Tom's Sanitary towel

[Toms306]

Indeed, thought that would be appreciated on here.

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still looks like i have chicken legs lol. to be fair the wheel bearings not going to be that hard to do. if you got the hub off id get it pressed in and out in 20-30 mins

I don't like to keep asking you though lol! Just wondering if I could get the hub off tomorrow evening, reserve a bearing at ECP for Friday and get it done Friday lunchtime if you're available.

Want it done before the Shotley meet on Monday tbh, paranoid about it now I've seen how bad it is.

[bashbarnard]

Yeah can do friday lunch man. Just let me know


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Toms306]

Right, will try and get it off tomorrow evening then!

[Toms306]

So, this morning was weird...had planned on removing the hub and taking it over to Bash's to have the bearings pressed in and out.

Popped the centre cap off and went to loosen the hub nut...shit it's rounded immediately?...oh wait...no, it's just loose...

It's not the OE nut, looks fairly fresh, probably recently had a wheel bearing lol. But it was the worst hub nut I'd ever seen, loose in the socket and made with round corners... I couldn't torque it properly (presumably why he last person hadn't!) as it felt like it was gonna slip all the time, so swapped it for the nut that came with the new bearing and added a bit of threadlock as well. There's no stake or anything on these driveshafts to stop it coming right off! It seems alright now, doesn't knock and no play at all... I will say though, there definitely wasn't that much play in it when I checked the whole car about a month ago, there was a little play (felt like the start of a TRE failing tbh) but nothing like there was when it was on the ramp or this morning...keep thinking about 'what if' it'd come off now, I've been a bit daft in it recently too.



So, that was a quick fix...got an empty morning now lol, so moved onto that daft rear brake hose. Realised some fool had probably twisted the caliper when fitting it or the pads for MOT last year...how they refitted it like this I have no idea!



10 minutes later looked like this...



Think I've caught it in time tbh, it's only that thick sheath that's damaged really, the hose itself still seems ok on closer inspection. PS - I much prefer that handbrake cable to the 306 ones lol, came out much easier!

Will this exhaust blow cause any issues other than a potential MOT advisory? It's after the cat and lambda so shouldn't really be an issue in my mind? If it's gonna make a difference to power or mpg then I'll change it but won't bother if not.



Lastly, thought I'd check the spark plugs as I hadn't done so. The airbox feels like it's never been off for the plugs, ridiculously stiff in the mounts lol, not sure if they're all like that! Plugs are all OE Ford Motorcraft branded NGK Irridium so probably been there a while, but tbh tips look ok. However the outside end plugs looked really clean on the insulator, but the inner ones look awful! Water must be getting in there somehow, but it's dry atm which is odd. Not got funds to change the plugs atm but if I get any running issues that'll be first port of call I think!

[Eeyore]

cant believe how new this car is yet how cruddy it all is!

[Toms306]

It's nothing to do with age... It's all about mileage and number of owners, totally different to the Focus which looks almost new underneath still despite being older lol...

[Toms306]

So, a quick update with no broken or cruddy parts for a change

Been down to the retro meet tonight...got a couple of pictures oddly similar to the GTi6 ones as people started leaving...same moonscape (if that's a word).





I'll be honest, after the whole 'wheel about to fall off' thing I've had less confidence in it, which is annoying. But this evening with fairly clear roads on the way home managed to have an awesome drive in it again, yay!

[Eeyore]

great stuff! i need to have a go!

[1616six]

I can't get over how good your photos come out for a phone camera.

[Toms306]

I can't get over how good your photos come out for a phone camera.

I took my Dad down to the retro meet yesterday...he has a really expensive iPhone (no idea which one lol) and he was gutted how my pictures were coming out far better than his on a £130 Motorola...

Sam you're welcome to have a go, not sure if I'm brave enough to have a go in either of yours though.

[Eeyore]

I can't get over how good your photos come out for a phone camera.

I took my Dad down to the retro meet yesterday...he has a really expensive iPhone (no idea which one lol) and he was gutted how my pictures were coming out far better than his on a £130 Motorola...

Sam you're welcome to have a go, not sure if I'm brave enough to have a go in either of yours though.

just do it! Steve drove the saab at the christmas meet and so did ruan. Both of those people are still alive.

[Toms306]

Well that's a good start I guess!

[7057sam]

Looking good tom,can't wait to see it in person on Sunday

Need to pop round yours or you come round mine as ive got some adjustable rear shocks to fit.

[Toms306]

Yeah no problem, just message me on fb when you're free and we'll get them on.

[Toms306]

So, filled it up on Friday and washed it yesterday ready for the EA meet and...

It wouldn't start this morning. Basically I got in, the immobiliser light was flashing away, the display read 'engine temp too hot' and a few other lights etc on. Tried to start it and it wouldn't catch, seems like an immob fault but whats with the temp message etc!? Was already late for the meet so jumped in the dirty Focus and took that instead.

Popped back while others where risking death in boats and tried starting it again, started this time but with the engine light on, drove weird as well. Read these fault codes - all fresh since last week but probably overnight as it was fine yesterday!






















How can so many different parts of the canbus system fail at once? Can heat effect it!? Or could water have got in? I only washed it with a bucket and watering can yesterday, no hose or jetwash or under-bonnet clean.

Got back after the meet, tried starting it and it's fine now, drives fine as well. So not sure if thats fixed itself or if it's gonna happen again...

[Ruan]

Does this have a CEM or like a central module the wiring goes through? I'd bet on a major wiring connector being loose or having corrosion on.

[bashbarnard]

So, filled it up on Friday and washed it yesterday ready for the EA meet and...

It wouldn't start this morning.  Basically I got in, the immobiliser light was flashing away, the display read 'engine temp too hot' and a few other lights etc on.  Tried to start it and it wouldn't catch, seems like an immob fault but whats with the temp message etc!?  Was already late for the meet so jumped in the dirty Focus and took that instead.

Popped back while others where risking death in boats and tried starting it again, started this time but with the engine light on, drove weird as well.  Read these fault codes - all fresh since last week but probably overnight as it was fine yesterday!






















How can so many different parts of the canbus system fail at once?  Can heat effect it!?  Or could water have got in?  I only washed it with a bucket and watering can yesterday, no hose or jetwash or under-bonnet clean.

Got back after the meet, tried starting it and it's fine now, drives fine as well.  So not sure if thats fixed itself or if it's gonna happen again...

As ruan says check the ecu connector. they dont really have a central unit. its by the battery box and is a really common failure on them howver its a really easy fix if it does turn out to be that as there are many places that repair the eucs. no idea what they do though. if it comes up again let me know and ill pop over to have a nose one day and lend a hand if need be.

[Toms306]

The PCM is mounted in a ridiculous place tbh, it's literally in the path of all the water and crap from the road without a plastic casing or anything! I think everything goes through the GEM behind the glovebox...and it is possible that got wet, the scuttle panel doesnt fit properly (and hasn't even got any clips left lol) so maybe water could've got in there when I washed it?

It's been fine all morning today, so I assume if it was water ingress somewhere then it's dried out now. Just hope it doesn't happen again really, I'll have to stop washing it. I've been thinking about getting a bluetooth OBD adapter to use with my phone so I can keep it in there, as I obviously dont carry the laptop everywhere lol. Not sure if they're any good though or not worth bothering with?

[RetroPug]

Obviously not the main worry right now, but I use this:
http://www.halfords.com/workshop-tools/g...er-sealant
to assemble exhausts. It stops all leaks and the exhaust is really easy to disassemble afterwards as well if desired. I smear it liberally on the insides of the joints and sometimes a bit on the outside too.

If it is leaking around a clamp rather than an exhaust crack which will keep growing a smear of that stuff over it should seal it.

[Toms306]

It's been fine all week so I'll just put the CAN stuff down to a 'blip' I suppose, and never wash it again for fear of water getting in.

I'm just gonna leave the exhaust and brake pipes for MOT now, I'll put it in late August (a month early) and see what happens. If it's only a solid pipe and exhaust clamp it fails on I'll let the garage do it.

Not really anything more to say now, it'll be up for sale in October and I've got no more money to spend on it so won't be doing any more mods as much as I'd like to lol.

[Toms306]

So result of the MOT today -

Reason(s) for failure:

Drivers seat fore and aft adjustment mechanism not functioning as intended. (6.2.A.3)

nearside rear Brake pipe excessively corroded to flexible hose (3.6.B.2c)

offside rear Brake pipe excessively corroded to flexible hose (3.6.B.2c)


Advisory notice item(s):

Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases centre joint (7.1.2)


So brake pipes weren't unexpected. Although apparently they shouldn't actually be a fail unless they're leaking, just an advisory (according to a Ford MOT tester). However they do obviously need doing so I'm not too bothered by that.

I am bothered by the seat fail though. Firstly because it's not even the right thing - fore and aft means the sliders afaik and everyone I've asked so far agrees. And secondly because the broken seat tilt handle shouldn't be a fail anyway! Long story short, I ended up arguing it, the tester had a shit attitude and can't be wrong because he's been doing it since 1989... I've emailed DVSA who will hopefully confirm that he's in the wrong so I can prove it to him as he's reading that rule wrong atm.

I asked for a quote on the brake pipes... ~£130, shit, I forget how much labour costs!!

So where are we at now? Still have MOT for another month so it's fine to drive just be careful with the brakes as I was anyway. Can't afford to have the pipes changed. Do I attempt to mess them up myself on the drive? Anyone done front to rears on the Mk6 Fiesta? Are they accessible or does the exhaust or fuel tank need removing first?

[Eeyore]

why did you go to a ford dealer and not bash?

[1616six]

When you say tilt handle, are you referring to the handle to flip the seats forward to allow rear access? If so I'm sure that should be a fail.

But yeah, should've had Bash test it. Get him to re-MOT it.

[Toms306]

I didn't go to a Ford dealer. I know 2 Ford techs which I've asked lol. As well as Bash and a few others. And not one person has had it fail on the facebook group either, the handles are always breaking on Fiesta's so there's a lot about like it.

It's a lot of hassle to get over to Bash's and then wait while MOT is done, plus I won't have that option soon anyway now he's moved, didn't even realise he was still at that garage tbh. Thought it'd be easier to use a local tester that I can walk to but obviously chose the wrong one (there are 5 in walking distance).


Yes it's the tilt handle for rear access, the exact wording is -

Check that the driver’s seat position can be adjusted forwards and backwards and secured in the selected positions.

Surely meaning the sliders don't move about under you (as with so many 306s lol).

The part mentioning tilt mechanisms is this -

Check that the backrests of all seats (front and rear) can be secured in their normal upright position.

So basically as long as it slides backwards and forwards and the sliders and the backrest lock in position it should be fine, no mention of tilt handles.

[1616six]

Fair enough, I was always under the impression if rear seats were fitted you needed to have access to them - Learn something every day.

Same as rear doors if they don't open from inside or outside I assumed was a fail for the same reason.

[Silky]

If you fail an MOT, does it not then render your existing one as void?

[Toms306]

No, that was argued in Jordan's thread the other day.

As long as the car is roadworthy it's fine. So basically if the brake lines explode and I ruin a crash barrier the insurance would be void. If I just randomly drive into something and the brakes weren't to blame it's not void.

Or that's how I understood it anyway.

[procta]

If you fail an MOT, does it not then render your existing one as void?

I am sure it does silky, At the end of the day what if something is found to be major or even dangerous.

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Looks like a second hand seat is on the cards there tom, and swopping session is on the cards, ( make one good seat out of the two.

[Toms306]

The guys at the MOT station say I can drive it until the MOT actually runs out, there would be no point allowing it to be done a month early otherwise. Your insurance is void if the car is defective regardless of MOT anyway.

The seats aren't cheap lol, it's not a 306! Even the handles aren't cheap and they only last a few weeks before snapping again anyway so pointless changing, and you can't buy used ones because they break coming out if they're not already broken. End of the day there are ways around it, mole grips on the tilt release cable would even work. But the point is it shouldn't be a failure in the first place.

[Toms306]

Well there we go, reply from DVSA!

Dear Tom,

Thank you for your email enquiry dated 23rd August 2016, concerning the above.

In the method of testing in the MOT Manual it does not mention the tilting mechanism. The method of inspection is that they must check the drivers seat position can be adjusted forwards and backwards and can be secured in the selected positions.