KA2. Observations and Qs

Not normally, but they do like to get through wishbones (bushes) and spring top-hats like you wouldnt believe, so I would have a very good look around the front suspenders possibly slipping in some new shocks, and a good waggle of the engine to see if you can spot any play that shouldnt be there.

They should handle and feel very taut, but unless you've driven a newish one you wont be able to tell how good / bad yours is.

Tim..

Understood, I'll give it all a good waggle about (thanks).

Good point and I'd say this does feel pretty good in all over cases (no clunks from the suspension etc). However, I don't feel this clutch / whatever is 'right' (but is livewithable if it gets no worse) and I'm aware sometimes it can be a trait of the beast. You go to a lot of effort and expense to sort something and it's back as it was after 100 miles etc. :(

Before we bought it a mate put it up on his 4 poster to give it a look over for us (mainly looking for rust, leaks or signs of accident damage etc) but I've not had a chance to go over it properly myself as yet.

It's still the newest and probably the most sophisticated car in our fleet though! ;-)

92 1.4i Astra, 93 Rover 218SD and 1978 MKII Escort based Kit car (with a similar 1300 block as in the KA I believe)?

If you are intending to keep it, and daughter is possibly not likely to fold it up within 12months, get someone to fill the sills with waxoyl or dinitrol before the winter and repair any stone chips on the sills (front flaps are a very good idea) and at the rear lower corner of the door shuts! Yes it will smell horrid for afew weeks, but it won't disolve away around you.

I am sure someone will be along shortly mentioning changing the oil extra frequently, and removing the plugs yearly so they dont snap off!

Tim..

Yes. Buy a schutz / wax gun and some cans of dinitrol. I got dintrol from rust.co.uk. Clean around the petrol filler and do that areas too. Try to get the kind that pressurises the can rather than pulls the dinitrol in via suction like a spray gun...

It's caused by stones hitting the base of the B pillar, as it protrudes beyond the level of the door. There is a ford part (can't remember the full name, it's a something "foil") which is a bit of tough clear tape that prevents further stone chips. I have some somewhere, but I doubt I'll be able to find the,.

Maybe. Or maybe the clips have been ripped off. Bumpers are cheap for these cars.

Interesting Co name. ;-) So would 1l of DINITROL3125 be sufficient for the inner / outer sills on one KA do you think please?

Understood. I guess that is accessible from under the r/ns wing (not within the boot etc)?

Will do.

Aaahh ....

;-)

So, once there is rust on there (and there is, both sides now I look closer) is it too late, or do I just get the die grinder on it, clean, prime, paint and get some of this protection on there (with the wax on the inside)?

So is a little metal strip and some self tappers, or even some cable tie 'stitches' ;-)

We have also now found the JVC CD/Radio only has a left channel. The right is *just* hearable ... speaker, radio or wiring do you think?

Thanks again ..

T i m

No, use two or 3.

Also do the underside lip of the bonnet, and all around /on/ under the slam panel, esp the corners, and the inner wings back to the bulkhead behind the strut towers.- a paint brush is best is some of these areas.

IMHO dinitrol is faaar ahead of waxoyl, but even old engine oil is better than nothing!

Tim..

No idea. Normally it's a pretty difficult place to get to, which is why mud builds up there - spray never washes it off.

That's the ticket. I wouldn't expect it to be too late.

Speaker or wiring. I find radios tend to die completely.

Is it a bang bang bang type effect as the wheel regains then loses grip repeatedly? That's what I call wheel hop... Never had axle tramp as the only RWD cars I have have driven have been either underpowered or stupidly over engineered (Jag XJ40s with double wishbones and 2 dampers a corner and a 1.4 Volvo 340).

Thermostat housings are known to corrode on these.

And the slave cylinders on Kas go stupendously often. Along with the wishbones and the ICV. Other than that, and the rust, they're pretty good. And having rolled one twice, I can tell you that they're surprisingly strong too.

No, not really, this is far more gentle and at lower revs / power than would be needed to get the road wheels to bounce / hop etc.

;-)

I guess this must be a clutch thing then ... slip it gently as you pull away and all is smooth. Give it a bit more (like you would if you were a bit caught out at a junction and wanted to 'get on with it' but not going mad as such, that's when something 'shudders' in the transmission?

And are they on the left hand side of the engine towards the back (looking in over the bonnet)?

Ok, thanks for the heads up Tim.

The clutch you mean? And aren't all that cheap I understand?

I guess they (wishbones) would have been checked on the fairly recent MOT?

;-)

Really? How come?

Ok, still 30 quid well spent I should imagine?

Ok, so maybe a good clean out with a pressure washer, leave to dry for a few days then give it the treatment?

Understood. I have used motorcycle wax type chain lube in the past to good effect.

I recently did one rear arch on the Astra, started with a dodgy patch at the end of the o/s outer sill and ended up 1/3 round the rear arch. I fabricated a steel 'edge' and was able to tack it into place and it didn't need much P45 to get it back in shape. I got a tin of matching paint made up and I was quite pleased how you couldn't see where the work was done (and if you run yer hand round the arch it's not full of 'pudden' ;-)

Ok, thanks. Luckily it even came with the radio extraction tools so I might pop it out and try swapping the speakers over (and seeing where the fault goes etc).

The door cards are held on by lots of clips, a few hidden screws and the window winder. They're difficult to get back on again. Wiring is proper looms with multiway connectors through the doors. Probably hacked wiring at the head unit end.

Slave cylinders are a very common fault on these. I'd expect that to be working or not working though. I suppose it could perhaps weep fluid onto the clutch?

Can't remember. They're ally.

Yeah, the drivers door grab handle cover comes off in yer hand and I notice the card is already loose. Signs that someone has already been in there.

Lekky windows ;-)

Aren't they always ... well, except my kitcar, 10 x ss countersunk screws in cups. Been on there 20 years now and had them and off a few times and still tidy. ;-)

Yep and sorta what I'm expecting / fearing. Well, I suppose if it is just a pair of speaker wires shorting and assuming it hasn't destroyed the o/p of the radio it should be cheap to fix. ;-)

The clutch action feels nice and is very light. It seems a bit high but I'm more used to the Rover 218SD when you have to bury the (heavy) clutch pedal in the carpet. :(

Yup, now that's a possibility I suppose. The clutch doesn't seem to slip under normal use. Would a clutch contaminated with hydraulic fluid normally slip as well?

Well the leak seems to have been a one-off but I will investigate the area of source.

Cheers ..

I don't know. ISTR my clutch worked as well as could be expected when the slave cyl went - it didn't slip, but it didn't disengage either. The car was just about driveable.

it would be quite difficult for a clutch fluid leak to reach the plate. fluid will drip out of the bottom of the box. Clutch judder is usually down to oil on the clutch (unlikely on that design) manky/worn clutch(possible) worn/distorted flywheel (quite common, on Fords especially) If it works generally ok then just leave it alone.