darryn
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot
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Post by darryn on Mar 17, 2010 22:09:12 GMT 2
On saturday I will take delivery of my first Lada. 1997 1.7. Original rims and trim. Dark green.
She has been neglected and left to ruin, like Boris Yeltsin did with the Land of this Lada's birth. But the once powerful and deadly Russian machine cannot be kept down forever. Like Valdimir Putin- the Fox- with the people's help I will resurrect this weapon, to slay all the bloated German, British, French, Swedish, Japanese and (my favourite) the American giants that think they own our land of sand, rocks, gravel and mud.
There is a weapon they call the Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot 7, which when translated directly means: hand-held anti-tank grenade launcher, model 7. It destroys the most ferocious and indestructible seeming machines.
This is now my weapon, Gentlemen. And she is called The RPG-7.
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Post by danie on Mar 18, 2010 6:01:33 GMT 2
Congrats on your mean machine Darryn.
If possible, please send some pics, and keep us updated.
Regards
Danie
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Post by hotstuff on Mar 18, 2010 9:19:20 GMT 2
lol Darryn you go boy, hope when the parts i send she will become alive slowly
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Post by danie on Mar 24, 2010 18:52:39 GMT 2
Hi Darryn
Any news about your Lada ?
Regards
Danie
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Post by danie on Mar 27, 2010 7:31:15 GMT 2
Hopefully you will be able to find a Lada soon Darryn. It might be difficult to be patient, but rather spend some time and have a proper look before you buy.
Don't forget to have a proper "look" at the seller as well. Ask as many questions you can - i.e. the Ladas capability, gearbox & diff oil changes, etc, etc........... If the guy sounds like a "windgat", rather watch out.
Also look out for serious oil leaks at the front diff - if leaking badly, things might not look that well inside...............
Please keep us updated.
Regards
Danie
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darryn
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot
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Post by darryn on Mar 28, 2010 22:33:30 GMT 2
I got the one I wanted- but it cost a bit more than I wanted it to. But, in the grander scheme of things, it was dirt cheap- R15000. The seller was a proper windgat. He wanted to "talk a deal" (which makes no sense grammatically). He only waxed the car, fixed the driver's seat (which had collapsed) and cleaned it on the inside (which is wrecked anyway). There's a long list of things to fix, but I'm really looking forward to doing all of it.
I took the car past Hercules and he kicked the tyres a bit, and the consensus is that the car is OK. Then I dropped it off at the workshop and Joe and I fiddled around. He was hiding from his wife painting the 351C Ford engine that will go in the Paneelwa. The RPG will need a new (bigger) battery and all the oils will have to be replaced, as well as the plugs (I over-enthusiastically snapped the cylinder 3 plug while screwing it out to check the points- ironically, the engine runs smoother on 3 cylinders!), air/fuel/oil filters will be replaced. Then we'll take the transfer box and front diff out, strip them and hopefully have them in running order by the end of the week- though that might be optimistic. I'll service the propshafts and take them to the propshaft balancing dudes down the road to make sure they're alright before I put them back.
There's oil crusted all over the front diff, and the front prop shaft is not attached, which screams "there is a big problem here". So if we can't do it ourselves, we'll take it to the differential specialists in our industrial complex. The air cleaner isn't sealing against the carb- which is also not great news, but it is a Weber, which is glimmer of good news. We'll fabricate a gasket/bracket to seal the air cleaner. The radiator either has to be replaced or modified because its been banged around a bit, and I will look at fabricating a cowling for the fan (which I'm sure everyone will be interested in seeing). There's a free flow exhaust on the RPG, but the whole system has not been secured to the connection clasps, so it rattles like hell. The front left wheel bearing is loose and noisy- although it doesn't catch- so we'll take a look at that. The wiring is also a mess: no brake lights and right back indicator, and the main beam on the left front headlamp doesn't work- but that's minor.
I have a (little) bit of money to throw at this in the next two weeks, but I'll be looking to do as much of the work without going to expensive agents etc. I'm only frightened at where I'll find the time to do this. My wife is understanding, but she's not had to share me with something like this!
I'll post some photos by Wed.
Fight the good fight kids, and brush your teeth twice a day.
Later Darryn.
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Post by danie on Mar 29, 2010 5:47:39 GMT 2
Good luck Darryn - keep us posted. Regards Danie.................
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Post by ronnie on Mar 29, 2010 9:10:55 GMT 2
Hi Darryn.
Congratulations I am sure this will keep you out of trouble for a while. Enjoy it and look forward to your first real run after your hard work.
Regards
Ronnie
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Hercules
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
Lada - your peace of mind to take on the world's vast landscapes.
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Post by Hercules on Mar 29, 2010 18:41:32 GMT 2
Hi Darren.
Thanks for the short visit and all the best with the repairs. Hope to see the RPG7 on the road in a short time. Enjoy the Lada.
Regards.
Hercules.
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darryn
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot
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Post by darryn on Mar 29, 2010 21:43:11 GMT 2
Here she is. A bit stricken right now, but will rise from the ashes soon.
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Post by danie on Mar 30, 2010 6:19:35 GMT 2
Nice !
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Post by hotstuff on Mar 30, 2010 9:15:00 GMT 2
you go boy have fun...holla if you need a part or 2
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Post by ronnie on Mar 30, 2010 9:16:55 GMT 2
Hi Daryn
Looks good. I see it has the quarter light windows that people want.
Regards
Ronnie
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darryn
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot
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Post by darryn on Mar 30, 2010 21:37:35 GMT 2
Yep, those little windows come in handy- especially since the window winder on the driver's side is "klaar".
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Post by ronnie on Mar 31, 2010 16:55:08 GMT 2
Hi Darryn
Depending on what is wrong with your winder you also will be involved in the nightmare job of fitting an after market modification. You will find window winders in technical.Strangely enough after fighting with mine for hours and days it has surprised me by working nicely.
Regards
Ronnie
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darryn
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Post by darryn on Apr 5, 2010 17:37:15 GMT 2
Well, I stripped the whole inside and fiddled in the engine over the weekend. Thank God Joe was there because he noticed something on the Timing chain when we were adjusting the valve clearances (which were all over the place). Take a look at the attached image. If that link pin slipped out and got caught on the cam bearing housing, there would have been tears. So there was not much I could do in the engine from friday, so I just spent the rest of the time stripping the inside. You will not believe the mess. Some doos worked on this car and oil ran into the car from the gear lever openings (I think). So the under-felt was soaked with oil. I also found two mouse nests- and mouse poo behind the footwell side covers. Lovely. Recovering and re-upholstering the inside should be another weekend's work. This week I will have to get another timing chain and then refit the radiator etc. Any ideas where I could get a chain? I'll ask Jan, but I'm not looking forward to hearing how much he'll charge me. I'm also going to modify the bottom tracks of the driver seat (my legs are too long- I can't get my feet out of the door easily even when the seat is as far back as possible), and reinforce the back of the seat. It quite scary just how flimsy the seats are. But, I'll just weld some steel strips on (with arc- mig is for sissies). I'll attach more pics. Be good- you never know who's watching. Later.
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darryn
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Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot
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Post by darryn on Apr 5, 2010 17:48:58 GMT 2
Before
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darryn
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Post by darryn on Apr 5, 2010 17:49:41 GMT 2
After
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darryn
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot
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Post by darryn on Apr 5, 2010 17:51:29 GMT 2
Grossness
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Post by ronnie on Apr 5, 2010 18:39:52 GMT 2
Hi Darryn Looks like you have plenty work ahead .But as I said before it will keep you out of trouble. Would it be a good bet that the link for the chain now resides in the sump?. I did`nt have a problem with oil in the under felt, as 80% of it was missing. And this was an expensive 'Rebuilt ' Lada. I have renewed all the felt and carpeted from back to front. ( will post photo shortly). This has made an enormous difference to the noise inside. Dannie will be home shortly and may know where to get a timing chain cheaper. though I would expect this to be Agent only,and their prices are terrible. Enjoy your project. Regards Ronnie
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Hercules
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Lada - your peace of mind to take on the world's vast landscapes.
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Post by Hercules on Apr 5, 2010 19:43:23 GMT 2
Hi Darryn.
The chain on your Lada is a aftermarket chain or somebody split the original chain and fit a masterlink. The original russion chain is solid and con not split. Take the master link to a spare part dealer to match the link or the whole chain and match it with an aftermarket chain, or an original chain from Jan at a price.
Good luck with the rebuild.
Regards.
Hercules
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Post by danie on Apr 5, 2010 19:59:25 GMT 2
Hi Darryn Another option , (while you seem to have removed the front diff already) is to remove the engine sump, and to look for the missing bits of the master link. I think Ronnie is correct - the missing bits should still be there.
If you do remove the sump, it might be worthwhile to have a proper look at the oil pump sieve - it probably needs some cleaning, like in my Lada's case.........
Hercules is correct - the original chain is solid, and does not have a master link.
Regards
Danie
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darryn
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Ruchnoy Protivotankovyy Granatomyot
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Post by darryn on Apr 5, 2010 21:00:50 GMT 2
Good options all round- thanks guys.
I still haven't taken the front diff off yet, but will do that next weekend with my dad. The lever for locking the diff on the transfer box will not budge- no play at all. I'm pretty sure the lever is in the locked position. Is this because the front prop shaft has been removed or can I assume that it's up the pole? I don't want to force this lever, but on the occasions I've tried, I've tilted the entire T/C forward.
Is it better to just remove the whole engine to take the sump off- or should I just put it on jacks and work underneath? I like the idea of cleaning the oil sieve, as I'm pretty sure this will be necessary.
Thanks guys. And yes, I've stayed so far away from trouble that my wife is starting to complain (already!).
Laters.
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Post by danie on Apr 6, 2010 18:39:59 GMT 2
Hi Darryn I assume your Lada has been used while the front propshaft had been removed - that means that the shortest gear lever on the Tranfer Box had to be engaged in the "Lock" (rear) position.
If the short gear lever was in the "Unlock" (front) position, while the prop shaft had been removed, one would not be able to drive the car - the front outlet shaft on the transfer box would just be spinning freely, and the rear outlet shaft would not be turning to move the rear wheels.
You should be able to Lock / Unlock the short gear lever quite easily - sounds like if there is a problem with the Transfer Box. I never experienced a problem like this before, so unfortunately I cannot give advice in this regard.
By looking at the pics I thought that the diff and side shafts have been removed already - in which case I think it should be possible to remove the engine sump as well. Although I can't think why this could not be done, I must admit - I haven't tried this before myself.
If you decide to try to remove the sump without removing the engine, I don't think you need any jacks - the front engine mountings, as well as the mounting at the back end of the gearbox should keep everything in place.
Regards
Danie
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Post by marius on Apr 6, 2010 20:00:50 GMT 2
Hi Darryn Nice thing about a site like this is all the good advice that you can get from people that have a passion for this great little car - or in your case RPG I'm sure you are passionate enough about this car to take real good care of it - the Niva deserves it! Try to disengage the lock - with the clutch - while the car is moving at slow speed. In your case it might be difficult It will not disengage when parked. From the pic it looks like the lock is bend towards the driver - but it's probably an optical illusion. Hope it helps. What make and size are the tires?
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Post by danie on Apr 6, 2010 20:38:34 GMT 2
Hi Marius In my Lada's case, there is no need to move the car to engage / disengage the Transfer Lock - the gear lever moves backward / forwards quite easily when parked. I've also got a spare transfer Box, and the gear lever can be engaged / disengaged easily as well, without moving the driving shafts.
I must admit though, I've never used the spare Transfer Box on my Lada - so I do not know whether it is faulty or not.
And I must admit - although I do not have any problems with my Lada's Transfer Box, I assumed that it is "normal" to engage / disengage the Transfer Lock when the car is parked. Perhaps my Lada's Transfer Box is not "normal' - I am not 100% sure !
Regards
Danie
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Post by ronnie on Apr 6, 2010 20:49:10 GMT 2
Hi Danie
I can confirm what you say, stationary or moving locks straight away.
Regards
Ronnie
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darryn
Veteran Niva Petrol Head
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Post by darryn on Apr 6, 2010 21:12:35 GMT 2
I think I'll just have to get a second T/C and then strip the current one to see WTF is going on. First I'm going to fix the inside (do the cheaper stuff first) and hopefully by next week I'll have the money to tackle the power train with no reservations- and have a running engine will help. I'm thinking that maybe I should just fab a makeshift collet and clips to keep this link from sliding around for the meantime. Here's the new logo for the car- Colour more accurate this time.
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Post by marius on Apr 7, 2010 8:11:03 GMT 2
Hi Danie/Ronnie I find that I can engage quite easily when parked - but to disengage I must be on the move. I must admit that I hardly ever need to use it so it is still quite stiff. I can probably force it to disengage while parked - but I'm not going to try. I guess you guys are off-roading more With all the rain the farm road is constantly flooded with deep pools - no problem - so far. Darryl - the transfer box is supposed to be rock solid. I would rather open up the current one without wasting money on a second one. The problem might be something small. I'm still wondering about the "bent" lock?
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Post by danie on Apr 7, 2010 17:45:09 GMT 2
Hi Marius
Somewhere in the past it has been mentioned at another website that both gearleavers on the Transfer Box should be engaged / disengaged every now and then - even if not needed. Apparently this will prevent possible problems - unfortunately I do not have more information to be more specific.
So I do use the different gearlevers quite often - but I never engage / disengage anything while the car is moving. Not sure if this a better way of using the Transfer Box - just a habbit........
Regards
Danie
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