ianmk2
Part of things
Posts: 116
|
|
Mar 26, 2016 17:15:56 GMT
|
Well, I had intended to do a full detailing post, but then it occurred to me that I'm not particularly interested in detailing posts. For anyone that's interested I used a Porta Cable Dual action machine polisher which I imported from the states years ago, and Sonus Polish and sealant, it came up well and I was really happy with the results. New fan, while doing another job on it the other week I noticed the auxiliary fan at the front was all wobbly, on closer inspection the clip that holds the blade on was missing, not only that but the motor was seized solid. Now as a rule the viscous fan does a pretty decent job of keeping things cool, but as Ford put it there for a reason I feel better knowing that it works I checked the part number and amazingly they're still available, not so amazing is the price - €450! So off to eBay and I sourced a universal one for £18 So I set about removing the old one, quickly became apparent that trying to do this without removing the bumper would be more hassle than just removing the bumper The old and the new, out of the box it is designed to go on the back of the rad and pull air from the outside, so I had to reverse the blade and the polarity to make it a 'pusher' for this configuration, dead easy. Cut the wiring plug off the original to keep the wiring OEM Getting the new clips in behind the air con condenser was a bit of a faff, but they're basically just open ended zip ties, so simple enough - et voila Tested it works by bridging the coolant sensor, and reassembled.
|
|
|
|
ianmk2
Part of things
Posts: 116
|
|
|
So, I haven't really done much with it over the last few weeks because life got in the way of cars, however a couple of things have niggled me since I bought it, and have now escalated (through my meddling) from minor niggles into 'issues'
Firstly, the exhaust backbox, a previous owner has adorned it with some fart can exhaust, now, while part of me things it actually sounds quite good, especially if you just rev it on the spot, being an automatic it makes it very droney around town and, a little bit embarrassing if I'm honest. So I found a standard backbox for it from ebay - not as easy as you might think, the stock item from factory is a fairly neat looking oval pipe which tucks snuggly under the bumper, however many aftermarket replacements were this hideous bent down towards the floor monstrosity of a thing. No matter I found the correct one, 2nd hand for £25. Came to fit it, and could not get the other box separated for love nor money. Its one of those joints where one pipe slips inside the other and despite peeling it back like a banana it is still stuck fast. So I've parked that one for now.
Second problem was it has a sort of resonance from the front, which makes it sound like its blowing, but it isn't (well, it wasn't) I've had this before on a car, and it was because someone had hollowed the cat out and the resulting empty chamber makes it sound awful. Wondering that this might be the case here, I set about removing them to inspect. Now, it has 4 cats on it, a 'pre-cat' in each downpipe and then two normal cats further down. by removing the normal cats I could look back down the system into the pre-cats. So I removed them without any drama, these are the clamp together flange type joints that you can't really go wrong with.
Suspicions confirmed, it looks like someone has indeed hollowed out the pre-cats, curse word. A scout about online seems to suggest you cannot buy these any more - anywhere! Except for ebay where there is a 2nd hand pair for £200 - no thanks. So I figure i'll probably just live with it, so I put the cats back on, bolted everything up tight. Fired it up, boom, it sounds like there is no exhaust on it! Thinking I must have made some fundamental error I go back underneath, I must have removed and re-fitted these joints 8 times but I cannot get them sealed. I simply cannot understand how they're leaking so catastrophically. This was starting to make me very angry so I abandoned it and there it has sat for the last week.
So now I have gone from no major issues, to a severely leaking mid pipe which makes it undriveable and a backbox I cannot get off. Good progress...
|
|
|
|
ajc91
Part of things
Posts: 164
|
|
Apr 21, 2016 19:52:21 GMT
|
Regarding your exhaust concerns, would it not be simpler to just delete the pre cats? How many cats can it need?! If it passed emission on the last M.O.T in the condition it's in now i'd have thought getting shut all together was the easiest thing, unless of course its all a funny shape. From experience these V6s sound amazing with the right exhaust. Hope you get it sorted.
|
|
|
|
|
|
Apr 22, 2016 12:54:37 GMT
|
Regarding your exhaust concerns, would it not be simpler to just delete the pre cats? How many cats can it need?! If it passed emission on the last M.O.T in the condition it's in now i'd have thought getting shut all together was the easiest thing, unless of course its all a funny shape. Second this. If the pre cat is hollow just replace it with a bit of downpipe as its not doing anything now apart from causing resistance whilst the waste gas bounces around before exiting it.
|
|
Last Edit: Apr 22, 2016 12:55:57 GMT by sceptre: spelling
|
|
ianmk2
Part of things
Posts: 116
|
|
Apr 22, 2016 13:03:11 GMT
|
Well, as it turns out I could have saved myself (and you guys) that last post, because my mate, whose house the car currently resides at, had taken it upon himself to have the exhaust rectified at a local garage where a mutual friend works who have sealed the cat joints and fitted the back box! Apparently they had big problems separating it too and after using brute force, oxyacetylene, swearing and rage had to cut it off. As far as the pre-cats go, I haven't driven it yet so I don't know if they'll still be an issue sound wise, but I may have found a guy with a pair for sale at reasonable money. Then, as you say, cutting them out altogether is probably the way to go. I'd feel better trying this with a spare set standing by though incase it goes horribly wrong.
So, next job up, which arrived in the post today after a 6 week wait, is the tow bar, what can possibly go wrong with that...
|
|
|
|