Car D.I.Y.

[Drago]

My C70 needs four new tyres (7mm all round, but a decade old), all belts, new rear brakes and a service. Other than the tyres was going to do it all myself in true DIY fashion, but since I'm cashing out of a private pension to my great advantage (it's earned me about 10 sons for every one I saved) I'm going to pay the local Volvo specialist instead. That way it'll be done sooner rather than later.

 

[CXRAndy]

Another job. 17 Polo rear brakes worn out.

First job, get the seized wheels off the hubs, took large block of wood and sledge hammer to break the corrosion bond. Wheels obviously haven't been off in years.

Then onto strip down

Clean up hub

Found this, so new shocks going on too

Pads and disc shot

Reassembly today then oil change

 

[CXRAndy]

All done now

 

[Jameshow]

I need pads on my transit how long can I leave them?
Also oil change best done before a long drive south?

 

[CXRAndy]

Best to do them earlier, just incase the material wears down to nothing and then discs will be trashed, if they aren't already (due for replacement)

 

[Fastpedaller]

How's your luck?. I feel very lucky today.
I have a Kit Car van (Ford Escort mk2 based) and today I noticed a strange noise and also the steering wobbling at low speed. I suspected a worn track rod end, and decided to investigate.
On the 4th wheel (why is it always the last part we check which is faulty?) I found there was a bit of wheel wobble .... but it was indeed the wheel, not the track rod end.
The bearing had to be the culprit, so off came the brake caliper and when removing the outer bearing, the rollers just fell out! Oh crikey, no wonder it was loose! I was ready to 'phone the local factors and go on the bike to collect, but suspected I'd have to order the bearing and wait for it to come in next week..
With customers booked for monday and tuesday, I was feeling glum. Then......as I looked at the remains of the bearing it looked strikingly familiar - was it the same as the spare one left on the bench when I replaced the bearings on my trailer? yes it was, same part number LM11749 crikey that's lucky or what! The inner race felt good, so with all the old grease removed and replaced, the 'spare' outer bearing was put in place and everything is smooth again.

 

[Fastpedaller]

My luck wasn't so good today..... I left home to go to a customer and on the way I dropped into Toolstation. When I got back in the van it wouldn't start - turned over and fired but immediately died (repeatedly). I bought some flex from TS and did a 'hot wire' to the coil and got it going (then, of course, it wouldn't stop until I removed said wire). Faulty ignition switch was not supplying coil in no1 position of the key. This thing is trying to tell me something!

 

[CXRAndy]

Have you had this problem before, rather ingenious guess otherwise

 

[Fastpedaller]

Have you had this problem before, rather ingenious guess otherwise

No, but it started then stopped, so the thought was that the elec wasn't getting to the coil. I fitted a new ignition switch and it started ok, then a few minutes later wouldn't. So there's an intermittent to the coil. It's a pita, and when checked with meter only 1.8V, but earlier it was 12.4V. Have to start (no pun intended) looking again tomorrow in daylight.

 

[Jameshow]

No, but it started then stopped, so the thought was that the elec wasn't getting to the coil. I fitted a new ignition switch and it started ok, then a few minutes later wouldn't. So there's an intermittent to the coil. It's a pita, and when checked with meter only 1.8V, but earlier it was 12.4V. Have to start (no pun intended) looking again tomorrow in daylight.

What van is it sounds pretty simple?!

 

[BoldonLad]

My luck wasn't so good today..... I left home to go to a customer and on the way I dropped into Toolstation. When I got back in the van it wouldn't start - turned over and fired but immediately died (repeatedly). I bought some flex from TS and did a 'hot wire' to the coil and got it going (then, of course, it wouldn't stop until I removed said wire). Faulty ignition switch was not supplying coil in no1 position of the key. This thing is trying to tell me something!

Speaking as a Car DIT ignoramus, do petrol fuelled cars/vans still have coils? I recall such things in my youth (1960's), but, I assumed it was all "electronics" now ?

 

[CXRAndy]

Speaking as a Car DIT ignoramus, do petrol fuelled cars/vans still have coils? I recall such things in my youth (1960's), but, I assumed it was all "electronics" now ?

Yes, but these days are usually individual coils mounted on top of each spark plug.

Carburetors were replaced by fuel injection. This was injected into the air inlet tract . This had the benefit of petrol washing the inlet valves

Now modern petrol cars use GDI directly into the cylinders, more finer control of fueling/emissions regulations. But is more complicated and inlet valves will clog up with carbon in less than 50k miles leading to misfires,low compression and burnt valve seats

 

[Fastpedaller]

What van is it sounds pretty simple?!

It's a Rickman Ranger kit car, which uses a 2L pinto engine, Sierra 5 speed gearbox and escort running gear, and yes it is a simple vehicle compared to modern cars (most of the parts are original 1976) The distributor is an after-market type which uses most of the original distributor but dispenses with the mechanical points. It uses the standard Lucas coil. More modern 'coil units' have a separate coil for each plug, but built into one unit ie They have 4 coil units on a metal plate. These have similar breakdown issues to the old style coils though.

 

[Fastpedaller]

Yes, but these days are usually individual coils mounted on top of each spark plug.

Carburetors were replaced by fuel injection. This was injected into the air inlet tract . This had the benefit of petrol washing the inlet valves

Now modern petrol cars use GDI directly into the cylinders, more finer control of fueling/emissions regulations. But is more complicated and inlet valves will clog up with carbon in less than 50k miles leading to misfires,low compression and burnt valve seats

What you've stated is generally correct, however not all modern petrol cars have GDI. I worked on a GDI research project over 20 years ago for a car manufacturer, and at the time there were a couple of competitors with GDI engines which did indeed clog up the inlet tracts and valves. One of the manufacturers had an additional injector which would regularly inject into an inlet plenum in an attempt to use the detergent properties in the fuel vapour to reduce this problem. My personal opinion was that GDI technology was doomed, however more manufacturers went the same way. By way of 'improvement', another tech I particularly favoured was the Variable Valve Timing, which can give great benefits for both power/economy and emissions, and lots of ICE cars have this feature. Sadly the catalyst culture killed a lot of other technologies which probably would have helped reduce global emissions.

 

[Drago]

GDi going out of fashion a bit as it's not so good for NOx emissions.