Big jobs pt1

The MGF has recently been throwing a load of stuff out of it's pram. It's barely been on the road, and now the water pump is leaking. Could not drive it at all, as topping up with water was a pain in the bum and possibly dangerous for the engine, so a month after it sprung a leak, I held my breath and did the neccessary belt removal to get at it!


These 16v jobs are easy, even in the ridiculously confined spaces of the F's engine bay. However, I managed to 'mess up the easy part' (tm D Blakeborough) and keep the cam locking tool on when trying to remove the crank pulley using the old (and useless) pressing the brake pedal down. The crank pulley moved, but the cams didn't, and it took about 10 teeth off the belt and -possibly- damaged the frickin' valves in the process! I carried on anyway, assuming there was no damage. Put the new pump in, new belt, timed everything up, started her up, and it's not firing on cylinder 4! Belt off again, timed up, and the cylinder is still colder than a Wizard's underpants. "JESUS" I thought, and then put off taking the flipping head off (as part of an UBER service), replacing valves, headgasket, inlet and exhaust gasket.

The 'replacement' valves - these are damaged! I can't tell!

So what was a basic 40 quid waterpump and belt service is not escalated beyond a 200 quid job, with special (and not cheap) tools I'll only ever (hopefully) use once. I checked the gasket, and it's in good shape. The dowels are also steel - they left the factory with plastic ones - a sign it's been replaced! The previous worries about overheating were possibly down to overfilling the the expansion tank. God knows with these cars.

Rewing about a month, the previous radiator had been replaced, as it had no fins left. They had all disappeared, and a trip to the scrap yard uncovered one that had a few more fins on for five quid. However, this one leaked and was falling to bits. I bent off the leaking rims, drove it for a couple of weeks, and thought I'm going to have to do this the proper way. So I put the new one in, and it still overheated (due to the water pump - which I uncovered by having a poke behind the belt cover).

And now we're at the stage where the head is off, I'm afraid to touch it as the valves close and open, but there's a strange white carbon deposit (is this normal?!) on the flat part. A kindly gent gave me his old valves to test in my engine - when I took everything off, I was expecting at least two to be bent over, but there is nothing. Like I'd replace a couple with the replacement ones, I think I'll actually buy a new set and then have someone put them in for me (while taking the tools I bought back to where they belong), and maybe skim the head if it hasn't already. Everything looks fine though. Touch wood, I might actually put the new gasket in, put the head back on, time it up like a pro, etc. I can't see any damage!

The head now sits in a big plastic shopping bag awaiting me to gather up the courage to fix it.

The other car, the Whizzkid has been performing superbly, apart from the ignition coil (original, 28 year old one) packed up. A new one was brought over by a colleague, and he even sorted my points out (shudder), and it's now running about 95%. He rocked the car back and forth while looking at the points in the distributor, which were then adjusted. Aparrently, they were closed when they should've been open. I am told I need a 'dwell meter' to get them 100%. These are ebay rarities, going for a few quid, or a motor factor jobby going for 50 quid. The car will be going away for the winter, and replaced by a rejuvinated black WOBster Astra, which is receiving parts from the red GSi, which I have now deemed 'served it's use' and has sat on my parent's drive for well over 6 months. The starter motor has seized, the wiring is playing up, and it's now time to go! :(

Li'l matey

I was hoping I would'nt regret this as I really want to put my Astra on the road again, funded with the sale of my last car, and then sort out my blackie Astra, but I think two Astras are far too much, and lack of funds do not contribute to still silly insurance costs and 101 pound tax every six months, and then there's £10 per 70 miles under current (and rising) petrol prices.

It made sense that my next car could be 1.4 or less, small, old and unsual, and even 'rare'. I excelled myself and found this:


It's a 1981 Suzuki Whizzkid. It is powered by an F10A enginein the back that has a capacity of 970cc, and an enviable power output of 47bhp through the rear wheels. It is also just over 600kg kerb weight, runs on tiny 12" wheels, and has a cubic foot of storage space (including the glove box) ... without the spare wheel.

I can say the performance is spritely, kind've like a mini, or a mouse across a kitchen floor, only better. Cornering is good, although any bump will result in a shortlived rolling about in a display of comedy proportions as it eagerly (and magically) corrects itself and continues on it's way. The ride is very good, for what it is, but every bump is amplified right through your arse. Speed bumps were but a twinkle in a council Hitler's eye, and this car leaps into the air like it had sat on a pin. It's not crashy like suspension is worn out - the dampers have limited travel and it just isn't too keen on typical cratered British roads.

Speed runs out at 95mph, but I doubt I'll ever reach that. I've hit 72mph through not trying. I've driven a Land Rover that had no poke over 40mph, and reaching 60mph took minutes. This is not like that - it rolls along to it's peak easily and without too much whinging from the engine. Changing through the four gears at full pelt takes ten seconds if you're looking after the petrol, but it allegedly redlines at 7,500rpm. I'll never take it there, I just don't want to break it!

So far, I'm very happy with it. It's nice to see such an old and rare car that's been so well looked after. It has minimal rust patches - if I could imagine the car in another way, it'd be rotten. I doubt it was rust proofed on export, so it's a little miracle - there are less than 47 cars in the UK (from an initial 7,000 introduced).

If I'm being picky, it needs bigger, wider wheels, just to improve cornering grip a bit. If it's going to lose it, I don't want to be in it! I have to re-waxoyl the underneath and general cleaning up. It's mechanically sound, and I want to keep it that way! The economy is superb. I've been everywhere, and I've knowingly put ten quid in every 120 miles when it reachs 1/6 tank.

I'm afraid to take it to bits, but I'll possibly clean up some components, as they could do with a bit of painting.

Christ, I am so sorry!

I have been really, really busy and sort of 'starting from scratch' with my cars, having done something I never thought I would!

In May I got rid of the Locost and all it's parts (including the engine! and wheels!). I saw it sitting there next to my Starion, and it was in the way. I had an offer, and I just took it and it was gone!

I then welded up the MR2 and stuck it on ebay. It sold for a bit more I sold it for (not recouping any costs of course). I presume the new owner broke it for parts, it had a really good engine and Koni suspension, etc. He could've tripled his money!

I then messed about with my Starion again. I changed the clutch release fork - not before having to take the gearbox out ... AGAIN, and getting covered in gearbox fluid. This stuff STINKS and will never come out of your clothes! Everything was bolted up and everything worked. Next thing was to get it back on the driveway and 'get it running!'.



To cut a long, long story short, I bought more parts for it, including everything that it could be, and I could not get it started. I got an offer and sold it in June 2009, again, for a bit more than I bought it for, but still cheap in comparison. What a confusing car that was, and what a huge amount of money I spent on it, the last amount of parts came to:

• Fuel Pressure Regulator
• Stainless Steel Braid Fuel Line
• Air Flow Meter with box, etc
• Super Unleaded

No more, the second I filled up the tank, cleaned everything, and tried to run it and it would work, it had to go.

I then went out and bought a Porsche 924 in late June. Possibly the best car I have ever owned. Apart from wear related to age (including a knocking coming from the back that I couldn't trace) and a number of electrical gremlins, it was faultless. I did 3000 miles nearly in a couple of months and even now it was a rare sight on the road and a 'headturner', even getting a comment about it being a 'shitty old Porsche'. I stuck an 80's Blaupunkt stereo in there, and removed it when I realised the speakers had long since perished. It had a bit of fiddling before I sold it in mid August when I sadly could no longer afford the petrol (although it was fairly cheap to run), the same couldn't be said about the insurance which was on 'classic' which cost me 120 pounds a year.

I am now back at square 2004 with a 1993 black Astra LSi and a flame pink 1991 Astra GSi. The former gathering a fifth yearly coat of dust in the garage with various Porsche and MR2 parts piling on top, the latter sinking on it's deflated tyres, circuitry waterlogged and malfunctioning, paintwork slowly succumbing to the rain, tree sap and sunshine. I have had an offer for it but I can't separate, although I should. It is now in the stages of needing severe care. I don't know what to label the black one - there's no doubt it will be in that garage way into the second decade.
I am selling the majority of my spare parts in my garage that I have blatantly been hording, and recycling the plastics (broken steering surround anyone?), including the 'smoov boot' that my Astra originally came with (free sale). The MGF is still here, I replaced the gear selector cable after it snapped when a stupid chavvy Aston Martin blindly and foolishly cut us up.

I am meant to be picking up a new/old car this week!

Sorry!

I have been away from the computer a bit. This is due to finding a job etc.

However, I am now back at the Starion - it's even up in the air with the gearbox out! I also have sold the Corolla and bought an MR2 mk1 - this has had 1/2 the work done already. It needs a bit of welding, and I'm not sure if it's worthy of the scrapyard at the end of the MOT (this month).
The MGF even passed it's MOT! Hurrah!

Unfortunately, it's bad news with the Locost Seven and the black Astra. I have decided the Seven has to absolutely go, and am selling it either complete or in bits, if I can manage to not get messed around with potential buyers. The black has to go as well unless I come into money asap.

I have a new forum!

http://nibi.co.uk/phpbb/index.php

It's called Old Mitsubishi Owner's Forum! This is to add support to non-existant UK support base! See you soon!

1984 Toyota Corolla 1.3 GL

I'm back now, I've had a little break from cars for the past month.

I saw this ugly 26 year old looking thing yesterday going for scrap metal money with road tax and MOT, and immediately wanted it.


It's 1298cc Toyota Corolla 'Liftback' on carbs. It has a brown interior. It is lacking creature comforts like air con, electric windows, power steering. In fact, it doesn't have a radio, and the wiring scares me. And it's green. Also, I haven't put any pics up of the REAR, because - goddamnit, it's beyond ugly, the ugliest rear end on a car I've ever seen.
Other than that, it drives perfectly, starts instantly on snowy, cold mornings, the ride is soft, it has no knocks, the bodywork is in A1 condition, and I think it's economical (though after 50 miles, it's not looking good from 3/4 to 1/2 tank). It also has those springy sofa like seats which I'm not used to.

Another thing is, the MGF finally passed it's MOT a couple of weeks ago.
The failing handbrake was beyond my control it would seem. I had -another- garage look at it, and they said it -might- be the brake pads and discs (which is understandable, with it losing the 'pressure'). So I did this, and then put it through the MOT at the garage that advised me. When I arrived, the man said 'it's failed on the rear brakes'.
ARGH! I could've just thrown that stupid car into the river. But then he said 'only joking, it passed'. Bastard!
I think it's now a problem with the MOT centre, and not with the car. Don't think I'll ever be going there ever again. What tester fails a car because the parking brake -WORKS- 100%, but is a few percent off the suggested level. It worked on the steepest hill I could find!

The brake discs were an utter pain to remove. Talk about 'corrosion', every nut on the back was stuck, but the brake discs were STUCK TO THE HUB! Literally welded with orange hatred.
I had to use an angle grinder, and a big hammer to crack it off. I thought I'd damaged the hub! It was a horrible job that need new bolts etc. The second side was easier as I knew what not to do. I cut a groove into the disc on both sides and drove a screwdriver into it with the hammer to crack the disc open like a nut. It worked, and everything was cleaned up and re-brakeified. This car has eaten up three cutting discs so far!


Prior to this, I drove down to London on New Year's Eve in the Astra. I never worry about the car on journeys like this, it's always proved to be fine in hot and cold weather over high miles, whatever, it just does it without complaining.
Not tonight though! While sitting in extreme traffic, I watch the temp gauge climb as usual. It was bouncing off 100 with the fan kicking in. However, one time it didn't bounce, and went right over. "The car is overheating" I said, and a minute later, I hear a WHOOOSH, assuming someone's crashed their car behind me right? The plume of steam that engulfed my car had me worried though. I lept out and pushed it to the side of the road with the assistance of some friendly Asian lads. "It's the head gasket," I though. I'm 200 miles from home on New Year's Eve, and my head gasket has gone.
I checked the oil cap. It was oily. I checked the expansion tank. It was dry, but no sludge.
Maybe I had been the luckiest man that night. A quick check with a torch, and I find a split pipe. Luckily again, I had my big tool bag in the boot. We were minutes away from a 24 hour Kwik-E-Mart place that sold big 5 litre bottles of water for 1.50 each. I bought two, repaired the pipe (it had split right next to the terminal - lucky), and filled it with water. I started the car up, and it drove again.

Returning to the car a number of hours later, I wearily drove the car home, keeping an eye fixed to the temp gauge, chameleon style. The heat from the vents was really hot, I had to keep the sunroof open to keep it bearable. Fortunately, the gauge didn't rise over normal, but it didn't stop me from being 100% paranoid all the way home. We pulled into a service station 100 miles from home to swap over, and it was then I realised I could change gear. It wouldn't even go into gear, the gear stick was loose like an arm, it could no longer be defined as a device to change gear with.
Once again, I lept out and examined the problem. The pin that holds the lever to the gear linkage had disintigrated. I despaired once again. It took 1/2 an hour to get it working again - I removed the pin that holds the rear seat in the hinge and it did the job. It didn't stop me from going through red lights to avoid changing gear though, I didn't stop until I was in front of my house.
Unlucky, but lucky I had the sense to take all my tools with me!! Amen.

I took all the interior out of the Astra as it was full of water. The holes in the bottom had lost a cap and had taken all the filthy water in over the past two years, so hopefully, it's now going to dry out.