Mikes 2.0 Gls

[Cavalier342]

keep your headlight where it is, likelihood is it's kept the same beam pattern for MOT sake. Get a replacement obviously but keep the old one on for now. Then again you do need some proper lenses to match the indicators and the seals. Those dreaded seals.........

[Hayward691]

You say you got a Turbo rear panel lined up....
Before you spend your money and get shit on again....

If its a saloon rear panel, it WONT fit on a hatch!!!! been there... got the recipt

Whats wrong with your head light?
I might have a few bits kicking around... maybe got the bit you need.

Im having some very agro moments with my Cav atm... just got to stick with it

Oh, and if you break the clips... you can buy them of ebay...
Think i got a bag full somewhere :S

[Cavalier342]

It's the top mounting clip that snapped in half, Chris.
I've glued it back together and put a screw in it so it's tight in there. Never knew you could replace the clips though.

[Mikebmth]

You say you got a Turbo rear panel lined up....
Before you spend your money and get shit on again....

If its a saloon rear panel, it WONT fit on a hatch!!!! been there... got the recipt

Thanks Chris, saved me 60 quid very shortly before I was about to mail the guy!!, thought they would be much the same though..

Whats wrong with your head light?

Broken top clip mate, the one that runs up wing side on the top, sorry no pics as forgot to take cam with me when I left home!


Whats up with yours then Chris?? Did you lower it in the end??

[Mikebmth]

Was just browsing the bay and forgot I hadnt ordered my new rocker cover bolts so now got some nice shiny allen bolts on there way for a whole 3.99 I think it was with p&p..

Do these feckers snap as well???

I hope not as I really got to chance my rocker cover gasket as it pisses oil out all down the block!!

Trying to find a front splitter thats a bit different to the norm as well....Not much luck as yet thou...lol...

[Cavalier342]

I've got allen bolts on both my engines, they're polished stainless steel so you shouldn't expect any problems. The standard bolts are just damn right crap. Do you want a hand changing the gasket or are you DIY'ing it?

[Hayward691]

No worries mate, the bolt holes are almost the same, but the bottom ones are out by an inch, also... the shapping of the bottom is all wrong!!!
They do have the blank one for a hatchback, but they are like rocking horse shit!!!

I have snapped several of the top clips in my life... just used some no more nails style stuff and glued the clip to the head light

I havent had a chance to lower it further yet...
My fuel gauge has stopped working again
I think i have lost an engine mount
Need to change my cam belt before it snaps
Need to fit my rear Cam cover and a few other small issues LOL

We will get there one day!!!

[Mikebmth]

I havent had a chance to lower it further yet...
My fuel gauge has stopped working again
I think i have lost an engine mount
Need to change my cam belt before it snaps
Need to fit my rear Cam cover and a few other small issues LOL

We will get there one day!!!

OMG Chris, makes me feel a bit better about mine reading that list...lol

Have to meet up again soon mate!!

[Mikebmth]

I've got allen bolts on both my engines, they're polished stainless steel so you shouldn't expect any problems. The standard bolts are just damn right crap. Do you want a hand changing the gasket or are you DIY'ing it?

Will see how it goes mate!! Lol...

Need to get a petrol can though for cleaning the gauze in the top of the rocker cover, presume gasket is fairly straight forward and atleast once its done I can Gunk the engine as it looks orribles

[Cavalier342]

Gasket is easy enough, trickiest bit is shaving the old one off, or any remains that are left on the mating surface without dropping bits in the engine. I got a spare can laying around I think, not sure how much gas there is in it.

[Mikebmth]

Gasket is easy enough, trickiest bit is shaving the old one off, or any remains that are left on the mating surface without dropping bits in the engine. I got a spare can laying around I think, not sure how much gas there is in it.

Any tips for not getting bits in the engine???

And yes please Andrei, will pay for some petrol mate if you could bring can over...Or I can come to yours no problem..

[Cavalier342]

Gasket is easy enough, trickiest bit is shaving the old one off, or any remains that are left on the mating surface without dropping bits in the engine. I got a spare can laying around I think, not sure how much gas there is in it.

Any tips for not getting bits in the engine???

And yes please Andrei, will pay for some petrol mate if you could bring can over...Or I can come to yours no problem..

I'll come up to yours dude, just give me a call or text when you're ready. Main tip I can give is as you scratch off the remains, scratch away from the engine internals. Stanley blade works a treat. But it's easier to show rather than to tell.

[Mikebmth]

Nice one fella, will give you a bell when im back in Bomo then!!

[Mikebmth]

Time for a proper update and some pics!!

Right first off thanks Andrei for all the help mate!

First job was to get the totally fubar Rocker Cover Gasket off, surprisingly it actually all came off in one piece with no sheared bolts either thank feck!

Heres the old one:





Then guess what, we had a problem but for once it wasn't human error or my Cav slag. This time I can thank Vauxhalls local parts department who couldn't even supply a correct gasket.

No one had one either but thankfully GSF Autoparts ordered me the right gasket and got it in within 2 hours! I will be using them again and again as they were a real help and really do know there stuff.

Apart from doing these bits out came the Gunk spray and brushes and scrubbed the rocker cover gasket, inlet and airflow meter housing. Also Gunked the head which cleaned it up a bit!!

Before:



After:





OOOO SHINY....Lol

Also Andrei removed the Rocker Cover Breather Gauze for a good clean and Omg did it need it, basically it was just a mass of gunky oil but after a bit of petrol and carb cleaner



Also cleaned out ICV again as best we could but really do need to replace it as does stick a little and idle is still lumpy as feck, tends to drop down to about 700 rpm and whole car shakes which aint good in heavy traffic..

Lots more to do with the Alternator Belt to do, handbrake to adjust or replace cables and some rust prevention as the dreaded rust worm is starting to appear so I have some Jenoliting to do and then underseal her.

[Mikebmth]

Just a pic of how she is looking so far



Want a different front splitter, considering one off of a seat ibiza or saw today the fiat brava has a decent looking front splitter but not sure if it would be wide enough.

Other jobs will be a new stereo system, wanna lower her and found out my middle box is blowing so a visit down to my mates tyre and exhaust shop for a new centre section very soon!

[Cavalier342]

No probs dude, glad to help out. Must admit, after brushing that cam cover, ICV and throttle body, it does look good. Good old wire brushes. Was funny when you gunked the side of the block and poured 2 bottles of water on it and it didn't start Sodding dizzy cap lol. Was ok in the end, I took it off, dried it out with a cloth, WD-40'd it and bingo. To the pub Cheers for the pints again mate.

That old gasket did indeed come out as it looks. The fact that it was soaked in oil certainly helped. As too with the bolts which I replaced with the polished allen bolts. Well was a good day in the end, got a few bits done. The gauze is better than it was but next time it could probably do with a good airline or pressure wash. But it's much more clear than it was certainly. Looking forward to the next window of work opportunity And jesus christ is that car quick

[Mikebmth]

And jesus christ is that car quick

She is a bit quick considering she is stock as far as im aware anyway, have to wonder sometimes if it was chipped at some point...

Sooooo much torque its an animal in the wet!!

[Cavalier342]

And jesus christ is that car quick

She is a bit quick considering she is stock as far as im aware anyway, have to wonder sometimes if it was chipped at some point...

Sooooo much torque its an animal in the wet!!

You still had to do 50 to catch up to me on Guest Avenue

[Mikebmth]

You still had to do 50 to catch up to me on Guest Avenue

And that comes from Captain slow himself....

Plus 1.8's dont weigh as much and thats my excuse!!

[Cavalier342]

I have a carb with a slightly loose backbox
Anyway, your's wasn't that heavy to push out of your drive
Saying that I am captain slow, I am a fuel economizer rather than a racer...well..99% of the time

[Lowrider Dave]

Looking good Mike! We'll have to have a 'Southern' meet when my V6 is back on the road - only a few small things to sort and I'll be ready!

[Mikebmth]

Looking good Mike! We'll have to have a 'Southern' meet when my V6 is back on the road - only a few small things to sort and I'll be ready!

Swish Dave!!

Got a couple of lads from Mk3oc Astra mk3 owners club interested in a interclub meet too so once everyone rolling again we can hopefully organise something!

[Mikebmth]

Well again with loads of help from Andrei the mighty Cav is rolling well again!!

First off we decided as we had a nice day weather wise on Wednesday we would do the drive / alternator belt, now any good garage would of taken a hour or two but we took about 4..lol..

Main problem we found is the Engine Mount bolts are hard as feck to get out and after shearing one 1/4" drive and bending another the bolts finally came away after Andrei locked up another spanner and with some brute force the first one finally gave way.

Not our only issue though as we found that neither of us had a Alan Key / hex key to undo the belt housing on the engine mount as some bright spark at Vauxhall decided to feed the belt through the housing!! Clever NOT!!

So with the car up in the air already and the mounts etc finally removed we put on the new belt, sorry no old belt pics as camera was low on battery..



While under the car we spotted the O/s Cv boot had completely split all the way round leaving the Cv joint exposed to not only the weather but my driving..



Unfortunately the local motor factors didn't have a split boot available as neither of us fancied taking the hub to bits to put on a full boot so with some hesitation it had to be left as it was for the time being at least.

I will add the next morning I got onto the local motor factor again and they supplied the split boot kit within a couple of hours after GSF (german swedish and french) supplied me the wrong part as I had gone to them trying to save money.....

Fortunately Andrei was around and had done a couple of split boots so with a few hours to spare before I had to be in work the car was in the air again and the split boot in place...

Also Andrei had a go at my handbrake for me, can you tell im not tecnically minded...lol... Adjusting it from 9-10 clicks down to 4-5 clicks and a much safer set up as it now doesn't roll back on steep hills..

Whilst the car was up also got some rust proofing done slapping on some Jenolite where needed, it still has some more to do as the dreaded rust bug is starting to creep through in places so I really do need a few dry warm ish days off to tackle it all before things get worse especially in the case of my fuel and brake lines as they are caked in road grime and not in the best of states..

Just now waiting on some decent weather to come and I still have to order a centre box as mine is blowing and maybe a Sri backbox to go with it.

Other jobs include replacing the radiator as its about to die and removing the inlet for a full clean as it is coked up quite badly..

Enough to keep me busy for a while anyway..

[Cavalier342]

Was a good couple of days. Done my back in doing that split boot, fecking nightmare them. Never mind. Glad to help out anywho. I prefer working on Cavaliers rather than most other cars.
The mount was a job, gotta pay toolstation a visit to get some extension bits. jack handle came in handy though. Loved it though, sheer force and elbow grease did the trick.
Glad the handbrake is better for now, until further work needs doing, replacing cables etc. At least my time under the back of your Cav held up by a compact 2 ton jack and stands was worthwhile. Good fun, glad to help out anytime.

[Mikebmth]

Yea Cheers Buddy

Really is appreciated, good to have people local in the club too..Astra clubs I am / was in all the nearest members were other side of Southampton and pretty feckin useless too!!

Was very sad today as sat at work bored out my mind then found my Tool Station catalogue and started marking stuff I need to buy for working on the car..

Tool Station is awesome!! Will be getting much more business out of me!!