Tim's 1992 'K' 1.8 GLS auto...

[Cavalier342]

Ye, I used to crawl under the back, rear of the car being help up by a cheap Toolstation trolley jack... how I never got killed I don't know. The seal went on it eventually but only after it wasn't used for a while.

[3cav3]

If I've got to crawl under a car I always slide a gas bottle under first so if it does fall the gas bottle would take the weight of half a dozen cars.

[tim130879]

I can now see why a few people have said how lucky I was to find the door trim in such good condition... apart from being screwed in (obviously after the scrape) I couldn't get it off for love nor money!

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

[Cavalier342]

That's weird, I didn't know those side strips were screwed or bolted in any way into the doors, I thought they were just bonded on with that super strong adhesive. Those holes almost look like someone drilled them by hand to secure the strip to the door. I know for a fact that when I removed a front nearside strip on my old early model Cavalier there were no screws at all holding it in place, it was just adhesive which started to come off so I tried to re-stick it back on with ultimate failure.

[tim130879]

No - that's what I meant. Someone obviously screwed it together after the trim had been bent slightly.

God the normal glue/stripes are like rock! lol

Not looking forward to another 3 hours just to get the rest of the glue off still stuck to the door

[3cav3]

If it's any help I've found a hair dryer and toffee wheel very good at removing the glue.

[tim130879]

Got the hair dryer (old garage hair dryer not the current bathroom variety lol) defo need a toffee wheel though

[3cav3]

Very cheap on eBay when I bought one a month ago.

[ilovedmymantas]

I removed a damaged strip cleanly by spraying with wd40, leaving 20 mins then going along it from the top with a plastic spatula, spraying repeatedly.
Took about an hour easing off and regularly respraying, time consuming but worth it luckily as most of the foam tape stuck to the trim. I've kept it because it shouldn't be too hard to straighten out. I think yours might be a bit beyond saving though. lol

Nail varnish remover will dissolve the foam quickly, the glue will take a bit longer.

Apply with a small brush to the foam, give it 2 or 3 minutes and wipe off with a rag till you're left with some of the glue.
Dip a rag in remover and rub till the glue's softened and all off. (plastic spatula will help here).
Wash down to remove any damaging chemicals.

The car's looking nice, those wheels look brand new

[Robsey]

I am not so sure about nail varnish remover.
Would it not (try to) dissolve the paint?

I tend to favour WD40, baby oil or brake cleaner.
They all soften glue beautifully.
Then when finished,
clean up with something petrol / parafin or alcohol (white spirit) based to remove excess oils / waxes from the surface -
to give the new strip a clean, dry non-greasey surface to stick to.

You can wax / polish the door skin 24 hours after fitting the trim, to protect it from the elements.

[tim130879]

I removed a damaged strip cleanly by spraying with wd40, leaving 20 mins then going along it from the top with a plastic spatula, spraying repeatedly.
Took about an hour easing off and regularly respraying, time consuming but worth it luckily as most of the foam tape stuck to the trim. I've kept it because it shouldn't be too hard to straighten out. I think yours might be a bit beyond saving though. lol

Nail varnish remover will dissolve the foam quickly, the glue will take a bit longer.

Apply with a small brush to the foam, give it 2 or 3 minutes and wipe off with a rag till you're left with some of the glue.
Dip a rag in remover and rub till the glue's softened and all off. (plastic spatula will help here).
Wash down to remove any damaging chemicals.

The car's looking nice, those wheels look brand new

Thanks - yeah I think the old strip is a bit beyond saving lol. I was really lucky with the wheels. The car came with 2 real badly cracked old tyres, so I set £100 aside just for 2 budget tyres to keep it safe. I always wanted to find a set of Fanblades to put on it at some point anyway.

The very evening I was going to order the new tyres online I saw these Fanblades; including at least half tread left tyres on them, plus they'd been refurb'd (not 100% but you have to look close to see their not perfect) for £250!! So basically the full set cost me £150 extra! Well worth paying it.

[ilovedmymantas]

I am not so sure about nail varnish remover.
Would it not (try to) dissolve the paint?

It would.
I wouldn't leave it on to remove the trim (I'd still use wd and do it the slow way) but it'll dissolve the foam & glue pretty quickly when the trim is off.
The remover is diluted acetone which is water soluble so It'll wipe off with wet cloth.

[tim130879]

Hi guys, hope everyones ok?
Sorry not posts recently - ill health has gotten in the way from doing anything productive, especially atm.

Have a few piled up questions if everyones ready?

[Robsey]

Hope you are fighting well against your illness.

Okey doke -
Fire away with those questions.

[tim130879]

Yeah I'm feeling much better thanks Robsey - funnily enough would do after finding out one of my meds I was having an allergic reaction too - at least 8 weeks after first taking it!! lol

Anyways...… front windows. Both work intermittently (which I knew about so no biggy). They either both work together or not at all. So now trying to sort, and bearing in mind me and car electrics don't mix... thought best to ask.

Centre consul out, cleaned connectors, took massive, really loose yellow plug off, tried connecting green and black connectors directly into housing. Nothing.

Some have said 'crimpred' wires in door shuts, where loom goes into door through large black wiring tube. Played around with, fettled, etc etc. If it was one window at a time then I get there maybe a worn wire some where, but as they do, or don't, work at the same time time, that can only be traced back to the switch surely?

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

[Cavalier342]

Good to hear you're still around dude.

Not sure, sounds like either a dodgy switch unit or a short somewhere. Just wondering if you tried checking the voltage at different connection terminals to see if anything is drawing power when it shouldn't be?

[tim130879]

Thanks mate

No I haven't got anything like that to test it - plus I wouldn't have a clue what I'm doing any ways.

Thought I'd ask just in case I'm missing some thing really obvious lol

[Cavalier342]

Robsey could probably tell you in his sleep which wire goes where.... And even a basic voltage tester will do the trick. As far as I know, there should be a permanent live going to the switch buttons, all the other wires are probably for the other functions, like being able to open the windows with the driver's door open without turning on ignition, auto-closure where you close the windows with the door lock, illumination bulbs in the switches, etc.

[Robsey]

Quick question...

Do the windows work with the ignition on.?
(The switches should illuminate when the windows are live).

Do the windows work with the driver's door open?

The windows should work with the driver's door open.

The windows should remain powered up after you turn off the ignition, until you open, and then close the driver's door.

[Robsey]

Red wire is permanent live to the switch panel.
0.75mm csa wire leading from fuse 30 for front windows.
Goes to green plug (x40) pin 4

Black is ignition live to the switch panel.
0.75 csa wire from fuse 12 to black plug (x39) pin 5

Grey wire is door trigger to the switch.
0.75 mm csa wire to green plug (x40) pin 2

So if ignition live does not light up switches, then first choice would be to check fuse 12...
But a lot of other ignition live items rely on fuse 12 to work. Such as the radio, dual info display / board computer.

The weakest wire is usually the grey door trigger wire, which is known to become damaged between the driver's door frame, and the centre console.

[tim130879]

Hi guys - hope everyone's well?

Windows still a mystery but when everything's calmed down I'm just going to get a new switch.

Been busy doing other little jobs though. Been dreading exploring this corner but wasn't as bad as I thought it may have been. Not the best repair but at the moment will have to do. And shouldn't get to much worse over the next few months.

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

[Cavalier342]

Good job on that, it's common for the battery tray to rust out as it loves to hold water there. plus endless leaves, dirt and muck, ideal conditions for rust to develop. While you're there, it's well worth removing that 13mm bolt which is at the earth point and all the wire ring terminals which attach to it. Give them a good wire brushing.

[tim130879]

Yeah so I was told, hence me dreading looking there lol. Still could be worse; one guy sent me a pic of what he found......

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

[Cavalier342]

That's just decades of neglect. If it's kept in check, it shouldn't ever get that bad.

[tim130879]

I know thats really bad isnt it? lol
Got myself a DA polisher as well. Been promising myself one for ages. Should have brought one years ago!

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr

Untitled by CaptainTimbo, on Flickr