mornin' all. Vec C repair 'project'?

[rick]

Hi everyone. First off, I'm no mechanic but, having had an astra vxr, currently have a zaffy B CDTI SRI and now a vectra c Sri, I've started to learn my way around the vx engine bays. Every vx I have breaks, but I keep buying them! Damn you vx and you unreliability but practical designs *grrrrr*

Last weekend I picked up a white vec c sri which looks pretty but needs some work. I've driven 100 miles in it this week and now have an idea of what I'm facing. 6 dash light warnings, 4 rattles, 1 leak and a squeek. Going to have a play with it later on today so will post some pics. The missus wants to keep it so will be a project to make it nice rather than fix up and sell on I think.

Cars take me ages to do up as the kids get all my cash before my cars do so will be a long road ahead. But all welcome to come along for the ride. Any suggestions ref repairs and mods more than welcome!

Cheers
Rick

 

[rick]

Ok, well been playing with the car this afternoon and have faults listed as:
- radio doesn't work
- glovebox doesn't shut
- everything squeaks
- squeal from something to do with wheels (not in time with engine revs but is in time with car speed)
- spanner light
- coolant light
- handbrake light
- seatbelt light
- airbag light
- auto adjust xenon light fault
- petrol light
- sloppy gearstick
-crack in front splitter
- driver side speaker cover missing

Think that's it for starters.

It looks like this...

which my missus and I think is alright really.

First off, took off driver side front wheel and found that the backplate was rubbing on the disk. Moved away with a flat screwdriver and squeal number 1 fixed.

Took out radio to inspect harness and found the Ariel cable missing. Hunted around and was down in the cavity behind the radio housing. Plugged it in and radio works. Pretty please with myself at this point.

Next up, sloppy gearstick. Removed the gator but not much movement from the ball joint. Popped the bonnet and looked at the linkage, pretty worn and crappy. I don't know what the proper name for this assembly is, any ideas?

It's the mechanical link that the cables push fit onto. there is play on pretty much all directions. Main issue i think is that this pin has worn the hole that it sits in, and now there is movement everywhere.

decided to choc the gap below the assembly with half a raw plug. Size 6 raw plug was good, but still some movement, 10 was too big and didn't fit. 8 was spot on. Nice tight gearstick again! Well happy.

Before...

after... Note the brown bit sticking out

Next up, spanner light. Looked at the battery and whoever had this car last must have been running a sub off of the battery, and there was a squashed 1mm cable clamped between the positive terminal and clamp, but no termination on it and was just floating around! What's worse, the positive connetion wasnt even done up! It was just placed there!!! Took it off, removed the scrap if cable and refitted. The clamp wouldn't tighten though, found the nut was almost complete threadless where it had clearly been overtightened before. Replaced the nut for a shiny new one and much better now.

Spanner light still on though. Checked every single fuse in all 3 fuseboxes but all ok. Started to rain so stopped for a fag break.

Decided to leave the spanner issue and look at the glove box. It's missing the two bolts in the bottom so is hanging low and the clip won't clip.

Hunt around the garage for two off m5 (I guess) bolts. Bolts found and glovebox off but the existing assembly turned out t be broken .

The whole thing looks plastic riveted in place and I have no idea how to replace it. Modification route needed. Off to find wood, wood screws and a drill...

Lots of swearing, cutting to size, pilot drilling and more swearing, and finally got the wood in the right places and secure.

Back together, glove box sweet as a nut.

Next, the auto adjust lights. Googled it and apparently there's a sensor on the rear axle. Only found one sensor on the back but seemed tight and not wet, so looked at the front. This cable was dangling, and the ball end thingy in front of the passenger wishbone isn't connected to anything! Can anyone help here? What is it and where sgou it go?

Sensor

Dangly ball/socket connection

Taped up the sensor onto the top of the wishbone and auto adjust fault light has cleared, but not sure why. Made the mistake of fiddling with the back axle sensor, front ones and loom bits so not sure want it appears to work now, but haven't replaced anything.

Coolant is leaking from what looks like the water pump or thermostat (Bollocks ). That's for another day now tho.

Reasonable start, still need to work out the spanner issue and coolant leak issue. Brake fluid needs a top up so that will sort the handbrake light, guess the seats are non standard so need tech2 to reset the airbag and seatbelt lights?

All guidance and advice appreciated!

Also, not sure whether this should be in projects or another section now, not
introductions. Sorry if wrong moderators
Rick

 

[rick]

Another tiny little update with a question or two. Looked over all the brake lines and no sign of any leakage anywhere. One was clearly replaced as is not a GM hose, and the bleed nipple cap is not secure on one caliper. As there are no leaks I guess it must be low after the hose change and never topped up properly, and as the pads have worn a little it has triggered the minimum level switch. Filled it to a little over half full and will have to continue to watch it.

found an aftermarket water pump on eBay for 30 quid. Really should do the belt to though if I've gotta do the pump. Anyone know any cheap (but more importantly, good) belt and pump kits? Do I need a special timing tool?

Seatbelt light has stopped coming on since I played around with the driver seat belt clasp (the bit with the button on that the belt plugs into). Suspect dodgy wire so will look in more detail in the light tomorrow if I can. Anyone known how that circuit works? Is it a pressure switch in each seat (rears aswell?) Which, if turned on, checks that the seatbelt is done up?

Spanner light almost constant now, rarely turns off once it comes on, but doesn't always come on. no error codes on a handheld mac tools odbc scanner and no limp mode. Still pulls up to 4500 rpm and does motorway speed happily enough. Is there a list of spanner light causes anywhere?

Thanks for any help, and still after part numbers for the gear selector mechanical assembly in the earlier pics if anyone knows it

Rick

 

[Matt]

Anyone know any cheap (but more importantly, good) belt and pump kits? Do I need a special timing tool?

Which belt?

 

[rick]

There must be a belt around the water pump, unless its the timing chain? Not sure. But whatever has to come off to get the pump out might as well be renewed.

I'm no mechanic, but have a tool box and enthusiasm! Also have a very good mechanic mate 2 mins away who clears up my messes for me when I break stuff

 

[Matt]

There must be a belt around the water pump, unless its the timing chain? Not sure. But whatever has to come off to get the pump out might as well be renewed.

I'm no mechanic, but have a tool box and enthusiasm! Also have a very good mechanic mate 2 mins away who clears up my messes for me when I break stuff

These have a timing and balance chain fitted.

https://z22se.co.uk/shop/timing-chain-kits

 

[rick]

Cheers Matt. Is it easy enough or a bit of a bitch? Any special tools? At a glance I guess airbox out, cam cover off, lock sprockets, pump off, chain off and then replace everything again. Maybe 5 hours all in for a timing chain virgin?

 

[Matt]

Here you go:

https://z22se.co.uk/threads/how-2-fit-cam-chains.10042/

@evocarlos can do them in his sleep now!

 

[rick]

Awesome thread! Looks ok but always find myself overconfident until it's in bits, then I'm fooked lol. Will give it a go but have my matey on standby. Won't tell the missus either as she doesn't like me taking on big jobs. My zafira is currently dead after I "fixed" it.



Cheers for the links Matt. Legend.

 

[vocky]

there should be a bracket and ball joint on the lower wishbone, but by the looks of it has been replaced and they haven't swapped over the missing bracket and ball joint

 

[rick]

Thanks vocky. What does it do? General Vauxhall question: do all vectras (and astra/corsa too?) have that bracket and the same gear selector mechanism? Or does the gearbox have to be f23 (5 speed jobbie)?

Trip to scrappy at the weekend I think.

 

[rushy]

Thats a right project you've got there mate. Ex Police by the look of it, only VX Specials came in white on a Vec C plus it has factory Xenons and for a spec like that it can only be police TBH. This would explain the extra wires and broken glove box. You cant reset the airbag light but can only replace the controls unit, I think its down under the Heater controls. Under each seat there should be a plug, check its seated correctly and it will throw a faults with the seat airbags, there not the original seats so have been retro, they look like Elite leathers.

While your messing under the bonnet, take the ABS plug off and give it a good squirt with contact cleaner or a little WD40, for some reason this can play havoc with your dash. I belive the CIM power comes through it and the CIM takes care of all dash and dials. The Plug is located behind the battery box just in front of the scuttle panel, and while your there pop the flap in the scuttle and push your fingers down the drain hole in front of the pollen filter, these block super easy and water ends up going through the fan housing.

PS, my stick is super sloppy also but its something in the actual stick end.

 

[evocarlos]

PS, my stick is super sloppy also but its something in the actual stick end.

@rushy you can fix that with and m8 bolt and 2 nuts like i did the plastic insert wears out on the dog leg
you can see the plastic tab broken in this pic on the white dog leg i cut the rest of the tabs off then fitted spring washers i think to make up the gaps and fitted the bolt

 

[rick]

Yeah, ex Cheshire police. They did 71k in it before selling it in 2010. Serviced 4 times a year but probably ragged relentlessly so not sure if a good buy or not. Figured the seats, stereo, wheels and chassis are worth a few quid so with 6 months tax and mot it's a bargain. Bought it with several lights and broken trip bits so will fix what I can and, if it turn out ok, might run it for a while. Coolant leak is clearly from around the water pump. Guy I bought it off said it was due to an overtightened bolt?

What do u think it's worth? As is and then if all warnings/issues fixed?

Ta

 

[rick]

Done 120002 miles now. New disks all round. Team dynamics rims (i think they're monza). Reasonably irrelevent but curious what u lot think I should have paid

 

[vocky]

the seals have failed in that water pump, best get the two chain kits replaced at the same time with 120k on the clock

 

[rick]

Cheers bud. Can I get the water pump out the bottom to inspect it before i buy anything? Matey said "overtightened bolt" so if there is a crack I'll need to change the pump too.

 

[vocky]

it will just be the internal seals, not an overtightened bolt, I have replaced quite a few leaking pumps

ps: not easy to remove on our engines without the special tool, just as quick to replace it along with the chains and not buying the special tool

 

[rick]

Ref seat belt light: did some searching on here (great forum btw) and found a thread with info from evocarlos about seats. Poked around under mine and the passenger front has one connector plugged in, the rears have a purple connector from the seat but not connected to the car, the driver seat has two connectors both conneced. If I understood that thread correctly you can't plug seats with airbags in if your old ones didnt have airbags, and if the new ones don't and old ones did, that won't work either, so the yellow connector needs disconnecting to clear the seatbelt light. Is that right?

Not sure whether my old seats and new ones did/didn't have airbags. Should I go ahead and unplug the yellow connector on driver seat anyway? Do i need battery disconnected and if so, for how long?

Cheers lads.

 

[rick]

Ok, cheers vokey. Toni need two chain sets so 200-odd quid? The expensive set is only the timing chain and not balancer, right?