BarryPort
RMS Regular
E34 535i Sport.. in manual & the guy didn't know what it was 
You win some you lose some but that was a good day!
You win some you lose some but that was a good day!
The Continuous Car Thread of S_S - Skodas, BMWs, Austins...
- Thread starter surprising_skoda
- Start date
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surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #152
Hard to believe that it's about 7 weeks since this was updated.
So have a feeble update. I have done very little thing apart from try to finish the chain on the bike:
Lying on my stomach on a freezing concrete floor, pinging at little metal things
with this great view:
That was weeks ago. The stupid cheapo chain thingy bent. So I complained and got another.
Tried that one this week and got another half turn further, then that one bent. USELESS!
So not much further along. Got the lend of a normal type chain splitter thingy but on closer look it doesn't look like it will do the job, so no option now but to shell out for the expensive genuine tool for the job. At least it will pay for itself on all those chains I have to do - oh wait, I only have one bike. great.
I had some people round the house lately, and needed to relieve some parking space. The Fiat was across the front door, as you do, so needed to move it. It's been stationary for maybe two months now. Jump leads? No sir! Fired straight up. Good car
And the MG tyres kept going soft. And I hadn't checked the oil situation for a while. Took it into work earlier this week, got sidetracked and forgot about it. Took it in the next day, also forgot.
Took it in on Saturday and did not forget! Oil is fine, only used a little bit. Replaced all the tyres with good ones. I say good - tread is good. Still budgets, but not Fullways with dodgy sidewalls. And I have a spare now!
And... those pesky side trims. MG in their wisdom painted straight over left-over chrome trims from the R75 production line. One has been flaking really badly since like July, so finally they were pulled off, stripped back and quickly polished, just in time to be fitted (badly) for home-time.
They look ok, much better than flaky paint, they almost sit straight, well it will do for now. At least all the tyres will stay up, now I can go fast and not always be worried about having a blowout. Just have to sort out a fresher radio now so I can listen to ma choones.
So have a feeble update. I have done very little thing apart from try to finish the chain on the bike:
Lying on my stomach on a freezing concrete floor, pinging at little metal things
with this great view:
That was weeks ago. The stupid cheapo chain thingy bent. So I complained and got another.
Tried that one this week and got another half turn further, then that one bent. USELESS!
So not much further along. Got the lend of a normal type chain splitter thingy but on closer look it doesn't look like it will do the job, so no option now but to shell out for the expensive genuine tool for the job. At least it will pay for itself on all those chains I have to do - oh wait, I only have one bike. great.
I had some people round the house lately, and needed to relieve some parking space. The Fiat was across the front door, as you do, so needed to move it. It's been stationary for maybe two months now. Jump leads? No sir! Fired straight up. Good car
And the MG tyres kept going soft. And I hadn't checked the oil situation for a while. Took it into work earlier this week, got sidetracked and forgot about it. Took it in the next day, also forgot.
Took it in on Saturday and did not forget! Oil is fine, only used a little bit. Replaced all the tyres with good ones. I say good - tread is good. Still budgets, but not Fullways with dodgy sidewalls. And I have a spare now!
And... those pesky side trims. MG in their wisdom painted straight over left-over chrome trims from the R75 production line. One has been flaking really badly since like July, so finally they were pulled off, stripped back and quickly polished, just in time to be fitted (badly) for home-time.
They look ok, much better than flaky paint, they almost sit straight, well it will do for now. At least all the tyres will stay up, now I can go fast and not always be worried about having a blowout. Just have to sort out a fresher radio now so I can listen to ma choones.
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #153
My mom is back this week from Scotland and has not once mentioned the Forester so it must be performing exceptionally.
Her Arosa what I charged up last week for her to use has failed to hold a charge despite being jumped and driven around a few times now. This is the only time she's going to need it until next summer, and my brother that was supposed to be buying it off her is still without licence and money, so could well be a small Seat for sale right soon. I like the wee thing but I don't need to be looking after it. I think I'll make a special effort to find someone I like to buy it, as it's a properly well sorted wee car now with all that new stuff it had last year, and has been faultless since.
Anyway my dad was up staying over Christmas, and what with having nothing much to do, and needing to seriously distract myself from not having seen my little girl since July; avoiding the pile of unopened presents sitting in the kitchen besides the bits of christmas tree lying on the ground; screw that, off to work and do something.
Silver Austin 7 was supposed to be finished and sold by Spring 2016. Maybe time to up the speed on that front.
Dug the recently powdercoated rear frame out of the back room and mounted it
So that I could start wiring the rear lights up. Which is done now. And taped all into place.
Now the wires have plugs you can see there, so the rear frame and tank can be easily and safely removed in future.
And my dad got the mirrors mounted.
Double ally plates to bulk out the mounting area for the screen, and strengthen the area as mirrors had been mounted badly before and stressed the corner out. Looks tidier and more racy now.
That was Monday and I spent an hour going round the car trying to familiarise myself with the wiring system again to see what still needed done. It's all the awkward finishing sections needed now.
Tuesday my dad was away home so some loud music on, one of those Gospel Message CDs some little mission churches make, some right good songs on this one so crank that up on the workshop radio which is powered by a half charged car battery and has paint spilled over it, blaring out of some 20 year old speakers yanked out of whatever chavved up E36 we were "fixing" the week the stereo got "assembled".
So, more wiring.
Horn needed doing. Earth needed a point. Next to it was a cut-off double wired earth point for a different system. There was a stub just long enough to shave down and get a cut-down all-in-one solder joint over it, and it held. I was quite pleased with this little join, as it was difficult to get together and make it decent, but it stuck.
Taped that all up after of course.
Right, now for the fun stuff. Ran the horn feed back to the dash area, as well as an ign live. And then, unfortunately, there was no avoiding the green&blue twosome, the ammeter and ign switch charging circuit feed lines. Skinny little wires, buried against the inner bulkhead. More upside down stuff I really didn't fancy anymore, now that I'm old, I get dizzy after a few minutes doing under-dash wiring where I used to spend half an hour in there in my halcyon days when there was a 2 at the start of my age and not a 3.
So try to stare them down for a few minutes:
That didn't work, predictably, so in we go. A few minutes later, some length...
So green extensions to the G&B, for the charge circuit. Blue&Yellow for the horn, one for horn feed, one goes into the fusebox to F7.
While doing this I sat in the passenger footwell. I managed to knock a squeezy bottle over unwittingly and my jeans and butt got soaked. Smelt funny though. Sniffed the bottle and realised I'd just been marinating in thinners. Why was there a squeezy bottle full of thinners in the car? Why was there a squeezy bottle of thinners in existence at all?? And then of course the paint on the floor of the car curled up and died. So that needs re-done. And my jeans need washed.
One red for hi-beam, one red for low-beam, operated off the ign/light switch, and one red coming from Fuse #1 as the charge circuit alternator side to the ign switch. The red wire on the other side of F1 runs through the bulkhead, and up to the alternator.
Then two P clips, bolted here rather than riveted so that if in future someone needs to amend the wiring to the dash area, they can just unbolt and lower it rather than have to drill out rivets or stick their head upside down. Future-proofing, I call that. Although it won't be for my benefit!
Anyway that leads us to both the end of Tuesdays efforts, and the moment of achievement, of a notable, sizeable job which can now be crossed off the list. A moment which in my head was always the defining step when we'd be entering the finishing straight...
Dash is in.
All the wires just need fed to their correct dial and that's that end finished. Run one loop wire, one more alternator wire, solder horn button connections, and done.
To do:
Refit seats, touch in interior paint, fit new passenger side side panel, fix and fit mudguards, bolt in fuel tank, set the timing, refit radiator and cowling, fit alternator belt, fit steering wheel, fire it up.
Her Arosa what I charged up last week for her to use has failed to hold a charge despite being jumped and driven around a few times now. This is the only time she's going to need it until next summer, and my brother that was supposed to be buying it off her is still without licence and money, so could well be a small Seat for sale right soon. I like the wee thing but I don't need to be looking after it. I think I'll make a special effort to find someone I like to buy it, as it's a properly well sorted wee car now with all that new stuff it had last year, and has been faultless since.
Anyway my dad was up staying over Christmas, and what with having nothing much to do, and needing to seriously distract myself from not having seen my little girl since July; avoiding the pile of unopened presents sitting in the kitchen besides the bits of christmas tree lying on the ground; screw that, off to work and do something.
Silver Austin 7 was supposed to be finished and sold by Spring 2016. Maybe time to up the speed on that front.
Dug the recently powdercoated rear frame out of the back room and mounted it
So that I could start wiring the rear lights up. Which is done now. And taped all into place.
Now the wires have plugs you can see there, so the rear frame and tank can be easily and safely removed in future.
And my dad got the mirrors mounted.
Double ally plates to bulk out the mounting area for the screen, and strengthen the area as mirrors had been mounted badly before and stressed the corner out. Looks tidier and more racy now.
That was Monday and I spent an hour going round the car trying to familiarise myself with the wiring system again to see what still needed done. It's all the awkward finishing sections needed now.
Tuesday my dad was away home so some loud music on, one of those Gospel Message CDs some little mission churches make, some right good songs on this one so crank that up on the workshop radio which is powered by a half charged car battery and has paint spilled over it, blaring out of some 20 year old speakers yanked out of whatever chavved up E36 we were "fixing" the week the stereo got "assembled".
So, more wiring.
Horn needed doing. Earth needed a point. Next to it was a cut-off double wired earth point for a different system. There was a stub just long enough to shave down and get a cut-down all-in-one solder joint over it, and it held. I was quite pleased with this little join, as it was difficult to get together and make it decent, but it stuck.
Taped that all up after of course.
Right, now for the fun stuff. Ran the horn feed back to the dash area, as well as an ign live. And then, unfortunately, there was no avoiding the green&blue twosome, the ammeter and ign switch charging circuit feed lines. Skinny little wires, buried against the inner bulkhead. More upside down stuff I really didn't fancy anymore, now that I'm old, I get dizzy after a few minutes doing under-dash wiring where I used to spend half an hour in there in my halcyon days when there was a 2 at the start of my age and not a 3.
So try to stare them down for a few minutes:
That didn't work, predictably, so in we go. A few minutes later, some length...
So green extensions to the G&B, for the charge circuit. Blue&Yellow for the horn, one for horn feed, one goes into the fusebox to F7.
While doing this I sat in the passenger footwell. I managed to knock a squeezy bottle over unwittingly and my jeans and butt got soaked. Smelt funny though. Sniffed the bottle and realised I'd just been marinating in thinners. Why was there a squeezy bottle full of thinners in the car? Why was there a squeezy bottle of thinners in existence at all?? And then of course the paint on the floor of the car curled up and died. So that needs re-done. And my jeans need washed.
One red for hi-beam, one red for low-beam, operated off the ign/light switch, and one red coming from Fuse #1 as the charge circuit alternator side to the ign switch. The red wire on the other side of F1 runs through the bulkhead, and up to the alternator.
Then two P clips, bolted here rather than riveted so that if in future someone needs to amend the wiring to the dash area, they can just unbolt and lower it rather than have to drill out rivets or stick their head upside down. Future-proofing, I call that. Although it won't be for my benefit!
Anyway that leads us to both the end of Tuesdays efforts, and the moment of achievement, of a notable, sizeable job which can now be crossed off the list. A moment which in my head was always the defining step when we'd be entering the finishing straight...
Dash is in.
All the wires just need fed to their correct dial and that's that end finished. Run one loop wire, one more alternator wire, solder horn button connections, and done.
To do:
Refit seats, touch in interior paint, fit new passenger side side panel, fix and fit mudguards, bolt in fuel tank, set the timing, refit radiator and cowling, fit alternator belt, fit steering wheel, fire it up.
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #154
First post of 2017...
Austin 7 now has the rest of the instruments in. They're all wired, the oil pressure line is plumbed in again, the speedo cable in, and the choke handle snapped inside so waiting on a new one of those to fit. One more wire from the alternator to run and that's it. Grille is back on, timing half started but need to finalise that when there's a bit more time.
Alternator was a bit loose on the mounts, so "fabricated" a "tensioner"...
Built it up a bit after, that was just the trial, but it works.
Completely by chance, the belt that fits right (second try) is a 725mm 4pk belt off a... Micra. The alternator is a Micra one with custom mounts, and it used to have a tiny belt but with my addition of a fan pulley it just happened to coincidentally work out at that size. That amused me for literally minutes.
Next job, Triumph. The chain fitting had been going very badly as detailed before, so split link purchased. One with a clip on. Idea, fit this, take to MOT, then leave into garage with proper tools to fit the proper link. I don't fancy keeping the clip pin type one on, it's a high revving snappy bike and I like my leg as it is - unscarred.
So clip arrives:
Go to prise off the rivet link. Cant get it. Take a rubber mallet and screwdriver to it, still no. Up the ante steadily for 20 minutes until I realise its wedged on. The link ain't budging one bit. I'll still get it seen to as I don't like the look of it, but its solid, so maybe we're in the clear, somehow.
So that was a waste of £6.50...
Took it for a spin after setting the rear wheel alignment by eye, did not die. Success story all round. Time to double check everything again and get the MOT booked.
And in a nice bonus, found the missing OEM front pads in my office. Only been 18 months missing...
Went to start fitting those and found the pads on the front still had about 50-60% life in them. :-/
Whatever. Bike is fixed.
My mam was going to give the Arosa to my brother but he hasn't made any moves to get his licence yet so up goes that for sale.
Will miss it a bit, been floating around for over two years now and been faultless.
Also going to sell her E39 Touring, it's been great too but nobody has any need of it any more. It was retained for a while as a fleet bicycle at work but with one guy having to leave for medical reasons, it can go too. Which brings us to the next point...
...with his back how it is, a slammed car isn't ideal. He had been thinking of letting it go anyway, so, finally, a car I've liked ever since we flew to Reading to get it four years ago, is finally on my drive.
One 1994 Daytona Violet E34 Sport.
Austin 7 now has the rest of the instruments in. They're all wired, the oil pressure line is plumbed in again, the speedo cable in, and the choke handle snapped inside so waiting on a new one of those to fit. One more wire from the alternator to run and that's it. Grille is back on, timing half started but need to finalise that when there's a bit more time.
Alternator was a bit loose on the mounts, so "fabricated" a "tensioner"...
Built it up a bit after, that was just the trial, but it works.
Completely by chance, the belt that fits right (second try) is a 725mm 4pk belt off a... Micra. The alternator is a Micra one with custom mounts, and it used to have a tiny belt but with my addition of a fan pulley it just happened to coincidentally work out at that size. That amused me for literally minutes.
Next job, Triumph. The chain fitting had been going very badly as detailed before, so split link purchased. One with a clip on. Idea, fit this, take to MOT, then leave into garage with proper tools to fit the proper link. I don't fancy keeping the clip pin type one on, it's a high revving snappy bike and I like my leg as it is - unscarred.
So clip arrives:
Go to prise off the rivet link. Cant get it. Take a rubber mallet and screwdriver to it, still no. Up the ante steadily for 20 minutes until I realise its wedged on. The link ain't budging one bit. I'll still get it seen to as I don't like the look of it, but its solid, so maybe we're in the clear, somehow.
So that was a waste of £6.50...
Took it for a spin after setting the rear wheel alignment by eye, did not die. Success story all round. Time to double check everything again and get the MOT booked.
And in a nice bonus, found the missing OEM front pads in my office. Only been 18 months missing...
Went to start fitting those and found the pads on the front still had about 50-60% life in them. :-/
Whatever. Bike is fixed.
My mam was going to give the Arosa to my brother but he hasn't made any moves to get his licence yet so up goes that for sale.
Will miss it a bit, been floating around for over two years now and been faultless.
Also going to sell her E39 Touring, it's been great too but nobody has any need of it any more. It was retained for a while as a fleet bicycle at work but with one guy having to leave for medical reasons, it can go too. Which brings us to the next point...
...with his back how it is, a slammed car isn't ideal. He had been thinking of letting it go anyway, so, finally, a car I've liked ever since we flew to Reading to get it four years ago, is finally on my drive.
One 1994 Daytona Violet E34 Sport.
richie_mck
RMS Regular
- Messages
- 5,597
Technoviolet E34
suckindiesel
RMS Regular
@surprising_skoda any use to you? BMW E34 535SE MANUAL PROJECT/SPARES CAR For Sale (1989) on Car And Classic UK [C828833]
Love the Forster saga - amazing how many dealers will try and pretend a problem isn't there, or completely over advertise just to get you out.
Love the Forster saga - amazing how many dealers will try and pretend a problem isn't there, or completely over advertise just to get you out.
Paul.
RMS Regular
- Messages
- 1,384
@surprising_skoda: Does the plate on that E34 end AEV or something like that, M-reg? I've seen one very similar, always wondered if it was Techno Violet.
I properly love Techno Violet.
I properly love Techno Violet.
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #159
AEY. It's daytona violet.
And yes, contact attempted about 535, thanks.
And yes, contact attempted about 535, thanks.
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #161
Time to send her up the road...
Another E34 Sport purchased today in blue..!
pics next week.
Another E34 Sport purchased today in blue..!
pics next week.
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #164
Sold 19 minutes after that ad up, not even the Quickest I've sold a car by a long shot.
Avus one I've not seen, the one I've got I traded in today against a 530d
Avus one I've not seen, the one I've got I traded in today against a 530d
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #165
Absolutely nothing to report for the last few weeks. Have been working more hours than my body can cope with for the last 6 weeks so no time to sort anything on any of my motors.
The 530d I used almost daily is out of MOT in 2.85 days. The cars for sale that I could use are all sitting at precipitous mileages just under milestones I don't want to cross, so a new daily is in order.
Going back several years, I sold a really lovely old 7 series. Heard stories about the guy that was buying it and the deal was quite protracted in the end but hey-ho. It was literally three miles from work, just a few hundred yards up the road from where my mum lived before she left for Scotland... and I never saw the car again!
Thought it was gone, for good. Then I get a call from this guys ex, turns out to be a girl I went to school with, and this guy is currently doing time and the car is languishing in her garage where it's been for two or more years.
Anyway too much story, it's lost reverse so it needs pulled out, with only one flat wheel. We did that and then put a battery in and it fired up!
Here it is:
Excited to have this one back. A power-wash (and massive burnout) later and it looks much healthier.
A couple of days ago I was doing something near my (rather large) stash of manual V8 gearboxes and spotted one that looked like an auto... and it was. Quite pleased with that, got a gearbox in stock for it so that moves it up the priority list a rung or two.
Nothing else happened recently apart from dropping off the S110R radiator to be repaired, at last. Only been lying on the back seat for three weeks, only been out of the car for several months...
The Avus E34 mentioned above is up for sale:
As is this lovely 535i MSport:
This one I bought a long time ago in England, maybe summer of 2015? Great spec, and E39s are great cars but once again I have to remember I cannot just keep them all.
And something coming next week off "the list". Much excite.
The 530d I used almost daily is out of MOT in 2.85 days. The cars for sale that I could use are all sitting at precipitous mileages just under milestones I don't want to cross, so a new daily is in order.
Going back several years, I sold a really lovely old 7 series. Heard stories about the guy that was buying it and the deal was quite protracted in the end but hey-ho. It was literally three miles from work, just a few hundred yards up the road from where my mum lived before she left for Scotland... and I never saw the car again!
Thought it was gone, for good. Then I get a call from this guys ex, turns out to be a girl I went to school with, and this guy is currently doing time and the car is languishing in her garage where it's been for two or more years.
Anyway too much story, it's lost reverse so it needs pulled out, with only one flat wheel. We did that and then put a battery in and it fired up!
Here it is:
Excited to have this one back. A power-wash (and massive burnout) later and it looks much healthier.
A couple of days ago I was doing something near my (rather large) stash of manual V8 gearboxes and spotted one that looked like an auto... and it was. Quite pleased with that, got a gearbox in stock for it so that moves it up the priority list a rung or two.
Nothing else happened recently apart from dropping off the S110R radiator to be repaired, at last. Only been lying on the back seat for three weeks, only been out of the car for several months...
The Avus E34 mentioned above is up for sale:
As is this lovely 535i MSport:
This one I bought a long time ago in England, maybe summer of 2015? Great spec, and E39s are great cars but once again I have to remember I cannot just keep them all.
And something coming next week off "the list". Much excite.
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #166
Evening all.
A little bit of progress happened this fortnight. Not a lot, as I've mostly been spending as many evenings as possible with a friend and his family that are very close and are repatriating back to Slovakia in a couple of days.
My dad appeared from wherever he's been hiding at and we finished the interior trimmings, well almost, in the silver Austin.
And we remounted the tank and rear cage/frame.
Poked at it awhile and could not satisfy myself with it just being a snug fit, that's not all that secure. This is a pretty heavy tank empty, never mind full, so it needs better secured. Another half arsed job that needs sorted, properly, so my dad is making more straps to hold the tank on better.
While doing all that, we talked over organising another rally. The vintage club racing co-ordinator (has some proper title that I forget) rang me and asked would we do another one in May. It's only been 3.5 years since we last did one so we've forgotten all the bad bits now. My dad asked him at the weekend why us, or were other people asked before us, or what (5 weeks isn't that long to organise it) and he said, there was someone going to do it, but they let him down, and he remembered the brilliant rally we had put together in just three weeks with "military precision" the last time.
If someone massages your ego like that, I guess you can't say no. So some more late nights executing that coming up shortly.
What next? MG ran out of MOT ages ago and has an airbag light on which needs sorted. I tried all the usual unplug and wiggle the connectors for the seats etc, just to be sure, but the diagnostics had brought it up as "failure to communicate with airbag ECU" so really needed one of them.
Pulled the engine ECU out as apparently the area it's in floods and clogs up and wrecks the ECU. Mine was bone dry but I took the ECU out for an airing anyway.
Already been done!
Pollen filter is in the same area...
Yuck!
Started to strip out the trim to get at the airbag module:
Nice and easy... yes that's the entire centre console...
Must have taken a couple of hours.
For this brute:
Got the number off it and ordered one offof ebay for a tenner.
Driving a tatty E34 daily for a couple of weeks, drove it over a nasty pothole...
Deep joy.
Thursday night past, one staff away early, one on holiday, one left the day before, so I was alone for a couple of hours in the evening; time for more Austin work!
Got the interior tidied, made the alternator to cutoff terminal wire
Needed a vice or clamp to hold the searing hot connector while I manufactured a connection, improvised
Had the battery on the charge so all those wires tightened up, time for a quick test. Turned the key, turned the lights on, nada. Quickly remembered before panicking, the cutoff switch was out. Stuck it in, tried again... nada. It will crank over on the starter (wont fire as HT leads not connected so that's OK) but no lights, no instruments... somethings gone wrong with my wiring.
Deep joy #2.
MG module arrived. Took it home and bolted it in (earth it BEFORE connecting plug!) and switched car on...
Light still on.
Deep joy #3!
The unit doesn't, shouldn't, need coded, but the fault code needs removed, so that should, theoretically, be ok once Vinny does that with his magic box.
And lastly, a few weeks ago on ebay I spotted one of my bucket list cars, one that's getting more valuable and more rare by the month. I got in touch with the seller and exchanged a few messages and photos, and I was sold, and soon after so was the car, to me. Hopped on a plane and went to gander at it, satisfied myself it was a go-er, and made arrangements get it lifted on a lorry.
It's something I'm very excited about, something I've had one of before but not in good shape, something I've been searching for a replacement of for some time, and I've taken a lot of jibes in work today when it has finally arrived. A proper retro, an appreciating modern classic, a little bit cult and a massive dose of cool. It's a rolling, running project that really shouldn't need much beyond a paintjob and thorough service.
Much excite is now Much super happy!
A little bit of progress happened this fortnight. Not a lot, as I've mostly been spending as many evenings as possible with a friend and his family that are very close and are repatriating back to Slovakia in a couple of days.
My dad appeared from wherever he's been hiding at and we finished the interior trimmings, well almost, in the silver Austin.
And we remounted the tank and rear cage/frame.
Poked at it awhile and could not satisfy myself with it just being a snug fit, that's not all that secure. This is a pretty heavy tank empty, never mind full, so it needs better secured. Another half arsed job that needs sorted, properly, so my dad is making more straps to hold the tank on better.
While doing all that, we talked over organising another rally. The vintage club racing co-ordinator (has some proper title that I forget) rang me and asked would we do another one in May. It's only been 3.5 years since we last did one so we've forgotten all the bad bits now. My dad asked him at the weekend why us, or were other people asked before us, or what (5 weeks isn't that long to organise it) and he said, there was someone going to do it, but they let him down, and he remembered the brilliant rally we had put together in just three weeks with "military precision" the last time.
If someone massages your ego like that, I guess you can't say no. So some more late nights executing that coming up shortly.
What next? MG ran out of MOT ages ago and has an airbag light on which needs sorted. I tried all the usual unplug and wiggle the connectors for the seats etc, just to be sure, but the diagnostics had brought it up as "failure to communicate with airbag ECU" so really needed one of them.
Pulled the engine ECU out as apparently the area it's in floods and clogs up and wrecks the ECU. Mine was bone dry but I took the ECU out for an airing anyway.
Already been done!
Pollen filter is in the same area...
Yuck!
Started to strip out the trim to get at the airbag module:
Nice and easy... yes that's the entire centre console...
Must have taken a couple of hours.
For this brute:
Got the number off it and ordered one offof ebay for a tenner.
Driving a tatty E34 daily for a couple of weeks, drove it over a nasty pothole...
Deep joy.
Thursday night past, one staff away early, one on holiday, one left the day before, so I was alone for a couple of hours in the evening; time for more Austin work!
Got the interior tidied, made the alternator to cutoff terminal wire
Needed a vice or clamp to hold the searing hot connector while I manufactured a connection, improvised
Had the battery on the charge so all those wires tightened up, time for a quick test. Turned the key, turned the lights on, nada. Quickly remembered before panicking, the cutoff switch was out. Stuck it in, tried again... nada. It will crank over on the starter (wont fire as HT leads not connected so that's OK) but no lights, no instruments... somethings gone wrong with my wiring.
Deep joy #2.
MG module arrived. Took it home and bolted it in (earth it BEFORE connecting plug!) and switched car on...
Light still on.
Deep joy #3!
The unit doesn't, shouldn't, need coded, but the fault code needs removed, so that should, theoretically, be ok once Vinny does that with his magic box.
And lastly, a few weeks ago on ebay I spotted one of my bucket list cars, one that's getting more valuable and more rare by the month. I got in touch with the seller and exchanged a few messages and photos, and I was sold, and soon after so was the car, to me. Hopped on a plane and went to gander at it, satisfied myself it was a go-er, and made arrangements get it lifted on a lorry.
It's something I'm very excited about, something I've had one of before but not in good shape, something I've been searching for a replacement of for some time, and I've taken a lot of jibes in work today when it has finally arrived. A proper retro, an appreciating modern classic, a little bit cult and a massive dose of cool. It's a rolling, running project that really shouldn't need much beyond a paintjob and thorough service.
Much excite is now Much super happy!
southsky sunrise
RMS Regular
- Messages
- 11,078
- Drives
- Old skool
Some reading in this thread Will lol. Iv been in your yard plenty of times delivering stuff from this neck of the woods using one of Glens lorrys. Have my own ones now if your ever stuck. Nice to see your as enthusiastic as ever... keep up the good work
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #168
"Hey Will! Come outside your cars here!"
Such was the cry from one of the apprentices.
I see you, I see you!
And then it rocked in under it's own power...
of which it has plenty...
Wooooooo!
Such was the cry from one of the apprentices.
I see you, I see you!
And then it rocked in under it's own power...
of which it has plenty...
Wooooooo!
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #170
Trying to get back on track this last couple of weeks. I was driving around a V8 with no exhaust until the start of April when the MOT ran up, and bad planning/no time meant nothing at all to drive.
We've several cars in for sale that I could use, but all mileage critical or too nice for me to wreck using regularly.
Used a 2007 Passat for a few days that a friend left with me to sell, and a Mercedes A class I also had to fix and deliver to new owner, and last week my mum came back over with the Subaru Forester so we could give that a secondary overhaul, so in between jobs, using that.
It annoys me not having a daily car I can just jump in though, and while I've been fortunate to have something always available, I need a "beater" or whatever.
A mate of mine then asked me if I'd be interested in a 2001 330d with 206k. A manual Sport with a couple of months MOT. As determined as I was not to buy more cars, that was too well suited to pass up.
I haven't managed to take any pictures of it yet, but it needed some creaky suspension looking at and so far with a whole new set of struts and springs, it still creaks and shakes so not pressed into service yet.
Meanwhile I battled on with some jobs that should have been done a long time ago...
Bike was pulled out for brakes to be bled. Fluid was gunky and one of the apprentices starting asking me what was the difference between Dot4 and Dot5.1 while he sat squeezing the brakes for me... one thing led to another and he went home while I drained the fluid totally out and rebled the brakes by myself with 5.1 fluid.
Brakes are done therefore it is time to MOT it. Booked for this week.
It still cuts out at 105 degrees which is very annoying as the fan is supposed to cut in at 106. There is something electrical amiss there I cannot get to the bottom of.
Still pressing with the MG also.
Currently at this state:
The airbag module was replaced at the great cost of a tenner and then immediately showed that the right impact sensor was also faulty so that meant carpet up :
Brute.
I'm going to try a BMW sensor in it as 1999-2003 cars were fitted with the same brand, plug, colour of sensor and it surely just houses an accelerometer or something? Even the module looked very similar to the BMW ones but I know they are too particular to mix up. Might save myself a fiver if one of the many BMW ones I have will do.
That's it for now.
We've several cars in for sale that I could use, but all mileage critical or too nice for me to wreck using regularly.
Used a 2007 Passat for a few days that a friend left with me to sell, and a Mercedes A class I also had to fix and deliver to new owner, and last week my mum came back over with the Subaru Forester so we could give that a secondary overhaul, so in between jobs, using that.
It annoys me not having a daily car I can just jump in though, and while I've been fortunate to have something always available, I need a "beater" or whatever.
A mate of mine then asked me if I'd be interested in a 2001 330d with 206k. A manual Sport with a couple of months MOT. As determined as I was not to buy more cars, that was too well suited to pass up.
I haven't managed to take any pictures of it yet, but it needed some creaky suspension looking at and so far with a whole new set of struts and springs, it still creaks and shakes so not pressed into service yet.
Meanwhile I battled on with some jobs that should have been done a long time ago...
Bike was pulled out for brakes to be bled. Fluid was gunky and one of the apprentices starting asking me what was the difference between Dot4 and Dot5.1 while he sat squeezing the brakes for me... one thing led to another and he went home while I drained the fluid totally out and rebled the brakes by myself with 5.1 fluid.
Brakes are done therefore it is time to MOT it. Booked for this week.
It still cuts out at 105 degrees which is very annoying as the fan is supposed to cut in at 106. There is something electrical amiss there I cannot get to the bottom of.
Still pressing with the MG also.
Currently at this state:
The airbag module was replaced at the great cost of a tenner and then immediately showed that the right impact sensor was also faulty so that meant carpet up :
Brute.
I'm going to try a BMW sensor in it as 1999-2003 cars were fitted with the same brand, plug, colour of sensor and it surely just houses an accelerometer or something? Even the module looked very similar to the BMW ones but I know they are too particular to mix up. Might save myself a fiver if one of the many BMW ones I have will do.
That's it for now.
svensktoppen
RMS Regular
- Messages
- 32,822
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- FK2 CTR
Just came across this thread and went through the whole "history lesson" at the front, brilliant
You are completely bonkers in the best possible way, great stuff, subscribed
You are completely bonkers in the best possible way, great stuff, subscribed
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #172
So my experiment with the MG was both unsuccessful and successful at the same time. I replaced the side crash sensor with a BMW one I had in work and Vincent nipped over this morning with his diagnostics. It wouldn't clear. But he kept hitting refresh and once out of half a dozen times it cleared the fault momentarily...
A top tip of MG/R ownership seems to be to unplug airbag components and wiggle the wires and refit them, something to do with issues of moisture and poor connections. I'd tried that on the seat bases prior to changing the control module.
Now with the car half stripped out I said why don't I quickly refit the original crash sensor and see if this hoking about has changed anything... and it did. Original impact sensor refitted (to the floor, under the front seat & carpet) and it is now clear, and staying clear.
Excellent news. Now to rebuild the whole interior and see how many screws and bolts are left over!
And today is the day of reckoning for the Triumph. MOT at 1pm...
A top tip of MG/R ownership seems to be to unplug airbag components and wiggle the wires and refit them, something to do with issues of moisture and poor connections. I'd tried that on the seat bases prior to changing the control module.
Now with the car half stripped out I said why don't I quickly refit the original crash sensor and see if this hoking about has changed anything... and it did. Original impact sensor refitted (to the floor, under the front seat & carpet) and it is now clear, and staying clear.
Excellent news. Now to rebuild the whole interior and see how many screws and bolts are left over!
And today is the day of reckoning for the Triumph. MOT at 1pm...
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #173
Rebuilt the MG interior last night by torchlight.
had to use chewing gum to hold a screw to the screwdriver to finish it all off as it wouldn't stay put and there was a danger of it dropping behind the centre console which would mean stripping the whole lot out again!
Did the whole job with a motley group of tools in my home garage, not quite fitted out with the same range as in work...
Only one screw left over spare, not bad!
had to use chewing gum to hold a screw to the screwdriver to finish it all off as it wouldn't stay put and there was a danger of it dropping behind the centre console which would mean stripping the whole lot out again!
Did the whole job with a motley group of tools in my home garage, not quite fitted out with the same range as in work...
Only one screw left over spare, not bad!
surprising_skoda
RMS Regular
OP
- Thread Starter
- #174
So, after I put the MG back together, bolted the last (almost) screws in, the battery was flat. Charged it up - took two days, as the first day, the charger in my garage had a blown fuse but was still bringing on the charging light, whats that about... anyway second go was more successful and the battery reinstalled - and the Airbag light is back on. ARGH!
So, got it on the machine again and its the same side impact sensor. So stripped the whole thing again to get in at it, of course I'd not noted the part number as it had tested as OK so didn't need replaced...
This brute:
And one ordered up, waiting for that. MOT booked so that as soon as it's done I can go get it on the road again, I miss having a nice car for Sundays and the evenings I've places to go.
In the meantime this is the 208k beater...
So, got it on the machine again and its the same side impact sensor. So stripped the whole thing again to get in at it, of course I'd not noted the part number as it had tested as OK so didn't need replaced...
This brute:
And one ordered up, waiting for that. MOT booked so that as soon as it's done I can go get it on the road again, I miss having a nice car for Sundays and the evenings I've places to go.
In the meantime this is the 208k beater...
j44nty
RMS Regular
- Messages
- 8,167
A pre face lift and lifted imola together. ExcellentSo, after I put the MG back together, bolted the last (almost) screws in, the battery was flat. Charged it up - took two days, as the first day, the charger in my garage had a blown fuse but was still bringing on the charging light, whats that about... anyway second go was more successful and the battery reinstalled - and the Airbag light is back on. ARGH!
So, got it on the machine again and its the same side impact sensor. So stripped the whole thing again to get in at it, of course I'd not noted the part number as it had tested as OK so didn't need replaced...
This brute:
And one ordered up, waiting for that. MOT booked so that as soon as it's done I can go get it on the road again, I miss having a nice car for Sundays and the evenings I've places to go.
In the meantime this is the 208k beater...