Car D.I.Y.

[Pinno718]

Makes my woes seem insignificant.

Well, there was this metallic racket coming from the front and of the Bee em.
So, a very quick check and it looked like the water pump. Went and saw friendly mechanic and he confirmed it: no doubt. That was good news because you worry it's something more critical such as the variable timing gear (ignorance of the fact foster worst case scenarios). It would have been critical had it failed on the motorway last week.
Watched a video, looked at the manual. Bloke in video took 4 hours for removal. Manual didn't give it a time approximation.
Off in 1hr45mins. New one ordered.
New one has a metal impeller unlike the OEM plastic one - good old, reliable Febi Bilstein replacement. Fitted much Febi stuff to the Porker.
New belt, gasket + pump VAT and carriage for just a little over £70. Cannot complain. 2 hours to put together perhaps and now the long wait...

 

[Fastpedaller]

I dislike using a hammer on a car (or anything mechanical for), but today it had to be....... Local garage advised at MOT that the dust shields on the front control arms of the Ka+ (same as Fiesta) were starting to split. He also agreed with my thoughts about replacement lower arms - they may not last very long, and there's no play in the existing ones. So (on his advice) I sourced a 'should fit anything - multiple sizes' kit of parts from Ebay for about £10. Small, medium and large, along with spring clips to hold the large end in position on the balljoint. The guy on YT does one in about 4 minutes...... Some penetrating oil and a little brute force on the spanners removed the securing bolt, so I had misplaced enthusiasm for what would come next. 90 minutes later and I was still using whatever I could (including an old alloy crank!) as a drift, along with a hammer to try and hit the arm and persuade the vertical 'peg' of the ball joint to part company with the hub. Crikey, I know tapered ends of ball joints are often criticised, but this parallel one is far more difficult to remove due to the build-up of rust and grit. Finally, it let go, and the nasty grease in the joint was viewed. The balljoint was nice and tight though, so removing as much of the old grease and replacing with new, I selected a dust cover and it fitted better than I expected. I couldn't fit the spring clip though, but used a strand of copper wire from a piece of domestic electrical earthing wire. Wrapped around the circumference and twisting the ends together worked a treat. Just got to do the other side tomorrow.

 

[Pinno718]

When something ugly is staring you in the face, I tend to reach for the de-blocker and leave it soking for a while.
Do you own a ball joint splitter @Fastpedaller ?

 

[Fastpedaller]

When something ugly is staring you in the face, I tend to reach for the de-blocker and leave it soking for a while.
Do you own a ball joint splitter @Fastpedaller ?

Yes - I have the 'screw in' type to pop them apart - also a 'pickle fork' which I used a little (access was limited). This isn't a tapered joint, and the 'peg' has to be lowered by about 25mm to remove. The split in the hub (where the retaining nut/bolt clamp) is ideal for water and crud to enter. I think I prefer a taper in these circumstances.

 

[Pinno718]

Yes - I have the 'screw in' type to pop them apart - also a 'pickle fork' which I used a little (access was limited). This isn't a tapered joint, and the 'peg' has to be lowered by about 25mm to remove. The split in the hub (where the retaining nut/bolt clamp) is ideal for water and crud to enter. I think I prefer a taper in these circumstances.

They seize and Doctor YT vids are all very well...

 

[Pinno718]

Anyhoo. One car off the road waiting for the parcel in the post and my eldest needing to get to her Orthodontist appt. 78 miles down the road.
Bring out the 944. Drive 2 miles and the clutch pedal goes solid. No drive.
Luckily, managed to coast into a small, quiet side street. Got taxi and hot footed over to great Grandma's house to borrow her 1.2 Fiesta. and head off. Got to the appt. with 6 mins to spare. I hate cancelling appts. as the next one can be weeks away. Was fun going up the long bypass overtaking a truck doing 56, 55, 54, 53... whilst i'm doing 53, 54, 55... then maxxed out at 58 but I got there.
This Fiesta is used by all and sundry as a courtesy car and it was filthy. So in return, I put fuel in and set about cleaning it. Clay barred(?) it which took all of 20 mins as it's so small and extracted all sorts of green out of nooks and crannies. 3 hours later... one clean, shiny Fiesta. Drove to meet mate who helped me tow the Porker home. I have full breakdown assist but what a wait for the sake of 2 miles. Friend dropped me off to retrieve Fiesta which I took over to Gt Grandma's and then taxi home. What a long day.

Jacked Porker up yesterday morning to remove starter motor to inspect clutch fork. No joy. The worst scenario - gearbox removal job. 7 hours later, gearbox off. It's a pig of a job as the gearbox is at the back (trans axle) and there is a multitude of jobs under the bonnet to do so you can tilt the engine to access certain bell housing bolts.
7 hours is the quickest I have done it. When I did the engine transplant there was horrible clutch judder. I removed the flywheel and had it machined. I don't think he took enough off and it had to be removed again. I argued with him and he said he would reface it but it still doesn't alter the fact that the job takes so long. Elected to buy a new flywheel. So I can do the job in my sleep but it's still a pig.

Anyhow, to cut a long Jackanory short, the thrust bearing had completely wrenched it's way out of the diaphragm. I recall on Monday hitting a pothole pretty violently just at the point I was changing gear and the clutch was okay but something was not quite right. I can only assume the shock transmitted to the clutch area just at the wrong time. The clutch had done 6500 miles and bar the judder issue, has been faultless, so I could pretty safely rule out poor assembly as that would have manifested itself much earlier. The slave cylinder is fooked too and the piston will not return. Over extended - perhaps this was the manifestation of the transmission shock, who knows.

The joys. Both cars off the road and no panniers for the bike! Waiting for a clutch kit from ze fatherland - i'm not taking any chances. Doing the family shop will be an interesting conundrum. I haven't been carless in 24 years and that was only brief.

 

[Fastpedaller]

They seize and Doctor YT vids are all very well...

Indeed - I had anticipated the difficulty. When we bought the car new 9 years ago I contemplated removing lots of bolts and applying copper grease, but decided it wasn't a good idea.

 

[CXRAndy]

Indeed - I had anticipated the difficulty. When we bought the car new 9 years ago I contemplated removing lots of bolts and applying copper grease, but decided it wasn't a good idea.

Everytime I take a bolt or nut off a vehicle I apply copper grease upon refitting, put me in good stead for decades of home mechanic work

 

[Fastpedaller]

Everytime I take a bolt or nut off a vehicle I apply copper grease upon refitting, put me in good stead for decades of home mechanic work

I also follow that procedure, but...... would you strip a new car to do it? I would (have) with a bike, but that's a lot easier, of course.

 

[Pinno718]

I don't use copper ease where a bolt needs torquing and or thread lock.

 

[Jameshow]

Anyhoo. One car off the road waiting for the parcel in the post and my eldest needing to get to her Orthodontist appt. 78 miles down the road.
Bring out the 944. Drive 2 miles and the clutch pedal goes solid. No drive.
Luckily, managed to coast into a small, quiet side street. Got taxi and hot footed over to great Grandma's house to borrow her 1.2 Fiesta. and head off. Got to the appt. with 6 mins to spare. I hate cancelling appts. as the next one can be weeks away. Was fun going up the long bypass overtaking a truck doing 56, 55, 54, 53... whilst i'm doing 53, 54, 55... then maxxed out at 58 but I got there.
This Fiesta is used by all and sundry as a courtesy car and it was filthy. So in return, I put fuel in and set about cleaning it. Clay barred(?) it which took all of 20 mins as it's so small and extracted all sorts of green out of nooks and crannies. 3 hours later... one clean, shiny Fiesta. Drove to meet mate who helped me tow the Porker home. I have full breakdown assist but what a wait for the sake of 2 miles. Friend dropped me off to retrieve Fiesta which I took over to Gt Grandma's and then taxi home. What a long day.

Jacked Porker up yesterday morning to remove starter motor to inspect clutch fork. No joy. The worst scenario - gearbox removal job. 7 hours later, gearbox off. It's a pig of a job as the gearbox is at the back (trans axle) and there is a multitude of jobs under the bonnet to do so you can tilt the engine to access certain bell housing bolts.
7 hours is the quickest I have done it. When I did the engine transplant there was horrible clutch judder. I removed the flywheel and had it machined. I don't think he took enough off and it had to be removed again. I argued with him and he said he would reface it but it still doesn't alter the fact that the job takes so long. Elected to buy a new flywheel. So I can do the job in my sleep but it's still a pig.

Anyhow, to cut a long Jackanory short, the thrust bearing had completely wrenched it's way out of the diaphragm. I recall on Monday hitting a pothole pretty violently just at the point I was changing gear and the clutch was okay but something was not quite right. I can only assume the shock transmitted to the clutch area just at the wrong time. The clutch had done 6500 miles and bar the judder issue, has been faultless, so I could pretty safely rule out poor assembly as that would have manifested itself much earlier. The slave cylinder is fooked too and the piston will not return. Over extended - perhaps this was the manifestation of the transmission shock, who knows.

The joys. Both cars off the road and no panniers for the bike! Waiting for a clutch kit from ze fatherland - i'm not taking any chances. Doing the family shop will be an interesting conundrum. I haven't been carless in 24 years and that was only brief.

Wow you must be a 944 expert!
Mechanic by day??