My GTE 16V Restoration Thread.

[The Simps]

Did you end up through the hedge and into the field?

Glad to hear you enjoyed it.

Simps.

[Astra Dan]

lol No, it's actually a public footpath...

[Benn]

very nice dude,
only one pic? bit poor....
and shes still thrilling you which is good,

dad loved the write up and cracked up over the tail pipes on the shonky rear box,

love it.

[The Simps]

Is a public footpath really a sensible place to be parking your car? Bit selfish.

That exhaust quality is shonky.

Simps.

[GTE 16v]

Great cars eh Dan, Enjoy

[Murray]

Nice car Dan, looks very Clean. Great to see GTE's being looked after.

[Brett]

I actually started laughing to myself as I scudded a line of 3 cars and a van and noticed I changed UP into 5th whilst doing it

thats exactky what got me hooked about these cars, I hadnt laughed outloud whilst driving. It wont be the last time you do it either....

glad your so pleased with it!!!

[Ben_Lee]

why not paint the bumper insert, i did on mine in anthracite black (mettalic colour)

Not the best pics but you get the idea:

[Astra Dan]

Nah. It looks good, yeah.

But I want standard.

[Benn]

as i always say if you gonna paint them do it in a colour that matches the std colour...

[Rusty 16v]

Jeebus, that back box is horriffic, how could they even let you see it

[Astra Dan]

Hmm.
Some already know I've had a right headache trying to get the cam belt the correct tension for ages now.
Shortly after I got the car I did the lot, water pump, belt and rollers, pukka kit from Vauxhall. It was OK for a week, then it started humming like it was too tight. OK I thought, I'll lossen it off a bit. I did, then it started flapping far too much for my liking. After a bit of messing about I took the cam belt off again, and pitstoppete noticed the back of the belt had melted sections of belt on it! Took the rollers off and they'd nearly seized! they were about twice as stiff as new ones, normally they loosen up quie a bit. Is was possible to see the grease had spun out of one of them.
So tried to exchange the kit for a new one at Vauxhall (Evans Halshaw in Pompey) but their warranty proceedure isn't straight forward. You either buy a new kit and send the old one away for examination then get a refund, or book the car in to get a new kit fitted, BUT, I'd have to fit the old kit to the car. Obviously, if I do this I can't get the car back to Vauxhall. So I had a chat to the workshop guy and showed him the rollers he then tried to make out I'd overtightned the belt and damaged the rollers as a result. I don't agree. For those not familiar with early 20XEs it has two metal rollers, not much smaller than wheel bearings! I argued my case and said there's no way a canvas and rubber belt will damage a massive metal bearing. It also didn't help my case that my ratchet doesn't quite fit the adjuster and had slipped out, looking as if I'd rounded the square bit in the adjuster. He went off to get a second opinion. Came back, and said to the service guy to get it booked in to change it. I asked why, and he said it just wasn't worth arguing over a cam belt kit. It is when it's a £95 cam belt kit. But I think he saw my side or his other mechanic did. Anyway, it's going in Thursday for a new cambelt kit, fitted by Vauxhall themselves. I bet it's been a whole since a GTE 16V has been in there.
To be honest, I'm not too keen as I don't really trust garages, but I'll have paperwork once they've fitted it so it'll be their problem if it lets go...

I've done several cambelts and kits on 20XEs, not to mention the Ecotecs and 8Vs and not had a problem yet. I've refitted the belts and rollers that were on the car when I got it and it's fine now, quiet as anything.

[Benn]

glad its getting done

[JoeyB]

What a mission!

I'm glad mine went as smoothly as it did. Don't fancy doing it more than once lol

So are they charging you for that?

[Byron]

same as above? Labour rate per hour isnt too nice....FOC??

[Tom Williams]

Dan

If they do it at least you can check it, i think they might have given in so you dont get on the case about it anymore than having a few technical accuracies to prove them wrong.

after all you wouldnt want to make a vauxhall technician feel small would you

[Astra Dan]

lol no.

It's a warranty thing, so it's free of charge.
I had the same thing with a rub strip on the mk3. It peeled off, leaving the sticky on the car, proving 100% it wasn't my fault. They still insisted on booking the car in and fitting the new one themselves. Which still peeled off.
If they want to waste time and money, that's their beef. I would have been perfectly happy with a new cam belt kit.

I'll ask about a warranty for the work. As far as I'm concerend (as I have already fitted a new water pump) if I have ANY cambelt related issues in the next three years or 36k miles, it's their problem, not mine.

[Benn]

keep an eye on them...

[CraigGreen]

Quite a few dealers often use pattern replacement parts. I would make a point of mentioning that you buy genuine for a reason.

Cant beleive you arent going to lower it though Dan. They are so much more predictable & stable with a -40mm drop. I found mine well scary on the std springs (after owning a lowered one prior).

[richie00boy]

Standard springs are probably fine for Dan's relaxed driving style Although having had my -25mm AVO kit on for over a year now I would never go back to standard, and I'm no racer.

[CraigGreen]

Standard springs are probably fine for Dan's relaxed driving style Although having had my -25mm AVO kit on for over a year now I would never go back to standard, and I'm no racer.

Thats what I was getting at. He just dosent know what he's missing out on.



(well he probably does, but I just cant bare to see such a schweet valver on std springs)
Its not like the std handling is praiseworthy..

[Astra Dan]

No I can see your point. But also, I don't want to be throwing it around too much. I have the other two for that. Alright they're not nearly as quick, but they're more.... I wanna say disposable but that's not quite what I mean as I'd really hate to stack either car. I've waited so long for a GTE 16V I don't want to be encouraged to throw it into bends. If you see what I mean.
We'll see.
As an aside I did quite a few miles in the mk2 yesterday, which has got mongrel suspension. It's got worn out GTE shocks up front, new GM shocks at the back, unknown lowering springs from tuning.co.uk, GTE 8V front ARB and a complete Mk3 GSi rear beam (so loads of negative camber) minus the external ARB and all new bushes and joints up front. The bloody thing is amazing. I'm seriously coinsidering taking it to Combe in September instead of the GTE. I was taking roundabouts and corners at motorway speeds, the thing just sticks, even on poverty tyres. I'd like to see how well it'll do on a track. The other bonus is I have infinite confidence on the engine being able to take a pounding, 7 years of abuse have not made a dent in it. I also half want it to blow, I'd love to see a 1.4 16V engine in there and Joe who lives round the corner has a spare engine....


And yes, the head mechanic dude at Vaux made sure the service guy got the number for the belt kit, I heard him tell they guy to make sure he didn't get an Ecotec kit.

[Benn]

*cough* dooo the 1.416v*cough*

and your mk2 does handle great,
you've had me slammed in to the door on it before,
but to me,with the way you like to take corners and the "test track" roads down here she would be better a lil lower,
BUT it would be good to see the difference on a set of good billie shocks and so on,

but all we be good.

[CraigGreen]

I understand your reasoning totally Dan. Its a good example & you dont need the encouragement to do this...



Scar on my elbow took nearly 10 months to heal.

[Benn]

funk at above.