[vina]

Originally Posted by thedreamcatcher

Whats this? A Ford only thread ;-)

By the way, I have been trying to open the HU of the Beat to see what the number of the music system is (the security code). I searched the net but could not find anything on this

Has anyone here tried opening up the Chevy Beat HU. Please post a step by step process here.

Ford owner dhanush ji zindabad.

I hope this becomes a general DIY thread, Ford or no Ford - but for that, other car owners will have to add their DIY stuff too - until then it is a Ford (and more preciesely Ford - Ikon) thread.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by AvinashKeezh

Dhanush, is it better to go for a new fuel filter or get the existing one cleaned up....
...or is it just 150 for whatever the quality is?

Originally Posted by mayankk

Dhanushs, ikon's fuel filter is under 200 bucks?

AvinashKeezh, go for a new one if available. Clean only if a new filter is not avaialble. And yes, OE Fuel Filter of IKON costs 142 bucks + 18Rs tax = 160. Who said Ford is expensive to maintain?. .

btw, mayankk, I guess its the same for Fiesta. Fuel filter for most petrol models under 8-10lacs is priced under 300 AFAIK.

Originally Posted by mayankk

Ford's idiosyncracies, see.

Originally Posted by thedreamcatcher

Whats this? A Ford only thread ;-)

Originally Posted by vina

I hope this becomes a general DIY thread

thedreamcatcher, the next one's for you!. .

..and Vina, yes, hopefully, I might be able to include some other cars too.. Also, I will be making some generalisation heron.

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

And yes, OE Fuel Filter of IKON costs 142 bucks + 18Rs tax = 160. Who said Ford is expensive to maintain?. .

btw, mayankk, I guess its the same for Fiesta. Fuel filter for most petrol models under 8-10lacs is priced under 300 AFAIK.

I got gypped then.
One guy sold me a mahle filter for 850 bucks.
Said oe is round 600.
I'd read mahle is better here only, so went for that.
Though he's promised free replacement if it fails in 6 months.
I won't take him up on it, but it was sort of heartening to see that kind of faith.

[dhanushs]

DIY: How to remove and replace your windshield wiper.

Car: Most cars have the same procedure.

Tools: A new pair of windshield wipers.

With the monsoons showing no mercy, this is one of the most important and simple DIY's to ensure better visibility in rains, and consequently, safe and comfortable journey. This procedure illustrated below is common for most of the cars.


Step 1: Pull the wipers from its position to service position.





Step 2: Twist the wiper blade clock wise (away from the arm) to the max.




Step 3: The wiper blade is held on the arm, by a clip(on the blade). You need to pull the blade down along with the clip from the arm, by applying pressure on the clip, as shown in the figure. After which, detach the blade from the arm.






Step 4: Take out the new blade and align with respect to the windshield and arm. And twist the clip anticlock wise. As shown in the figure.





Step 5: After which, insert the arm through the hole in the blade, and latch it to the twisted and aligned clip. Then, push the blade upwards to secure the clip and the arm in position.






Step 6: Replace the wiper back to its position.. Done!.

[dinesha]

dhanushs,

How do someone distinguish between clogged air filter and clogged fuel filter? What are the indicators to distinguish between the two?

What are the causes for very high idle RPMs in petrol and diesel engines? Is it because of ECU faults? Can there be other problems? May be fuel filter?

I hope the questions are not nonsensical.

Regards
Dinesh

[thedreamcatcher]

Originally Posted by mayankk

security code?
as in the x-digit code you gotta put in to unlock the system when it gets locked?
Kind of defeats the purpose if its somewhere on the HU.
try looking for it in the handbook or something befor egoing after the HU.
And i think youll need chevy specific HU removing pins(dont know the technical term, they slide in between the HUs side and the facia).
else you may end up defacing the plastics.

Actually the beat came with a sticker pasted on the HU that had the 4 digit security code. This came when buying the car. Now, many of us did not realize the importance of that sticker and neither the dealers bothered to inform us about it and it came off naturally, or it was removed and so on. The manual also does not bear this code and the dealership is unable to help

On the net I read somewhere that the code is also present on the back side of the HU. Hence, the request for a DIY

[samm]

Great Thread!
I have a problem with my Santro. The windscreen washer tank seems to have a leak. I asked a garage, but they gave a quote of 700/-. I couldnt digest that a plastic tank will cost that much, so didnt bother to change it. If I can get it out, fixing a leak shouldnt be a big issue, I guess. Unfortunately, the tank is below the front fender, so I couldnt find any DIM (Do-It-Myself) ways..

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by mayankk

I got gypped then...
... Said oe is round 600...

Mayankk, glad that you didn't go back to him.. As the information I provided is not correct. The Fiesta petrol OE Fuel Filter costs 600 bucks. I was given the wrong impression at an F.N.G. However, I have confirmed the same, and I'm wrong.

Originally Posted by dinesha

How do someone distinguish between clogged air filter and clogged fuel filter? What are the indicators to distinguish between the two?

What are the causes for very high idle RPMs in petrol and diesel engines? Is it because of ECU faults? Can there be other problems? May be fuel filter?

dinesha, please check the symptoms I have posted before the respective DIY's. Those symptoms might be caused by a clogged filter. So, replace/clean only if you see those symptoms. Other wise, change periodically.

Regarding high rpm's, I would suspect the butterfly valve. If that's fine, then one might need to plugin an OBD and see, or go to the A.S.S and diagnose. Fuel filter causes erratic idling, not high idling.

[travelwriter]

If there were ever a Nobel Prize equivalent in T-BHP, this thread and dhanush should get it.

Great one.

Waiting for Alto experts to jump in with their lessons

[supertinu]

Very good idea and a well written/explained thread Dhanush. I also have a Ford Ikon and done most of the DIY items that you mentioned. Very easily manageable. Few questions and comments to add

• For removing the air filter, removing the plumbing or that the fat rubber tube is not necessarily required. Even with the plumbling connected the lid can be opened enough to raise the air filter and slide it side ways

• I have never tried cleaning the fuel filter. How do you actually clean the element inside?

• Another DIY item for the Ikon is the reverse light switch. Dont think its a regular occurrence but the switch on my Ikon gave away in 3 yrs and new one costs around 1K which i found rather steep for a small switch . Normally its the contacts that get rusted and need cleaning. The switch is directly screwed on the engine body and is placed behind the location of horns, ie, under the body, near the front left wheel. I will take some pics when i get home and post them to show exactly how it looks.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by supertinu

.. removing the plumbing or that the fat rubber tube is not necessarily required...

True, but removing the plumbing, is pretty easy, and the Filter box is much easier to remove after removing the plumbing.

Originally Posted by supertinu

I have never tried cleaning the fuel filter. How do you actually clean the element inside?

If you can source a new filter, its always better to replace it. About cleaning, you can just use the fuel inside the filter. Also, removing the dirty fuel inside the filter makes a big difference.

Originally Posted by supertinu

Another DIY item for the Ikon is the reverse light switch....
... the location of horns, ie, under the body, near the front left wheel...

Thanks for the tip supertinu. Actually, yes, even mine had given away. Though at that time, I replaced during the service, and it cost me ~1k. I'll try to look into it.

Originally Posted by travelwriter

If there were ever a Nobel Prize equivalent in T-BHP, this thread and dhanush should get it.

[dot]

Adding Civic's engine bay pictures with some general parts pointed out. This picture was taken net. Its of an American Civic with the 1.8L R18A engine.



Our Civic's bay layout is almost similar, one key difference being the position of the brake fluid reservoir. The second picture (mdsaab's Chicca) shows the position of the brake fluid reservoir.



I am planning to take pictures of simple DIYs for the Civics, in line with Dhanushs's effors on the Ikon. Will post them as they happen. However several useful DIYs are already available in 8thCivic forum.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by dot

I am planning to take pictures of simple DIYs for the Civics, in line with Dhanushs's effors on the Ikon.

Thanks dot!. I appreciate the effort!

Originally Posted by dot

Adding Civic's engine bay pictures with some general parts pointed out

I have a few questions:
1. The Air Intake Snorkel - Well, with that design, isnt it too easy for water to enter, on instances like cleaning the bay?. Also, that design ought to suck warm air.
2. The location of the cat-con. I thought it was in the exhaust plumbing. This is more like in the manifold?.
3. The coils in the alternator. I know those are insulated and are protected from water, but still if those are exposed, what would happen to the longevity? Do you know of any alternator related problems?

EDIT: And the ECU, how well is it protected?

[dot]

Originally Posted by dhanushs

I have a few questions:
1. The Air Intake Snorkel - Well, with that design, isnt it too easy for water to enter, on instances like cleaning the bay?. Also, that design ought to suck warm air.
2. The location of the cat-con. I thought it was in the exhaust plumbing. This is more like in the manifold?.

The design of the air intake pipe and the resonator box has been done to achieve two things (1) very low engine sound at low RPM and (2) sporty sound at high RPM. The pipe with the snorkel at the top goes below the battery where it mates with the resonator box. From the box another pipe goes to the air filter box. For a diagram see the famous temple of vtec article, most recently posted by pranavt (I think), in the vtec indicator thread. In the same article the cat con position is depicted. Part of the flow from the cat con goes to the EGR valve, from there back to intake manifold. The R18A also has a PCV valve to push back blowby gas to the intake manifold.

Why exactly these type of designs? Can give motherhood statements like to increase FE, increase hp, but I am not too sure.

Edit: Sorry, missed the warm air question. Cool air comes from the fender. I have opened the bonnet after a long drive and checked warmth at different positions in the bay. The snorkel side is relatively cooler than the middle. However this can be improved. People have hacked off the pipe near the resonator box and added a funnel to fabricate a (DIY) homemade CAI. It seems to work. Even laluks observed this for sometime.

Originally Posted by dhanushs

3. The coils in the alternator. I know those are insulated and are protected from water, but still if those are exposed, what would happen to the longevity? Do you know of any alternator related problems?

The alternators do go bad, however reports are very rare on the net. Some folks have reported alternator whining, in that case the alternator needs to be replaced.

Originally Posted by dhanushs

And the ECU, how well is it protected?

No untoward incidents that I have come across on the net.

[dhanushs]

Originally Posted by dot

The design of the air intake pipe and the resonator box has been done to achieve two things

Umm.. dot, I didn't point out deep into the plumbing design. Just the opening of the snorkel. It opens upwards, which makes it highly vulnerable to water. Also, about warm air, the area below it, and inside the fender will be much cooler.