MY 93 L CAV 1.8 LS

[btcctroy]

I had nothing but issues when i switched to comma years ago. Asda for 4litre tubs of castrol for £12 at the minute. As for the sump around 30-40 quid will see you a new one. but i know what you mean about money being tight though. The 1.8's should only take 4litres anyhow. As for the exhaust manifold and downpipe are the bolts seized / rounded off?

What problems did you have with comma oil. Day to day driving should be fine, probably better oil than the basic asda castrol oil. Castral magnetec is a bit better. Im a Mobil 1 oil fan as it states on my car . Millers oil is good as well.
My opinion is older the engine better the oil quality.

[Envoy CDX]

I had nothing but issues when i switched to comma years ago. Asda for 4litre tubs of castrol for £12 at the minute. As for the sump around 30-40 quid will see you a new one. but i know what you mean about money being tight though. The 1.8's should only take 4litres anyhow. As for the exhaust manifold and downpipe are the bolts seized / rounded off?

What problems did you have with comma oil. Day to day driving should be fine, probably better oil than the basic asda castrol oil. Castral magnetec is a bit better. Im a Mobil 1 oil fan as it states on my car . Millers oil is good as well.
My opinion is older the engine better the oil quality.

It was just too thin Troy, 10w40 was like 5w30 seemed cause knocking, particularly on my old 18SV, switched back to Castrol 10w40 and it was fine.

[btcctroy]

Probably more paranoia. If it knocks it knocks oil won't stop this.
Semi synthetic is thinner than mineral oil semi offers better protection.
Use Mobil 1 10 60 for a worn engine or if you go on track days.
Millers nano is the one of the best oils on the market

[GLC]

Well not much of an update as I haven't changed the oil yet with the weather and tbh I haven't really been going far in it apart from last weekend to see my dad. Though Im glad to say the engine is behaving itself at the moment. The cav hasn't been making the odd clunk noise etheir since the weather been bad ?

Had to pop out earlier for an appointment and it wouldn't start again. Been starting it and driving it round the block to keep it charged etc almost every day over the past weeks with the snow. 10 Mins on the charger and all was well. Im certain it's the battary at fault unfortantly I think it got damaged from the repeated jump starting/charging from helping my mate Jim get his Astra home with no alternator. My brother can get me a more heavy duty Yuasa battary for £45 all in. So I gunna have to get myself one soon I reckon.

Anyway the Cavs got the MOT tomorrow at 12.15pm. Im a worried man as can't afford a fail tbh etheir. So hope It does the business tomorrow as could do with some luck!

[iangsi]

Anyway the Cavs got the MOT tomorrow at 12.15pm. Im a worried man as can't afford a fail tbh etheir. So hope It does the business tomorrow as could do with some luck!

Good luck with the MOT

[GLC]

Anyway the Cavs got the MOT tomorrow at 12.15pm. Im a worried man as can't afford a fail tbh etheir. So hope It does the business tomorrow as could do with some luck!

Good luck with the MOT

Thank's I love to be able to give you all an answer on how it went but unfortantly the cav had other idea's as it won't start! So it hasn't even left the drive yet. Im still betting on the battary have had it on charge since midday today and just tried to start it again but it not having any of it. Put it on charge for 4 hours last night as well and it seamed fine. So my brother going to bring me a new battary tonight from his work and hopefully that will be that sorted. Have to wait till Monday now as they can't fit me in tomorrow for the MOT.

[Envoy CDX]

Keep us posted

[GLC]

Keep us posted

Well an update at last since Friday! Got the new battary fitted Saturday and pleased to say it fired up 1st time and so far so good so I think I was right unfortantly about the old battary getting damaged from before. Will see how I go of course but I think/hope I right about it.

An I did take the Cav yesterday for the MOT. After what felt like a lifetime and got the verdict, A fail on two items.

1. N/S Track rod end which I knew about anyway.

2. Emissions again! CO2 just over the max by 0.25 I think? The guy at the MOT thinks it will be a split hose etc or failling that he reckons the can of engine treatment they use will bring it down enough to pass.

So im taking it back today at 4.30 pm to get the track rod end sorted and hopefully get the emissons down enough for a retest an pass today as well.

[GLC]

Good news got the N/S track rod end sorted and a small split on a sleeved braded pipe was the cause of the high emissons. So with a new pipe all is well and I've now got myself another years MOT.

[Super89]

Good job

[iangsi]

Happy days.

[GLC]

Good job

Happy days.

Cheers and the other bouns is that the replacement pipe has improved the slight irractic idling the Cav sometimes has too I think!

[GLC]

Well just when I think things are looking up some b*stard hit an run the rear quarter and door on the drivers side.

Am seeing the police tomorrow to report it etc then I'll try and clean the damage up as best I can for now. Mainly scraped the paintwork and took it down to the metal on the arch. The rear side trim is damaged and I think the door handle has been too. I know once I've cleaned it up.

Im sorry it's not good news I'll try and get some updated pics of it up like I keep saying and unfortantly the damage too. Cue some crap rattle can effort from myself I suspect for the time being. Im proper wound up about it as I just don't need this on top of my other worries but I shall do my best to get it fixed asap.

[James McGrath]

What a bummer. Sorry to hear it.

Still, it could have been worse. Hopefully the door handle won’t be too much of a problem to fix if it is broken. Easier than fixing the front door handle at least.

[GLC]

What a bummer. Sorry to hear it.

Still, it could have been worse. Hopefully the door handle won’t be too much of a problem to fix if it is broken. Easier than fixing the front door handle at least.

Yer thanks the handle still operates ok just scratched the textured finish slightly though so will hopefully get a replacement along with the side trim. Think Im going to get some paint mixed up in spray can form and have a go at painting the damaged area myself if I get some indoor workspace or failling that some good weather! Been quoted by a local bodyshop £180 to paint the quarter and door which I can't afford at the moment. There is some filler thats cracked round the arch lip, so ground them areas out and I've put some more filler over the exposed metal but need to paint asap as it will draw in damp. The dogleg part of the arch has filler in too because of rust and could do with replacing with a new section but again just don't have the funds to get it done correctly. So will have to have another tempory repair.

Hopefully I can make a repair Im happy with.

[GLC]

Long time no updates! Still have my Cav happily and despite the lack of funds it be going fine hopefully that will change shortly with the funds issue.
Well in nearly a year it's been busy with a lads long weekend away standing out down to South Sea for a cheap get away. The Cav performed great with 4 up and a fully filled boot made me glad that I had the extra space etc.

In preparation and also to keep me happy my brother kindly arranged for the scrape to be fixed along with some new antiroll bar bushes that I've had for ages to replace the past it originals.
So nearly £300 later and a tyre it was looking and steering better. The repair job isn't A1 as the rear arch is rusty and really needs replacing but I wanted it looking the best I could before we went away.

So since then it turned a 185,000 and gained a couple of bits and pieces too. It has a set of GM wheel trim from Billing that looked like Vauxhall Cavalier Classic / Astra MK3 GLS Trims but have Holden logos on instead! Only found this out after but you hardly notice tbh and least Im prob the only person in the UK with a set on a Cav.

Also got a genuine oil filter, spark plugs and air filter for £10 which was a real bargain. Not fitted the plugs yet due to one of the leads falling apart when I tried. So had to get a single lead for now from the local motor factors. Can't seam to get decent leads for it. On it's 3rd set now in nearly 6 years they all keep breaking up?

I wanted a new Dissy cap and arm as well but I couldn't find the correct type at Billing and everyone else locally wanted £35 just for the cap which was too much as I only paid £20 for both last time. Luckly keeping an eye out on ebay paid off and bagged a cap for under £15.

The Cav Mot is up in a few weeks again so fingers crossed it will get through as it's looking like there could be some more welding required soon and my budget doesn't really stretch that far yet. Im not needing it for work so if it fails Im not desperate to keep it roadworthy so could always lay it up for a while anyway if I have too till I've got some more money.

Just have to see how I go and getting one new Tyre tomorrow before the Mot then after that's all done and dusted I plan on get another so I'll have a matching pair on the front. Be nice to get a matching set on this all round at some point as it never has in my ownership which I hate.

[Envoy CDX]

Nice update, glad to see you still have the cav

[GLC]

Nice update, glad to see you still have the cav

Thanks me too and good to see you still have one yourself Im sure that when your Cavs finished with all the skills and knowledge you've gain from the others it be a cracking motor.

Got myself a new Tyre a 175/70/R14 Avon £54 all in just need to get another for the front after the Mot is out the way as it's pulling slightly to the left with only one new tyre on. The current offside front tyre will become the spare and the worn out spare in the boot will get the new matching Avon for the front then.

It has a pair of excellent Michelin Van tyres on the back as my Dad gave them me for free off his Combo van as it has alloys on instead of the standard steels making these redundant.
The thing I noticed straight away is it improved the back end grip levels when pushing through corners now.

Also been having a issue with the radiator fan staying on instead of cutting out last year so thought I'd solved it with a new switch that I fitted in August but the problem still remained.
So been meaning to take another look at it. Am going to try another switch today hopefully that is the problem? The temp gauge and heater seam to be ok so can only assume the new switch is faulty at the moment.

The other thing to mention was over the Xmas holidays my brother is a Member of a Auto Test club. I went as passanger as per rules and back up with the Cav. An afterwards for a £1 donation towards a local Charity you could have a run. Now even though Im not a member myself I had a lap and my brother had a lap just to see who was best.

I did in 55seconds but my when my brother did his as we finished he said the brakes went spongy. Me thinking he was wrong and found to my disappointment he wasn't. Turned out a brake pipe had failed were it ran behind the petrol tank. An to add insult to injury he was 4 seconds quicker as well!

£50 later a local garage helped me out to get it sorted and back on the road.

Then as soon as I can in the next few weeks it's the dreaded Mot time again. Hopefully it will get through without any hassle then it's on with the other plans I have hopefully.

[Envoy CDX]

Glad to hear its rolling on strongly.

[GLC]

Little update. Got the Cav mot'd an thankfully it went through ok though there is a few jobs to get sorted before the next one. Got another new Avon sorted before the mot too. Tried a new Fan switch a few weekends back but to my horror the fan just wouldn't work at all. So bit the bullet and shelled out for a genuine Vauxhall thermostat and fitted it last weekend in between the rain showers. Much to my disappointment it didn't make any difference so decided to get a genuine fan switch as wasn't convinced about the aftermarket item. Sure enough after fitting it Tuesday night after work. The fan now works again fine. So tip don't bother with a aftermarket Intermotor fan switch like I used. Buy a genuine one and save yourself a lot of hassle and money!

[Envoy CDX]

Sometimes it's better to just buy genuine.

[GLC]

Hi all not much of an update other than completing a oil change last month at 187,032 miles though the engine now done well over 200,000 now.
I need to change the spark plugs soon with some genuine ones I picked up last year at Billing but need to get some decent leads first as the various one's I've had are quite frankly poor including Bosch being the worst lasting just 6 months anyone know / recommend a decent brand / source?

Then still got to get the back brakes looked at as there not as sharp as they should be and get a new lamba switch fitted hopefully this month.

[Envoy CDX]

With regards to HT leads, I don't know really. The Halfords own ones on mine have lasted a year so far - which is better than the BOSCH ones that were basically falling apart between services.

However, I am thinking about making my own set up at some point, can't be that hard.

[planetc]

We used to make our own at a garage I worked at when I was younger, roll of ht lead with lots of different crimp ends. Great if you can get the right ends

[GLC]

Update! Thanks for the tips / advice on the leads managed to sort out a set for just £10! Went to a local car show a week before Billing and my brother mentioned he seen some leads at a stall that were listed as fitting my car. So had a look an sure enough there were right. Unknown make though as they were unboxed but at that price I thought why not.

So last Sunday finally got round to fitting them along with 4 new Vauxhall spark plugs that I got last year from Billing. Bit of a stress doing the plugs as worry about the threads but hopefully it seams to have gone ok.

Car reached 189,000 now an nearly at 190,000 on the clock anyway as the engines done more just deciding if I'm keeping it another year or replace it at the mo but struggling to make my mind up.

Am tempted by a V6 Cav or perhaps a 2.0ltr ideally with lowish miles there again the old boy does me fine so we will see!