1994 Cavalier LSi C20NE (was C18NZ) Work-horse

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

Post by Robsey »

Hi All,

As it is me, I have to be a little different...
I am not new to the forum, so I can skip the intro bit, but I was asked to do a W.I.P. for my poor old Cavalier...

I'm affraid that I am a very bad person, as I haven't given it much TLC for about 3 years..not even a wash!! :o

A little history..
It was first registered on 1st August 1994
It was an ex-lease / hire car from Isleworth, west London.

I bought the Cav from Car-Craft in Rochdale (before they started ripping people off) with 23,000 miles on the clock, on 5th December 1995.

I bought it for my wife for £7,500...as a Christmas present.

Anyway in April 2001, my then regular car ( white Cavalier MkII 1300 base saloon) was getting a little too cream crackered, and so I began to use the car myself as my main run-about.

In September 2005, I decided that with 130,000 miles on the clock, it was unfair to give the car back, so I bought my long suffering wife a newer car.
A late March 2005 Vectra C 1.9CDTi 150 hatchback in a rather fetching metallic blue (could be any of Cornflower Blue, Energy Blue or Olympic Blue - there is little info about the colour)...again I bought this as a Christmas present, and in return I took ownership of the Cav. :D

So here are a few pics, which I must admit, make the car look quite tidy.

The Cav a couple of years ago.
cavlights.jpg
The Cav , late this afternoon
cavinmay10.jpg
I wil post more pics up shortly, with some of the common, and a "Only 1 off in the World" mod. Although, you have probably seen these in my other posts. ;)
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

So what mods have I done?

Well I have changed the dash twice...
From Standard clocks to a Digi-Dash in Blue,
and then to standard colour Digi-dash, as I fitted a Monochrome Graphic display with 39 yellow LED's in it....there was no way I was going to change them all to blue...nah easier to change the Digi dash to standard.

Standard Dash - I removed this in February 2009 with 207,000 miles on.
originaldash.jpg
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I went through a phase of all Blue LED Back-lit items...but I got bored of this by about October 2009.
Blu dash.JPG
Blu dash.JPG (42.86 KiB) Viewed 19018 times
And so I reverted to standard coloured Digi Dash- this is the same style as mine, but is from another forum / thread.
digidash1.jpg
digidash1.jpg (84.73 KiB) Viewed 19014 times
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

I also changed my Radio's several times,
The list is something like: -
Grundig SC303 Cassette Radio

A CD300, which is seen back lit in blue in the second photo above.

And finally in October, I completely hacked my dash panel to pieces, and fitted a Siemens VDO CD70 Navi from my wife's Vectra-C.

Here was the dash as seen in November 2009
nav2.JPG
nav2.JPG (25.03 KiB) Viewed 19014 times
As far as I am aware, this is the only Cavalier (or any other car pre 2004 with this unit fitted).

So then, with the arrival of good weather, I feel I should now make up a list of things to sort out....a very long list.

Engine Bay: -
1) Emissions problem, keep getting code 44 on the EML.

I have changed the MAP sensor, Coolant Temp Sensor, Checked the timing, changed the plugs (Bosch twin electrode), HT Leads, cleaned the amplifier connections and cleaned the rotor and dizzy cap.

2) Oil leak on rear crankshaft seal

3) Noisey clutch release bearing - loud ticking noise when the clutch pedalis pressed.

4) Oil cam housing, despite changing the gasket and cleaning the breather system (including a new gauze filter).

5) Alternator drive belt heavily cracked on multi-Vee - have a new one ready to fit.

Electrics: -

1) Central locking fault - passenger door and rear doors are non responsive to central locking.

2) Electric window switches difficult to operate - got a replacement ready to fit.

3) One-touch sunroof currently non-responsive to knob direction

Interior: -

1) Finish off / tidy up dash panel wher cigar lighter sits

Exterior Body

1) Requires new sills

2) Both rear doors are quite scabby

Fuel System

1) Fuel lines and tank required due to corrosion...
At the moment they are not leaking, but just a matter of time.

Think that's it, but probably not :)
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Forgot to mention my other mods

Cavalier Stuff: -

Front fog lights fitted - wired up properly.

Illuminated passenger sun visor only - I don't need a lit up mirror to put on make up - I don't wear any.

Rear Illuminated Grab Handles

Tow bar fitted

GSi Fuel Computer

Omega Stuff: -

One touch sunroof - with Blue back lighting

Variable wiper binnacle and relay (8 delay lengths)

Astra MkII GTE: -

Quasi-Analogue "Digi Dash" Conversion

Vectra-C: -

As detailed above - CD70 Navigation System with Monochrome Graphic Info Display.

Misc.: -

Nokia Bluetooth In-car device CK-7W, which diverts the telephone call through the front speakers. Not brilliant, but it works!
mods at a glance.jpg
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

looks good :) needs a goooood washing session :)
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Don't know if I dare wash it....

It's probably the muck holding it together :lol:
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

Robsey wrote:Don't know if I dare wash it....

It's probably the muck holding it together :lol:
Now now.. be positive :)
Get some Meguirs NXT Shampoo (can't miss it, it's purple) give it a goooooood wash :)
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by phalinmegob »

i would love a digi dash in mine..
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

phalinmegob wrote:i would love a digi dash in mine..
It is quite a time consuming job to do the conversion.
Took me a few hours to carve up a donor cavalier dash, from which you need the clear perspex panel, and the front black plastic panel.

You then need to remove most of the black surround, to allow the squarer digi-dash to sit in behind the clear / smoked perspex.

Then it took me about 4 or 5 hours to make up the connectors for the Digi panel and to fit it in the dash...all my wires are soldered, and double sleeved with heat shrink tubing.
I also had to put an extra bulb location in for the air-bag light.
If I remember correctly, I got the air-bag symbol off the donor cav screen, then glued it in the position used by the glow-plug light. Easy to transpose the wire for the airbag to the connector for the glow-plug.

This is mine from today...and yes, that mileage is correct.
I corrected the mileage on the odometer, just before I fitted to the Cav.
That was in February 2009, at 207,400 miles.
cavddmy10.jpg
I think it looks much better than the proper Cavalier digi-dash, only sold in mainland Europe
digicav3.jpg
Down to personal choice, I suppose.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

Yup, down to personal choice. I'm having a hard time deciding which clocks I'm going to use as a base, senetor / carlton or Astra.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Envoy CDX wrote:Yup, down to personal choice. I'm having a hard time deciding which clocks I'm going to use as a base, senetor / carlton or Astra.
I think the Senator / Carlton ones would be the best, as they should be of the highest spec from the options stated...

Then again, I've just googled a Senator Digi-Dash, and it looks almost identical to the Vectra-A (Cavalier) Digi Dash.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

This is the only visble corrosion on the car, although it has had 3 front ends on it.

None of them were my fault :)

It does need two sills though, as they have both been plated a few times due to the tin worm.
sillrot.jpg
Suppose overall it is quite rot free for it's age and mileage.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

That can be repaired without too much issue, or replaced with another door :) Sills shouldn't be hard to get hold of either.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

If I have the time, it is quite cheap for me to fit and weld on the two sills, however chances are, I will have to get my local garage to do it at approx £150 a side :(

I think the corrosion on the door is quite deep,so non-repairable without cutting out and patching-in.

It is probably best to find a scrapper..
It would be cheaper than buying a skin, fitting it and then getting it painted up.

It's a common colour, but not very common in the scrap yards...
13L - Polar Sea Blue metallic.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

Robsey wrote:If I have the time, it is quite cheap for me to fit and weld on the two sills, however chances are, I will have to get my local garage to do it at approx £150 a side :(

I think the corrosion on the door is quite deep,so non-repairable without cutting out and patching-in.

It is probably best to find a scrapper..
It would be cheaper than buying a skin, fitting it and then getting it painted up.

It's a common colour, but not very common in the scrap yards...
13L - Polar Sea Blue metallic.
You could have the door bottom made up, replaced and painted for the right side of £150. However if another Cav comes up in the right colour, that's always easier :)

£150 a side per sill!!! :O that with paint or with out?
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Envoy CDX wrote:
£150 a side per sill!!! :O that with paint or with out?
That is -
just drop the car off in the morning and collect again in the evening.
(Allows me to be lazy, I don't have to strip the car out etc)
Includes the sills, dressing of the welds, and then painting, but not in the blue...just in black.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

Robsey wrote:
Envoy CDX wrote:
£150 a side per sill!!! :O that with paint or with out?
That is -
just drop the car off in the morning and collect again in the evening.
(Allows me to be lazy, I don't have to strip the car out etc)
Includes the sills, dressing of the welds, and then painting, but not in the blue...just in black.
Include supplying the sills? Not so bad then, if you supply the paint will they colour it for you? :p

I'd strip the car out though, might get the price down a little.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

I don't mind doing the final colour coats myself....as long as it has been primed and painted to delay the onset of corrosion.

To be honest, I usually do strip out the car anyway...the only way to discover what looms are in the car.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

Robsey wrote:I don't mind doing the final colour coats myself....as long as it has been primed and painted to delay the onset of corrosion.

To be honest, I usually do strip out the car anyway...the only way to discover what looms are in the car.
I like that mentality.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

Robsey wrote:Yep...

I am MENTAL-ity....

I am a bit of a messer...always looking for something new to adapt or mess with!! :P

Also any redundant looms are good for making up cables for my odd-ball projects / ideas. :ugeek:
Yeah, I like to mess about with adapting looms :)
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

I smell a challenge there somewhere...

Mad looms and outlandish projects... :ugeek:

Then again, maybe I should just fix my existing looms and wiring.
Central Locking and one-touch sun-roof both need attention. :scratch

Oh and my emissions / running problems. :(
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

Little by little :)
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Right, todays update..

As you may know from my other main thread....about a MAF / MAP sensor.

I have been ongoing problems with my emissions.
It now appears that maintenance is more than long overdue on my engine.

I have been toying with stripping the head off my Cavalier to eliminate any induction / exhaust leaks.

Well the last few days have been a nightmare!!!

Yesterday I snapped an exhaust manifold stud... :(

Today, I noticed that my No4 plug was not screwed into its bore properly.

Probably why I am having such poor fuel economy at the moment.
Can only be running on 3 plugs, judging by how much the plug did not protrude into the combustion chamber.

I unscrewed it, cleaned the thread, and then screwed it back in...
The thread was unusually tight, and there was about 10mm of thread showing, which should have been inside the plug hole.!

I un-dit it again and concluded that the thread in the plug-hole had been cross-threaded. :wall
In the absence of a plug tap, I resorted to slotting the thread of the plug.
This is common practice to use the plug as a self tapping device.

This has worked for the time being, however I will now only be happy, if I strip the head off, and then extract the snapped stud, and to re-thread the plug-hole properly. :roll:

When driving home tonight, I couldn't get a good mpg, because the M60 was stuck at between 9 and 16 mph for my entire 15 mile journey.
However my fuel computer Range value rose from 44 to 50 miles at one point, so this would hint at a slight improvement.

Thankfully I am off on leave for two weeks in mid-June... So I know now what I am going to be doing.
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Envoy CDX »

Sound like progress :) get a spare head and work on it for a straight swap?
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Re: My 1994 Cavalier LSi 1.8CFi (C18NZ) Work-horse

Post by Robsey »

Definately worth considering...
Just depends on the finances at the moment

To add insult to injury, my tax is due at the end of the month £113 for six months or £205 for 12 months. :o

So now I need: -

Head gasket Kit with head bolts
2nd hand Cylinder Head
O2 / Lambda sensor
Anti-freeze...and other general sundries
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