205 junior xud

[padge]

looking good mate.

[randomcaller]

If needs be I can replace the rubber hose in the bay I've got some spare lying round. Under the car the solid hose only connects to rubber pipe either end, I thought it would have fittings I'd have to flare but it's nice and simple. Didn't manage to do the lines today, had to do the chain on my mates motorbike so looks like a job for tomorrow

[randomcaller]

Well today I sorted the fuel line under the car, I'm still getting air in somewhere though but only a tiny bit of pipe on the whole system I've not changed but could be that. If anyone is considering it, the universal fuel hard line from demon tweeks is good, the alloy one with the plastic type coating, it's easy to bend and cut, is available in decent diameters and is fairly affordable, it will definitely Out last the shell of the car anyway now.

[randomcaller]

So my new gas bilstein b4's came today, hopefully get cracking on them this weekend and trying to sort out a gti rear beam and some pepper pot alloys from a guy on eBay.

Fingers crossed she doesn't handle like a barge after the new goodies have been on. The front end should be pretty much new by now, refurbished subframe with new bushes and new discs, pads, lines, shocks, springs, top mounts and engine and drive shafts. Might pass a legitimate business m.o.t for a change lol

[Poodle]

Making steady progress with this, fair play. Getting some lovely pics with that potato.

I believe the petrol filters don't have anywhere near the same levels of filtration as a proper diesel paper element. I don't pay much attention to the xud boys so don't know if anyone's ever had a problem with it, just figured it was worth mentioning for further research in case you're bothered about killing your pump.

[madwelshman]

Fuel filters for a diesel engine do need to be far more precise in what they pick up and what they allow through due to the fine tolerances of certain items such as injector pump internals and in particular injectors. A petrol engine with a carburettor isn't quite so critical, but injection is a bit more so.

[THE_Liam]

Love this. So tempted to get a 205 as a cheap daily but I need something good for towing and I can't imagine a 205 being that stable. Just want an excuse to buy a 205 to be honest.

[randomcaller]

Had a go at attacking the shocks and springs today......absolutely 'shocking'...the old struts were seized in the Huns pretty bad but nothing a bit of force and a ball joint splitter couldn't handle. the thing that put a stop to my progress is the nuts on the top of the old shocks as I still have to 're use the old shock tops as can't find any new ones listed anywhere. They're well seized on, even bust the dremel with the cutting disc out to no avail. Gonna try to 're attack it tomorrow, just two bolts stopping me really annoys me!

[randomcaller]

Got the shocks and springs and top mounts done today, the snap on impact gun got those bolts off in one
At first I was a bit worried at what the ride height was going to be like from the difference in the sprigs, they felt a similar spring rate to them but that's just with feeling weight on it.



She now sits nice, I wasn't after anything too low because I still want the car looking prison spec but the front end feels much nicer now with new items in place of the 20 odd year old ones. still got a little room to settle down as the springs were new but I'm more than happy with it. Getting some 14 inch pepper pots soon along with a gti rear beam as the back is still loose as hell.



Compared to how it used to sit..

[madwelshman]

On my 3 diesels I've owned, I always stuck with the stock rear beam and shocks, but replaced the front struts and springs with 1.6 GTi items and fitted 1.6 GTi 14" Speedline alloys, that always worked well for me.

[randomcaller]

The rear beam I'm getting is a 1.6 gti one refurbed not long ago so hopefully feels a bit tighter on the rear end than this slack one now lol. the front soaks up the bumps loads better now and feels much sharper. I'm still not sure on the springs specs as I got them on eBay for 15 pound or so ages ago, apex ones that I guess are for a gti, pleasantly surprised on the set up

[madwelshman]

You may find you need to lower the rear beam one spline, maybe two, to match the front ride height. May be worth making sure the torsion bars are free/not corroded/coated in copper grease before you fit the beam to make life easier at a later date, just a thought

[randomcaller]

Yeah I'm hoping it's fairly free as it had a full overhaul with new parts and bearings. Have you ever lowered a 205 before? am I right in thinking each spline is roughly 15mm or so lower? I've never dabbled in torsion bar suspension before

[madwelshman]

To be honest, I haven't. The figures you've said do ring a bell from something I was told a while ago though.

Wouldn't do any harm to just pull the torsions, coat them in copper grease and re-fit before fitting the beam on the car. Damn sight easier on the floor compared to on the car I'd guess.

If those springs are slightly lower than standard, which the right height now appears to be, I'd say you will need to pull it down possibly two splines (if you want) to get it to sit pretty level.

[randomcaller]

Yeah I want it level, so doing the beam on the floor will be a lot easier than on the car you think then? Hopefully everything is nice and free when it arrives

[Poodle]

Iirc it's easier on the car because you have a nice steady reference point to measure exactly how much you're changing the ride height. Think there is a guide in the guide section here and a couple of videos on youtube.

[madwelshman]

Iirc it's easier on the car because you have a nice steady reference point to measure exactly how much you're changing the ride height. Think there is a guide in the guide section here and a couple of videos on youtube.

I was only guessing/assuming that it would be easier off the car to be honest. As I said, I haven't actually done the job before, so can't speak from personal experience.
But I do think that it would possibly be easier to make sure that the torsion bars are moving fairly easily before fitting to the car. When it's on the floor, you can get at all sides of the bars more easily. Once it's mounted on the car, surely you loose some of that accessibility and if they are rusted into the splines, then I guess that access right around them would make the job of freeing them off easier.

[randomcaller]

So got some more goodies delivered today, some 1.6 gti pepper pots with tires which have great tread for the winter



And a 1.6 gti rear beam fully returned a couple years back so nice and free. Don't worry I'll be getting rid of those horrid red drums.



Got a couple of issues though, the centre section exhaust weld decided to snap and depart from the rest of the systemsystem and now she sags about an inch off the floor, I've also lost my exhaust u clamps for another bodge fix until I get a proper system made up.

Fuel system is still getting bloody air in! only place it could be now is the small bit of pipe from the tank or the rubber line from the under car hard line up to my new fuel filter.

[randomcaller]

Not really much of an update but the car is still running fitted the 306 box but still used a new 205 clutch and clutch arm, I wasn't going to do this but I ordered a 205 clutch and couldn't wait for a 306 clutch to arrive so managed to use some parts from my 205 box and it all worked fine . The bigger gti alloys also brought the revs down a bit for cruising to work for better economy and made for a much nicer ride!

A quick question, I've read the for sale rules and it said I needed 20 posts and this should be my 85th and it won't let me post, has the required post count changed? I've been offered a free 525d for work so I'm going to have to reluctantly start a for sale thread

[bashbarnard]

100 posts to sell isn't it?

[Toms306]

Yeah 20 posts was a while ago, it's now 100 posts.

[7057sam]

Looks like a great project so far.

[205dtub]

Living for the 205! Needs to be made into a proper mental sleeper .

[randomcaller]

I best get my post count up then. I'd rather sell it on here knowing it'll go to a decent home rather than scrap it or break for parts. I've got loads of spares in the garage too haha .Gotta make space for my c2 cos I've got too many cars and bikes and got another 2 cars on the way lol. Been getting a bit sad driving it to work knowing its got to go cos it's been good to me. I'd keep it if I could and had my own place .

[Magenta Sunset]

I could do with a house & garden too,, space for the boat then :-s