1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

One additional job is to fix a peeling head-lining.

It is delaminating at the sides where it slots behing the door seals, and it has curled back right across the top of the windscreen.
I have used fabric glue to good effect on most of the driver's side, but still have about 2/3 of the front edge to sort, including all the passenger side upto the driver's side edge of the interior rear view mirror.

Just for good measure, it is raining into my load area.
I think this is because the seal does not meet above the locking latch... there is about an inch gap.
I am sure I have some spare seal strip somewhere, so another task when time allows.

I think that the gap in the seal has been there since I bought the car in December 1995. It does not appear to have changed in gap size in all those years.
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Mk3alan
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mk3alan »

My headlining was coming away at rear corners and above sunblinds. Tried to stick it back but the vinyl outer skin had shrunk!
Pulled it all off which made quite a mess, made good what was left of the foam and gave it 2 coats of PVA to firm it up. Had some Matt emulsion mixed to colour and applied 3 coats with a 4 inch artex sponge type roller after removing all trim and fittings from roof.
Sounds like it could look a mess but it really came out well!

Alan
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Indeed -

I think my head-lining only started to peel when it was stood for 18 months during the restoration process.

The whole car must have got damp as there was mold everywhere - even on the steering wheel.

Regular running since then, appears to have solved the dampness issue.
So after a good clean, all mold etc has stayed away.

With regards my head-lining, where I used pva-like fabric glue, it has stayed bonded in place, so I will simply glue the rest as time and weather permits.

After I refit my instrument surrounds and steering wheel cowlings, I will call the car sorted for now interior wise.

Next job really should be the timing belt -
Not silly pratting about with the interior.
Ha ha.
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

The quickest job ever - but very satisfying.

Since getting the car back on the road in March, one minor niggle has been nagging at me.
However with the recent onset of cold weather, I finally decided to address it.

The niggle was wind noise behind my head around the driver's side 'b' pillar.

Usual source of the noise is a tired door seal.
So just as I was about to get into the car for my journey home from work, I suddenly got the urge to look at fixing it.

On closer inspection, I noticed that the front corner of the rear door frame was not pressing tightly upon it's seal.

So -
Open the rear door,
wind the rear window down,
Grab the front corner of the frame whilst holding the door open with my legs,
And a couple of careful tugs on the frame "pulling inward"..... a couple of creaky crackle noises as the metal of the frames flexes very slightly.
Close the door - and yippee a tightly sealing door frame.

Total time, about 15 to 20 seconds.
:cool

Driving home, I got the impression that the car was warmer and quieter by my head.

Now the caution bit!! :no
If you have a similar issue, just be careful how hard you pull on the frame.
They are the weakest part of the car both structurally and from a security point of view.
You also have the rear window glass here, and my fear was that I could over stress and crack the glass pulling on the door.
Or if you are king kong, you could smash it completely.
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Okay -
I put all my dash plastics back on today at lunchtime, with a view to having nothing to do until spring. :cool

Oh how wrong I was!!
The Cavalier had other ideas. :no

I went to see my sister at work in a neighbouring village where the locals inter-breed and talk strange.
This village is a mass of steep hills and dimly lit stone houses.

So sets off down the hill and attempts to turn round as the road was closed for repairs.
Suddenly found that I couldn't get any gears and the clutch became very heavy.

Then the dreaded clutch cable snapped.
Bugger!! :wall
The only way out was back up the steep hill.
So I had to turn the car off, select first then crank and rev...
Managed to nurse it the 3 miles home in heavy tea time traffic.

Couldn't get any gears when moving even though I used to be a dab hand at "crashing the gears".
So every stop junction was an engine off, select first, crank and gas..
Ocasionally 3rd would let me shove the gear stick in, but none of the even gears.

At this point, I feel like scrapping the thing, despite how much I have spent on it.
:pram

I will calm down in a few hours.
I just hate the prospect of wasting another 2 1/2 hours fitting another cable. :?
Let's hope Sunday is warm and dry. :roll:
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mazza »

Damn....!

But entertaining to read - thanks!
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

I should point out that my sister isn't an inbreed...
She just works in a town full of 'em.
Ha ha.

Aye - the joys of Cavalier ownership.
They take your love and committment -
And they pay you back with another challenge.

Last time, it snapped at the release arm end.
Today it has snapped at the pedal end.

You've gotta love 'em.
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Mk3alan
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mk3alan »

I appreciate your pain!
Happened to me on a previous Astra just as I got home, 'lucky' or what.
Have always carried a spare cable in the Cavalier since although the prospect of changing it wherever it broke wouldn't be welcome.

Alan
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James McGrath
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by James McGrath »

Happened to me in the LS once too.
I just called the AA. Guy came along, fitted a new cable on the spot in about 20 minutes and I was on my way.

Get a new clutch fitted Rob. If it's that heavy then it needs replacing.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Lowrider Dave »

Amusing write up but not an amusing situation. Cav's always have a way of reminding you that as soon as you do one thing, then it'll present something else to work on!
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Just sorting my finances at the moment so that I can afford to do the whole job.
The restoration damn near bankrupted me - ha ha.

I was thinking of doing both at the same time anyway.
Don't want to fit a new cable and then watch that fail due to the heavy clutch.

Strange thing is, the clutch is okay when the engine is cool and at normal operating temperature.
When it gets close to 100°c such as when I have been sat in traffic, in the tea time rush-hour, it gets very heavy.

I like my posts to be light hearted - I still have a long way to reach Dave's level of humour though. That is simply awesome.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mazza »

Indeed - always a good read - we've all been there...!

Is worth putting on a heavy duty clutch & cable... ??
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mk3alan »

Heavy duty clutch cable?
Is that one where not 'all' the strands have broken!

Alan
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Robsey
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Mk3alan wrote:Heavy duty clutch cable?
Is that one where not 'all' the strands have broken!

Alan
:scratch
Nope that is one that still works - albeit not for much longer.
tee hee.
I suspect a heavy duty cable would be one that is made of a stronger, thicker inner cable for added tensile strength.
The potential problem with that would be that the release arm may fail first instead. Not common, but not unheard of.

The one I fitted was a OEM standard LUK clutch, approx 36,000 miles ago. (In summer 2011 when I fitted my C20NE engine).
I don't drive crazy so heavy duty clutch should not be needed.
I don't "Drive Miss Daisy" either -
I usually get about 3 x that from my clutch installations - and I am sure that they were all LUK units.
It was fine until the car went into painting, so I am assuming that the release shaft or the diaphragm have become contaminated by being stood in often damp and / or dusty conditions for about 18 months.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Lowrider Dave »

Robsey wrote:I still have a long way to reach Dave's level of humour though. That is simply awesome.
You flatter me sir *elaborate Elizabethan bow and flurry of hat*
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Having spoken to a technician at work who was Vauxhall mechanic in Bolton many years ago -
He advises that the very heavy clutch under hot running is due to the pressure plate becoming heat damaged.

It is well known on many mk2 Nova SRs and mk2 Astra GTEs.
Hmm performance models -
but as said, I am not a boy racer type. I grew out of that 20-odd years ago.

So Sunday's weather was very cold, wet and windy... so rain stopped play.

Oh well - back in the Vectra-C again.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Okay - had a useful day for a change today.

Spent an hour sorting the wife's Vectra-C cdti engine.
A mere matter of removing, cleaning and refitting the EGR valve, boost sensor and pollen filter.
A quick clear of trouble codes via OpCom and the car is now back to very rude good health.

Then it was to my car...
The dreaded clutch cable.
Lived up to it's usual nightmare reputation.

The fault was indeed with the cable but it had not snapped :scratch

Turned out the plastic sleeve through the bulkhead had broken away from it's location flange.

Image

Image

Took me well over an hour to get the hook out of the clutch pedal. :wall
Accidentally I pinged the return spring too far out of it's location up against the cable end -
Fitting a spare Quinten Hazel clutch cable soon done. But could I get that return / retaining spring back in it's hole?
Could I 'eck as like. :oops:
Cable adjusted for smooth engagement of gears. Way higher pedal height than Vauxhall specification, but the car is now driveable.
I will set it properly when the cable has had chance to stretch.

The bonus bit is that the clutch is now really light. Whoop whoop!!

And another little job.
I fitted my missing grille top rubbers.
Thanks to Dave for selling them at the perfect time. :thumb
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mazza »

Nice job mate - painless...

Won't be long before you get a queue lined up,... so who's next...?
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Not a chance.
I hated doing it last time.

I still have the spring to relocate.
But it's working fine at the moment.
As long as the cable end does not slip out of it's location.

It was a pig to get out, so hopefully won't just slip out by accident.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Two items to mention today..

1 - After a long boring drive in heavy traffic around the M60, the car frequently got up to full running temperature.
The clutch pedal remained light and easy to press throughout the journey.

It is nice to drive the car without the fear of pulling a muscle or snapping a tendon in my left hip. :D

2 - Today sees the milestone of 22 years since I bought the car for the missus. :cheers :thumb :cheers
Purchased on 5th December 1995 for the wife's Christmas present for the sum of £7500. :santa :raindeer :santa
(Not much more than the cost of the recent restoration - probably less when I finally get the wheels refurbed and other minor jobs sorted in late spring, early summer 2018.)
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mazza »

Congrats mate.

20 plus years, ... damn!!

Longest I've had a car is 5-6 years and even then it's hard to let it go...
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Mk3alan »

You beat me Robsey!
Bought mine in October 1996 - just been made redundant and used some cash to buy mine, £3750 if I remember correctly.
Took the car with the lady of the deceased husband for a test drive. No tax/mot/dark and missed a junction and ended up on M25! altogether an excellent test drive - I think the lady thought I was kidnapping her!

Alan
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Mazza wrote:Congrats mate.

20 plus years, ... damn!!

Longest I've had a car is 5-6 years and even then it's hard to let it go...
Since meeting the wife we have always had Vauxhalls. And all for many years.

First a 1987 mk2 13S base saloon Cavalier - 1989 to 2007.
Then -
1994 Mk3 Cav C18NZ LSi hatch - Dec 1995 onward.
Then -
2005 Vectra-C Z19DTH Energy hatch - Oct 2005 onward.

As regards letting go - I knew the Cavalier was really ready for thr scrapper, and I had got my head around letting it go in spring 2015. It was my eternally wise missus who convinced me to bankrupt myself by getting the Cavalier restored.

Looking back - I would have loved to have got the Mk2 Cavalier done up instead.
What a brilliant car... my most favourite ever. But alas it had already met the crusher in November 2007.
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by cavalier1990 »

Well done on keeping it that long Robsey, very committed cav nut you are :)

Made me think how long I've had mine, lets see. got it in Aug 2008, so nearly 10 years. Previous one was the 2.0 li from 2001 - 08.

Cav nut 2 :)
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Re: 1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

I think that I am totally bonkers for giving the car a second chance.
Not a very astute decision in monetary terms.

I would never see 15% of the money that was spent, if I ever chose to let the old girl go to a new home.
However, I cannot see me ever letting her go.

I hope that all future posts will be stress free detailing or fun modifications.

Fingers crossed. / Cavalier permitting.
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