Consolidated fleet thread - Saab going, new Korean porridge in.

[dozeydustman]

Jobs still to do:

Adjust Handbrake so it drags at around 5 clicks instead of the current 8
Remove both struts and hub carriers one side done.
replace wheel bearings and N/S driveshaft.
replace driver’s seat belt
remove driver’s seat and weld up broken mounting point.
Bleed brakes. They have started to go spongy.
Check and replace any bad rubber fuel lines

Bleeding the O/S calliper removed a lot of the sponginess, lots of air came out which is not reassuring. No sogns of leakage anywhere.

I will be taking stepdaughter and baby to be registered tomorrow in the afternoon, but aside from that I should get nearside strut, hub, bottom arm and driveshaft done.

 

[dozeydustman]

After many fittings, nuts and bolts etc which were happy to stay where they have been since whenever, I finally have the second strut changed.

It was made a lot worse by everything and the world being covered in CV grease.

N/S Calliper is also seized, but I have a recon one somewhere, which will be whacked on after lunch and my afternoon errand.

[dozeydustman]

For £40 I've ordered a pair of discs and pads from ECP to collect this afternoon or in the morning. On closer inspection the n/s pad set is covered in CV grease and the discs, while they have plenty of meat on them, I think have a tiny bit of warp as there was always a bit of pulsing.

I also think the n/s handbrake cable is too far gone or the auto adjuster is knackered. Handbrake has been weak since I picked the car up, on maximum level pulling upperage, a burly ex-rugby player such as myself can just about push the car along.

As my stepdaughter isn't able to drive until end of April/beginning of May due to having a baby extracted surgically, I can use her car if I don't get a pass on Friday. But I do need to sort out the seized rear calliper on that as well!

[dozeydustman]

Back together minus the brake discs.

Surprisingly quick to get back together given how stubborn it was to dismantle.

 

Tomorrow I shall fit both discs, sets of pads and both of the recon callipers I have. Sliders on N/S are completely seized so I’ll look at getting a refurb kit for that so I have a pair of good spares.

Jobs still to do:

Adjust Handbrake so it drags at around 5 clicks instead of the current 8
Remove both struts and hub carriers
replace wheel bearings and N/S driveshaft.

replace driver’s seat belt
remove driver’s seat and weld up broken mounting point.
Bleed brakes. They have started to go spongy.
Check and replace any bad rubber fuel lines.

Fit and bleed new front brakes

[dozeydustman]

Righto.

This calliper has a stuck piston, with the other one having a stuck slider I changed both along with discs and pads. Then I ran out of brake cleaner.

A friend popped over to help me bleed the brakes, although gravity bleeding them first helped expel a lot of the air. Rinse and repeat for the other side.

A test drive reveals no more grumbling, even up to the dizzy heights of 50mph. Steering lighter and road holding far more compliant with no more knocks or bangs on taking up drive or on poor surfaces (read: any road in Sussex). Unfortunately I was unable to get a video on test as I left my phone on the dining table!

I was unable to get the little bit of welding done, if I get up in time and don’t need to do any ferrying of people or emergency shopping I’ll have a go in the morning. Whether it passes or fails is another thing, it’s a rolling project car so a couple of weeks off the road won’t do it any harm.

[dozeydustman]

Woot!

No advisories either!

[Tickman]

That's a well deserved result 

[dozeydustman]

My next plans for the 205, aside from just driving it and enjoying it, is to make the interior a more welcoming place to be. There is something in keeping it as original as possible, but a smashed up glovebox and a ripped driver’s seat need improving on. I may try and find all the broken shards of plastic for the glovebox but I have a feeling there is a bit missing.

[CaptainBoom]

Congratulations, not just on the MOT result, but also the addition to the family.

[dozeydustman]

Renewed the Peugeot’s insurance after some Meerkating and Lancaster wouldn’t insure it as a daily driver. £160 for 10k miles and all the bells & whistles including EU breakdown cover isn’t to be sniffed at.

Meanwhile, as Madam still is unable to drive I’ve used the Kia every other day. Particularly chilly yesterday morning and there was no heater. Before I left work I discovered most of the coolant was missing. Put about 5 litres of water in, no apparent leaks so drove home via a petrol station for a splash and dash. Then I noticed a puddle from under the front valance.

Got home and the radiator is leaking. Didn’t notice any leaks previously because my driveway is shingle.

Having relieved my stepdaughter of £120 for a new radiator and some concentrated coolant it should be arriving either today or tomorrow at my local ECP. It also looks fun* to change.

[dozeydustman]

After many swears this morning, and actually having to remove just about everything between the engine and the rad, I managed to get this out of the Kia.

It had 2-3 pinholes in the bottom tank and it also looks like it’s got struck by something in the lower N/S corner on the other side. Which is weird as it sits on top of the subframe which is protected by an undershield.

At least ECP’s supplied rad is exactly the same. So I thought. Pipe stubs same places, filler same place and size.

Fan mounts 3mm wider apart on new one.

Looking inside the cavity the air con condenser has taken a right hammering. However as the aircon does sort of work I doubt it’s leaking, just needs a recharge.

Refitting is blah blah. I spent more time with hose clips that hoiking the old one out and the new one in. I need to get some new mounting bobbins for the top as one is so badly perished it allows the rad to slop.

Filled up with Prestone’s universal stuff. I have no idea what colour was in it before as what came out was pretty much water.

A 20 minute blat around Bognor and all seems good. Heater is toasty hot, and no apparent leaks after the drive so I threw a bucket of water over it. And also the Hyundai.

It is due a service and the serpentine belt is looking a bit past it, so that will be the next job for this car. I’ll probably service all 4 over a weekend in the not too distant future.

[dozeydustman]

Took the Hyundai to my local tame garage today for an assessment of the air conditioning. I had a cursory look but couldn’t seen anything amiss. Garage found a small leak where a hose goes into the condenser which was caused by a failed seal. Replaced this, it passed the vacuum test and it’s now nice and chilly in the cabin, which is a bit redundant as we have a dreary day today.

Meanwhile on Friday I noticed on the 205 the clutch would slip every now and then, I’m out of adjustment on the cable so I think the actual plate is worn. It’s probably the original. Thankfully one came with the car but I need to source a transfer case gasket. I can get a full conversion set for the car for around £90 delivered from France, which would also include a rocker cover gasket as the valves are now a little chattery. Thankfully the X-series engine isn’t too much of a ballache to change the clutch on a 205, I know on most other XV/XW/XZ/XY cars it’s drop or hoik out the whole power unit. Will change clutch cable at same time for the NOS one I got for a fiver or so, I may also do the speedo cable (if I can get one!) as wiggling speedo needles make my teeth itch. From memory it’s car on stands, drain engine oil, remove battery, battery tray, support engine from below, remove n/s engine mount, lower engine and whip off transfer case. I last did this in 1999/2000 on the early XS I had at the time.

[dozeydustman]

I was also going to get the Kia done but as we can’t get the baby gear in the boot, and as it’s getting extremely tatty externally madam is after a new car. I’ll whang the Kia for sale on here when a suitable replacement is found. She wants something Japanese or Korean so we’ve been looking at i30s and Cee-apostrophe-Ds, Aurises, Corollas and the like. I was gutted when that Cee’d on here went quickly as that was ideal for her.

If anyone is looking to sell a Focus/Golf sized hatchback or estate which isn’t an actual Focus or a Golf please tap me up - getting insurance quotes Golfs, Astras and Focuses are ridiculously high for her as her other half has only been driving 2 years, but old people cars are low, not much more than Mrs_D pays on her i30.

We don’t need ULEZ worse than Euro 6 diesel is fine, or a lower tax band petrol. 

[paolodivichio]

I can't believe you aren't persuading her to the better choice of  Swedish estate, in either Saab or Volvo flavour 😁 She won't have any problem fitting all the baby detritus in one of those! 

[dozeydustman]

2 hours ago, paolodivichio said:

I can't believe you aren't persuading her to the better choice of  Swedish estate, in either Saab or Volvo flavour 😁 She won't have any problem fitting all the baby detritus in one of those! 

You know how stubborn she is! Maybe you can convince her this coming weekend when you’re in the soft south!

[dozeydustman]

Given the snapped clutch cable earlier this week, my hand has been forced. I was hoping to limp this until payday and get a garage to do the works but I may as well save a few quid.

I have parts and the obligatory book of incorrect proveedings.

Herein lies the main problem and not just a snapped cable.

On a sturdy platform (rear wheels are chocked btw)

And this came with the car on purchase. Part number does tally as being correct but we shall have to see.

 

[dozeydustman]

Engine oil drained.

I’m being surprisingly organised.

I can’t use my strut brace as the lifting eye is on the transfer case side of the bellhousing. Because French.

Next support engine and undo this.

[dozeydustman]

First hurdle. Engine mount nuts are 16mm headed and require a deep socket. I own every size deep socket or impact socket know to exist but this one. Looks like a trip to Halfrauds or ScrewupFix.
 

Tittybiscuits.

[grogee]

3 minutes ago, dozeydustman said:

First hurdle. Engine mount nuts are 16mm headed and require a deep socket. I own every size deep socket or impact socket know to exist but this one. Looks like a trip to Halfrauds or ScrewupFix.
 

Tittybiscuits.

16mm is the devil's hex size. Like a hand of 14 in blackjack. I'd lend you mine but I think you're in that there Northlands.

[dozeydustman]

Only while under the car did I notice the bottom of that engine mounts not being in its slot. Probably been like that for years….

[dozeydustman]

Just now, grogee said:

16mm is the devil's hex size. Like a hand of 14 in blackjack. I'd lend you mine but I think you're in that there Northlands.

Sunny Sussex my friend! I managed to find the local Halfrauds has one in stock so will weedle my way there shortly.

[dozeydustman]

I’m now at this point having waited an hour for Halfords to find one of apparently 8 16mm deep sockets in stock.

Just stopped for a fish finger and fried egg sandwich (yes, I know but it’s good!) and a cuppa, hopefully I have all the bellhousing bolts out and I can tap it free.

What is concerning is the stiffness of the other two engine mounts, both on the driver side. I can’t lower the engine or inch it forward even 5mm to lower the bellhousing. However removal of battery tray has allowed this:

My £25 second hand parts washer has earned its keep first time in use so far:

Flywheel has scrubbed up very well.

[dozeydustman]

On examination of the old clutch the fingers are very worn but the friction plate had a reasonable amount of material left.

Either it’s done a million pedal presses over few miles or someone previously replaced just the friction plate.

Transfer case I can’t get much cleaner than this. 3 cans of brake cleaner plus a good shower in the parts washer and there is still some sticky stuff but at the moment I can do not much more, so I reassembled the fork and thrust bearing.

New crank seal is in. That was a twat to fit. Inner lip on old seal quite worn looking.

No obvious signs of oil leakage inside the transfer case so I am hoping it’s just that crank seal. Quick tea then reassembly.

[dozeydustman]

It’s in. I’ve eyeballed it as central as I can as my clutch alignment tool is too big for the diddy suitcase clutch, and I have nothing which is small enough for the pilot bearing in the crankshaft.

[dozeydustman]

Right. I am stuck. Properly stuck. Input shaft will not mate with the friction plate at all. The plate fits the input shaft, I tried that before I assembled the clutch.

The clutch is as central as I can get it with a crap alignment tool. Haynes recommends splitting the transfer case and using the shaft on its own but I’m loathe to do that because it’s a ballache getting that apart.

Any further ideas? I’m getting tired and grumpy 

[Rust Collector]

33 minutes ago, dozeydustman said:

Right. I am stuck. Properly stuck. Input shaft will not mate with the friction plate at all. The plate fits the input shaft, I tried that before I assembled the clutch.

The clutch is as central as I can get it with a crap alignment tool. Haynes recommends splitting the transfer case and using the shaft on its own but I’m loathe to do that because it’s a ballache getting that apart.

Any further ideas? I’m getting tired and grumpy 

I wonder if I could 3d print you an alignment tool if you took some measurements and pictures of the input shaft?

If the pressure plate was loosened, would it give enough play in the clutch to get everything seated, then pull the box again and tighten down the pressure plate?

[dozeydustman]

11 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

I wonder if I could 3d print you an alignment tool if you took some measurements and pictures of the input shaft?

If the pressure plate was loosened, would it give enough play in the clutch to get everything seated, then pull the box again and tighten down the pressure plate?

Just before dinner I thought “bollocks to it” and split the transfer case.

The bugger is aligned now!

[dozeydustman]

HUZZAH!

I’m calling it for today. Rolled her off the ramps and left her on the garage forecourt.

If I have my calculations correct it’s a case of filling up with oil, whacking the battery back in and connecting the cable to the pedal.

[dozeydustman]

What is surprising is the transfer case didn’t have a gasket. I think it’s because the gears are splash lubricated. Anyhoo, next time I have to do a clutch on a suitcase engine I’m hoiking the whole sodding powerpack out and doing it on the bench!

[High Jetter]

You'll sleep well. Good effort.