The new/overhauled calipers fitted this morning along with new Mtec drilled & slotted discs, Used the "Lift of Ramps" garage with the two post lift, so much easier than groveling around on the floor.

Also found the cause of the noise when I put it on full left lock

Some dipstick has fitted the wrong track rod end !! so it rubs on the wheel rim on full lock

I had that with the pickup, turned out the ones ECP sold didn't fit under the standard 13's. Ended up buying one from TPS which solved the problem.

This is the correct one

So the offset is forward of the ball joint not aft as the one currently fitted

Nice new discs & calipers

Passenger front wheel rubbing cured :)

Old & New

Now plenty of clearance on full lock

The matt black roof that looks terrible!! rubbed a small area with some brake & clutch cleaner and it came off and the paint underneath looks good, they didn't even attempt to flatten it before the matt black spray job :)

So when the weather gets better I'll get the machine polisher onto it with some light cutting compound :)

Top cars these Nige, looking good with the updates

Just come back from the MOT it passed with 2 advisories, slight blow from exhaust & nearside CV cover deteriorated but not letting in debris!

Nice pass that really, never knew the roof was black lol

Nice pass that really, never knew the roof was black lol

Yes a previous owner rattle canned the roof & lower tailgate in matt black, so now it's got fresh test on it, I'll set about cleaning all the paint off.

The other job I'm going to attempt is to fix the boost cutting out, reading on Briskoda it's a common problem with the variable nozzle turbos, the mechanism gets gummed up with soot deposits so it's stuck and when you give it full beans you get the full turbo and this causes the ECU to go into protective mode and that switches the turbo down :( it's an easy fix with a can of "Mr Muscle" Oven foam cleaner spray !! remove the EGR pipe on the turbo and inject the foam into the hot side of the turbo, leave it for 2hrs and operate the mechanism every 15/20 mins apparently it will free all the soot of the vanes and let them move freely :) with no more loss of boost :)

First check all the vacuum pipes that go from the reservoir under the engine cover to the valves on the bulkhead (N75?) that controls the actuator for the VNT vanes. Thank god these don't have a DPF. Don't park next to a freshly painted wall when you restart.

The tailgate can rust around the numberplate as it catches spray, maybe that's why is was painted over.

Nice stuff, sounds like a nice simple fix and should pull lovely when your done :)

You could probably make a bunch of money if you wanted with all the simple little fixes you have carried out and not cost much. You should be a wheeler dealer nige!

First check all the vacuum pipes that go from the reservoir under the engine cover to the valves on the bulkhead (N75?) that controls the actuator for the VNT vanes. Thank god these don't have a DPF. Don't park next to a freshly painted wall when you restart.

The tailgate can rust around the numberplate as it catches spray, maybe that's why is was painted over.

I've had a look at all the vacuum lines, they're all intact and I can't hear any leaks, the N75 valve tests Ok so I've got nothing to lose with the Mr Muscle spray (£3) it's just a bit of a tight fit to get at the EGR pipe bolts, the other option is to remove the downpipe and spray it in from there.

The tailgate is showing a tiny bit of crud but not by the numberplate, it's just below where the glass is bonded on the bottom left corner.

Nice stuff, sounds like a nice simple fix and should pull lovely when your done :)

You could probably make a bunch of money if you wanted with all the simple little fixes you have carried out and not cost much. You should be a wheeler dealer nige!

Just out of interest I put the details into a couple of the "what's my car worth" sites £950 ~ 1300 not bad for a £550 ebay apart from the satnav, the only expense was the rear calipers & discs, I could of used the original discs but nice new shiney ones :) that came to £130 + £30 to use the two post lift for a couple of hours :)

If you're taking the EGR off to clean the turbo, make sure the egr's clean before it goes back on as it can cause the same symptoms on the PD at least, probably yours too.

Various methods of cleaning it are available, my mate favours banging it on a concrete slab, seems to work for him I just binned mine and fitted a delete pipe. Didn't seem to have a noticable effect on emissions - it smoked before!

If you're taking the EGR off to clean the turbo, make sure the egr's clean before it goes back on as it can cause the same symptoms on the PD at least, probably yours too.

Various methods of cleaning it are available, my mate favours banging it on a concrete slab, seems to work for him I just binned mine and fitted a delete pipe. Didn't seem to have a noticable effect on emissions - it smoked before!

I was going to remove it to get better access to the connection on the turbo, so it might get the same Mr Muscle spray to clean it or I might get a Darkside EGR delete kit ???

Let me know if this fixes your boost cutting out issues, i'm still having the same issues myself!

If you're taking the EGR off to clean the turbo, make sure the egr's clean before it goes back on as it can cause the same symptoms on the PD at least, probably yours too.

Various methods of cleaning it are available, my mate favours banging it on a concrete slab, seems to work for him I just binned mine and fitted a delete pipe. Didn't seem to have a noticable effect on emissions - it smoked before!

I was going to remove it to get better access to the connection on the turbo, so it might get the same Mr Muscle spray to clean it or I might get a Darkside EGR delete kit ???

I've not looked at the Darkside ones - I used an Allard one - really nicely made and thought out. Might be a tenner more than elsewhere but it came with all the nuts, bolts and gaskets you might need. If it's the same as my ASZ, the back bolt is a pain to get to. The only way I could do it was with a long allen key and use of "the force".

Martin - what's it actually doing? Going into limp mode at <ahem>mph or randomly not boosting?

I haven't done it yet, this is the procedure taken from a "Caddy" forum VNT Turbo cleaning 1.doc

I think my ASV is slightly smaller diameter than the ASZ I looked at the Darkside delete pipe £50 + PP + VAT The other option is to leave the valve in place but fit blanking plates to it and the manifold then plug the vacuum line.

The previous owner must of graduated at the top of the class from the "Bodge it n leg it school"

Drivers side rear passenger window didn't work, could hear the motor running.

Took the door card off to find this

plus a self tapper in the top of the mechanism for added safety !!

Old mechanism

New unit fitted £16 from Poland :)

There was a couple of bits of trim missing from the centre armrest, trying to find them in this "beige" "baby nappy yellow! " was impossible without spending silly money from TPS so got them in black from ebay, went to B & Q with a bit of the original trim and got them to use their colour match system an bought a "tester" pot for £2.85 Painted the replacement bits with it and two coats of satin clear lacquer now you can't tell them from the rest of the trim :)

Also did a Vio mod :)

map/reading lights replaced with LEDs but I ordered the wrong length festoon for the main light

Also did a Vio mod :)

Spinners next Nige?

No !! but there will be a few more LEDs to replace interior lighting, passenger reading lights, glovebox & luggage area :)

.... Footwells, washer jets, ICE install, underbody neons.....

Dissapointed the washer jets are under the bonnet so you can't see them Haha !!

Vio mods complete now

Plus the two in the luggage area :)

Also made the rear lights symmetrical by adding the passenger side fog light, all it needed was 6" wire a terminal for the connector and the blank over the fog light position cutting out :)