1. Driver's door. Sometimes it just won't shut. I try shutting it gently or slamming it, but it's as if it "bounces". I have lubricated the catch in the door. It seems intermittent. I've checked the adjustment of the catch post on the b pillar. It appears to be fine. Any suggestions?
The lock isn't rotating and catching when the striker hits it. Possibly dirty but might be worn...had a few do this. I've always had spare locks handy in the past so have just swapped them out (the bit in the door). You could take it right out and degrease with brake cleaner and a paintbrush, re-lubricate and refit which is what I would try if I didnt have a spare lock in the future.
2. The head gasket appears it may be leaking oil down the back of the engine. There's quite a stain down the bellhousing and there's a rag stuffed between it and the head! I tried to take a photo:
"They all do that". No, really, they do. The engine channels oil up to the head around head bolt 7, and where the oil runs past the HG from the factory is a design flaw where the gasket doesn't have any extra sealing function on it. Over time the oil and pressure saturate the HG material and it starts weeping out the back of the head. There is an updated head gasket with a metal sealing compression ring around the head bolt hole/oilway, which we can assume isn't fitted to your car. It has a little bit that pokes out the back of the head with three notches in it, which the standard flawed one doesnt have. If you don't fix the HG oil leak, the oil will eventually contaminate the clutch friction plate. Only fix is a new (updated) head gasket
3. What's this? Is it the Amal valve? The electrical connection to it has been unplugged:
Auxilliary water pump. It activates after the engine is switched off and runs for 10-15 mins on a timed relay to stop the Turbo overheating after coolant stops circulating. I would guess either the pump has broken, or the relay is broken, or the relay is stuck on (which runs the pump until the battery is drained lol). Test the pump straight from the battery thats easy enough. The relay you can take apart and look for burned circuits or blown resistors but you should hear it click on and off by turning the ign on and off. It lives under the black cover behind the battery, is a big black relay looking thing with a blue inside.
The Amal valve is what Andy has pictured, it's basically an ECU controlled bleed valve. The ECU uses it to restrict boost to 8psi (wastegate pressure) when engine temp < 50c or car is in reverse. In a 2wd it also uses it to restrict boost to 8psi in 1st. It does this by pulsing at a constant frequency of 12hz, but varying the time open<>time closed to vary the bleed of pressure off. For it's time, very clever.
5. Gearbox whine: it is related to road speed, not engine speed. I've been in touch with the vendor and he definitely thinks it's always done it! He bought the car in 1996 so it was only 4 years old then. I suppose it could have been faulty then and he's just lived with it, so I should probably just live with it until I have to take the engine or box out for some other reason?
Up to you. Personally, i'd take it out and get it fixed. Must be a whiny diff...it would do my swede in (but thats just me)
6. There's quite some clonking coming from the rear when I transition off/on power. Diff worn? Are there some bushes that might need changing? Can they be got from anywhere?
Get underneath and check out the propshaft centre bearing. Particularly the rubber in the donut that holds the bearing race to the outer metal ring.
7. What's the engine type code? I can't see it anywhere on the block and I don't want to start taking things off just to find it! I need to order a timing belt kit
J7R 756, but a J7R 752 kit will work too (752 is the dizzy model, 756 is the dizzyless). The engine plate should be on the block under the number 4 exhaust port (ish)
FYI, photo of the coil pack:
The bits where the HT leads push on doesn't look right so I think Lewis is correct in thinking they're from another model....but if they work who cares?
PS, where's number 4.?
