Wanting to sort out some Niggles

[oep308]

Hey guys, just wondering if you could all help me out with some little issues and signs of old age with our 80 series.

CD Player - CD player is getting old, CDs have began to start jumping in it and radio has become patchy. Please can you recommend a new one? (Preferably double-din to just directly swap it).

Dashboard Lights - Some of the lights have died (the little ones behind all the console buttons) please can I have a link to where I can buy some new ones?

Central Locking - Sometimes the back doors don't lock/unlock, has this happened to anybody before? Could it just be solved with some WD-40 or is it a common issue?

Diff-Lock? - When the difflocks are on and you take a sharp right turn the front right makes a horrible clicking noise, is this just because the diffs are on or could something have snapped somewhere?

Racing Stripe - The 'racing' stripe down eachside of the car has faded off, anybody know where I can get some new ones?

Polishing - Looking old, what polish do you guys use on your cruisers? Ours is the really dark green one.

Thank you everyone!
- Oliver.

 

[Chris]

One of the reasons the drive shafts are making awful noises when you take a sharp turn right with the diff locks engaged - is because you are taking a sharp turn right with the diff lock engaged. Stop doing that and the noise will cease immediately..Please don't do that, it's very hard on the CVs
Sounds like one of your CVs has gone. Very typical in an old 80.

Lamps for the dash - go to Maplins and get some yellow 12v subminature bulbs. They wire straight in.

When you say the back door doesn't unlock, I presume you mean you can't open it. It's not uncommon that the mech gets dry and the little finger bar under the tailgate doesn't reset. Instead of pulling it to you with you fingers, actually push it away from you and try lock / unlock.

CD? You have a CD? Wow. I am still on cassette. Halfords sell double din units.

Polish? An 80? Nope you lost me there.

 

[StarCruiser]

Bulbs are now available as LEDs but are generally known as T3, T4, or T5 Neo Wedge bulbs. This eBay listing gives good info on sizes so it's easy to identify them.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=201291884376

CD, depends really what you want. There's lots available, eBay will show what is available best, JVC, Alpine, Chinese, depends on your budget.

Stripe, personally I would remove and polish the paintwork. Best polish, many around, lots of people recon Mer as being good. Auto Glym products are well respected generally.

I'll leave the rest to others who probably know the other issues better than me.

Hope this helps.

Richard

 

[oep308]

Yes, we always try and avoid doing sharp turns with the diffs and yes, it could well be the CVs as theres a horrible grinding sound also when turning without the diffs. And thats brilliant! Didnt think of Maplins! Thanks. And no, I mean the passenger rear doors.

Cheers for the help Chris. Will get bulbs sorted and have a look in Halfords!

 

[oep308]

Thanks, you're a star *badum-tish*

I agree, would probably look better without the stripe and im guessing it would be expensive to source a new one! Will check Mer out, just looked at the price and its not bad either. And yes, Auto Glym is good use their shampoo!

 

[Chris]

Passenger rear doors? Sound like you have the child locks on.

 

[Towpack]

As already said with the difflocks. Wear on the CV's can show up as clicking while turning even when the diffs are open. Sharp turns with the locks in can kill a new CV so you're really pushing your luck with old ones.
Why not replace the CD/radio unit with a modern single din unit with USB port so you can play tunes from a memory stick etc. I went off double d's a while back and preferred something smaller so fitted a useful storage tray in the spare slot.
Ditto as said above on the bulb options, either will be fine.
At the risk of being flamed by other forum members I'm going to recommend a polish. Wouldn't use anything other than Autoglym. Super Resin Polish if the paints not too badly faded followed by Extra Gloss Protection. Not the cheapest but better than anything else I've tried and one application lasts a long time. JMO
I had a similar problem with a rear passenger door, lock sounded like it was operating but door wouldn't unlock. Looked at the mechanism and linkages and could see nothing obvious other than the absence of any lube so just sprayed it with some white grease and all's been fine since. JMO

 

[Dave2000]

I assume you are not driving on the tarmac with the diff locks engaged? If you are then don't. But, if on the loose then some further inspection is warranted, do the swivels look dry? They may need topping up? If they are wet....then again they may need topping up? Can get expensive if you let something break in there.

My OE CD/Cassette combo has pretty much quit as well, if originality is not important then I would shop around. If you do off roading in dry dusty conditions then as per Towpacks advice and go with USB or SD cards. CD players do not like dust...ask me how I know!

Bulbs I grabbed the OE units as they were in at the dealers but, I gather the LED replacements are brighter and more reliable/cheaper?

Central locking, does the override button at the front work and lock unlock both rear doors? If not then it could be the switching unit?

I too have the dark green model, never actually polished it but, if I was going to I would first use 'metallic' T cut to get rid or stripe/light scratches and then I just luuuurve Auto Glym.

regards

Dave

 

[Chris]

I haven't used one myself, but people are telling me that the 'clay? kits give a fantastic result on paint work. I think it's like a face-pack for a car. You spread it on and rub it off. Anyway, it's supposed to be very good. I need to look into it further but the green one would benefit I think.

 

[frank rabbets]

As Dave 2000 says you need to recut the paintwork. T cut is best. This is not a polish. Use T cut first then polish. You won't damage the paintwork with T cut.

 

[StarCruiser]

I haven't used one myself, but people are telling me that the 'clay? kits give a fantastic result on paint work. I think it's like a face-pack for a car. You spread it on and rub it off. Anyway, it's supposed to be very good. I need to look into it further but the green one would benefit I think.

Do you need to place huge slices of cucumber on the headlights?

[emoji6][emoji4]

 

[Chris]

Oh, you've see it!

http://www.halfords.com/motoring/cl...ucts/autoglym-clay-surface-detailing-clay-kit

 

[Chas]

If I use the clay to fill all my dents and scratches can I just paint over it afterwards?

 

[Gary820]

I use an assortment of auto glym products, from rubbing compound to super resin polish and they do a deep shine which is great for darker colours. I finish it off with hard wax ( I'll need to look if that's what it says on the bottle ) basically designed for cars on forecourts to keep the shine and protect from the elements a bit more.

I can get mine like a mirror, it was quite a dull black when I bought it.

Good quality cloths are a must too, buy a big roll so can change it regularly. The white stuff halfords sell in a roll is good and not expensive.

Clay bar works very well to remove dirt from the paint and a machine polisher is a great tool if used correctly.



Edit.... its called liquid hardwax 1. Not sure if will find in store as I get direct from auto glym when van comes to work. Good as a finishing/protection for polished paintwork.

 

[Towpack]

Edit.... its called liquid hardwax 1. Not sure if will find in store as I get direct from auto glym when van comes to work. Good as a finishing/protection for polished paintwork.

That's what the Extra Gloss Protection stuff does. Made for sealing new paintwork or that which has been buffed to a shine with a renovating polish. Useless for removing fading or scratches/swirling on it's own.

 

[Gary820]

I use the hardwax stuff after everything else, my truck sits on the drive a lot as not a daily drive. We use it at work for stuff on the pitch
It's like putting rain x on glass, an extra coating.

All this reminds me it needs a polish

 

[froggy Steve]

One of my old MX5 chums has a car valeting business, using Auto Glym products exclusively - he cleans all the BTC cars, Track and Doctors cars at each BTC meeting. He swears by the clay block he uses. I remember I drove his Lotus through some hoss poop - he used his wife coat to clean it off in the pub car park! His reg number on his works Mini is OCD something or other!

 

[MarkW]

I stopped using Autoglym years ago and switched to Dodo Juice, certainly the wax is much better than AG's.

My truck gets one good clean a year, wash, clay, t-cut, polish and wax after than I just wash and dry and it comes up like a fresh wax.

 

[Aspire]

Try clay bar they are good and mine does shine a little better will do deep rub down in the summer. Once done then a deep clean once a year works well. I use caravan bobby dazzler when rinsing the car after washing helps keep shine and leather off after

 

[clivehorridge]

If I use the clay to fill all my dents and scratches can I just paint over it afterwards?

I think you'd need an extra HD suspension system if you filled all of your dents with clay, Chas.