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[minimayhem]

I could have sworn a few posts on this thead just got deleted? Very strange.  PC didnt you ask what gearbox type my car have?

Oh well.  (apologies..I removed them when I updated yr Profile...if you look at
                the bottom of yr posts...it now shows yrs is a manual) - CrazyG

No I'm not using s2smarts - I do all my own work.

[F4celess]

which XF do you have? there is so much talk about forfours...

XF = chrysler crossfire  not   Jag XF as you were probably thinking

JJ

Great taste.  I've wanted a Crossfire for a LONG time. However having to use my vehicle at the weekends for the various children's activities, a 2 seater wouldn't work!
A lot slate the rear end, I think its a work of art (even more so once that Spoiler is up). 
To me its got a lot more style than the run of the mill Audi TT's, BMW M series, etc.

Looking on autotrader plus ebay recently, the prices of the Crossfire have rocketed (no pun intended)! 3 to 4 grand now for a sweet example, where as a couple of years ago, £1500 would get you one in decent condition. Becoming a rare beast.

Sorry, slight hijack, back to your 'Pip'... 

[Coverman]

At least they don't rot as quickly as their progenitor SLK

[minimayhem]

which XF do you have? there is so much talk about forfours...

XF = chrysler crossfire  not   Jag XF as you were probably thinking

JJ

Great taste.  I've wanted a Crossfire for a LONG time. However having to use my vehicle at the weekends for the various children's activities, a 2 seater wouldn't work!
A lot slate the rear end, I think its a work of art (even more so once that Spoiler is up). 
To me its got a lot more style than the run of the mill Audi TT's, BMW M series, etc.

Looking on autotrader plus ebay recently, the prices of the Crossfire have rocketed (no pun intended)! 3 to 4 grand now for a sweet example, where as a couple of years ago, £1500 would get you one in decent condition. Becoming a rare beast.

Sorry, slight hijack, back to your 'Pip'... 

Haha thanks! Honestly it was such a great car, a very usable sports car. It's true what they say about the handling, it is a bit numb, but lowering springs really helped that out.

Oddly enough I don't miss it. The roads where I live are very small and so I sold it for this:



Today is brakes day! Going to go outside in 20 minutes and start to work.

[minimayhem]

Brakes down.  Rear hoses replaced, rear pads replaced, front discs replaced and front pads replaced.

Will it make any difference? Not sure.

I noticed that the rubber piston gasket on the rear o/s that binded is so brittle that its cracked from the heat.  I'll have to get a caliper service kit very soon and replace it.  Still, managed to replace the hoses without any drama.

Also inspected springs - no visible crack that I could see.  It's a dull knocking sound that has been going on for about a year now, but it doesnt seem to be getting any worse, so will just ignore until it does.

If only I could sort out the pulling to the left!

[mr singh]

pulling to the left could suggest your wheel alignment is off... during a wheel alignment it could throw up some interesting out comes such as your suspension components are goosed.

I replaced both front lower arms on mine and that made a massive difference in the way it drove, the bushes in the lower arms we that fooked the bush centre could have been pushed out with my hand when I got them off!

[CrazyG]

Just luv your Barchetta...though I'd prefer blue over BRG.

Back to your 454 pulling left....
I agree with mr.singh. But also it might be worn track rod end/s
(though you would feel 'wander' in the steering and judder+possible
'snaking' under braking.
So yes...starting to point to worn lower front wishbone bushes...
there are 3 in each arm.
The last couple of 'possibilities' are a worn top strut mount/bush or
a buckled/bent/kinked suspension strut.
None are easy for most average 'Joes' to check, but no problem for
a good garage to check for you in under 1/2hr...so that won't break
the bank. Why not just book it in for a check-up... at say S2 ?

[minimayhem]

So a journey to York and back (260 odd miles each way) seems to have sorted the brakes out.  On the way up I stopped every 50 miles or so to check the brakes on all four corners, and never noticed any additional heat on any one side.

On the way back I didn't check until the end, but the copper grease was visible on all 4 pads so I'm going to say that the binding is no longer an issue.

I also noticed (or rather, remembered) that the car has odd tyres on all 4 corners.  Same size tyres, but different brands.  I wonder if this could cause the pulling if they have vastly different tread ratings/wear on one side?

I don't know how old the tyres are on 3 corners, but I know that the rear n/s is the one I replaced a year ago, so logic would dictate it has the most tread.  Could that be the source of the pulling? Perhaps.

Also I'm pretty damn certain the knocking is coming from the top front top suspension area.  Almost sounds like its coming from the engine bay.

[mr singh]

it could be that your tracking is out which is causing your pulling issue, as well as the fact that it has 4 tyres all with different amount of tread although that shouldn't cause it to pull.
also check your tyre pressures are all set to 32 PSI all round, as stated on the fuel filler flap

[Didge3]

The last owner had bought a Toyota IQ and the ForFour had been on sale for several months prior so I wasn't too sure that it had really sat around for that long. Does it matter now though that it is being used now? A clear out every service will be enough.

I know this is an old post but it came up in a search (I have the rattly exhaust heat shield issue). Reading this I think you may have (or have had if you don't still have it) my Mums old Forfour. She replaced it with an iQ and it sat on sale for several months behind her house under some trees. Did you purchase it from Kent, just off the M20? Had around 60-70k miles from memory plate ended in DTU... I think I still have the for sale pictures. I posted on here a long time ago about the gearbox kept going into 0 when going into reverse and got some good advice.

[Ocracoke]

Yes, my current 454 came from Kent and yes, the registration does end in DTU, 73,000 miles I seem to recall at the time so yes, I do have your Mum's previous 454!

[Problemchild]

Cool stuff

Add it to the list on where’s my old car?

JJ

[Didge3]

Yes, my current 454 came from Kent and yes, the registration does end in DTU, 73,000 miles I seem to recall at the time so yes, I do have your Mum's previous 454!

Wow! I would say small world but I guess this forum negates that. She'll be shocked to see that its now yellow! It was the sole reason I ended up buying my Forfour. It was just the most reliable car I think we'd ever owned in the family. The only thing that really went wrong with it was the exhaust snapping just before the backbox which we had welded back together, not the ideal solution but hey-ho!

[Problemchild]

If you both PM me the details then I’ll add it to the list of ForFours

JJ

[minimayhem]

New problem. Went to start the car about an hour ago, it fired up, hit 3k revs and then died right away. Second start hit just above 1k and then died. Third try, no start.

Engine seems to be cranking. No malfunctions are being displayed on the dash but I'll get a code reader on it tomorrow. Ggrr.