Posted By: ScouseCoupe
ScouseCoupe's 20VT Restoration - 02/02/2016 12:56
I should of posted last year how this restoration was going, so I will have to do a catch up with this post and update monthly.
I purchased my 1999 20VT back in May last year ( 2015 ) Came with a totally complete history from PDI to the present day in 3 x A4 lever folders, all keys, all the manuals and all working fobs. 4 previous Owners. 1 of which was for 12 years. It was talked about on a few posts on fccuk.org and pistonheads. But posts were negative, But feedback on the Coupe was good after a few chats to the previous and selling ( Speculative ) owner.
Purchased with 3 months MOT, and was shipped from Sunny Cornwall to Wet Ayrshire in Scotland.
Now that I have had it for 9 months and gone through it, I know what needs to be done or what has already been done.
May 2015 :
1. Rear brake discs changed as had seen their day, same applies to the pads. All changed for Mintex discs and pads.
2. Windscreen wipers changed for Aero-Flat design.
3. Windscreen wiper / motor scuttle removed and refurbished. Motor removed and cleaned and greased. Missing pollen filter replaced with new.
June 2015 :
1. Oil, Oil Filter, Air Filter, Spark plugs, fuel filter changed.
2. Screen washer bottle removed and used the pea gravel trick internally to clean the grime off it, like new. Renewed the water pump as performance sucked, purchased a used one on eBay for 99p
3. Rear windscreen wiper and motor removed as no screen wash was getting to the back screen, all gummed up, all cleaned up and now all working.
July 2015 :
1. Both handbrake cables had seen their day, ordered from Alternative Autos and replaced both, as thought it would be a MOT failure.
2. Had a Drivers Airbag fault, tried to clear myself and a friend tried to clear, not having it. Took some advice from the forum, diagnosed as ECU failure. Great I thought, till I posted a Wanted Advert and " Nismo " came to the rescue and sorted me out with a new ECU. Fault cleared and ready for the MOT test.
3. Coupe passed MOT with no advisories, further this Coupe has not had any advisories for past 7 years, so must be a good'un me thinks. Panicking it was going to fail.
4. Decided to replace the rear tyres as the Conti SP3 have been there for 13 years, DOB on tyres was Year 2003, Week 12. Replaced with Nexen N8000, these would be fitted in the Winter on the front and the Falkens to moved to the rear till summer comes again.
August 2015 :
1. Purchased a new Thermostat from Alternative Autos, but not fitted.
September 2015 :
1. Degreased underside of the engine to remove all the grime, so could have look at all the hoses.
2. Ordered new full set of red silicon 4 wire hoses from Italy. Not fitted yet.
3. Suspect my turbocharger is dying, need to investigate.
4. Notice how many screws are missing with my engine under-tray, but cable wraps do the same job and are easier to remove.
5. Inspected the condition of the oil cooler pipes under the denso tape, wow like new. Cleaned and applied new denso tape.
October 2015 :
Nothing Done as more time was spent with the other " German " car in the garage.
November 2015 :
1. Spending a lot of time researching in future spares as want to tackle the timing and aux belts change, in-conjunction with all the hoses being changed, radiator, water pump and thermostat change.
2. Find out the some of the so called specialists are not so special north of the border when it comes to talking about a Coupe, maybe 10 years ago, but not presently.
3. All 4 wheels have been garnet blasted and repainted in stock Fiat silver paint. Look like new again, till I or the Mrs scratches them....
December 2015 :
Nothing done this month except for the Mrs racking up 700 miles, though she mentions turbo boost not so good and injector light comes on when engine cold sometimes.
January 2016 :
1. Turbocharger working, but slowly failing. Looking through history, never has been changed, lasted well for 107,000 miles. Removed and sent after advice on forum to Midland Turbo for a overhaul, returned quickly. Refitted and all purring again.
2. Need to get my act together with having the belts changed..
Will update next month and work out how to load photos.
I purchased my 1999 20VT back in May last year ( 2015 ) Came with a totally complete history from PDI to the present day in 3 x A4 lever folders, all keys, all the manuals and all working fobs. 4 previous Owners. 1 of which was for 12 years. It was talked about on a few posts on fccuk.org and pistonheads. But posts were negative, But feedback on the Coupe was good after a few chats to the previous and selling ( Speculative ) owner.
Purchased with 3 months MOT, and was shipped from Sunny Cornwall to Wet Ayrshire in Scotland.
Now that I have had it for 9 months and gone through it, I know what needs to be done or what has already been done.
May 2015 :
1. Rear brake discs changed as had seen their day, same applies to the pads. All changed for Mintex discs and pads.
2. Windscreen wipers changed for Aero-Flat design.
3. Windscreen wiper / motor scuttle removed and refurbished. Motor removed and cleaned and greased. Missing pollen filter replaced with new.
June 2015 :
1. Oil, Oil Filter, Air Filter, Spark plugs, fuel filter changed.
2. Screen washer bottle removed and used the pea gravel trick internally to clean the grime off it, like new. Renewed the water pump as performance sucked, purchased a used one on eBay for 99p
3. Rear windscreen wiper and motor removed as no screen wash was getting to the back screen, all gummed up, all cleaned up and now all working.
July 2015 :
1. Both handbrake cables had seen their day, ordered from Alternative Autos and replaced both, as thought it would be a MOT failure.
2. Had a Drivers Airbag fault, tried to clear myself and a friend tried to clear, not having it. Took some advice from the forum, diagnosed as ECU failure. Great I thought, till I posted a Wanted Advert and " Nismo " came to the rescue and sorted me out with a new ECU. Fault cleared and ready for the MOT test.
3. Coupe passed MOT with no advisories, further this Coupe has not had any advisories for past 7 years, so must be a good'un me thinks. Panicking it was going to fail.
4. Decided to replace the rear tyres as the Conti SP3 have been there for 13 years, DOB on tyres was Year 2003, Week 12. Replaced with Nexen N8000, these would be fitted in the Winter on the front and the Falkens to moved to the rear till summer comes again.
August 2015 :
1. Purchased a new Thermostat from Alternative Autos, but not fitted.
September 2015 :
1. Degreased underside of the engine to remove all the grime, so could have look at all the hoses.
2. Ordered new full set of red silicon 4 wire hoses from Italy. Not fitted yet.
3. Suspect my turbocharger is dying, need to investigate.
4. Notice how many screws are missing with my engine under-tray, but cable wraps do the same job and are easier to remove.
5. Inspected the condition of the oil cooler pipes under the denso tape, wow like new. Cleaned and applied new denso tape.
October 2015 :
Nothing Done as more time was spent with the other " German " car in the garage.
November 2015 :
1. Spending a lot of time researching in future spares as want to tackle the timing and aux belts change, in-conjunction with all the hoses being changed, radiator, water pump and thermostat change.
2. Find out the some of the so called specialists are not so special north of the border when it comes to talking about a Coupe, maybe 10 years ago, but not presently.
3. All 4 wheels have been garnet blasted and repainted in stock Fiat silver paint. Look like new again, till I or the Mrs scratches them....
December 2015 :
Nothing done this month except for the Mrs racking up 700 miles, though she mentions turbo boost not so good and injector light comes on when engine cold sometimes.
January 2016 :
1. Turbocharger working, but slowly failing. Looking through history, never has been changed, lasted well for 107,000 miles. Removed and sent after advice on forum to Midland Turbo for a overhaul, returned quickly. Refitted and all purring again.
2. Need to get my act together with having the belts changed..
Will update next month and work out how to load photos.