Massive MOT fail today!

After two years when it sailed through, lots of stuff needs doing this year - rear brakes, hand brake, wipers, the MOT man snapped the bonnet cable, and swing arm at nearside front. With a service as well it will be just shy of £600. Would have been nearer £800 if I'd had the rocker cover gasket done as well but that will have to wait. I was so near to selling it for scrap today! Is this a rocker cover gasket?:
eBay

Sorry to hear your MoT troubles AnnieMac.
I suspect you will not be alone (mine's due next week with some known work which will need doing to keep her on the road).
We have to keep telling ourselves it is all worth it

Annie the bonnet cable is quite easy to do. Buy one (an inner) from a bike shop for about £2.50, pull out the old one from the handle end (grease it first to line the inside of the outer cable) then push through the new one.

Make sure

1. the outer cable is ok
2. the new one is long enough
3. it's got the right shape "lump" at the handle end.


Most common is for them to break at the loop which usually slips round a flange with a slot to the rhs of the bonnet spring



What's up with the wipers?

I'm trying to figure what you mean by the swing arm, can't think of anything fitting that description which could be snapped.

That doesn't sound too bad. Rear brakes/handbrake are usually connected, may just need a clean and grease of the slide pin things and oil dripped down the handbrake cables. Even new pads and discs aren't pricey. Wipers probably just need renewing. NSF swing arm will be the lower suspension arm, that's a bit more pricey and not such an easy DIY job, also best to replace the other side at the same time. And yes, that's the right cam cover gasket from Alternative Autos but call them up instead on 01484 865086 and claim your club discount, should be a little cheaper.

As Dave's said, unless the rear brakes are down to the metal a general service should see them through the MOT, check out the rear brakes and handbrake FAQ.

Assuming swing arm is the wishbones are tricker and worth replacing as a pair and then get the tracking checked as it'll likely be out. Once they are done you will notice a difference in the way your Coupe turn in.

There's more detail on the bonnet cable in the freeing a stuck bonnet cable. This includes more photos on how to fix it.

To see the old photobucket photos in the how to section, if you are using Chrome get the photobucket embed fix add on to see tthe original photos. There is a similar fix for Firefox

Don't despair the forum has the answer to help you fix your Coupe

What I should have said is not "swing arm" (ha ha, I know nothing about cars!) but "lower suspension wishbone arm". It rattles when you drive over bumpy roads.

Also, apparently a previous mechanic (not a Coupe specialist) has wrecked the sump plug.

I know these are all common enough problems, but I do so few miles every year I was really surprised the brakes needed doing.

I think Rick (Solo Italia) is going to sort the bonnet cable.

I am selling a painting at auction in December and hopefully will then have the cash for the rocker cover gasket. Then the cambelt will need doing next.

What could the consequence be of continuing to drive a car with a leaking rocker cover gasket?

By the way, if anyone lives near Hungerford I am doing a stall at the antique and collector's fair at the town hall on 6th December. I will be selling original paintings, teddies, Japanese art deco teasets, and lots of other beautiful things!
This will fund my new cambelt!

Oh and cheers for the heads up regarding club discount on the gasket.

I know I should really have saved up for the MOT costs because I don't have credit cards etc but two years when it needed nothing lulled me into a false sense of security!

Mine was the same Annie. When I bought it there were no advisories on the mot but the last 2 mot's I've had to do quite a bit of work.
This year I've had new wishbones, droplinks, alloys and tyres, handbrake cables, rear pads and an airbag ECU

Good job I love driving it!

Makes sense about the "swing arm"!

It is quite likely the brake problem is because you do few miles in the car, the rears don't do much work anyway which means if they aren't used much the rust which naturally occurs on brakes doesn't get cleaned off well. The calipers may be stuck on the handbrake mechanism but should free off with some penetrating oil.

No real issue with a leaking cam cover gasket as long as it isn't major, just keep an eye on the oil level. Quite a quick job to change, I've done mine a couple of times.

I find checking the oil rather confusing because the level is different on each side of the dipstick and I don't know which is the true reading!

The rear brakes just need a service rather than replacing, unless the were called out as on the metal.

Give the dipstick a turn or two while it is still in,that should give you a more sure measure.

The problem is that the dipstick enters the sump at a 45 degree angle (ish) so that one side will read lower than the other - so take an average. If you turn the dipstick you'll get a rather optimistic measure, but it will be easier to see, just take off a couple of mm for the true measure.

As long as both are between min and max you're fine.
Just make sure the ground is level and you've given it 10 minutes for the oil to return to the sump

They wanted to charge £200 to do the rocker cover gasket????

Well the whole bill was going to be £800, but then to cut it down to £600 which was all I could afford, he gave a discount on some of the parts and also didn't do the rocker cover gasket or the tracking.

Thanks for the Photo bucket fix.

You're welcome, a bit of googling solved the issue, for now!