½cwt

Packed car and fitted new Boot-bag and headed 120 miles down A14/M11/M25/M2 to Chatham for first leg of trip to the Loire Valley. Ran nicely with the retro fitted cruise, new front tyres and tracking. Rear visibility not too compromised with Boot-bag, only about half the height of the mirror is obscured.

11 hours ago, Stewart_H said:

I've been thinking about painting my bolts too. Any recommendations on a decent paint to use?

Probably others have ideas as well, but for simplicity as I had some and for one coat I used Hammerite smooth silver as @Boxob says above.  Just degreased the bolt heads in brake cleaner and made a carrier (hardboard with 22mm holes drilled in it) for the bolts so only the heads were exposed.  They look silver and clean, even the locking bolt.

Also I did only one or two from each wheel at a time I could keep the car on the ground.

New GY Asymmetric 3 225/45/17 91Y fronts fitted today along with a tracking check and a/c recharge.  There was as too much toe in.  Car already feels better (amazing what a lighter wallet can do for your handling), more compliant and more responsive plus a nice blast of cold air on demand. 

Realigned wheel centres and readjusted tyre pressures when I got back from the tyre shop and painted wheel bolts silver so I can ditch the chrome plastic bolt covers fitted by a PO.

Followed up the clay bar treatment from a few days ago with a full Auto Glym Super Resin Polish and the Extra Gloss treatment.  Cleaned all the glass and applied Rain-X to the screen.

Must check out the drip trays tomorrow have read the post above...

Clay bar cleaned the body work after washing it.  Now I know where ALL the paint defects are.  Think I'm even getting the first signs of rot below the driver side intake on the rear three quarter panel, three small bumps in the paint to the lower left.

That'll teach me.

Well I had my 3 Weetabix this morning and finally the pesky (almost) seized bolt on the aircon line gave in without resorting to wrecking either pipe.  The cap head socket was just about to round off but the thread gave at a lot of force.  Fresh O ring and bolt fitted, ran a tap through the ali thread before reassembling just in case, but all good.  Re-gas next weekend.

Fitted new number plate plinth, less that £10 from OPC, salvage guys want over £12 plus delivery, how does that work?

Also started to try to get interior lights and vanity lights working with assistance of info from @Richard Hamilton but left scratching head as wires out of B7 node don't match the diagram...

Also booked in for two new Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric 3 225/45/17 for front next weekend along with a track up.

Got the hose clamps sorted so now a nice fully water tight cooling system ready for France.  The bleed was surprisingly good and even after a 50 mile trip only needed about 100cc to top off. 

Still can't move the bolt in the a/c connection (Tried penetrating oil over night and then tried freeze spray), guess drill and pray I can save one pipe will be the final out come.  A/c in France will be roof off 😀

Also fitted blue GB strips to the number plates front and rear including an araldite based repair to the front number plate carrier which tallies with the cracked paint on the front bumper passed on by the PO.

Finally wound up the courage to get the car in the air and change a leaky front rad hose along with a full coolant change.  Only snag is being a cheap skate I didn't get new hoses clamps.  Two old spring type ones have fractured and I only had one spare jubilee the right size, so out to ECP or Halfords tomorrow to get the other and finish the bleed of the cooling system.

Also attempted to change the leaking O ring in the a/c system at the union in front of the right rear wheel.  Not going well so far, looks like a steel cap head bolt has fused into the alloy thread in the union.  I guess the worst case is two new pipes and all the fitting work to go with them.  Parts look to be north of £400 new if both pipes are needed, all for one seized bolt....  All for lack of the correct assembly compound when it was put together originally, probably in the factory.

It does bead nicely.  Talked to the valeter at Dove House about roof cleaning; said Autoglym Clean & Protect, which I've used too is good, but if you can dry vac before cleaning and wet vac off the cleaner before the final treatment it gets a lot of extra dirt out of the material. It doesn't restore the hood, only  Clean & Protects

On 4/28/2019 at 7:41 PM, ½cwt said:

Fitted new 4 stalk switch gear and installed all new wiring for cruise control retro fit, just need to book a slot at my indy to get it switched on. 

 

Local independent I've been using was struggling for time so I popped down to Dove House in Rushden, had to wait 20 mins or so, not a hardship with some of the beautiful metal in their show room but Tony connected it to the system and programmed cruse on and it all works first time! He also told me the last alarm triggers to help me track a recurring alarm sounding.  Best of all no charge and a free coffee!  Cruise fitted for less than £260 for electrical components, wire, and 4 stalk switch set from breaker plus about 4 hours of my time.  😊

Replaced window regulator on passenger side (broken cable) including some new door panel clips, all working 👍

Fitted new 4 stalk switch gear and installed all new wiring for cruise control retro fit, just need to book a slot at my indy to get it switched on.  The How To thread by @JonHoward42 is spot on. 👍  Just fitted steering wheel one spline out 👎 Nothing like a bit of work creation....

Also whilst doing cruise traced all the old wiring from a phone kit and a tracker that I'd found bits of when doing the head unit swap a few months ago.  Miles of cables and at least 5 modules hidden under the dash and around the fuse box plus two aerials under the scuttle plus a hidden speaker under left side of dash.  All now removed.

Best of all it started up with no problems and took it for a blast as a reward for my work 😀

On 4/27/2019 at 8:55 AM, ½cwt said:

OK, got the parts for the following:

- a coolant change along with replacing a leaking hose,

- all the gear to retro fit cruise,

- a replacement window regulator

- two A/C seals for the joint in front of right rear wheel

- wiring diagrams (from @Richard Hamilton, thank)s for checking faulty interior lighting.

I won't do them all in a day but as the car is kept outside, I just want the weather to make its mind up so I can start something 😠

OK, got the loom made up yesterday, info from this experience added to How To thread on this subject.

OK, got the parts for the following:

- a coolant change along with replacing a leaking hose,

- all the gear to retro fit cruise,

- a replacement window regulator

- two A/C seals for the joint in front of right rear wheel

- wiring diagrams (from @Richard Hamilton, thank)s for checking faulty interior lighting.

I won't do them all in a day but as the car is kept outside, I just want the weather to make its mind up so I can start something 😠

On 4/20/2019 at 6:23 PM, ½cwt said:

Oh, and the brake line shows slight pitting even after a through clean and a bit of ticking with emery cloth, so I guess it will not be passed. Old cars eh? ☹️

Well apparently the pitting was not so bad - it passed at retest!  Ticket until 13/5/2020 with advisories on 3 coffin arms and both front tyres.  Still Certificate shows PO did 751 miles in 2 years and I've done 1921 in only 8 months.

8 minutes ago, Menoporsche said:

The new non OEM ones have a habit of not lasting long. 

UFO - You fit often then...  By the way I have found a broken rusted steel cable from the mechanism during further investigation so motor seems will be OK.

I'll scrub that option and risk one from a breaker first simply on budget. Even if I need another in a couple of years , A I'll know how to do it and B it will still be only 2/3rds of new Porsche OE plus I'll have a spare motor too.

Any tips on removal/fitting process?

So, set out to address the corrosion on the brake line that filed the MOT, see above.  Opened up the car, though I'll let both windows down to cool it and as the passenger side went down, crunch.  Window regulator now U/S.  Have got the window more or less up and as I have a half cover no worries about water ingress.

Any good/bad advice on replacement process and or second hand (£75-80), Porsche OE (£260) or other OEM spec (£100-180) replacement part?

I did at least finally fir the two air deflectors to the front of the wheel arches and even had to drill out two of the self tappers that secure them, had spares fortunately so one job complete. 👍

Oh, and the brake line shows slight pitting even after a through clean and a bit of ticking with emery cloth, so I guess it will not be passed. Old cars eh? ☹️

11 hours ago, entdgc said:

I replaced all four tyres a couple of months ago. They were all 5 years + old (but were worn out). Cannot believe the difference it has made. Smoother quieter ride and  loads more grip. Get them changed soonest! 😎

Dave

I plan to, current fronts are N rated Bridgestone S-02, rears the PO fitted last year are Nanking...  I guess he got the cheapest he could if he was planning to get rid.  Can't afford all 4 currently but will do fronts in next month or two.

Hm.. shiny, precious.  

Went for MOT and failed 🙁.  Two small things, one fixed before I left which was side repeaters in de-ambered lights had lost their orangeness, solved before paperwork was done as there was a motor factor next door (this can be a contentious fail but to be fair the orange coating had pretty much fully flaked off the old bulbs), and corrosion on brake line around clip under passenger (left) seat.  Tester wouldn't let me pop it out of clip whilst in his bay in case the pipe failed but now just looks like some minor surface corrosion.  He's said as long as it is rust free when he sees it again within the next 10 days he'll OK it and issue certificate.  Also advisory on minor cracking in tread on fronts which are only on 5.5mm but are 5 years old...  PO only did 7000 miles in 9 years and had to replace rears for same reason last MOT so at least the really expensive ones don't need doing again yet...

Also 4 stalk column switch assembly arrived for me to start on cruise retro fit.  Any takers for 3 stalk OBC switch assembly?

8 hours ago, Stewart_H said:

Today I switched out the ridiculous rainbow type headlight bulbs for some Osram Nightbreaker Unlimited ones 🙂

I have Nightbreakers for main beam to go with litronic xenons.  Both look blue white rather than warm white of typical bulbs. Only recently noticed that the litronic beams tilt up a few degrees when you go to main beam, nice touch.

So which right will swipe right and which left will swipe left?   🤔

@Stewart_H was this the usual sand back and re polish process?  How easy did you find it?  I have some clear lacquer overspray on mine from the PO front bumper repaint and would like to clean it up.  I have xenons so really don't want to **** it up.

4 hours ago, Sazzy said:

I've just cleaned up the backing plate and it was brembo!!!! 

Picked up some pagids to replace and side by side the difference in wear on the old pad against new is negligible

Brembo might not be interested but could be a batch issue if you haven't over stressed the pads if you feel so motivated to try to contact them.  They won't be able to contact individual customers/users but could help with QA.  You never know you might get a free set out of them for going to the effort, that's if you'd want to risk them again...

Looks like a bonding failure of the compound to the backing plate.  What brand/spec are the pads? Have they been on track?

And after with new head unit, CD storage and ash tray removed to give some storage space.

Head unit is a bit glossy but the RGB colours have got quite close to the original.  Useful space for phones, wallets and purses etc.