Major Weekend Project

[steve2006]

With the starter motor getting progressively worse and armed with the necessary gaskets, a "How to do it download", starter repair kit, tools and the time I decided today was the day.

Starting at 8.00am and finishing at 8.00pm the job is now 85% completed.

Having never attempted this job before ( it was either £200.00 to have it done or £200.00 holiday spending money!) I organised all the removed parts, took many pictures and made notes.

It took me about 4 hours to actually see the starter motor and removal was easier than I had anticipated once I had cracked the 14mm nuts they came out by hand!

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e191/ste...sstarter020.jpg

Removing the end cover of the motor confirmed the usual contact wear.

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e191/ste...d_0005_0001.jpg

The other side was also worn down but not so much and the plunger was pitted badly.

I fitted the repair kit and new plunger then "bench tested" the motor with the Battery removed from the car success!

I now have most of the engine back together except the ducting, airflow meter/airfilter and the wire covers so will finish the job tomorrow.

Something interesting is that there is no EGR system on this model, maybe because it is an import ( well I couldn't find the EGR pipe to the inlet manifold so I assume it isn't present ( anyone need a spare gasket!).

I will post the results of the finished job tomorrow hopefully good news or no holiday spending money!

[sparkystav]

Glad to see people doing DIY on jobs like that. feels so worth while at the end of the day

[steve2006]

Cheers,

I just hope it's a success, my back is killing me and my carfe ( leg ) muscles are aching.

Whilst the throttle body was off I gave that a good clean it's a bit more difficult having the twin butterflies having Traction Control ( could do with that for my back!)

Last project I did was the spark plug wires etc the cambelt went to the garage!!!!

Good or bad I will post tomorrow

[steve2006]

It's good news!!!! After a 7.00am start this morning ( I wanted to get it finished) I had everything back on by 9.00.

Tentatively turned the key and it fired up 1st time :D Panic set in for a few minutes when I saw what I thought was smoke coming from the inlet manifold area but then realised that it was water evaporation from the coolant that dribbled out of the rear bypass during removal.

I ran the engine up to temperature then topped up the coolant.

Running fine no warning lights, no leaks of either fuel or coolant so must have remembered to put everything back correctly.

The only thing I have noticed is that although the tickover is correct at 650RPM there is a more noticable jolt when selecting drive and the gear changes are very close together, I put this down to having had the Battery off and the car is on it's relearn curve, I made sure all the throttle and kickdown cables were put back to the same position adjustment wise but suggestions welcomed.

Anyway back feels a lot better and holiday spending money is £200.00 up! :D

Next exciting project is transmission fluid change ( do I have to take the inlet manifold off to do this! )

[sparkystav]

Excellent news mate,

congrats

[thermoacc]

Well done mate! Always worth doing that type of job yourself as you do so many other things along the way. I did a oil and spark plug/lead change the other day and ended cleaning the throttle buttertfly and the whole engine bay. 2-hour job turned into a 5-hour one!

[steve2006]

Thanks guys,

I have now sussed the thump into drive and gearchange problem, I had in fact dispite marking the nut position with tipex managed to misadjust the kickdown cable.

I thought that the sole purpose of the cable was just for kickdown when in fact it also tells the transmission the throttle position.

I had actually overadjusted the cable so the transmission thought the throttle was more open than it was so it was changing up too early ( why it thumped into drive I don't get) but having readjusted the cable correctly everything is fine again.

One to remember if you have to do this job.