MOT Help!!!!

[frostrobo]

Hi,

My car went for its MOT today had a few problems. The passenger-side steering knuckle joint is loose/allowing play in the steering, and my headlights need re-aiming as they are too high.

With the knucklejoint, does this sound like I just need to order a replacement part? The steering rack in my car was replaced with a low-milage one when I got it, and there is no play on the driver side knuckle joint.

How do the headlights adjust vertically? The tester and I found screws to adjust horizontally but not vertically. My car also had only a quarter of a tank of fuel in... Should I just get the car tested with a full tank?

I also need to replace the CV gaiters on the rear wheels.

Any help/advice appreciated,

Thanks,
Simon



Simon

[Guinney1971]

the only advice I can offer, is dont worry about the fuel situation, I got our Avantime MOT'd last week, and she had about 10 miles worth of LPG left in her and just over a gallon of petrol in the main tank.

RichH might be able to help on the rear CV boots, as I'm sure he's just done those on his car. There's plenty of other techy folk on here, so I'm sure your questions wont stay unanswered for long

[frostrobo]

Thanks Claire! - I did a search for the CV boots and found cross references with a Granada, so I'll get those ordered and fitted. I have also found out that the headlight adjustment screws are just hidden a bit under the facisa, so we didnt look hard enough, so that should be sorted too

[frostrobo]

A picture tells a thousand words...

This is the problem area.

[ATTACHMENT NOT FOUND]

[Stuart Rees]

Hi Simon, AFAIK the steering rack bushing is a common problem on the D's, a couple of years ago I sent a rack away to get fully refurbed and they did this bushing in the process. I know a couple of the Irish boys have done this recently by making a bush out of PVC/acetal tube. Don't think its an off the shelf jobbie. Here's the thread on the DOI forum...
http://www.delorean.ie/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=1446

There are CV boots in the club shop BTW
http://www.deloreans.co.uk/shop/carparts/index.html

[Chris Williams]

Boots are available through the club shop; http://www.deloreans.co.uk/shop/carparts/index.html
Not to difficult a job to do with the corrct installation tool (or a cut down squash bottle)
Are you sure thats the part on the rack that was dodgy?? Perhaps it was just the track rod end?? (also avilable through the shop) worse case there are a couple of companys that re-furb the racks at not to much cost. One is through DaveH and another is listed in the forum

Chris

[frostrobo]

Hi,

Thanks very much for the replies I'll order the boots through the club shop and will have a go at installing them... :|

I am fairly sure that was the part. The exact wording on the VOSA form is:
"Offside front (inner knuckle joint) Steering arm has relative movement at its fixings [2.2.B.1h]"

I was present throughout the test, and the arm which connects the steering rack to the rod end was noticably loose compared to the drivers side one. The tester didnt say anything about the track rod end being the problem.

I am not confident enough to dismantle a steering rack I don't think I have the tools to even begin with. Is it an easy job, or a case of "how hard can it be..." !? I'll have to investigate over the weekend, see if I can safely jack the car up and try to replicate what the MOT tester did to show the loose part.

Cheers,

Simon

[Rich H]

Hi Simon

Steering rack, quite probably requires a refurb. I used Driveshaft UK who use City Link collect from anywhere, though the cost may vary. 01902 602103 They replace the knuckle joints as part of the refurb. Total cost inc VAT was £86 back in 2006 Dave Howarth is also able to get these done, not sure of the exact price, might be a bit cheaper.

The vertical adjustment for the headlights is under the top 'lip' of the front fascia. You have to pull the fascia up to see the screws.

The rear drive shaft gaiters are not an MOT fail, but should be replaced asap to prevent dirt ingress into the CV joint. Ideally if the tear is bad, then the joint should be disassembled, the old grease cleaned out and replaced with new as grit in the joint can damage the bearings.

[frostrobo]

Thanks Richard - I am going to have a good look at the rack over the weekend, and also see if I can't adjust those lights I'll also order the gaiters from the club shop. The ones that are split are at the wheel end of the drive shaft.

Cheers,

Simon

[Chris Williams]

The rack is not to bad a job to get in and out, just need to get the front wheels off, there are two brackets that hold the rack in place to the frame, a joint that holds the rack to the steering shaft and the track rod ends. Then with a bit of fidling slides out of the frame. One of the brackets has a spacer that you need to be aware off but other than that not to bad a job if you choose to do it yourself!
Chris

[TheOriginalMrP]

Guinney1971 Wrote:RichH might be able to help on the rear CV boots, as I'm sure he's just done those on his car. There's plenty of other techy folk on here, so I'm sure your questions wont stay unanswered for long

I've heared somewhere that these are Ford Granada, though how true this is I don't know.

A couple of bags of heavy goods under the hood should bring the front end down to get your headlight allignment through thew test, though they must be adjustable........ Check out an exploded diagram.

Ben

[Rich H]

Quote:A couple of bags of heavy goods under the hood should bring the front end down to get your headlight allignment through thew test, though they must be adjustable........ Check out an exploded diagram.

Yup, see my post above :wink:

Quote:I've heared somewhere that these are Ford Granada, though how true this is I don't know.

That's right, they're in our cross reference section