03 Jun 2009, 18:54
Had quite a productive day today :-)
I thought I'd start with the TABs, I was particularly keen to get the passenger side done as I could see that the bush was shot and owing to a shim falling out the TAB was loose enough for me to rotate the washer by hand, no doubt the cause of my drifty back end.
Anyway like most jobs on the D it's not so much hard as time consuming, just for a test I made a note of the time I started and it took 1hr 42 minutes to remove the old TAB and bush and install the new one with the car off the ramps ready to go.
I realise that the drivers side is a little tighter on access but having carefully examined it and checking the torque on the nut I am happy to leave that till after Eurotec.
Then off for the regas to the air con, the system had held a reasonable amout of pressure which the aircon man said was a positive sign that there were no major leaks, he said that the loss (over 6years) was pretty good. (he had filled it last time and converted it to R134A, I like the fact that it took him over 1hr 30 to do the evauation and recharge, he is very thorough.
Then back for the installation of the new sway bar bushes, these should be done with the weight on the front wheels according to the instructions I got from Toby from DPNW, and I found that to be a very easy task, about 1hour on my own?
Then a quick burn around Mersea, what a difference, much tighter up front when braking and the rear end tight witht he new TAB/Bush installed.
Anyway as with most DMC project days it had to end on a bit of a downer....
I was re-tensioning the alternator belt when I could smell somthing funny and following close inspection I noticed a very faint hissing from the air compressor ahhh! I wiggled one of the valves and it got alot worse and then i spotted a split in the aluminium valve on the air compressor.
Fortunatly I spoke to air-con man again and he will be fitting a replacement and regassing tommorrow!
phew! just a few cosmetic bits tommorrow then I'm ready for Saturday, thanks for everyones help!
James
I thought I'd start with the TABs, I was particularly keen to get the passenger side done as I could see that the bush was shot and owing to a shim falling out the TAB was loose enough for me to rotate the washer by hand, no doubt the cause of my drifty back end.
Anyway like most jobs on the D it's not so much hard as time consuming, just for a test I made a note of the time I started and it took 1hr 42 minutes to remove the old TAB and bush and install the new one with the car off the ramps ready to go.
I realise that the drivers side is a little tighter on access but having carefully examined it and checking the torque on the nut I am happy to leave that till after Eurotec.
Then off for the regas to the air con, the system had held a reasonable amout of pressure which the aircon man said was a positive sign that there were no major leaks, he said that the loss (over 6years) was pretty good. (he had filled it last time and converted it to R134A, I like the fact that it took him over 1hr 30 to do the evauation and recharge, he is very thorough.
Then back for the installation of the new sway bar bushes, these should be done with the weight on the front wheels according to the instructions I got from Toby from DPNW, and I found that to be a very easy task, about 1hour on my own?
Then a quick burn around Mersea, what a difference, much tighter up front when braking and the rear end tight witht he new TAB/Bush installed.
Anyway as with most DMC project days it had to end on a bit of a downer....
I was re-tensioning the alternator belt when I could smell somthing funny and following close inspection I noticed a very faint hissing from the air compressor ahhh! I wiggled one of the valves and it got alot worse and then i spotted a split in the aluminium valve on the air compressor.
Fortunatly I spoke to air-con man again and he will be fitting a replacement and regassing tommorrow!
phew! just a few cosmetic bits tommorrow then I'm ready for Saturday, thanks for everyones help!
James
www.classicdelorean.com
Colchester - Essex - UK
Colchester - Essex - UK
