My day started with a reasonably high-speed one-hour round trip in my Stilo to pick up two rack ends (inner balljoints). Then, on my way to work, I picked up two track rod ends.
Yesterday I replaced both lower wishbones (control arms) and drop links. Also changed the gearbox oil (not the Selespeed fluid, but the Tutela 75 Synth in the gearbox itself - a slow job filling about 2 litres through the dipstick hole).
Since there was still a knocking sound that can be felt through the floor and the steering wheel, I decided the culprit was probably a rack end. I was booked in for a wheel alignment at 11:30, so after nearly two hours at work (running Webinars about Excel), I drove to the wheel alignment workshop and they kindly let me use their hoist to change the rack ends and track rod ends. That was easier than working at home!
The parts I removed were in fine condition, as were the control arms and drop links yesterday. Naturally, the knock is still there. It's mainly noticeable when driving in and out of my driveway, though there is also a knock when turning the steering wheel back and forth. I replaced the steering column on Monday because of an electronic fault that showed up after the MAF sensor failure/replacement last Thursday. Steering column wasn't cheap, was 25% of the car's value (second-hand). Didn't change the knock in any way.
I would be writing about the super-duper new Chinese stereo fitted on Tuesday, but obviously I can't because this post is already too long and I have many other things on my plate
I think I'll replace the strut top mounts next (looks like I'll have to order them from overseas, not readily available here). There's not much left to replace, except perhaps the shock absorbers, rack bush, and the anti roll bar itself.
Once finished, the wheel alignment was near-perfect, with only the left rear wheel toe-in being slightly low. The front end - with the new control arms - was absolutely spot-on for camber and caster I opted for 0.2mm toe out each side.
When I got home, I removed all the road tar spots from both sides, skirts, and the back end. What a difference! I used 'Tar and Bug Remover', which smells suspiciously like WD40.
I cleaned the steering wheel with Mothers leather cleaner, leaving it pleasingly matt. The texture is in excellent condition; looks practically brand-new.
I drove the Stilo to dinner with a friend, not that it matters much for what happens next, but suffice it to say that the engine was warmed up. 15 minutes after getting home, I was polishing the tailgate. The fine scratches show up well under artificial light; after using a clay bar to get the surface smooth, I was doing my best to get the scratches out with a medium compound.
The Stilo obviously decided it had had enough of all this treatment! With a quiet POP and a sound like a toilet half-flush, a bright green puddle spread quickly across the driveway. This baffled me, as I was polishing the tailgate at the time - couldn't see how this is related to all the points in bold above?!
Looking underneath, I saw coolant (new last month) dripping off everywhere, but particularly streaming off the exhaust flex coupling.
With a sigh, I removed the undertray for the third time this week, put a jack under each side member, and rolled underneath on a creeper.
Amongst the water torture, I could just see a leak from a rubber pipe (hose) behind the engine. I drained the rest of the cooling system (by disconnecting a pipe from the front of the cylinder head), and then set about removing the problematic pipe.
An hour and a half and much swearing later, with the dipstick tube, air intake pipe/MAF sensor, and temp sensor out of the way (new thermostat was last month), I finally got out the pipe and found a section of it had blown up like a balloon - the internal structure (braiding) had failed.
Well, tomorrow is another day, except that due to the presence of someone else's dead Alfa 164 in my driveway, I can't get any of my three working cars out. So I shall set off on a bicycle in search of a replacement pipe (probably one made to fit something else - it only needs to be the right diameter, long enough, and have a right-angle bend.
But what freak timing... I was about to go on a three-hour trip tomorrow...
-Alex
Yesterday I replaced both lower wishbones (control arms) and drop links. Also changed the gearbox oil (not the Selespeed fluid, but the Tutela 75 Synth in the gearbox itself - a slow job filling about 2 litres through the dipstick hole).
Since there was still a knocking sound that can be felt through the floor and the steering wheel, I decided the culprit was probably a rack end. I was booked in for a wheel alignment at 11:30, so after nearly two hours at work (running Webinars about Excel), I drove to the wheel alignment workshop and they kindly let me use their hoist to change the rack ends and track rod ends. That was easier than working at home!
The parts I removed were in fine condition, as were the control arms and drop links yesterday. Naturally, the knock is still there. It's mainly noticeable when driving in and out of my driveway, though there is also a knock when turning the steering wheel back and forth. I replaced the steering column on Monday because of an electronic fault that showed up after the MAF sensor failure/replacement last Thursday. Steering column wasn't cheap, was 25% of the car's value (second-hand). Didn't change the knock in any way.
I would be writing about the super-duper new Chinese stereo fitted on Tuesday, but obviously I can't because this post is already too long and I have many other things on my plate
I think I'll replace the strut top mounts next (looks like I'll have to order them from overseas, not readily available here). There's not much left to replace, except perhaps the shock absorbers, rack bush, and the anti roll bar itself.
Once finished, the wheel alignment was near-perfect, with only the left rear wheel toe-in being slightly low. The front end - with the new control arms - was absolutely spot-on for camber and caster
I opted for 0.2mm toe out each side.When I got home, I removed all the road tar spots from both sides, skirts, and the back end. What a difference! I used 'Tar and Bug Remover', which smells suspiciously like WD40.
I cleaned the steering wheel with Mothers leather cleaner, leaving it pleasingly matt. The texture is in excellent condition; looks practically brand-new.
I drove the Stilo to dinner with a friend, not that it matters much for what happens next, but suffice it to say that the engine was warmed up. 15 minutes after getting home, I was polishing the tailgate. The fine scratches show up well under artificial light; after using a clay bar to get the surface smooth, I was doing my best to get the scratches out with a medium compound.
The Stilo obviously decided it had had enough of all this treatment! With a quiet POP and a sound like a toilet half-flush, a bright green puddle spread quickly across the driveway. This baffled me, as I was polishing the tailgate at the time - couldn't see how this is related to all the points in bold above?!
Looking underneath, I saw coolant (new last month) dripping off everywhere, but particularly streaming off the exhaust flex coupling.
With a sigh, I removed the undertray for the third time this week, put a jack under each side member, and rolled underneath on a creeper.
Amongst the water torture, I could just see a leak from a rubber pipe (hose) behind the engine. I drained the rest of the cooling system (by disconnecting a pipe from the front of the cylinder head), and then set about removing the problematic pipe.
An hour and a half and much swearing later, with the dipstick tube, air intake pipe/MAF sensor, and temp sensor out of the way (new thermostat was last month), I finally got out the pipe and found a section of it had blown up like a balloon - the internal structure (braiding) had failed.
Well, tomorrow is another day, except that due to the presence of someone else's dead Alfa 164 in my driveway, I can't get any of my three working cars out. So I shall set off on a bicycle in search of a replacement pipe (probably one made to fit something else - it only needs to be the right diameter, long enough, and have a right-angle bend.
But what freak timing... I was about to go on a three-hour trip tomorrow...
-Alex
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