[car_restoration] My Longwinded 1.9 Laser Project

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

I have to say that I did think given it's history that a few mods such as solid beam mounts to tame the rear end might have been on your list!!

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

I think you will actually end up bored with it being in one piece on the road.

 

Perhaps you may secretly negotiate a bollard in a car park or something as an excuse to strip it down again

 

Awaits the 'Parking ticket left a sticky residue on my windscreen - time for a reshell' project thread.

 

Haha, yep, I now consider it a "rolling project" rather than properly finished, as there are still several things that arent quite right/annoy me! I guess it will never really be finished.

I think you are right, I am more satisfied that it is finished, rather than by the prospect of driving it anywhere- I guess it has been a object rather than a car too long!

Although there will be no reshell thread.. the amount I have been through with this shell- I shall have it until my dying day! I may get bored with the 8v at some point, and other things may change, but the shell is a constant now lol.

 

I have to say that I did think given it's history that a few mods such as solid beam mounts to tame the rear end might have been on your list!!

 

It was certainly considered during the early stages of the rebuild, but I figured with a decent rebuilt beam with new bushes and k6 dampers (the old beam was pretty suspect) and some good, non ditchfinder tyres (was not impressed with how the toyo proxes 4 were wearing, particuarly with their levels of wet grip) would be sufficient.

 

Also..you cant compensate for a lack of talent!

 

Today's job is nice and straightforward- clean and polish the 205 in order to take the 7 pictures required by the insurance company for the agreed value cover. Needs to look its best to try and get the amount I have asked for! :s

 

MOT booked for monday afternoon.

Edited June 9, 2012 by cRaig

[steve@cornwall 100]

How on earth do you find a value for this? Its practically a new car, but with many new parts unavailable now. At least its new list price I should hope.

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

I was tempted to start a "what is it worth" thread.. they always get an amusing response I basically did a back-of-envelope calculation, naturally stuff I will have missed out, but I think its accurate enough for now. Hopefully they accept it!

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

How much did you calculate you had spent Craig?

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

One day I will add it up properly, but list-price for a new 205 is a close enough ball park figure for now.

 

Sigh.. dont want to take it out in the rain for the MOT! Still.. will give me more things to clean and polish when I get back!

 

Edit: the only upside to the rain.. I polished it yesterday with super resin and cracked open the autogylm HD wax for the first time. Paintwork looks stunning and is beading water well

Edited June 11, 2012 by cRaig

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Well, it failed :

 

001 Brake pedal creeps down while the pedal is held under pressure (any suggestions? Was fine when I left, only seemed to start doing it when warm, I dont *think* its losing fluid, might just need bleeding again I guess. Am I right that pedal creep suggests m/c is at fault, or its leaking. Didnt feel spongey, the pedal slowly pumped to the floor when hot with the engine running. Its also a brand new peugeot 406 master cylinder- bought from ebay rather than pug, so is of unknown age, but it was certainly new in a pug parts box)

 

002 Windscreen washer provides insufficient washer liquid (none! bloody worked when I left the house.. corroded plug I think)

 

003 Nearside front indicator not working (was also bloody working when I left.. also suspect corroded plug)

 

004 Nearside front lower suspension arm has excessive play in a pin/bush (think I may not have torqued it up)

 

005 Offside front brake binding (wasnt expecting- sticky slider I guess)

 

006 Front brakes imbalanced (due to the above)

 

Bit confused about the brakes, but on the whole could have been worse.

Edited June 11, 2012 by cRaig

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

Unfortunate, some fairly easy fixes though i'm sure.

 

How was it being back in the saddle after so long?

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Quite strange! Took it for a little drive before the test, and apart from the shocking weather it behaved itself pretty well. Was quite good fun. Feels nice and tight, better than I remember Had mainly forgotten what that feather throttle response is like!

 

The other thing that is annoying me most, is the water temp guage warning light is on- preumably the sensor in the expansion tank is kaput- is there a way to test it easily?

 

Thanks

 

Craig

Edited June 11, 2012 by cRaig

[Anthony 1,000]

Which light is on? The sensor in the expansion tank is the coolant level warning light (middle of the dash, underneath the battery/charge lamp) whereas the high coolant temp warning light is the larger of the two senders on the back of the thermostat housing.

 

As for the creeping pedal, make sure that all the pipe/hose connections are tight and not weeping. A slightly loose joint will be appear "fine" driving around, but will allow the pedal to creep under sustained hard pressure as fluid leaks from it.

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

The temperature guage works as it should but the upper most warning light on the guage is on, as is the STOP light. Suggests it is the one on the back of the thermosat housing then. Will check it hasnt come unplugged. Failing that is it available from ecp?

 

Will wait till the car dries off and go around checking for leaks. May leave it overnight with the easibleed pressurised to see if that makes any leaks more obvious.

 

Thanks

 

Craig

Edited June 11, 2012 by cRaig

[Anthony 1,000]

The pressure from an easy bleed probably won't be sufficient if the car was able to be driven.

 

Get someone to sit in the car with their foot hard on the pedal and go around checking the various unions, including the hard to see ones such as those above the rear beam. Chances are that if it's bad enough, you should spot fluid on the floor if you've put it back in the garage.

 

It's possible that if it's not bled properly then the MOT man might be mistaking the resulting sponginess for a creeping pedal, but that should be easy enough to verify yourself by repeating the check and seeing if it creeps.

 

Unplug the wire from the coolant temp switch on the back of the 'stat housing - if the light goes out, it's probably the switch that's faulty, whereas if it stays on, then check that the wire hasn't chaffed on something and has earthed out.

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

I had a go at the brakes in the MOT place during the test and it certainly didnt feel spongy, the pedal simply pumped smoothly down to the floor, so a leak sounds more likely. Will investigate in the next couple of days and see what I can come up with.

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Well, Ive sorted the easy stuff (put a new bulb in the indicator, as it was a little corroded, soldered on a new connector for the washer pump, and torqued the wishbone bolt)

Now just left with the brakes. Think Ive spotted a leak on one of the unions leading to the rear calipers under the floor plan, but thought I would try and sort the binding brake first.

 

Have taken the caliper off (306 GTi6 caliper for reference), the sliders are free, have filed the paint off the ends of the pads, and put them in with a dab of copper grease on their ends, and wound the piston in with a G clamp.but after bedding the brakes back in again, the drivers side caliper is still binding more than it should be. I think it is better than it was, but it is still taking more effort to rotate the wheel than it should.

 

Any suggestions? I cant see how the servo rod would need adjusting (406 master cylinder) if it is only binding one caliper from cold, but I may be wrong?

Is it worth going for a longer drive and trying to bed the pads in properly (after sorting the leak, naturally), or are they just going to heat up?

 

Craig

Edited June 18, 2012 by cRaig

[welshpug 1,622]

brake flexi's long enough and not twisted?

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Yep, braided long hoses from miles, no twists or anything untoward with them.

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

Sounds like the piston will want cleaning have someone press the brake pedal until it pops out be aware of losing brake fluid then prise out the cylinder seal and clean everything inside spotless smear the piston with a little grease after to help getting it back in.easy job if a little messy

 

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Yeah, I guess that is the obvious answer, but it was freshly rebuilt and cleaned with new seals very recently! Cant understand how the piston will have got sticky already. Plus I am wary to take the piston out, because refitting it around the 306 dust seals is a very tricky job!

 

Craig

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Well I have tracked the fluid leak to the piston seal on a rear caliper. Sigh. Am trying to summon the enthusiasm to remove the caliper and strip it down again but struggling atm

[Slo 283 1 Cars]

Jesus man do we have to send the management round or what just get down to it its funny how them seals just tend to go like that, ive put new uns on cars in the past then on the mot ramp have mystically popped the seal leaving me with a failure, more work to do and to drive home with no brakes grrrrr

[cRaig 265 1 Cars]

Well, I have found what suspiciously looks like a new seal in the bag from the caliper rebuild kit.. guess it serves me right if I did manage to reuse the old seal somehow. Tempted to see if the MOT garage will fit it, as it really needs to be finished this week in order to qualify for the free retest, but I doubt they will be keen to work on someone elses badly finished project.

[Tom Fenton 1,525]

Would it not be easier to buy an exchange caliper from the motor factors, bolt it on, bleed it up, job done, retest passed in time for a pint before tea time?

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

The last little hurdle Craig. Get out there and whip it off. You have come this far!

 

Found a plastic 'flywheel cover' for the top of the gearbox if you were still after one.

[welshpug 1,622]

but I doubt they will be keen to work on someone elses badly finished project.

 

wait are you MOTing a different car or something?

[chipstick 382 1 Cars]

As above!

 

I'm sure they would be proud to complete the remaining work.

 

I'd be booking the retest in and asking if they had time to sort the seal out beforehand.