Reb's 205 1.8D - back to work

[Cookiesouwest]

Keep going Reb. You are doing a fine job.

[Longbridge Apologist]

33 minutes ago, DodgyBastard said:

It wasn't that bad, bit of rot behind the headlights and a hole in the sill but I bought it for the rear axle for my other 205 so it's fate was sealed anyway. It was just coincidence that Reb needed an engine when this arrived.

The wheel-spinning in the video has me craving one now.

[320touring]

Great to see this getting some love! Was a fine steed when I had it.

Happy to come over and help sometime - will give you a shout.

Fair play to all the Scottish lot for mucking in😀

[reb]

@Supernautcame along today and we did a little bit of work, the rad and fans are in place now along with the slam panel and grille. The coolant hose from the top of the rad to the thermostat is in place too. I should be able to get the rest of the coolant hoses in next time I'm along, but they'll need the car on stands again and we ran out of fucks today as despite being rainy it was quite warm. Once I've done that the list of things needing done is quite short actually! I might even get in on the road before the winter!

[Supernaut]

Can confirm I was there.

I even helped fit the radiator, slam panel and grille. Look, it has a face again!

 

I then ended up with a couple of sharp, bitey, knee warmers.

[reb]

AutoDoc parcels should be delivered tomorrow according to tracking, that's not a bad turnaround time all things considered.

Of course I can't get in the unit until my new key turns up so it doesn't really matter anyway!

[chaseracer]

On 01/08/2021 at 19:50, Supernaut said:

What the fuck is classed as five spanners then?

Renault headlamp bulb replacement?

[DodgyBastard]

I connected a battery to the engineless 205 and managed to check that the blower motor does work.

Not figured out how difficult it is to remove it yet.

[reb]

Stuff from AutoDoc has arrived, my assistants were quick to help with unpacking it.

[Supernaut]

Today's progress involved connecting some more mysterious electrical connectors under the bonnet, and finishing assembling the cooling system.

We nipped into Kirkcaldy (shudder) and picked up gearbox oil in the vain hope we'd complete it today, but the clutch cable confused us. It's very close to running again, though, and all the parts and fluids needed are now sitting in the unit with it.

 

 

I've also practically bought the Citroen C2 GT at the back of his unit. I bought a battery for it, and we fitted it, and it fired right up, sounding rather healthy. The brakes on it are a bit sticky and it's blocked in by the 205, so I still haven't moved it yet. I reckon it could make a cheap toy for Knockhill shenanigans. I'm going to end up with 2 smoll red hatchbacks...

[reb]

I think we have in fact irreparably broken the clutch cable, so I'll order a new one of fleabay, it's not like they're expensive at least.

The problem stems from a plastic piece that clips onto the gearbox, the one from the donor car was still on the box while it was also still attached to the car's cable. It should remain attached to the cable which we didn't realise so have broken it off. It does remain to figure out how to get the one off of the gearbox, made especially difficult as it's buried under the battery tray. I'll see what I can do next time I'm along.

[Supernaut]

I don't understand how it's still being held on.

The divot for it in the other gearbox is just that. No brackets or anything, so surely it's held in with friction. I've done a clutch cable before on an XUD (admittedly in a 306) and it just clipped into that divot on top of the gearbox.

This one that's still in the 205? No chance. I shoved a screwdriver through it and was moving the suspension before this bastard bit of plastic moved upwards. It wasn't for coming unclipped.

[juular]

This is located looking grand and coming on very quickly. 

If another pair of hands is required or just someone to consume your coffee give us a shout.

[reb]

The new clutch cable arrived today and upon inspection it has a metal clip on the underside of the plastic part that goes on the top of the gearbox, this may explain why the one already on the gearbox refuses to shift. Also (hopefully) arriving today are fancy new shift linkages and a short shift kit. I don't know if I'm going to fit the short shift kit or not but it was only £14 extra to have it included so I thought it would be nice to have.

If all goes well it should be running on Friday then MOT prep can begin!

[reb]

Big thanks to @320touringfor the help getting this going today!

We're now going to see if we can get it to move!

[Tickman]

Outstanding. 

 

[juular]

Excellent!

[Cookiesouwest]

Well done

[reb]

We got it moving under its own steam, which was quite fun, unfortunately just as I was about to reverse it back into the unit the clutch cable came off the pedal with it in first gear so I had to use the brakes to stall it. The clutch cable seems to be slightly too short, but we might just have been doing something wrong. Neil has recommended I ask Mr @Tickmanto assist on that front as he is far more patient than either of us! The list of things to do before it can go for a test is incredibly short now, so hopefully I can do that in the next few weeks.

[big_al_granvia]

as you rightly said. ya fukin dancer

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[Ghosty]

The look on your face says it all, like Nik and Richard when Binky started.

[320touring]

Cheers to @reb for an enjoyable afternoons tinkering!

 

Having sold him this car a few years back, it was great to see it live again!

 

Thanks to @DodgyBastard for supplying a peach of an engine - we didn't have to bleed it at all - literally just a few pumps of the primer and a glow of the plugs, and it fired right up!

Cheers also to @Tickman and @Supernaut for all their graft getting the engine in and wired.

 

today we fitted the passenger drive shaft, 2x new bottom arms and balljoints, filled the gearbox with oil and stuck a clutch cable on it.

I also changed out the battery to starter/alternator loom so the bloody battery clamp tightened properly

A bit of time was spent trying to get it to crank - we had dash lights, but no attempt to start at all (couldn't hear any load on the Volvo that was providing jump start capabilities)

REB was able to read the wiring diagram (I have no clue with them!) And we worked out that we needed to attach a wire from the glow plug relay to the starter, and also swap the correct wire for the exciter on the starter.

did that and away we went!

[captain_70s]

Throwback to when this car was part of the lamest crew of boy racers the world has ever known.

I think the MG is/was @Skut's?

[reb]

Yesterday @Supernautand @Lacquer Peelcame along and we got a decent amount done. It now has coolant in it and an exhaust, and the clutch cable has been properly fitted now. All that remains now is to chase some electrical gremlins (how it can be so basic electrically and still go wrong I don't know), new front wheel bearings, secure the battery and tidy out the interior.

I got to an indicated 35mph on the access road to the unit, which is the fastest it's gone for a very long time! Soon it'll be buzzing about the back roads again as if nothing bad had ever happened to it!

[Skut]

23 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

Throwback to when this car was part of the lamest crew of boy racers the world has ever known.

I think the MG is/was @Skut's?

Yeah it’s mine. Continues to defy OMGHGF predictions.

Be fun to recreate that group shot. Like the Automotive equivalent of the Usual Suspects.

[Supernaut]

As the 205 stood just before the door was shut yesterday:

[captain_70s]

 

11 minutes ago, Skut said:

Be fun to recreate that group shot. Like the Automotive equivalent of the Usual Suspects.

Fo' sho'.

My car is looking slightly worse but is actually a billion times better under the beige and bonnet. It may actually generate slightly more POWAH than the 205...

[reb]

I've just been digging through my V5s and two things have become apparent, firstly all of my cars except the Fiesta are still registered at my parents house, secondly I'll have owned the 205 for 5 years in about a week and a half!

[Ghosty]

11 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

under the beige and bonnet

WE CARRY ONNNNNN

[reb]

I've just looked at the V5 for the Fiesta and it has 9 previous keepers! It's only 17 or 18 years old! I know they're terrible cars but surely someone would have held onto it for more than a couple of years!