Grogee's spannering (Maestro, Avensis & Favorit). BEARING UP

[grogee]

6 hours ago, grogee said:

Today I drove the 'Stro to work to test out the new ignition switch. 

I didn't get any instances of the cut-out happening this morning, but that's not a guaranteed fix. For a start, the ambient temperature was much lower first thing, and maybe that's something that influences it. 

I'll see what happens on the way home, when ambient is higher (although it is cool today). 

Have a picture of it nestled between some mordernz. 

Drove home, had one cut out about one minute after starting then it was fine... So looks like ignition switch hasn't sorted it, bah. 

I can't help thinking it'll be something untraceable like a dry joint in the ECU or bad capacitor or something 'hidden' like that. 

I'm thinking I'll travel with a multimeter on board and if it's safe to do so, I'll pull over in the 'cut out' condition and see if the fuel pump is getting +12v.

Should the coil have +12v as well with ignition on? 

[Matty]

4 hours ago, grogee said:

Drove home, had one cut out about one minute after starting then it was fine... So looks like ignition switch hasn't sorted it, bah. 

I can't help thinking it'll be something untraceable like a dry joint in the ECU or bad capacitor or something 'hidden' like that. 

I'm thinking I'll travel with a multimeter on board and if it's safe to do so, I'll pull over in the 'cut out' condition and see if the fuel pump is getting +12v.

Should the coil have +12v as well with ignition on? 

As its a seasonal use car (like mine) as long as it still works, winter is when you worry about stuff like this. Our @cobblers works on stuff every day which is like a million times more complicated than the ecu in this. I'd get the season out of the way then take it off and send it him. After all even if he finds nowt wrong its still a full health check and one less thing to worry about in the future.

Picture was great by the way. With the caveat that I'm a wierd BLARG pervo, the Maestro in MG guise is a bloody good looking car!

[grogee]

9 hours ago, Matty said:

As its a seasonal use car (like mine) as long as it still works, winter is when you worry about stuff like this. Our @cobblers works on stuff every day which is like a million times more complicated than the ecu in this. I'd get the season out of the way then take it off and send it him. After all even if he finds nowt wrong its still a full health check and one less thing to worry about in the future.

Picture was great by the way. With the caveat that I'm a wierd BLARG pervo, the Maestro in MG guise is a bloody good looking car!

Thanks for the kind words. 

I do have a different ECU which I can throw on to eliminate that possibility. In fact today's job is to go to my storage unit and find that ECU, plus a couple of rear wheel bearings I've been procrastinating. 

I think when the Maestro came out, I didn't consider it more or less dated than Mk3 Escort, Mk1 Astra etc but when 'slippery' cars like Sierra and Mk2 Astra came along it started to look blocky and old fashioned. 

The Turbo body kit did jazz it up quite a lot, making it look less fuddy-duddy. 

But the original MG go-faster black bits (spats, spoilers etc) are so very 80s and I love them. 

[JMotor]

Still think the EFi MG 'Stro is the best looking 'Stro.

[Brigsy]

20 hours ago, Tenmil Socket said:

I wouldn't attach it to the exhaust though!

Literally money to burn😆

[Matty]

Just now, JMotor said:

Still think the EFi MG 'Stro is the best looking 'Stro.

I reckon once yours is through tin surgery it'd be a prime candidate for the same treatment as the Corsa got. Tasteful chassis and wheel mods to create a subtle fast road car and all easily reversible.

 

 

 

(Yes yes I know you've spent time and money already undoing that, but we gloss over small inconvenient details on here 😁)

[JMotor]

3 hours ago, Matty said:

I reckon once yours is through tin surgery it'd be a prime candidate for the same treatment as the Corsa got. Tasteful chassis and wheel mods to create a subtle fast road car and all easily reversible.

 

 

 

(Yes yes I know you've spent time and money already undoing that, but we gloss over small inconvenient details on here 😁)

VVC swapped Maestro on T'bay

If I was to do all that. Probably be better to buy this one?  

For now, solid and roadworthy will dae me....

Unless a very cheap MGF or TF came up local 😆.

Sorry for the hijack. 

[grogee]

45 minutes ago, JMotor said:

VVC swapped Maestro on T'bay

If I was to do all that. Probably be better to buy this one?  

For now, solid and roadworthy will dae me....

Unless a very cheap MGF or TF came up local 😆.

Sorry for the hijack. 

Not at all, this is a safe space for BLARG botherers. 

That VVC Maestro looks OK although the guy is clearly a loonbag, isn't that the one with the Astra GTE digi-dash? 

You're right though, easier to buy an already-done conversion than start from scratch - BUT are the wheel arches hanging??? 

Today's job was rear wheel bearings on the 'Stro. That meant going to my storage lockup an hour away to get parts. But I'm kind of glad I did because my next-door container neighbour was there and he was getting a VW camper out of his container. 

For some reason I assumed that storing cars in the containers was no-go, but it looks to be absolutely fine M8. That's good to know because if I sorted out all my container shite and put it at the back, there would easily be room for a car. 

I do need to think about some ramps - container neighbour had knocked up some metal ones using a scaffold pole - but I think I'd be able to use or bodge my blue metal ramps which I never use anyway. 

Anyway I got the bearings and spare ECUs (for the cutting out issue). Then got to work. 

I'm pretty sure the last time I did a drum wheel bearing was when I worked part time in a garage as a spotty youth. Fittingly, today on 6music was 90s rave day so the whole soundtrack was nostalgia laden. 

It's not a difficult job really, it's nice working on old stuff like this that doesn't need yet another special tool to repair. Basically all you need is a hammer, a drift, some sockets and a bit of patience. 

Of course it was all going too well, and I opened the second box to find it didn't fucking fit even though the box was handwritten with 'MAESTRO / MONTEGO'. So the offside rear has a new outer bearing and I cleaned and regreased the inner one. 

Anyway there's no play now, so should be good for another few decades hopefully. 

I've swapped out the ECU as well, in case that's the cause of my cutting out issue. 

[High Jetter]

12 minutes ago, grogee said:

That's good to know because if I sorted out all my container shite and put it at the back, there would easily be room for a car. 

Ooh, what are you getting? 😀

[JMotor]

Like for the work. 

Not handy bearing being wrong. Good that it wasn't too much of a ball ache to get it back together. This has also reminded me I need to replace the passenger side bearing on mine. So it's good to read that it's not a huge trauma to replace.

Fingers crossed the replacement ECU is the fixes that issue. 

Aye that eBay Maestro does have the GTE dash. I'd likely just build than buy thinking about it. As who knows what fuckery would need to be undone! 

[grogee]

8 minutes ago, JMotor said:

Like for the work. 

Not handy bearing being wrong. Good that it wasn't too much of a ball ache to get it back together. This has also reminded me I need to replace the passenger side bearing on mine. So it's good to read that it's not a huge trauma to replace.

Fingers crossed the replacement ECU is the fixes that issue. 

Aye that eBay Maestro does have the GTE dash. I'd likely just build than buy thinking about it. As who knows what fuckery would need to be undone! 

Easy to fit, hard to find. I found one set during my regular ebay trawls, then a year later the outer bearing only. 

Front bearings seem easy to come by but rears are like hen's teeth. 

I do wonder if some/all of the assembly is shared with other BL FWD shite, need our resident Unipart catalogue lickers to help with this. 

Edit: found one, £38 mind

[Matty]

Just now, JMotor said:

VVC swapped Maestro on T'bay

If I was to do all that. Probably be better to buy this one?  

For now, solid and roadworthy will dae me....

Unless a very cheap MGF or TF came up local 😆.

Sorry for the hijack. 

I could get on with that. But without all the stick on tat. A standard 1275 like yours with just a slight drop, tastefull wheels and a VVC, now we're farming.

Also sorry for the thread drift @grogee. We will stop it now 😄

[JMotor]

9 hours ago, grogee said:

I do wonder if some/all of the assembly is shared with other BL FWD shite, need our resident Unipart catalogue lickers to help with this. 

From what I have discovered  it's Monstro specific for likes of the rear bearings.

Why couldn't BL just tack on already existing shite into their LM10/LM11 project. Just reuse parts that they already had in production. Lessen the cost? Naaahhh 😆.

Then! Make the Van version use a completely different set up with different sized bearings! Bonkers.

@Matty

Like this? This car was what made me want a red Ledbury in the first place. So I could do something similar. 

Edited yesterday at 06:05 by JMotor
Thought my post was too much of a rant. Sorry.

[Matty]

Just now, JMotor said:

From what I have discovered (the hard way) it's Monstro specific for likes of the rear bearings.

Why couldn't BL just tack on already existing shite into their LM10/LM11 project. Just reuse an already used part. Lessen the cost. But! No! Fuck you all, we'll make one that one fits that platform! 

Then! Make the Van version use a completely different set up with different sized bearings! 

@Matty

Like this? This car was what made me want a red Ledbury in the first place. So I could do something similar. 

All the yesses. Toned down, classy and cool. And all reversible if need be.