Squig's CDX v6; WIP

[Squig]

35mm on Avo setup with 17" Dotz alloys clad in 205/40's

[Cavyman_130]

it sits quite low for a -35mm drop, I know the V6 pushes the front down but the back sits good, especially with the 17's on it. hmmmmm you got shocks and springs on it? just looking at options for dropping my v6.

what mods you got done to yours?

[Squig]

in the suspension dept.?
It's an old Avo chassis dynamic shocks and springs set... one of the few off the shelf mods. New poly bushes will arrive as and when.
There's a spare rear ARB waiting in the wings for fitment in addition to the existing one.

[Squig]

as promised

[Cavyman_130]

where about did you get your Avo set up mate? how do you find it? is it a hard set up or soft? cheers mate

[Squig]

The last place I saw it was POTN.co.uk but I've not seen it since... I think they've split off from KYB who provided the shocks. However you can get KYB shock and Avo springs separately...

The setup is firm but not hard, she absorbs bumps and so on nicely at motorway speeds and corners much better than a standard setup with far less roll. Highly recommended and the 2nd car I've owned with these make of shock/springs.

[Cavyman_130]

iv heard about these kyb shocks, they better than the black bilstein shocks?

[Squig]

Wouldn't know mate, never used bilstein... used Gmax (???whatever they're called???) and driven on Spax setup and KYB/Avo offer a much less harsh and choppy feel.

Spoke to Gaz and he reckons they are easily on a par with billy blacks but in fasirness it's the Avo springs that govern the stiffness and largely body roll (before changing ARBs etc)

[Cavyman_130]

iv got a set of springs here but have no idea what make they are, came off my mates V6 cav, just toying with the idea of different options.

been looking through your thread, noticed you have done changed the lower inlet for the omega item? did you match the lower manifold to a larger inlet or have you kept that the same?

[Squig]

unchanged ATM

[humbucker]

nice to see some progress squig, wondered if you were taking a break from the cav?!

[Squig]

Never have taken a break as such as run out of ideas... both with various leaks and what left to improve, only thing left to repair is a minor oil seepage from the sump.
Considering re-changing the gasket and totally redoing it. However other bits I'm looking out for are; self darkening rear mirror and anti-glare wing mirrors... and maybe I'll sort the aircon.

[Squig]

Well, well, well... Had a little issue with el Cav this week, in the form of noisy front wheel bearings. They'd gone a little clunky, so tightened them up today and took her for a short run out to make sure they were good... and the aux belt decided to give up and shred itself.

Bugger...


I have a spare but it's still an arse! Can't change it tonight as got to go out for a meal so my poor cav is out of service again. Think I've got to the point in the cav's life were she'll need some TLC (changing most of the old bits) again. Ahhhh well...

[humbucker]

i had no end of issues trying to service my aux belt. couldnt find one the right length at all, then i was told vx stopped servicing the one the 'old' length and now you can bypass a pulley or two and use a newer shorter length item. do you know which one you used/will use as a fellow v6 owner id like to know if you have the same problems i did or do you already know the replacement item number? i ended up with three at one point and sent them all back, put the original back on!!

[Squig]

I ordered my the one for the CDX equipped with aircon, non genuine from my part supplier. So it should be a winner, but I'll fire up some info soon... It would have to be pissing down today thou!

[Squig]

well since last time said belt was demolished (see this thread) and a new one has been fitted, along with an old pump... the intent is to pop down to Bearing Services later on and get new seals and bearings for the original and rebuild it.

In the mean time however I found an old bit of money saving kit in my shed...



My old CB26-P valve toted to save fuel, improve throttle response and reduce emissions, etc etc etc... however, and this is the interesting bit, it works! Kind of... when I had it fitted to the old C20XE in the GTE I did notice a tiny improvement in fuel economy and it never failed it's emission test, so I'm thinking what the hell, it's sat in a drawer for 3 year and done nothing so I'm going to fit it to the v6 tomorrow.

Current average mpg over the last 200 miles of round town and motorway driving at a not particularly gentle rate has given just under 30mpg (not particularly gentle hence the other thread about a broken car) so hopefully I'll get a small improvement.

[Robsey]

I used to see these advertised every month in "Car Mechanics" magazine

They seemed to agree that it worked.

Would be nice to see what level of improvement you get from it.

Not quite sure how it does it though.

Being a very clever technical chap, I'm sure you will know exactly how it works.

[Squig]

I know the principle... basically to save fuel it agitates the air and gets a cleaner burn, hence also providing the emissions improvement.

[Envoy CDX]

Funky stuff so v6 all running well again?

[Squig]

ish... the new pump whines like a slapped puppy, and after the last episode I'm very tentative with the loud pedal but other than that and needing a new battery (I'm using a 1.8 at the moment and although it starts her it's slowly perishing) she's running fine. Still embarrassing expensive BMWs and Mercs, I have found a new way of annoying them onto motorways;

1. Follow said expensive new car onto said motorway and match them for acceleration, whilst keeping a safe distance (let's not be stupid)...
2. Hold the same distance until other driver is irritated by cheap ol' Griffin that they can't get away from... (usually before the end of the slip road)...
3. Sail past using the rest of the power that up to this point you haven't been using...
4. Have passenger wave.

Very entertaining and if done right doesn't break any laws... beautiful...

I digress, I do have a list I'm working through, and number one is finally sorting the damn oil leak. It leaks 2 drops a day, but the engine underside is caked in crap so first port of call is borrowing a steam cleaner and removing all the crud. Like you Envoy I need to do something simple that will see instant benefits, to restore my faith... and get the bimmer off the drive.

That needs the electrics sorting but I can't test the electrics till the engine and gearbox is built, but the engine and gearbox get in the way of the electrics... bloody catch 22 situation.

[Envoy CDX]

I feel your pain, it's an issue when things continue to keep going wrong, however - bonus side is that your can see the light at the end of the tunnel.

[TurboDan]

He can see the light through the tunnel but thats only because he hasn't fitted the gearbox in it yet......

[Squig]

Some pics of the filter + valve in place...

[Squig]

Very funny Dan...

[Squig]

Well the strut top rubbers, bearings and track rod ends have all been renewed this week and she has been all tracked up today (-2 degrees toe). Results are very good and she drives straight and true under both acceleration and braking.

I'm back to driving pleasure again, only minor concern is that I think the springs aren't seated properly atm so she is a little clunky over speed bumps. Tomorrow she's going to have the wheels off again and the springs can be fiddled back into the seats correctly.

Oh... and I found a major issue with the passenger side front tyre, pics to follow (when I've done the last bits) but essentially it's worn down to the canvas on the inside edge rather to quickly for my comfort. So the original alloys have been recalled into service with plenty of tread on the old tyres, they required cleaning and resealing, at the same time I took the opportunity to have them inflated with nitrogen.

Oh and the chaps at Selecta Tyres; fantastic bunch of fellas, once my cav had been sorted the assistant manager took Emma and I out for a spin in his V8 Audi S8... deceptively quick and sooooo smooth for a big auto land yacht. I'd recommend them to anyone.