1989 Opel Vectra GT

[vectra1903]

I got some info from my mechanic. He told me that my grandpa had the same issue (the low rpm-s) and it is the ICV. Apparently it works perfect after a cleaning, but that is only a short term fix because something is wrong with the valve itself. He wanted to replace it, but the original part wasn't available anywhere in Poland. He also said that he will check out the temperature issue, but he told me that as long as the fan turns on and there is coolant in the system it should be fine (of course not for long trips). My new fog lights will arrive this week, let's hope mounting them goes successfully
Do I need to pop off the whole switch panel to install a fog light switch or just the small switch cover?

[Robsey]

Just the small switch cover / switch blank.
The new switch will simply push into the socket.

The ICV's are available new, but can be very expensive.

[vectra1903]

New toys

[Robsey]

We like shiny new parts.

[vectra1903]

We like shiny new parts.

The carello headlights are new old stock, ICV is used but apparently fully working, the fog lights are brand new.
I'll mount everything tomorrow, hopefully everything goes according to plan.
All of this + the foglamp switch cost me around 80 pounds (converted from PLN)

[Robsey]

From forum discussions that I have had in the past...
I am sure Carello are the best made lights.
So they should be excellent quality.

I guess that we know what you will be doing this weekend

[vectra1903]

Well, I tried out the new ICV and I am... disappointed.
The car started fine, but the RPMs are still low and very unstable, at times it seems as if the car is going to stall, the lights in the car get a bit darker, but it doesn't stall and goes back to unstable rpm-s around 550-600 rpm. I tried pressing the gas pedal and:

After pressing it moderately quickly with the car going to ~4,5k rpm it would drop down to 1,5k rpm and after a moment back to low and fluctuating rpm.
After pressing it lightly, raising the rpms to around 2,5k rpm it... died. Tried to restart it and it did restart, but it seemed as if it didn't really want to, it couldn't "catch on" and start for a short while but it finally did and it went back to fluctuating rpms.

Now I'm more certain that it is a leak somewhere as Robsey said.

I did also mount the new lights, they thankfully work fine but having a look at the front I have now decided that it has to be disassembled and built properly by someone who isn't an idiot (sorry, I can't really use any other word for a man who rebuilds a car with wood screws, silicone [EVEN THE HEADLIGHT BULB WAS FITTED WITH SILICONE!] and demands an unbelievable amount of money for his "professional" work).


Also - I found the issue with the temperature gauge not showing anything.
The cable for the temperature sensor has decided to not be attached to it anymore
Will have to look for it, hopefully it hasn't tangled itself up in some important things.
Hopefully it's still in decent shape

[Robsey]

Don't be too disappointed with the ICV.
I spent a fortune on parts to get the idle speed up.
Even bought a new engine ECU.
All gave no improvement.
But at least I know that I have spares for the future.

[ilovedmymantas]

If an air leak isn't the problem then it's time to look at fuel delivery.

It's been 20 years since I had an 8v cav/vectra but I did have this problem on my 1990 gl.

Here's the method that worked for me.(cheapest options first )

Start by checking for an air lock in the supply fuel pipe. - no issues

Next, change the fuel filter to rule out a blockage - didn't work that time

Clean icv - no change

After ruling these out a new fuel pressure regulator solved the problem for me

[Robsey]

PlanetC (Paul) used to tell me long ago, that slow idle speed was a very common issue with the C20NE range of engines.

Many Vauxhall garages resorted to reprogramming the engine ECU settings to get the revs up at idle -
After they had tried every other possible cause without success.

If everything else fails, it may be necessary to find somewhere in your country that still has access to an old Vetronix Mastertech Tech 1 or 1A programmer.
(The version before Tech 2).

Otherwise - I think it is time that James and Lizzie booked a driving sight-seeing tour to Poland.
Don't forget your Tech 1A James...

[vectra1903]

I'm sure there are people in Poland with access to this equipment. I know one vectra / calibra fanatic in my city, maybe he has one of these Tech 1 programmers.

About the car - to level out all of the upgrades a downgrade has been made - from electric to manual aerial.
I may regret this at a later date and it does interfere with the "original spec" of the car, but so do the fog lights
I decided that a manual aerial is better for me. The reception is great in my city so I get perfect radio signal even in a closed garage with the aerial slid into the body.
It is also better in the long term. An electric aerial would be extended all the time when the radio is on and would probably get caught on something which would result in the mast breaking (again). A new mast is twice the price of a whole manual aerial set with mounting elements.
I could mount a switch to manually retract the aerial but... I am lazy
I haven't thrown out the old electric aerial "box" so I can still order a mast and have it ready if I ever want the relaxing sound of the motor whirring back.

Oh and also - with the new aerial I replaced the rubber seal around it, the old one turned into dust as soon as I touched it.

[vectra1903]

Making use of a whole school-free week (because of final exams) I decided to do some small jobs.
I bought the seat rail cover trim panels because mine snapped while removing them when I replaced the seats.
I also bought a manual left side mirror, the one on the car was an electric unit - fitted due to a worldwide shortage of left side manual mirrors.
Unfortunately the mirror glass was in poor shape so I went on about replacing it for the one on my electric unit.
So... I swapped over the "flap" and metal rod from the one in bad shape and went on about mounting it to the new mirror.
Unfortunately I accidentally did some visual tuning to the glass.

I call it - "The off-brand spiderweb".

[ilovedmymantas]

Oops!
These small setbacks occasionally happen, luckily replacement mirror glass is easier to find.

Your car is progressing nicely, I bet you can't wait to be driving it. There's (almost) no better feeling than passing the test - when I passed the the feeling lasted for months

[vectra1903]

Oops!
These small setbacks occasionally happen, luckily replacement mirror glass is easier to find.

Your car is progressing nicely, I bet you can't wait to be driving it. There's (almost) no better feeling than passing the test - when I passed the the feeling lasted for months

The progress that I'm making would be impossible if it wasn't for this website, I have learned a ton of stuff from all of the How2's and other users threads. I am very grateful for everyone who posts even the smallest bit of help on here. It has really expanded my knowledge about this Vectra/Cavalier and about cars in general. There are some Vectra fan clubs in Poland but they are mostly very old abandoned websites where most of the photos don't show up anymore and the stuff posted isn't even a fraction of what this forum has.
So let this post be a big thank you to all of the users and administrators for keeping this up and running. It is really like a gift from god.

[Robsey]

That is very kind of you to say such nice things.
We try our best to make the site friendly and helpful.

If you find a question that we have not yet answered, please let us know, and we will try to find the answers for you.

As for the thanks... on behalf of the forum, I would like to say you are most welcome and it is our pleasure.

[vectra1903]

A quick update (and a question).

I got a can of astro-silver no.128 paint prepared, mirror casings will be painted as soon as the weather allows me to do so I also replaced the mirror glass... got a new part with the black plastic for very cheap. The stress when putting it in was immeasurable, but it snapped in all in one piece
Also got a set of turn signals as mine were cracked.

Only items left on the checklist are:
- black front grille,
- rubber floor mats,
- front door speakers,
- shifter and handbrake gaiters,
- jacking point covers (three are missing and hard to find),
- reupholstering the headlining and vinyl material on the door cards,
- (optional) a GT drivers seat (I kept the passenger one as it was in near perfect condition).

So... just visual and comfort upgrades, not anything that would stop the car from being drivable (except maybe the front grille).

So now the question.
I'll probably get my hands on a Kenwood aftermarket radio. I know that the car has a regular ISO connector but the antenna would need an adapter.
So my question is - do I need a signal separator, or would a regular adapter work fine?
This is a signal separator,

it is apparently required in German cars when you want to mount an aftermarket radio as the new unit won't be able to send voltage to the antenna to amplify the signal, but is the regular metal manual antenna powered/amplified? Wouldn't it shock everyone who touched it (as it is made from metal)?

[Robsey]

The power goes to an amplifier buried within that foam cover.
Not to the metal aerial rod itself.

You could use this as a signal booster, or simply leave the blue wire disconnected.

That is your choice.
There should be a red / grey or red / white wire on the radio connector. Pin 7.

If you connect the blue amplifier wire to radio pin 7, then it will boost the aerial signal.

No risk of electric shock

But to answer you question - a standard adapter without the amplifier will work perfectly fine.

[vectra1903]

The power goes to an amplifier buried within that foam cover.
Not to the metal aerial rod itself.

You could use this as a signal booster, or simply leave the blue wire disconnected.

That is your choice.
There should be a red / grey or red / white wire on the radio connector. Pin 7.

If you connect the blue amplifier wire to radio pin 7, then it will boost the aerial signal.

No risk of electric shock

But to answer you question - a standard adapter without the amplifier will work perfectly fine.

From what I heard, the original radios send voltage through the antenna cable to a amplifier located in the antenna itself. Apparently the aftermarket radio doesn't do that, so this "signal separator" is basically just a regular adapter with a cable to send power to the amplifier built into the antenna.
But my antenna doesn't seem to have any amplifier, so is this "separator" basically useless in this situation?
I know there are signal amplifiers which look exactly the same as this separator and that would probably work as you said, but this "separator" thing seems to be something different.

[Robsey]

I would just use a standard adapter.

As you suggest, you will not need a separator.

[ilovedmymantas]

I'll probably get my hands on a Kenwood aftermarket radio. I know that the car has a regular ISO connector but the antenna would need an adapter.
So my question is - do I need a signal separator, or would a regular adapter work fine?

it is apparently required in German cars when you want to mount an aftermarket radio as the new unit won't be able to send voltage to the antenna to amplify the signal, but is the regular metal manual antenna powered/amplified? Wouldn't it shock everyone who touched it (as it is made from metal)?

As luck would have it I fitted my new stereo literally hours ago, and now it all makes sense, I think

The car has a not quite so regular iso connector. I can't remember where I read it recently but i think it applies mainly to opel/vx, Volkswagen & Saab so it may be an iso adapter that's suggested?
Aftermarket units are wired slightly differently but it's easy and free to sort. Here's the wiring for my new unit as an example.

ISO.....

First you need to swap over the yellow wire (battery +ve) and the red (ACC) pins on the new radio loom socket as I've done here
this saves the clock settings etc.

Antenna.....

Note the blue wire below the yellow (plug's on it's side). This is the one that operates the electric aerial in my case and the amp,( if i had one) but you won't need this as you now have a manual mast
Blue seems to be mainly for amps from what I can see. I think it sends a voltage to turn on the amp, much like the electric aerial

I would just use a standard adapter.

As you suggest, you will not need a separator.

Agreed, here's the rest of my efforts:

Standard fitting...


Adapter...



I secured the adapter with my favourite wiring product, stretchy & sticky self-amalgamating tape



All working so far, let's see what the week brings!
Yes, I know the car's filthy There's nothing like a pic to buck your ideas up


.

[Robsey]

Or keep it simple with one of these.

Din to ISO adapter.

[vectra1903]

Thanks for the help. Now I know I just need a basic adapter.
Although the more I think about it, the less I want to replace the radio
The old SC303B unit has something in it that just catches my eye. I really like it.
The speakers though - the door units must be replaced as I said somewhere in this thread already. They rattle and buzz like crazy.
My uncle has admitted that it might be his fault, blasting music on full volume in the early 2000s

[Robsey]

If you want to keep it GM,
you could fit door speakers from a later Vectra (vectra B or C).

I have a full set of Vectra C speakers stored away for when my original speakers dry out, or start to distort.

[vectra1903]

If you want to keep it GM,
you could fit door speakers from a later Vectra (vectra B or C).

I have a full set of Vectra C speakers stored away for when my original speakers dry out, or start to distort.

I'd go for a nice set of aftermarket speakers if it wasn't for the price. I'll get the Vectra C speakers as they are a lot cheaper.

[vectra1903]

Not sure if I'm blind or something, but is there a how 2 on removing the front bumper? I want to try to do that in the very near future as mine is held on with self tapping screws basically every 10cm across the whole front. Not ideal. It's also sagging a bit (I think) and it's snapped on the bottom. I'm somewhat scared of doing jobs like this, so a nice guide with pictures would be awesome.