timb2117

brilliant thanks guys more to track down

Ok here goes - 2005 K series 1800. Couple of weeks ago following a rare full car wash, it wouldn't start, click, nothing. Rocked in gear tapped starter zero. The battery was U/S so just bought a new shiny one and fitted - same. Starter tested off car A1. The grey 30A relay in engine bay is changed & new as there is power reaching it, but it doesn't do anything when ignition is turned. The Bosch 40A one in car (top pic) is the source of the click but I cant seem to get a reading for input or output power from it with my tester. - is there an idiots way I can test it off car? Starter is receiving 12V through the large cable, but obviously zero through either of the two smaller switching wires - which seem to come from the 30A relay....... Is it relevant that the cars not been started for 3 weeks whilst waiting for the new battery to arrive? Have I killed an internal back up power source in the ECU? Errr any help from someone smarter than me (yes that's like all of you :)) would be thoroughly appreciated. thanks Tim

Hello good people hope you may enlighten. Pushed car out of garage and heard loose metal object in tank....turns out the baffle plate (I believe fitted to avoid fuel starvation when on long hard right handers has broken free and is trying to badly float, totally loose in tank. It looks to me about 200mm - the fuel pump access hole looks to me err about 100mm...Im figuring make like an obstetrician and mangle, cut and bend the sucker through the keyhole until it gives up....Then always run a full tank on track days. Any better/ more neat ideas? - I'd just buy new but in Australia.... Thanks Tim

thanks Scott I DO totally agree with you, change it regularly, and he can have it back for rebuild as and when...

Aghhh update I fitted a motocell lithium gold to my k series 4 months ago.... advised by shop that 6ah would do it but " no warranty as your putting a motorcycle battery on a car"...what could possibly go wrong? Soooo 4 months 3 accident full discharges & 100kms of an alternator hanging off and dead.... trying a lithiumax 520 cca now warranted for 2 years but $600... will also check alternator when fitting to ensure a1....

Totally agree with above but - just a thought - I had similar in a 6 speed box, tried the redline MTL as suggested by many it seemed to make the problem a bit less bad..... Ended up having box stripped by an amazing but very "backyard" but genius old guy who sucked his teeth so hard they nearly fell out when i mentioned synthetic oil "it'll glaze your synchro's so they cant get up to speed fast enough to do their job" - PLEASE don't shoot the messenger! He rebuilt with fresh synchros, abraded the surfaces and recommended only straight 40 engine oil, also of note I put fresh clutch in, Its running great now. Be aware many many people on here swear by the redline and I am not disrespecting their experience, just relaying my journey.

Also check battery connections are clean, bit of grease and tight, I spent months chasing round to find it was a simple earth lead on the battery. Would they have disconnected anything at the MOT and re connected it badly - potentially causing the fault? Otherwise stick with the guys comments above -probably spot on, spend a lot of time looking and wiggling (the terminals :)) prior to removal and checking you may well see looseness.

Hi Greg great work taking the plunge (again) - I have done tons on my brakes and ended up chasing my tail, honestly you don't need bigger calipers unless running big power, (they DO look pretty though!) I converted mine, then struggle even on the track to get heat into them. Stick with what the guys above say, pads and fluid all the way, then depending on the results chip away at it. One other really good bit of advice that I always ignore and regret!! - Change one thing at a time then test it, brakes are very personal and some of what happens doesn't seem logical but one thing at a time, scientific - thats why proper teams spend so much time testing, best of luck.

Just if anyone in AUSTRALIA has an SV bodied seven -2002 onwards for sale I have had some contact from a guy in Melbourne - I already have one so just trying to help him out :) his budget is about $50K.... Pm me and I can forward on. Thanks Tim.

Totally agree with above sound advice. I have ceramic coated the headers, cuts about 30% radiated heat. Also used a silvered and glass fibre adhesive mat across starter, (turbo matting) avoiding blocking any vent points. Plus same product on cables, in vicinity of exhaust, essentially anything vulnerable is now silver :). One product I do like (banned in about 32 US states :)) is liquid electrical tape, it is a gloopy thick paint that you brush on to vulnerable contacts points as noted in the above posters comments. If you need to remove the contact later on it takes a little longer to gently pry away the plastic dried "tape" but I feel is good insurance against shorting out. And yup prevention is better than cure...

Brilliant Ralph (excuse the pun) my dalliance with LED ended up reverting back to original set up because they would only run full beam not dip, did all sorts of tricks but nothing, ended up a refund of the units. However in the middle of this the company did advise swapping right ot left so your deductions are spot on.

I got a cheap and cheerful slide hammer after reading the horror stories herein about removal, warmed up the seal and locked in the collar that removes it as tight as possible, (and of course wd40) hey presto she came out a breeze. Refitting cant remember what I put on think it was just a bit of oil, chilled the seal overnight and warmed up the crank mating surface then carefully popped it in.

If its this model I have a spare which I only changed out because I bust the drive from gearbox so had to convert to full electronic. Postage from Australia though...:(

With Jonathan (as usual) - another trick from my brother in law "who knows stuff" is top it up as above then leave it overnight, with caps off. Idea being that just as your leaky house roof shows when it soaks to the skirting boards.... coolant will gradually find its way down and release air pockets. Not very scientific but that seems to work, plus after your first decent run/s check and recheck the levels, in case a bit of trapped air works its way through.

Looks like a great bit of work, and thanks for documenting.

Hi Stu, great solution, just one other idea. If you increased the surface area of the base by fixing some flat alloy to the existing lip then you could use a large pad of heavy duty velcro on the base and have it moveable to wherever in the footwell suited, not just up against the bulkhead. (Sorry I cannot help myself from over engineering things :))

"Alpacas of Montana" extreme weather hat, cant guarantee it Aero but its the only one that stays snug witha screen. - My kids've disowned me though! :)

I'm with Nigel at #15 - took my 6 speed out (basically your box with a bit of doodads) and rebuilt it but still had the sticky shift, reset the detent spring assembly as per #15 and night and day difference its like a rifle bolt now and super slick. Also....(and I fully expect to get hung by our club guys on here who know way more than me).......The guy who rebuilt it swore by straight 40 engine oil only, nothing else...... Could we make the execution really neat so I dont suffer gentlemen? :)

I drove my "new to me" car home about 600kms in one day dreading that I'd bought a lemon with atrocious oil pressure :( Got home first job, new sender and gauge and - perfect healthy engine! And it only took 6 weeks for my gnawed down nails to regrow. In other words don't trust it get fresh sender your cuticles will thank you :)

Also for some reason the rears do more work than fronts, so always seem warmer on a "normal" set up.

Sorry I'm a hopeless tool hoarder - couldn't resist showing off this little jigger, very proud of it I am :) Its brilliant in all sorts of spots for metal/ wood etc.

Slowly :)! I used a fine dremel cutting wheel for the squared off cuts, I mounted the piece temporarily on a plywood board, plus my own carefully rigged dust extraction device (vacuum cleaner) taped to be right next to every cut, plus a ton of dust particle respirator stuff, then carefully washed and cleaned the whole area when done. Circular ones dead easy holesaw, and made sure it had lots of support from the ply at back. Finally I have a sanding thingo, essentially about 15mm wide belt sander but handeld and easy to manoeuvre, which took out any corners, carefully. Mine is not perfect and I cannot emphasize enough - take time - 1 hours cutting but a lifetime of looking at on the car! Hope that makes sense and helps.

this is my Westermann all I did was cut the holes, trim top, bit of velcro and then sealed with sikaflex and done. there was one bit that needed a touch up of clear gloss lacquer, but the price superb, and customer service even better. have fun

Clever Tom - yup that'd fit - some sort of drag on the car perfectly.

I'm sure I would not pass the Health and Safety test but.... I fixed one of these in situ, superglue dabbed on to stop it temporarily, then plastic metal kneaded together and dumped on top. Quick sand and spray with paint and - that was a year ago, not a drop since.