Grogee's spannering (Maestro, Avensis & Favorit). LIVE!! 1! SKODA MoT FAIL

[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 August 9 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.

[Andyrew]

[grogee]

Ah thank you @Andyrew, I forgot to take pics of your artwork while I was underneath. 

The Shite Wizard busied himself with my Skoda today, which was in need of a more permanent exhaust solution. I supplied a Lithuanian or possibly Polish zorst system supposedly listed for a Felicia diesel (I suspect they supply the same system for all variants). 

It needed adaptation to connect to the Polo GTI downpipe and cat, plus Andy worked his magic on the mountings which are almost literally belt and braces. 

Result? Transformed! 

- Exhaust no longer bangs on the bodywork on overrun. 

- It's quiet! Well, quieter. The induction still makes itself heard, and many of the factory-fit squeaks and rattles are still there. 

- No fumes! There was definitely a leak with the old system so I was getting a fun* lungful of exhaust before, but it's gas-tight now. 

Really pleased with the results. The factory routing means I can fit the bumper @Yoss supplied with the car, which doesn't have the cut out for the homebrew zorst that was previously fitted. 

[Yoss]

43 minutes ago, grogee said:

Ah thank you @Andyrew, I forgot to take pics of your artwork while I was underneath. 

The Shite Wizard busied himself with my Skoda today, which was in need of a more permanent exhaust solution. I supplied a Lithuanian or possibly Polish zorst system supposedly listed for a Felicia diesel (I suspect they supply the same system for all variants). 

It needed adaptation to connect to the Polo GTI downpipe and cat, plus Andy worked his magic on the mountings which are almost literally belt and braces. 

Result? Transformed! 

- Exhaust no longer bangs on the bodywork on overrun. 

- It's quiet! Well, quieter. The induction still makes itself heard, and many of the factory-fit squeaks and rattles are still there. 

- No fumes! There was definitely a leak with the old system so I was getting a fun* lungful of exhaust before, but it's gas-tight now. 

Really pleased with the results. The factory routing means I can fit the bumper @Yoss supplied with the car, which doesn't have the cut out for the homebrew zorst that was previously fitted. 

This was always my plan and when the tailpipe collapsed in December but then I broke the engine on blue Škoda so I had to patch it up to keep it going and by the time I fixed that we had bought the Up! so it never happened. I'm glad it now has. That is a proper Felicia diesel system, the petrol ones, even on the 1.6 are much smaller bore. 

Dare I ask about the MOT? I assume you wouldn't be spending money on the exhaust if you didn't have a plan. 

Also did either yourself or @Andyrew get a better picture of it next to REV? I'd love to see that. 

[grogee]

22 minutes ago, Yoss said:

This was always my plan and when the tailpipe collapsed in December but then I broke the engine on blue Škoda so I had to patch it up to keep it going and by the time I fixed that we had bought the Up! so it never happened. I'm glad it now has. That is a proper Felicia diesel system, the petrol ones, even on the 1.6 are much smaller bore. 

Dare I ask about the MOT? I assume you wouldn't be spending money on the exhaust if you didn't have a plan. 

Also did either yourself or @Andyrew get a better picture of it next to REV? I'd love to see that. 

I only took that one pic sadly but it was good to be in the exalted company of REV. 

Interestingly* that zorst system starts at 50mm but the rearmost bit is a smaller bore, 43ish I think. Possibly a cost save, who knows. It's very civilised now, at least in engine noise terms. I may have lost one or two horses but I'll happily trade that for a quiet cruise. 

My "plan" for the MoT is to take it to Crossroads Garage in Napton, Warks... Because a mate of a mate took his old BMW there and 'Ray' passed it. 

The additional strategies are to tip in a bottle of Cataclean and thrash the living daylights out of it on the way to the test next Tuesday. 

Shirley though, a gas tight exhaust should help - shouldn't it? 

[Yoss]

Yes the exhaust should help.

The one sensor I didnt change was the MAF sensor because I forgot it had one. Or at least I assume it has one, but I don't know where, it's not something I have on the rest of the fleet. Well the Up! Will have one of course but I keep forgetting we own that because I never have to touch it. 

[grogee]

With the impending MoT rematch on Tuesday, it's imperative I fix the emissions issue as best I can. 

To that end I got busy continuing my home-made parcel shelf. Being brought up in rural Devon, the first thing that came to mind to hinge the shelf was stable door bolts. 

I've even fitted the string that lifts the shelf when you open the tailgate. Totally indistinguishable* from OEM. 

Obviously that's not going to satisfy the MoT man, so I then moved into the interior and changed the clock. 

For extra points I fitted the bumper @Yoss supplied with the car, which doesn't have a redundant cut-out for the old exhaust. 

Then poured some Cataclean in and went to see @straightSix's colleague to collect some bargain part worns for the Avensis. Not needed yet but they'll come in handy soon. They're the same diameter and aspect ratio, but 225 instead of 215 for maximum grip through Copse and Maggots. Thanks to Eddie and colleague Matt who were very pleasant and helpful. 

[Yoss]

45 minutes ago, grogee said:

With the impending MoT rematch on Tuesday, it's imperative I fix the emissions issue as best I can. 

To that end I got busy continuing my home-made parcel shelf. Being brought up in rural Devon, the first thing that came to mind to hinge the shelf was stable door bolts. 

I've even fitted the string that lifts the shelf when you open the tailgate. Totally indistinguishable* from OEM. 

Obviously that's not going to satisfy the MoT man, so I then moved into the interior and changed the clock. 

For extra points I fitted the bumper @Yoss supplied with the car, which doesn't have a redundant cut-out for the old exhaust. 

Then poured some Cataclean in and went to see @straightSix's colleague to collect some bargain part worns for the Avensis. Not needed yet but they'll come in handy soon. They're the same diameter and aspect ratio, but 225 instead of 215 for maximum grip through Copse and Maggots. Thanks to Eddie and colleague Matt who were very pleasant and helpful. 

So pleased to see that bumper on, I hated the other one. 

I'd be interested to see what time the clock says at the same time tomorrow. I'd be surprised if it is, within ten minutes of what it said today. But it has a genuine Tesla logo on so it is cool. I don't know what the CORR button does. Maybe that can speed it up or slow it down but I have no idea how. 

[grogee]

42 minutes ago, Yoss said:

So pleased to see that bumper on, I hated the other one. 

I'd be interested to see what time the clock says at the same time tomorrow. I'd be surprised if it is, within ten minutes of what it said today. But it has a genuine Tesla logo on so it is cool. I don't know what the CORR button does. Maybe that can speed it up or slow it down but I have no idea how. 

Yeah I don't know what CORR does either. Ejector seat maybe? 

The bumper was a joy to change. Six M8 bolts, none of which were rusted to oblivion. 

Actually I've just been out to check the clock aaaand... It's still on 16:00!

No idea, but I've now set time again and pressed SET and CORR and it's moved on a couple of minutes. 

Also, check out the green backlighting with the lights on - how cool is that??!! Never mind the fact it's barely readable in daylight. 

Who needs a Cybertruck when you've got one of these? 

[Yoss]

40 minutes ago, grogee said:

Yeah I don't know what CORR does either. Ejector seat maybe? 

The bumper was a joy to change. Six M8 bolts, none of which were rusted to oblivion. 

Actually I've just been out to check the clock aaaand... It's still on 16:00!

No idea, but I've now set time again and pressed SET and CORR and it's moved on a couple of minutes. 

Also, check out the green backlighting with the lights on - how cool is that??!! Never mind the fact it's barely readable in daylight. 

Who needs a Cybertruck when you've got one of these? 

Shirley that went backwards by 3 minutes. You can't really see it properly from the drivers seat anyway. It is only really visible from the back seats. 

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Yoss said:

. I don't know what the CORR button does. 

It's what you press when you see someone you're attracted to?

[Yoss]

My clock is a lot browner than yours, being a mk1, which instantly makes it cooler but it doesn't have the Tesla logo so yours wins overall I think. 

Mine only has two buttons and I can't remember what they do as neither are marked. Mine stays red with the lights on but gets a bit dimmer. Not that you can tell with potatocam. 

It also bears no resemblance to the actual time but looks nice sitting up in the ceiling. 

[grogee]

Today's job was to check the gearbox oil. It would be straightforward were it not for the non standard engine attached to the gearbox. 

To check the level you have to remove the speedo drive from the top of the box. I needed to do it from underneath as I just couldn't access from the top. Interesting* to find the speedo drive is held on with a 9mm headed bolt - haven't seen one of those for a while. 

It's a bit of guesswork because the car is tipped at an angle and not level, but I tipped a bit more in hoping for a better shift quality. Spilled plenty of 75W90 on my cardboard creeper, obvs. 

Then I washed it in preparation for the Southam Cricket Club car meet tonight. 

[grogee]

LIVE MoT!!! 

Skoda is in for MoT with a supposedly friendly tester recommended by a friend of a friend. He's just asked me what I did to car since last test, to which I answered:

- Cleaned air filter

- Tipped in a bottle of Cataclean 

- @Andyrew fitted a new zorst

- I gave it full beans on way to testing station, and left it idling before test

So we'll see if that's enough. I could really do with a pass... 

[Tickman]

Did you run over his dog on the way in?

 

[mercedade]

Hope you got those readings to hand for the emissions  

[Cluffy]

News please, George!!?!