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>> No. 4253 Anonymous
18th February 2019
Monday 6:32 pm
4253 Car and bike official weekend thread but also weekdays
Okay might as well try and be polite and keep the oil out of the other megathreads.

Welcome to the motor one. In an attempt to actually get people to post in it, tell me about the car you really want and could feasibly afford. Right now I'm really thinking a lot about a big square 80s Merc as we've been talking about them. Even a Lada would be fun as fuck.
184 posts omitted. Last 50 posts shown. Expand all images.
>> No. 4503 Anonymous
19th September 2020
Saturday 1:24 am
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I've lately become a little bit fascinated with really old cars.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZBFR-jxb9U

It's interesting to see sow much has changed and yet how much remains the same, and I always find it a little bit enchanting when pre-WW2 tech and machinery is still serviceable and usable today. It feels like it comes from an altogether different era of history.
>> No. 4539 Anonymous
18th January 2021
Monday 1:14 pm
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I'm afraid my Meriva has sensed my thoughts about its 'spongy' steering and decided to throw one of them EPS failures at me.

Luckily it's only popped up when I was parking at work this morning, and hadn't decided to spontaneously fix itself when it came to going home so I had a very invigorating drive home. Works the muscles.

Now I'm not sure what to do. I know Merivas have EPS problems as a matter of inevitability but I can't say I've had any prior issues with it, and I'm not sure if the previous owners did either. Most people describe it as being intermittent but mine just seems to have fucking given up completely, I start the car and the EPS light is either already illuminated or the steering wheel will have a spasm then turn off the EPS to save itself.

Main problem with this is that it's expensive to fix and I have no money (that I want to spend on a car). I also like my slow, ugly schoolrun car and wasn't planning on ditching it any time soon as I only do a few thousand miles a year.
>> No. 4540 Anonymous
18th January 2021
Monday 1:31 pm
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>>4539

You could stick it up for sale for very slightly cheaper than one with working EPS and hope for the best, people with the inclination to do their own work might see it as a decent investment. It's a long shot but you lose nothing by popping an ad on gumtree really.

Other than that there's not much you can do - pull the EPS fuse and the car will continue to operate without power steering quite happily, though it's probably not the most pleasant ways to drive around.
>> No. 4541 Anonymous
18th January 2021
Monday 7:04 pm
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>>4539

I drove my old car with dead power steering for a full year and a half before I flogged it. I eventually got used to it, and whenever I'd get in someone else's car and eventually my new new car, it felt like driving a light and weightless cloud. I think it was actually giving my arms a bit of a workout too, I had slightly better muscle definition that's gone away since.
>> No. 4653 Anonymous
22nd December 2021
Wednesday 8:03 am
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Has anyone ever owned/used a VW transporter as a daily driver? I have the notion of getting a nice T5 with the foldy down seat bed thing in the back, as a mountain bike/hiking/travelling day van, but they're not cheap, so I couldn't really justify having it as an occasional car, so it would have to serve as a commuter too. I can't forsee a problem with that, it's likely more efficient than my current range rover.
>> No. 4654 Anonymous
23rd December 2021
Thursday 6:45 pm
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>>4653
Do you really need a full size van for what your describing when a people carrier or smaller van would probably suffice?
The reason VW vans are so expensive is due to vanlife nobbers driving up prices aided and abetted by the VW crew - I've drove most mainstream vans available in the UK and in my opinion they are all much of a muchness.
If you really are set on a T5 try and follow the usual van buying advice, try and avoid ex fleet vehicles as they will all have been thrashed to death and look for one from an owner driver.
Vans can end up with galactic mileage and are best avoided, also check the MOT history on the .gov website for mileage discrepancies, haircuts are far from unknown on vans.
Alloys - pretty common for VW vans to be fitted with car alloys - check the tyres have the correct weight rating which most car tyres wont have
Also try to refrain from a 2 tone paint job, dash full of plastic toys and van life stickers
>> No. 4655 Anonymous
23rd December 2021
Thursday 7:32 pm
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>>4653
I had a white VW Caddy for my daily driver for a while - it was the most awesome vehicle I have ever owned. Proper white van man stuff.

I absolutely adore the T5's and know where you're going with this - my observation though is they are very pricey. We have an indepdent garage local to me that specialises in them (and tricking them out) - seem to start at £18k for anything half decent.
>> No. 4656 Anonymous
23rd December 2021
Thursday 9:33 pm
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>>4655

You seem to have made your mind up on a T5, so I'm afraid your going to have to swallow the (imo inflated) price when the equivalent size van from any other mainstream manufacturer will be equally as good.
Having said that VW vans do hold value better than most due to aforementioned vanlife/vw crew nobbers
>> No. 4681 Anonymous
1st February 2022
Tuesday 2:01 pm
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I won a victory of masculinity today by replacing the headlight bulbs in my Corsa D.

You might not think that's a big deal, but if you do a cursory Google search on it (as I've learned it's worth doing that even if I think I know how to do something) you'll find pages and pages of forum wankers and mechanic tutorials telling you you've got to disassemble the air filter system, take out the fuse box, drop the bumper, pull the full headlight assembly out, or else you won't be able to access the socket.

Well. Do you bollocks.

I won't deny, it is a massive faff. But taking the bloody bumper off is just being dramatic. All you need to do is fiddle around twisting the thing and swear a lot until it lines up with the gap. Could it be that car nerds just like having an excuse to get all their tools out and, and perform routine maintenance in an unnecessarily long winded manner, just so they can?

Because otherwise, I mean... If these lads don't even have the manual dexterity line up a bulb fixture, I feel very sorry for their girlfriends.
>> No. 4682 Anonymous
1st February 2022
Tuesday 3:42 pm
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>>4681

Forum wankers innit.

I was recently researching the merits of using vegetable oil as a cutting oil for metalworking. One of the top search results was a forum thread that started with a similar question. There were several pages of people calling the OP a fucking idiot for even asking, saying that it was a ridiculous idea, that he'd ruin his machine or burn down his workshop if he didn't use proper cutting oil.

I was half tempted to register an account and bump a years-old thread to post an image of my machine manufacturer's recommended cutting oil list, which specifically mentions vegetable oil as a suitable option.
>> No. 4683 Anonymous
1st February 2022
Tuesday 4:47 pm
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>>4682
Some obscure forums won't show a new poster's posts until they have been permitted by a moderator, to prevent spam, and I've heard that being more right than the twats who run those sites is a great way to get banned from them. Luckily, I have no hobbies or friends so I never get into these situations.
>> No. 4684 Anonymous
2nd February 2022
Wednesday 5:13 pm
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>>4682
>I was recently researching the merits of using vegetable oil as a cutting oil for metalworking

Unless your aiming for accuracy to within microns most thin oils work fine for lathe, boring and drilling work. I suspect most forum animosity in general comes from the snobbery of people who have bought kit well over spec for whatever home project they are working on
>> No. 4685 Anonymous
2nd February 2022
Wednesday 5:30 pm
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>>4684

In this case, I think the problem was crusty old sods who assume that nothing has changed since they did their apprenticeship in 1982. A lot of people are moving away from traditional flood coolant because a) the cost of legally disposing of used fluids has skyrocketed and b) a sump full of soluble cutting oil quickly starts to smell like eggy farts. It was a different game in the days when you could just pour used coolant down the drain and nobody cared about contact dermatitis or occupational asthma.
>> No. 4686 Anonymous
2nd February 2022
Wednesday 5:52 pm
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>>4685
I'm not saying your wrong but the crusty old time served sods I know advised for home work most thin oils being acceptable, and back in the day and perhaps even today commercial operations often used cutting fluids well past when they should be changed to reduce costs
And lets face it a fair number of home metal workers or mechanical fiddlers will at best bung old fluids in the used oil disposal at the local tip or at worst pour used fluids into a container and hide at the bottom of the bin (ahem)

(A good day to you Sir!)
>> No. 4687 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 1:30 am
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I watched a few videos about the Fiat "Maluch" 126 as a cheap and cheerful car designed and made in Italy for a couple of years but eventually produced in Poland for decades. They are and rust like nobodies business, but they beat even the Mini in pokeyness and I kind of want one.
>> No. 4688 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 1:54 am
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>>4687
Stay away from looking at how much you can get one for. It's the road to ruin.
>> No. 4689 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 2:04 am
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>>4688
I'm not trying to sell one, I'm more concerned about how much welding and custom work it would take to get one running road safe.
>> No. 4690 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 2:31 am
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>>4688
Oh, I know. I don't have a workshop and I don't want an emissions disaster either. I've got my bikes for that that don't pay ULEZ.

But I just adore tiny production cars like that Fiat. Tiny, functional, shame about the materials I guess. It's a teeny step above a Trabant, and them lot are a just a smidge above a go-kart with fairing. I should perhaps look at Kei Cars instead.

I appreciate the safety features in a "recent" car, but they are like frozen pizza. Perfefctly servicable, hard to fuck up, but you just know with a bit of effort you could do better.
>> No. 4691 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 5:07 am
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You can still get a reasonably tidy 106 or Saxo for under a grand. They're popular cars for grassroots motorsport, so aftermarket bits are readily available. The hot versions are creeping up in price, but they're nowhere near the daft money you'd pay for a 205 GTI.
>> No. 4692 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 10:50 am
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>>4689
Are you intending to use one for a daily driver or second car to scoot around in on sunny days?

Personally I'd forget one for a daily, the dire brakes and performance will have you screaming within hours
>> No. 4693 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 2:45 pm
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>>4692

I'd argue it'd be a fantastic city car, maybe a great London car (though I don't know how ULEZ friendly it is, and can't be arsed to look) as it's tiny, economical, and probably not that desirable even if it could be easily nicked. It'd be torture on a long motorway drive, though.

I also love them, I have a soft spot for dodgy but utilitarian soviet cars. If I bought one I'd do something silly like put a bike engine in it, which would sort of ruin the charm.
>> No. 4694 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 3:39 pm
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>>4693

Anything on a historic tax disc is ULEZ exempt.
>> No. 4695 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 6:57 pm
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>>4691

I've sort of toyed with the idea of getting an MG ZR this spring. They're also grassroots motorsport cars, with plenty of aftermarket accessories still available. If you can live with often slipshod build quality with misaligned body gaps and squeaky interior trim panels, then they're a nice enough hot hatch that isn't going to break the bank. And the Rover K series engine will give you no trouble provided that it has been serviced properly and the factory head gasket replaced. The latter killed off many K series engines before their time, they were absolutely plagued by poor quality head gaskets during most of their production run. The replacements were usually full metal gaskets, which can outlast the engine itself.


MG ZTs go for around £2,000 to £3,000. Hard to find in good condition though. The ones that are still out there have all too often gone through a number of different boy racer hands, and they will either desperately need expensive repairs or they will bear the marks of half arsed tune ups.
>> No. 4696 Anonymous
3rd February 2022
Thursday 7:44 pm
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>>4695
I was going to get a ZR as my first car but I couldn't find insurance for less than three grand, so I had to settle for a Punto.
>> No. 4697 Anonymous
4th February 2022
Friday 5:01 pm
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I realise it's rather delayed but I just noticed the replies and I feel the need to defend my whimsies.

>>4654 >>4655

>Do you really need a full size van for what your describing when a people carrier or smaller van would probably suffice?

Yes, because I want to be able to keep my bike/gear/whatever inside the van, and still be able to move around in it. I'd also like the luxury of sort-of-standing up to change clothes etc, and if I'm spending a few nights away, I don't think I'd get away with something more cramped. In an ideal world I'd have a JDM luxury MPV like an Elgrand, but the space and seating just isn't as useful for me.

The other reasons I'm looking specifically at a T5 (or a T4, really) is because I know and trust the platform. We run quite a few vans and MPVs at work over the country, and I have access to the data as well as just the experience driving them, the german vans are expensive for a reason, they just fucking work. I don't think I could bring another Ford diesel into my life, certainly not one I intend to take to remote areas of the country. I'm more than capable of keeping an engine alive, I just don't want to when I'm trying to have a relaxing time cycling in the mountains.

Also, the used Transporters on the market just seem to be much more likely to have the configuration I'm after - a light day van, basically the rock and roll bed, maybe a table and a cabinet and not much else. The converted transits, vivaros etc, though you might get 'more van' for your money, tend to either be full camper spec, which I don't want or need, or completely bare or very poor DIY setups - I just want to buy something I can live with, I'm not in it for a building project, and will pay a couple of grand in Dub tax to just drive away in a vehicle that already suits my needs. I won't rule anything out, but it seems that looking at T5s yields a much better chance of finding a nicely furnished day van than any other.

Thirdly, my grandad had a bright yellow T25 when I was a lad, and try as I might, I can't shake the misplaced brand nostalgia that thinking about VW vans brings. I wish he'd never sold it (so did he)
>> No. 4698 Anonymous
4th February 2022
Friday 5:03 pm
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>>4697

Forgot to mention that the need for a 'medium' size van is also for occasional utility of being able to unbolt the rear seat/bed and use it as an actual van, which is something I only need a handful of times a year, but is invaluable when I do.
>> No. 4699 Anonymous
4th February 2022
Friday 6:54 pm
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>>4697

>The other reasons I'm looking specifically at a T5 (or a T4, really) is because I know and trust the platform. We run quite a few vans and MPVs at work over the country, and I have access to the data as well as just the experience driving them, the german vans are expensive for a reason, they just fucking work.


There was definitely a shift in quality from the pre-1991 T3 to the T4. The T3 was a durable workhorse, but it had its shortcomings. With the exception of some late-production special edition examples, the inside was quite spartan, and the diesel engines, while good for very high mileages, could be temperamental. The T4 definitely benefited from the then-new generation of front engines, as the underfloor rear engines of the T3 could be difficult to access and service.

My brother had a 1984 (?) T3 once, it was a bit worn out, but the previous owner had converted it into a camper van, which was just what my brother was looking for. I seem to remember that the guy was a professionally trained carpenter, so the cabinets, seating/bedding and other amenities were top notch. But the engine was both anemic and had seen better days. It had the 1.6-litre, naturally aspirated 50 hp diesel engine, which struggled to reach 70 on the motorway, especially with all the upgrades. While on holiday in central Italy, the injection pump suddenly died in mid-traffic on the autostrada, and this being the early 90s with no Amazon Prime, it took the small town garage they were towed to almost three days to get a replacement delivered and installed.

T3s now have collector's value, so they aren't as cheap as chips anymore as a couple of years ago. A T4 with slight but manageable neglect is probably the most budget friendly option at the moment.
>> No. 4708 Anonymous
9th April 2022
Saturday 9:59 pm
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LS400 lad here.

It seems like turning the key has a cost of several hundred. For months now, the brakes have been squealing when they get warm (i.e. driving around town), and the idle has occasionally been rough. After a particularly hilly drive, the brake pedal sank to the floor. There was no evidence of stuck pistons, so I assume I had a defective pad.

I spend the best part of £400 for new brake pads and new spark plugs to try and resolve both issues, and now it idles worse, barely able to sustain itsself at stop in drive, and the brake pedal squeal is still there.

Asking around online I get 5 different replies with 5 different suggestions as to the issue, and all but one (the ECU may have leaky caps) is going to costs hundreds to investigate.

I really don't drive it enough to justify pouring money into it, but if I sold it as-is I'd likely have to take a massive loss. What the fuck do I do? I had a dream the other night about getting rid of it and woke up relieved, but it's weird because when it works I absolutely love the car.
>> No. 4709 Anonymous
9th April 2022
Saturday 10:40 pm
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>>4708

400 quid for brake pads and plugs? I know you need 8 spark plugs but fuck me.

You are, unfortunately, at the point that anyone with a weird and/or old car gets to - do I want to cut my losses, or continue sinking money into it forever? My answer is usually the latter, but I do enough of my own car work to justify it.

Assuming for the brakes you've cleaned the discs, checked they're not loose, warped, or worn, and that the calipers are also secured properly. The idle is a tough one, inspect the HT leads thoroughly would be my first instinct.
>> No. 4712 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 12:46 am
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>>4709
It's LPG converted, so I needed the good ones. As I do not have anywhere to do the work myself, nor do I possess the tools (or anywhere to store them), I also couldn't do the work. The plugs were about £120, the pads were similar all in, plus labour. I guess that's another consideration. I simply don't have the space or expertise to do real mechanical work on my own car.

>Assuming for the brakes you've cleaned the discs, checked they're not loose, warped, or worn, and that the calipers are also secured properly.
Yes, yes, they aren't, they aren't, I'd assume that they are after the new pads were fitted.

>The idle is a tough one, inspect the HT leads thoroughly would be my first instinct.
I've pulled all the spark leads I can get to by hand and checked the resistance, and cleaned the connectors with IPA. All seemed good.

I'm an electronic engineer by training, so I'm going to check for leaky capacitors on the ECU once I've got a laptop capable of pulling codes from it first. If it's not that, then I think it's time to cut my losses. As much as I like the car, it probably deserves a better life than I can give it.
>> No. 4713 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 3:47 am
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>>4712

>I simply don't have the space or expertise to do real mechanical work on my own car.

I think, sadly, then it'll never be worth keeping, unless you are really, really, really in love with it. As you say, labour really is the prohibitive factor. I have the time, space, and tools to work on my cars, so I do end up keeping things that would otherwise have been ludicrously expensive to repair. I have a Range Rover that I've worked out I have saved over £4000 over the last two years in mechanics bills by working on it myself. That's more than I paid for the car in the first place.

>I'm going to check for leaky capacitors on the ECU once I've got a laptop capable of pulling codes from it first

I'd be interested to hear what happens with this, I do have a strong interest in old japanese ECUs in general. At the risk of telling you how to suck eggs, you can get a surprisingly useful amount of data out of a very cheap bluetooth OBD adaptor and a phone app. Assuming it's the same, or similar ECU platform as the other cars of that era that had the 1UZ in them, you can get a lot of live data from them either from OBD or a proprietary set of data and jumper pins (depends on the year). But obviously with your skillset, it's probably just quicker to refresh the caps anyway.

>As much as I like the car, it probably deserves a better life than I can give it.

It's the sort of thing I'd probably buy. Do let me know if it ends up for sale. I promise to pretend I don't know what an imageboard is when I come and pick it up.
>> No. 4714 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 3:53 am
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>>4713

I forgot to say too, that engine is widely considered one of the best built engines ever to make it to market - the idle issue is almost certainly electronic rather than mechanical. I don't know enough about LPG to comment on how that might change things, but I can imagine a failing AFR or knock sensor (or, indeed, a failing ECU) to over adjust timing or fuelling in response to the higher octane LPG - though even in typing this I'm almost certain you'll have duel fuel and will definitely have tried running it on straight petrol to see if that made any difference. Apologies for thinking out loud.
>> No. 4715 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 10:37 am
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>>4714
Given the current Situation, getting hold of LPG gas proven difficult, but yes the issue persists on both LPG and unleaded, ruling out fuel delivery.

I've had ignition coils suggested, but surely that would result in constant misfires, rather than a shitty idle. If it's not the ECU, I'm back to the same issue -- can I justify pouring money into locating and replacing every sensor on the engine?
>> No. 4716 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 10:41 am
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>>4713
> very cheap bluetooth OBD adaptor
There's a port labelled OBD2, but in the entire time I've owned the car I've not once got any bluetooth adaptor to talk to the car. This could point to ECU issues, but I have had the Toyota software talking to it in the past.

I have the Toyota software and a Chinese cable, but at present, no laptop to run said software on, as since the death of my old laptop I haven't really had a need for another. I've ordered a cheapo ThinkPad off eBay though.
>> No. 4717 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 11:14 am
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>>4715
A failed temperature sensor - block/head, coolant or inlet air, can cause odd fuelling choices, which may only show up at idle.
Find them, disconnect them and see if they beep out to a credible resistance for an NTC thermistor at whatever temperature you're at. They don't generally fail subtly, they'll be open or short circuit, any resistance between 10 Ohms and a few K is probably fine. You could be more rigorous, of course.
>> No. 4718 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 11:23 am
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>>4717
Also - absolutely suspect the LPG conversion. Any time you ever have automotive electrical woes, suspect anything aftermarket. Manufacturers aren't perfect, but anything after the 90s is likely to have a pretty decent loom and connections.
Wankers splicing stuff in with scotchloks, though, that's a huge 'look here' sign. Scotchloks have the amusing tendency to eventually cut / fret through the wire they're crimped onto.
(That Mule I'm whining about on another thread - the road conversion kit, while 'professionally installed' has broken pretty much everything except the starting circuit. The loom under the dash is like the worst excesses of the kitcar industry, but covered in a thick layer of dried mud.)
>> No. 4719 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 11:24 am
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>>4716

>This could point to ECU issues, but I have had the Toyota software talking to it in the past.

That could still suggest an ECU issue, as OBD2 data and manufacturer specific data protocols are on separate pins, as part of the OBD2 standardisation. If the K-line's voltage for example is out of specification, an OBD2 reader will just go "nah mate" and for a cheap bluetooth adaptor it'll almost certainly not tell you why. Whereas Toyota's Techstream (is that what it's called? I'm not going to google it) protocols will either just not care, or not even touch those pins anyway.

There was also some weirdness with the transition between OBD1 and OBD2, some manufacturers did use the OBD2 plugs on OBD1 protocol cars, though IIRC the Toyota OBD1 plug was a big round thing, so it's probably not that.

It does sound like the ECU. A proper freak like myself would probably use it as an opportunity to put an aftermarket ECU in there, or build one - speeduino seems like a lot of fun. But I appreciate that's perhaps not the most elegant or cost effective path to solving a lumpy idle on your daily driver.
>> No. 4721 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 3:02 pm
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Just fucking end my miserable experience. Went to move it around the car park so I could get to a space where I could open the doors fully, and the brake pedal's sinking to the floor once again.

Fucking HELL.

The idle is fine for a couple of minutes it seems, which points to >>4717 temperature sensor theory. The dash guage appears to be working fine, so I guess that rules out coolant temp.

I've decided against dropping the ECU until I've at least managed to pull whatever Techstream says, since it might at least give me some pointers (or perhaps allow me to inspect the readings coming off the various temperature sensors).
>> No. 4722 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 4:52 pm
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>>4721
if there's not puddles of brake fluid appearing on the floor, it's (I think) got to be your master cylinder seals allowing fluid past.
Does it go to the floor repeatedly, or does it harden up after a few pumps, iykwim.
>> No. 4723 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 5:33 pm
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>>4722
About 8 months ago, a brake or the brakes would start making a squealing noise if they got warm, as in just normal around-town driving.

I initially assumed that there may have been a slight defect in one of the pads and it'd work itsself out. After a few months when it didn't go away I copper greased up the calipers. That didn't help.

A few weeks ago I took it on a long country-road drive, and the brakes were screaming by the time I got back, but the pedal was still OK. Later that day, I jumped in it to go to the shop and the pedal went all spongey. My assumption was that in the lack of any evidence of fluid leaks or stuck pistons, the defective pad theory was the one and it was causing the fluid to boil and gas up.

I had the brake pads changed and inspected, and the mechanic who I trust (he was also my grandad's mechanic) said he could see nothing wrong with the brakes. The other day, the squeal returned. Today, the pedal has gone spongey again.

When the engine is off, the pedal firms up after a few pumps, but when it's running it'll just slowly sink to the floor. That implies to me that somehow gas or air has once again got into the system as a result of the squeal. If I rapidly pump it whilst it's running I can get a little pressure out but it quickly sinks again.


I'm just at my wit's end, lads. The car hasn't been the only thing fucking breaking on me, but it's certainly the most stressful.

The issue is thus: if I sell it in its current state, I'll have to sell it for peanuts, but it will likely cost several more hundred to diagnose and resolve the issues, so is it worth it? The idle issue could be any of the following:

-- Vacuum Leak (I've given it a liberal spray of contact cleaner in the engine bay when running, and I didn't hear any change, so I'm thinking it's probably not that).
-- ECU issues
-- Temperature sensor
-- MAF/O2 sensor
-- Idle air control valve
-- Ignition coils (it's the pencil-on-plug type so there's 8 of them)
-- Distributor

I just don't know if it's worth the hassle for something I drive once every couple of weeks, and if I should just cut my losses now. I'm paralysed by indecision, somewhat.
>> No. 4724 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 6:16 pm
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>>4723

>When the engine is off, the pedal firms up after a few pumps, but when it's running it'll just slowly sink to the floor. That implies to me that somehow gas or air has once again got into the system as a result of the squeal. If I rapidly pump it whilst it's running I can get a little pressure out but it quickly sinks again.

What happens to the brakes when the engine is at high revs? If they still operate fine/better, it might suggest your vaccum pump is failing, which actually could well explain the idle issue at the same time.

It's a bit of a stretch, but in the absence of any fluid leaks...
>> No. 4725 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 6:27 pm
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>>4723

It could be as simple as imbalanced brake rotors. They may have a slight wobble which you sometimes can't see with the naked eye. It's also plausible because as you say, the problem mainly occurs when the rotors are warm. It could be that they expand just enough with temperature that they'll slightly graze a brake pad on every revolution and thus create the squeal.

Try to make out which wheel(s) the squeal comes from, and then take it from there. You'll probably have to swap out the rotor and brake pads on both wheels of the same axle, because otherwise you'll have uneven braking power, which will be an MoT fail, not to mention that it'd really be very unsafe to drive.

Idle issues can be an absolute cunt, it took me months on my VW 1.8T to sort them out. I replaced everything from vacuum hoses to the diverter valve. Even put in brand new Bosch spark plugs and almost ended up buying new ignition coils. There were no clues from the OBDII readout either. It then turned out that the ignition amplifier had been on its way out, as it one day failed completely on cylinder no. 2, and then when I replaced it, the rough idle was gone completely.

But as you said, there's loads of reasons for uneven idle, because it can depend on many different parts of your engine.
>> No. 4726 Anonymous
10th April 2022
Sunday 9:56 pm
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If your brake pedal doesn't return to a high enough position, the piston in the master cylinder doesn't uncover the bleed hole that lets the expanding fluid back into the reservoir, and the brakes jam on a bit. Which heats the fluid further, which jams the brakes on a bit more.
If you hook your foot under the pedal and lift, does the squealing stop (or change?)
If the brakes are dragging, then yeah, brace yourself for warped discs, boiled (water in) fluid, and pads leaving patterns of residue stuck to the disc when you stop, causing annoying pulsing.
Are the brakes hot if you pull over when it's doing this? A quick smell at each wheel should do it if you're not nasally disabled, I can't recommend poking things with your fingers unless you hate your fingerprints.
>> No. 4727 Anonymous
11th April 2022
Monday 1:03 am
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Thanks for all your suggestions, lads.

>>4724
> What happens to the brakes when the engine is at high revs?
I don't notice any difference.

>>4726
> If your brake pedal doesn't return to a high enough position
I can't say I've noticed it not returning -- the brake pedal is considerably 'higher' than the throttle, and has always been. It returns instantly.

>If you hook your foot under the pedal and lift, does the squealing stop (or change?)
The squealing only occurs under light braking when the brakes are warmed up. There's no squealing at no or hard braking; not that I do a lot of hard braking.

>..and pads leaving patterns of residue stuck to the disc when you stop, causing annoying pulsing.
The discs are as dry as a bone, with no evidence of patterning. I've been regularly checking for fluid both under where the car is parked and on the discs/calipers. There's a fair old bit of brake dust, but it's all dusty dry.

>Are the brakes hot if you pull over when it's doing this?
No one wheel seems hotter than another, and certainly I've never smelt the unmistakable smell of Too Hot Brakes.

This is a problem that's been absolutely stumping me for ages, so I do appreciate the suggestions.
>> No. 4728 Anonymous
11th April 2022
Monday 9:21 am
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>>4727
Pad knockoff due to failing / loosening wheel bearings, or ABS unit gone mad / rotten inside?
>> No. 4729 Anonymous
11th April 2022
Monday 9:25 am
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>>4728
I'm not convinced the squealing is necessarily part of the problem, mind. Are there anti-squeal shims / clips / whatever fitted where the manual says they should be, and the right way round, and with the right amount and placement of goop?

You got photos of the calipers and installation? Just in case it rings any bells.
>> No. 4730 Anonymous
11th April 2022
Monday 7:16 pm
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Finally got a laptop to be able to talk to Techstream.

Code: P0135 Oxygen sensor heater circuit, bank 1 sensor 1.

As I understand it, this should only cause a rough idle when the engine is cold, not constantly. Am I wrong here? Could this be it? It once again raises the question, if I pay a mobile mechanic £250 to come out and replace the sensor (given I can't drive it to anyone), and it doesn't fix it, then I've just pissed £250 up the wall.

>>4729
I can get some photos later.
>> No. 4731 Anonymous
11th April 2022
Monday 8:19 pm
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>>4730

>As I understand it, this should only cause a rough idle when the engine is cold, not constantly.

That would be my assumption also, though there's every possibility the sensor is failing in a different way, but being picked up by the ECU as a heater circuit failure. But certainly not likely enough to justify risking that assumption, given your current situation.

Does Techstream give you the sensor output data? That would be very helpful, particularly if there's a bank 2 sensor 1 to compare it to.
>> No. 4732 Anonymous
11th April 2022
Monday 8:43 pm
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>>4731
I tried looking around Techstream, and I'm sure there is a way, but I can't really find anything.

Think I'm just gonna put it up on some Facebook groups/Auto Trader tomorrow.

If that lad who wants to buy it is actually up for it, then let me know. It's a shame to get rid of it, but I think it's best for my mental health and the car.
>> No. 4733 Anonymous
15th April 2022
Friday 12:09 am
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>>4732
Well, it's gone, lads.

It was good whilst it lasted. Back into my old Celica.

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