My Sable 2005 MR2 - shnazzle

[jvanzyl]

ahhh... gotcha! Sounds cool!
Would be good to see a pic of the screen working - I'd be totally chicken to actually cut my glove box!

When wiring in my screen aerial I "Found" a blue wire that had 12V and used that... however now I can't charge something and get radio reception at the same time! doh! Will try and find the cig lighter one!

[shnazzle]

Haha. Bad choice of wiring. Ciggie lighter is easiest. It's right there!

Sealant looks a bit messy at the moment but that panel will hopefully be flocked soon

[shnazzle]

Lookie what just arrived

[shnazzle]

Oh and this went in: rear strut brace

[jvanzyl]

ah brilliant! So?? what's the consensus on the rear strut brace? any detectable difference?

Like the screen - I read the blurb on the eBay item number you gave for the screen, it says it turns on automatically...any ideas how? Before I attempt to do it, I just want to know if there is anything else I'd need to wire in (given my success with the windscreen aerial!).

[shnazzle]

ah brilliant! So?? what's the consensus on the rear strut brace? any detectable difference?

Like the screen - I read the blurb on the eBay item number you gave for the screen, it says it turns on automatically...any ideas how? Before I attempt to do it, I just want to know if there is anything else I'd need to wire in (given my success with the windscreen aerial!).

The verdict on the rear strut is that it does absolutely sweet bugger all. Maybe because I'm already on the BCs. But no, nothing at all worth mentioning. THe back was a bit more skittish if anything, so the struts are possible a bit too stiff for the grand roads of Northumberland.

THe screen turns on when it detects a video feed. That way the screen isn't always on, unless your camera is. Most people will wire their camera in so that it comes on with the reversing lights. That's when the screen will turn on. Mine is wired into a ignition live, so it's on all the time, which means the screen is on all the time. I'll probably rewire this

[jvanzyl]

ah... so I'm hearing "buy it!" it's totally worth it! you neeeed a rear strut brace.  s;-) ;-) s;-)

Thanks for the explanation on the reversing camera... now I gotta do is look up the reversing lights wire/power location  :-) :-) :-)  If I find it I'll let you know. I'm off to a breaker guy tomorrow and may see if he wants to part with his glove box cover....

[shnazzle]

ah... so I'm hearing "buy it!" it's totally worth it! you neeeed a rear strut brace.  s;-) ;-) s;-)

Thanks for the explanation on the reversing camera... now I gotta do is look up the reversing lights wire/power location  :-) :-) :-)  If I find it I'll let you know. I'm off to a breaker guy tomorrow and may see if he wants to part with his glove box cover....

 s:D s:D  Don't worry about it! Just get a dremel, or a drill and a hacksaw and go for it. Measure 3x, cut 1x.
There are much cleaner ways to mount the screen than I did. I just cut a hole, fit the screen in and siliconed it in.
Better would be if you fashioned some brackets cut the hole perfectly to size.

[shnazzle]

Didn't expect to win this but glad I did as I found my subframe to be in a bad way

[shnazzle]

As part of my MOT (failed first time on a sodding numberplate bulb), the headlights needed alignment.
Quite a difference! Let that be a lesson to those who lower their 2s. The headlights need to be aimed up. Get it done.
Seems before and after pic, notice the beam on the  wall

[shnazzle]

Decided that I was sick of looking at rusty calipers and discs. So even though the wheels are still an utter clip and desperately need replacing with the TD Pro 1.2s I have in the pipeline, I figured I'd give them a bit of a "good from far, far from good" coating.

[tricky1138]

AAAAAGH!

You've just painted them the same colour I was going to do!   s:scared: :scared: s:scared:     s:( s:(

[shnazzle]

AAAAAGH!

You've just painted them the same colour I was going to do!   s:scared: :scared: s:scared:     s:( s:(

No problemo  s:) s:)  Mine are going darker soon anyway so you can have this colour hehe.
The aim is to match my blue JDM badges

That clutch is going to have to go in soon-ish. On the little run around we had on Saturday I was in 3rd at about 4k rpm heading up a small incline, shifted to 4th and put foot down.....sslllliiiiiiiiiiipppppp. The smell...oh the smell... So, note to self, clutch is now too far gone to handle the enormous torque the stock MR2 provides in 4th at around 3k rpm haha.

[shnazzle]

Another day, another challenge.

Heard a ticking noise when I pulled in today after a brisk drive back home.



Not sure when it happened but the evidence suggests that the aux belt was a bit knackered and a threads came loose.
The thread wrapped around the driveshaft and ripped off a sliver of belt which then whipped into the chain tensioner shock absorber, smashing the plastic casing, to the be ripped off and flung into the engine bay.

New belt time.

[shnazzle]

Another job done. Simples but a bit tedious.
The belt had lost two entire ribs!
 Check your belts people.

[The Other Stu]

Patrick,

Where can this belt be found? I'm not very good with Engines. This whole oil chain thing scares the bejeezus out of me tbh!

[shnazzle]

Oil chain thing? Hehe. Err..
Timing chain?

Wouldn't worry about the timing chain. It's nicely hidden away and is unlikely to break.

This is the belt that sits on the right of the engine that drives your alternator, air conditioning.. Etc. Its rubber, reinforced but not bulletproof.

I'd recommend changing it at 60k. For the sake of 15 quid and 45 mins of your time tops... No brainer. Especially as it prevents what happens to me  s:) s:)

[The Other Stu]

Sorry, was tired   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

The Timing Chain Tensioner was the bit I was thinking of that leaks oil.
It seems to happen to some people and not others.

The other one was the Thermostat that new member Slice mentioned. That sounds like an absolute pig of a job.

[shnazzle]

Sorry, was tired   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

The Timing Chain Tensioner was the bit I was thinking of that leaks oil.
It seems to happen to some people and not others.

The other one was the Thermostat that new member Slice mentioned. That sounds like an absolute pig of a job.

Ha no problem. I'm tired lately as well..odd.

Timing chain tensioner is a doddle. It's the "listen for the click" part that's a bit scary because everything starts to sound like a click, and then you don't know whether it's THE click and you're safe or it's another click and you're going to destroy your engine haha.
The leak is going to happen at some point. It's just a little rubber seal that inevitably stops sealing. Really is a case of two bolts, pulling out hte tensioner, replacing the ring, pushing down the piston and clipping the little hook over the pin. Then sliding it back in, tightening it, and turning the crank until you hear the click. Turning the crank is a lot easier than it sounds, just a big socket on the end of the crank pulley and push  s:) s:)
The whole thing shouldn't take more than 15 mins. No access issues.

As for the belt, access is a bit crappier, but the only thing you need to remove is the catch can ( black oval box on the right). The two hoses just pull out and then it lifts straight out. No bolts.
Then it's a case of long monkey arms to get the belt around the bottom pulleys. It looks a lot worse than it is. You can do the crank pulley (big bottom one) blind. Just reach down and feel for the ribs and run the belt over it. If you do it with two people it's a tiiiiiny bit easier physically. One person to push the breaker bar and remove tension on the idler, and the other puts the belt over the idler.

thermostat is a pig, but only because of where it is. Nightmare. Luckily I;ve only ever seen two threads on here of thermostat issues.

[shnazzle]

I've done the text for the how to; pics and vids to follow. They do clear things up so wait if you can  s:) s:)
 l viewtopic.php?f=47&t=59515 l

[CrazySX]

Just a quick note Pat. Turning the crank is easier than that. Just put the car in 4th gear, handbrake off and rock the car back now forth  s;) s;)

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

[shnazzle]

Just a quick note Pat. Turning the crank is easier than that. Just put the car in 4th gear, handbrake off and rock the car back now forth  s;) s;)

Sent from my SM-G920F using Tapatalk

Haha was going to mention that but I didn't want people forgetting to put it in gear and shoving their car through the garage door

[shnazzle]

As my aircon was doing sweet bugg3r all I thought an AC recharge was in order.
It was.
Less than 100g was in the system before evacuation. Filled with 470g.
Blows out some chilly air now!

[shnazzle]

Swapped in a Celica seat to try it out for a while.
So far so good. Just a shame the Celica seats just don't look anywhere near as good as my stock seats.

[shnazzle]

Spent  15 mins on some little odd jobs.
Swapped my gear shift cage with one from Alex Knight which had a chopped lever. Makes it sit a bit lower and I swear the throw feels shorter, but that could be my imagination. Added more to the "sporty" feel.

Took out the maxipad sun visors and replaced with DIY blanks. Need to get some nice stickers for the blanks