Mk5 slow progress report

[transit mark]

Had a look and i have the wiring, so i guess i now need the switch and the headlights.

Mark

[dirtydog]

Start spraying the headlight bolts now with penetrating fluid and some of them will shear off!

[transit mark]

Start spraying the headlight bolts now with penetrating fluid and some of them will shear off!

They have all been out recently as i changed the headlights from plastic to glass

Mark

[dieselhead123]

Start spraying the headlight bolts now with penetrating fluid and some of them will shear off!

They have all been out recently as i changed the headlights from plastic to glass

Mark

I am sure that MinorMatt will confirm, but I think the electrically leveling headlamps are only available with plastic lenses?

Don't worry though, we can get shinny new ones cheap

TIM

[dirtydog]

Well after almost 4 years my in dash DVD player has started to play up now. The touch screen isn't working properly and it's pretty much got a life of its own swapping between the radio and DVD all by itself!

[MinorMatt]

yup plastic lenses only on electric levelling headlights, but you may be able to swap the glass lenses on to them

[transit mark]

yup plastic lenses only on electric levelling headlights, but you may be able to swap the glass lenses on to them

Was thinking about that.

[dirtydog]

Again nothing major happening with the van just maintenance/repairs as I've just bought a '93 xr3i cabriolet that needs a bit of work.

Starter motor died on me a couple of weeks ago so fitted a new one, only for that to be faulty as well! Got that exchanged for another and all seems to be working ok now.
Also fitted the new rear drums and shoes that I bought about a year ago and replaced a brake cylinder as it was leaking. No more juddering now when I brake

Managed to pick up a half decent rear door from the scrappy as one of mine is really rotten and now I have the xr3 means I can take the van off he road for a few days to get some new front wings fitted.
Although I've been told by the other half that the sills on the xr2 should be done before the van

[dirtydog]

Just a small update...


Basically done naff all on the van since April other than drive it. Have been so busy with work I've not had much time to spend on any of the cars or bikes either

The main part of this update is that my mk5 is going to be retired within the next 6 months and I'm going to be getting a Connect for work.

The mk5 however is going to be getting a bit of attention and turned into a day van

[dirtydog]

Have started collecting bits already of the conversion despite the fact I won't be properly starting it for a few months, possibly even the beginning of next year!

Picked up these the other day

For the princely sum of £40

Lots of decisions to be made about seating, layout, windows, what we actually want or need in it etc. so a long way to go yet!

[trigger]

Glad to see you are keeping the mk5, i still miss mine even tho i got a new mk7 now

[dirtydog]

Just a couple of pictures of how I fitted the door handle lights while I had the door card off today

First I drilled a hole in the plastic handle surround, then stuck a 3mm led in the hole. I used a red 12v one from Maplins as I didn't want the lights to be too bright and distracting.
You could glue the led in place but I used a proper led holder and a bit of glue just to make sure it stayed put



I then wired the led into the electric window loom so the light comes on with the ignition, this seemed to be the quickest and easiest way to wire it but means its in during the day as well. As the 12v led isn't that bright it can't be seen during. The day when it's light



And this is what it looks like inside the handle

[dirtydog]

Again nothing much going on with this.
Recently fitted a new coolant bottle, hose from the front of the engine to the matrix, thermostat and thermostat housing. Also gave it a flush with Wynns coolant flush. The heaters are now lovely and hot to the point that I have to turn them down after a little while, which is good as last winter I was freezing my arse off in the van!
Nice shiny new thermostat housing


Another slight change of plan, I was going to do a day van conversion and get a newer van for work but due a change in circumstances now the plan is a crew van conversion.

I am going to fit an opening bulk head so I can still get 8x4 sheets in, removable seats so I can still get big stuff in if needed (sometimes stick my bike in the back and go off for the weekend and kip in the van on an air bed).
I managed to pick up about 3 metres of unwin tracking and 2 pairs of seat brackets the other day for just 99p and then yesterday I got these

for just 99p as well!

I doubt I'll have much time before Xmas to make much progress on sorting out the crew van as work has gone a bit mad at the moment for some reason

[dirtydog]

Ever since I bought my mk5 I've not been able to unlock from the drivers door without the factory alarm going off. Lived with it for a little while then had some new keys cut and it was ok for a little bit but then the problem came back, again lived with it for a little bit longer then I started to have the same issue with the passenger side door and put it down to worn locks.
Finished fitting all the new locks this week, drivers door was the last to be done and I still had the same problem with the alarm going off when unlocked from the drivers door!
Had this delivered today

Hopefully this will,sort it as I'm getting a bit bored of having to walk around the van to unlock it!

[Mr RVM]

yup plastic lenses only on electric levelling headlights, but you may be able to swap the glass lenses on to them

Was thinking about that.

I had a few "new unused" headlamps for sale at last years "Mania" they were fitted with wheel for electrical levelling and had glass lenses only sold one, to Ali for £15, I didn't even notice the wheel it was Ali that pointed it out