Busy Weekend Tinkering
 

Ok, before I start, I am a mechanical mong.

Right, now thats dealt with let me tell you about my weekend. Yesterday I bit the bullet and decided to fit my 02 sensor on the Bug. I had attempted it before, you know the drill, drivers side front wheel off, peel back the plastic in the wheel well to reveal the sensor, hope to God its not seized and remove with a 22mm spanner. It didn't go so well the first time, there was no room to move the spanner once I'd got it on the sensor so I canned it and bought a breaker bar and 02 sensor socket (a long socket with a cutout to accept the wiring).
So I get to the sensor with the socket, pull and pull and pull on the bugger but it wont budge. I had already warmed it up so I got some Eezit on the sensor and gave it 5 mins to do its work. It came off with some effort but the Eezit certainly budged the unbudgeable. 'New' sensor to go in now.

Bearing in mind room for hands is at a premium, I spent the next hour trying to get the thread to catch. No joy, so it was off with the headers!! I was caught in two minds where to disconnect the headers so I removed it at the up-pipe joint, the bottom of the engine drivers side, and the joint after the engine joint passenger side.

Headers off, and the 02 hole easy to work on, I attempted to put the sensor on. No joy, the thread on the hole was goosed. Luckily, I had another set of headers so I tried the 'new' sensor in there. Hallelujah! So, headers back on, opened up my knuckle a beaut (blood everywhere) and rust in my eyes, and I spotted something looking at me from the floor by the car. Looked like a gasket for the engine-headers joint! Boll0cks!

Headers back off, then headers on with gasket, and I am back in the game. Tightened up, started the car so I could clear the codes and reset the ECU with the PSI3. Went for a spin, all was well, no codes, and just drove more smoothly (considering it was in learning mode again). A lottle blow from one of the joints at high revs, but I can get back under to tighten that!

Today, it was the turn of the rear discs I bought from JonMc. As expected, as the discs had been on since it rolled out of the factory, there was a lip I'd usually expect on a Rolling Stones poster on the drum part of the discs. Winding the handbrake adjuster in was interesting, I found the drivers side was 'wind the wheel upwards' to loosen, but the passenger side was 'wind the wheel downwards' to loosen. That was the only hurdle! I managed to free up a stuck piston on one of the calipers also, one for the future list of jobs methinks. Judder gone, braking is a lot more precise and safe feeling, although the handbrake has a couple more clicks on it now!

All in all, not bad for a mong, although I was ready to torch the car on Saturday afternoon.



Sorry for boring you all!

Quality thread mate. Made me chuckle, as I have been there too. Fair play for not giving up.

Dan

Thing is Dan, I couldn't give up really. If I did, I'd be cycling into work next week. My bike needs a new rear inner tube/tyre so that wasn't a viable option!

If its going to go awry, I will be involved somehow!

When I did the O2 sensor I was fitting some ported headers so had them off the car anyway, made it so much easier. Glad you're happy with the brakes.

I just need to stop mine stalling now and I'll be as happy as you:D

I did think to myself that I might be looking for some more headers, perhaps some tubular ones to fit now I know how 'easy' it is to fit them!
(feedback on its way for the discs by the way!)

Whats wrong with yours then?

Great description of your day mate, I too am a mong as I thought an o2 sensor was a phone tariff! Sounds like you done a good job sepecially when it's a daily runner :thumb:

Much easier to swap boots over then I guess! I need to swap my headers out soon but will be up-pipe as well so a bit of a bigger job!

The difference with the boots was that I had someone with me who knew what was going on!!

Headers = easy, up-pipe was a bit more fiddly when my mate changed mine over back along!

Fair play to you mate for sticking with it and getting it done, I would have ended up breaking something lol

To be fair, from underneath I did give the removed wheel a good kicking, and my knuckles feel like I have been in a scuffle!

The revs occasionally die and it stalls when I dip the clutch. Tried a new TB with all the sensors, cleaned the DV, and now ordered a MAF sensor to see if that helps.

Haha I don't blame you its natural lol

Are you allowed to say that in this PC age?

At least you're honest. :lol1:

Fair play for sticking at it, did you swear a lot and question your cars parentage? That's what I usually do when things aren't going well.