Ex850R
May I predict that you will be doing those bits soon enough. It's not like you at all ...
AshDVS
Quite possibly. I'll look at it a bit more first and decide what to do.
The late style rear bumper insert arrived for it yesterday. Mufflers should be here in the next couple of days - I may just leave it aside for now and ponder VFII tail lights for a little bit. If I decide to do those too, I'll simply spend half a day on it and get the lot done.
Ex850R
Before and possible after pix?
AshDVS
It's proving tough to find decent pics.
Mine is currently like this -
s224.photobucket.com/user/HYPTUP/media/DSC_0516.jpg.html
The honeycomb pattern is tough to clean and mine has greyed and contrasts poorly with shiny new metallic black paint.
So, I'm changing to this -
4.bp.blogspot.com/-svVM-UP5GOs/VRcIaL7InPI/AAAAAAAASLI/uuevuIbtEMU/s1600/Holden%2BVF%2BCommodore%2BSportwagon%2BSandman%2BSpecial%2BEdition%2B(2015)%2BRear%2BSide.jpg
Much easier to clean and nice new black plastic.
And, these arrived today as well -
Ex850R
Taking up surfing?
I laugh at the latest cars and all the black plastic mesh look front n back.
Who washes them?
Never mind not so long ago having all the black meant you had the base poverty pack version of the said car.
Ugly too...esp the latest Camry front.
Vee_Que
The apprentice at work has qaud tips on his s2 sv6, 2.25" from the cat back!
AshDVS
Mines a series 1 car and has a throaty note already which isnt horrible, but I certainly dont want it loud or louder than stock. I'm not looking for a performance gain, I just want to tidy up the back of it a bit and the quad tip mufflers fill out the exhaust openings in the rear bar a little nicer.
This is an 'appliance' car afterall, other than looking neat and tidy, I dont want to think about it too much.
AshDVS
Not much of an update since last time around, I havent got around to doing the mufflers or the bumper insert yet but I did throw a pair of tyres at it.
It's now sporting Bridgestone RE050As on the front rather than the Kumho garbage that were on the wheels when I got them. It feels nicer to drive and less lazy on turn-in
Here's a current pic -
I'm keen to get onto the mufflers and the bumper insert soon(ish) so that I can get rid of the boxes they're in!
AshDVS
It's about time for a commodore update.
Nothing really exciting happening with it, just racking up the kms.
Had it's first big size lump of work done since I've had it.
We did -
Replaced both front wheel bearings as the LH was getting a little noisy.
Replaced front and rear rotors with PBR slotted
Replaced front and rear pads with Project Mu NS400
Oil change and filter
Air filter
When I get a bit more time again I'll pop a set of plugs in it and replace the serpentine belt.
It's trucking along pretty well - I'd thought about replacing it in the not too distant future, but when I wash it, I remember that I actually quite like it.
AshDVS
Nothing too exciting happening with the VE but since I'll keep it into the new year now, it was about time for some maintenance.
Since last time we did a set of plugs and a serpentine belt.
Last week we did a little bit of work on it again -
Replaced rear shocks with Monroe (!!!) GT short stroke shocks
Popped a pair of rear tyres on it
Fitted the VE SS rear mufflers
Auto trans service
The drone at very specific speeds is noticeable and a little annoying so probably wouldnt recommend anyone with an SV6 fitting the rear mufflers from an SS - I may swap them back yet, or perhaps I'll get over it and maybe turn the stereo up.
I went with Monroes because I couldnt get a Sachs or Bilstein in time - originals are Monroes too (with HSV branding!) the replacements seem to be the same stroke version but with Monroe stickers on them, externally anyway.
I'll keep it now until after we move again - probably around this time next year and get something smaller after that.
Vee_Que
They don't sound impressive with bigger mufflers, very similar to the ecotech despite it being a very different v6.
AshDVS
Most of the time it's unoticable, but light throttle in 5th at about 90kmh it drones and at about 65kmh when accelerating fairly hard after dropping back a gear.
It's actually better outside the car than inside it.
Ex850R
Washing
AshDVS;125069 wroteMost of the time it's unoticable, but light throttle in 5th at about 90kmh it drones and at about 65kmh when accelerating fairly hard after dropping back a gear.
It's actually better outside the car than inside it.
Death Metal on the music box fixes everything
AshDVS
The trusty VE let me down for the first time ever last night.
Moved it, then went to start it and move it again - cranks but wont start.
Initial diagnosis is fuel pump. Will verify that and sort it out.
I may have to daily the Focus for a few days.
Philia_Bear
Time for a walbro pump of doom and a surge tank with pretty AN fittings
AshDVS
Philia_Bear;c-148666 wroteTime for a walbro pump of doom and a surge tank with pretty AN fittings
he he.
AshDVS
Fuel pump failure confirmed.
Will order one tomorrow.
Tomorrow will be 'Take your Focus to work day'!
AshDVS
I've been using the Vocus as the commuter vehicle for the whole week this week.
Hilariously, economy for the week has been better than the VE.
Fuel pump finally arrived today and since I'll be enthused, tomorrow I'll get the fuel pump done and also fit new front struts, strut mounts and control arms as well as give it a service.
Next week, or maybe the week after, I'll get a wheel alignment and a pair of front tyres and a windscreen put in it.
AshDVS
Smashed out the fuel pump swap on saturday.
Removed rear seat base to find that there is no access hatch in the floor in my VE (apparently, deleted in 2007ish).
So, thus started the enduro.
To get the tank out, the following needs to be removed/done first -
* exhaust system needs to be removed from the headers back
* handbrake cables disconnected
* tailshaft removed
* RR wheel removed
* IRS cradle to be semi removed (front two bolts out, rear two bolts loosened so that it can 'hang' out of the car.
Hugely laborious for a pump swap.
Swapped out the whole fuel pump module, rather than just the pump itself as I didnt want to have it apart on the bench and risk breaking some obscure piece of plastic that I needed from the old module.
There's lots of cheap chinese pumps and modules around. I used a Delphi one (still chinese, less cheap).
Got that done and then moved onto the front end stuff.
New struts, new strut mounts, new lower control arms.
It still needs swaybar links but I didnt have any so I'll pick a pair up and swap them over too.
Other than that, it needs a LH engine mount (they're filled with goop/gel and the LH is weeping) and a LH rear axle seal. Will get to those shortly.
Had a couple of front tyres fitted this morning and a wheel alignment done.
Fitted Pirelli Dragon Sport in 245 40 19 - they seem to be fine.
It needs a windscreen too, so will knock that over in the next fortnight as well.
From there, the maintenance items will be out of the way and it should serve me well until post house-move.
Dean
Gee, all that for a fuel pump. I can't understand why manufacturers take things away like the access hatch knowing that at some point (in my experience falcons & commodores 150,000-200,000kms) will need a new fuel pump. They take a job I could myself and turn it into one I cant. But that I guess that is the point of it although no one I know ever takes a commodore back to a dealer after warranty anyway.
It's like my wife's Skoda Octavia RS. They make basic maintenance such as fog light bulb replacement near impossible. Makes me almost hate a good car.
