Barry the XRDT

[RAW]

Hi Everyone,  

I put a little thread up in the newbie section, only joined this morning, but been advised to start a project thread.  I'm not expecting this to be much of a project, but I'll try to keep this reasonably up to date with progress anyway.  

About me - I'm Richard, I'm 20 and I'm a final year Aeronautical Eng Student at Loughborough University, where I'm also a member of the Motor Club and I've been working on cars for years.  I drive an '89 Volvo 745 which I fitted with a 940 2.4TD and gearbox after the original 2.0 8valve petrol expired (i couldn't be arsed to replace the HG).  My girlfriend, Kirsty, is a teacher in Sheffield, and has only just passed her test, so set me the task of finding her a first car, cue yesterday...

Yesterday was an early start, leaving Sheffield at 0715 to head to Bristol (via Loughborough to collect trailer) in order to 'have a look' at a Ph1 XRDT with no MOT.  Here was the only AutoTrader photo I can find now the ad' has gone.  



More in a mo.

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The ad' was simple - three outside pictures, two inside, and a short paragraph saying the MOT had just expired and the car had done little milage since it's last.  Selling much loved family car due to no longer needing two, and asking £495.  I thought the price was a little steep but other than that it looked worth a try so off we went.  

Having a look over the car it seems to be solid everywhere, just a little bubble by the O/S/F arch and a little one on the front edge of the bonnet.  Brakes apparently a little worn and a few C/L gremlins but seemed ok.  The chap selling it seemed so sad to see it go I thought it would be mean to offer too much under the mark, so £450 was agreed on without haggling and she was loaded up...



She's had one owner from 1997, owned by a dealer before that I think, and was still being dealer serviced in 2008.  Mileage is c154000, and there is every MOT and seemingly all the receipts as well.  

More in a mo.

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Got her home, stopping off at my mom's in Northamptonshire last night and then finally on up to loughborough today, she's now happily away at the Motor Club where I'll be getting on with the jobs over the next few weeks!  



On her way from the trailer to the compound she was parked up next to my mates 1.4hdi 307 briefly.  We actually have a fair french contingent down there now, having had an AX as a club car (with a sax VTS engine), chair of the club has a 2CV, and between the members there is now a few 205s, a few 306s and a 307 Will have to get the 306s together with the 307 and do an old to new photo



More in a moment!

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Right, enough of the happiness about the new purchase, what have I got myself in for choosing her a french car?

Well, as expected with a cheap runabout that's nearly 20 years old and has no MOT, there are a few issues.  

Temperature gauge light doesnt seem to work



Few other lights inside gone, including the boot light,
Not sure if there should be two rear fog lights or only the O/S one that's working,
N/S numberplate light isn't working,
Front indicator lenses both very faded, will try flat and polish but probably easier to replace,
Boot struts are a bit weak,
Clutch feels like the cables dirty, and a bit heavy,
Couple of rust bubbles as mentioned earlier,
Few suncream handprints from kiddies here and there, and normal scratches,
Couple of chips in the windscreen,
Slight squeak at idle - sounds like aux belt,
Pedals worn,
Split seam in drivers seat base,
Central locking issues - drivers door sometimes works fine, sometimes immediately locks car again the moment you unlock it (guessing door loom worn?) - N/S/R door doesn't do anything on C/L at all,
Radio seems to be a bit mad, asks for code briefly when turned on, then starts working anyway, goes off completely at some volumes or some of the time, screen only half works.  

Plans to come,

[RAW]

So, we've had it a day, just about, last thing Kirsty said to me this afternoon as I dropped her off was, 'Look after Barry, and make sure you sort the clutch, put new pedals on, and new mats in'.  She's not demanding!  Don't ask about the car being given a male name, I just don't understand it!  As far as I'm concerned vehicles, like locomotives and ships are female and always will be, but apparently Kirsty doesn't agree!  

So the plans for before the MOT are:

New Cambelt and water pump + idlers (last changed at dealer in 2008, c130000 miles)  
Full Major service (air, oil, fuel and pollen filters, oil)
Aux belt and idlers maybe if they're diagnosed as the cause of the squeak,
Front discs and pads (advisory on last MOT)
Three pedal rubbers,
New fitted floor mats, would consider ten ones if they're available but probably eBay specials,
sort front indicators,
sort boot light,
sort rear no plate light,
lubricate/replace clutch cable,
New Rad Cap (old one comes out in several separate parts),
Sort C/L issues,

Possible other things to sort,

Remote fobs if possible, doesn't have any at the moment but seems to have the receiver by the dome light and has two key blades for them,
Mate might have a 5 door Ph3 Meridian interior maybe, if it will fit,
Sort radio, ideally would like cd at least and I'm not keen on aftermarket stereos so preferably OEM,

I'm sure I'll find or think of more as I go through it but that seems a good start

What do you lot suggest?

Richard

[7057sam]

Looks good Richard

lots little jobs to do,best of luck

[Mattcheese31]

all standard issues there by the sound of it, replace a few bulbs and whatnot, boot light if not the bulb is operated by a ball bearing in a tube affair, remove the plastic cover on the boot lid to reveal it, sometimes just needs earth cleaning up on it . .

[RAW]

all standard issues there by the sound of it, replace a few bulbs and whatnot, boot light if not the bulb is operated by a ball bearing in a tube affair, remove the plastic cover on the boot lid to reveal it, sometimes just needs earth cleaning up on it . .

Thanks for that one matt

Having had a little drop in to have a proper look about on my own without people around now (have most of Mondays off uni this term), I've noticed a few things.

The Radio is, I'm sure, knackered. It's completely mad, so will be changing that. Does anyone know if I can fit a later factory 306 unit with a CD changer and that I can link a Parrot kit to?

The door locks need a really good look at, seeing as the one does nothing, and two others the buttons don't move even though the doors lock and unlock right. Probably just door looms and buttons come loose from the rods in the doors?

Can anyone tell me if I can get some remotes for remote locking or will the car not be fitted with a sensor? Also, if I can do this, will I require a 2 button or a 1 button remote. I can't seem to find a way of triggering deadlocks with the key in the door, but the way the locking is behaving I don't know if I should be able to!

Looking forwards to any help you can all give me

Richard

[Mattcheese31]

You hold the key turned for a sec or two for deadlocking, if the looms are broken it won't always work like you say, it will have a sensor yes, keys are available on ebay, I may have one spare, you want a two button key, they are easy to program.

[RAW]

Cheers for that Matt, I'll have another go but I'm pretty sure that's what I tried and didn't get any result at all from it. Are you saying it should have them though? Going to have to sort out a couple of fobs then

Here's another question for you, should the car have ABS? Doesn't seem to test an ABS light or an SRS light before starting. Wondering if some bodger might have removed the bulbs!

Richard

[Mattcheese31]

It will have an ir sensor yes, no ABS on your model so no worries

[RAW]

Sorry, I meant does it have the deadlocks?

Thanks for the reply about the ABS, just got to check whether theres an SRS light to check then

Richard

[Mattcheese31]

Yes it will have deadlocks...

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Sorry, I meant does it have the deadlocks?  

Thanks for the reply about the ABS, just got to check whether theres an SRS light to check then

Richard

no srs light no, there should be an airbag light though if you have an airbag fitted which you should on your car.

[RAW]

Thanks for the info. I'll have to look into why I'm not seeing an airbag light then.

Thanks very much for the help so far and I'll keep you all updated on the progress as it goes on.

Rich

[hbomb1905]

The standard radio will always flash code when turned on even if it doesn't need it. It's like its doing a self check.
All 306's have only one rear fog light but you can tap the tabs out in the n/s light unit itself and stick another bulb in if you want symmetry (I do it to all mine)

Good luck

[RAW]

Aah, ok, interesting about the radio, still only means theres one less thing wrong with it though so I expect it will be going unless funds run short.

Thanks for the info about the fog light as well, volvo did something similar with the 940's. Is the wiring there and everything or do I need to get terminals and wire as well as a bulb holder?

Rich

[Mattcheese31]

Aah, ok, interesting about the radio, still only means theres one less thing wrong with it though so I expect it will be going unless funds run short.  

Thanks for the info about the fog light as well, volvo did something similar with the 940's.  Is the wiring there and everything or do I need to get terminals and wire as well as a bulb holder?

Rich

everything is there for the light, just pop a bit of plastic out and put a bulb in . . .done . .

[RAW]

Progress has been happening on this. Need to upload some photos though!

Rear door lock issue was narrowed down to being a failed lock motor, I've just taken delivery of a known good replacement so that's going on this evening. I have a feeling the issue with the car sometimes re locking it's self is to do with the n/s/f door lock being a bit slow. Will try to refurb it and if that doesn't work will replace that also.

Front corner lights were falling apart so I have ordered new Valeo ones to replace them.

One of the rear clusters was full of water so I removed that, drained it through the bung and siliconed the bung back in as I couldn't find anywhere for it to leak from. Think it'll fill back up since it was above the bung so that can't be where it was getting in. I also removed the bit of plastic and fitted a n/s fog light bulb while i was there and cleaned everything up. Doing a small amount of paint damage and rust below the light that I'll have to treat soonish.

Radio is going to be replaced with a later ph clarion CD unit that my mate has, and I have priced up the parts for the service and brakes. Just waiting for the time to do the work!

Rich

[RAW]

Well I've fitted the new door lock, central locking now works nicely Cant manage to program the new remote fob, but I'm going to try a new pair of batteries before I admit defeat on that one.

Meeting my mate at the pub tomorrow so will try and work out a deal on the stereo then

Hopefully will be able to give you a better update with some more progress sometime soon!

Richard

[RAW]

Right, Update!

First, a few photos from what has already happened.

Drained this:



Got confused by this, 2 in from car, 7 in the door? Didn't make sense to me!



Managed to work out that there was nothing wrong with the wires though, replaced the locking solenoid and all is now good



This weekend I started working on improving sound proofing and generally making the car feel more solid and comfortable rather than tin box like. Forgot to photograph my work on the N/S/R door as I was working it out as i went along. Will photograph the O/S/R as I now have a method Then moved on the the boot.





Taking the side panels of the boot off in order to put some underlay behind the carpet there, O/S went fine, but when it came to the N/S, I started loosening the screws and some rust fell out :| Some investigation later this is what's there, I'm just glad the PO's Kids were never strapped into this in an accident!







Looks like I have some welding to do! Got a hold of an arch liner from a Ph3 to stop it happening again once it's sorted

Well, More soon I suppose!

Rich

[Jimbo]

Shame about the rust mate, but they like to rot there with no liners fitted
Also if it has an airbag it will probably just have a small red light on the wheel itself
Most of my ph1s did, apart from the later p reg one i had

Good luck

[RAW]

Well, the rust is now fixed unfortunately I'm a fool and forgot to photograph the final job before I put the trim back in. This was part way through.



And this was the next one I took with it all back together.



Then I got started on fitting a parrot hands free. Fitted the microphone up behind the little vent in the courtesy light panel, running the wire down the o/s a pillar. Fitting the screen down as shown in the photo below, though there's still more work to be done with the Dremmel for that one, and the blue box is going down on the stiffener to the left of the clutch pedal.  



Was at this point that I found that the mute cable on my bargain "fully refurbished" parrot had been bodged and was faulty, so that needs replacing but that shouldn't be too hard to fix

Getting closer and closer but need to order brakes and servicing bits next. Apologies for the slow progress, two weekends on exercise and a dissertation to write hasn't left me much time to work on this :/

Rich

[RAW]

Bit more progress on this recently.

I got the rust repair finished on the N/S/R in the end, plastic wheel arch liner of a ph3 fitted after stonechip painting all the inner arch. No photos as it was mostly done in the dark

Got all the door cards insulated and rebuilt, but need to have the fronts back off as the drivers one isn't sitting right and the pax one needs a new weather seal thing. few shots of the process.









Speaker's getting wet in the N/S/F door hence wanting to put a new seal in, and possibly new speakers. If i did put new speakers in though, I'd like to swap electric mirrors on and put tweeters up on where the mirror controls are but that seems like a lot of faff given the wiring state of these cars!

Got parts for the servicing the car needs.



fitted the fuel and air filters, and the new drop links. not sure if i'm going to bother with the discs and pads for now tbh as the look fine, think it's more an issue of unscrupulous mechanic trying to get money out of the previous owner and telling him they needed replacing as opposed to there actually being an issue as theres no bad wear on the disc and over half the pad lining left!

Finally gave it a bit of a clean! Ruined a clay bar taking some of the tree sap off the paint, but it's still needs another pass at least! Paints pretty good in most places, with few scratches but lots of little dings and a few sin cream hand prints, not to mention a few little scabby bits that look like they might try to turn into rust, in odd places! the boot lid for example and also a few on the roof :S











Insides starting to come up reasonably clean now too. Slowly starting to bring it back from it's life of being owned by someone who clearly wasn't really a car person, living under a tree and being used to carry children all the time

Rich

[RAW]

Well, to update this,

The car now has new front discs and pads, which weren't required since the old ones were much less than 50% worn, never mind completely shot as the PO's mechanic had informed him! In the process of fitting them i found that there was another hole in the car! O/S/F chassis rail just above the coolant pipe was holed behind the arch liner, few minutes with the welder soon had that fixed though and then stone shipped over the top

Fitted a new aux belt tensioner and belt, and decided to leave the cam belt and water pump for a bit as i need to come up with a plan for the crank pulley bolt.

Dropped the oil and fitted a new filter and some fresh 10W40, so all should be good for a while really, and then finally dropped it off for the MOT, which it newly passed

Few advisories, wiper blade, chipped windscreen, P bushes, and some bits I've forgotten, but otherwise good

All taxed and Insured now as well so will be off causing a menace in Sheffield traffic from next week

Richard

[RAW]

I'm really crap at updating threads!

Few thousand miles into being used Kirsty started to complain that the handbrake was no longer holding the car very well, and I didn't think it was very good to start with to be honest, so a little brake service was in order.

Stripped the rear end down and decided to just change the lot:

Referred expanders and adjusters both sides
Cleaned and repainted backplates
New shoes
New drums with a coat of hi temp paint
New rear bearings (story in themselves)

First set of bearings (from GSF) were some crap brand, forget the name, first one on failed before being fully installed. Replacement bearings from ECP were much better quality, but of course ended up costing more monies to have the crap ones pressed back out again and the second set pressed in!





Drums later got a coat of silver after the bearing change as I wasn't keen on the black and it all got damaged changing the bearings since it hadn't been cured.



All good after

Rich

[Iaitoo]

Nice car. Mine is also an XRDT Did you find an airbag? Didnt think these ones got em.

[RAW]

Nice car. Mine is also an XRDT Did you find an airbag? Didnt think these ones got em.

yes, it has drivers airbag and SRS pretensioners in the front seats. I didn't notice it doing the self test of the SRS light when we first had it but a few months back the light started staying on for five minutes as it thought there was a fault in the front pretensioners - this was easily fixed as it was the usual fault with the wiring connectors under the seats.

I have a feeling some of the very early cars didn't have them and perhaps some of the XL or XJ spec cars maybe?

Rich