Now that is a surprise.
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Nomad
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Update for the parts prices (mate didn’t find any racks in breakers)
New steering rack £210
New “rack repair kit” (arm with knuckle) £10
gaiters are extra. Both ends need fixing so 2 kits needed..
New clutch slave £80
Now I need to pull bits off the car, it would be great if I can fix it with a pair of £10 knuckles + a new O-ring on the slave pipe…
Todays questions - is slop at the end of the rack likely to be wear on the rack teeth / bushes or will a new knuckle fix it??
Some tutorials say you can split the engine & box far enough to change the clutch slave without removing from the car. Anyone done this?
Never a dull day
New steering rack £210
New “rack repair kit” (arm with knuckle) £10
gaiters are extra. Both ends need fixing so 2 kits needed..New clutch slave £80
Now I need to pull bits off the car, it would be great if I can fix it with a pair of £10 knuckles + a new O-ring on the slave pipe…
Todays questions - is slop at the end of the rack likely to be wear on the rack teeth / bushes or will a new knuckle fix it??
Some tutorials say you can split the engine & box far enough to change the clutch slave without removing from the car. Anyone done this?
Never a dull day
Smallfry
HE's Spartacus.
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If the bushes in the end of the rack are worn, then no. I saw a NOS rack assy on eBay a couple of months ago for £30. I forgot about it, so didn't bid.
I am told you can do this with the clutch, but its very difficult by the looks of it. You certainly cannot drop the gearbox without removing the subframe, but then again it will be easy to change the steering rack, easiest way is to remove the headlights, front bumper, crash bar and radiato, LH driveshaft. Easy to get at everything then.
Reverse bleeding the clutch works better.
I am told you can do this with the clutch, but its very difficult by the looks of it. You certainly cannot drop the gearbox without removing the subframe, but then again it will be easy to change the steering rack, easiest way is to remove the headlights, front bumper, crash bar and radiato, LH driveshaft. Easy to get at everything then.
Reverse bleeding the clutch works better.
Nomad
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I put the car up on ramps, the bushes in the steering rack are shot so it needs a complete rack not just knuckles
Guides online (and me peering under the bonnet & from below) makes me think there's an 80% chance I should be able to split the engine & box without needing to lift them out of the engine bay. I've changed a Lancia Beta clutch before by splitting the unit and pushing the box sideways several inches.
I'm hoping I can do the same here - I've had practice on the Lancia so my target this time is less skinned knuckles than last time
The good news is the steering rack and the gearbox both need the back of the subframe dropped so at least I only need 1 dismantling session then I can do both jobs. It's a small positive but I'll take any good news at present.
Once the engine & box are split I can see what the clutch needs - it's either a new slave cylinder £££ or a new "O" ring (7p + vat). Place your bets now
The way this project is going I'm expecting change from £100 rather than change from £1
Reverse bleeding the clutch is something I've seen mentioned, The fluid reservoir on this is shared between brake & clutch so I'll try something that has been suggested. Connect the front left brake calliper bleed nipple to the clutch bleed nipple using a piece of hose, open both nipples and pump the brakes (so fluid from the brakes feeds the clutch in reverse) until the return fluid has no air bubbles. Bonkers !
Looking to see what I need to disconnect got me to the gearchange linkage. The linkage now has worn / missing bushes but is currently working quite nicely using a mix of cableties and girls elasticated hairbands. I have a spare set of VW Golf2 gearchange bushes that look similar so watch this space for a DIY guide on fitting Golf bushes to a Corsa. Cableties *will* be included, girls hairbands might might not... if I feel the urge I might also re-pin the worn UJ linkage connecting the gearlever to the box...
In other news, this is now in the slot that has just been vacated by a Renault Espace - I didn't realise how HUGE the Espace is ! With the Combo (Corsa van) I can walk around and have elbow room to work on all 4 corners. The Espace was parked tight against the side wall and the "workable" side was where the "workable" side of the Combo is
Guides online (and me peering under the bonnet & from below) makes me think there's an 80% chance I should be able to split the engine & box without needing to lift them out of the engine bay. I've changed a Lancia Beta clutch before by splitting the unit and pushing the box sideways several inches.
I'm hoping I can do the same here - I've had practice on the Lancia so my target this time is less skinned knuckles than last time
The good news is the steering rack and the gearbox both need the back of the subframe dropped so at least I only need 1 dismantling session then I can do both jobs. It's a small positive but I'll take any good news at present.
Once the engine & box are split I can see what the clutch needs - it's either a new slave cylinder £££ or a new "O" ring (7p + vat). Place your bets now
The way this project is going I'm expecting change from £100 rather than change from £1
Reverse bleeding the clutch is something I've seen mentioned, The fluid reservoir on this is shared between brake & clutch so I'll try something that has been suggested. Connect the front left brake calliper bleed nipple to the clutch bleed nipple using a piece of hose, open both nipples and pump the brakes (so fluid from the brakes feeds the clutch in reverse) until the return fluid has no air bubbles. Bonkers !
Looking to see what I need to disconnect got me to the gearchange linkage. The linkage now has worn / missing bushes but is currently working quite nicely using a mix of cableties and girls elasticated hairbands. I have a spare set of VW Golf2 gearchange bushes that look similar so watch this space for a DIY guide on fitting Golf bushes to a Corsa. Cableties *will* be included, girls hairbands might might not... if I feel the urge I might also re-pin the worn UJ linkage connecting the gearlever to the box...
In other news, this is now in the slot that has just been vacated by a Renault Espace - I didn't realise how HUGE the Espace is ! With the Combo (Corsa van) I can walk around and have elbow room to work on all 4 corners. The Espace was parked tight against the side wall and the "workable" side was where the "workable" side of the Combo is
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If you need to do the rack, just drop the complete subframe. It'll make things much easier, and isn't that many extra bolts to remove.
From memory, bumper support (if it's still attached!), tie the radiator up so it doesn't drop out, pop the bottom ball joints out the hubs, steering column off (make sure the wheels are central, and put the steering lock on), you can either try and get the roll bar D-bush clamps off as you drop the subframe, or take the drop links off (chances are the nuts won't come off, but new droplinks aren't that expensive if you need to cut them), remove front and rear engine stabiliser links, and I think it's only 4 bolts that hold the subframe on (you want to try and get some release oil onto the bolts/captive nuts, as I have had them spin). Also mark the subframe location before you slacken the bolts, as it's designed to have quite a bit of movement for alignment purposes, so you want to get it back to where it was.
If you've not got the luxury of a two post ramp, it'll probably be worth taking the complete NS strut/hub assembly off as well, just to give a bit more room for access.
Something to note, is the front engine stabiliser mount will appear to have separated. That's how they are. Even when new, they're only held together with a thin bit of the rubber.
Early gear linkages were rubbish, and were uprated within a couple years of production.
If you're planning on keeping it for a while, a new linkage isn't that expensive - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall...-linkage-Repair-Kit-93183155-New/183871889191
From memory, bumper support (if it's still attached!), tie the radiator up so it doesn't drop out, pop the bottom ball joints out the hubs, steering column off (make sure the wheels are central, and put the steering lock on), you can either try and get the roll bar D-bush clamps off as you drop the subframe, or take the drop links off (chances are the nuts won't come off, but new droplinks aren't that expensive if you need to cut them), remove front and rear engine stabiliser links, and I think it's only 4 bolts that hold the subframe on (you want to try and get some release oil onto the bolts/captive nuts, as I have had them spin). Also mark the subframe location before you slacken the bolts, as it's designed to have quite a bit of movement for alignment purposes, so you want to get it back to where it was.
If you've not got the luxury of a two post ramp, it'll probably be worth taking the complete NS strut/hub assembly off as well, just to give a bit more room for access.
Something to note, is the front engine stabiliser mount will appear to have separated. That's how they are. Even when new, they're only held together with a thin bit of the rubber.
Early gear linkages were rubbish, and were uprated within a couple years of production.
If you're planning on keeping it for a while, a new linkage isn't that expensive - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Vauxhall...-linkage-Repair-Kit-93183155-New/183871889191
Smallfry
HE's Spartacus.
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I like making it easy on myself these days, I don't like grovelling around underneath and struggling, hence taking the front end off. Does involve disconnecting everything, but its not that difficult. It is a bit time consuming the first time you do it though, when some screws and fixings are rusted up, and need replacing.I put the car up on ramps, the bushes in the steering rack are shot so it needs a complete rack not just knuckles
Guides online (and me peering under the bonnet & from below) makes me think there's an 80% chance I should be able to split the engine & box without needing to lift them out of the engine bay. I've changed a Lancia Beta clutch before by splitting the unit and pushing the box sideways several inches.
I'm hoping I can do the same here - I've had practice on the Lancia so less skinned knuckles than last time would be good news
The good news is the steering rack and the gearbox both need the back of the subframe dropped so at least I only need 1 dismantling session then I can do both jobs. It's a small positive but I'll take any good news at present.
Once the engine & box are split I can see what the clutch needs - it's either a new slave cylinder £££ or a new "O" ring (7p + vat). Place your bets now
The way this project is going I'm expecting change from £100 rather than change from £1
Reverse bleeding the clutch is something I've seen mentioned, The fluid reservoir on this is shared between brake & clutch so I'll try something that has been suggested. Connect the front left brake calliper bleed nipple to the clutch bleed nipple using a piece of hose, open both nipples and pump the brakes (so fluid from the brakes feeds the clutch in reverse) until the return fluid has no air bubbles. Bonkers !
Looking to see what I need to disconnect got me to the gearchange linkage. The linkage now has worn / missing bushes but is currently working quite nicely using a mix of cableties and girls elasticated hairbands. I have a spare set of VW Golf2 gearchange bushes that look similar so watch this space for a DIY guide on fitting Golf bushes to a Corsa. Cableties *will* be included, girls hairbands might might not... if I feel the urge I might also re-pin the worn UJ linkage connecting the gearlever to the box...
In other news, this is now in the slot that has just been vacated by a Renault Espace - I didn't realise how HUGE the Espace is ! With the Combo (Corsa van) I can walk around and have elbow room to work on all 4 corners. The Espace was parked tight against the side wall and the "workable" side was where the "workable" side of the Combo is
I do the same with my Renault Master, and I can get the front end off of both of them in 15 minutes now. The Combo will need an engine crane, and room at the front to move the engine and box forward and turned through 90 degrees to get it out (forgot the bonnet slam panel has to come off too) Anyway, its all up to you.
The gearchange linkage will need resetting, but that is really easy, and it really is worth renewing the spring pins. Makes a lot of difference to the change. I have got a few good relay lever assys, if you need one.
I have had several other Vauxhalls with the Y17DT and F17 gearbox, and I have never had a release bearing fail. The fluid pipes are held together with hairclip type things, and if they have not been fixed correctly, could come off, so you might be lucky. Still a bummer though to do all that work just for that, and a O ring. The pressure plate fingers seem to wear out before the friction disc does.
Nomad
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Steering rack info - worn bushes are repairable using Vauxhall / Opel kit 93190161
Random link showing the parts https://www.buycarparts.co.uk/opel/corsa-c-f08-f68/14910/10702/repair-kit-steering-gear
The repair is a DIY job and can be done without removing the rack
(no info if a rack needs 2 identical kits or if the kits are "handed")...
DIY guide for fitting the repair kit - posted by user Larcs Workshop
Doh! Wish I'd found that video before I removed my rack, now I need to decided if I take the easy option and buy a new rack or if I buy 2x kits and 2x rack gaiters and the a DIY repair...
Next on the to-do list is to split the engine from the box and see what the clutch release needs...
Random link showing the parts https://www.buycarparts.co.uk/opel/corsa-c-f08-f68/14910/10702/repair-kit-steering-gear
The repair is a DIY job and can be done without removing the rack
(no info if a rack needs 2 identical kits or if the kits are "handed")...
DIY guide for fitting the repair kit - posted by user Larcs Workshop
Doh! Wish I'd found that video before I removed my rack, now I need to decided if I take the easy option and buy a new rack or if I buy 2x kits and 2x rack gaiters and the a DIY repair...
Next on the to-do list is to split the engine from the box and see what the clutch release needs...
Nomad
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- North Devon (for how long?)
More oddness found. The bolts holding the clutch slave look new, the concentric slave looks very good but the release bearing doesn’t 
I see fluid everywhere but not sure if the stuff at the top has dripped down or been sprayed up .. so I still don’t know what needs fixing. I’ll ask a mate to help, not wanting to buy a new cylinder if it’s just an O ring..
Rear of subframe dropped, box unbolted from engine and slid sideways far enough to do the work Engine is still in place and connected
I see fluid everywhere but not sure if the stuff at the top has dripped down or been sprayed up .. so I still don’t know what needs fixing. I’ll ask a mate to help, not wanting to buy a new cylinder if it’s just an O ring..
Rear of subframe dropped, box unbolted from engine and slid sideways far enough to do the work Engine is still in place and connected
Smallfry
HE's Spartacus.
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Well done. How many miles has this thing done ? That is definitely not an original slave cylinder. The orignials back then had an aluminium body, and a green plastic concertina sleeve over the spring. Check the O ring in the top, and check the body for cracks.More oddness found. The bolts holding the clutch slave look new, the concentric slave looks very good but the release bearing doesn’t
I see fluid everywhere but not sure if the stuff at the top has dripped down or been sprayed up .. so I still don’t know what needs fixing. I’ll ask a mate to help, not wanting to buy a new cylinder if it’s just an O ring..
View attachment 504941
Rear of subframe dropped, box unbolted from engine and slid sideways far enough to do the work Engine is still in place and connected
Interesting about the repair kit for the steering rack. I shall keep that info, just in case.
