RGZ the Stilo

[muppet42]

Rob! how had is said dent on Passenger door?? I have a dent puller/ glass carrying handle in the garage (I think) if you want I could bring the dent puller and pull the dent out for you!!

Could be an option. That's the bad side of the car though as it had an iffy respray by the insurance people (even though it wasn't meant to), lacquer peel at the bottom of the door, a pin dent at the bottom of the door and a deep gouge out of the paint just behind the door. Basically, that was one of the sides I was going to concentrate in terms of bodywork repair. That and the front end are really the worst so could perhaps get away without a full respray - investigation is required me thinks.

 

[L1MAD]

completely off topic slightly....but my, there is a shiny black bravo in the final two picks

As for future...being a jap fan..go jap...but also being an italian fan...stay fiat

Thats my advice haha.

 

[ycming]

why not have both ?

 

[muppet42]

Was just looking at s14s on PH as well :wink: Saying that, I was veering off and looking at 20VTs as well :laugh:

 

[muppet42]

Well, as some of you may have seen from FB updates, RGZ's been having alternator issues these past few weeks. Bought a replacement off Ming for a tenner and David fitted it today. One that came off may be able to be refurbed, so going to look into that as the one that's now on (from a Punto) has a lower capacity than the original. This is fine unless (as David mentioned) I'm sitting at the lights with everything electrical on, which will essentially lead to a rather flat battery :laugh: Should do for now though.

Looked up eBay prices as well...£170 and above for a new one. Thankfully prices start at £40 odd for a salvaged part, so if the one that came off's beyond repair, it's an option :smile:

Also, such is the character of my car, no sooner had David replaced the alternator and I'm driving out the gate than the OS headlight bulb decides to expire. At least it wasn't the NS one...bumper off job or awkwardly via the NS inner arch replacement required. Shall add this one to the to-do list :grin:

 

[ycming]

You can have it recon, look up on yellow page they would do it for 60 ish .

Ming

 

[muppet42]

You can have it recon, look up on yellow page they would do it for 60 ish .

Ming

Aye, there's an auto electrician place a few hundred yards down the road from me. Going to take it down the road tomorrow to get them to perhaps have a look and see how much it'll cost. Shall have to wait a bit though as I don't get paid till the 24th :/

 

[clock34]

whats the difference in ratings? your original a 75amp and his a 65? anywhere around 10amp will only be a problem if you sit with your air-con on whilt stood still. and even then you would need to be sat there a hour or so. you should be ok in all honesty.

if it was me for the price of a re-con unit i wouldnt bother. it is littereally just because of your aircon and powersteering. but when moving its only really needing it for the air-con. and lights at night, im sure it will be fine tbh as puntos have aircon and steering lol.

if its over 15 difference id swap it though.

 

[muppet42]

whats the difference in ratings? your original a 75amp and his a 65? anywhere around 10amp will only be a problem if you sit with your air-con on whilt stood still. and even then you would need to be sat there a hour or so. you should be ok in all honesty.

if it was me for the price of a re-con unit i wouldnt bother. it is littereally just because of your aircon and powersteering. but when moving its only really needing it for the air-con. and lights at night, im sure it will be fine tbh as puntos have aircon and steering lol.

if its over 15 difference id swap it though.

Stilo's is a 75 and the Punto one was a 55. David did a check with everything switched on and the Punto alternator was struggling to cope.

Wish I did have aircon as well, wasn't great this summer until I removed the rather ropey pollen filter - not the easiest to access, which is why it's almost never replaced during a normal service.

Oh and for anyone who's not seen my FB updates, the changing of a headlight bulb...if anyone's thinking "how hard can it be?", well, it ain't easy that's for sure lol

 

[ycming]

Punto 65 it stamped on it mate.

 

[clock34]

yeh punto is a 65 amp sei was a 55 amp. but they look completely different. either way id still say it was fine tbh. when are you going to sit with your heated rear window, healights, wipers, fan full, stereo full, power steering full lock, hazards on braking and in the fog. seriously you dont need another . put some jump leads in the boot and i reckon you would be fine.....

think about it if it doesnt get enough charge for what it uses the battery light also comes on on stilo's if it aint on... its on top of it.

 

[muppet42]

I'll double check, but I'm pretty certain the label said 55. Can't hurt to get the old one checked over and refurbed on the cheap if it can be. I'd prefer the proper alternator to be on there rather than one that may well struggle even though it'd only do that in extreme circumstances.

And when it Dave was looking at it, the heater on full, lights and heated rear screen were on and that was enough to cause the Punto alternator to struggle. It's good as a temp fix, don't get me wrong but I'd rather not have that background nagging feeling that I could be left stranded somewhere again even if the chances of it happening are lower than they were before.

 

[muppet42]

Okay, I sit corrected - it was indeed 65...the 6 was somewhat smudged on the label :laugh:

But yeah, have noticed over the past few cold days it has struggled a tad when starting up. Nothing major, it still starts without a problem just there's a bit of a hesitance when it fires up - probably down the all the short journeys I do though I try to let it run for a few minutes without any electrical things on to let the battery charge a bit before I switch it off.

I could swear there's a slight noise coming from this alternator too. Nothing compared to the one that was on though and obviously it's a used/un-tried part so couldn't have judged the condition without it being fitted. Definitely a lifesaver though having it on there and especially for the tenner I paid you for it Ming :smile:

 

[clock34]

check the belt. they make noises if there too loose/tight. or spray grease it before its too late.... 10amp is nothing tbh you will be fine . if its starting in -10+ then it going to be fine for the rest of the year... these are the hardest possible days for engine starts.

 

[muppet42]

check the belt. they make noises if there too loose/tight. or spray grease it before its too late.... 10amp is nothing tbh you will be fine . if its starting in -10+ then it going to be fine for the rest of the year... these are the hardest possible days for engine starts.

Belt seemed perfectly fine, but I'll spray it anyways. Dave did fit it and I trust him to have done done it good and proper

 

[rallycinq]

Just to recap, the 'old' alternator was fine untill a load was puit on it, then it jumped about all over the place from 10 volts to 16.volts.

The 'new' alternator was again fine at about 14 volts until a load was put on. With all lights, fan, HRW and blower on it dropped to a steady 11.8 volts, not quite enough to put the light on brightly, but certainly not enough to keep charge in the battery.

Cheers

D

 

[muppet42]

Yeah, think the Punto one's perhaps been strained a tad by the demands on it and perhaps that's the reason for the noise and the need for a battery charge I had the other day. Still it's been okay today and yesterday so hopefully as long as she's not left undriven for any great length of time I shouldn't have any issues. Hopefully though, I can get the original alternator refurbed and on back in the next week or two.

 

[muppet42]

Right, apart from the obvious issues with RGZ the now (alternator/hg), I'm trying to find cheap(ish) bits to do to the Stilo again. I've got this Ripspeed gear knob I'd bought for the Punto many years ago...

Actually transformed the way the gear change felt I thought and didn't look too bad even though it was a Ripspeed product. Shall involve hacksawing the old Stilo one off though, which I'm a little wary of. However, I was looking to get a nice Momo or similar one down the line anyway to spruce up the interior a bit more, so hacking the oem one off and popping the Ripspeed one on the now wouldn't be a disaster. I think. What does everyone reckon?

 

[mrcinquecento]

looks decent gearchanges defo feel nicer when you are happy with he feel of a knob in your hand....ermmmm, yeah.

 

[muppet42]

looks decent gearchanges defo feel nicer when you are happy with he feel of a knob in your hand....ermmmm, yeah.

Knew I couldn't put a post up like that with out some sort of innuendo influx :laugh:

Honestly though, I've been thinking of changing the gear knob and maybe the handbrake leaver in a oner for a while. The latter may well be more difficult, shall investigate when I change the gators as the originals are getting a little torn from age Had been looking for black/grey suede ones to replace these, but seems like it's only the stitching that I can really chose from the ones I've seen on the Bay.