Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

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chris.h
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by chris.h »

nice one on the mileage
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

Cavalier342 wrote:Looking good mate. Get them clocks out and give them a good scrub :thumb Or at least get the dust off :lol:

Yes, my Dad never dusts the inside of his car.

I always give them a wipe over if I see any dust.
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Cavalier342
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Cavalier342 »

I get annoyed at dust on the instrument panel, so much so that I will wipe off any spec I see that catches my eye. Rest of the car doesn't bother me as much, that's what the hoover is for. But with the instrument cluster, it really winds me up :lol:
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China Blue 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier L 18SV
Kings Blue 1992 Vauxhall Cavalier LSi Auto C18NZ
Smoke Grey 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier V6 C25XE

Am I a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? Well that depends on how much I've had to drink...
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Super89
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Super89 »

My 1600 Expression turned 100k last month, Im not driving it tho, My brother has it for now.
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

I've really been neglecting my WIPs for the last 6 months or so.

I did this ages ago back in August 2013, but better late than never...

Did a bit of my own undersealing, not that she needed it:

Before:

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After:

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I found these on eBay at last back in November 2013. Full set or original unopened mudflaps! These are the proper original rubber ones which are really difficult to get hold of. Cost us an arm and a leg but well worth it I think:

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Also got a full set of much needed Michelin energy tyres fitted in November 2013:

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Decided to change the brake pads to some decent ones back in December, I went with EBC ultimax, the same as the ones on my LS:

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Much belter now, the old ones were awful. They were so spongy I thought I wasn't going to stop every time I braked. Not to mention the squeal they made.


Later that month I also gave the wheel arches a liberal application of dynax S50 to protect against the winter weather:

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This is inside the lip of the wheel arch:
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That brings me up to a couple of weeks ago when my Dad and I gave here a much needed service.
Shockingly she had done 17,000 miles since her last one! :o
This is all the stuff we bought:

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So on the 15th March we got cracking:

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Nice shiny new plugs fitted:

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Old ones weren't too bad but they were only single electrode Bosch ones:

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New HT leads fitted:

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Badly needed an oil change and as you can see the oil was thick as hell:

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As it was so long since it's last change I decided to do a flush change. I filled it up with this oil I had lying around and took if for a long run to get it circulating:

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Then drained the oil again, which had already turned black by the way...

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...and filled it up with some good stuff:

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Then finally changed the oil filter:

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Changing the oil twice like that really made a difference and two weeks on the oil is still lovely and clear whereas the first oil we put in was black after only a few miles!
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Super89
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Super89 »

I allways tip a bit of the new stuff in after the old oil has mostly drained out, Gets the last bit of dirty oil out before the new stuff can go in along with the sump plug :thumb
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Cavalier342
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Cavalier342 »

Good tip actually, may have to start doing that myself...
Previous:
China Blue 1989 Vauxhall Cavalier L 18SV
Kings Blue 1992 Vauxhall Cavalier LSi Auto C18NZ
Smoke Grey 1994 Vauxhall Cavalier V6 C25XE

Am I a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? Well that depends on how much I've had to drink...
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

This WIP is so desperately out of date I don't think I can remember all the things I've done since the last time I posted.

I know it had a whole second round of paintwork done about two years ago to fix a few things that were missed with the first lot we had done. Not least of all the wrong door moulding that was fitted.
Don't think I took any photos at the time, or at least I can't find them.

Anyway, here are some recent photos of how she looks now:

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So apart from the front bumper (the grey is actually left over from the first lot of bodywork we had done; the black paint has rubbed off and exposed the undercoat) it doesn't look too shabby. Probably the second best out of my fleet after the CD auto. The interior and general condition of the chassis is also probably best or on par with the CD auto too.


One job we had to do was replace the fuel tank along with a new sender unit around May 2015.

Found this tank in remarkably good condition at a scrap yard out in the sticks just a few miles away from me
It was from a 2.0 GLS hatch, I recon it was replaced not long before the car was scraped:

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New GM sender unit:

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Tank was cleaned up, painted and fitted:

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It had a new genuine GM exhaust at some point. Cant remember when but I know it was a while before this photo was taken in June 2015:

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It also had a new radiator, new thermostat, temp sensor and fan switch, once again some time before June 2015, in an attempt to solve a slight overheating issue:

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It was all in vain however. It's not serious, it just gets hotter faster than the diplomat and the fan kicks in quite often but it always cools down and switches off. This is in stark contrast to the Diplomat and CD auto however (both of which have the same engine [20NE for the CD auto]), which very rarely heat up enough for the fan to kick in. I have now given up trying to fix this this. it's done it ever since we got the car and since then it has done nearly 60,000 miles without any problems. So I think it's just the way this engine behaves.
I believe the radiator was actually leaking before it was replaced so it wasn't a completely wasted exercise


I know this is a job that's been circulating around on other peoples WIPs rather allot recently and you are all probably thoroughly bored with seeing it but I've actually done it twice on this car now so I'll be dammed if I leave out good update material twice!

The first time I did it around June 2015, I did it by the book. Tightening the bolts to exactly 8nm with my trusty torque wrench:

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Yet after about a year in May 2016 it was looking like this again:

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I used a proper OE elring part, the same as last time:

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Yep that gasket is pretty knackered.

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Spent a good 4 hours cleaning and scrubbing the cam cover and cleaning the contacting surfaces thoroughly. This time using a scraper to get rid of the last bits of old gasket stuck to the rim making sure not to loose any bits in the head of course:

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Condenser mesh cleaned up as best I could:

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I used so many different chemicals that I was well on my way to Nevada by the end of it with all the solvent fumes.
A lovely concoction of washing up liquid, Swarfega, carb spray, Autobrite just the tonic and white spirit. Think I'll have to give it a name!

I really hate it when I have to do jobs multiple times. This time I wanted to make sure I got it right so I also cleaned out all the breather hoses, which to be honest weren't that bad anyway, and tightened up the bolts a tad tighter to 9 nm rather than 8. So far it's still looking good 2 months on. :D

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The latest drama was that she developed this really bad bunny hopping while moving slowly, made it look as if it was driven by a learner driver on their first lesson.
It was a nightmare in traffic and almost uncontrollable, not to mention embarrassing. However, it drove normally while at speed.
I thought it was an issue with the clutch so I went to get it checked at the garage along with a full MOT and service.

As usual the garage were totally inept at finding the problem and was given the rather unhelpful response that they couldn't find any problem with it. At least it passed the MOT and the possibility of a problem with the clutch was eliminated.

So that evening I decided to tackle it myself.
I thought what could possibly affect the engine while it was going slowly, the ICV perhaps?
Changed it over with the one on the Diplomat and... nothing. Still the same.
OK what next, maybe the air flow sensor? Once again swapped it over with the Diplomat's.
While I was doing that I noticed this:

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How the hell was that not spotted while it was having a service, and how did I not see it!

Sure enough, with the Diplomat's air intake hose attached the problem vanished and it now drove smoothly at maneuvering speeds.

Now for a new part, GM of course:

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Fitted, problem solved:

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Anyway that's all the updates I have to show.

I have to say, all in all, this is probably the most trouble free of all my Cavs and it has served as an amazing every day driver for my Father, covering about 17,000 miles a year.
It was on 86,000 when we got it in October 2012 when it was already 19 years old, it's now over 145,000. Not bad for a car bought for £325 and a real testament to how well Cavaliers chew up the miles.
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Greig Sri
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Greig Sri »

Good work going on there keeping the car going. Cavaliers easy and cheap to fix, if you keep up the maintenance. It's just the rust that kills them off.

Greig
1993 Cavalier SRi C20XE (off road till better weather comes)
Astra SRi XP 150 estate 1.9 (the run around)
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Lowrider Dave
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Lowrider Dave »

Nice update, general this and that work may not be exciting posts but it shows the rest of us that we are actually using the cars and caring for them! I need to replace the tank on mine - anything I need to be aware of? What did paint did you use - anything special?
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

If you get a second hand tank or even a new one that has been lying around for some time, make sure you clean it out thoroughly before fitting it. Any contaminants inside can get sucked up into the fuel pump and cause problems. Despite cleaning it out what I thought thought was enough some dirt must have got though the fuel filter and caused the pump to make an annoying whine. Also sender units don't like dirt either apparently!

I used some black Hammerite paint and then sprayed over it with dynax S50 wax. I think I also used some hydrate-80 on the surface rust after I'd rubbed it down.
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Robsey
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Robsey »

Hmm - all the usual pain in the back-side stuff.
Also many of the same problems I have had in recent years.

The split intake hose would have caused all sorts of issues as it will allow un-metered air to be sucked in after the air flow meter. Causing a very lean mixture.

And oily cam cover gaskets -if it ain't weeping, then it ain't been running or it ain't a Vauxhall.

All good progress - no matter how mundane you may think it is.
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by humbucker »

I enjoyed your update, James. I wouldn't worry about how exciting you think it may or may not be. As long as there are pics, we're all happy, hehe!

"It was all in vain however. It's not serious, it just gets hotter faster than the diplomat and the fan kicks in quite often but it always cools down and switches off. This is in stark contrast to the Diplomat and CD auto however (both of which have the same engine [20NE for the CD auto]), which very rarely heat up enough for the fan to kick in. I have now given up trying to fix this this. "

Have you considered the merits of fitting a fan override switch? I had one in the cabin of Turbo #1. It came in very handy, and I'll definitely be fitting one to Turbo #2.
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

Thanks for all the encouraging comments guys. Most of what I do is just tinkering about compared to some of the amazing work that gets shown on this forum.

humbucker wrote:Have you considered the merits of fitting a fan override switch? I had one in the cabin of Turbo #1. It came in very handy, and I'll definitely be fitting one to Turbo #2.
Could be something to consider. I think I may have to add one on the V6 at some point as the fan seems to kick in quite late in my opinion.
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

I happened to see some black spray paint in Halfords the other day that was specifically for plastic bumpers.
I thought, what the hell, worth a shot. So today I decided to have a crack at painting the front bumper.

As I've mentioned before, this was painted about 3 years ago. There was a small hole in the plastic which was filled in. This of course meant that the whole bumper had to be painted to match.
Subsequently, most of the black paint has now rubbed off reveling the grey undercoat.

Just to emphasise, I do not recommend that anyone does this to their bumpers. If your bumpers are looking dull, use some AutoGlym bumper trim gel or a similar product. I'm only painting mine as it was already painted before so this is my only option.

Anyway, this is how it was looking this morning:

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Masked up and prepped. I also used some Autobrite just the tonic to clean the surface and remove any deposits:

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After the first coat:

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Second coat:

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It's a bit of a patchy finish. Mainly because I ran out of paint just as I started a third coat.
But, hey, it's a lot better than it was and I can always finish it later.
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

Had a bit of a scare with the CD the other day.

After successfully (or so we thought) completing a 280 mile round trip to Peterborough and back for a Christmas family get-together, just as we were entering Robertsbridge, the battery light came on. :o

An awful whining noise erupting from around the alternator area led me to believe that it had passed on.
A quick test with the multimeter confirmed my prognosis.
Dam, just when I could do with a problem free month I thought.

Fearing yet another costly repair bill we decided to roll the dice and call the AA the next morning.
I'm pleased to say the gamble paid off spectacularly. :D

We hit the jackpot and the man that showed up was another Cavalier enthusiast who had owned 2 Cavs in the past including a GSi.

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I knew I had an alternator amongst my spares but didn't know if number 1, it was the right part and number 2, if indeed it worked at all.
A comparison of part numbers confirmed it was the right part, but did it work?

The AA man was brilliant. Normally they are only allowed a certain amount of time on each car but he managed to secure an 'extended repair' which gave him the time he needed.
He swapped the old one out and put the spare in right there on the spot, and all in about 45 minuets.

The result was a complete success; battery light off, alternator charging normally.
All at no extra cost. :santa
AA membership certainty paid off this time. :cheers
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by iangsi »

Result with the AA. Why don't you buy yourself a reconditioned service exchange alternator to keep your spares stocked up.
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

Funnily enough that's what the AA man said to do with the old one. Even recommended a place in Hastings that can do it.
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by cavalier1990 »

James, was reading back a bit on your thread. I noticed you were flushing using new oil then filling up with oil. Wondering why you don't use an oil flush, would be a good bit cheaper to do? Usually take it for a burn then let it sit for 10 mins till all oil drains into sump then put the pan under it and let it all drain out for about half an hour.
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

cavalier1990 wrote:James, was reading back a bit on your thread. I noticed you were flushing using new oil then filling up with oil. Wondering why you don't use an oil flush, would be a good bit cheaper to do? Usually take it for a burn then let it sit for 10 mins till all oil drains into sump then put the pan under it and let it all drain out for about half an hour.

I don't like using those, especially on high mileage engines that have never been flushed before.
They have a habit of lifting up solid deposits which then get churned around the engine possibly causing more harm than good.
It's ok if you do it frequently since the engine was new, but I don't like to risk it if it's never had one before.
Best just to leave it be and change the oil frequently.

In this scenario I did a double change with very cheep oil (only about £10 I think) because the oil hadn't been changed in a long time.
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

In other news, she's just passed the 150,000 mile mark!

Crazy to think it was a fairly low mileage example when we got her.
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Lowrider Dave »

Good to hear the AA man was nice enough to swap the Alt for you! Lucky you had a spare.
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

Well, not so good news for the MOT I'm afraid.
Failed on emissions and a hole in the exhaust back box.
Apart from that it had no advisories so i suppose it could have been worse.

1st fast idle test:
CO - 0.48%
HC - 81ppm
Lambda - 1.13

2nd fast idle test:
CO - 0.46%
HC - 89ppm
Lambda - 1.13

Idle test:
CO - 0.49%

Slightly odd readings I thought. Looks like the Cat needs replaceing and I'm hoping that the high Lambda reading is due to the hole that has appeared in the backbox.
Any thoughts?
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by Robsey »

From reading into this.

Lambda is ideally 1 +/- 0.01
Below 1 is considered rich.
Above 1 is considered lean.

So your Lambda is indeed reading lean, which could well indicate an air leak before the test probe.

Assuming you car is a cat equipped injection, I would expect the CO to be 0.3% or a little less.

Non cat versions are 1% or less.
The hydro carbons are nice and low though.
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James McGrath
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Re: Mike and James' 1993 Cavalier CD

Post by James McGrath »

Robsey wrote: Lambda is ideally 1 +/- 0.01
Below 1 is considered rich.
Above 1 is considered lean.

So your Lambda is indeed reading lean, which could well indicate an air leak before the test probe.
This is what I was thinking, thanks for confirming.

So I'm after a new cat and a back box.
I think I've found a back box but it's a little harder to decide which cat to get.
Can anyone recommend me a good manufacturer?
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