James' 1995 Manual CDX V6 Saloon

[3cav3]

Maybe getting a replacement door maybe a better option, as I know I'd be loathed to weld a middle of a door skin due to distortion and the amount of filler to level it out.

[ilovedmymantas]

Maybe getting a replacement door maybe a better option, as I know I'd be loathed to weld a middle of a door skin due to distortion and the amount of filler to level it out.

I've been watching this seller for what seems like years. I'll say this for him, he's patient.
No deviation in price at all.

If you fancy a road trip this looks worthwhile;
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-CAV ... 0009.m1982

[iangsi]

Maybe getting a replacement door maybe a better option, as I know I'd be loathed to weld a middle of a door skin due to distortion and the amount of filler to level it out.

That's the way I would go you'll have to get the repaired door painted anyway !

[Envoy CDX]

Read this thread from start to finish, your attention to detail always amazes me James.
Shit luck on the door and the collision, but I hope you got a good settlement via the insurance company.

If you were repairing the door yourself, I'd say go for it, but if you're paying for it - you may find it easier and cheaper to replace the door, or at least locate a doorskin if possible.

Lovely cav all the same

[James McGrath]

Can't believe it's been so long since I've added anything to any of my WIP threads.

I've actually done loads of stuff and taken bucket loads to photos of everything intending to make a post about it but never got round to it. Sheer laziness on my part.

Since my last post, we've added a new car to the fleet, a 1994 CD hatch in Nautilus Blue previously belonging to Mike (Cabletwitch). This has become Lizzie's daily driver and so far she's loving it.

Another big bit of news for me is that last October we got engaged!
The wedding is going to be on the 19th December this year, can't wait!
So we've been busy planning but other than that I have no excuses for my lack of activity on the forum.

I've got a ton of stuff to add to the V6's thread alone, for a start it's had its wheel arches and sills sorted, but for not I have another issue I need help with.
I decided to take a look at why the alarm has never worked today. So I took out the glove box to look for the alarm module and this is what I found:






Errrrr, ok then...

Yep, someone actually removed the alarm module. That's the third bad bodge job I've found on this car, the first being the engine management light that was removed, the second I'll get to in a later post.
I was hoping to find a part number and just swap it over like for like but that's not possible.
Would someone with a similarly aged CDX with the late type immobiliser be able to take a look and see what part number their alarm module has please?
Also, what way round do I need to put those two wires back into the connector?

Anyway, that's it for now. Like I said I've got a ton of updates to write up, hopefully more interesting than this one.

[Robsey]

If you have a Haynes manual, then the wiring diagram is in there.

Otherwise, I can email you a full alarm pin-out.

Congrats to you both on the engagement.
I read it on your face-cloth profile.

[James McGrath]

I managed to find a suitable alarm module on eBay for the princely sum of £15, not bad considering they were probably about ten times that new.

Apparently this came from an M reg SRi
Part number 90492850




First task was to mend that wiring. I just used simple connector blocks for this:



Then it was time for some reprogramming with the trusty Tech1.
First the alarm module itself:



And then the immobiliser:




For some reason, all of the alarm modules on all of my cars were programmed with the German country code.
I've now set them all to the correct British code. Not sure if there is any actual difference as they seem to behave exactly the same no matter how it's programmed. It just makes me feel better that it's British dammit!

After that it was time for a quick test. I unlatched the bonnet but kept it down, then locked the door. Opened the bonnet and... nothing.
Inspected the alarm horn and found that it had been unplugged. The person who disabled this really did a thorough job!
Plugged it back in, repeated the test and was greeted with the satisfying, yet deafening sound of a job well done!

One thing I did notice however is that the LED above the passenger side B pillar that normally flashes red wasn't working. I removed the ultrasonic unit only to find that it had been tampered with; a couple of the clips had been damaged by someone who had tried to disassemble it in the past. I swapped it round with one from my dad's 1993 CD manual (this is when owning multiple Cavs cam be extremely useful) and hey presto, it worked:




Satisfied that it was the ultrasonic sensor that was faulty and not any other part of the alarm, I swapped the sensors over again and had a look through eBay for any suable replacements and found these for £13 which hopefully will do the trick:




Last thing was to put the module back in it's proper place. Easier said than done as it's really tucked away, especially Cavs with a passenger air bag but I got there in the end:




Satisfied with a job well done it was time for some OE bling!!

My engine cover bolts have been looking rather tatty lately:



Especially as some of them have been replaced with normal hex bolts over the years:




Genuine parts search to the rescue!





Much better

[Robsey]

Excellent work dear chap,
I recommend a more secure method of jointing for a long term solution.
(Bullets crimped and / or soldered on and then heat shrink sleeved perhaps?)

I don't know why, but I was convinced that it was Lizzie's car that had the dodgy alarm wiring...

Nice finishing touches to the cover.

[James McGrath]

Excellent work dear chap,
I recommend a more secure method of jointing for a long term solution.
(Bullets crimped and / or soldered on and then heat shrink sleeved perhaps?)

I don't know why, but I was convinced that it was Lizzie's car that had the dodgy alarm wiring...

Nice finishing touches to the cover.

While I was doing it I was thinking that you might disapprove!
But yeah, I agree. Not the greatest workmanship. Maybe I could enlist your help at our next meeting?

Lizzie's car also had a problem with the alarm which resulted in replacing the alarm module.
That was a fault with the internal relays that controlled the hazard lights; they were permanently stuck on down one side.
Fixing that problem is what gave me the inspiration to fix the V6's alarm.

[Robsey]

I cannot say that I disapprove.
I was thinking that you like things done so that they look as close to original as possible.

Connecting blocks work well and are very reliable, but I thought that they would drive you mad, in a similar way to the hex bolts on the engine cover.

I know that I am a bit O.C.D; when it comes to wiring, but then I feel that I have to lead by example and show good habits in my threads and How 2s.

I would have shuddered if you had used Scotch-locks.

As for doing a pukka job when we meet next time - sure, no problem.
I will bring my gas soldering iron, crimps and heat shrink tubing just in case.
(Assuming you go in the V6 and I remember).

[James McGrath]

I'm only pulling your leg Rob.

You're right though, I'm not too happy with it. My toolbox is a little spartan when it comes to electronics however.

[ilovedmymantas]

...Excellent work dear chap...
…Nice finishing touches to the cover.

Your new bolts really finish-off the cleanest engine bay I've seen in ages

I cannot say that I disapprove.
I was thinking that you like things done so that they look as close to original as possible.

Connecting blocks work well and are very reliable, but I thought that they would drive you mad, in a similar way to the hex bolts on the engine cover.

I know that I am a bit O.C.D; when it comes to wiring, but then I feel that I have to lead by example and show good habits in my threads and How 2s.

I would have shuddered if you had used Scotch-locks. ...

In reverse order, shortened cos I'm tired so I hope it makes sense & doesn't seem blunt

Scotch-locks.
I've used these in the past, although not on this car.
The temptation of them for me was quick confirmation that I'd not messed-up the wiring (..a bit of a colour deficiency ).
The intention was to solder afterwards but back then I was playing "catch-up" so other things took priority

Your posts are very informative and accurate-albeit from a 'white belt in electrics' . Success or failure, you post it all, that's how people learn

Connecting blocks.
I must admit if it was me, I'd pare off the excess plastic, or maybe remove it all altogether, and wrap with self-amalgamating rubber tape to keep the damp out.
It's probably never going to be seen again and is secure. Out of sight, out of mind?

As original.
Those wires look attached by crimped connections.
With a bit of care they could be slid out from the underside of the plug. It's likely to be one or two tiny tangs that can be bent back into shape.
There have been times where I've struggled to open the slightly larger versions, It's a tight crimp. in those cases I've pulled the wire strands out the end, hammered a little flatter, then cleaned & soldered the main wire to it and slid it back in.
Hope that's helpful

matt

[GP123]

Hello James. How are you getting on with your V6 cav now? Is it behaving for you?

Good to see another V6 on the forum. I have been reading through this thread since i purchased mine back in October last year. Ive found it very useful in regards to the cam cover seals and breather hoses etc and any other wee things which i might have to change on mine through time.

On a cold start would yours sit at 1k rpm mark and then as it gets warmer slowly make its way down to the 700rpm mark?

Thanks.

[James McGrath]

Hello James. How are you getting on with your V6 cav now? Is it behaving for you?

Good to see another V6 on the forum. I have been reading through this thread since i purchased mine back in October last year. Ive found it very useful in regards to the cam cover seals and breather hoses etc and any other wee things which i might have to change on mine through time.

On a cold start would yours sit at 1k rpm mark and then as it gets warmer slowly make its way down to the 700rpm mark?

Thanks.

It's actually behaving itself these days. I'm using it to go to and from work every day at the moment.
I took it on honeymoon to Scotland in December and had a full service, tracking and new tyres. It's been averaging between 33 and 37 mpg ever since.
It's also just ticked over to 178,000 miles this afternoon!

In spite of my inactivity on the forum, I have made some good progress on all my cars and have a huge backlog of material I want to post up. I just never seem to find the time.

Anyway, yes, if the engine is cold it will idle at about 1,100rpm until it's warm and then dips down to about 600rpm.
It's designed to do this to get the engine warmed up quickly.

[GP123]

Hello James. How are you getting on with your V6 cav now? Is it behaving for you?

Good to see another V6 on the forum. I have been reading through this thread since i purchased mine back in October last year. Ive found it very useful in regards to the cam cover seals and breather hoses etc and any other wee things which i might have to change on mine through time.

On a cold start would yours sit at 1k rpm mark and then as it gets warmer slowly make its way down to the 700rpm mark?

Thanks.

It's actually behaving itself these days. I'm using it to go to and from work every day at the moment.
I took it on honeymoon to Scotland in December and had a full service, tracking and new tyres. It's been averaging between 33 and 37 mpg ever since.
It's also just ticked over to 178,000 miles this afternoon!

In spite of my inactivity on the forum, I have made some good progress on all my cars and have a huge backlog of material I want to post up. I just never seem to find the time.

Anyway, yes, if the engine is cold it will idle at about 1,100rpm until it's warm and then dips down to about 600rpm.
It's designed to do this to get the engine warmed up quickly.

I didnt think they would have been that good on fuel to be honest! Thats great in fact for a V6. Maybe down to the weight of the cavalier in general also.
It would be good to see whats been happening with the cars since.

Yean i was just checking about the cold start idle i thought maybe 1100rpm was rather high but must be normal then if yours does it too. Thanks.

[James McGrath]

It's surprising how good the V6 is on fuel if you're careful. There are lots of reasons really.
Like you say the Cavalier is very light compared to modern cars and it is also very aerodynamic; with an drag coefficient of 0.29cd (not bad even by modern standards) and an extremely small cross-section (not very wide and not very tall). Modern cars may have better drag coefficients (the latest insignia is 0.26cd) but have much bigger cross-sections meaning they have to move more air around them.
Anyway, I digress, the main reason is the V6 is a very modern/advanced engine for the time and it's tuned more for economy than peek power.
It's got lots of low end grunt and it's very easy to make swift progress without stressing the engine.
You could easily keep up with traffic without ever revving above 2000rpm if you wanted.

There isn't all that much difference between the V6 and the 2.0 8v (C20NE) for fuel when touring about or driving around town.
The difference comes when driving on the motorway; the 2.0 can easily get above 40mpg (normally around 45mpg for me) but the best I've ever done in the V6 was 38mpg.
I think the problem is the gearing, 5th gear doesn't bring the revs down low enough on the V6 in my opinion.

[James McGrath]

I did get a bit of work done on the V6 just before the wedding to make sure it was up to the task of braving the hills of Scotland in the middle of winter.
Unfortunately, I have very few images of this work as I did virtually none of it myself. So I apologise for the lack of optical stimulation in advance.

Firstly, I thought a good set of winter tyres would come in handy. The Goodyear ecocontacts that were on there before were running low on tread anyway so why not?
After much review reading I opted for two Michelin Crossclimate+ tyres for the front wheels. After all, the V6 has a 62/38 front/rear weight distribution.
I also asked for the tracking to be done at the same time. (more on that later!)

I'd also been having problems with the heater. A rather piece of equipment I'd rather not have to do without.
Basically it was taking ages to heat up and not blowing very hot even on full.
I remembered something that Ian (iangsi) told me once about a similar problem he was having on his GSi; he simply flushed the heater matrix to remove a build up of sludge.
I thought it was worth a punt so asked the garage to give it a go.
Lastly, I opted for a minor service and check over.

Unfortunately I got a ring to say that the track rod ends had seized, surprise surprise!
I've had very little luck with un-siezing them in the past so opted to get new ones put on.
These were supplied by Moog.

I finally got the car back a few days later and boy what a difference!
It felt so much more crisp to drive, probably all from the new tyres and tracking.
The icing on the cake was the heater which is now working perfectly!
I got the car back with a nice stamp in the logbook too!




Slight digression; I got one of these genuine logbooks from Kevin Bricknall at last year's VBOA. Been looking for one for ages as the original has long since ran out of room for new stamps. So thanks again Kevin!




I was about this point when I noticed that I'd lost one of the exhaust mount rubbers from the back box.
Rather annoyed at myself as it was a genuine GM one that I only put on a few years ago (earlier in this thread).
While looking on EPC4 for the part number so i could get a new one, I noticed that there are supposed to be clips holding the rubbers in place.
So I ordered some on eBay (apparently genuine GM but no proof of this) and fitted them along with a new febbi exhaust mount (Unfortunately the genuine ones don't seem to be available any more ).






Those rubbers are going nowhere!

Last job was to fix this problem:




Classic Cavalier fault; the wiper linkage wearing out and becoming loose causing the arm to sit too high.
This meant that it was catching on the bonnet every time you opened it and not enough pressure was being put down on the wiper, causing poor wiping of water and a horrific screeching noise even with new blades.
I've had the same problem on my LS before.

New used wiper assembly sourced on eBay:




This is a job I know well:




Always seem to be under the shuttle panel of my Cavs.
Anyway, all seemed fairly ok under there. Bit of surface rust that I'll have to keep an eye on.

This is the problem with these, they just work loose eventually.
It's often caused putting too much pressure on the arm when new wiper blades are fitted.
You can see how much movement is in this fitment, there should be no movement at all:




Et voila, problem solved:




Very satisfying set of niggles ironed out.

I have to say, it really did us proud in Scotland. So glad we took this one, it's a real proper grand tourer.

[Robsey]

Nice work James,

Hmm those wiper-linkages are a damn nuisance.
It amazes me that nobody has come up with a refurb kit for these.
I have tried slithers of coke-can to reduce lateral wear, but it isn't really very effective.

A point of warning regarding the heater matrix...
As with anything that gets clogged up over time, be aware that dislodging the crud "could" unearth a leak or other problem in the pipeline.
Then you are into the joys of partial dash removal, and an eternal dash rattle when it is all refitted.
Had this on my Mk2 Cavalier around the turn of the century.

[GP123]

Good work James. Thats very informative on the exhaust mount end clips. I never got them with my stainless system. Have you a part number for these clips? as i dont fancy my new rubber mounts sliding off either!

Thanks.

[cavalier1990]

Nice attention to detail there James, a man after my own heart!

I luckily managed to source a brand new complete linkage to fix the same problem a couple of years ago, also noticed that with the worn spindles, water leaks into the blower motor. Didn't know you could get those exhaust rubber clips new, well never looked really. I need one for my omega.

Andrew

[James McGrath]

Thanks guys, I've been pretty happy with the V6 these last few months. It's nice to get some good motoring out of her after all the problems I had a couple of year ago.

The part number for the clips is: 90323550
They are widely available on eBay including from the official Vauxhall store here:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-LOC ... Swj85YNYaL

A point of warning regarding the heater matrix...
As with anything that gets clogged up over time, be aware that dislodging the crud "could" unearth a leak or other problem in the pipeline.
Then you are into the joys of partial dash removal, and an eternal dash rattle when it is all refitted.
Had this on my Mk2 Cavalier around the turn of the century.

Same thing happened on my Dad's MK2 way back. I think he just had it blocked off and lived without a heater!
The LS also had problems way back in the early 2000s. I think it just burst and was replaced with a new one.

[GP123]

Thanks for the part number James! Whats the easiest way of running a wire from the V6 engine bay into the inside of the car? I would like to run a switch to the inside so i can turn the alternator cooling fan etc on and off from the inside. Its the mode that kicks in after the cars turned off basically..

The switch for mine on the coolant bridge has a mind of its own/faulty and comes on anytime and at times doesnt go off at all once the cars been off a good half hour!

[James McGrath]

Thanks for the part number James! Whats the easiest way of running a wire from the V6 engine bay into the inside of the car? I would like to run a switch to the inside so i can turn the alternator cooling fan etc on and off from the inside. Its the mode that kicks in after the cars turned off basically..

The switch for mine on the coolant bridge has a mind of its own/faulty and comes on anytime and at times doesnt go off at all once the cars been off a good half hour!

Probably the neatest way would be to run a wire through the bulkhead with the rest of the ECU wiring.

Then run the wire up to the drivers side of the dashboard to a switch mounted to one of the blank slots by the switch for the lights.

Robsey is the expert when it comes to wireing though.

[cavalier1990]

Cheers for the part no. James I'll get right on to that!

Thanks guys, I've been pretty happy with the V6 these last few months. It's nice to get some good motoring out of her after all the problems I had a couple of year ago.

The part number for the clips is: 90323550
They are widely available on eBay including from the official Vauxhall store here:
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-LOC ... Swj85YNYaL

A point of warning regarding the heater matrix...
As with anything that gets clogged up over time, be aware that dislodging the crud "could" unearth a leak or other problem in the pipeline.
Then you are into the joys of partial dash removal, and an eternal dash rattle when it is all refitted.
Had this on my Mk2 Cavalier around the turn of the century.

Same thing happened on my Dad's MK2 way back. I think he just had it blocked off and lived without a heater!
The LS also had problems way back in the early 2000s. I think it just burst and was replaced with a new one.

[James McGrath]

Big update inbound!