Well, my lad has had his Lupo for a couple of months now and we are ticking off the jobs on the "To Do" list.

 First major job were the brakes, needed new pads and discs and also drums and shoes, then we did the oil and filter, air filter had to be replaced as it was a BMC CDA that the insurance didn't like, we have also done gear box oils and just recently replaced the spark plugs after a misfire issue, so steadily we are getting there.

 

 Anyway, MOT tomorrow so a final check today, all looks good except the brake calliper slides, they were bad when we did the brakes so I bought some new slide studs and rubber sleeves to fit in the calliper. Usually I do the work and he drives it, so today I changed the rules, he did the work!

 A fine job he did too, both sides jacked and axle stands placed under, wheels off, callipers off and old rubber sleeves out, a polish with a wire brush on the the Dremmel and in with the new rubbers, then special lubricant and in with the slides, tighten them up and replace the wheels, I am quite proud and happy he is learning the basics.

 

 Here he is in action lol 

 

 Putting the wheel back on

 

 

 

Gurning because the small screw is missing from the disc and the hub is turning when trying to put the wheel on.

 

 

Finally the parts we removed.

 

 

 

 

New parts fitted.

 

 

 

 Thanks for looking, let's hope the MOT is a simple drive in drive out job!

That's how I started, with helping my dad. We changed the clutch and gearbox once on his MkII Cortina. He taught me every profanity under the sun that day, and how to stub a toe when kicking a cantilever toolbox

Good stuff, got to start somewhere. Good on him too for giving it a go.

I learnt stuff from my dad, watching him first then helping out when i was a bit older.

I knew all i needed to know about cars by the time i was 14 but couldnt get a job when i left school without the paperwork to back it up, so off to college i went, 6 months later i walked out out of what should have been a 2 year course fully qualified

Still doing the same job now some 23 years later and i still love what i do.

It's the only way.

Good on you for taking the time to get his hands dirty.

Half an hour has just been spent trying to clean his hands, muck in his nails and so on, he has gone on shift now at burger king, hope he doesn't poison anybody with grot from under his nails lol

Probably add to the flavour of burger king  

Tub of swafega for him then if it passes the mot. I have some stuff with bits in, 30seconds and my hands are spotless, and devoid of a skin layer

Tub of swafega for him then if it passes the mot. I have some stuff with bits in, 30seconds and my hands are spotless, and devoid of a skin layer

Swarfega and sugar as the grinding agent. Proper job

I always wear disposable gloves these days - so much easier the clean up afterwards.

 

Good on you and your lad - best way to learn.

It failed after all that!  Emissions and a bottom ball joint, so not too bad for an old car.

 

 Todays lesson is find a vacuum leak to sort the emission problem and then fit a ball joint.

 

 Ball joint is already bought and ready to fit, however the emissions are way up!

 

This is on the fast idle test

 

First test;    CO% is at 0.620 and HC is at 311ppm 

Second Test;  CO% is at 0.655 and HC is at 342ppm

 

both more than double the limits!

 

 MOT tester suggested a CAT cleaner fluid might help, I am thinking more on the lines of a vacuum leak somewhere, what do you think?  

Well after trying the cataclean emissions are still through the roof, not only are the emissions high but we also have blue smoke today, we have done a bore pressure test and this confirmed knackered rings 

 

 So, Lupo is booked in with CMA in Sandycroft for a recon, I have asked Tony to replace the rings, valve stem oil seals and of course the cam belt, water pump Hopefully then when it comes back there should be plenty of life in the old girl for a few more years. :think:  maybe

That's how I started, helping my Dad de-coke the head on a 1966 Austin 1800 in 1972.  My lad's 20, and on his first car ('93 Polo Coupe), so we tinker too - he did an oil change last weekend and even though that's nice'n straightforward, it's good pass on how to do it properly.

 

Funnily enough he had problems with emissions, but it turned out to be the Cat, so nothing as intrusive as ring wear.

 

Gaz

It has been a bad week for being my lad, he took the Lupo for the MOT and it failed on emissions, we tried every trick in the book but to no avail, so we bit the bullet and sent the car to CMA in Sandycroft for an engine rebuild, new rings, valve guides etc to stem the oil burning and raising the emissions. Agreed a price for the amount of work that needed to be done and left the car there for the week,

 

 Anyway, got a call today that the pistons are worn after many years of piston slap, so to add insult to injury a new set of pistons are  now being ordered up and added to the bill!

 

 I suppose this is the risk you take when you buy an old car with lots of miles on it.    Looking on the bright side I suppose now the car has had brakes all round, tyres all round and a new engine almost what else can go wrong?  :wonder:   

"What else can go wrong?"

You know that is No 1 on the questions not to ask list, right?"

You didn't fancy your lad pulling it to bits in the garage then?

I have rebuilt many engines in the past from Minis to Gardners but these days things are so different, I know Tony at CMA he builds my mates rally car engines and knows his stuff, so with my work load and what I would actually save by doing it myself it seemed a worthwhile investment to get CMA to do it.

 

 I will be doing all the turbo conversion on the 4 motion Golf so I am sure he will get his hands oily when that kicks off!

Would you not have considered a second hand low mileage engine replacement rather than a rebuild?

Surely it would have cost less than the original £800 rebuild bill?

Just a thought

The 1.4 16 valve is known for burning oil and other issues, I did see an engine on Ebay for £300 ish, but do you really know what you are buying? Now this one is stripped and rebuilt I know it is done properly, for the sake of a couple of hundred quid.

 

 We even looked at getting a newer engine, something like the 1.2 TSI or even the 1.4 TSI, not too many around but the problem is the electrics, it would have been a major project that we haven't got the time for.

I know what you mean buddy, was just a thought that maybe you could have got a warranted used engine for less dosh if you were prepared to swap it yourself, but if you dont have the time thats fair do's

Collect the blue bean tomorrow, new big ends, reconditioned head, new pistons and rings, new water pump and cam belt and an MOT passed.

 

 For Sale 18 year old Kidney, offers..........   that should pay for the rebuild    My son doesn't know it is for sale yet lol 

If it comes with a few kilos of steak, you've got a deal

and a pastry crust 

Puff of course

of course although he does have a girlfriend.....

 

 OH you mean the pastry 

Well boy wonder has been having a go again today!  His car was weeping water from the radiator, so a measly £36 for a new one and he was in business, Lupo got a stripping, radiator out and new one in, he did really well, we just had one sheared bolt that would not shift even with the drill and easy outs, so we drilled it through and used a nut and bolt. Job done.