Grogee's spannering (Maestro , Corsa & Avensis). AN OPEN AND SHUT CASE

[SmokinWaffle]

On 14/11/2024 at 17:14, grogee said:

 

With some lock on the steering, the wheel tends to tug this way and that seemingly for no reason. Probably some worn bushes in the front suspension somewhere

 

 

Very common. TADTS. 

Mine was terrible when I got it, felt like someone was trying to steer me to my death - topping up the PAS fluid helped for a short while but it came back eventually. You just learn to deal with it - think of it as a charming quirk. 

And check the PAS fluid too. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

The 110 is (in essence) the 90 with different turbo/injectors/ECU. Dimensions are identical.
To swap them over is a bit of mechanical tinkering but then you need some electronic wizardry (misery?) to get the ECU in - this may be easy but Googlefoo has always suggested I'd be more likely to brick the ECU. 
Rasier to remap the 90 as it is up to the limits of the turbo - 120 BHP -  (see wizardry above) but third party wizards exist : https://hdi-tuning.co.uk/car/1-6-hdi-16v-90-2005-2010-bosch-edc16c34-citroen-berlingo/ 

I felt our one with non ABS and rear drum brakes was fine at 90BHP unless you were fully laden in which case the extra oomph may have been worth the outlay.

[grogee]

16 minutes ago, SmokinWaffle said:

Very common. TADTS. 

Mine was terrible when I got it, felt like someone was trying to steer me to my death - topping up the PAS fluid helped for a short while but it came back eventually. You just learn to deal with it - think of it as a charming quirk. 

And check the PAS fluid too. 

I did check the PAS fluid, there was Some There but PSA don't give many clues about the correct level in the black bottle with no dipstick. Is it Dextron/ATF? 

When I drove it yesterday I came to the conclusion that the pump pressure supplied to the rack was fluctuating slightly leading to the 'tugging' feeling with lock on. At that point I decided to file it under 'hard ignore'. 

[grogee]

Been helping facilitate a £ale here on AS. Went to Coventry to collect a load of Vel Satis parts from @blackbart, a scholar and a gentleman. 

Then once home I moved the priceless* spares into secure* storage ready for @Schaefft 's imminent collection mission from the North East. 

Decided the Peugeot had performed well enough to deserve a fill up, so I treated it to £50 worth of finest Asda diesel. 

As part of Operation Shed Storage I've moved four bikes into the Partner which will be going into storage tomorrow. Four bikes have fitted in the Pug (with seats removed) and there's still room for 1-2 more. Didn't even remove any wheels. Amazing car. 

[blackbart]

9 minutes ago, grogee said:

Been helping facilitate a £ale here on AS. Went to Coventry to collect a load of Vel Satis parts from @blackbart, a scholar and a gentleman. 

Then once home I moved the priceless* spares into secure* storage ready for @Schaefft 's imminent collection mission from the North East. 

Decided the Peugeot had performed well enough to deserve a fill up, so I treated it to £50 worth of finest Asda diesel. 

As part of Operation Shed Storage I've moved four bikes into the Partner which will be going into storage tomorrow. Four bikes have fitted in the Pug (with seats removed) and there's still room for 1-2 more. Didn't even remove any wheels. Amazing car. 

Great meeting you George, a gentleman too, no doubt now I know how near you are to me we'll have some future escapades.

[grogee]

Collection relay ACHIEVED. 

@Cluffy and I drove to Cov, I retrieved my jump leads and pez can from Mrs @blackbart who was most helpful and told us where to find the Vel. 

After ten minutes cocking about in the dark, Cluffy and I finally worked out how to manual unlock passenger door and where the bonnet pull was. 

Luckily it was parked in such a way I could get my jump leads on from the Toyota. A minute or two boost from the running Toyota and she burst into life. Quietly! I could barely hear it running over the Toyota taxi diesel clatter. 

Cluffy emptied 5 litres of Tesco's finest octanes into the tank. 

Next challenge was to wipe the condensation from the inside of the windows. Luckily it hadn't had a chance to freeze. 

Unfortunately the heated rear window doesn't work, so keeping Cluffy in the rear view mirror was a challenge. Also the nearside electric mirror is stuck too. Not ideal for navigating the Coventry ring road on/off ramps. 

Anyway we got back without dramas. It's a supremely comfortable and quiet thing as you'd expect. I would have liked the radio on but it's demanding a CODE which may be in the paperwork - I was late for cooking duties so didn't have time to check. 

Have some pics of some wannabe car thieves. 

[blackbart]

Well done George,,I'm glad it went smooth(ish). I'm sorry I couldn't be there but had an important hospital appointment as you know. I would say the radio code is in the owners pack for sure. As collection capers go, I wish all mine went as well lol 😆 

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, grogee said:

Went to Coventry to collect a load of Vel Satis parts

I didn't realise you meant a whole bloody car! Hero.

[Schaefft]

Once again thanks to both of you for making this purchase possible! I would have loved to be there myself but I won't have a single day available until next week. The collection mission shall continue then, until then I've already started looking into the really important things by checking where I could get a wood/leather steering wheel for it (as some Initiale had as optional extra), apparently the Laguna 2 wheel is identical!

[grogee]

Been out in the Partner. 

My old mechanic boss said 'do the hardest jobs first'. So I tackled the clutch pedal bush. 

@Jimbob McGregor alerted me to the common bush failure on these, sure enough when I checked the pedal was moving diagonally because the bushes were worn. 

Getting at the pedal was a bit of a yoga exercise. I decided I wasn't going to try and reach the pedals with the driver seat in position so I removed it. Once in it was a fiddly but do-able job to remove the pedal and change the bushes. Pedal movement is now properly square. 

Too soon to tell if it has made the pedal action lighter, but knowing it's pushing the master cylinder squarely should help matters. 

Then I replaced the seats I'd removed to transport loads of stuff. 

Then I transferred my attentions to the stereo. 

Rather than faff about with a steering wheel controls adapter, I've decided to just throw in a Pure DAB/Bluetooth unit. 

Because the OEM radio antenna is unamplified and roof mounted, I think a DAB splitter should work OK to give me DAB signal from the existing aerial. Unfortunately the one I tried is dead. I thought I had several lying about but I can't find any of them. 

I also had to remove the centre console to pick up an ignition feed for the radio. I've modified it so that it can go back to standard when I sell it. 

Anyway after about 3:30 the sun dipped below the horizon and the temperature became Very Cold, so I gave up for the day. I'll see if Amazon can deliver a DAB splitter overnight via Prime. 

Then I've got some speakers to throw in the front doors for a quick* and easy upgrade. 

[grogee]

Tyre time for Mrs Grogee's Corsa. I've been on at her for months to get them changed, but she 'hasn't got any money'. Funny, because there were plenty of hair and nail appointments in that time. 

Anyway, car karma bit her on the arse. On Wednesday I got a panicked phone call: "I've got a flat tyre and I'm in a massive traffic jam". 

Now, bear in mind she's now the ex-Mrs Grogee and shouldn't really have full access rights to her live-in mechanic. So I'd be well within my rights to shrug and hang up. 

In the end I suggested a call to the AA, thinking they could fit the spare. Good job I did, because it turns out her 'spare' was the wrong wheel and didn't fit. AA man towed her to tyre place where they put on 2x tyres... 

"What tyres did you get?" I asked. 

"I just asked for the cheapest" she said... 🙄. £75 each for Roade or something. 

Anyway, in the meantime I'd convinced her to buy tyres which I'd researched... £73 each for Khumos. So they're now going on the front, as those tyres are also past their best. 

Ah well. Two new cheapo death rings are better than two worn tyres with 1.6mm tread, especially in the winter. 

When I get home I'll set the pressures properly and she'll be 'safe' again, well as safe as a lead-footed peri-menopausal housewife can be anyway. 

[Stinkwheel]

I know you guys are doing the whole amicable thing and fair play to you both for doing it, but i do find it amazing how often you get the whole, they dont want you in their lives anymore but are the first person to ask when shit goes wrong with the car, type scenarios happening

[grogee]

3 hours ago, Stinkwheel said:

I know you guys are doing the whole amicable thing and fair play to you both for doing it, but i do find it amazing how often you get the whole, they dont want you in their lives anymore but are the first person to ask when shit goes wrong with the car, type scenarios happening

There are compelling reasons to keep the peace:

- I hate confrontation 

- We've agreed to split money 50/50 from house and go our separate ways

- No solicitor divorce bollocks

- She doesn't want (or doesn't realise she's entitled to) my pension 

- We've agreed a maintenance figure for Master Grogee that is £fucking loads but still less than govt calculator says

So yes, I could throw my toys out of the pram but that would bring about Conflict which could be a precursor to a whole heap of Life Hassle. 

There is also the element of having to live in the same house (until it's sold) and keep Master Grogee fed/clothed/happy. He wouldn't do well in a feuding household. 

[Stinkwheel]

3 hours ago, grogee said:

There are compelling reasons to keep the peace:

- I hate confrontation 

- We've agreed to split money 50/50 from house and go our separate ways

- No solicitor divorce bollocks

- She doesn't want (or doesn't realise she's entitled to) my pension 

- We've agreed a maintenance figure for Master Grogee that is £fucking loads but still less than govt calculator says

So yes, I could throw my toys out of the pram but that would bring about Conflict which could be a precursor to a whole heap of Life Hassle. 

There is also the element of having to live in the same house (until it's sold) and keep Master Grogee fed/clothed/happy. He wouldn't do well in a feuding household. 

This is all totally understandable and sensible mate, I wasnt commenting on your situation directly, just making a general observation

[Marm Toastsmith]

On 14/11/2024 at 17:14, grogee said:

With some lock on the steering, the wheel tends to tug this way and that seemingly for no reason. Probably some worn bushes in the front suspension somewhere. 

 

To add to the TADTS comment earlier, mine does it, but much less since tracking done and front tyres replaced.

[somewhatfoolish]

10 hours ago, grogee said:

There are compelling reasons to keep the peace:

- I hate confrontation 

- We've agreed to split money 50/50 from house and go our separate ways

- No solicitor divorce bollocks

- She doesn't want (or doesn't realise she's entitled to) my pension 

- We've agreed a maintenance figure for Master Grogee that is £fucking loads but still less than govt calculator says

So yes, I could throw my toys out of the pram but that would bring about Conflict which could be a precursor to a whole heap of Life Hassle. 

There is also the element of having to live in the same house (until it's sold) and keep Master Grogee fed/clothed/happy. He wouldn't do well in a feuding household. 

That's fine but get the agreement formalised into a consent order, otherwise she could change her mind and have a share of that pension. Once a judge has approved it or stamped it or whatever it is they do it's pretty set in stone.

[EyesWeldedShut]

4 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

That's fine but get the agreement formalised into a consent order,

I did this (or the then equivalent) twice. We split assets/liabilities 50/50, got the order formalised and paid 50/50 to the brief on that too. No kids involved either time which did help (maybe).
Being in the current (grogee) situation of sharing the house whilst sorting things out was a bit of a strain but we got there in the end without either of us killing the other.
It was a lot less stressful that the acrimonious ones that I have seen (and a heck of a lot cheaper)

[grogee]

Bit more audio fiddling on the Partner, it now has upgraded front woofers in the doors and the Pure DAB radio. Sadly not compatible with the steering wheel remote, but on the plus side it gives me hands free calls (mic installed on top of the dash) and I can play Bluetooth phone stuff. 

The DAB splitter promised for yesterday still hasn't arrived so I've left the head unit poking out a smidge so I can pull it out and install quickly. 

With the autumnal low sun I've been exercising the sun visors which revealed a PSA special plastic POS breakage. 

The sun visor bracket fitting relies on built-in wedges that are expanded by the fitting screws into square holes in the roof. 

One of these had broken off because PSA, so I improvised with one of those square hole self tapper plastic anchor things cut to size. Quite proud of that fix, sadly I didn't take pics to prove my ingenuity. 

Then this morning I got a new screen fitted. It was going to be a mobile fitter but the bloke quite rightly phoned and asked me to come to the depot because of Storm Bert. 

All done within 90 minutes. I thought I was going to have to refuse the £48 wiper fitting (!) but he knew better than to try and upsell me that shite. 

Getting close to sticking the Partner in for MoT and I may try and driveway trader it to the Great Unwashed. I'd be sad to see it go as it's great fun and very useful but my Toyota does the Diesel Cruiser thing a bit better so I should just stick with that. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

Boot carpet and now steering wheel audio controls?

Double posh 

[grogee]

5 hours ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Boot carpet and now steering wheel audio controls?

Double posh 

Well the audio controls are now useless as the aftermarket radio doesn't have a remote input. 

And I spilled oil all over the boot carpet. 

But yeah, apart from that I'm living the high life. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

Feck me - Lord Snooty, I'd forgotten all about him. So much so that I never spotted that he was, always, really a juvenile Rees-Mogg who now has his Be-lording (or whatever it's called).

[grogee]

Did a bit more to the Pug yesterday. 

I felt guilty for not checking the gearbox oil level when I did the engine oil last week. So I jacked it up again and found what I think is a level plug about a third of the way up on the front of the gearbox. 

Slightly longer bolt than I expected for a level plug so maybe it does something else as well but gear juice ran out when I undid it so that's good enough for me. 

I had a look at the linkage as well because it's a bit stiff, probably TADTS. It's a rod mechanism with ball joints, so I squirted some lube at it from a distance and hoped for the best. 

Earlier in its life the car had received a new rear shock on the nearside. It bugs me that they weren't changed as a pair so I tried to identify what make it was... Inconclusive. It's black, that's all I know. Likely GSF cheapest. I've chosen a NAPA unit to go on the other side (also cheapest). 

Having changed the stereo, I'm noticing a speaker buzz from somewhere. I'm suspecting speaker grilles so I've removed them to test my theory. 

[plasticvandan]

Regarding your odd steering from earlier,the uj on the column (in engine bay) is known for getting stuff causing odd steering behaviour,dousing in some lubricant helps a lot.

[grogee]

2 hours ago, plasticvandan said:

Regarding your odd steering from earlier,the uj on the column (in engine bay) is known for getting stuff causing odd steering behaviour,dousing in some lubricant helps a lot.

Thanks. I think the UJ is inside the cab based on my fumblings around the clutch pedal. 

There might be another outside the cabin, I haven't looked to be honest. 

[High Jetter]

6 hours ago, grogee said:

gear juice ran out when I undid it

I may be completely off the mark here, but thought the idea of level plugs was that you filled up until it overflowed, then closed it. That would make juice running out a tad worrying, n'est pas?

[plasticvandan]

1 hour ago, grogee said:

Thanks. I think the UJ is inside the cab based on my fumblings around the clutch pedal. 

There might be another outside the cabin, I haven't looked to be honest. 

There is above where it goes into the rack,this gets all the crap from the road on it

[grogee]

1 hour ago, High Jetter said:

I may be completely off the mark here, but thought the idea of level plugs was that you filled up until it overflowed, then closed it. That would make juice running out a tad worrying, n'est pas?

Yeah it was just dribbling out not gushing. Also despite my best efforts I can't be sure the car was completely level. 

[grogee]

Jumped in the Partner this morning to go and refill my 5l petrol can for the lawnmower. 

Noticed a disconcerting drip-drip from the interior light pod... So I pulled it apart to look for the source. 

Initially I suspected windscreen because I had a new one fitted last week. But the top of the screen is actually lower than the light pod so it wasn't that. 

Eventually realised it must be the roof mounted aerial. The correct way to fix this is to drop the headlining and replace the seal... Yeah, naa. 

I did it the incorrect way by smearing a load of brown sealant around the antenna base. The car is so bloody tall, nobody will see my 'repair' anyway. 

Probably 50/50 on whether it seals. So just in case I've drilled tiny holes into the plastic to allow any water to drain out. 

Pleased with my 'work' I then branded the car permanently into the fleet:

[RoverFolkUs]

On 27/11/2024 at 12:56, grogee said:

So I jacked it up again and found what I think is a level plug about a third of the way up on the front of the gearbox. 

The filler plug is the 19mm on the end casing which houses 5th gear. Basically behind the N/S/F wheel, opposite the bell housing 

[grogee]

More tinkering before I start my job on Monday. And it's surprisingly pleasant outside, not cold at all (at least in our suntrap cul-de-sac).

Changed osr damper to even up the rear end after only one was changed for an MoT fail. The NAPA branded bit was £28ish with some sort of Black Friday discount which is super value. 

Yes I'm aware NAPA isn't the best and is likely rebranded Chinese cheap stuff, but it will last longer than the rest of the car which is beginning to suffer from rot. 

Actually while the car was on the stands and the spare wheel was out, I gave the underside a spritz with lanoguard. It makes me feel better anyway, and hopefully the mot man will appreciate the 'effort'. 

Usual battle with rusty fixings but nothing my big ugga dugga couldn't handle. 

The top shock fixing was an Allen head bolt. Because of the rust/age I couldn't really tell what sort of fixing (Torx or Allen?) even after a go with the wire brush. Initially I concluded it was a 13mm Allen which I didn't have, so I improvised with a drift that has a 13mm hex shank. But that soon slipped and once the rust was cleared a 14mm Allen went in. 

Also noticed the spare wheel cradle was a bit loose, which might explain the clonk over bumps I've been hearing. Hope so anyway. 

The rear suspension needs changing really but I'm not going to do that unless I have to. Luckily I've seen complete replacement assemblies for £260ish. That's not bad for a big lump of suspension with new bushes and bearings. And a damn sight easier than changing the existing bearings. 

I'll wait for MoT time and hope for the best.