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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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 Posted - 25 Dec 2010 : 12:07:00 AM
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great start to xmas much? just found what appears to be a massive oil leak coming fron my engine or the surrounding parts. its pissing down here so dad assures me that it seems a **** load worse than it is cause of the water but im still worried. i just checked the engine and steering fluid and both appear to be the same as yesterday when i checked them. my steering return line needs replacing which i have just need to wait for rain to PO. but it doesnt appear to be that. my car is parked on a hill atm and the main oil spot under the engine appears to be from just above the right hand engine mount because there are wet marks on it. though it could just be water. i gave it a quick wipe off while my mumk took it to church and when she gets back ill take a look for any major oil resedue but i dont know where it could be coming from near the mount. any common faults i should be aware of?
Cheers
(ps sorry about the literally endless amount of questions, i wants expecting this when i bought the car)
A |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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Mr Persistant
P Plater
72 Posts
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Posted - 25 Dec 2010 : 08:58:15 AM
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Um, there are several oil pressure switches and the oil filter around the front right. I think there is one for the oil pressure light and another one is a safety cut out acting on the fuel pump circuit.
There's the dipstick tube that should be secure where it goes into the sump and the dipstick itself should be firmly pressed down like normal. |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 25 Dec 2010 : 10:26:26 AM
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| All of the above, and check the tension of your sump bolts. With the constant expansion and contraction with heat from the engine oil, sump bolts have been known to come loose over time. They shouldn't be "rattle gun" tight, but they should be firm. Blast the offending area with degreaser, and it might help you by letting it get to operating temperature, and see if you can find it in your driveway |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 25 Dec 2010 : 4:19:27 PM
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| thanks for all the advice. for once i found out what was rong without help from vncom.com. my uncle found the problem in 20 seconds flat. the oil pressure sensor seems to be leaking and the fan is blowing oil from the leak all around the engine which gave me several wet areas. hopefully will be able to change it over when i get paid on wednesday and that should be another leak gone. |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 25 Dec 2010 : 6:15:19 PM
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| You'll find that the oil pressure sensor should be less than $20. It's an ordinary two pin thingy with a standard hex nut like a spark plug. Size? Dunno, I can't be buggered looking right now lol |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 25 Dec 2010 : 6:26:08 PM
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| how much oil do u think i will loose when i take it out? enought to buy a 5 ltr bottle? i probabily will anyway cause its about the only oil i dont have spare around the place. |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 25 Dec 2010 : 7:25:36 PM
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also there is a rattle or clunking noise coming from the rear of the vehicle mostly when i accelerate. my mother in the passenger seat things its coming from the passenger side but i think drivers side. usually a slow paced clunk around 1 a second or so depending on speed probabily but sometimes it gets up to around 2 clunks a second. any ideas on this problem? cheers and sorry for the endless questions.
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 25 Dec 2010 : 11:01:38 PM
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When you take the oil pressure sensor out, I'd be surprised if more than 100mL came out. So long as you wait 10 minutes while the oil drains back into the sump, you should lose very little. I'd buy a litre to top it up from the potential losses from the leaking oil pressure sensor.
As for the clunking noise, the first thing I'd be checking is the universal joints on the driveshaft. That would be the most obvious one. Universal joints sometimes make a noise when they're worn like you describe. The more flogged out they are, the noisier they get. |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 26 Dec 2010 : 09:57:39 AM
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| cheers thatll make life alot easier to know somewhere to start looking. |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 26 Dec 2010 : 4:56:33 PM
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Obviously the first one to check is the rear universal joint, as it sounds as though that's where the noise is coming from. Easiest if you take the driveshaft off and put it on the bench under lights. What you're looking for, besides "play" in the cups of the uni joints, is other signs of wear/damage; dents in the driveshaft, grease everywhere but the cups, and play in that centre bearing you though you had to remove to get the driveshaft out.
If possible, get replacement universal joints with grease nipples on them. Then every time you change the oil or do any servicing, you can go around the various parts that need greasing while you're under there. It makes any part with a grease nipple last longer than those without. |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 26 Dec 2010 : 5:01:10 PM
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| any idea how much one of those would be? and where from? repco or bursons or straight from dealer... im in bris as well if that helps. and if i need to change it, is it the whole part of the driveline or just the coupling joint? cause if its the latter then how do you go around getting the old one off. cheers ps its STILL raining all the time here so i cant get any work done which blows. |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 26 Dec 2010 : 5:11:20 PM
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With the driveshaft off, you'll seeretaining clips on the cups of the universal joints. I can't remember whether they're at the bottom of the cup (sort of like a piston ring) or a circlip at the top. You remove the former by prising off the clip. With all of the retaining clips off, you tap the cups one by one with a socket in front of a hammer. When the cups come out, it will allow enough clearance to get the centre piece out. To install them is a reversal of the process, after packing each cup with grease.
As for how much, it's likely to be about $25-$40 each per uni joint. Always go for the version with a greas nipple, and remember to ask when you buy it. Any auto parts store should have them lying around in stock. |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 29 Dec 2010 : 6:49:43 PM
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| got the price from repco at around 80 each for what appears to be the nippled type. is this an ok amount to pay, plus i should get little off with discount. maybe 5-15% idk how much exactly. and when greasing it up, what type of grease should i use. would axle grease do or wheel bearing greasr be better. |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 29 Dec 2010 : 7:52:13 PM
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Axle grease and bearing grease are essentially the same thing. I would read what it says on the cartridge, for what it's normally used for. If in doubt, ask a servo or anywhere that sells good oils e.g Castrol and Penrite, and ask their opinion.
The price seems a little excessive, but ask questions about what brand, what it's rated for i.e V6 or V8 applcation. If it's Timken or NSK, they're the two best on the market. I don't know whether they still do, but Timken were once original equipment for axle and driveline bearings in Holdens. The other important question to ask is "is that genuine or aftermarket?" |
Edited by - Mechknight73 on 29 Dec 2010 7:53:33 PM |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 29 Dec 2010 : 7:55:18 PM
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| cheers. great advice ill try my best to remember that. when i was on the phone ordering them in, the only one they had in store where the standard one for 25 each. he said that there are some at the factory that he is ordering in for my but isnt sure if they are with grease nipple. just that theyre 80 bucks each. :( oh well hopefully they are and itll be good. |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 29 Dec 2010 : 8:16:30 PM
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| You always go for the best you can afford. If I design and build something, I tend to make it stronger than necessary. I once built a camper trailer from a 6x4 garden trailer. it had a 5 foot tall roof, but its frame was 25x25x3mm square tube. I used the rear guards and tail lights from an HR Holden because I hated those cheap crap tail lights you normally see on trailers. I even built a nose cone on the front of it that tapered to the drawbar to reduce drag. It did, and had the added bonus of acting as a spoiler. |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 29 Dec 2010 : 8:19:09 PM
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| very nice sounding contraption. selling it at all?? joking, i dont think id be up for a drive to WA... just yet. :) I actually have a towbar im wanting to get put on at about february if i have the money to spare |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 29 Dec 2010 : 11:03:35 PM
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| I lost that one as "collateral damage" in a divorce. I'm picking up another trailer tomorrow, but this one is made of thicker steel. These days I'm in Western Victoria, but am at a crossroads; if the employment thing keeps messing with me, I'm returning west again. |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 30 Dec 2010 : 05:46:39 AM
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| wow thats bad to hear. sorry. but hope your new trailer is better and good luck with the job hunting. i know what its like.:( |
Bassist by day, VN nut by night |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 30 Dec 2010 : 09:08:36 AM
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This trailer may only be with me for the move. My original trailer had the nickname Pegasus, as people kept mistaking it for a horse float. However, because it was so stable at speed, it coulf "fly" behind a vehicle at 120km/h if I wanted to. Not that I would but the possibility was always there.
"Pegasus II" if I ever get the chance to build it, will be a ground up build. Dual axle, 8x4, with everything I learned from the prototype plus some added in. The original even had 240V power (wasn't legal, but I had the power socket from a wrecked caravan, for two power points inside) It will be a module system; a cage module, a sealed cargo module, or a camper module, whichever suits at the time, can be readily added or removed as required. |
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Mr Persistant
P Plater
72 Posts
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Posted - 30 Dec 2010 : 3:43:28 PM
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That sounds cool. I've seen some of those big 'trailers' that look like an offroad caravan from outside, but inside they are 50% garage for motorbikes/quads ect...with just a little room for sleeping and cooking. The big ones are huge - USA style. Something smaller would be very useful. Have you seen how much some of those offroad camping trailers cost? They're ónly' single axle...tens of thousands of dollars.  |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 30 Dec 2010 : 3:50:05 PM
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| Part of the reason why I'd rather build my own. If money weren't an issue, my one tonner would be powered by an LS2 V8, on gas with a 5th wheeler hitch. For one it would complete the "miniature prime mover" look I have in mind, justify the extra drive axle, and allow it to carry almost anything. Usually 5th wheelers are pulled by things like F-Series trucks and 3 tonne Hinos, but that's no fun! I'd also make it full trailer length; would allow me to pull whichever "tourer" of the fleet I wanted, while having a base to maintain them both. |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 30 Dec 2010 : 7:51:24 PM
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mmmk so i got the replacement oil pressure sensor today and was gonna put it in but mum stole the car. so tomorrow if all goes well after work at 2, im heading over to a mates where we can do the uni joints and if possible with time the steering return hose, pressure switch and anything else i can think off.
When i bought the uni joints today, just like the fella at repco told me he didnt know if the ones he was ordering from the warehouse had the nipples or not. So wasnt toooo dissapointed when i went to pick them up and found of that they didnt have the nips on them. but the one i did get are about 130 each retail and i got them for 80 each and they are heavy duty or hi performance ones. 'Hardy Spices'. ever heard of them? there greased already but it sayd its only for storage and that i will obviously need to grease them up before instalation. It reccomends a lithium based EP2 grease. Do not use graphite based grease. It also sayd that the saft should be ballanced after there installed. didnt even though you could ballance shafts. how do i do this and is it necessary?
I will use these U joints and deppending on how they go when i need to change them again in a few years or so, ill be sure to properly source out some nippled ones.
BTW when you get your trailer, if your able to post pics im sure some folks here would love to take a gander like Mr persistant and my self. :) |
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Mr Persistant
P Plater
72 Posts
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Posted - 30 Dec 2010 : 9:21:55 PM
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That seems like a _LOT_ of money for those universal joints. I realise they are 'heavy duty racing' universal joints, but maybe more for use on supercharged V8 than a stock old V6? I don't want to say you were raped on price by Repco, but am questioning what you were sold.
>>> I think you can get your *entire* shaft recoed and balanced for something like $400-500, including centre bearing and CV joint...and you've just spent what?...$160 on two uni-joints you have to install yourself. I'm jest sayin'...
I'm sure most would agree with me that this is what we were anticipating you to buy:
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/HOLDEN-COMMODORE-VN-VP-VR-VS-VT-88-00-Universal-Joints-/360236305203?pt=AU_Car_Parts_Accessories&hash=item53dfc1cb33
And on that note, it's come (very late) to my attention that for a really common model car like our VN, Ebay is a great source of cheaper than Supercheap basic parts that you can't afford to not be taking advantage of if you're on a very tight budget (& who here isn't?) Unless you can't wait for the part to be shipped and need it right now, of course, then you still go to Repco. 
Anyway, wouldn't worry too much about getting the shaft balanced, although its a good idea to mark the yokes with corresponding marks on the shaft so that they go back *exactly* in the same position as they came off - there is only two ways for each yoke to go on, each 180 degrees apart, which could potentially throw things out in the balance department.
Now, if you were to take the central CV joint apart and don't put that back just the same way that can cause quite a nasty vibration - damhik  |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 31 Dec 2010 : 6:13:10 PM
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| mk so did the uni joints, and sensor. gonna head out soon when sun sets a bit and do the steering return hose. The old uni's were well past there prime by the looks of them so thats one more thing done for good hopefully :) |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 31 Dec 2010 : 10:35:36 PM
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| Good solid packing of grease and you're not likely to need to do anything to them for a long time. If you hear or feel any more vibrations from the shaft, then the centre bearing will be the next one. Not as hard as it appears, because on the bench, it's relatively easy to work on |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 01 Jan 2011 : 12:44:45 AM
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| i never did the joints myself. some mates of my mates did it, who i have met a few times before and when i said they need to be greased they said there was already enough grease in them. they were pre greased but for starage, but apparently there was enough grese in them. i never got a chance to look myself but ill take there word for it... for now :) |
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Mechknight73
National Driver
1001 Posts
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Posted - 01 Jan 2011 : 10:18:41 AM
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| Hardy Spicer are another of the premier driveline manufacturers. I used to work for OKA Motor Company, whome make 4 wheel drive trucks and buses. The transmissions, transfer cases, diffs and driveshafts were all sourced from Hardy Spicer. They seem to take the Kevin Bartlett approach to mechanical design "if it can't survive being thrashed, make it stronger." |
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voodoo92
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150 Posts
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Posted - 01 Jan 2011 : 4:28:20 PM
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| Great to know. thats a little weight off my shoulders :) |
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voodoo92
Fully Licenced
150 Posts
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Posted - 04 Jan 2011 : 5:58:36 PM
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| ok so it seems the centre bearing has gone now aswell. yay for me :( but for 28 bucks and a few hours work it should be fixed sometime after thursday when the weather clears up.sorry, IF the weather clears up |
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