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my VK wagon daily

Started by _mick74lh_ , Mar 06 2011 10:14 PM

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92 replies to this topic

#51 rodomo

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Posted 04 July 2011 - 08:37 PM

The main problem that I can't solve at the moment however, is that intermittently and seemingly at random both the indicators and the wipers won't work. I'll take it around the block once and they won't work. The next time they'll work as though nothing was ever wrong. I tried a new indicator flasher relay and still had the same problem. I don't think the harness connections are loose. Its got me stumped. I already replaced the indicator/wiper stalk because the low beam wasn't working due to a dry solder joint in the base of the stalk, but this problem appears independent of whats going on in the stalk. Does anyone with experience in early Commodores have any ideas? Is this an inherent problem in these cars?

Check the fuses/supply to the fuses.
Good to hear it all worked out!

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#52 76lxhatch

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Posted 04 July 2011 - 09:03 PM

Commodores can do that sort of silly thing with dodgy earths too - even something as simple as a loose connector on the tail lights can cause it

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#53 _mick74lh_

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Posted 04 July 2011 - 10:12 PM

Yeah I think I'm going to have to just go through all the basics. I guess the random nature of the symptoms is characteristic of something like a bad earth.

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#54 _Brad1979UC_

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Posted 04 July 2011 - 10:15 PM

Mmm they did a really nice job. Ohh and that's the connector!! I take it the guy must have had one lying around?

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#55 _mick74lh_

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Posted 05 July 2011 - 08:43 AM

Yeah I mentioned that to him when we dropped it off. And by the time I picked it up he'd fitted that connector - and the fuel gauge worked staight away once I put some gas in it. As I mentioned I dunno yet about its accuracey, apparently the donut tanks make it difficult to get an accurate fuel level reading but I filled it up when there was barely anything left in the tank. I was shitting myself that it would stall and I'd need a tow but that didn't happen so at least I know how low it can safely go. Being dedicated gas I'll try and avoid letting it get right down.

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#56 mr5000

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Posted 05 July 2011 - 09:11 AM

pay up your racv total care mick just incase your sender ever goes faulty one tow a year and that will cover your loses easy also you can cover the torry to

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#57 _stooy_

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Posted 05 July 2011 - 09:23 AM

We put a doughnut tank in my Ex's EL XR6, I will agree the gauge was not as accurate as with a conventional tank, but it was certainly reliable and you could tell when you needed to fill up.

Any idea what sort of numbers came up on the dyno?

Cheers

Stewart

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#58 _mick74lh_

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Posted 05 July 2011 - 01:59 PM

pay up your racv total care mick just incase your sender ever goes faulty one tow a year and that will cover your loses easy also you can cover the torry to

Thats a pretty good idea. I'll do that when I get my tax and sell the Meteor.

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#59 _mick74lh_

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Posted 05 July 2011 - 02:04 PM

We put a doughnut tank in my Ex's EL XR6, I will agree the gauge was not as accurate as with a conventional tank, but it was certainly reliable and you could tell when you needed to fill up.

Any idea what sort of numbers came up on the dyno?

Cheers

Stewart

Cos I'm a dropkick and was sidetracked by a bunch of things going on as I was picking up the car, I forgot to ask. I'm sure I could find out if I wanted to but all I really care about is that its responsive and nice to drive, which it is.

Thats good to know that at least you can get a roughly reliable fuel reading from these tanks. I guess they use them in the factory dedicated lpg Falcons.

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#60 _mick74lh_

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Posted 15 July 2011 - 10:35 PM

Well I got the VK registered and organised an insurance policy with Shannons, so I'm stoked and relieved about all that. I had to replace all the flexible brake hoses, the rear shocks and one of the steering rack ends for the roady, so now I've done that it feels nice to drive. I took it to Vicroads in Warragul as I couldn't get in at east Burwood till next week and I'm going back to uni next week and needed to sort out all this shit. Going the back way home from Warragul through Neerim South and Yarra Junction made a round trip of about 200km and only cost $13! And it drove awesomely.
Posted Image

The intermittent fault with the indicators and wipers i found to be actually the ignition key sticking too close to the 'start' position after I'd started the motor. Turning it back a fraction to the normal 'on' position fixes this. It should obviously spring back slightly and have more defined clicks between each position, which it doesn't, but as long as it works, I'll keep using it like this. I'm trying to put some pictures up but my computer's being gay, so I'll try again in a sec.

Edited by mick74lh, 15 July 2011 - 10:37 PM.

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#61 _mick74lh_

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Posted 15 July 2011 - 10:46 PM

There's still a few things to do to it, but what concerned me tonight when I checked the oil, and which I hadn't planned for was this.
Posted Image

Am I worrying for nothing? The coolant isn't milky but I'm worried that I may have to pull the head. I know its not that hard on these motors but I haven't got alot of time which is crap. The temperature is fine however: once the engine warms up it sits between a third and half on the factory gauge. I haven't driven in in peak hour traffic or hot weather yet though obviously.

Does the milkiness in oil on the dipstick indicate a blown head gasket, or some way in which coolant is getting in with the oil? Or is does this look normal? People's opinions would help. I plan to sort out the other things on the car and drive it for a bit and iron out any problems.

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#62 _Brad1979UC_

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Posted 15 July 2011 - 11:04 PM

Mate, doesn't look too good. I'll have a chat to ya tomorrow, could potentially be coming from anywhere.

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#63 _Quagmire_

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Posted 16 July 2011 - 02:04 AM

Well I got the VK registered and organised an insurance policy with Shannons, so I'm stoked and relieved about all that. I had to replace all the flexible brake hoses, the rear shocks and one of the steering rack ends for the roady, so now I've done that it feels nice to drive. I took it to Vicroads in Warragul as I couldn't get in at east Burwood till next week and I'm going back to uni next week and needed to sort out all this shit. Going the back way home from Warragul through Neerim South and Yarra Junction made a round trip of about 200km and only cost $13! And it drove awesomely.

The intermittent fault with the indicators and wipers i found to be actually the ignition key sticking too close to the 'start' position after I'd started the motor. Turning it back a fraction to the normal 'on' position fixes this. It should obviously spring back slightly and have more defined clicks between each position, which it doesn't, but as long as it works, I'll keep using it like this. I'm trying to put some pictures up but my computer's being gay, so I'll try again in a sec.

don't leave it to long
my old vh started doing this
then one morning after night shift and a few beers at the pub the thing wouldn't start..........
here's me thinking it's the auto inhibitor switch at 6am in the morning ripping this commie apart in a delis carpark :dontknow:

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#64 76lxhatch

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Posted 16 July 2011 - 08:37 AM

Sounds like the ignition switch may just need adjusting on the column so that the key barrel is correctly in phase with it

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#65 _mick74lh_

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Posted 16 July 2011 - 02:07 PM

It feels like its in phase properly. It does the right things at the right points of the turn. Just that it doesn't spring back. I'll have a fiddle and see if I can fix this.

But at the moment I'm more worried about the milky oil. I thought about it at work this morning and thought that there's obviously some water getting in with the oil somehow. The headgasket seems like a logical place. I don't think its anything catestrophic like a cracked cylinder bore because the engine runs fine and hasn't lost any power. Before I go and pull the head off, is there anywhere else that I haven't thought of where coolant could potentially mix with the oil?

I originally used a standard ACL gasket as per the manufacturers instructions without any extra sealant. If I go the way of replacing the head gasket would it help to apply a particular sealant around the water and oil passages?

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#66 rodomo

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Posted 16 July 2011 - 02:25 PM

Did you seal the head studs?

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#67 _mick74lh_

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Posted 16 July 2011 - 02:36 PM

It has head bolts, not studs but I guess the effects of the threads on some not sealing could be the same. I used a small amount of loctite, but now when I think about it, it may not have been enough to completely seal the threads. On Brad's motors we've used a liberal amount of the Holden thread sealing compound and not had any trouble. If I was to remove the head bolts without removing the head, clean them up and re-seal them with a proper amount of sealant, would you see this inviting further problems? Or should I remove the head and just do the whole job in one go?

The bearing in the water pump is noisy, so I was going to drop the coolant to replace that anyway. It would make sense if I'm going to pull the head off to just do all these jobs at once.

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#68 rodomo

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Posted 16 July 2011 - 03:09 PM

Might as well I suppose? :dontknow:

Or, you could drain the water, pull one BOLT at a time and retension as you go which might stop it?
Don't use this stuff though, it's only for head STUDS.

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#69 _mick74lh_

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Posted 17 July 2011 - 12:01 AM

Thanks for your help on this Rob. I'm pretty sure thats the stuff that we used when Brad had the 202 in his Torana. And it had head bolts, but we didn't have any problems from doing that. What would you recommend I use on the standard head bolts to seal the thread then?

I've pretty much decided to pull the head off and do it all at once. That way I can see what's gone on in there and fix it confidentally. So hopefully this tuesday.

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#70 rodomo

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Posted 17 July 2011 - 12:20 AM

I hear this stuff is good? :Headbang2:

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#71 _mick74lh_

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Posted 17 July 2011 - 05:01 PM

I think I get ya joke now. It took me while. Yep, alright

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#72 _stooy_

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 08:54 AM

G'day Mike,

Did you check the head for flatness ? When the head gasket went on marty's boat the head was pretty badly warped. Its cheap and easy to get it ground flat if its a problem.

Cheers

Stewart

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#73 _mick74lh_

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 09:20 AM

Hey Stew,

Yeah I had 20 thou shaved off the head and they ground it flat. When I pull it apart tomorrow I'll re-check that everything is flat. Thanks mate. Hopefully this will be just about the last thing I have to do on this car for now before I can start driving it around.

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#74 _stooy_

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Posted 18 July 2011 - 04:46 PM

Hi Mike,

We unless you cooked it (which seems highly un likely) then I doubt its warped.

We have just had to replace the head gasket on the DeSoto, and used locktite number 3 gasket sealant, similar to hylomar all over the head gasket, perhaps worth a look for extra safety.

Cheers.

Stewart.