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Topics - JesterRT

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1
General Discussion Area / Yooofs
« on: 20 January 2013, 13:12:49 »
Yesterday I managed to get outside with my kids to have a bit of fun in the snow.  We built a massive snowman, along with loads of other kids that were out enjoying the weather, and went sledging down the local hillside.  After a while we retreated inside where we promptly watched three yoofs appear, head straight to the snowman and proceed to smash it to bits.

Shame really - it was 6ft high and looked mint.

Ah well - annoying but at least my kids didn't get upset by it.  Anyway, after a while we went back out for a few more runs on the sledge.  At the bottom of the run it goes through a tunnel - which is pretty cool if you manage to get a 200m run which funnels directly into the tunnel.  Those yoofs reappeared with two sledges between the three of them and started sledging across the main run - no worries - that just added to the excitement a bit for my 5yr old as we swerved between them.  On our penultimate run I spotted an empty bottle of stella which hadn't been there before, but I guess that just got uncovered at some point.  Pushed it to one side and went back up.  By the time we came back down for the last time (and here's why it was the last one) they'd picked it up and smashed it leaving broken glass strewn across the last bit of the slope.  I went ballistic at them, and had to walk away - I could feel the rage and red mist descending and thought it better to just walk away, but only after giving them just a little piece of my mind.

Back at home we built another snowman, this time in my front garden.  Again, cracking job meant it was about 5ft high.  Kids decorated it with old gloves, hat and bottle-tops for eyes/buttons etc.  Went in and about an hour later heard a massive thump.  Quick look out the window saw six or sevn lads chuckling away at their deed, which was to run about 15ft inside my property and smash what the kids had done.

Thankfully, my kids were disappointed but not too upset.  I don't know what I'm more upset about - destroying other peoples harmless fun, trespass or the obvious glee that they took from their act.  My other half already things I'm anti-social, this just makes me think I'm just in my thoughts.

Feels pathetic to moan about someone smashing your snowman, but does make me want to move to the middle of nowhere where there's no bugger about to ruin your day.

....(and breathe).  On the other hand, whilst we were out having fun - it was brilliant and we had a great time!  Should be able to get the FAST sledge out soon now the snow is getting more compacted down.  :)

2
Car Parts, bits For Sale & Wanted / Free - Elite Grill
« on: 26 October 2012, 09:51:18 »
 I have a grill from a 98 Elite going in the bin by the end if the day.  It's darkish green surround.

Free to a home (doesn't even have to be a good one)

I'm in Stafford, but could potentially hook up with anyone between here and Coventry/Leamington, or at a push I'll be in the north east for a few days soon.

3
Car Parts, bits For Sale & Wanted / Free - HID '98
« on: 26 October 2012, 09:50:14 »
I have a pair of hids from a 98 Elite going in the bin by the end if the day.

Free to a home (doesn't even have to be a good one)

I'm in Stafford, but could potentially hook up with anyone between here and Coventry/Leamington, or at a push I'll be in the north east for a few days soon.

4
General Discussion Area / RallyGB
« on: 15 September 2012, 19:18:07 »
Yesterday I got to spend day in the cold, wet and windy welsh forest, all in the name of 'work' :)  Definitely beats sitting at the old desk!

















And yes, that is a bentley on a rally stage!  (And James May was sat in the passenger seat - Kris Meeke driving, and he wasn't exactly holding back over the watersplashes or jumps).

5
Car Parts, bits For Sale & Wanted / FS - Rear Blind
« on: 29 May 2012, 20:32:07 »
Removed from a 1998 Elite, not including parcel shelf.  Came from a dark interior.  Tenner plus postage (or can arrange pickup/delivery between J13 and J2 M6 or around the coventry/leamington area).

6
Yours for the postage.  I've no longer got me miggy  :'( so not much use to me and having a clearout.

7
Hi,

I've got a pair of headlights removed from my 1998 Elite.  Make me an offer - can deliver/meet up anywhere between J13 M6 and J2 M6, also around Coventry/Leamington Spa area.

8
Maintenance Guides / HowTo: Changing Rear Shock Absorbers
« on: 17 April 2008, 20:28:36 »
Tools
16mm Socket
22mm Socket (Can't be sure - borrowed an imperial one that was a close fit)
Small Adjustable Spanner
Trolley Jack
Axle Stand
WD40
Wire Brush

Parts
90542942 - Standard Rear Shock Absorber (£73.00+vat retail, £45.85+vat TC)
72119084 - Self Levelling Shock Absorber (£103+vat retail, £64.88+vat TC)

Note
Self Levelling shocks can be replaced be the standard shocks with no ill-effect (I've just done mine ;)), just need to tidy up the air lines from the compressor.

Took me (novice mechanic) an hour a side.  Would be much quicker now I've a better idea of what I'm doing.

How to...
First things first, if the rear of the car is coming off the ground then your handbrake or leaving the car in gear isn't enough - chock up the front wheels (both sides) so it doesn't move.



Whichever side you're going to start on, loosen the nuts to the wheel before you jack it up - I can guarantee that if you weren't standing over the tyre monkey that last fitted/balanced your wheels then they'll be on ridiculously tight!

Jack up the rear end of the car and get an axle stand underneath onto something nice and solid.  Once it's nicely supported give the car a gently shove to make sure it's not going to move around.  Remove the nuts and take the wheel off and if your shocks are knackered then you'll be greeted with a sight similar to this:



You can see the fluid leaking down the sides of the shock, and that was the good side - here's the worst:



Now place a jack underneath the old shock and crank it up.  You'll see the trailing arm rise with it, the idea being to compress the shock before lowering it out:



With the bottom jacked up open the boot and take a look inside.  If you have a saloon then you'll be able to see the rubber caps covering the top of either shock:



Whip the rubber cap off and you'll see one 16mm nut.  If you've got a deep socket then you'll be able to get that straight on, if not then it's spanners out and do it the hard way.  There's a chance that the whole thing will spin, which is why you may need a second spanner to get hold of the very top of the spindle which thoughtfully has two flat sides to hold things steady:



Take the nut off, remove the large metal washer and thick bit of rubber.  Back underneath the car, wind down the jack and you should find the shock drops neatly out from above:



If you've got the fancy self levelling shocks then now is the time to remove the clips and valves at the top end of the barrel.  Next comes the hard bit.

Clean off the end of the lower bolt with a wire brush and then spray it with WD40.  Give it a few minutes to penetrate, then get a socket onto the rear facing 22mm? bolt and undo that:



I found that one side was worse than the other, and took some serious effort to shift, but it did loosen off, eventually.  With the bottom bolt off you'll find you have a cup washer with it.  Save this to go back on later.
I had to give the old shock a fair thump to get it off.

Now, if you bought those shocks from VX then you'll have the following new shiny bits:



I read the Haynes Destruction manual and followed the instructions about priming the new shocks, which basically means move the piston in and out four times.  After that stick the larger rubber washer on the top of the piston:



Locate the bottom bolt, remembering the old cup washer and making sure that it's the right way round (the bottom of the shock should fit into the bottom bracket slightly).  Do the bolt up loosely (tighter than shown) so the thread is through the other side:



Now jack the new shock up, making sure that the top rubber goes neatly into place.  As the saying goes - replacement is the reverse of removal, so, with the new shock sticking up into the boot you just need to pop the other rubber back on (rounded bit down) and replace the large metal washer.  Use the new nut and tighten it up.  You will almost certainly have to grab hold of the top of the spindle this time.  This needs to go to 60Nm (although I have no means of checking that so I just did 'pretty tight')

With the top tight you need to do up the bottom to something fairly extravagant like 110Nm (again, I have no means of checking this but did this one up to 'bloody tight').

Lower the jack (shock will extend) and pop your wheel back on.  Lower the car and you should be done, just one more side to do  :y

9
Maintenance Guides / Oil Change 2.5TD (BMW Engine)
« on: 26 November 2006, 14:03:19 »
Please note that due to several stripped sump threads, Vauxhall have reiterated the following sump plug torques:
M16 oil drain plug - 45Nm
M12 oil drain plug - 25Nm


Tools
17mm Socket
36mm Socket (a big 'un!)
Short extension bar
Screwdriver
Torque Wrench
Bowl (big enough to collect the old oil in.  I use an old washing up bowl)
Gloves, Paper towel and a funnel all come in handy



Parts
Depends on the age of the car.  Mine should have been an early one, but for some reason took the later filter:
2.5TD (filter element) to ENG no 34398417 - 93180820 £10.90 + Vat retail
2.5TD (filter element) from ENG no 34408417 - 93180093 £7.60 + Vat retail
(Cheers Mark DTM for the part no's & prices)



6.5 litres of oil


Right then, time to get dirty.  Go for a short run and get the engine up to temperature.  The oil comes out nice and easy if it's warm.  Either jack the car up and put it on axle stands, or get the ramps out (watch the bumper, my ramps only just fit under there) and get the nose of the car in the air.  Once it's up and supported give the car a rock to make sure it's properly supported - you're going under there, so best be sure it's not going to drop on you.


Underneath the car there's a small cover that can be removed to reveal the oil sump.  Remove this by twisting it, and it just drops out.


You should be able to see the sump plug.  Have your container already under the car, and at hand.


Grab a 17mm socket and undo it, slowly.  Once it's loose get your container under the sump and begin to remove it by hand - it's less messy if you can hold onto the sump plug before it drops into the container of old oil.


Once the plug comes out, the oil follows it at a fair pace.


Whilst the oil continues to gently drains out, pop the bonnet and unclip the sensor.  There's a little tab to push in under the mounting bracket, and it just slides off.  I found I needed to move this just to get a bit more space.  I'm sure more nimble fingers could skip this step.


Get a plastic bag ready on the top of the engine to drop the old filter in.  Get the 36mm socket and undo the oil filter.  You will probably hear a lot more oil escape out of the bottom of the engine as you undo this.  In one swift movement, put the oil filter assembly straight into the plastic bag.  The oil filter may stay in the canister on the engine, if it does, just lift it straight out of there and into the bag.


In the filter kit from Vauxhall you should have three rubber rings, two small and one much larger.  Clean up the filter cap/stalk and then replace the two small rubber rings on the end of the stalk.


The larger rubber ring around the top of the cap needs to be replaced too.  Be gentle with the screwdriver,  don't want any gouges out the plastic.


Put the new filter on and you're ready for reassembly.  Drop it back into the container on the engine and turn it by hand to get the threads right.  Tighten it up (as written on the top of the cap) to 25Nm with a Torque Wrench.


Take the old copper washer off the sump plug (mine was particularly nasty since Vauxhall gave me the wrong one last time), and replace it with the new one from the pack.  Back under the car and pop the sump plug back in, tightening it to 45Nm (seemed excessive to me, but it was what was written on the service manual).
While your under there, pop the cover back on to hide the sump.


Fill with your favourite oil (Vauxhall's own oil is well priced).  I fill it with 6 litres, and then top up as necessary - use a funnel if you've got one, otherwise a steady hand will suffice.  There's only 1ltr between min and max on the dipstick.  Turn on the engine and wait for the oil light on the instrument panel to go out.

If you've removed the sensor, then clip it back on.  Bonnet shut, Job Done.  :D

10
Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Bose Transfer
« on: 11 September 2008, 12:58:28 »
I've got a '98 Elite with Bose in and a '99 CDX with a crappy Kenwood non-factory CD player.  What's needed to move the system from one to the other?

I'm thinking:

Head Unit - plug and play?  Hoping that the wiring hasn't been butchered behind the dash...  or at least not too much.
Amp - does that sit under the parcel shelf?  Haven't looked yet.
Rear shelf, complete - may as well take the whole shelf from one to the other - same colour.
Speakers in the front and rear doors
What about the tweeters near the mirrors - do they need to come too?
CD Changer (Blaupunkt original) from the '98.
Wiring loom appears to be there in the '99 for the CD changer.

What wiring's likely to exist in the car already for the speakers on the shelf?

All words of advise appreciated :)

11
Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Rear Blind
« on: 12 September 2008, 13:03:52 »
Ok - I know most people get annoyed with these, taking space out the boot etc, but, I've used mine (it's handy for keeping the lights out of the little one's face when he's strapped into his baby seat).

Can they be retrofitted?  I can see the button blank on the dash - how much wiring (if any) will there be behind that?

12
Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Auto-Dip Mirror
« on: 11 September 2008, 13:01:57 »
I've read that the Mirror needs to get the 'Reverse' signal to cancel the auto-dipping.  Will it work without?

Anyway - if I had memory seats, how does it hook into the repositioning?  I share the car with the missus and it was something that I really liked.  Being able to set the seats & mirrors up so that they just went to 'normal' was great.

13
Omega Electrical and Audio Help / Memory Seats
« on: 11 September 2008, 12:59:55 »
Ok - the '98 Elite had memory seats in.  And they're ace.  I want them in the '99.... BUT, the cloth was damaged.  Are they transferable and can the 'electrical' bits from one be moved to the seats of the other?  I'm thinking it's unlikely.  Which is a shame.

14
Omega General Help / Firing Order (2.5 V6)
« on: 12 October 2008, 14:05:01 »
Just done the cam covers - fingers crossed it's good when I turn the key in the morning.

I took the opportunity to change the leads at the same time, and I marked them up as I went, but I'm still not convinced I've got it right (the marks I made weren't really very good  :-[)

Could somone tell me, looking from th front of the engine back towards the DIS pack, what lead connects to which cylinder?

Simple diagram like

DIS
2 6 4
5 3 1

Cylinders
6 5
4 3
2 1

I really want to be 100% before putting everything back together.

15
Omega General Help / Cam Covers - How long till turning the key?
« on: 12 October 2008, 18:13:13 »
Really keen to find out whether I've returned the leads to the correct plugs.  How long do you need to wait to turn the key after doing the cam covers?  I know the guide says overnight, but I'm getting worried about what's going to happen in the morning.

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