DIY Car Maintenance with function over finesse!!

[mickthemaverick]

As a point of general interest I had an odd situation when checking my tyres this morning. I check the pressures every couple of weeks and the routine check was only last Sunday so I was a little surprised to find the nearside front was 0.1Bar higher than it should be when the other 3 were all correct!! I can only put it down to the fact that the nearside rear is in the shadow of the side wall while the front is in the sun and so that temperature difference was possibly the cause. I set them all correctly in shade so it will be interesting to check next Sunday after the trip!!

[Steve Walsh]

As a point of general interest I had an odd situation when checking my tyres this morning. I check the pressures every couple of weeks and the routine check was only last Sunday so I was a little surprised to find the nearside front was 0.1Bar higher than it should be when the other 3 were all correct!! I can only put it down to the fact that the nearside rear is in the shadow of the side wall while the front is in the sun and so that temperature difference was possibly the cause. I set them all correctly in shade so it will be interesting to check next Sunday after the trip!!

I know from experience that temp makes a huge difference, I check mine weekly, park in workshop overnight and check first thing in morn, In the past I have noticed a slight difference on a windy day, the end of the car nearest the door gets a cool breeze if the wind is in that direction and the pressures can be slightly down.
Ever since a blow out on a motorbike in the 80's I have become obsessed with tyre pressures, Usually on a Saturday morning I check the car, 2 motorbikes, 2 wheel barrows, 1 ride on mower, 2 bicycles and a sack truck.......Wife thinks I am OCD!

[mickthemaverick]

As you included the wheelbarrows I think I'm inclined to agree with your better half Steve!

[MattBLancs]

And the sack truck! The amount I use a sack truck I'd stick with a "check before using" approach! (Though in reality I'll stick with my dad's cast off Black and Decker "Tough Truck" - with its solid wheels!)

[mickthemaverick]

You may remember the dilemma I mentioned about my brake pads before the Wales Wander (If not refer here). Well I did do a fair bit of braking on the trip so this morning I decided to check them again before heading for Germany on Saturday.

I whipped off the rear wheels and found almost the same 3mm as I had when I replaced the suspension, so I just cleaned and lubed the sliders and left them as they were. The front was a slightly different and a trifle odd story!! The nearside had just under 3mm but the offside was down to 2.1mm on both pads. Since they had all been the same on the last inspection I am putting it down to the ABS/TC systems applying more pressure to the offside, possibly because of a lot of mismatched weight in the car, ie me!! So I checked all the sliders and then decided to fit the new pads anyway, having come that far, to start the Germany trip on even sides.

That is when I discovered the potential cause of less wear on the nearside. Both nearside pistons were extremely difficult to push back so I suspected they had been equally hard to operate and hence possibly need a refurb. However I refitted the pads, calipers and wheels and tried some tests. The nearside wheel is braking in unison with the offside with my mate operating the pedal while I lay in front watching. Then I checked each wheel individually and both seem to be working perfectly so I am going to assume my moving and cleaning the pistons has solved the problem and hopefully I will get even wear now.

I have now road tested it and the brakes are both working superbly stopping the car in a dead straight line and allowing it to roll on as soon as the pedal is released so happy days!!

Before writing this post I thought I'd check that my thinking about the ABS/TC system's ability to vary the pressure to each wheel was correct and during my confirmation of that I came across this video. While it may be an annoying narrator, the content is both interesting and possibly to some members informative as to exactly how each braking system component works and how they are constructed. I did learn a few things for certain that I had taken for granted but I think it is worth a watch for DIY mechanics!!

[mickthemaverick]

I'm happy to report that the car brakes performed faultlessly throughout the Germany trip but I did have a couple pf motorway periods when the temperature guage rose a bit. Engaging the cabin heater pulled it back down to normal and when disengaged it remained normal for another 200 miles!! So on my return I checked the coolant level and it was down a bit with the reservoir an inch below the correct level and the rad itself displaying the top of the plates through the pressure cap aperture. I topped it up and ran the bleeding sequence and noticed a shimmer of steam appearing to come from the radiator so I think it may have been injured!! I'll strip that down and have a good look but not until I have got the parts for the other job I need to do which involves removing the same set of covers etc.

I went out last night and filled the car then I remembered to read the MPG over the whole journey before resetting the trip. Hence this picture displays the correct mpg after the trip and, considering we were three up with luggage and the a/c running most of the time, I'm happy with that from a 21 year old 2.5l car!!

I noted the palindromic total mileage so I will post that picture in the number noticers thread too!!

So what is the other job? I hear you asking! Well basically the power steering pump is making the commonly known squeal when cold and occasuionally when under heavy stress, 3 point turns etc. On this engine it is a symptom of the suction hose leaking due to hardening over many heat cycles so I have ordered a new hose and O ring, which also is known to fail after 80k or so, for installation at the same time as the radiator check! Watch this space

[CitroJim]

Pop a bottle of Forte Stop Leak in the cooling system Mick I had the same on Bluebell and it's fixed it good'n'proper I could both see steam and smell coolant...

[mickthemaverick]

Pop a bottle of Forte Stop Leak in the cooling system Mick I had the same on Bluebell and it's fixed it good'n'proper I could both see steam and smell coolant...

I generally use K-Seal for that, in fact I carry a bottle in my boot emergency kit but on this occasion in view of the car's age I am going to inspect it first as a new radiator may be a sensible move anyway. Plus following the oil seal replacement work last year I flushed and filled the cooling system and the coolant is still beautifully blue and I don't really want to muddy the waters in more ways than one!

[mickthemaverick]

Since the last post I had a further investigatory look at the steam in the engine bay. It is coming from the top of the radiator where the header meets the matrix so I decided to go for a complete replacement to bring another part of the car up to as new condition. I also discovered that the power steering suction hose has gone very hard so I have accumulated the parts to sort that. This is the collection so far:

The steering hose, O rings and fluid

The new radiator

Radiator hoses, cap and thermostat

The aux belts which are showing their age and the fitting tool!!

I'm just waiting for the replacement hose clip set and I'll be ready for a days spannering in the week!!

I'm doing all these jobs together simply because with the radiator and fans out of the way the belts and steering hose are much easier to get at, hence the all in one go approach!!

[mickthemaverick]

A delivery just appeared on the doorstep

The last part for the job!

Watch this space for future developments

[Rp0thejester]

Having read the subject title I was expecting you to use garden hose and Hose lock connectors. Colour coded like a boy racer!

[MattBLancs]

Agree on the "other jobs whilst I am there" approach, I'd do the same.

Interested to hear your experiences with that type of hose clamp (the jubilee with the rack/teeth the screw's worm engages with being the type that is punched all through) - I had some of those previously in a selection box - possibly from Aldi - they were complete garbage! The remaining metal between the punches slots all too easily bending away from the worm and so very much limiting it's ability to be tightened up properly.

Hope your set are better!!

[mickthemaverick]

Agree on the "other jobs whilst I am there" approach, I'd do the same.

Interested to hear your experiences with that type of hose clamp (the jubilee with the rack/teeth the screw's worm engages with being the type that is punched all through) - I had some of those previously in a selection box - possibly from Aldi - they were complete garbage! The remaining metal between the punches slots all too easily bending away from the worm and so very much limiting it's ability to be tightened up properly.

Hope your set are better!!

I posted that picture up before opening the box, I can't say I'm impressed at all, I can see them only being of use to hold pipes in place where no pressure is involved so I won't be using them on the cooling system. I have proper clips for that anyway, it was for the power steering suction hose that I ordered them and even there I may double up or even reuse the originals. Not one of my better buys from Amazon!!

[MattBLancs]

Oh dear, we've both fallen foul of "magpie syndrome" there!
(Tempted by some shiny rubbish!)

I've not managed to get sensible enough to throw them away either, like you they are in a "use for unimportant tasks" holding pattern instead!

[mickthemaverick]

I've not managed to get sensible enough to throw them away either, like you they are in a "use for unimportant tasks" holding pattern instead!

I can see mine dribbling into a friend's stock, as she makes Xmas decorations and ornamental flower displays!!