406oc.co.uk

Howdy all!

Replaced the current silver 406 with a regency red 406. 164k miles, drives beautifully, looks fantastic. I'm delighted

It isn't without it's problems (what car is? How boring that would be!) but they're minor and relatively easy to fix.....

So what's wrong with it?

• Fuel flap not opening
• Airbag light flashing
• Damp inside
• Broken foglight
• Water filled tail lights
• Clonking from the front
• A small bit wobbly behind
• A few dents

And a knackered turbo

However, I do have some other plans for it when it's running and finances permit:

• Projector lights
• Lowering
• An unusual set of wheels
• T25
• A custom pump

And hopefully leave it at that

But enough yap, time for pictures

Starting with a walk around of the car




The foglight damage


Interior



And the boot


Needs a slight clean!

Always nice to see a near full toolkit


Tail lights filled with water


So the first fix was the gaiter ad ashtray, which was sticking



Now with an ashwood ashtray


Now, to sort the back out


No point flutein' around with torx bits and vortex sockets, vice grips and impact socket


And in no time, it's off


They needed changing and are a help when changing the link rods (I found anyway)


Time for an allen bit and vortex sockets...


Then onto the eccentric bolt... No room and no room


Didn't want to come out, so swung it round and out it popped


Out with a new one



Clean the bolt, nut and washer then apply copper grease


And the whole lot flew on


One side done


To the other side, thought this looked odd...


Yep, broken drop link


Cable tied to the arb


I got them out though



The link on that side didn't want to play ball!


Alas, same procedure as the other side and all on. Just needs tracking!

Onto the tail lights


Lack of


New(ish) ones


Last for now is the foglights


Beyond economic use!


And painted the other side yellow


A bit done, plenty more to do

Looks alright that mate,

Re: the projector lights, are you making your own, ?

Good stuff, always nice to see D8s being restored

Fuel flap - search on here. There's a very neat trick with a clothes peg that will sort this out.
Airbag light - check wiring and connectors under the front seats for the seatbelt pretensioners. These are the cause of airbag problems 99% of the time. You'll often find that the wire has been rubbing on something and has abraded.

What a lot of mud

Lovely colour -- one of my favourites. Nice interior too -- give or take the mud

How were the links to get off? Aren't they usually rusted on solid?

Where are you jacking? I read that trolley jack on the sills is naughty.

iused to use the Tow bar as ajacking point on the 1st 406 ihad,

yeah the sills are very crush-able, altho tyre fitters dont seem to think so,

Cheers for the replies!

lozz wrote:Looks alright that mate,

Re: the projector lights, are you making your own, ?

I am indeed, now have 3 sets of headlights to play with!

I saw this one and said I must get a set made up!

jonsowman wrote:Good stuff, always nice to see D8s being restored

Fuel flap - search on here. There's a very neat trick with a clothes peg that will sort this out.
Airbag light - check wiring and connectors under the front seats for the seatbelt pretensioners. These are the cause of airbag problems 99% of the time. You'll often find that the wire has been rubbing on something and has abraded.

I prefer the look of the D8 and the IDI setup

I had a similar problem with the other silver car, I just swapped modules and problem solved! However, the seats are coming out (I prefer the other seats with the lumbar support) so will check them out then

As for the clothes peg trick, I'll have a gander for it in a bit, cheers!

rwb wrote:What a lot of mud

Lovely colour -- one of my favourites. Nice interior too -- give or take the mud

How were the links to get off? Aren't they usually rusted on solid?

Where are you jacking? I read that trolley jack on the sills is naughty.

I was opting out for China blue (and still want one!) however this shade of red (regency red I believe) suits the car, hopefully staying wit me for a while

One side was alright to take off, the other side was a pig, I had to get out the grinder, not much room for error!

Twas jacking under the rear arms, it would be a crime to jack the sills, they're almost unmarked

lozz wrote:iused to use the Tow bar as ajacking point on the 1st 406 ihad,

yeah the sills are very crush-able, altho tyre fitters dont seem to think so,

I've done that too with the other car....

See now mine is supposed to be regency red and they look completely different!

What's the paint code on yours (passenger side suspension turret)?

What head lights are you using for the inside's. ?

imight make some for the 306, ive,been looking at some Fiat (polys) for the inside's.

jonsowman wrote:See now mine is supposed to be regency red and they look completely different!

What's the paint code on yours (passenger side suspension turret)?

EKZ, Vulcan Red! Last time I listen to that so called expert

lozz wrote:What head lights are you using for the inside's. ?

imight make some for the 306, ive,been looking at some Fiat (polys) for the inside's.

I'm going to try a set of E34 lights, I conveniently have a set brutalised already

I've dismantled Marea poly's before, bit of an arse of a job.... Take H1's btw

dgt wrote:
EKZ, Vulcan Red! Last time I listen to that so called expert

Ah that makes more sense. Vulcan is a lovely colour

Yeah thats the ones iwas thinking of, The fiat nightmare polyelepticals
thanks for the tip, iwill leave them alone then,

Whats with the clear lights,is that a regular light milky plastic only really good cleaned or something else?
Really good 406

dgt wrote:Cheers for the replies!

lozz wrote:Looks alright that mate,

Re: the projector lights, are you making your own, ?

I am indeed, now have 3 sets of headlights to play with!

I saw this one and said I must get a set made up!

I want to know how he put Merc AMG alloys on that car. Been wanting to to that for ages to my D9.

JD406 wrote: I want to know how he put Merc AMG alloys on that car. Been wanting to to that for ages to my D9.

That's on the cards if I can afford to get the hub adapters made up, hence the unusual set of wheels I have lined up, Merc E class wheels

More stuff done today!

These look like they've never been changed


Better


The mirror was broken, so off with the glass


Pull this one out of nowhere


Looks better!


Rebuilt the flap too, using the silver back from he other car and a clothes peg spring. Works a treat


After checking the main plug for the heater fan, I decided to have a gander at the switch itself


And lose the radio in the process


Contacts were ok... Next time it's the resistor or fan to look at...


All assembled, minus that convenient phone pocket, where an MFD will reside in due time


Then a bit of a disaster changing a side light: the tab broke


At least I have lamps to play with...


All over this!!!


Plenty more to do

The other car is officially retired early, due to the power steering pump again. I can't be bothered!

So onto the replacement, I must press on asap... Starting with the headlights again. More pics and less yap from me!


Needs refinement


Turbo time



And off


Tis a KKK K14. Comparing it to another KKK from a van...


Cleaned up


EGR clean




This curse of a clip!


Xanti-fold


Yes, I know it's the same, I just wanted to say Xanti-fold

Mankey


But I got it cleaned


Clip



Cleaning the oil lines




And union


Onto the car





Filthy


Eventually



Looks bad


Sounds worse!

I took it apart to see why it broke



Scoring






Yep, snapped in the middle!

Removing a ball joint some muppet ruined!






Disgraceful

Cleaning up..


Better


And using the proper tool, not a chisel!


Well, to stake anyway...


Shield


Greased up



Better


Lamp


No word on gaskets, had to make my own




Refitting the whole lot


Spacers


Life savers :p


Old and new



Clean up



Oil feed pipe.... An arse to fit!


But fitted


Exhaust



Mounts


Split actuator pipe


ECU


Almost there...


Just the other side...


Finally for now...



Just track rods and drop links to fit. Then hopefully happy motoring for me once I sort the other niggly bits