Dave's Astra G with Car PC
- Thread starter Dave One
- Start date
Dave One
Regular Member
Handbrake Cable Replaced
I had my handbrake cable replaced two weeks ago. I paid £38 from Eurocarparts for a suitable cable and £20 to the local tyre/exhaust centre to drop the exhaust, fit the cable and adjust. I think the cable fitted on the disc conversion last year suffered from the missing rubbers and eventually seized...
Pic of the shiney new and rubbered cable fitted, and circlips added
...
MOT passed last week
I had a fail for headlamp washer not working - I think the motor is kaputt or blocked as the relay is working properly. I had to resort to halogens whilst getting this repaired.
I had my handbrake cable replaced two weeks ago. I paid £38 from Eurocarparts for a suitable cable and £20 to the local tyre/exhaust centre to drop the exhaust, fit the cable and adjust. I think the cable fitted on the disc conversion last year suffered from the missing rubbers and eventually seized...
Pic of the shiney new and rubbered cable fitted, and circlips added
...
MOT passed last week
I had a fail for headlamp washer not working - I think the motor is kaputt or blocked as the relay is working properly. I had to resort to halogens whilst getting this repaired.
i gotta buy a new one the main tank looks out of place with the new one on the other side there quite cheap on ebay but most dont come with level sender
Dave One
Regular Member
Gearbox Oil Change
Having done 211177 miles, and 116000 since I've owned her, I thought I'd treat the gearbox to an oil change. This was planned back in July when I did the front brake conversion but ran out of time. It seems as though the gearbox sump plate had been removed before due to the thread lock residue, however the gearbox oil was pretty clean - no signs of swarf or other deposits.
The first job was to remove the battery for access, and the coolant header tank only because I was changing this too...
Next was to remove the reverse switch to refill the gearbox oil through. You can see the reverse switch with the connector removed...
The sump plate removed with the oil looking clean...
Sump plate cleaned and paper gasket ready to fit...
Coolant Header Tank Change
As the cruise control and headlight washer motor pump connectors where on the engine loom I assumed the coolant level sensor would be too, and here it is...
Coolant header tank fitted...
And refilled with coolant...
A massive thanks to @paul_bunce for pretty much doing all the work - cheers mate.
Having done 211177 miles, and 116000 since I've owned her, I thought I'd treat the gearbox to an oil change. This was planned back in July when I did the front brake conversion but ran out of time. It seems as though the gearbox sump plate had been removed before due to the thread lock residue, however the gearbox oil was pretty clean - no signs of swarf or other deposits.
The first job was to remove the battery for access, and the coolant header tank only because I was changing this too...
Next was to remove the reverse switch to refill the gearbox oil through. You can see the reverse switch with the connector removed...
The sump plate removed with the oil looking clean
...
Sump plate cleaned and paper gasket ready to fit...
Coolant Header Tank Change
As the cruise control and headlight washer motor pump connectors where on the engine loom I assumed the coolant level sensor would be too, and here it is...
Coolant header tank fitted...
And refilled with coolant...
A massive thanks to @paul_bunce for pretty much doing all the work - cheers mate
.
front bleed pipe fits in the clip on the back of the screen wash bottle
thats a hell of alot of miles
Dave One
Regular Member
Battery change
The battery has been playing up over the last couple of winters - I've been nursing it through to be honest by making sure it gets driven at least once every two days. The most noticeable problem was that the PC wasn't able to survive engine crank despite the purpose built Car PC power supply unit (an M2-ATX). After asking on the forums for the biggest battery that could possibly fit, I was directed to (thanks @nry) an Exide Excell 71ah 670ca battery to replace the GM 55ah battery that was fitted. Both batts had a width and height of 178mm but the 55ah is 207mm whereas the Exide is 278mm - it fits but is near the maximum size you could fit in.
Difference in size...
Fitted and in it's jacket...
(Note - the rad top pipe feed return to coolant header tank has been corrected)
The battery has been playing up over the last couple of winters - I've been nursing it through to be honest by making sure it gets driven at least once every two days. The most noticeable problem was that the PC wasn't able to survive engine crank despite the purpose built Car PC power supply unit (an M2-ATX). After asking on the forums for the biggest battery that could possibly fit, I was directed to (thanks @nry) an Exide Excell 71ah 670ca battery to replace the GM 55ah battery that was fitted. Both batts had a width and height of 178mm but the 55ah is 207mm whereas the Exide is 278mm - it fits but is near the maximum size you could fit in.
Difference in size...
Fitted and in it's jacket
...
(Note - the rad top pipe feed return to coolant header tank has been corrected
)
Last edited:
Dave One
Regular Member
Irmscher Black Carbon Gear Knob
I finally got around to fitting a my Irmscher Black Carbon Gear Knob. I wasn't keen on destroying the original so done some research - there wasn't much out there tbh! I'll guide you through how I done it, but first the original...
Remove the OBD port trim...
Notice the black gear lever retaining pin at the base of the lever...
Unclip the retaining pin from the lever shaft and pull rearwards to remove...
Pull lever out...
And clean away...
Secure the gear lever into a vice - it needs to be secure but not crushed!!!
Place open ended spanner (32mm) shaft side of gear knob. We need to leave the reverse lift plastic in place. Strike firmly with nylon headed hammer. Please be careful as there is plenty of opportunity to damage or break something here...
The gear knob will detach...
Splined friction fit of the original gear knob...
Irmscher gear knob collar fitted (this needed a 2mm adjustment once fitted to clear the reverse mechanism...
Irmscher Black Carbon Gear Knob fitted...
I finally got around to fitting a my Irmscher Black Carbon Gear Knob
. I wasn't keen on destroying the original so done some research - there wasn't much out there tbh! I'll guide you through how I done it, but first the original...
Remove the OBD port trim...
Notice the black gear lever retaining pin at the base of the lever...
Unclip the retaining pin from the lever shaft and pull rearwards to remove...
Pull lever out...
And clean away...
Secure the gear lever into a vice - it needs to be secure but not crushed!!!
Place open ended spanner (32mm) shaft side of gear knob. We need to leave the reverse lift plastic in place. Strike firmly with nylon headed hammer. Please be careful as there is plenty of opportunity to damage or break something here...
The gear knob will detach...
Splined friction fit of the original gear knob...
Irmscher gear knob collar fitted (this needed a 2mm adjustment once fitted to clear the reverse mechanism...
Irmscher Black Carbon Gear Knob fitted...
Dave One
Regular Member
Engine earth replaced
Whilst working on the car last weekend it was clear the engine earth cable needed replacing...
Engine earth cable comparison...
And fitment...
Another personalisation
Whilst sorting out the engine earth cable I couldn't help but find a use for the personalised 'Dave One' logo - sad, I know, but hey. The engine cover before...
And after a little bit of love and logo-ing
And with the new engine earth cable too...
Whilst working on the car last weekend it was clear the engine earth cable needed replacing...
Engine earth cable comparison...
And fitment...
Another personalisation
Whilst sorting out the engine earth cable I couldn't help but find a use for the personalised 'Dave One' logo - sad, I know, but hey. The engine cover before...
And after a little bit of love and logo-ing
And with the new engine earth cable too...
Dave One
Regular Member
Car PC Project +
My eBay 'deal of the century' arrived yesterday. I'm not going to give too much away just yet but the new price would have been $135 and I got it for £11.50 posted - never used. I have big plans for this but I will explain in detail as it happens over the christmas break .
I have two days off this week and have plans to fit ProDrive side skirts and rear splitter (at long last), amongst other mods during daylight hours; and I'll be thinking and implementing the Car PC Project + the rest of the waking (and probably sleeping, lol) hours.
My eBay 'deal of the century' arrived yesterday. I'm not going to give too much away just yet but the new price would have been $135 and I got it for £11.50 posted - never used
. I have big plans for this but I will explain in detail as it happens over the christmas break .
I have two days off this week and have plans to fit ProDrive side skirts and rear splitter (at long last
), amongst other mods during daylight hours; and I'll be thinking and implementing the Car PC Project + the rest of the waking (and probably sleeping, lol) hours.
Dave One
Regular Member
ProDrive SRi-T Rear Splitter & Parking Sensors
At long, long last I finally got around to fitting the ProDrive SRi-T Rear Spitter I bought from Turbo Chris a good while back. I also changed the rear bumper as mine had slight damage, and whilst I was at it I thought I may aswell fit parking sensors (although they won't be wired up until the weekend).
The first job was to colour code the parking sensors to Star Silver 3 (Z157).
Before...
After...
The car needed a clean first...
All the bumper fixings were removed, well all but the last. I was thwarted by a rounded torx screw (pic taken two days later when I resumed...).
It was then I noticed the black clouds looming so put all the screws back and saved it for two days later...
The problem with the rounded screw was solved by a dremel and making a slot...
Rear lights removed for access...
And bumper off...
You can just make out the line with M250 and M500 arrowed. Whether these are parking sensor marks or not, I used them...
Prefect...
The middle two sensors (2 & 3) needed the foam block hollowing to allow their fitment.
Bumper with parking sensors fitted and rear lights refitted. Next was the long part of the ProDrive SRi-T Rear Splitter (and the stage I ran out of time, unfortunately)...
A new day and an overwhelming urge to complete the job...
The exhaust is slightly skewed, which I plan to investigate soon. I think it's the flange alignment so may not be an easy fix...
At long, long last I finally got around to fitting the ProDrive SRi-T Rear Spitter I bought from Turbo Chris a good while back. I also changed the rear bumper as mine had slight damage, and whilst I was at it I thought I may aswell fit parking sensors (although they won't be wired up until the weekend).
The first job was to colour code the parking sensors to Star Silver 3 (Z157).
Before...
After...
The car needed a clean first...
All the bumper fixings were removed, well all but the last. I was thwarted by a rounded torx screw (pic taken two days later when I resumed...).
It was then I noticed the black clouds looming so put all the screws back and saved it for two days later...
The problem with the rounded screw was solved by a dremel and making a slot
...
Rear lights removed for access...
And bumper off...
You can just make out the line with M250 and M500 arrowed. Whether these are parking sensor marks or not, I used them...
Prefect...
The middle two sensors (2 & 3) needed the foam block hollowing to allow their fitment.
Bumper with parking sensors fitted and rear lights refitted. Next was the long part of the ProDrive SRi-T Rear Splitter (and the stage I ran out of time, unfortunately)...
A new day and an overwhelming urge to complete the job...
The exhaust is slightly skewed, which I plan to investigate soon. I think it's the flange alignment so may not be an easy fix...
Attachments
Dave One
Regular Member
ProDrive Side skirts
I picked up a pair of ProDrive side skirts Star Silver 3 (Z157) from david1.8sxi about three or four weeks ago for the mere sum of £30 plus my standard ones (thanks David). These should suit the ProDrive SRi-T rear splitter perfectly. I currently have Star Silver 3 standard skirts fitted (it looks like they've been painted but no complaints). Here's the before...
And here's the after...
Because the ProDrive side skirts are from a 3 door I had to use the 5 door seals and I used trim tape to hold the seals in the absence of the trim fitting point...
I'm very happy with this weeks progress.
I picked up a pair of ProDrive side skirts Star Silver 3 (Z157) from david1.8sxi about three or four weeks ago for the mere sum of £30 plus my standard ones (thanks David
). These should suit the ProDrive SRi-T rear splitter perfectly. I currently have Star Silver 3 standard skirts fitted (it looks like they've been painted but no complaints). Here's the before...
And here's the after...
Because the ProDrive side skirts are from a 3 door I had to use the 5 door seals and I used trim tape to hold the seals in the absence of the trim fitting point...
I'm very happy with this weeks progress
.
Luke Robinson
Member
Hi, the prodrive skirts look good. I got the same ones on mine.
I wanted to ask you, have you lowered your car yet? The pics you posted a while ago with the Irmscher splitter look much lower to the ground, or is that just the illusion of the splitter? I'm asking because I'm debating whether to lower mine, but yours looks a good height in those pics.
EDIT: My bad, I just realised that the previous post was you stating that you lowered by 40mm
I wanted to ask you, have you lowered your car yet? The pics you posted a while ago with the Irmscher splitter look much lower to the ground, or is that just the illusion of the splitter? I'm asking because I'm debating whether to lower mine, but yours looks a good height in those pics.
EDIT: My bad, I just realised that the previous post was you stating that you lowered by 40mm
Luke Robinson
Member
Thanks Dave, I like the look of the prodrive bumper as well. I think it matches the standard rear bumper better than the GSI does. The Irmscher airdam can look quite decent on the right car. I'd be quite tempted by one of them.
