James' 1993 Cavalier LS

[Lowrider Dave]

Nice write up, good photos too. Where did you get the sump plug from please?

[James McGrath]

Nice write up, good photos too. Where did you get the sump plug from please?

Thanks!

I got it from my eternal friend, eBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301126562811? ... 1497.l2649

[James McGrath]

Finally got the engine steam cleaned yesterday.
I've been talking about doing it for years but finally plucked up the courage to get it done, and I'm glad I did!


As you can see in my previous photos and in these, there was 21 years worth of burnt on oil to get rid of:




Whole thing only took about 20 minutes:




And the results are amazing!




I also had the roof and boot lid machine polished too as the original paint was looking a bit tired compared to the new paint on the sides and bonnet:




It only cost £20 for the steam clean and an extra tenner for the polish. Just needs to be finished off by hand now.

[Cavalier342]

Very good, I left my blocks coated in oil as I find if the car is stood for any length of time, the casing tends to develop a white mouldy coat..... Especially if it's been cleaned or scrubbed..

Good deal though on the work..

[Lowrider Dave]

Nice write up, good photos too. Where did you get the sump plug from please?

Thanks!

I got it from my eternal friend, eBay.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/301126562811? ... 1497.l2649

Cheers!

[Lowrider Dave]

Car looks lovely and clean!

[Envoy CDX]

I'm always dubious about steam cleaning, not sure why..
Looks better though

[James McGrath]

I'm always dubious about steam cleaning, not sure why..
Looks better though

Yeah so was I.

It was really the only way to get all that crud off though. I'd phoned several dealers about it and they all said it would take them hours and would cost a bomb.

[James McGrath]

I deployed my secret weapon for Billing today!




Spot the difference.

Before:




After:




I also did some of the waxing and all of the plastics and tyres as well as finishing off the engine bay by hand:








The wheel trims are proper 1993 LS ones which she would have left the factory with rather than the 1993 GLS/1994 LS ones which were on there before.
I think I actually prefer the old ones but they were getting a bit tatty anyway and it's one step closer to my ultimate goal of a factory fresh car.

Pretty much all ready now. The only thing that can go wrong now is the weather... which probably will, in which case all my efforts are in vein. Oh well!

[Metallicav]

one step closer to my ultimate goal of a factory fresh car.

It's amazing the work you've put into the LS it's also good to see your keeping it standard, that was my plan for my 95 LS as everything was standard but I seem to keep going over the top and I'm now only keeping it oem+ haha. Hopefully it'll be as immaculate as yours

[Envoy CDX]

Loving it.

[James McGrath]

I can't believe I haven't already posted this up as I got this done back in early August!

But anyway, at long last I replaced the bonnet!

I managed to find a genuine GM one on eBay still in original packaging:




So it was off to the sprayer once again, and yes, a bonnet will fit in the back of a Cavalier hatchback!




Goodbye two badges...




Ahh, clean respectable looks at last:




I haven't been taking as many photos as I used to but I took the opportunity to take these today in the dry weather:


















It always brings a tear to my eye when I drive her now. I don't do it often enough.

[Cavalier342]

Looks nice mate and I am proper jealous of that showroom you have outside

[James McGrath]

Looks nice mate and I am proper jealous of that showroom you have outside

Thanks.

Actually living with it though isn't as good as you think.

I think the optimum amount is two.

[Cavalier342]

Looks nice mate and I am proper jealous of that showroom you have outside

Thanks.

Actually living with it though isn't as good as you think.

I think the optimum amount is two.

You've no idea what my optimum amount is!

[Lowrider Dave]

Looking nice James!

[TurboDan]

Sooooooooooooooo much better! That extra badge has been letting it down from day one.

[Envoy CDX]

That looks pretty damn amazing James!

[GLC]

Just keeps getting better and better James ! Your time an dedication is a great mojo boost for me whenever I see your updates.

Agree having a fleet can be a strain not just on the wallet. Me and my brother are about to add a 5th though it more his for a daily but if long as you can enjoy it for the most part it certainly worth it for me.

[James McGrath]

I can't believe it's been 8 months since my last update!
I've been really busy with work since I graduated from University in May last year and haven't really been paying much attention to the cars.

Well the ol' girl is still with us and going strong. I've not been driving her much, in fact it's got to the point where the battery has time to go flat in between me using her.

It was recommissioned for frontline service for a few weeks back in April as I had to take the Diplomat off the road due to a leaky header tank, but apart from that it only gets taken out for pleasure jaunts.

Anyway, it's that time of year again and her MOT is coming up and then it's of to Billing and Beaulieu shortly afterward, so I thought I'd better get my act together.

This time I've been on the warpath against O2 sensors; the Diplomat, CD manual and now the LS have all had their O2 sensors replaced with new BOSCH parts and they all needed it too.
The Diplomat and CD manual both had an intermittent engine light coming on with O2 sensor fault codes and the LS exhaust fumes were smelling distinctly rich.

New sensor for the LS:




Always think it's strange these ones have only 1 wire. Must ground themselves out through the exhaust I suppose:




All fitted and working great! Already noticed a difference in fuel economy. It made a big difference to the other two so hopefully I will see similar results with the LS.




This is the state of the old one. LS one the left, CD on the right. Bit worried about the white deposits in the LS's one, hopefully nothing serious:




I've got a few more things to get done before the MOT. I need a couple of new tyres at the front, I've decided to go for some Continental eco contact 5s this time around, ending a 15 year run of using noting but Michelins. They are being fitted on Friday. I've also got some new Track rod ends in the post as they have seized and need doing.

Apart from that there's not much to report so I'll leave you with a few snaps after her wash today:




BOSCH O2 sensor part number for C16NZ2 and C18NZ engines:

LS50311

[Envoy CDX]

Very nice indeed James!

[humbucker]

Welcome back, James! Nice to see that the ol' buses are still going strong!

My 'Royce is equipped with a handy battery isolator switch. I'm going to fit one to the MV6, Cavalier etc. due to the amount of time that they're left standing (I currently remove the battery terminals when the cars are not in use). Your post suggests that you could do with something similar. This one comes with optional feed to keep radio etc. fed:

http://www.richbrook.co.uk/dis-car-nect ... f-switch90

[James McGrath]

Very nice indeed James!

Thank you!

Welcome back, James! Nice to see that the ol' buses are still going strong!

My 'Royce is equipped with a handy battery isolator switch. I'm going to fit one to the MV6, Cavalier etc. due to the amount of time that they're left standing (I currently remove the battery terminals when the cars are not in use). Your post suggests that you could do with something similar. This one comes with optional feed to keep radio etc. fed:

http://www.richbrook.co.uk/dis-car-nect ... f-switch90

What a great piece of kit. Think I might get a 2 of those.
Thanks!


The first fuel economy results are in. 42.81 miles per gallon!
No too bad considering I spent a large chunk of that stuck in rush hour traffic and the rest on country lanes.
The O2 sensor is defiantly doing it's job, it was averaging in the mid 30s before.

Also just had my 2 new front tyres fitted today. Very happy with them, more on that in my next update!

[James McGrath]

Well not an awful lot has happened since my last update. I did however, finally get round to fixing the drivers electric window today.

It's been slow ever since I can remember but about a year ago it finally gave up and stopped working all together. After a bit of trouble shooting with a multimeter, I eliminated the possibility of both faulty switches and faulty wiring. So it had to be either the motor or the regulator.

Luckily, there was an early spec motor/regulator assembly going cheep on eBay from a 1990 SRi:




Not looking too bad back here considering it has been opened up dozens of times over the years:




I was dreading having to replace the whole assembly but luckily I just swapped the regulator unit over gave the switch a test and bam... Nothing happened, the battery was flat! So a quick jump start from the Diplomat later and for the first time in probably 15 years the window was working perfectly!




Even better once I'd greased up all the runners:




Here's the old unit. I can't work out what was wrong with it, looks ok to me. I'm guessing moisture got to it or one of the 23 year old capacitors has blown:




After that there was only one thing for it; a quick blast around the country lanes with the window open! Huzzar!

[James McGrath]

Garage clear out part 1

Not really part of the LS's WIP, but I suppose here is as good a place as any.

Made a start on clearing out the garage yesterday. The left side of the garage was a complete mess and has been for the last 20 years. Believe it or not but there are still boxes of stuff in there left over from our last house move!




Well it's a start, even if I have just moved things around a bit.

There's light at the end of the tunnel!




Floor was filthy, as you can expect. Don't think it has ever been swept on this side.




A bit more shuffling around and hay presto!
Bin that car cover and cue the epic orchestral music because the LS is now officially garaged!




Ok so it's a bit of a tight fit, but still, better than nothing right?

Done just in time for the worlds biggest rain storm...




Wait and minuet, stop the celebrations and hold your horses because I've still got all this to deal with...



...In part 2!