Been a while...

So, I've been just driving the old bugger and he's been nice to me. Decided to strech his legs yesterday with a good 100 mile cruise at 100 mph. Even though it has been lowered and the road quality on the Autobahn isn't like it used to be, it was still a relaxed drive. And that fuel consumption is something I should have looked into years ago! Barely sipping fuel at around 30 mpg :D 18", 30 mm lower and a new suspension. Works like a charme...

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But still had to upgrade something: new pedals! :D

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Also a new project has started and I am accumulating parts for it. Right now I have the calipers, brackets and dust shields for a conversion to the 336 mm brakes. Ventilated rear brakes will be aquired soon too. I wanted to buy the ATE calipers used but overhauled/refurbished, but instead of overhauled original parts I got cheap knocks offs with no part numbers on them at all. In the end I bought brand new brackets and calipers from ATE/Volvo and will be fitting them. The shiney caliper is the fake one...

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I noticed a squeak/clunk over uneven surfaces. Well, I can assure you there's plenty of them around. The roads are awful.

Anyway, I suspected it was a drop link. Over the weekend, I had a peek through the driver's wheel well and spotted the rubber on the drop link was all split and the grease had escaped. I couldn't do anything over the weekend, as parts shops were closed. I figured I'd wait until today to order some new parts.

I got a set of Febi drop links. There's no point replacing one. What a ******* of a job it turned out to be. I don't think the old ones were original, given that the car is 17 years old, but they were old all the same. Goodness me... they were difficult to get off! Years of road salt and grime had got into the threads. Even with wire brushing, penetrating fluid and counter holding them with a 5mm allen/hex socket, they were still rock solid. In the end, I had to cut the bolts off with an angle grinder.

Wasted Trip?
 

When I had my car serviced a couple of weeks ago I got the technician to listen to a soft surging sound that I can hear inside either at standstill or whilst driving. He said that it is the aux belt tensioner. I asked the dealership to check if the replacement was covered under the extended warranty and they were going to check. I later got a message to let the workshop manager listen to it. As this would involve another round trip from Sheffield to York I sent some audio files but they weren't really definitive so I arranged to take it in today.
Did the noise manifest itself? Did it heck! It's only been bugging me for months and yet on the day of reckoning it cures itself.
I might try going to the doctors and see if my T2 diabetes disappears as I walk through the door but somehow I don't think so.