and I'm going up north for my next car! Hopefully it will be good as I've only bought a one way ticket!

Was nice enough to taxi me too the train station in the 405.

And now I wait for my first of quite a few trains in northampton! 

Even got come samosas and other things I'm not quite sure made by my neighbor are but they all taste good! 

 

I'm sure some people will ask why I got rid of the pug so quickly, the diesel was relatively economical but when I'm only really doing 500 miles a month it just feels like a wasted effort running about in a old minicab. I will need to put more effort into getting more exciting cars now otherwise I just get bored in weeks. So no more mondeos, primeras and automatic rover 800 type cars I think! 

That yellow thing is an Indian delicacy known as “dokra” . Best way I can describe it is its like a spicy sponge cake. Delicious!

[Scrubworks]

3 hours ago, Skcat said:

 The engine smokes when vtec engages. Forums from 2004 say this is normal however, I will keep checking the oil! 

90s VTEC engines using oil is pretty much a Honda meme at this point. Halfway through every tofu delivery run you will need to top up with 10W40. I think the reason is that the VTEC system increases valve lift, and that makes the valve stem move beyond its comfort zone, and oil leaks around the valve stem seal, because they're all old now. Add in the fact that the engine is pulling in a lot more air on VTEC, and you have oil getting burned.

[Skcat]

Having some fun with it now, it's a nice ride!

Got to love the interior:

Someone did a good job of painting the valve cover too! 

Made adjustments to the immobiliser system and pulled out loads of random extra bits like a radio amp and DAB antenna. Hopefully can start sorting out all these electrical faults! 

Kicked the heater motor and it Sprang to life. So that's that diagnosed (hopefully) 

[Liggle]

Love the 'Lude!

Good test for the valve stem seals - in 2nd get VTEC to engage, let off the accelerator for a few seconds and then plant it again. If it puffs blue smoke it's probably stem seals. They can be fixed with the head on luckily, or ignored obviously 😀

I'm well versed with VTEC oil consumption unfortunately. A good one uses none, I had a 30k mile B16 engine that was perfect and used none. A bad one uses 1L oil per tank full of fuel, like my B20 VTEC with fucked rings. I know it's an H22 but the same applies I'd imagine.

All of the motors I had that used oil pulled really strongly, I had a smokey B18 that still made 194bhp on the Dyno.

[Back_For_More]

I do like the looks of these Preludes - I haven't ticked the v-tec yo' itch at all so need to put one of Hondas efforts on my wish list...... Closest I came was a similar model - on inspection it was totally gone underneath though.

Good luck with it...... what is insurance like on these now? V-Tec into the scenery rice boy scene tax still apply?

[Missy Charm]

Your knob looks great!*

 

*😏

[Skcat]

14 hours ago, Back_For_More said:

I do like the looks of these Preludes - I haven't ticked the v-tec yo' itch at all so need to put one of Hondas efforts on my wish list...... Closest I came was a similar model - on inspection it was totally gone underneath though.

Good luck with it...... what is insurance like on these now? V-Tec into the scenery rice boy scene tax still apply?

I paid the grand sum of £180 for this. With 12k for the year. I'm not sure why but I did not question in! No claims is on the volvo. But mirrored onto this policy! I get much better rates when I value the cars at £2k rather then £500. I think if your car is worth less then around £1500 a lot of insurers will blacklist you or give you a big premium. 

 

Today I got to work trying to sort more issues out. Central locking is a lost cause the loom is so hacked apart in the drivers door, plugs missing everything is shortened. But it's a two door coupe it's not really that important as I can just reach over and unlock the passengers door.

The electric windows, mirrors and everything else are all OK so I won't go through the effort of buying a new door loom and taking the dash apart too wire it in. 

All four speakers are now working as they should. (they had been wired in so badly in the drives door) Tweeters have been disconnected but I will just ignore them. Center console has been removed and refitted now with 8 fixings rather then none! 

Turns out the dimmer is from a later prelude and my car actually only has a day and night mode, no dim function. Someone had the intention of wiring it in but never did. Just left me confused with a dimmer that is not for my car but fits perfectly into place! 

Front fog light switch is Missing but the loom is their (where it should be is where the dimmer is fitted). I think the front fogs have been removed so I will just ignore it now. 

Sorted out the rear fog light. Works off the dash, did not work when I got the car and I'm unsure what I did but it does work now!

Interior lights still don't work off the door. Will need some diagrams to diagnose those! But it's much better to be in. I hate all the little electrical issues you get with cars of this age! 

[SRi05]

Nice purchase. The Prelude I had which I'm fairly sure is still going on here is one of my favorite cars ever, loved it. The pre face-lift shape has aged beautifully 

[Split_Pin]

Lovely, I was really keen on the Prelude that was on here too.

Enjoy!

[Skcat]

I think it has a UKDM drivers door.... But the car is JDM in fact I'm. Pretty certain it does it was red and its been sprayed! Makes me wonder whats happened in its past! 

[Rust Collector]

Nice purchase on the Prelude! I miss driving mine, they're fantastic cars. Those DOHC VTEC engines are pretty indestructible too - back when I was at the main dealer I got a Civic VTi on 220k miles in exchange for about £30 worth of kebabs, it smoked a bit on crossover but was still a rocketship and never let me down in the time I had it. I still see it driving around after selling it to a local lad. 

In terms of rust, keep an eye on the seam where the rear inner arch and the rear quarter meets, from memory there should be a rubber trim on that with sealant inside to stop water wicking in via capillary action and rotting the panel out from the inside. On my one the windscreen frame started to bubble up as well, and I ignored it as the car was laid up which resulted in the windscreen cracking pretty spectacularly!

Is yours a BB4 chassis with 2 wheel steer or a BB1 with 4 wheel steer?