Update: Since I had dedicated the thread exclusively to BHPian MADMANSCAM's 800 for a few days, a lot happened W.R.T the regular maintenance and upkeep of the Goose which I didn't update. Some were DIYs, while others were done at MASS
Part 1: Quote:
Originally Posted by Leoshashi Also, my mechanic Arjun wasn't happy with the effort required by the handbrake, hence he started dismantling the rear drums. It truly needed an overhaul, as lots of dust and rust came out. He cleaned the internals throughly, sanded the back plate, painted it with a heat resistant Rustoleum paint(Seriously Hats off for the patience) and installed everything back. The sub cylinder of the LHS wheel was a bit leaky and it was promptly replaced.
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The incredibly dirty and rusty rear wheel drum |
While we did take the effort to clean and paint the internals of the drum, specially the backing plate, the sanding wasn't done properly due to space constraints. So needless to say, the paint job didn't last even a month.
This was always on my mind, and I wanted to do a proper job. Arjun recommended a place where we could do this without any objection. MASS owner wasn't too enthusiastic about us doing these small things, and he was pushing for a new Backing plate. However, replacement isn't always the solution. Hence FNG it was!
The main issue we faced last time was with rust removal. This time, I was better equipped. We first masked off the brake cylinder and all rubber parts. Then we carefully applied
Rustoleum Krud Kutter(Rust remover) with cotton. Within 15 minutes, rust got dissolved comprehensively. We washed the internals comprehensively as the Rust remover appeared a bit corrosive. After properly drying, we sprayed it with
Rustoleum High Temperature Primer and then one layer of
High Temperature Paint. I didn't care much about the aesthetics here, protecting the metal was my first priority. Hence didn't bother with painting it black.
The appalling state of the internals, again
Rust remover worked like a charm
Rustoleum High Temperature Primer
Looks good now
Part 2: Had to change the Engine oil a bit Prematurely, and also decided to switch to Fully Synthetic Gear Oil in the recommended 75w90 grade. Opted for Motul. The most evident change after the switch was that cold shifts were noticeably smoother.
5 Speed Gearbox takes 2.1L, hence 3 bottles.
Imported from France
Shell Helix Ultra 5W40: This oil was highly recommended by
DBHPian R2D2, hence gave it a shot.
The Entire lineup of Lubes
Part 3: I noticed an issue where some coolant used to leak around the Thermostat housing after the car was operated for say 2-3 hours. It was a minor leak and happened only when the engine was all warmed up. Hence changed both the gaskets myself:
Part 4: Timing Belt, Tensioner and other drivebelts changed. While the timing belt was changed around 5 years back, the tensioner was skipped due to the unavailability of the part that time. Running an
Interference engine on 19 year Old Tensioner was a disturbing thought, and I had to get this done at any cost. Made sure all required parts were available before I went for the change this time.
The belt itself was okay, but the rusted and horribly dragging tensioner had started taking its toll on the belt. There was visible mark of belt sticking on the tensioner.
GG on the lift, ready for the change
5 year old belt and the 19 year old Tensioner. Notice the marks on it.
The poor condition of the Tensioner bearing
Opted for the Contitech made Timing Belt. This one is noticeably well made compared to the Fenner made MGP belt recommended for my car. Contitech was used on All Export model 800s, and Alto 800 manufactured after 2013. Specs wise its the same, differs only in Quality, make and obviously price.
Also got the AC and Water pump belts changed, as they hardly cost anything. The old ones were anyways due for a replacement soon
Tensioner Assembly. This one is shared with Gen1 Alto, WagonR, Gen2 Alto 800 and other F series cars.
New Belt and tensioner installed. Since there was rust on the old tensioner assembly, I also opted to change the timing cover gasket.
Regards,
Shashi