Rog's Rado... The smile is back :)

[Roger Chatfield 0]

As some of you may well know I was lucky enough to buy Andy's (Cazza) mystic blue storm.

 

Originally I wanted a project car but when Andy put his up for sale I couldn't believe it, basically it's near enough exactly what I would have done, keep it OE with some subtle performance and cosmetic mods... Spot on..I'll take it...lol

 

So, picked yesterday day night and drove it the 120 miles home.... I still can't get rid of my cheesy smile... :)

 

The car is a real credit to Andy, I can't thank him enough for a smooth transaction, I've never felt this safe buying a used car, nothing has been hidden and he even picked me up at the station... He also makes a good coffee.... Top bloke..

 

Gave it a wash and quick polish today and then tucked it up in its new home... I think the old girl will be very happy here.

 

 

Personally the car is 90% what I want and I basically plan to enjoy it as much as I can, it will be my daily transport but will live in the garage.

I do have a few plans, firstly the lights... How rubbish are those, plan is to make my own headlight loom and go for night breaker lamps.

Next are the tyres, they are not the best, luckily I've got a set of nearly new yoko prada spec R's in the garage from my old CRX track day project, they are 195 so should fit a treat, hopefully I'll get them fitted next week.

Also got a CDA in the post, guy on the CRX-UK forum had one for sale as it's too big for his car.... bargain, right place right time, managed to pick it up for £70 delivered so I'm well happy with that.

That's about it for the time being apart from sorting out a few minor electrical gremlins, horn didn't work but a quick text to Andy and it's sorted, also the stereo only has a permanent live instead of a ignition supply so this on the list..

 

Rog (very happy)

Edited October 3, 2014 by Roger Chatfield

[Harrier 1]

Good luck with it, glad to see it's gone to another forum member

[seanl82 23]

Jammy sod! I'll have to have a nosey round when I'm down next mate. I'll come down in mine and we'll do a two car meet at the rock or something! Lol. Congrats on a cracker, look forward to updates!

[CazzaVR 0]

Nice mota ;) So pleased it's gone to Rog. I know she will be treasured. The radio is a little annoying- sorry forgot about that! I just learned to live with it. Pretty sure there is something in the paperwork about the stereo wiring being fixed (before my time).

[mic_VR 3]

Mines got that perm live stereo issue..... Should really sort it....

 

Nice car, good to see it off to a new home. Look forward to seeing what you end up doing in that final 10%

[robrado974 1]

Nice purchase , looking forward to seeing this out and about .

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Finally managed to get my glovebox out to check the wiring, I've modified it so it's easy to remove again as I've had a massive argument with my clifford alarm and I think we may be parting company in the new future...lol

 

Stereo wiring is a little strange, there is a small brown/red in the loom that has been cut, it's live with the ign is on and stays live until the key is removed, ideal for the stereo buts its only a thin wire and wont take the total stereo load, I suspect thats the reason it's been cut, my plan is to use it to drive a relay and connect that to the stereo.

 

Only other thing I did today was to discover that the boot doesn't lock with the central locking, anyone have any idea why??

 

Rog.

[CazzaVR 0]

Put the key in the boot lock and turn it 90 degrees clockwise (I think!). Think the instructions are in the manual ;)

[Roger Chatfield 0]

I've tried that Andy, in the vertical position it stays locked all time and in the horizontal position it stays unlocked all the time regardless of what I do with the central locking.

 

Rog.

[easypops 8]

Ah, the joys of corrado ownership :lol: , never mind, you're the november pin up in the calendar 8)

[CazzaVR 0]

I've tried that Andy, in the vertical position it stays locked all time and in the horizontal position it stays unlocked all the time regardless of what I do with the central locking.

 

Rog.

 

Hmmmm... dunno then :/

 

Miss November :lol:

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Little update,

 

I've now sorted my stereo wiring out, it now works as it should, I've also set up the illumination colours and I must say I'm very impressed with it, almost looks OE.

 

Had a bit of a shock today, car was on the drive warming up when I noticed a large puddle of fuel underneath, whipped the wheel off and it appears there is a leak from the top of the tank... bugger... I was thinking the worse and was wondering how to drop the tank when I found the inspection cover under the boot carpet.

Got the cover off and was greeted by a puddle of fuel, fired the engine up and there is fuel coming out of the supply hose joint.. one new jubilee clip later and Robert is your fathers brother..

 

 

I love little fixes like this... result.

 

In other news... me and the alarm are now getting on better, he showed me his 'total closure' and I've forgiven him his earlier tantrum... he may be staying now... time will tell.

 

Rog.

Edited October 30, 2013 by Roger Chatfield

[GrahamU 5]

welcome to the world of Corrado ownership,

[CazzaVR 0]

Nice you got the leak sorted easily! :) got the bmc on yet?

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Not arrived yet mate, can't wait, going to sound awesome.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Good news, bmc has arrived, just awaiting the arrival of a connecting pipe, also I've shimmed the drivers door so it no longer drops when you open it.

Bad news, abs light is back on.

 

Rog.

[robrado974 1]

time for the vagcom me thinks . Worst case will be the pump , it will proberbly be a sensor .

[delfinis38 1]

time for the vagcom me thinks . Worst case will be the pump , it will proberbly be a sensor .

 

check your wheel sensors.... put a volt metre across them and check their resistance. if you get 4 similar readings they are okay. if one's drastically wrong change it.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Afternoon all,

 

Thought its about time I updated this thread.

 

So, starting from where I last left off, I now have a VAGCOM setup, it says I have a problem with one of the valves in the ABS so I've now got a replacement sat in the garage waiting to go in.

 

Next was my stereo, it really bugged me that I had to have my ipod plugged in the front so I took it to pieces and soldered in a cable so I can have my ipod connection out the back and hidden away.

 

Then I had a problem with the electrics, the dash lights would come on when the ign was switched on and the fan motor would run with the ign off but the lights on... and you could control the speed of the fan using the dash dimmer... weird.. well after much head scratching I got in the books and started to trace the lighting and ign circuits, eventually traced the fault to a short in the heated window switch, the switch has been drilled so the alarm led can be fitted to the blank, this must have left some swarf in the switch and this caused a short, a quick blow out and all is now good.

 

Then I noticed a leak in the oil cooler so I replaced the 13 row cooler with a 19 row item I had kicking about the garage.

 

Now I have a problem with the engine, it has always 'ticked' when cold so I've bought a new set of lifters that are waiting to be fitted, then I noticed a bad rattle sound when hot and under load, its worse above 3k and quite loud so I took it up to Dan at Devon Dub Shack, he advised me to see an old customer of his who is a bit of a VR6 expert, he suggested that it could be big and/or small ends.... bugger... however he has a mate who has an engine for sale... so a deal was done and I ended up being the proud owner of a spare VR6 engine.

 

 

It came out of a Golf so I assumed it was a 2.8 AAA but I later found out that the Golf was a converted 1.6 and guess what, the engine is a ABV... result..

 

Oh, and it came with all these spares..

 

 

It was suggested that maybe due to the mileage on my car that maybe the oil is a bit thin for it, I serviced it myself and used the VW synta 10W 40 so I bought some really expensive 10W 50 fully syth oil from Opie in the hope that it'll quieten down the engine and maybe buy me some time.. it's worth a shot in my book, although I do now have a spare engine I really want it to stay a spare...lol

 

So today I dropped the oil and filter.

 

 

Checked out the filter and it's full of metal particals.... not good..

 

 

Filter housing full as well

 

 

Although there didn't seem to be any in the oil..

So I thought I better drop the sump, there was a few bits in the bottom of the sump but not much however the oil pump strainer was full so i removed the pump and got all the bits out.

 

 

Then I got a surprise, I pulled this big bit out of the stainer..

 

 

Comparing it with my spare engine it appears to be part of the upper chain tensioner, there is also a bit of the securing rivet.

 

mmmmmm I'm actually quite pleased, it now looks like the tensioner has failed and broken up so hopefully the rest of the engine is fine, I ran out of time today so tomorrow the plan is remove the upper chain cover and check it out, hopefully the tensioner is damaged and a replacement will solve my problems... however the gearbox needs to come off to get to the bottom of the tensioner... bugger... better than an engine out though...lol

 

I'll let you all know what tomorrow brings...

 

Oh, quick pic of the inside of an oil pump..

 

 

Rog.

[CazzaVR 0]

Good grief Rog, not had much luck with her, have you? :( what date and mileage is on the receipt from Stealth for the chains etc? Be interesting to see how many miles that tensioner has lasted...

 

Good work on finding that new engine though 8)

[seanl82 23]

Oh dear! Good job you caught it now though Rog, who knows what damage it could have caused if it had been left! Look forward to updates mate. Mines slowed down a little. (I've been doing Control! Last exam tomorrow though. :dance:)

[CazzaVR 0]

Definitely give the engine a good flush before adding your new expensive oil.

[robrado974 1]

Good job you checked mate !

[Roger Chatfield 0]

Update..

 

Ok, grabbed a quick hour down the garage and managed to get the top chain cover off..

 

 

Guess what, my tensioner has been replaced with the later type... so the question is... where did that piece of plastic come from??

Has the top tensioner failed at some point in the past and that's been stuck in the oil strainer all these years or has it come from somewhere else... is the bottom chain tensioner of similar design??

 

Oh, and a quick pick of the cams, look like new, no wear and all looks nice and clean... looks like its been looked after.

 

 

Rog.

[Roger Chatfield 0]

I've had a look about the internet and discovered that the bottom chain tensioner is plastic so the metal flakes have not come from there.

 

I wonder if it's a good idea for me to check the big end shells while I have the sump off, is this possible?

 

Rog.