Routy56 - can you just....

[Lancs Lad]

Last week has seen a bit more progress on the Mondeo Project
Don't like putting back old rusty parts so, they are either renewed or painted

Pulled the left front strut off
View attachment 72322

Then got to work with the needle gun...
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This shows what is described as "light misting" on MOT advisories
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Nice shiny new one ready to be loaded with the time bomb....View attachment 72325

And a new lower control arm added to the pile ready to go back on...
View attachment 72326

Jack comes round today after I've done Parkrun. He's gonna love voting this stuff back on

He'll also enjoy watching the spring compressors fire themselves into the garage roof man I hate them things. Gives me the heebie jeebies

 

[Routy56]

You may remember that my grandson Ryan has a nice Corsa D 1.2 petrol car.
The one that we rebuilt a few weeks ago...
So last weekend he phoned me, "Grandad my car has overheated and pushed all the coolant out"
I said, "Check for leaks, refill it and limp it back here for me to check for the problem. But stop if it overheats again and I'll come over with the trailer"
He was at Ardleigh about 15 miles away. While he did this I checked the tracking App and it showed that when coming back from Cambridge he pushed it up to 80mph up the hill on the A12 from Dedham
I told him, " Well worst case is that yer head gasket has gone. Hopefully it's something simple"
So plugged in the EOBD diagnostics and IR thermometer and found that the cooling fan was not cutting in.
On these the fan cuts in at 105-7c

As well as the EOBD live data you can pull up a 'secret' menu to show the temperature on the dashboard. Showed Ryan how to do this

Pulled out the ceramic two speed resistor pack from the radiator and found that it was 'OPEN CIRCUIT'

Common fault on these models.
"I need to car for work on Monday and I want to play football with my mates tomorrow"
Drive it gently and if you're moving forward it will be OK

So checked the internet for availability on a Sunday - Eurocarparts wanted £169.99
But found one on Amazon at £10.69 with Prime delivery the next day

Late afternoon the new part arrived, Ryan came over, popped it in place in less than 5 minutes.
At exactly 107c the fan then roared into life - another job jobbed

 

[Routy56]

He'll also enjoy watching the spring compressors fire themselves into the garage roof man I hate them things. Gives me the heebie jeebies

Yep I hate them too. I have the 3 x screw clamps type and carefully did it in the vice above head level using the rattle gun
So Jack hasn't got that danger to face.
The biggest thing we have two overcome today it getting the biggest bolt undone from the old control arm.
Tried last night and it wouldn't budge. May have to get the oxygen/acetylene out

 

[pettsy]

Yep I hate them too. I have the 3 x screw clamps type and carefully did it in the vice above head level using the rattle gun

You can get sets like this for £60ish on ebay, far nicer and safer to use than the individual clamps.

 

[Diggerdavey]

You can get sets like this for £60ish on ebay, far nicer and safer to use than the individual clamps.

View attachment 72347

I second that. A world apart from the old finger clamps

 

[V8Druid]

looks like a really good set of Zebedee tamers - fortunately I can't recall the last time I had to have a tussle with one

 

[Routy56]

You can get sets like this for £60ish on ebay, far nicer and safer to use than the individual clamps.

View attachment 72347

Thanks Matt - now watching one on eBay with a view to buying another handy tool

 

[Routy56]

So on Saturday Jack and me got stuck into the Mondeo project car.
The seized bolt on the lower control arm was shown the gas gun and came apart easily

Then Jack prepped it all ready to go back on

He now knows what an ABS sensor, reluctor ring, hub carrier, spring, shock absorber, top bearing and lower control arm are. What they do and how to fit them

Here he is bolting it all back together...

All worthwhile training and time spent with my grandson

 

[Routy56]

So today, my SIL rocks up with a Mk 8 '70 plate' Transit that one of his groundworkers is using.
"Can you just give me hand to sort the brakes out, he's found a leak and they can't fix it ready for Monday"
Rod is a Director and project manager of a large construction company. And just gets stuff done (even on a Sunday)
Apparently his groundworker reported that the brakes were worn and it needed new discs and pads on the front.
Quick inspection revealed this to be a load of bull - the big clue was the whole left front wheel was covered in brake fluid....

The remnants of a large carrier bag were wound around the drive shaft. And had destroyed the CV rubber boot and fractured the steel part of the flexible brake pipe. The discs and pads were about half worn and serviceable

So while we were waiting for Eurocarparts to open, "Let's just check the rear brakes".....

HTF do you drive around in a van when the brakes sound like a train coming into the station.
This is the van that has just had an engine rebuild after the wet belt let go

So we added rear brake pads to our click and collect list...

And it's on QR coded daily checks apparently - and the guy now has to explain why the coolant expansion tank was empty, requiring 3 litres of OAT to top it up. And the tyres were all around 30-35 psi and not the required 59 rear and 67psi front

While at my workshop Rod's boss, phoned, "Does your father in law want a job maintaining and repairing our vehicles?"
"No thanks, I am retired, but will always help out when you get stuck"....

Another job jobbed, but now booked in for further work their regular workshops

 

[V8Druid]

So today, my SIL rocks up with a Mk 8 '70 plate' Transit that one of his groundworkers is using.
"Can you just give me hand to sort the brakes out, he's found a leak and they can't fix it ready for Monday"
Rod is a Director and project manager of a large construction company. And just gets stuff done (even on a Sunday)
Apparently his groundworker reported that the brakes were worn and it needed new discs and pads on the front.
Quick inspection revealed this to be a load of bull - the big clue was the whole left front wheel was covered in brake fluid....
View attachment 72374

The remnants of a large carrier bag were wound around the drive shaft. And had destroyed the CV rubber boot and fractured the steel part of the flexible brake pipe. The discs and pads were about half worn and serviceable

View attachment 72377

So while we were waiting for Eurocarparts to open, "Let's just check the rear brakes".....
View attachment 72375

View attachment 72376

HTF do you drive around in a van when the brakes sound like a train coming into the station.
This is the van that has just had an engine rebuild after the wet belt let go

So we added rear brake pads to our click and collect list...

And it's on QR coded daily checks apparently - and the guy now has to explain why the coolant expansion tank was empty, requiring 3 litres of OAT to top it up. And the tyres were all around 30-35 psi and not the required 59 rear and 67psi front

While at my workshop Rod's boss, phoned, "Does your father in law want a job maintaining and repairing our vehicles?"
"No thanks, I am retired, but will always help out when you get stuck"....

Another job jobbed, but now booked in for further work their regular workshops

accountability needs to be linked to their pay packet - might encourage the tossers to be more pro-active with their checks on a regular basis

 

[Routy56]

accountability needs to be linked to their pay packet - might encourage the tossers to be more pro-active with their checks on a regular basis

Yep there are already sanctions being put in place
Said to Rod, “Give them all a toolbox talk on vehicle checks. Assume they know nothing and go from there”
It will be interesting to see what happens going forward-he’s not slow to dismiss wankers

 

[Routy56]

Mondeo project car update
Last week a big push to get it ready for the MOT Test....

Had to strip this lot out to get access to the ABS Modulator. This was when a perfectly good Steel brake pipe wrung off when I changed the left front flexible pipe

Obviously cleaned, painted and Waxoyled this area before reassembly.

Wrestled a new cupronickel pipe in place

Put some of this jungle juice in the diesel tank (using the special funnel)
Mind you it does not smoke at all so the 'refurbished' injectors are doing a great job

So on Thursday rocked up at the local MOT Test Centre and it passed with flying colours.
Boss man, Mike was impressed, "Tell your grandson that he's done good job"

It now added to our fleet and I've been using it as my 'daily driver' - such a comfortable car. Six speed manual and has a nice 'sweet spot' when the turbo spools up
SWMBO obeyed has told me that I've gotta sell it soon.....
......but I'm gonna keep fettling and using it

Just few more jobs to be done:
Front bumper paint job and not in @V8Druid shade of TISH
Air con regas, new condenser was fitted by us - my brother has the kit
Alarm system service - whatever that means. Think the backup battery is dead
And that's it - 17 year old Titanium X (be a classic in 3 years)

 

[V8Druid]

And that's it - 17 year old Titanium X (be a classic in 3 years)

and in 23 years it'll be an historic

 

[Routy56]

Mondeo Air Con regassed today at my brothers place

Graham has actually got a full dog nuts machine but "It keeps tripping the mains"

So he bought a cheap vacuum pump and manifold thingy to go with his bottle of R134a...

It's actually quite a nice vac pump

There you go, the old Mondeo now running within spec filled with R134a - simples

Mind you we had a few snags along the way. Bathroom scales switched off as I was squirting it in and I overfilled it. The pump hydraulic locked up and smoke came off the fan belt

Never mind - job jobbed and it was icy cold on the 20 mile trip home. So much so that I had to change the Climate Control from 18c to 20c

 

[Gecko]

Mondeo Air Con regassed today at my brothers place

Very interested in the process as I need to get the AC on the 3cx going.

I gather you didn't need to replace any parts, so no oil or dye was required?
With the scales - do you use scales to get it close and then fine tune with the gauges? I assumed you added gas until static pressure was right and then fine tuned.
When I got the 3cx, the hoses were flopping around, unattached to the compressor. So not sure if they'd been removed for access or to allow something to be replaced .
My starting point will be fill the system with compressed air and see if it holds pressure.
I've never played with AC, so still at the point of not knowing what I don't know.

I had to change the Climate Control from 18c to 20c

So your heater works, but what's it like with the AC on?

 

[Routy56]

Very interested in the process as I need to get the AC on the 3cx going.

I gather you didn't need to replace any parts, so no oil or dye was required?
With the scales - do you use scales to get it close and then fine tune with the gauges? I assumed you added gas until static pressure was right and then fine tuned.
When I got the 3cx, the hoses were flopping around, unattached to the compressor. So not sure if they'd been removed for access or to allow something to be replaced .
My starting point will be fill the system with compressed air and see if it holds pressure.
I've never played with AC, so still at the point of not knowing what I don't know.




So your heater works, but what's it like with the AC on?

Doing AC is relatively easy and well within the scope of a competent DIY/engineer/good with spanners guy

Yes I had replaced the condenser and dryer, so added the Pag Oil
But DO NOT use compressed air. Use a a decent VACUUM pump. The gauge will show that it holding with no leaks.
AND it will remove all that nasty moist air. Moisture and air and the worst thing for AC

Although my brother is a 'time served' mechanic we still like to get advice from those who have done it.
Loads of advice out there on YouTube how to do - here's a simple one we found How to Properly Recharge Your AC System
And you'll need the kit to do it. Get the correct refrigerant gas for yer 3CX.
My brother has a large bottle of R134a but smaller cans are available.

So, go for it, do yer research and maybe work with a mate who has done it.
And post your efforts on yer blog

 

[Gecko]

Thanks - yep.
The compressed air is just for a first pass - bolt it up and see if it hold pressure (also check the pressure switches work).
I've got a new compressor and dryer. I've got gauges, hoses PAG oil and fluorecent dye. I've got a mix-kit of green o-rings and new valves.
Only thing I'm missing is a vac pump

In Oz, you can't buy the gas (R134a in this case) without showing you are qualified to use it - but I'm spending a lot of my time in a part of the world with no rules, so 300g cans are about £1.50. £80 will get you a 12kg can. You can still buy Freon (R22) here without restriction (like I said - no rules).

Each time I travel to Oz, I sneek in a small can next to my shaving kit!

 

[Routy56]

As usual it's been a busy few weeks since my last write up
But here is a selection of stuff that we have been up to.....
First out of the box is Lead Water Main Replacement at my daughter's house.
You could say that I did it for love

Nice bloke from Affinity Water rocked up after I asked the office - "We don't know where the stop cock is, and want to replace the lead water mains"
Had to show him how to use his Cat and Genny! Then he showed Jack how to use the proper method as above
"Granddad, you showed me this before at your place, so how come the professional still use them!"

We scraped around and gave up for the old stop cock. "No mate, we will put a new one in the pavement and connect your new MDPE pipe into that"
Most of the neighbours have one in the pavement and before that it was 3 feet in from the edge.
It was agreed that I would simply relay the whole pipe into the new kitchen at the back

So got cracking with the pecker....

And kept Jack supplied with hardcore for back to my heap...

Then Sophie's boyfriend, Keeton rocked up to help......

A clue with the new brass stop cock is going

But first had to divert the kitchen waste....

Kitchen waste diverted nicely.
Ignore the blue for now - it was a bodged feed to the garage and will be properly protected shortly.....

Nicely core drilled, lined and insulated reday for the "Insuduct" from BES....

The thing about this "Insuduct" is that it has space for two 25mm pipes - happy days

Then Sophie arrives home from 6th Form to help

It's the snags that take the time. Under 3 FWD pipes and two SWA cables

All the blue going in with loads of soft.....

Chuffed to bits with my new feed under that tight old kitchen cupboard

To be continued shorty......

 

[Routy56]

Lead Water Main Replacement debacle Part 2

So on the big changover day, I was there at 0800hrs. They rocked up just after 12
But to be fair the two guys got on and got it done with a live changeover - very wet

And to finish off I capped off the old lead feed in the bathroom, which was the 'old' kitchen.
Do you know how many leaks I had?

Zero - job jobbed

Me - "So, guys what about the rest of the lead pipes that goes to your mains in the main road"
Affinity - "Oh, don't worry we will be back in a few weeks to shut your service road. And we will need traffic lights on the main road while we do that"
They are due to arrive tomorrow - what can possible go wrong

 

[Stroppymonkey]

Looks like nice dry weather for it, and great to see the young ones getting involved. Not tried the Insuduct but looks good.
Sorry to be a fly in the ointment (so to speak) but to comply with water regs the stoptap should be the first fitting inside the building and immediately followed by a double check valve and a drain valve . This reduces back flow risks and also enable easy drain downs of system

BES also sell nifty little MDPE compression adaptors with liners that mean you can bolt a nice WRAS approved lever valve straight onto the MDPE. The brass stop taps these days are generally poor quality and like to seize up. (Also they tend to restrict flow).
(Sorry.. slightly on the spectrum and 24 years of working with the wet stuff and working with water companies = interested in getting the message out there about getting it perfect!)