Car D.I.Y.

[Drago]

@fossyant Foss, im thinking of testing this...

https://www.buzzweld.co.uk/ace-25l-spraying-kit.html

I've been highly impressed with their Lano spray, and they reckon this is just as effective but being plant based is less expensive. Ill try it on the Volvo first, and if im happy ill give the van a spray.

 

[fossyant]

@fossyant Foss, im thinking of testing this...

https://www.buzzweld.co.uk/ace-25l-spraying-kit.html

I've been highly impressed with their Lano spray, and they reckon this is just as effective but being plant based is less expensive. Ill try it on the Volvo first, and if im happy ill give the van a spray.

Sounds like a good choice TBH and lots of it. Advantages, plant based. I re-apply the lano stuff anyway, and it's done a good job on MrsF's older car, and seeing the dealer's video of my van's underside (from yesterday), it's done a great job so far on the van. 2.5l goes a long way, and even if the plant stuff needs applying more often, that's a good buy. And, as ever, it doesn't hide any real issues which is important.

The black underseal hides issues and covers it.

 

[Drago]

I've been very impressed with their Lano stuff. Did the van last year, stuck my head under a week ago to drain the water tank and its done an admirable job. Im hoping ACE will be equally effective.

 

[fossyant]

If you look after the subframe(s) on most cars, they will last. If you don't, it's a hidden expensive repair, and most folk don't even know until there is a rusty mess on what does look like a decent car on top.

 

[fossyant]

I've been very impressed with their Lano stuff. Did the van last year, stuck my head under a week ago to drain the water tank and its done an admirable job. Im hoping ACE will be equally effective.

Mine is the same underneath - the underbody got a light coat, it still has a light sheen on the 'white' metalwork. The suspension, and rear trailing arms got a good coat, and inside the framework of the trailing arms. When I did MrsF's pads, I sprayed all the suspension and subframe components. The rear trailing arms can go rusty on many cars that age (14 years) but her's is still fine, despite the car being 14 years old. It was aqua steel coated before I found the buzz stuff.

The buzz stuff is handy if you get the vehicle jacked up and you see a bit of corrosion on some of the chassis/crash bars etc around the engine that are out of reach - just zap it. It's only surface rust, but it's stopped dead, but not hidden under a coat of black bitumen - IF it progresses, you can spot it.

 

[Drago]

@fossyant ive ordered some Buzzweld ACE, ill let you know how I get on.

 

[fossyant]

@fossyant ive ordered some Buzzweld ACE, ill let you know how I get on.

If you are happy with it, I'll probably get some before the winter. I have two tins of the chassis guard left.

 

[Drago]

Buzzweld ACE has arrived. Nice golden appearance, viscosity seems aking to a heavy motor oil so should spray nicely. Has a nice woody smell, which isn't altogether surprising considering the ingredients are plant based.

Will test soon, then use it for real, and report back.

 

[Drago]

Have sprayed an old chisel with the ACE. Buzzwelds website suggests it takes a little longer to dry than the Lano based chassis guard, so ill see how it does.

 

[Bristolian]

SNIPPED FROM MY PREVIOUOS POST
So, the diagnosis - you knew we'd get here eventually, didn't you? Is that the computer finally realised that it doesn't have a valid suspension height calibration and commanded the system to loose air which it did until it couldn't lose any more at which point it stopped. Why did it remain inflated for several days before dropping again? Purely bad luck. The system likely decided to check itself again and gave up once it had fully deflated. Disconnect the electrical plug from the valve block and it can't do it again. The remedy is to input the codes from the new headlight into the computer and then recalibrate the height sensors but that is a job for George when he is back next week.

So, the saga continues. George (my tame mechanic) returned from his holiday and whisked the car down to a local, well respected, Merc specialist as his STAR system didn't have an option to code the headlight in. Merc specialist looked at him as if he was a bit simple (which he very definitely isn't) and said coding isn't necessary unless the new headlight is an after-market one - it was genuine with the same part number as the original. Their STAR system reported a communications error between the suspension control box and the valve block, which is what George's one reported.

Due to my bodging the suspension to keep it inflated there was some remedial wiring at the valve block needed so George decided to get a new connector and re-do the wiring. Having wired up the new connector he temporarily joined it to the original loom and hey-presto the fault cleared and dash message disappeared and the car re-inflated the suspension so he set about making the joints permanent by soldering and covering in heat shrink tubing. Great, thinks I, job done 😊 If only. The fault reappeared immediately and the suspension started to go down again 😬

A while later, we have re-inflated the suspension, tested and calibrated the ride height sensors and checked everything we can but the fault persists although the suspension is staying up. I'm off on holiday myself in a few days so decide to leave it and see what happens. Next morning the suspension is back down again so after a quick call to George I set about making up another temporary wiring loom using the old valve block connector and some wires to give me the power to open the valves in the block and manually inflate the suspension. It has now been inflated for five days and three hundred miles (mostly with 90kg of mobility scooter in the boot) with no issues except for the error message on the dash.

TBH, I have absolutely no idea what is going on but it has tried my patience beyond breaking point and the moment it is fixed it's going. No reprieve this time!

 

[Drago]

Have sprayed an old chisel with the ACE. Buzzwelds website suggests it takes a little longer to dry than the Lano based chassis guard, so ill see how it does.

Checked this morning and the ACE is starting to tack off nicely. Definitely slower than the lano chassis guard, but it does get there and looks is it it may leave a thicker and oilier looking film. I will continue to monitor and update.

 

[Drago]

And today the ACE is all but dry. Clearly a light but even coat is going to be most effective, which means it'll go a long way.

If things go to plan I'll do the undersides of the C70 tomorrow.

 

[fossyant]

Front pads ordered for the Van. With works discount and student beans discount, it's worked out at £51 for a set of front pads. OEM Pagid ones as well.

Rears can wait as I'll need the local garage to do it, as I don't have a ODB reader that can wind the electronic handbrake back !

 

[Drago]

Something like an iCarsoft V3.0 is well worth the investment Foss, wind back e-brakes, configure new components, etc, as well as do the diagjostics on engine, SRS, ABS, chassis systems, and all the rest of it. First time I used my Volvo one it recouped its own purchase price.

 

[fossyant]

Something like an iCarsoft V3.0 is well worth the investment Foss, wind back e-brakes, configure new components, etc, as well as do the diagjostics on engine, SRS, ABS, chassis systems, and all the rest of it. First time I used my Volvo one it recouped its own purchase price.

I'll take a look. I 'had' one until one of my son's mates sat on it and broke the screen (just how). Neither offered to replace it. That paid for itself very quickly. Good to have recommendations.