Panda (Classic) Charmanda(er) - mania continued......

[Freebo]

Yey, I like progress

 

[blu73]

well it should fire up (or not) this week new fasteners just arrived

 

[blu73]

well so far it doesnt work lol..

its power related, i feel i have disturbed something on the panda loom along the way. Whats happening at mo is when i switch ignition to position 1, where normally all the stuff on a switched live would work, lights, interior fan, dash etc would all get power i get nothing. When i crank it it turns over, things seem to work while its cranking so it must be drawing power for that back through the ignition switch from the starter/alternator... i presume, am open as i can be that i dont really do electric lol.

But its something on the car side switched live thats the issue there, i've not really touched any wires really on the car itself so not sure whats going on there - more investigating required.

As a result of that obviously the ecu etc wasnt getting its switched live feed so it wouldnt work. So in the interest of testing, I hooked that straight to live manually. So this allowed me to let the ecu fire up, everything clicks on, pump primes as it should. Connected it to laptop and like that the ecu only reported 2 fault codes, EVAP valve (there isnt one connected so thats fine) and no engine management light (again that wire goes nowhere atm, if you run that through a bulb and back to the battery and turn ecu on again then that goes away too and just the EVAP codes left). So while there went through all the actuators i can, injectors, ICV etc etc, they all appear to work fine.

So in theory, with it jerry-rigged like that it should run right? yes i thought so too lol. So does it have fuel? Its primed loads of times at this point so pull return line off rail to see if there is any fuel there and nothing.. Pull line off rail feed and nothing, compressed air but no fuel... Ran pump straight off battery for a while and still nothing. So thats kinda put an end to play today - at this point it could even just need fuel in the tank so i wasnt gonna mess further snd so thats where i stopped today.

I am pretty sure wiring wise from the point of view of the actual engine swap is fine, just this switched live issue to solve. I have a mystery red wire inside the car, dunno at this point if its a factory wire - its certainly not a new wire but it has a crimp connector at the end and i for the life of me don't know where it came from - sticking my hand up behind the dash i feels like it goes through another crimped butt connector and then possible to the ignition switch. I think this is something to do with it but need to look properly, was getting late and having never taken the column shroud plastic thingy off before i couldnt see how it comes off etc so thats the next mission, i need to workout what that wire is and why i'm not getting power to everything on a switched live. Once I have figured that out and put some petrol in it i'll worry about the pump, it really might just be empty lol.

 

[blu73]

Still not had chance to look at this power issue yet..

But just as a side note, when I bought Char i only got 2 receipts and some old MOTs as its history.. Just put all my receipts in date order and in the folder with the rest....



Thats a bit scary!! lol

 

[blu73]

Well the power thing I figured out pretty quickly, just couple of wires back to front.

Not had much time of late with the baby and stuff but today was milestone for the panda..

[ame]https://youtu.be/DIMCleVAjZ8[/ame]

It lives!! Homestretch now.

 

[blu73]

So spent few hours putting bits and bobs back together, mainly interior bits.

Put the dash all back together, mounted my glitter ball gear knob, bolted down the coupe seats, put the rear bench back in, refitted steering wheel, some plastic trim pieces, took the front speakers out and tidied up a rat's nest of wires, mostly for the stereo that's not there. All little things but needs doing and takes miles longer than you expect it to.

The novelty of driving it out the garage to work on it and then driving it back in felt good though.

Couple of snaps





Things still to do:
Make an intake
Sort the exhaust
Few bits to tidy in bay, reroute some wires and stuff a different way than I have originally
General bolt check as it's been in bits for so long I can't be sure I've tightened everything.
Wash and polish

That's all I can think of right now.

 

[blu73]

So the fact the tyres on the car are different size front to back has been annoying me from day one. Added to that, the fact the 2 rears are old, cracked and both no longer hold air for more than few days I started looking at tyres online. Which led to me finding a local company that makes custom steel and alloy wheels, mainly for big industrial equipment but also wheels for movie cars. Side note, they made the wheels for FAB1 in the Thunderbirds film.
Anyhow, they don't normally do small scale just few little car wheels but had a chat with them and they are happy to do me some as a one off job.
As such I've decided I'm 100% gonna try use the wellers, so dropped them off today. He said they are massively busy but hopes they'll be ready for me next week. I guess I should try find some money to pay them lol.

Hopefully Sunday should see Si come and help me sort an exhaust. I really need to buy a welder and start learning as it's so often a hurdle for me to overcome.
The finish line draws ever closer!

 

[blu73]

Well a good old car day sunday funday today.

Si popped over with a welder, we drank cups of tea and discussed far far too many different ways of chopping and welding a couple of pipes together lol. In end we went for chop it about there, weld it across here and bobs your aunties uncle it fit first try ?
Didn't put back box on cause for 1 we hadn't put any gaskets on for mockup and 2 would have had to pull the car out the garage and that involves moving stuff and musical cars. But basically exhaust is sorted, I might just clean it up a touch and put some vht black paint on it and the manifold before I bolt everything down for last time though.

Forgot to take any pics but it's nothing exciting really though. Luke sent me few he took though.

 

[Freebo]

pandamonius_maximus is looking more and more like Jesus every time I see him!

 

[blu73]

Swap the Adidas sambas for some sandals and your there I think lol. I get told I look like Jesus sometimes too... It's a good look [emoji106]

Anyhow, this arrived


So yeah I decided it needs to have a black exhaust to show off them copper finished exhaust nuts i got lol. It's Mrs Blu's birthday today though so no panda playing today.


Not heard from the people doing wheels yet, getting slightly excited about them now. I guess I should order some tyres really.

 

[blu73]

Well quick snap of the finish of this paint.. I spent an age cleaning the manifold, it was almost silver again after much brushing etc, almost. So hopefully it'll last ok.


And.... The wheels are done. [emoji7]

 

[firstcar-Y10]

Think that's the stuff I used for manifold and exhaust. Manifold has lasted pretty well but it all flaked off the exhaust. Some good progress there though, one of these days I'll get off my backside and recommission one - as of yesterday I don't actually have a car on the road at all

 

[blu73]

Well i'm not that fussed really tbh, one would hope this will eventually have a nice manifold and nice exhaust made up.. with my current finances though, now is not the time

 

[blu73]

Still waiting for last few bits to turn up to finish this off.
Said things being a silicone joiner and a bit of pipe for the intake, new tyre valves and the tyres themselves.

New exhaust hangers arrived so can fit the exhaust, not that I couldn't before but the hangers were really old and cracked so decided to replace


The filter itself has arrived..


It looks diddly but spoken to K&N and they assure me it can support upto 103hp so it's good for this application [emoji6]

So I think once all that's arrived, which should be this week, I just need to fit them and do the bolt check and it's done. Bar a good wash and polish obviously.

 

[blu73]

Right well fitted the exhaust yday, no pics but nothing to see really..

But in other news.....





Tyres mounted, silly childish valve caps put on. Hopefully put them on 2moro but I do have other stuff to do so will see if I get around to it.

 

[blu73]

One simple intake fitted, actually looks better than I thought it would tbh.


Had a look around for loose bolts and nuts, found quite a few, but only a couple that I had actually forgotten I needed to tighten.
Let him actually warm up properly, here is actual video evidence lol

[ame]https://youtu.be/eKjzPZ-_MkM[/ame]

It went well, but the top rad hose leaked as soon as stat opened, but hey proof the stat is working lol. So let it cool down, had some lunch and stuck the wellers on, well 2 at least.



Sorted top hose, topped off coolant and started again. And I can report it runs upto temp, fan still kicks in and cycles and it doesn't overheat sat idling. Put other 2 wheels on while it was running.

Drove it up and down the road couple of times, all seems well. Wheels aren't catching, at slow speeds at least. It goes and stops and isn't leaking any fluids from anywhere.

Chilling with his younger bro in the sun. Damn I really like these wheels!







And also it fires straight up when hot too which I've had issue with on few injection fires over the years.
[ame]https://youtu.be/KglKNDoyJVY[/ame]

Few little unimportant niggles to address, some lights not working but probably just bulbs, I've not looked yet. Interior fan not working, again not looked, could even have forgotten the plug. Or it's something to do with the bundle of wires I cut out the dash [emoji23] [emoji23] . A job for another day but for now he's tucked up back in garage, few days off cars to hang out with baby now I think. But more updates soon I promise.

 

[Didge3]

If its some of the rear lights that aren't working then it might just be the earths on the clusters, I had to clean them a couple of times over the years. Fortunately they are the easiest light clusters to remove on the planet.

 

[blu73]

yeah or i've plain not put a bulb in, they've all been off at some point too lol.

not everything does actually work, didnt go through everything but the interior fan wasnt working either.. I'll figure them all out, could be to do with all the wires i pulled out from behind the dash in a, if im honest, haphazard manner of just cutting and ripping bits out that just looked un-needed lol. But equally could just be that i failed to put some plugs in switches when putting dash on.. Minor little issues

Will have a look in a few days, been outside last few days and want to hang out with my daughter a bit more for few days now. So whats left, well look at these few little electrical issues and i guess clean it, sort bumpers properly before fitting up the new number plates. Think thats it in terms of getting it ready for an MOT, everything else can wait til after.

 

[blu73]

Well DVLA took their precious time over it but engine is all legit and official on V5 now

 

[blu73]

Well i guess i should update this, been ages.

So finally got around to restoring the bumpers with this Forever Black stuff i ordered many moons ago after seeing some videos and reading some reviews.
It comes with a bottle of cleaner and a bottle of restorer - you use the cleaner to strip any traces of oil and silicone residues so the restorer can work properly, the restorer is an actual black dye which you just apply with the supplied foam pad, give it 15-20 mins to seep in and dry and your done. I did 2 coats to to make sure I had a nice even coating and gotta say I am super happy with the results!!

This is the stuff, got it off Amazon


Front bumper after using the cleaner, which tbh just alone made it look miles better than it was.


And after using the restorer.


Having done that i could finally fit the new numberplates I also bought what seems like an age ago. Went for a set of pressed plates with holders.



What else has happened.... Oh yes, I cleaned the bit of sound deadening that goes across back of the engine bay - no pic atm i'm afraid so you'll just have to believe me that it looks amaze also. Sprayed all over with strong foaming degreaser, agitated with a brush and then jetwashed out. It also looks almost brand new - I highly recommend this as tidies up the bay no end.

My little girl, Edie, has also met Charmander finally - no need for these but just humour me as I'm very proud of my cute little bean.



Which leads me onto these lights that don't work.
So there was a few bulbs that needed replacing, and some connections were just a bit wobbly and loose - sorted them no problems. But I am left with headlights that don't work and I openly admit these have got me a little stumped. All the lights work apart form dipped beam, all the rear lights work including fog and reverse, all the indicators work, the side lights work and full beam works but no dipped beam.
I've spent far too many hours trying to get them to work now with no joy - which is mildly annoying being that in theory I've not touched this circuit at all since I last drove it and they worked then.

My wiring doesnt seem to match any wiring diagram exactly which is adding to the confusion. And even wires that do seem to match don't seem to be doing what i expect looking at the diagrams. An example would be the wires on the back of the headlight switch, there is 4 wires and on the diagram the green/yellow should go live when teh switch is in position 2 to turn the headlights on - however, that wire goes 12v live as soon as you turn the ignition on - and the fact that goes live, again according to the diagram, means the headlights should be on if we just ignore for a second it shouldnt even have 12v on it lol.
Anyhoo, been trying to follow the circuits around the car and figure out whats going on and I have a question for you good knowledgeable panda people. My car has halogen bulbs for the headlights, which isnt standard as far as i know. And it also has a relay on the fusebox that I dont think is factory either and I'm thinking someone at some point has put this relay in to power the lights - I only noticed this relay yday right before i decided to leave it for the evening and have dinner. So can anyone tell me if the relay pictured is normally there cause according to my haynes the only time there would be one there is in a selecta - its top right slot of the fusebox and its the same type of relay that runs the heated rear screen. (sorry the pics are a bit crap)



EDIT: Just another thought.. here are my wires on back of the headlight switch - I dont recall ever taking these off but maybe i have - the plug being missing and the crimp connectors is proof someone has been messing here at some point, not something I have done... But are these in the right place?
Pins on the switch are labelled D, C, B, A from left to right in that pic and wires are:
D - Blue with red trace
C - Blue with yellow trace
B - Green with yellow trace
A - Red with black trace


Also, By my reckoning my switch doesnt work properly so if anyone has one they know works they can post me asap it'd be great appreciated