I put Poly bushes on the front of the radius arms (the big bushes) more than 6 or 7 years ago as I coudln't find anyone local to press the OEM ones i got in... The old bushes were totally shot and he was wandering all over the place. The polys (orange if that makes any difference as I think they were 'comfort' ones) have been perfect ever since, and literally just pushed in from either side as they were in two halves.
Martyuk wrote:
Agreed... total steal for 125, given how rare they seem to be... and yes... VERY comfy :)
Did you fix the seat heater elements before fitting them too?
I didn't test the seat heater elements, but luckily they seem to work..... was so wrapped up in getting the stitching right completely forgot!
Thanks - they're so soft and comfy! Plus I had the chance to update my sewing skills! LOL
Managed to nab a set of oxford seats and door cards for £125.... lovely condition... except passenger side airbag had gone off... easy to fix as my '98 doesnt have side airbags... so i sorted the airbag canister, fixed the foam and then sewed it by hand along the existing holes - you can't see it at all - loosks lke factory sewing!
Here they are with the passenger not fitted yet:
Pretty sure I have those same injectors and ECU, but my reducer looks different ... probably an early one too.
My reducer looks like this (not pic of mine but similar one):
It switches on to gas OK from petrol, but doesn't switch back automatically.
After a day it settled and now has not moved in the expansion tank for nearly a week....
Thanks - will try the suggestions
Hi All.. me again!
So I've now done all the core plugs etc and flx plate (as per my thread on the dark side), and also cleaned and refilled the cooling system. All is going well, and I bled the brakes today to stop the intermittent ABS ligt coming on. Seems to have worked so far after testing.
Next is the gearbox filter and fluid change. I have been soaking the transmission sump bolts for the last 2 days with squirts of release fluid (great stuff I gt from Lidl of all places). This stuff has helped me get subframe bolts out of my MGTF which normally snap, plus a holst of usually nightmare bolts. However I can only get 3 of the 6 transmission sump bolts to move. I don't want to force them too much, so I've been using my 1/4" socket set, so I can 'feel' things much better. 3 of the bolts undid after a quick 'crack', which I presume was the alloy/steel gunk in the little sump pegs loosening on the bolts. But 3 just wont budge! Not sure what I can safely do to get them to move?! I realised after one of the bolts loosened that they poke right through the transmission casing at the top, so I have also now soaked the top of them in the fluid, hoping that will penetrate into the top of the threads.
Anyone got any ideas? I've watched a few YouTube videos on the subject and they all show them (typically) just undoing! Of course the videos were American, where they don't need to put salt and other associated crap on their roads in Winter! All help appreciated, as I'd like to do as much preventative manitenance as possible on the old guy as he was my Dads, and I inherited him when he died.
I used Wynns engine cooling system flush.. it certainly cleaned things out! Plenty of orange water out first time. Then after 3 flushes with clean water it was lovely and clean. Then I filled with blue antifreeze and water at about 50%.
Orangebean wrote:
I wouldn't use dishwasher tabs in that way although have been known to use in dishwasher as a parts cleaner! <br>
Apart from the galvanic corrosion issues, there's loads of salt in dishwasher tabs. In addition, the caustics really won't like seals etc. <br>
Stick to a good ally safe coolant system flush would be my advice. <br>
I'm with Gilbertd on the good old blue coolant. Use it in mine (the classic cars as well) and no adverse effects apart from the need to change it every couple of years.
OKie dokie - will go good old ethylene glycol - it's cheaper too! Also I'll go find a coolant flush for alloy engines. Thanks.
Thanks.
You know what I didn't even bother to check if OAT was OK! I just assumed as it's an alloy engine like the K-series it would be.... I better do a bit more digging methinks as I haven't ventured and bought it yet.
I've got some new front drop links and lower balljoints for him too, as the last 4 MOTs I think mentioned them as minor advisories. Mind you he's only done about 3k miles in the last 4 years, so I am not surpised they haven't gotten any worse! I also got a gearbox filter kit, which I'll do before winter. I bought Dextron III type fluid as it seems that is what we put in them now II is no more!
It'll be nice to have the old boy on the road again. Inheritied him from my Dad when he died more than 10 years ago, and if I have spent more than £50 a year maintenance on him I'd be surprised. He's been a reliable old boat, and the water loss (which has been happening since my Dad got him - I presume that actually made things worse as the coolant strength would go up and down between services as it was topped up with water no doubt) hadn't got suddenly worse I woudln't have been spurred into sorting him. I am glad I have though as I am sure he has another 160K miles in him now at least!
Hi everyone - new here (been only on the other site till Chris told me this one existed).....
I have refreshed by old mans engine - new core plugs, seals, filters, gaskets (apart from HG), flex plate (lucky as it had 4 cracks in it!), and cleaned all the casing, wiring and connectors. As I was doing it, which was the first time I touched an engine since my 1967 Mini 850, I noticed the waterways all had a light coating of rust deposit. Not thick but a dusting almost. I also have an MGTF and the way we clean our colling systems in those is with a crushed up dishwasher tablet dissolved and then run for a few hours. Do you think that woudl be OK in the P38? I mean both are alloy engines, and it's amazing the crap it takes out I tell you! Even after a horrible oil/water head gasket failure the K series waterways come up like new with it. Anyway I just wanted to aks as it present he is just full of water as it was the first fill to check everything was OK. I will give him proper OAT once I know what to clean it all with internally.
Thanks,
Adam