<sigh> More money spent last night.

6 litres of Motul 300v
2 litres of Silkolene Silktran 5 75W90
Walbro 225lph fuel pump (deffo a GSS340, double-checked)
Wipers from the Group Buy
LED sidelights

Hopefully it's all going to arrive ready for Thursday, fingers crossed. Really looking forward to the drive home, hoping to have a big smile, unless Paul tells me that I have a load more problems... No, think positive. The joys of owning c Coop :-)

Things looked up a bit over the weekend, having spent a whacking great chunk of money over the last week on parts and then still looking at the labour bill to get them fitted, I was nervous that some of the major problems still wouldn't get sorted. I had been thinking for a while about buying a dump valve of more reliable brand, the Forge DV006 was the item on my list. I thought on Sunday that as I'd seen a pdf refurb guide, I would have a look at the valve I had to see if all was OK. For an amateur like me, removal and refitting was a breeze, no extra parts to remove to get to it etc. So I took it off and took it in to dismantle and check. The first thing I did was to remove the samco hose connecting the unit to the intake pipe. Using a pen I pushed the piston against the spring and put my finger over the thin nozzle on the top, My finger was pressed down hard, but the piston went straight back down, with virtually no delay. So leaking with no seal. A strip down of the unit revealed that the O ring sealing the piston had perished, and the interior of the valve body was scored and scratched badly. I borrowed a similar Baileys valve from a mate, this valve is also leaking but not as badly so my mate stuffed it up with grease to hold it shut (not anywhere where it would pass into the system). I reckoned if I could drive the car off boost until Wednesday when I was picking up the HKS SSQV I had bought off the forum, I could replace it quickly there and then.

Started the car this morning with a bit of trepidation, and it fired up better than it has for a long time. Normally the car takes 3 or 4 seconds of turning over then fires and revs to 2000rpm, then gradually drops to 1100-1200rpm over 4 or 5 seconds. Today it fired more or less first turn and settled staright away to 1000rpm, choking. Much more steady. Then on pulling away, there was none of the jerkiness and hesitation I normally get, much smoother. Once the engine was warm, it was settling to a very steady idle of roughly 800rpm, whereas that figure is normally 1000rpm. The whole journey to work was so much better, I can't believe it, it seems like forever since the car ran like that. Really happy and just goes to show how something like a dump valve can affect the running of the car so much. Should save plenty of fuel too until Wednesday, the car is nice to drive off boost, relaxed and still plenty of torque.

Roll on Thursday, it can only get better and better from here.

Glad to hear things are looking up. Nothing better than having a problem getting used the car behaving that way then the difference of it running rite. Cant wait till mine is back running healthy again.

I think everyone on this forum goes through these stages of 'is it ever going to run properly again?'. I'll be honest, I was on the borderline of buying a mintish Toyaota Avensis CDX 2.0. Yeah, it would have comfy and doubtless pretty reliable. But when you're a car freak, there's something quite comforting that something needs doing, and like you say, when you get a problem sorted, or if you sort it yourself, there's a real, weird buzz to it. This must be bourne out by all those nutters who buy an old car for a project and sell it when it's finished, so they can start another. Coupe's are exciting cars to own and I love mine. Now the money's getting sorted, I'm hoping to gradually spend the money and improve it over time. One happy owner here :-)

<sigh>, who said owning a Coupe was easy? All those bits ordered and they've not all arrived in time. I should have been more on the ball, I know, but it's gotta be disappointing. Met my ma at Scotch corner this afternoon to pick up what had come. My Walbro arrived this afternoon after she had set off...it was there when she got back, left with the neighbour. Doh. I ordered 5 NGK plugs, a pack of 4 and a single one, the single one hasn't arrived. Dash backlights haven't come. On the plus side my dump valve went on without issue in the Scotch Corner services car park. Testing it was venting caused some confusion though. Hee, hee! I'm going to post tomorrow when I know what's actually been done, I've got a list of to-do stuff, but it's up to Paul how much gets done in the day. Should make an improvement though. The main thing is Paul can check the car over and make educated suggestions as to what I should get done next time. The stuff that hasn't got done this time can be done then I guess, along with extra stuff I think of by then. One thing I really would like sorted is why it's still only boosting to 0.6 bar, annoying me that.

Will update tomorrow when I get back, hopefully the post should be full of :-)'s.

Well happy! Today, my car was transformed, I cannot say how much better it is. To start with, compression test.

Cyl 1 - 160psi
Cyl 2 - 160psi
Cyl 3 - 155psi
Cyl 4 - 165psi
Cyl 5 - 165psi

That's got to be good. Was nervous that wouldn't be good but seems OK. Oil flushed with Forte and refilled with Motul 300v (new filter of course), gearbox oil drained and filled with Silkolene Silktran, new fuel filter, K+N panel filter fitted, 5 NGK 7's fitted, pollen filter fitted, windscreen washer malarky sorted, group buy wipers fitted, all levels checked and topped up, new thermostat and temp sensor fitted, coolant flushed with Forte and refilled, new offside rear wheel bearing fitted on advice, nearside rear radius arm bearing fitted on advice, brakes fully bled and refilled with DOT5.1 fluid, engine whining put down to belt pulley wheel failing and therefore changed, rocker cover gasket changed, lambda sensor changed, GTEC1 fitted, group buy HIDs fitted, centre console taken out and new bulb fitted as well as boost gauge backlighting amended, several hoses large and small found to be split and replaced with 2nd hand parts.

Fantastic service, really can't praise Paul enough. Having asked for a general health check, he found things I would never have found if I'd been looking. A few clues to what problems might be caused by, that I've seen on here recently.

Engine whine caused by bearing failure on auxilliary pulley wheel.
Lack of boost caused by split hose between hard pipe and throttle body.
Another small hose was replaced but not sure if this caused any issue, or if it sorted an issue...

Yet to see tomorrow morning if the cold starting issue has gone entirely but I would wager it at least won't be as bad. The car is now so much smoother than before. It is a different car now. That simple. If I liked it before, it's ten times the car it was before. I said at the start of the diary I would do things one at once to report on the improvement or fix, and I have done anything but here, but rest assured the above parts and labour have transformed the car. I suspect the oils, and quality of which, has gone towards making the car smoother. Plugs can only have helped. Lambda sensor might have helped but don't know if the old one was faulty. I've simply seen it cause problems enough on here to know it's worth doing with the other things. I would suggest anyone who takes there Coupe ownership seriously to take it to Paul at least once. If I remeber anything else, I'll add it tomorrow, but just happy for now. Great day for the Coop :-)

In addition, to the above a few more details.

Exhaust manifold needs replacing, but he didn't say it was the manifold itself. He's tightened up the bolts and it's quietened it down, but will need a manifold next time.

ECU codes read before I left, clean bill of health, nothing amiss there. Good news. No more expensive sensors or other to purchase as a matter of urgency.

Forte fuel system treatment run through the system. One bottle added to half a tank of V-Power, which I've gone back onto now it's back to c.90p (I stopped using it when it went to £1.30/litre...), and because it's now chipped. If the rest of the Forte range is anything to go by, that's made a subtle difference to the whole effect too.

The HIDs now fitted are amazing. I could be following a car before and my lights wouldn't light up the car in front. Now they do, definitely. Got to be one of the best bang per buck improvements you can make to a Coupe. Cost £62-odd, Paul fitted them in a bout 15 mins and the car is now safer at night (and dare I say, much better looking :-) ).

As I posted on one of the threads on the Gen Maint part of the forum, I think it was, the car cold start hestitation has gone. Long may it remain as it is now. Fires whaen started very quickly, doesn't rev crazily, and settles to a nice idle, even when choking. Pulling away straight away, as I have read is best on here, and there is no hesitation or kangarooing whatsoever. Something, or everything I have changed, has fixed the problem. And I haven't changed the coils. Anything I haven't changed is likely to be fundamentaly OK, as it is not showing up in the ECU codes.

Off to wash it soon, and depending on how cold it is, might use a bit of polish too. Oh, my god, it must be better :-)

Reckoned it was time to treat the old bus with a bit of love, so spent a good few hours washing it. Went down to the local jet wash and used the shampoo brush which I don't usually do, everyone dropping it on the ground... (former valeter shivers at the thought). I knew I wasn't going to make it mint, the paint is a good few years ld and is swirled to &%£* but at least it got the mud and dirt off. I then spent about 5 hours over the weekend claying and polishing it with Autoglym SRP. The bits I did have come up really well, and even the bits that have just been washed look good. Plenty at work today thought the whole thing had been polished, so all good. Things are looking good for the Coop. Managing to build up another box of parts for Paul next time. Need to buy another LED sidelight, having very carefully ordered just one... D'oh!

Not been the best fortnight for the old girl (Coupe, not me mother). Exhaust last week and coolant hose this week, both failing within 7 days. Hmmm. Had to come at some stage I guess, it's just a bit annoying having spent a LARGE amount on servicing and a good few preventative items too. Well, it's a lrage wodge to me at the moment, anyway. At the end of the day, I could afford to sort it, so I guess I shouldn't complain. I've got more friends who have lost jobs/been made redundant recently than I want to think about. Fingers crossed as tomorrow ticks in, it should be fine again. Spoke to Taffy20vt again tonight and double-checked the cooling system should be OK. Bit worried about tomorrow morning though, forecast to snow all tonight and it's got an inch of snow on it now.

Onwards then, if I can keep spending down this month, next month should see the clutch done. Also, if I can find one, a Walbro, and some other bits and pieces. Number plate lights are not coming on unless I thump the bumper, not practical on the motorway. I want a head unit too, the engine note is all well and good, but most of my driving is motorway, so it's not like listening to the soundtrack of driving one of Europes greatest roads. But then I'll get embroiled in car hifi again, and I simply can't afford both pace and tunes. It is gradually coming togther, the car is still smooth and willing and the running issues in the first few minutes after starting have stayed away. So despite the fact the car has let me down for the first time (how many more?), I still love it. The thread for best and worst things for the Coupe says it all. Pace, looks, individuality, god, every one in Rotherham seems to have an Impreza. Glad I've got something different.

Just browsing ebay and found a black Plus, very nice but it has in the description "as its a turbo plus you get extra b.h.p from standard 2.0 turbo's so its got 220 b.h.p". Do you think when people write things like this, they actually believe it themselves, or do they think it will persuade buyers it's better than a non-Plus? I despair sometimes.

Its got the red top engine which is better

Lol, yeah, guess so, red means fast. I've actually just spent the past 10 minutes checking the Plus doesn't have any extra power, to make sure I wasn't being a thick 'ead, but from what I can tell, they do all have 220bhp. Thought so. Maybe he means with the 6-speed box. I just get fed up with people telling tall tales on ebay items. Maybe it's just me.

Well if the 16 VT was the standard 2.0 then yes its true... Stretching it though.

It's hard to justify the comment, lets face it...

Anyway, bloody awful weather, eh? Roads weren't too bad in South yourkshire to be fair, the only bad road I've seen today was dropping down towards work, an industrial estate where the biggest building is logistic distribution depot, so plenty of fully loaded lorries driving down there. There's a mini roundabout at the bottom, wouldn't want to have a lorry trying to stop behind me there. Looks like claying and polishing has had some effect on the paintwork. Once the temperature started to rise a touch, all the snow just slid off and it looked quite tidy underneath. Satisfies my sad, OCD-type personality nicely. Engine temps are fine now so seems as though the cooling system is back on tack. Car still feels good, and I take it as a compliment that when I move over for cars on the motorway, they feel a need to floor it past me to illegal speeds. It's not proving anything to me, just makes me smile. Looking forward to getting my bits to refurb at the weekend, something that costs nothing, only a bit of graft. Still all good. Have decided I need a Plus leather interior in my life, but not keen on the price, still considering doing something nice with the interior. Happy motoring, all.

Not much spent on the Coop this month, been getting ahead with some bills so I can enjoy the summer. Touch wood, my coolant system issues seem to be OK, new expansion cap came from AA's the other day so that's sorted. Keeps a good temperature and doesn't leak past the cap when the fans kick in. Excellent. Still not using much oil, haven't had to top it up since it was filled at Motormech, even though my rocker cover is now mysteriously cracked at the usual bolt corner... Haven't touched it myself...Taffy20vt also warned me that a bolt head has been rubbing on a lower coolant hose so that's up for getting done when it's next getting bits done. The car is so smooth now, it starts great and holds a good idle, whether choking or warm, very different to how it was before. Gearbox is a bit stiffer for the first few minutes, but this is a known issue when using the Silkolene Silktran and after 2-3 minutes, it's fine. Fuel consumption is good too, after it's service, put £30 of Esso Super Unleaded in at Cockermouth on the way down to Roth @97.7p/litre. Got all the way back down, 190-odd miles, and at least thre days commuting to and from work, 28 mile round trip. So this includes some choking as it wamrs up. Most impressed, worked it out this morning and that's about 9p per mile at those prices. I have been taking it easy but it just goes to show that an exhausted, de-catted, K+N pannelled, and GTEC1'd Coupe can still be fairly economical if you want it to be. Car looks a lot better for the valeting work put in before the snow, whereas everyone else's in the work carpark looks dirty, mine still looks quite clean and tidy. Refrurbing some headlights and a fuel filler cap I got from Joe at the moment, and taking my time over them to get them nice, but weather and cold nights do not make well for working outside, so it may end up weekends only doing those. Hoping to be able to get the car to Motormech again next month to get the clutch done, it's still letting the car down and I've put it off long enough. Have some other bits to get fitted at the same time, just don't know if I can bear another day killing time in Brum. Shopping ain't my bag. Unless it's for shiny, exciting car parts :-)

Further to the above (and apologies for my fingers working quicker than my brain), my main issue at the moment is what to do next? The suspension needs doing, I can imagine a big improvement could lie there, the bodywork needs tidying, and adding too. Still no head unit, I want some music for the steady drives. I just can't work out what is best to do next. Decisions, decisions...

Hi bob similar list to you, I think I will do suspension then ICE then bodywork.
Because suspension keeps me safer, ICE can be removed and if all still well once I can afford the bodywork its a keeper.
at some point I think a flea map will be in order so that will make my suspension sooner rather than later.

I think suspension is high on the list, I guess we all know that a quicker car isn't neccessarily the one that has more power, but can actually use it on the road. I think this was bourne out recently by the thread that said a standard modern hot hatch had timed quicker round some circuit or whatever than a standard 20v turbo, and the hot hatch was way down on power. More to it than bolting on big turbos ;-) Might treat myself to a new headunit next month, but then clutch and suspension. Bodywork would be nice though, I don't think I've ever had any bodywork done on any car I've owned, so it would be nice to tidy up the imperfections, and do the extra bits. Ho, hum

I think I'm suffering from the same thing a lot of petrolheads will be suffering from at the moment. I'm living on an absolute shoestring, having got bored of going to the pub every night. I've enjoyed spending a bit on the car over the past few months but I'm becoming more and more torn. Do I continue to spend money on the car, on servicing, restoring and modifying it, which would bring me great joy? I love my Coupe, and I mean really love it. Yet another person asked me about it in the pub the other day, what is it, what's it like, it's in good nick for a car that age etc. I won't grow weary of stuff like that. But the thing is with the current financial climate, my brain tells me to get ahead on bills. In the next 3 or 4 months, I could be 6 months ahead and enjoy a bit of a cushion in case my job moves to 'at risk' status, as some non-technical roles in the company have. I work in IT and despite what some of my (non-certified) colleagues say, I think there's always work out there, maybe not for the lottery-winnings type of wages that have been around in contracting, but work all the same. I have no direct ties now so I could go and work anywhere in the world at a weeks notice. But then I see parts in the For Sale section, and think 'what a bargain' but then that money could pay my Sky off for the year, for example. I truly am torn between following my heart, and my passion, and the more sensible head option of paying the bills ahead, just in case. I assume others are in the same boat.

i feel your pain bob - but you're a long time dead so follow your heart i say. i am not really in a position to preach the other option as i'm about to shell out quite a bit soon, after spending £1500 just last month...

tbh,thats what I keep telling myself. Thing is, with having just me to think of, if I decide to spend nothing during the month, I have a heap of disposable income left over, but if things went t!t$ up later in the year, I'd be kicking myself for not doing the sensible thing. I might do both, and get stuff paid up until the end of the year, which will take about 4-5 months, then go mad on the car. The danger is, it would never be 'finished', £10k down the line, there would something else I wanted to do with it, so it's not even as if I could set aside an amount an be happy with it (although no doubt I would be rather pleased with how it was).

I've been thinking about getting it to a stage where it would be 'good'. But having totted that up, it still comes to nigh-on £1500, and that is a chunk of cash, in anyones book at the moment.

I reckon once you start 'improving' a car you will never stop until you run out of cash or you get bored of it. Given that you never get back all you put in to something like this, and especially given the current economic business, I'd keep a few smackers for a rainy day. Then when things pick up in the autumn you can blow the cash on more lunacy!

you can spend a lot on these cars, but in reality it comes down to "neccessary" items and "nice to have" items. You need to keep your car on the road and working with the neccessary stuff, and so spend your money on these and keep the rest in your pocket. Then when you can afford it get yourself a couple of nice to haves, that's how I work it anyway... after saying that I've just forked out nigh-on £3.5k on mine since Sept last year... and I thought the old-timers on here were joking when they said you'd never have any spare cash with a coop!

Love the thread by the way bob... keep it up

Thanks all for your comments! Seems like you have the same ideas as me, keep a bitback and see how it goes, then when I've got something spare, enjoy it. I think that's going to be the plan. I've just got a quote back from Paul at Motormechfor some work, clutch fit, exhaust manifold, throttle cable and a few other bits and bobs, and it's going to be roughly £800. That' on top of the price of the clutch. And by the way, I am by no means knocking Paul, if I want the work doing it will cost the going rate, I understand that completely, but these are sort of 'repair/maintenance' things, no big turbos or lots of extra power. I still have no head unit, that will add up too. And to the few who are doubtles thinking if you can't afford a car like this, sell it and buy a Fiesta or something, the point is I can afford to pour money into it without struggling. The point is that following a shock announcement at work about redundancy threats, I just wonder about the wisdom of spending as much as I would dearly love to spend on it. A wake-up call of sorts.

Listen, I suppose I'm just a bit down at the moment, plenty of money but I feel guilty about the thought of spending it on a luxury. I'll snap out of it by the next post, no reason not to, the car itself is superb at the moment. I'm still enjoying the fact that it's using so little petrol, it's smooth with good pressures and temps and it's still prompting many a conversation with complete strangers who want to ask about the car. It justifies having bought a car so 'unusual', although I still wonder what the bloke who described the looks as 'Jaguar-like' was on about. Ho hum.

P.S. One of the new girls at work (a rather attractive young filley, actually ;-) ), asked if I drove 'that blue car'. I said yes, she asked what it was, I told her and she asked if it was wrong-hand drive? She thought all Fiats were 'wrong-hand drive', apparently. A strange and mystical car, indeed.....

Seems like a quiet time for petrolheads, all the keenies at work are selling there quick motors and replacing them with bore-mobiles. Had a quick look at Solo's website this morning and Gaz confirms the Coupes aren't really a money-making exercise at the moment (any more?). Kenno's broken my spirit again this morning. I've been really busy at work, and due to changes brought in by new BT-based managers, our internet access is now closely scrutinised, so whereas I used to browse bits of the site all day long when I got the odd 5 minutes, I'm on a lot less now and have purposely avoided the for sale section. A quick glance this morning and Kenno's list of parts reads like aCoupe owners wet dream. Kinda tempted to make an offer for the lot, but my head tells me I must stay strong. It looks as though I'll have this years bills paid off quicker than I thought, and then I'll quickly have the following years bills saved up (yes, I'll the money for all my living expenses in my arse pocket by the time Crimbo comes round). The spending can then recommence, and then my furrowed brow can be replaced by a big grin as the car is developed further.

Bit of good weather this weekend might tempt another clay, polish and wax session, it costs nothing as I've got all the bits.

And on a last note, get well soon Joe. My mothers suffering from a bad back at te mo, and everyone knows there's nothing worse than a bad back.

Afternoon All,

Been a while since I posted on here, but following a long weekend up in Cumbria with the little one, I felt it was neccesary to comment again how much I love the car. Went up and down the country faultlessly and comfortably, and quickly on occasions of course... There are a couple of things that have gone squiffy since the last update. The check strap on the passenger door has snapped so the door has to be held open while the little angel gets strapped in, but they're all bits that will fix without much effort or expense. I held a higher average speed than I have done recently, and fuel consumption is still good, only used between 5-10 quid more on the 200 mile journey. Coming up to oil change time, so I might get it to Motormech soon for the service and to get some other bits and bobs kncked off the list. Saw the coilovers on parts for sale this morning, tempted but still trying to hold off pouring money into it. Parts should still be there later this year, when the money gets sorted. Looking forward to then actually, it'll be exciting to be able to get a good load of parts each month and feel the car improving. Did get the polish and wax done over the last few weeks and it looks good. In fact, three weeks after it was done and without a following wash, a mate commented how good it looked and when had I done it. All good. Really want to get some bodywork done, the chips and scratches etc are starting annoy me, if anyone knows a quality bodyshop in the Rotherham area, I'd be happy to hear about it. I've heard so many horror stories regarding bad jobs.

Time to resurrect this thread, I think. 8 litres od Motul 300v ordered, Alpine CDA-7889R ordered (birthday present), never had any tunes in the Coop, bar the engine note so about time. More bits to come. Attended Midlands Brekkie Club yesterday and have got the appetite for improvement, so more bits to come soon. Why do I wish it was an Electric Blue Plus all of a sudden? Proccy and Lucifer, it's your fault.

lucifers is for sale bob, good price for a nicely tuned one....