#lasertools

06/08/2024: Shifting Perspectives.

Ah dang it! Where the hell did 1st and reverse gear go? Yep, something’s going on and this could either be a simple drive way fix or… very costly.

I finish work and set off home, we’ll try to.. 1st gear just isn’t happening. So, I make it home using everything but and then when I pull up outside the yard (my home) I choose to reverse… err nah! Well eventually with what felt like the forced required to pull Excalibur’s sword from the rock, I eventually find reverse.

Hmmmmmmm, scratching my head, is it the box and or clutch that’s died!!? Fuck! I don’t know and it’s going to be a long old job for me to figure out if it’s a mechanical failure or not. But before I start saying bye to my finances in preparation of a new gearbox or clutch there’s a few little things I can check.

Drain both transfer box and gearbox oils and inspect the magnetic drain plugs, if no large metallic debris are visible then that’s a good sign both boxes haven’t shat themselves… result! Oh be sure to replenish the oil you’ve removed, otherwise you’ll for sure end up with problems. - I used a Laser Multi Purpose Mini Pump to fill (4385)

So with both boxes appearing satisfactory, the next thing and what should’ve been the first thing I should’ve inspected was the hydraulic clutch fluid.

Well, well, well…. I think I’ve found the issue and it’s actually pretty obvious in fact. Not only is the reservoir low, but the fluid is jet black!

I attach the Laser brake bleeding kit (2906) in conjunction with the Laser one way bleed valve (7700) and top up the reservoir. Now given there’s a significant amount of fluid missing, this would indicate there’s a leak somewhere and as a result when I depress the clutch pedal the master cylinder is most likely sucking air into the system and not allowing me to select 1st or reverse.

Cracking off the clutch slave cylinder and pumping the clutch pedal whilst occasionally topping up the reservoir, the pedal became firm and the fluid flushed was just suet black. Once satisfied, I nipped the slave bleed nipple and again topped up the reservoir, fitted the cap and took the 110 for a test drive.

29/08/2020 - Minuet Details. Well then i must admit the wing mirror arms and XS wing mirrors themselves have been sat in the garage for a couple of years. Excuse!? i never got round to buying an T40 impact torx to remove the hinge bolts. 

In the end and given autumn is creeping it’s way in now, i thought it be best to get jobs like this out of the way. Not only to give the vehicle more appeal but it an eye sore corrosion especially at waist level. 

Parts:

Britpart XS Wing Mirror: DA6892 Britpart Mirror Arm: MTC5083 Laser 1/2" Drive T40 Long Reach Impact Torx: 2990 

If you are fortunate enough the bolts will come undone relatively easy, but remember the door card and ancillaries will need to removed to access the x2 nuts. 

Again another simple jobs was installation of the following bulbs;

Osram Night Breaker Laser H4

I previously installed these on the D110, so it makes sense to get them on the D90, but while i’m in the proximity the full beam lights on the nudge bar were removed as we’ve never really liked them and the extra wiring in the engine bay for them isn’t attractive to look at. 

25/11/2019: Drop Arm Hell.

Even when you buy the correct tools it’s still sometimes not the answer. Removing the lower drop arm at first did seem a difficult task, but it wasn’t until a fair share of obscenity’s and minor bitch fits that the thing decided to finally disembark from the steering box spline shaft.

Tools I used

Laser tools 0417 34mm Impact Socket

Laser tools 6664 Puller

WD40

Rothenberger Super Firetorch

Breaker bar (the most important)