My "Fun" Addiction

[E4EVV]

Evening all,

 

Read some fantastic theads on here top marks to you all (Teflon Tom you are a legend!)

 

Had my fun since 2010, went all over country to buy one 5 miles from home!

T735BHP has been undoubtably the best muli purpose bus ever knocking up 70k in it!    I have done some fantastic work over the years, 54k engine and box in 2011 due to the original being sick for running without a thermostat for years (buggered the rings up). Removed all the wings all the plastics and fully tackled all the inherent tin worm (these were made to rot) it now has rear arches off front wings grafted in very well I may add and it is booked in the paint shop in February. All the inner wings and front crossmember has been beefed up as well as the folded sill seams and jacking points.

To the point now! Took her out the other day and noticed a noise on almost full lock like a fubared cv but does a different noise for both locks?

Son reckoned it was coming from the final drive not the outers.

Set off for Lynemouth Power Station bright and early Thursday the peril settled down nicely on the A1 knocking on at her usual pace then I felt a sharp pull to the left on the wheel, slowed down few more miles started again more violently, slowed down more few more miles tried to put us in the ditch! Pulled over inspected everything possible all fine and dandy and well kept, however slight play noted in the inner cvs as they enter the box? (Not done 10k since all driveshafts, gearbox seals were overhauled in spring)  Set off nice and steady not long before we were walking along cos the steering was all bloody over. RAC time!

Got home run it on axle stands nowt except some meshing noises evident on final drive runs up and down our road sweet as except for the weird noise on full lock both ways.

 

I suspect the gearbox? Can anyone shed some light on this or has had simliar?

 

Next question cannot get gearbox repair bits for the Skoda gearbox spare I have.

 

The shell is good for many winters to come has anyone put a  Golf mk3 AGG in one of these and how much of a pig is it to put the entire subframe steering rack front legs in something, simliar to the "main dealer " VRS Project X.

 

As you can see my head is rather busy at the moment!

[RicardoM]

I suspect the gearbox?

First thought would be a power steering in need of maintenance or overhaul. Never heard of a Felicia differential trying to put you in a ditch randomly. Did you spill the inner CV joint needle bearings by mistake when changed the gearbox seals?

[E4EVV]

Thanks for the reply,

 

I did not spill any of the needles, and it has been all over Great Britain since i did them. Still when the components were inspected I did found wear to the cups that go in the gearbox and I used the best components I had from spares I have collected for this truck.

It still drives but I reckon I will have to strip the drveshafts out of it for further inspection as they are under suspicion I cannot detect any movement from these on the outers or inner tripods. What is bothering me is the lack of spares for the gearboxes in blighty had a nightmare getting the new gearbox seals earlier on this year.

One thing that does concern me is even though I have replaced these there is still some weepage of oil from this area indicating that either A. the tripod cup interface with the seals is worn to excess or B the diff bearings are foobared allowing random movement radially allowing oil past intermittantly?

 

There is a 1300 in my local scrappy he might un bury it for me and then help me to relieve it of both side assemblies.do not fancy removing the gearbox as well on a carpet of bricks and mud!

 

I can get a full AGG powered car with no mileage on it but rotten, with Mk2/3 vw Golf GTI spares fully available and these Skodas dwindling  I was thinking of doing the full frontal conversion but I have my concerns with top strut location (camber angle) and clearance for the exhaust between the boy and the crossmember.

 

Many thanks for your advice.

[RicardoM]

I have a friend in here with a 1.3 Felicia that had both inner CV boots cracked and eventually the joints worn out. He did a replacement on a low budget gathering like you the best parts available to assemble two good inner joints. Long story short after 6 months he had to buy new CV axles because old ones developed all kind of strange noise. Another guy living in Europe had worn inner CV joints that generated strong vibration when accelerating. Also on a low budget he opted to replace only both inner CV joints with new ones at a Skoda garage. The vibration reduced but was still there. He also ended buying new CV axles and no more vibration. The moral? We can't afford partial CV axle repairs. Buy them new as a whole.

 

As for the parts shortage, I am 100% sure it is either your local dealers that don't bother importing Felicia parts anymore or there are unsolved trading/online payment issues between UK and Czech Republic. I said it many times in here, there are tons of parts for Felicia and Favorit at Czechs. The gearbox seal is trivial to find from Portugal to Russia, except UK.

 

Tell me more about your opinion on your car pulling hard on one side suddenly. I assume you don't take into account a power steering issue and I am curious to know your take on that.

Edited 22 December, 2014 by RicardoM

[TeflonTom]

The agg & ady engines from a golf 3 are both fairly easy transplants to be honest, if you can find a diesel felicia as a donor car you can take the bellhousing adaptor plate flywheel and clutch off it and it will bolt straight onto the 2.0 petrol engine from the golf, also the drivers side engine mounting from the diesel will bolt straight onto the petrol block, also although it's not ideal the diesel exhaust manifold and downpipe will bolt onto the 2.0 petrol engine too which saves you a lot of hassle, the only thing you would need to sort out is the intake manifold will stick out higher than the bonnet, the reason for this is in the golf the 2.0 leans backwards but using the diesel bell house adaptor plate on the skoda gearbox the engine leans forwards instead., also you can take the radiator and fans from the diesel car.

[E4EVV]

Thanks for that Tom and I stick to my words!

Makes a lot of sense that I will go and pull off the passenger side drive shaft off and report back.  The power steering is fine with no play at all in fact all ball joint links, wishbones etc are all recent.

 

Was doing warp speed when failed and it spends most of its time in top flying along. Plan was to fettle the spare gearbox up with new bearings and seals but I still cannot get any selector shaft seals (real oddballs)

That wetted inner could be grease coming from a tiny crack emmitting the dross only.

 

Idea behind the AGG was simple, good and strong power train with rod linkage and good source of spares dure to the MK 1 and 2 Golfs. The Skoda dealers just say its obsolete which I find really ignorant and basically due to the having no value to their Heritage because of the success of Skoda nowadays.

 

I do know that the felly and the mk1 golf has the same hole centres on the strut tops. but with a mk3 subframe I reckon I would have widen this or alternatevly use bespoke mountings and mk1 gti driveshafts.

 

Just been offered a straight low miler ABF Mk3  with 12 mts mot for a monkey?

[TeflonTom]

Make your life easier and use the existing skoda gearbox, shafts and linkage with the agg engine. The 2.0 engine is as you say a good solid source of power, don't bother fitting up a mk3 golf subframe, if you had all the bits you could have it in there inside a day.

[E4EVV]

Well Ricardo M had the driveshafts out and both seem extremely good no backlash real smooth linear movement on both the outers and inners.

 

I haven't stripped them yet as I have inspected other stuff.

 

The anti vibration mount on the drivers shaft can be rotated quite easily by hand? Not sure it that should be the case.

 

Bit baffling this one but the front wheels spin faster on axle stands in neutral than in second gear! They really do not want to stop either.

 

Had it running up to 50mph in 5th gear and the noise can be heard on the top of the gearbox?

 

Removed oil out of gearbox around 2.5 ltrs this has done 10k since put in. Oil is well bronzzy in colouration if this has any brass in it it must be well fine cos I cannot detect any particulates in it.

 

It is just straining now outside through one of my white tops!

 

The movement detectable on the inner CVs is within the spline only as the crownwheel does not move when pressure is applied to these.

[E4EVV]

Would it be possible for the differential to be failing i.e. stopping to apply any forward motion to one driveshaft thus making the vehicle vear to one side quite sharply? If so it would lend credibility to what I am witnessing here.

 

Any help or advice is greatly apprieciated and thank you very much thus far.

[TeflonTom]

its not a binding brake caliper is it?

[RicardoM]

The anti vibration mount on the drivers shaft can be rotated quite easily by hand? Not sure it that should be the case.

The counterweight / damper should be tight on axle. No play, no rotation.

 

Bit baffling this one but the front wheels spin faster on axle stands in neutral than in second gear! They really do not want to stop either..

Spinning wheels in neutral has no relevance since there is only a very minimal torque involved. Practically you can stop the wheels by hand. The input shaft is connected to the clutch disc and so the gearbox is churning away while in neutral. There is enough internal drag to turn unloaded wheels just by viscous drag due to the oil and bearing friction.

 

Had it running up to 50mph in 5th gear and the noise can be heard on the top of the gearbox?

Gearbox noise could be quite tricky to pinpoint the exact location. Often times the source of the noise reverberates louder elsewhere.

[E4EVV]

Gents,

 

Firstly the brakes are sound new guide pins free pistons (the offside caliper was changed not long back cos the original got well stiff).

 

Secondly the internal drag in neutral seems a but much and takes some stopping and holding it whilst running.

 

Yep would fully agree with the noisy transmisson (I work on huge David Brown radicons sometimes.)

 

Which leads me on to inspecting the oil thoroughly as is has the colouration of a Radicon that has a failed brass carrier in it!

 

Will report back shortly on its contaminents if found.

[E4EVV]

Right Gents,

 

Once again many thank for your attention with this matter.

 

The gearbox oil has no contaminants whatsoever and the only better method I know of is spectrographic analysis at Wetherby but my method has never let me down with gearboxes from diesel locos to 900 ton rotating airheaters over the last 20 years.

Anyway in light of your confidence of the Skoda transmission I have bought two brand new non oem driveshafts from the ebay £41.50 each at the mo with 23% off. Obviously these will not be about forever.

In my opinion any failure of the transmission would have resulted in aluminium/ brass or steel within the oil none of which seems to be present.

 

The crown wheel viewable from the oil drain plug does not move at all with a DTI gauge on it whilst the output shafts are shook.

 

I will fit these and test the Peril out down the A1 once fitted.

 

One tip I do have is the brake guider pins are exactly the same on vw Sharan rear discs and thus easy to get hold of unlike typing in "Felicia". But the mondeo route does make perfect sense.

 

If successful I will remove the cylinder head and fit a new gasket as maintenance fit new stem seals skim head etc just to keep the old girl up to speed, may even remap it to boost the performance some what. (Does any one know if a steel onlyhead gasket is available for this engine?)

 

Do not fancy a hole in the bonnet to accept the AGG plenum chamber! Still I could fit a 1.8 mk3 with a GTI cam and single point fuel injection?

 

In the chase of economical quick turnaround power and ditching the Skoda box, I reckon the easiest transplant route would be wv MK1 Golf engine and box modded engine mountings MK1 driveshafts and the single point fuel injection off a mk3 so the cat could go back in?

 

But there again my AEE is still pulling like a train and who knows if a Polo GT camshaft fits, and lets the bugger rev a bit more freely with a remap.

 

Many thanks for you help and I will keep you informed of the results. I did not spend six weeks with the MIG and grinder for the dealers to tell me it is obsolete!!!!!

 

By the way that green four door Felicia down in Southern England is a right creation, I bet it is a right buzz zipping past much more expensive hardwear!

[TeflonTom]

I wasnt suggesting a hole in the bonnet, a machine shop or fabricator could chop it down, or there may be an alternative intake manifold from an audi or passat you could try instead.

[RicardoM]

But there again my AEE is still pulling like a train and who knows if a Polo GT camshaft fits, and lets the bugger rev a bit more freely with a remap.

Exactly. My advice is to maintain it well as it is and instead of spoiling her (his?) originality, plan a trip to Czech Republic to buy goodies. Make sure you have plenty of space for parts because you'll be like a kid in a candy store. Beautiful country to visit too. One very important tip: do your best to make a trusty friend in there that will ship you parts you pick online. Heck, marry someone if you must it is for the better of your car.

 

One other thing, when you'll get back loaded with parts, go to local dealers and show them your goody bag and the invoice. Thank them with a shovel over the head for the 'obsolete' part that is just a lame excuse to ask double the real price.

Edited 23 December, 2014 by RicardoM

[E4EVV]

Many thanks for both your help.  Tom I reckon a bonnet bulge with the diesel heater box would sort it as you say. Having built an AGG/TSR hybrid engine and fitted it to my mk2 golf I can stand testament on how much taller the agg is in relation to a 1.8 unit no sure about the 1.9 diesel though. The golf throttle body just touches the bonnet off the gass.

 

 Ricardo indeed the Czech Republic is a great place to visit, I once travelled through it on my way to Poland to fix a Power Station!

 

The driveshafts should be here tomorrow so I will keep you posted with the quality of them plus results of the high speed test run (Ill be lucky on Christmas eve).

[TeflonTom]

I've got a picture somewhere in the depths of my photobucket pages, I'll dig it up later when I'm on a more reliable internet source.

[RicardoM]

You might find interesting the following videos. They show the kind of noise/vibration/play of CV inner joints I told you about in a previous post (the guy in Europe that changed both inner CV joints with new ones at a Skoda garage). The car is on jack stands with both front wheels in the air..

 

https://www.dropbox.com/s/5vrpoqen0zxgjch/VID_20141116_175436.mp4?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wnaxw1mycywqt57/VID_20141116_180445.mp4?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/nfczlt217drxznj/VID_20141116_180637.mp4?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/wc5nt41mlqa92v1/VID_20141116_180854.mp4?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/96g20svjodv5e7r/VID_20141116_181025.mp4?dl=0
https://www.dropbox.com/s/q7k5mmugyb9s43z/VID_20141116_181112.mp4?dl=0

Edited 24 December, 2014 by RicardoM

[RicardoM]

And another one showing how CV axle spins in 1st to 5th gear.

https://www.dropbox.com/s/05bu3ykpwvxi4zo/VID_20141116_224311.mp4?dl=0

[E4EVV]

Thanks Ricardo,

 

Certainly whizz round (no suprise there it is something we all do take for granted) Been on a breakdown at Fiddlers Ferry Power Station and had to take the Mrs's Mk1 Cabriolet for a "Carbon Buster" this morning alas upon my return no frickin driveshafts! Any how the Peril has has all the floor protection blasted off as well as all the gunk on the mechanical parts all the grease off the the brake lines and the driveshafts taken out of the hubs in preparation! All the inner wings, floor and oily bits have come back up nice shiny Skoda green (inner wings and floor) black (suspension components) and silver (sump, driveshafts, sump guards and pipe on crossmember). All ready for the new driveshafts next week. Upon stripping them out I do think that it is one of the outers has gone, it is unusually stiff when turned to a tight angle (ie full lock). Heres hoping that box has plenty left in it.

 

Merry Christmas all.

[RicardoM]

Photos of the preparation job?

What solution did you spray (if any) on the underbelly to protect it against corrosion and also as sound deadening?

Edited 24 December, 2014 by RicardoM

[E4EVV]

Finally fitted driveshafts and fully tested them. Verdict is it was the driveshafts! The old girl drives spot on so far managed to do around 30 miles under various loads and road surfaces.

 

The fully assembled driveshafts from Europarts seem quite good but time will tell. For the price I cannot complain at all.

 

I am going to get the spare head I have got out tomorrow and strip it down for inspection and overhaul if suitable. I am going to get a price off Cat cams for higher lift one if the head is not clapped out. should be okay for just new guides, stem seals and a skim of around 0.15. maybe a touch of parent material removed from the outlet and inlet ports!

 

To help this along I do have a "like new" AGG 60mm throttle body that could be adapted to a spare 1.6 plemum I have. I reckon that would help it along the motorway with a remap.

 

A diesel exhaust 50mm diameter would mate up with the Polo 4 branch thats on it lovely. (I fitted this in 2011 to replace the cracked and tiny standard item).

 

Ricardo I used indusrial paint after the resto works to the floor and keep it well coated in wax seal. I will take some pics tomorrow.

 

Many Thanks for your help with this problem as it was not a very obvious one.

[RicardoM]

Finally fitted driveshafts and fully tested them. Verdict is it was the driveshafts! The old girl drives spot on so far managed to do around 30 miles under various loads and road surfaces.

I knew it... That is why I have insisted on CV failure examples I was told by various friends. Under normal driving conditions, the new CV axles should last at least 60k miles.

 

Now here's a question: did you check old axles and can you tell for sure what failed? Was it the material? Was it a rule you didn't follow? The answer might help other members.

[E4EVV]

Hi all, yes indeedy it was the driveshafts, been a busy boy knocking up 30k in it this year seven days fixing power stations all over the place!

 

Did some further subtle changes to the fueling and the inlet and it has gone like the wind (I mean really made the 100+K AEE reeally fly reliably and economically)

 

After fitting the  diesel to the 4 branch exhaust and bedding the driveshafts in it was only marginally more free breathing. I reckoned it needed to bed in (and it probably did). Whilst looking for a vacuum leak I decided to fit the 1.4 16v 60mm throttle body by making a spacer plate (25mm) and new gaskets so it worked spot on with no fouling. I fitted the original elbow piece to the filter box with external pipe. On test it really gave it some real pull from 2.5k to 4k rev range (Even though the hole in the inlet manifold was slightly bigger than the original throttle body).  Having done some miles in it I then realised the difference it made to my golf increasing fuel pressure to 3.5 bar after it was mapped and a bigger engine. EEEBBBBAAAAAYYYYY 3.5 bar Saab pressure regulator.   Done 27000 miles in it without touching anything and loved every minute of it. Pulled away from some quick motors on a daily basis up windy hill over the M62 looking as rough as it does. 

 

Anyway my trusty steed has been made sorn due to operation and six months enforced sick leave (work kills horses FACT) but my physio treatment involves overhaul of my Fun Addiction, paint job to get done cash in bank and now got the time (Gulf racing Blue and Orange) some 15 BBA RAs to go on with a nice offset (ET20) and to top it off I am after a low miler 1.6 felly rusty damaged dont care.

I need a new battery, screen, back stub axles, rear drums (bigger brakes) new clocks, steering wheel, and engine and box cos I ain't doing that lot for it to go pop as soon as its done!

FACT I have never known a 16 year old vehicle do delivery van miles driven as though it has been nicked day and night and never miss a beat.

 

Anybody got one let me know..................

Thanks Again Ricardo and Teflon Tom by the way there is a blown KR and g/box on flea bay...............................shall I do summat really stupid??????

[E4EVV]

Ricardo to answer your question it was the parent material that wore within the OEM driveshaft cups that fit in the gearbox I reckoned with constant mileage pointing forward it caused point loading failure at dead ahead. New ones are well worth it still real tight even though I have play in the final drive.