Jam Mad Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 hello all... since this is a general query, i have to admit that i can't be bothered to invest the time to trawl through the archives to see if i can find answers to all of my questions. i've just covered some serious miles in my '95 1700 live axle x-flow and it feels like it's time for a little upkeep and housecleaning. this is a short list i've drawn up; 1 - fill axle with oil. q- what oil should i use ? 2 - clean car inside and out ! 3 - replace a-frame bushes. i have been given some hints here, so i'm just gonna try it myself. 4 - there are some bushes in the front suspension that look like they need replacing... is this something that happens every 2-3k miles or so ? is it easy ? i presume that, given the meccano-like construction of the front suspension, that the manual and a little bit of common sense should be all i need to replace them ??? 5 - change oil. 6 - any other suggestions as to what i should do ? all help appreciated. unfortunately my nearest seven friends either own 250bhp de dion monsters, or slinky new sv's, and so aren't in a position to offer much specific live axle xflow help. cheers folks, j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Robster Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 Diff....overfill this throught the breather tube with EP 90 Hypoid gear oil. Messy job. Front suspension bushes are probably the anti roll bar bushes and they are easy to fit, althought you will have to loosen the ali blocks holding the roll bar in place, be carefull not to damage the radiator. Change dizzy cap (sherpa van cap will fit, but you need to file grooves into the side, obvious when you look at it). Change plugs and rotor arm, alternator belt. Change brake fluid..often forgotten! Thats about it really! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilyhands Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 Err.. change oil and filter, flush cooling system and replace coolant, check valve clearances and adjust if necessary. Top up gearbox oil, clean out rear drums and adjust handbrake. Oily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 Hi, Some answers: Diff oil EP90, take drain plug out and top up until it runs out. Top tip don't do up plug too hard as thread will strip. A Frame bushes, easy job. Front suspension bushes, should last ages. My bottom bushes have done around 10k The top ones were changed when I changed the top wishbones You should also, clean and check the plugs Check and top up oil in gearbox (EP90) Grease all nipples - Propshafts and Handbrake Check the front wheel bearings for play. Check all bolts etc for security Change fan belt and check rad hoses, clutch cable. Oil throttle cable with duck oil Clean and oil air filters Check brake fluid and change every year Enough to be going on with Robert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vogon SuperTrooper Posted September 26, 2001 Share Posted September 26, 2001 Try diesel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drumster Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 .......and invest in a tow rope!!! Chris Alston Se7ening - it's all miles and smile.gifsmile.gifsmile.gif 1800 Supersprint - Loud and Proud teeth.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 If changing fan belt, get it from Redline, not Caterham. Caterham will send you the wrong one. The tip about overfilling the axle through the breather - not sure I like that. I've heard instead that you should overfill by jacking the car up at the back so you can get a little more oil in through the drain plug. Fill until the oil runs out. Check the ignition timing. Presumably you have the unleaded distributor that wants 14 degrees at 1000 rpm. Changing some of the bushes is not easy - you may need a hydraulic press to remove old and insert new. The top-hat shaped bushes aren't so difficult though. Changing A-frame bushes is fiddly and you'll need to keep at it despite set backs but as long as you persevere you'll be OK. The hard bit is getting all the holes lined up so you can get the bolt back in. Check the rubber seals on the front brake calipers and the rear brake slave cylinders. If they're perished, you'll need to overhaul/replace. Check correct operation of rear brakes as the slave cylinders don't last forever. Have someone press lightly on the brake pedal and make sure the cylinders operate easily. A good way to do this is to remove the drum and press against the shoes with a couple of screwdrivers as levers while your assistant presses *lightly* on the pedal. The cylinders should start to operate without much pedal pressure. When you refit the drum, adjust the adjuster so the shoes are close but not binding. To do this, adjust until the wheel is totally seized up, then back off until the wheel just runs freely (usually about 3 clicks on mine). When refilling the cooling system, first fill it up with the car flat. Then jack up the front as high as it will go to dislodge bubbles and top up. Let the front down then jack up the back as high as it will go and top up. If you don't do this, you might get air locks. Check the throttle balance between the carbs. Allegedly can be done with a piece of hose pipe but unless you're finely attuned then you're much better off with a carb balancer (can buy one from caterham). Stick it in each carb trumpet in turn with the engine hot and the idle speed screw adjusted to give about 1200 rpm (so the engine runs smoothly). Adjust the central adjuster screw so the balance is correct. Set the idle speed back to about 900. Check the eye at the top end of the clutch cable is free to move on the bolt where it fits onto the top of the clutch pedal. If the eye isn't free to move, the cable will eventually snap. Oil the front trunnions. James Whiting sells an oil gun specially for this. Use EP90 oil. Check the engine mount rubbers. Difficult to do in place, so if you really want to do it you may need to support the engine on a jack with a stout piece of wood under the sump and remove the mounts to have a good look. The mounting rubbers have a relatively short life. If your in the mood, also check the mounting brackets (you'll need to remove them) but this is just me being paranoid. I have engine mount restraints and I think the restraints reduce the life of the mount brackets severely. I checked mine recently and found them cracked all the way through, which explained why the air filters were touching the chassis rails! Put waxoyl on some of the more rust prone areas of the chassis, especially the tubes at the back. I just brush it on and it does a good job. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 You can get most of the bits for a xflow through your local motor factors. Fan belts etc are easy to come by. Engine mounts, need checking, but mine have been in the car for 10 years and are still fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jam Mad Posted September 27, 2001 Author Share Posted September 27, 2001 wow !!!! i've got quite a project ahead ! excellent ! i've been promising myself i'd get me' hands dirty sooner or later, and i've got no excuses now... one other question though... what are 'front trunnions'? if a quick look in the build manual will answer this, then please don't worry about replying. cheers folks, j smile.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Casbar Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 The front trunnions are capules on each hub. They are connected at the bottom onto the wishbones. They are about 2 inches long, with a rubber cap. They should have a nipple on so you can pump EP90 oil into them. You shouldn't use grease. All you do is pump oil through a trunnion gun until it starts to seep out of the top rubber. This should be done frequently, every 3 months. Changing them are a pain, so its better to keep them maintained. My car has trunnions, but some later cars don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ashaughnessy Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 The build manual will indeed tell you what trunnions are, but we're all happy to help on this site :-) The trunnions are the bottom part of the upright, which is the complicated shaped bit that the stub axle is on and that all the steering and suspension bits fit onto at the outer end. If you look at the bottom of the upright you'll see a nipple. Get the special oil gun filled with EP90 and fill the nipple until oil starts to squeeze out of the trunnion (and all over the wheel :-( As for engine mounts, I've replaced mine twice in ten years (20,000 miles). Both times, the rubber had detached from the base plate. I've heard enough warnings from other people that I check them regularly. Anthony Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackbirdman Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 Check alternator mounting, Check alternator mounting, Check alternator mounting, I ran an xflow for ten years and the only ongoing problem was the alternator mountings. I had broken top straps, broken bottom brackets, bolts broken off in the block and broken water pumps so: Check alternator mounting, Check alternator mounting, Check alternator mounting, Is it a bike? Is it a car? No it's Blackbirdman cool.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave H Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 If you are changing the A frame bushes, do it after filling the Diff with oil. The bushes do not like being oiled, and it cuts down their life considerably. Check all bolts are done up correctly, and make sure the shocks are undamaged (scratches on the centre part, or oil leaking down the side). It's also worth running an eye over the wiring loom where it sits against the chassis rails, especially if any pipe work etc is close by. Its surprising what moves when driving hard. Expect to spend a lot longer than you intended doing this, its suprising where the time goes when you are having fun.... Dave Hcool.gif Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PACR Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 Any ideas on how to loosen a stuck filler plug on an escort live axle. Mines stuck - I've hung off the wrench and you can see the thin back of the diff case flex - but the plug won't budge! Tried WD-40, tightening, impact but not sure about heat - oils a bit flamable! I was thinking of loosening the bolts at the front - letting the old oil pour out, than filling with correct quantity through the breather - the diff seal leaks anyway. Any pearls of wisdom? Piers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stevefoster Posted September 27, 2001 Share Posted September 27, 2001 WD-40 no good. Get a proper penetrating oil and leave on overnight. As for maint items I'll add Grease the handbrake cable and the propshaft UJ's. Check wheel bearings replace / tighten if necessary. Check every accessible nut and bolt for tightness (good old pre-track day one that!) Remove and copperslip the wheel nuts re-tighted to 55lbft. Check trailing arm bolts on later cars 35lbft. Clean / replace fuel filters. Clean and oil K&N's. If 4sp box check the remote gear linkage trunnions for tightness and shim if sloppy. Check you rad is not rubbing on the nose cone... many do. Check brake light comes on quickly enough if you have the old style pressure switch.... Bleed brakes / change brake fluid. I could go on and on.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
millsn Posted October 9, 2001 Share Posted October 9, 2001 If you've never done it yet - I'd check the engine mounts which get decidedly oft over time (mainly those under the carbs) - they're not expensive and once changed you'll see why it was worth doing. Nigel Mills - 2.0 Zetec carbs Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
R2D2 Posted October 10, 2001 Share Posted October 10, 2001 If the diff seal leaks it may be a good idea to change it because its bound to contaminate the A frame bush sooner rather than later. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oilyhands Posted October 10, 2001 Share Posted October 10, 2001 PACR, soak the plug overnight with plus gas or similar, then apply some heat... Oily Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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