1986 Vauxhall Carlton CDi, Daily use of a 37yr old car. Summer cruising

[sutty2006]

Hurrah. Plates are on. Front was ok, rear plate had just been screwed through the rear panel (twats) and the original holes were missing the screw holders. Someone sent me those in the post, and two extra for my B series manta. Rear plate is now stuck on correctly. 
 

 

[sutty2006]

Foggy morning at work 

[Schaefft]

Looking great. I'm looking forward to driving my Senator again, although reattaching the front bumper was the most miserable experience of my life yesterday. I wonder how much of that engineering was standard Opel/Vauxhall at that time.

[Matty]

@sutty2006, I take it you've seen this? Absolute filth

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296193906438?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=POs462BPSCO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=svwv9r4orxa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

[sutty2006]

On 11/02/2024 at 16:28, Matty said:

@sutty2006, I take it you've seen this? Absolute filth

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/296193906438?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=POs462BPSCO&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=svwv9r4orxa&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

I drove past it a few weeks ago in a gritter and nearly swung in for a look. 5k though!!! Jesus! 

[sutty2006]

First FTP today. 
 

pulled into to Tesco for some go go juice. Put 25 quid in, then the fucker wouldn’t start. Popped the bonnet and checked my 1p hadn’t dislodged. Nope. Tried to start again nope. Got out again and checked the digital clicky clacky connections, all ok, then it fired on one cylinder. Restarted on 2, then 3 then 4. Think it flooded itself. No idea why. Let’s see if it gets me to work in the morning. My Landrover is too broken to use. 

[sutty2006]

Front bumper looks much better after using automatic transmission fluid to spruce it up. Wish I’d done this sooner. 
 

 

[Wibble]

That does look good. Never heard of trying ATF, I’ve just bought some of this to try:

[sutty2006]

It actually resembles the rear bumper now, which is new. 
 

 

[sutty2006]

MOT booked in on Monday. 2nd test since it was recommissioned. 
 

sill check - they’re still there. They’ve not disintegrated over winter!

 

Couple of things to note. The gearbox has bled on my nice clean garage floor. Great.
 

Looks like it’s coming from the selector shaft, that’s a new one. I think pretty much every orifice on this box has leaked. 

 

oil pooled up in that gap behind the nut. Not entirely sure what the next move is… 

time for a service. The 20l of 20/50 heavy duty diesel oil came in useful again. Probably got enough for 3/4 more after this one.

 

now this should be interesting. We all know the fuel tank was crusty inside… 

looks a bit brown

 

oh that’s very brown 

 

Well that’s 12 months and about 2500 miles worth of fuel. I think this year I’ll be tanking the tank off for a refurb. 
 

[cort1977]

You can probably change the selector shaft seal, had that once on a TH400 (?) three speed once. Cheap and quite easy I think, garage did mine as it was in anyway.

[sutty2006]

MOT time. Wish me luck 👍

[sutty2006]

Passed with two advisories. Nearside rear wheel bearing noisy (I had heard it a while back, glad it’s a wheel bearing not the diff) and nearside rear wheel arch slight corrosion. 
 

he was very impressed with it, and the emissions were really low too! It does run good 👌

[24vdiamond]

Result on the pass, it does look tidy though, good luck sorting the oil leak on the gearbox they always seem problematic when the get older, they just seem to sweat oil! the dipstick tube O ring is another culprit

[sutty2006]

13 minutes ago, 24vdiamond said:

Result on the pass, it does look tidy though, good luck sorting the oil leak on the gearbox they always seem problematic when the get older, they just seem to sweat oil! the dipstick tube O ring is another culprit

Looks like the new cork pan gasket is leaking too. Which is a pain in the ass. Probably going to need a new one and plenty of sealant. 

[sutty2006]

Emissions are low as anything. 
 

0.5 out of a max 3.5 for CO

138 out of a max 1200 for HC. Cleanest running old Vauxhall I’ve had yet! 

[24vdiamond]

2 minutes ago, sutty2006 said:

Looks like the new cork pan gasket is leaking too. Which is a pain in the ass. Probably going to need a new one and plenty of sealant. 

You can get a heavy duty gasket for the pans, tougher than cork and doesnt squidge out the sides like cork does, not sure if ive any left but cant check until Wednesday

[sutty2006]

1 hour ago, 24vdiamond said:

You can get a heavy duty gasket for the pans, tougher than cork and doesnt squidge out the sides like cork does, not sure if ive any left but cant check until Wednesday

That’d be great if I can lay my hands on a betterer gasket 👌

[mercedade]

Great work on the pass, lovely car

[24vdiamond]

On 11/03/2024 at 18:19, sutty2006 said:

That’d be great if I can lay my hands on a betterer gasket 👌

Sorry forgot! doesnt look like ive any gaskets left at the mo, if you not in a rush I may have more in a few weeks

[sutty2006]

9 hours ago, 24vdiamond said:

Sorry forgot! doesnt look like ive any gaskets left at the mo, if you not in a rush I may have more in a few weeks

Ordered one from JP auto transmissions so all is good here so far. 

[sutty2006]

9 hours ago, 24vdiamond said:

Sorry forgot! doesnt look like ive any gaskets left at the mo, if you not in a rush I may have more in a few weeks

Ordered one from JP auto transmissions so all is good here so far. 

[sutty2006]

Today I’ve attempted a wheel bearing change. Which has failed. 
 

these half shafts need slogging out. It came eventually once I’d stripped the brake shoes off and went hell bent for leather with the copper knocker. But the wheel cylinder has died too. I got a new cylinder locally. 

 

 

once the half shaft came out, I measured the bearings and the one I’ve been sent is incorrect. Great. 
 

 

so I’m now in talks with the supplier to try and find a correct bearing. I’m not holding my breath. I rang GT and they don’t stock it anymore. The place I got the cylinder from doesn’t have one either. 

BRT610 is the number I need apparently. Struggling to find one. 

[RayMK]

If you can't find one in the UK, Bulgaria has 7 in stock. 50 euros!

https://www.123bearing.eu/bearing-housing/other-bearings/527640-ch42cx-fag 

[Dyslexic Viking]

I looked on some classic Opel parts pages for wheel bearings, but found none there either, unfortunately.

[sutty2006]

I’ve just had a phone call with the bearing supplier. He has the Delphi book in front of him. He states that my car should have the smaller bearing. The larger bearing fitted to my Carlton is found on estate and diesel models. Strange. 
 

im now having to source diesel and estate bearings but ask sellers to measure first. 

[sutty2006]

With no one answering messages on eBay, I did the right thing and ordered this wheel bearing for 9 quid. 

it has the same SKF number on it. So I’m hoping that it’s the right one. 

[High Jetter]

5 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

it has the same SKF number on it. So I’m hoping that it’s the right one. 

If the SKF, or any other bearing manufacturer's number, matches with your old one it will be the same size and spec bearing.

[sutty2006]

That was quick, only ordered it yesterday afternoon and it arrived this morning. 
 

just need to get it pressed on. That might be tricky, 

[sutty2006]

I made use of the large press at my former place of work. The bearing slid on easily. 
 

I’m now home. But I forgot to press on this odd pointless shim. So in the oven it goes 

 

 

clean up the hub while it’s cooking. 180 degrees for 5 mins