Grizz’s OCD Awesome ASTRO Van 🚙 Megane SCENIC 1.5dci 🚙 MX5 JEEP For Sale.🚨 🔥 DIESEL HEATER INSTALL 🔥

[grizz]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

That would track well with what we've both seen.  It was doggedly reliable when in regular use, and I always tend to drive with the window at least cracked, so moisture build-up was unlikely to be an issue.  It was only when it had sat for a few weeks not being used daily that it seemingly got cranky.  Was parked under trees a lot of that time too, so not impossible the scuttle drains have got clogged with leaves.

I do remember the scuttle to screen seam looking crusty and showing evidence of having been sealed up before, so reckon you're on the right track.  I'd thought about pulling it all apart and re-sealing it, but as the plastic heads on the screws/clips/whatever VW used had already been rounded out by someone else it got bumped down the to do list and was eventually forgotten about as it seemed to be a purely cosmetic matter at the time.

 

WAIT……….!!!! 
 

 

THERE IS MORE !! 
 

 

LATER. 

[grizz]

PS. @Zelandeth

I was chatting to someone and also said to them,  with your furry kids in the rear, glass would potentially steam up, so either heater on or glass down when in use. 
 

Just makes a ton of sense. 
 

I still have high expectations of this car while I am unemployed.  

[grizz]

So back to Relay 109 

Replaced it. 

Caddy runs well

Throttle worked as well. 

VIDEO. 

https://youtu.be/ncyvBoziOhs?si=NqS7MCToYgkL4E05

After this I got on with the Scuttle cleaning. 

 

[grizz]

Remember the Seat 16” alloys I bought. 

Centre caps needed a retainer ring. Fixed ✅

Logos or decals were knackered ‼️

Ordered some frpm Ebay not realising its China. 

Delivery today. 

Surprise!! 

Old vs New

Needed doing. 

Picked old logos off. 

But not good enough to add new aluminium pieces on top of. 

Sharp pointy knife and carefully worked them all off. 

Cleaned off old automotive double sided tape. 

Applied new badges. 

OCD gang……….

Note all aligned. 

I an really happy with that. 

Will make a noticeable difference when the wheels and new tyres are fitted 

Small steps every day is Progress 

.

[grizz]

So I started to dismantle the scuttle, wipers etc. 

I found a royal mess in there. 

And on and on it went. 

Eventually read to rinse it all 

Loads of leaves and dirt dug out. 

Even more flushed out with all the water used to rinse the area. 

After all the cleaning I recalled @joem83 mentioning an added bit of water protection. 

So I rummaged through my supplies. 

Found one of these. 

Destroying one as I tried to make it. 

Success 

Looks like this. 

Total job results 

And reassembled. 

I had also fitted the new 109 relay 

Started the car up and it all seemed good. 

I will take it out for a drive in the next few days when it stops raining.  

Video a bit long winded 

Editing on the phone really is a PITA. 

https://youtu.be/CwewL5uiBYE?si=5uBqxTnGKsgm7K6r

Happy with the clean up.  

.

[beko1987]

Scuttle cleaning is such a satisfying job! Good effort

[Rust Collector]

A shop vac is really handy for scuttle cleaning - my Audi 100 was awful when I got it, it was sat under trees for years. A cheapy canister vac from amazon had everything out in a couple of minutes.

Good work @grizz, it's enjoyable to see the progress you're making. I like your ethos of one small job at a time, as they really do add up to something much bigger.

[grizz]

12 hours ago, beko1987 said:

Scuttle cleaning is such a satisfying job! Good effort

Thank you very much. 
 

Agreed 

[grizz]

11 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

A shop vac is really handy for scuttle cleaning - my Audi 100 was awful when I got it, it was sat under trees for years. A cheapy canister vac from amazon had everything out in a couple of minutes.

Good work @grizz, it's enjoyable to see the progress you're making. I like your ethos of one small job at a time, as they really do add up to something much bigger.

Thank ypu. 
 

I like big jobs too. 
 

But this thing has many. 
 

Some are just small and quick. 
 

 

 

 

 

 

Out for the first time in three weeks, driving the Astro. 

Not got  all the parts that I wanted but at least got a new pollen filter for the Caddy 

Super nice to drive the Astro around 

Big silly grin all the way. 

An Irish guy in a  Vauxhall Vivaro van came up to me in the carpark where I had pulled in to find out more about the “beautiful noisy van” 

I like it when strangers show interest. 

He was shocked when I told him its just standard 4.3l V6 Auto. Stating that was surely too much power for a small van.  

Went into Euro Carparts for a pollen filter and also a Throttle Position Sensor which they didnot have in stock. 

Came home and removed the old one 

Compared. 

And fitted. 

Another small job done.  

Progress every day I guess. 

[grizz]

Got “given” a three year old iPhone 12 Pro Max by Sallys son last night. 

It died suddenly this week, refusing to take any charge or turn on it seems. 

If I can get it fixed and working for under £100 I will give him £100 as he did not want to sell it, kids just scrap stuff. 

If I can get it fixed I will use it for my YouTube channel filming. 

I love the size of my 4 year old iPhone 8 as it is easy to pocket.  

Loads of cameras on it. 

Boggles my mind. 

[grizz]

Phone repair cost £Zero

 

New Screen protector £8.00

 

Token £100 paid to owner who was going to bin it. 
 

Now got iPhone 12 Pro Max for YouTube filming. 
 

Next stop….. find an affordable gimbal to use with it. 

[grizz]

Right 

No. 

Not really right. 

Something silly and small still screwing around. 

Throttle response intermittently disappears. 

So starting with basics again. 

Disconnected battery and isolated it. 

Opened up scuttle again and got to the very crusty ECU 

Cleaned outside 

Then inspected plugs and sprayed with contact cleaner. 

All clean. 

Reconnected, reassembled and tested. 

All good. 

Closed up hood and started on TPS disassembly. 

This is three legged octopus territory. 

Eventually left with base minus sensor. 

Next job……..

Shower and shave, go to town to mobile phone shop to get iPhone 12 Pro repair done. 
Also visit Turkish bakers for bread and yummyness. 

Then off to industrial estate to try source a replacement unit for the TPS. 

No luck. 

Not kept or available 

So headed home and started looking. 

Will only know by Saturday if the spare that @sammo has, is the same and if he wants to sell and podt it to me next week. 

Pity no new ones available out there it seems. 
 

[oxb1l]

I know it's possibly way off target Rian but a few years ago I had a mk3 golf that decided one night that it didn't want to go home in the rain.

I was told that my fuse box was the reason for the fault as this was common on them .

 

Anyway it wasn't as I got it replaced and it turned out to be some sort of tdc sensor wiring that had degraded within its sleeving and when tested it was showing up fine but when stripped back after lots of head scratching revealed a couple of bare wires. 

 

 

[Zelandeth]

That's a bugger with the sensor being so hard to find, especially given how bloody many models it was used on all the way from 1994-2010...  List shown at the bottom of this page.

Might be a call for some old fashioned scrap yard pillaging - if you have one anywhere near you anyway.  Given how commonly used it was, hopefully finding one on a scrapper won't be too hard.  Have to wonder if that 46/08 on there is a date code, hinting that this has already been replaced at some point.

[grizz]

23 hours ago, oxb1l said:

I know it's possibly way off target Rian but a few years ago I had a mk3 golf that decided one night that it didn't want to go home in the rain.

I was told that my fuse box was the reason for the fault as this was common on them .

 

Anyway it wasn't as I got it replaced and it turned out to be some sort of tdc sensor wiring that had degraded within its sleeving and when tested it was showing up fine but when stripped back after lots of head scratching revealed a couple of bare wires. 

 

 

Morning Bill @oxb1l 

Foggy out there.  
 

Yes I think you are right regarding damp and wet, just need to figure out what. 
 

 

[grizz]

19 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

That's a bugger with the sensor being so hard to find, especially given how bloody many models it was used on all the way from 1994-2010...  List shown at the bottom of this page.

Might be a call for some old fashioned scrap yard pillaging - if you have one anywhere near you anyway.  Given how commonly used it was, hopefully finding one on a scrapper won't be too hard.  Have to wonder if that 46/08 on there is a date code, hinting that this has already been replaced at some point.

Is the 46/08 week 46 of 2008? 
 

i know codes often have dates in them too. 
 

No scrapyards close by to hit. But there is one 40 miles from here which had a rear bumper but needed two days to get it unpacked and stripped off. 
 

Plan C that. 
Sam who sold me the seats may have the correct one as well. 

[grizz]

So it seems the 4th car off here is headed towards my driveway. 
 

Thanks to all for playing and @flat4alfa for making it happen. 
 

Something Green comes this way. 

[grizz]

Green Turtle? 

[grizz]

Two small jobs done. 

One cosmetic. 

Someone in the past smeared some paint on the sills, followed by spraying something over it. 

So not having a throttle control fitted to drive I thought cleaning, sanding, priming and painting was the perfect way to start the day. 

Loads of thinners on a rag removed all the gloopy whatever was on the sills. Sandpaper and Scotchpad next. 

Masked up and painted. 

Result was as good as it needed to be. 

Other side was worse. 

Prepped. 

Done. 

Very pleased with that. 
Bugged me on the original photos and when I saw it. 
Knew I would get it done though. 

Then thanks to @westbay forwarding me some info and a chat with @zeberdee I took three parts of the problem down to the specialists. 

Relay 109
TPS
EXU

The ECU is a terrible mess. 

I hope they can sort it for me. 

Will be a few days 

So that’s another couple of things ticked off. 

Video uploading took 20 hours. 

Later. 

Sills tidied up video:

https://youtu.be/3ibj0DJZo7M?si=orD41S-qtedFsYB7

ECU and TPS removal 

https://youtu.be/DE5qvmF6_8Y?si=PNxNAxP9cVqUdTSL

. 

[Zelandeth]

Things on the sills were Vactan followed by paint - which then reacted terribly with something that was already on there.  There was active rust developing there when I started though, so it did the job.  I'd always planned to come back and make a tidier job of it - as with many jobs on that van.

Why to manufacturers insist on mounting ECUs outside?  Especially in places which trap moisture?  Hopefully that damage is just external.

[grizz]

12 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Things on the sills were Vactan followed by paint - which then reacted terribly with something that was already on there.  There was active rust developing there when I started though, so it did the job.  I'd always planned to come back and make a tidier job of it - as with many jobs on that van.

Why to manufacturers insist on mounting ECUs outside?  Especially in places which trap moisture?  Hopefully that damage is just external.

So it was you….? 😉

I love Vactan and used it a lot before including the C10 chassis. 
I now get the whole mess that came as result of a reaction. It looks like it was done more than 5 years ago. 
And the rust was all surface rust. 
as mentioned before, a ton of stuff is just cosmetic and I like that.  The Vactan certainly stood its ground in halting progress of the rust. Opinions differ but I still use it.  

Report coming up in the morning., but…..
ECU is toast, I am surprised it lasted as long as it did. 
Oh, and you know you can’t take any credit for that. Sorry. 

The MX5 has its ECU under the passenger feet, imagine all the road salt it gets from wet feet etc. 

[grizz]

Had a message from a pilot friend in Johannesburg this week, asking if I wanted any *Woolworths Biltong, which I automatically declined as I have decent UK supplies but I mentioned that I love Ostrich as it is zero fat and very different to beef or game. 
A quick bollocking from mate Fil for declining saw me reply differently to accept the kindness. 
Tonight when I got home there was a courier package and it contained three packs of my favourite things. Chilli, BBQ and OSTRICH. 

Some of you know that I believe Life is Good despite challenges we all face from time to time. 

Once again proven. 

Thank you Arsey 

I look forward to opening the Ostrich when mate Fil comes here tomorrow to inspect the three new to him cars on my drive. 
Amazingly all bought off autoshite.com  (Scruffy the Micra was as well) 

Life really is good. 

[Zelandeth]

19 hours ago, grizz said:

So it was you….? 😉

I love Vactan and used it a lot before including the C10 chassis. 
I now get the whole mess that came as result of a reaction. It looks like it was done more than 5 years ago. 
And the rust was all surface rust. 
as mentioned before, a ton of stuff is just cosmetic and I like that.  The Vactan certainly stood its ground in halting progress of the rust. Opinions differ but I still use it.  

Report coming up in the morning., but…..
ECU is toast, I am surprised it lasted as long as it did. 
Oh, and you know you can’t take any credit for that. Sorry. 

The MX5 has its ECU under the passenger feet, imagine all the road salt it gets from wet feet etc. 

Oh bugger.  I guess it must have just started to go right before I sold it - that apparently spurious needle lift sensor error it flagged up just before I actually put it up for sale must have been the start of it.  Fingers crossed a secondhand replacement can be sourced without too much of a headache.  Drop me a line when you do find one as I'm happy to contribute towards it given the thing started acting up literally the day after you bought it!

[grizz]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

Oh bugger.  I guess it must have just started to go right before I sold it - that apparently spurious needle lift sensor error it flagged up just before I actually put it up for sale must have been the start of it.  Fingers crossed a secondhand replacement can be sourced without too much of a headache.  Drop me a line when you do find one as I'm happy to contribute towards it given the thing started acting up literally the day after you bought it!

Mate

Life is good. 
 

Buying in the shallow end of the automotive dregs  gene pool always has its pros and cons. 
 

We bitch about the cons but know what to expect. 
 

I bought the van wanting it to be uncomplicated and a winner so it’s my baby from the time you filmed me driving into the sunrise. 
 

I just do hope this solves it and makes it a cool, reliable and cheap van to run. 

[grizz]

So this afternoon I was chatting with @glenanderson  about life and how to manage the hobby we are into. 
Had a missed call from the guys at Remanx Automotive. Called them back and was invited down for a chat. 

So I went there around 4.30 and Matt and the other guys showed me the ECU which they suggested I was better off replacing with a remanufactured unit than trying to repair mine. 

I was met with this little pile of sadness. 

And after showing me more and discussing the alternatives, Matt suggested that rather than them try repair what I had in front of me, I consider buying a remanufactured unit online, coded for the specific engine that I have and also with the immobiliser removed as they often cause problems. 

One of the guys, Ion who had managed to open the ECU had also taken a bunch of photos for his brag file…. Saying it was not the best he had seen. 

So after a really nice chat about life and working for yourself I headed home with the scrap remains of the ECU and ordered a replacement unit online. 

£150.00 is adding a chunk of change to the cost of the van but hopefully fixes the irritation of unreliable service. 

Delivery will take a few days to about 29 or 30 November after which I can refit parts and hopefully the Caddy will work as it should. 

Pictures for those too lazy to read. 

Video. 

https://youtu.be/sK5L-iQASQY?si=S4jU3b2az4ehG0La

Mini Road trip in the morning with mate Kevin “Woodsie” to collect the Green Turtle, newest car to make it to Grizz Towers. 

I am really looking forward to driving what was described by @pegasus as a rollerskate or gokart with its 135bhp on a small body. 

Not sure if it needs a separate thread of its own. 

More tomorrow 

.

[grizz]

This is a basic copy and paste from my other forum posts. 
 

So most of you may know the car. 
 

I now have three Autoshite cars on my drive. 
 

Also had a Micra from @Rave that went to a buddy in Shropshire for a year and now resides in Ireland  with his son at university. 
 

 

 

 

 

So by now everyone knows there is a new car at Grizz Towers. 

For those unfamiliar with these….

Seller certainly under-described it like this. 

2002 Peugeot 206 CC, 2-litre petrol

MOT OCTOBER 2024 

IT'S A PROPER HARD TOP CABRIO AND NOT DAMP INSIDE

FREE PIE IN BOOT !  [edit: plus other things, see below!]

ULEZ / CAZ COMPLIANT !

AN OBVIOUS FUTURE CLASSIC, blah etc

 

103k, NEW MOT, had oil and filter while up on ramp to fit the new CV boot they failed it on (the sole failure point), done at same proper garage and was a bit costly, but done now

I replaced  (£80 used) the COM2000 unit behind the steering wheel. which was haunted, as the immobiliser decided to lock me out at the CO-OP (yes really).  Common fault apparently, the unit I took out was dated 2004 so it's already had at least one in its life

Good things:

A convertible hard top with the electrical trickery of one button open and close and is in working order

In a quite swish METALLIC GREEN 

The 2-Litre in this one, not the usual 1.6 and you know it. 135 BHP when new and doesn't feel like too many of those have escaped, really eager out on the road. 

Drives alright, (think powerful rollerskate) without the expected bangs and knocks and squirms you expect from a car of this age and value. 

Auto lights and wipers which are a bit spooky if not expecting them

Most things work OK, has LED side lights,  radio CD with dash display and steering wheel radio adjust, manual seats, electric windows, electric mirrors, etc

21  years old, so went straight onto my Classic Multicar Insurance, without even a plead.

Bodywork is generally pretty decent,  no corrosion advisories at MOT although it would benefit from some Lanoguarding under there

Dry inside, with the hard top up you would never know it converts.

Interior is black leather and ok, though does have seam split though on the side bolster as not got around to sewing that just yet- maybe this weekend. Nope. 

Taxed to get you home end of month. as it is in daily use on the school and allotment runs.  Daughter hates it, a bonus.

Moaner's Manual in wallet along with original salesman's card, Renwick's Plymouth

V5C says just 3 previous moaners

Not so clever things that aren't actually 'bad', more 'feature'

The Air is not conditioned.

The Trip Computer suffers from confusion. 

Service stamps to 43k in 2007, so a Service Mystery.  No other bills, so the Cambelt is roulette

The tax is a bit fruity at £30 pm, but that is what fleet SORN flipping is for.

One rear electric window needs a bit of help in its seat when raising, simple and not a big issue.  I thought I'd break more things getting in there trying to adjust it.

It does have a very small ding on the offside rear arch (but you can get behind and I have pushed it out a bit so is better since the photos), a couple of small areas of lacquer peel and a few very small rust bubbles, not much or even that noticeable. Dare you to find them. 

Advisories minimal: old rear tyres, chunk out of wheel lip and an oil leak (apparently) But it's a leak that just hasn't happened on my driveway, the wheels all hold air and are round.

I still don't trust that immobiliser, due to the haunting, so just use the key.  It will blip.  I just daren't.

If someone wants it outright just PM me.  I need to raise funds for Motorhome work, house repairs, the usual.  NO MORE CARS THE WIFE SAID, so swaps are out

Location: near M1 corridor Hemel<>Luton area

Photos from the seller. 

For those who made it this far

More to tell in a while if you are interested. 

Let me know. 

[Schaefft]

Must be a rare color, nice to see. Looking forward to any improvements made on this one!

[grizz]

32 minutes ago, Schaefft said:

Must be a rare color, nice to see. Looking forward to any improvements made on this one!

Go faster stripes to cover the lacquer peel. 
Its not terrible but not pretty. 
Ideal would finding be a banger racer airbrush painter of moderate ability to cover a spare bonnet in a huge toad with a pic of the car in its hand or foreground. 
 

 

[grizz]

Mini Road Trip at 06.45 to go fetch the latest addition to the growing Grizz fleet. 

I really had neither planned nor solicited for this one. 

Just a stoke of luck 🍀 or something like that. 

We will have to see how this plays out. 

I will obviously try to weave some stuff into the story including misdirection and deception as expected. 

These cars are all related 

Chronically as they came here. 

And today this one. 

For those interested. 

All four came to me via autoshite.com

I still have three here. 

The Caddy and Astro belonged to one member before though I bought them from different places and people. 

Lets see how much fun this small toad can deliver. 

TRANSLATED FROM ENGLISH TO FRENCH. 

SMALL TOAD 

PETIT CRAPAUD. 

That could be the name. 

Not sure yet. 
 

[Bmwdumptruck]

Eh up Rian, looks like I’ve got you in Stereo now😂.  Here and ukgser, I’ve a slightly different title here though, this ones my more usual handle.