Satisfying '75 jobs done whilst "locked down"...
 

I've just had a really satisfying couple of days whilst stuck at home! :cool::cool:

Today, I replaced the rear drop links, mainly because of an advisory last year about one of the rubbers being slightly perished. Easy job really as I'd Plus-Gassed beforehand.
I had tried replacing just the rubber boot on the nearside, original, droplink but I wasn't happy with the fit so treated the old girl to a new pair of rear drop links instead (thanks to Mat at DMGRS)

I also replaced both rear rubber exhaust hangars, as they had a couple of splits appearing.

Then I adjusted the handbrake both sides so only 3 clicks needed to lock the wheels. Very satisfying job!

Whilst the wheels were off I washed, de-tarred and decontaminated (Korrosol) the backs and fronts :eek: then cleaned and treated inside the rear wheel arches with AG Vinyl and Rubber Care. I know ... I know ... but hey, they look good and now they match the clean ones at the front done yesterday! :shrug:

And if you think that's a bit @n@l ... when I replaced the exhaust hangars I also attacked the rear exhaust box with Autosol Metal Polish and 0000 wire wool ... looks quite tidy! :cool:

Yesterday I checked my Autobox 2-4 Brake Solenoid resistance and found it to be within spec ... or at least it looked it on my wobbly style ohm meter. I might get a digital meter which would be easier to read I think.
Question .... do you need to disconnect the battery when checking the solenoids? I didn't .... what do people think?

I also changed the Auto Fluid completely, using the full flush method posted up on here. Used a neat little infra-red-laser-temperature-unit-thingy from eBay to check the temperature, checking the fluid level between 34 and 38 degrees. The previous time I changed the ATF I did it "whilst it felt warm". ;)

BTW. I don't want to open up the "you don't need to worry about temperature" or "you don't need to change all the fluid in one go" debates .... it was just a satisfying thing to do and the laser gadget thing was great fun! I was temperature checking radiators, engine block, coolant pipes, central heating radiators, my cup of tea .... and mine and the wife's forehead to see if we had have a virus! :D

Whilst I was under the car changing the ATF I also changed the engine oil and filter.

So ... all in all a very productive couple of days whilst under lockdown.

The back is aching like mad after grovelling around outside on cold concrete, but tbh I'm feeling a little bit smug having done all that!

What's everyone else doing/done?

Stay safe, all.

John

oil and all filters change but noticed some spacer washers rusty so cleaned and painted them, then found body braces rusty so did them, found bushes to front arms perished so sub frame off but it had rusty patches, started to clean ready for painting but thought I'd never get to the difficult places so new sub frame on order.
I now have the arms off the sub frame and will fit the new bushes tomorrow

macafee2

I haven't been anywhere near as productive but I have been hand cut polishing and waxing both my ZT and MGF. The plan, starting next week is to repair and repaint the wheels on the ZT followed by installing new suspension arms which I have been putting off since September. I was hesitant to start doing the arms as I was using the ZT as my daily to drive to work but the Covid thing has forced me into retirement so no worries about getting to work anymore. :)
I know what you mean about the digital thermometers. When I got mine I was measuring anything, although my cheap one doesn't seem to give accurate readings on people.

I forgot, I've also changed the 4 large "washers" for the rear sub frame and will clean and paint the old ones and as the exhaust has come off I have cleaned the two other braces too ready for painting. cleaned= shot blasted

macafee2

Lol, so did you not disassemble the rear wheel bearings to polish your balls?

It's nice to have a little time to do the jobs that we've put off for ages, I'm trying to pace myself so I don't get bored.

So in light of that I.....

Drained the coolant, and filled with a mix of water and Speedflush, and as per MGJohn method ran it down to Teesside and back to decraminate the rad and heater matrix, then dumped it out and drained the block flushed with two more lots of plain water, before finally refilling with a 50/50 antifreeze mix.

After which I changed the oil and filter, the PCV air and fuel filter were done at the last change in December.

Fitted a R50 Mini handbrake compensator.

While the carpets were up and the centre console out, I wired in the aux 12v socket in the cubby box, and the Webasto timer, then vacuumed the carpets and shampooed them before refitting the seats.

The back brakes were completely overhauled, backplates, handbrake shoes, bearings stripped cleaned and regreased, new discs fitted, then adjusted so the first click gives a minute amount of drag, second click slightly more, and the third completely locked.

Onto the front end, the OSF track control arm outer ball joint is shot, so this morning ordered a TRW replacement from Autodoc, for a shade less than £70 delivered.

While the wheels were off, I washed them inside and out, removed the tar spots, and bits of gunge, then applied a thin coat of coppaslip to the mounting face before refitting.

This afternoon saw a phone call from a friend with an ABS fault on a 75 diesel, the NSF bearing had been replaced, however the main problem turned out to be a green contact in the ABS pump ECU plug......sorted while he kept well out of my way, then home for a scrub up and to defrost a little.

More daylight tomorrow too :drool4:

Brian :D

Started cataloguing the large pile of spares to be released for sale in the classifieds section after the crisis ends, cleaned up a pair of headlamp protectors, and sorted out a load of spares for the 800 coupe I bought a little while back.

75 hasn’t moved since its mot but I did venture into the garage. Refitted the carpet, rear seat and seatbelt stalks to the Mini Cooper S. They were removed ages ago when the car went to the bodyshop but I’ve not had time to refit. After being in the house for so long being in the garage was weird.... job done and back in the house after 30 minutes.

Sounds like a few of us are taking the opportunity to get jobs done on the cars! :bowdown::bowdown:

Re my earlier question, can anyone suggest whether it's better to test the autobox solenoid resistances after disconnecting the battery .... or doesn't it matter?

Look after you and yours everyone

John

Hello John,
How about some photographs?
Regards David

Well,,,,,,i'm orrf under mine tomorrow to replace rear springs (Sachs) and a pair of Drop links i've had rolling around in the drawer for a while.:}

Then after a long sit and slurp,,,the auto box gets new fluid courtesy of Smith and Allen of Darlington.:drool4:

Handbrake to adjust and then remove rear door cards to find out why they like popping off at the top when the doors are closed at anything more than a snails pace. Grrrr! :mad:

Planned some time ahead is a full days valeting, chip filling, Glass polishing and paintwork hand polishing,,,,it will be just like going back to the eighties!!! ;):D

and if were off any longer all the brake pipes are getting renewed with Kunifer!! Just cos i can!!:D :duh::D