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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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 Posted - 17 Jul 2010 : 11:42:05 PM
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Dont know what to do. i have my original VN and am still in the process of getting her roadworthy and pertyful, but am also in the process of buying another for the parts.
1st has most of 'my' work done of it and is still lacking things that i need, primarily of the 2nd
2nd has only 180000 compared to 305000 on first VN and also alot better condition but blown head gasket.
I origionaly decided to buy the 2nd on for parts but its in to good of condition. But the first has a close place to my heart.
Thing i need some help on is what to do. Restore the first on with parts from 2nd and wreck it or restore both? Main thing im worried about is the main one has a leak from the tranny and dont know what it is yet, cause im no mechanic. :(
What do you all think i should do?
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Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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VNSVLE
Forum Moderator
1316 Posts
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Posted - 17 Jul 2010 : 11:57:22 PM
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| I would keep them both and build the 180000km one with the better parts of the 2. |
What's the difference between understeer and oversteer?
Understeer is when the driver is scared.
Oversteer is when the passenger is scared. |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 18 Jul 2010 : 12:18:44 AM
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You could restore them both, although it depends on how much yard/garage space you have. My own two cars are an S1 VN and an HZ Kingswood. The plan is to fit a VN driveline to the HZ, but before I do that, I'll be stripping the HZ down, then strip the donor car, then get a rolling one tonner shell to reassemble it into. All the while throwing everything I can to the scrapmetal dealer that I can't use.
It surprises me that a VN has a blown head gasket. It was only with the VS onwards that had alloy heads.Iron heads crack, but it takes a lot of abuse to get them to do that. There's a good chance it's something like it wasn't tensioned right in the first place. If you're lucky, the damage isn't serious. Check for coolant in the sump. |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 19 Jul 2010 : 08:58:06 AM
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will do and not to much space btw. enough but folks wont be happy but oh well :) Im thinking that if my gearbox is stuffed, if i cant find a cheap one somewhere else ill have no choice but if its just something loose on it or thereabout, ill restore both but take the good parts from both and put the in the origional and let my mum and family use the 2nd. Anyone know how much i should expect a auto gearbox for and the same for a new gasket?
Cheerrs |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 19 Jul 2010 : 09:01:07 AM
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| also on another point, the new car has 4 origional executive hubcaps in what appears to be great condition. ill have to check when i get it 20 bucks for the 4 on them :) might as well get some money back |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 19 Jul 2010 : 09:29:39 AM
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With your auto gearbox, the sump gasket shouldn't be much, usually $20 or so, unless it's in a service kit. A fully reconditioned auto, the price will vary from $1500-$2500, depending on whom you get a quote from. Get several. If you're lucky, it's only slipping and carrying on because it's bleeding oil like a stuck pig. Take it to a transmission place, get it serviced and if it leaks again, it's their problem because they did it last.
If whingey neighbours are your problem, buy a car cover or two. That way, it all looks neat and tidy, even if most of the car's innards are hanging out. Some car covers are waterproof, some aren't so it pays to ask before buying |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 19 Jul 2010 : 10:13:38 AM
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| neighbours arent any problem at all. and i havent really driven it yet because ive been trying to get it roadworthy since i bought it early this year. the most ive done is up and down the driveway. And is that for a brand new box or reco? cause it appears to be alot cheaper on ebay (round 200-250) for one of a wrecking vn. |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 19 Jul 2010 : 4:08:59 PM
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Those prices are for recons. Have no idea whether you can still buy a TH700 new. The trouble with buying an auto box secondhand, is that you have no idea how long it might last. You could get lucky and have one that was reconditioned 5000km ago, or you might have one on its last legs. For now, check the tension on your transmission sump pan bolts, and have a good look right round the gasket. You're looking for splits and tears.
Tightening the sump bolts will at least slow down the oil leak. They don't have to be rattle gun tight, but firm. You'll find that on any auto that has sat idle for a long time, these bolts are likely to be loose. The other two seals to watch out for are the mainshaft. If there's oil dripping out of the bell housing, that's a front seal. Changing the seal itself isn't a big job in itself, but it is a transmission-out job. The rear shaft seal can be changed in situ with the tailshaft off. |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 31 Jul 2010 : 12:35:21 PM
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so i finally got my 2nd one last night. that didnt take long at all. and to boot i got a free door out of the fella who sold me it. lol. some small problems mostly and only 2 big ones that i can see. The brakes are a bit spongy according to my trusty mother and theres some sort of oil leak near the front right wheel. im guessing that this is most likely brake fluid. if so do they just need to be adjusted to fix it or is it something worse? and the head gasket is the other thing. I looked on supercraps website and found the head gasket but there are 2 there that seem IDENTIClE but there is a 10 dollar difference. whats the go here?
Cheers
Adam |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 31 Jul 2010 : 3:02:31 PM
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The head gasket prices might be different because they're different brands, or because one's a Monotorque. Usually when you fit a head gasket, you have to retension it at 1000km. With a Monotoque, you don't.
The "oil leak" from the front wheel, 99% certain it's brake fluid. When brake fluid gets old it goes black like engine oil. You will know because it has a different smell to engine oil. You might get lucky and find that it's a loose bleed valve on that wheel's brake caliper. To find out, take off the wheel, and look at it while someone's pumping the brake pedal.Just get them to "stand" on it, to find out where it's really coming from.
Brakes leak in only three places; the lines, the calipers, and the master cylinder (resevoir). there should be a telltale sign of the leak from by what you see and what you may smell. Open the lid of the resevoir, take a whiff and hunt for that smell.
If the brake fluid is black, it would be a good idea to flush the system. On each of the brake calipers is a bleed valve. It looks like a grease nipple. Starting with the rear wheels, put a clear piece of tube over the bleed valve into a container, and have someone on the brake pedal. Open the bleed valve and get them to pump the brakes. As they pump, top up the fluid in the resevoir. When the fluid starts coming out clean, have your assistant hold the brake pedal while you close the bleed valve. When it's closed, get them to pump the pedal to check for sponginess. If the pedal is spongy, it either means there's a leak, or there's air in the line. If it's air, open the valve and pump it through until the air is gone. Repeat this process for each wheel until you've done them all.
In case you don't know, brake fluid will dissolve paint. Whatever you do, don't spill any on the bodywork, or you'll be adding touch up paint to the list of things to buy for it |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 01 Aug 2010 : 2:37:59 PM
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Cheers mate thanks for all the advice and btw the paintwork not being tarnished isnt a real worry for me cause its all peeling and cracked anyway... lol
ok this is really annoying i was looking at the engine yesterday and went to put down the bonnet and it started hitting the windscreen and cracking it. now i have a crack in the righthand corner of this windscreen as well as 2 holes in the other one. anyone know why it is doing this??? i tryed tightening the bolts on the arms holding the bonnet up but this doesnt seen to help at all. :(
Any suggestions? i was going to eventually take it off and swap the 2 bonnets around cause it has the better one out of the 2 and the other one is the one that im doing up nicely. this one is just to get on the road nice and quick. |
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dryVN
Fully Licenced
228 Posts
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Posted - 01 Aug 2010 : 3:02:57 PM
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| Hey Mate , sounds like you need a new bonnet hinge. Its a common problem. |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 01 Aug 2010 : 4:10:57 PM
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Your bonnet hinges are likely to be knackered. Remember two things when you put the bonnet back on. 1. place a block of wood under where the bonnet would touch the windscreen (learned that one the hard way) and thoroughly grease the hinges when you've finished. Holden service bulletins, back when the VN was new, advised to thorougly lubricate them, because when they seize, they lock and hit the windscreen, cracking it.
When you have the windscreen out (will likely be necessary to get it registered) if you're not confident in doing that job yourself, have a windscreen fitter remove it, then tell him to come back tomorrow with the new one. While it's out, clean up any surface rust or worn paint from under the windscreen before putting it back in. Then you don't have to worry about it at a later date. It doesn't matter if the paint job looks a little rough, that can be buffed later. The reason you're doing it it to keep the rust out of a sensitive part of the car; left long enough, it will become a hole dripping water onto your feet, or your passenger's feet. |
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