VK ...errr....RWC Issues

[justinp]

Hey ppl,

First post...hi all...blah blah...all the normal "i'm a newbie" stuff...sure you don't wanna hear it all again

We just bought a VK Berlina, which we knew had issues....but anyways

just got the RWC report back....and..well...not good....alot of the work we are gonna have to do ourselves cause of $$$

What i was hoping is to list out the results and just get some opinions/advice on which work we should tackle..and which we should defenitely pay to have done...

Intermediate when it comes to working on cars btw....but have a car for both parts and "practising on" as we want to learn more about working on these babies...

so here goes.....and yes i know the list is kinda "WTF"-ish but yeah...so after the blazing, anyone with some decent advice or opinions....please feel free to let us know what we are in for..and perhaps a suggested order of fixing....thanks in advance

Some of the mods we know of:
Chopped Springs
Not original Mags
EST has been stripped(poorly i think they must have used a hammer on the front temp sensor.... )
VERY dodgy wiring.....2 of the fuses in the fuse box are fused to the box itself.....any ideas on that one....worries me cause the headlights now have no fuse and appear hard wired to the battery
VH Dizzy

-------------------------------------------------------
Victorian Road Worthy Report
09/84 VK Sedan
-------------------------------------------------------
Reverse Lights Inoperative
Unblock Washers
Aim Head Lights
Key Comes out of ignition while car is running
Repair Power Windows and Switches(although i think the switches are fine)
Repair Engine and Trans Oil Leaks
Replace rear wheel bearings(Excessive Float)
Power Steering Pump Leaks
Replace all springs(:b: The dude i bought the car off chopped em himself...is $130 from ebay really that bad???)
Replace front bump stops
Power steering rack oil leaks
Adjust l/h front wheel bearing
L/h rear seat belt bolt hitting tyre(thought this one was a classic.....is it a common thing?)
L/H Engine mount broken

[craigvk]

-------------------------------------------------------
Victorian Road Worthy Report
09/84 VK Sedan
-------------------------------------------------------
Reverse Lights Inoperative
Unblock Washers
Aim Head Lights
Key Comes out of ignition while car is running
Repair Power Windows and Switches(although i think the switches are fine)
Repair Engine and Trans Oil Leaks
Replace rear wheel bearings(Excessive Float)
Power Steering Pump Leaks
Replace all springs(:b: The dude i bought the car off chopped em himself...is $130 from ebay really that bad???)
Replace front bump stops
Power steering rack oil leaks
Adjust l/h front wheel bearing
L/h rear seat belt bolt hitting tyre(thought this one was a classic.....is it a common thing?)
L/H Engine mount broken

Having a mechanic pit helps a lot more than say using stands or ramps. Or having access to a pit helps.
Engine and trans leaks can be fixed by replacing gaskets. While you're at it, get a minor service kit for the trans and adjust the band and install the new gaskets and filter, then top up. Make sure the bolts are tight. As for the engine leaking oil, check where the oil pump is. The oil pump gasket might be cactus leaking out of there. Or check the sump.
Check all power steering hoses. Replace any worn out ones, tighten clamps, bolts etc...
Replace any hoses in engine bay that have gone rock hard. Replace the lower radiator hose if old and oily underneath.


Other things I would do/check:

Replace rear shocks if old
Replace the lower trailing arm rear bushes (4) if you see the rubber chopped at all. Helps if you have a hydraulic press
Replace brake pads if getting low
Replace front radius rod bushes if you see the rubber chopped at all.
Re wire any wiring that looks frayed or brittle. Use heatshrink tubing to cover contact ends and make it neat.
As for the fused fuses, replace the fuse strip with an aftermarket one or install inline fuses in place of the old ones. Use 3AG 20A inline fuse holders.
Install relays for high and low beam headlights. Makes them brighter.
Replace wiper blades if older than 1 year. They are picky on this one.
Fix anything else that might make a mechanic think is dodgy

Finally, don't go back to the same guy as before. He'll probably be a pain in the arse and pick you up on something else. Go to another guy.

[craigvk]

Reverse Lights Inoperative

Check the wiring or the reverse switch on trans.

Unblock Washers

Use compressed air to blow out dirt or dust from the lines.

Aim Head Lights

I found it easiest on a dirt road at night. They always pick you up on that one.

Key Comes out of ignition while car is running

That's pretty common. I never got picked up on that one. The next guy you see might not bother with it.

[killuminati]

Key Comes out of ignition while car is running

Well my vk was roadworthied that that happening, i like it, incase u lock your house door and remember something just after u started the car, just pull the keys out, same with opening boot (if remote boot release doesnt work).
Although occasionally it will actually fall out if you are driving over a bumpy surface

[justinp]

hey thanks for the advice, at least i have some ideas of where to start....

gonna start pulling the other VK apart for parts tomoz....

gonna make kinda a "Project Diary" of sorts....heaps of piks...gotchas..that kinda stuff....evetually hoping to turn it all into some step-by-step guides....

thanks again

[killuminati]

Good on ya, its always nice to have people post guides/tutorials with pics, coz there will always be new people starting out not knowing what to do

[vlv8vic]

teh melted fuses are common with age and if someone has upgraded the globes at some stage.
make sure they are the right globes.

my vl key pulls out while it runs and its passed rw twice while ive had it.
go somewhere else. i like to shop around!

[hold.on]

dunno bout you mexicans over east but if you take your car over for inspection inW.A, they give you a list of things to do they have to pass it if you get it all done.

[vlv8vic]

same here... basically.
i get my camry done at a certain place, and he charged me $60, wrote a list of stuff and said i get it fixed, take it back to him and pay no more for him to sign that it was all good and ready to register.
however, if i had have wanted to take it else where i could have done that, take the same list adn tell them i had it fixed i could do that, but they would charge for another test and possibly find more things wrong.

im not sure if most places do what the bloke did for me, sometimes you are charged again for the second part of the test.

[craigvk]

I should have also added that it pays to do work yourself. If I had of paid a mechanic to do what I did on my car, it would have been $$$$'s.

[Silver]

Grow a brain and sell the thing.

[ucwepn]

Grow a brain and sell the thing.

Nice attitude there, some people like to get a poor condition vehicle on the road by fixing it up. There is a certain satisfaction to be had from doing this


I say go for it, and ignore tossers like this guy Silver LOL