The £650 Puma

[The Arch Bishop]

The exhaust was a standard Ford one from a very low mileage Puma and in great condition, so no change in tone.

The Eibachs were too hard for me - they also made the car bottom out on the worst roads around here and the car was a total fidget on anything other than totally smooth roads (around here, there are no smooth roads), made it almost impossible to remove the spare tyre, wore the inside of the front tyres even after tracking due to the additional camber and didn't add much to the driving experience. Also meant that I had to jack the car up to do an oil change. Just not for me! The one advantage was that they improved the look of the car, but as I spend most of the time inside it - totally not worth it.

The KYBs are not uprated, just good quality replacements. They are gas as opposed to oil (not sure you can get oil dampers any more anyway) but they don't claim to be uprated in any way.

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

If I may jump in, Arch Bishop you wouldn't mind? Regarding the Eibach springs I have done some thorough investigating and have come to the following conclusions. They drop the car about 3 cms and they are progressive (meaning their spring rate is not linear; at the start of their compression they are softer and as they compress more the stiffer they get) to maintain similar sort of comfort.
The same goes on for the shocks; they are also not linear and they tend to be very slow on damping at very start of their travel and as they get compressed the damping increases.
Now, when you put on eibachs, you have (sort of) compressed state (by 3 cms) to start with and there the shocks are already fast in damping (hard as people tend to call it) and your ride is not comfortable anymore.
Eibach recommends the Bilstein B8 dampers to be used with their springs. Having done a research I have found out that the B8 is essentially B6 with shortened rod to go with the lowered stance of the car when eibachs are installed. That way the dampers start working in their comfortable zone and the comfort is not greatly reduced.
The only thing is who is willing to pay for the eibachs and the bilsteins?

 

[The Arch Bishop]

No worries - very interesting!

Another variable in this is the stiffness of tyre sidewalls. I'm on Falken 912's (which are getting on a bit) which have a very hard sidewall - great for direction changes and steering feel but not great for ride comfort.

The trick it seems is getting the right combination of springs, dampers and tyres. Potentially an expensive exercise!

There's also what you'll put up with as well!

 

[The Arch Bishop]

I probably better update this thread as Jegger's been in constant use in the last few weeks.

After I replaced the knackered suspension arm, I booked the tracking in to be done at the ever-efficient Lavender Motors in Haywards Heath. 20 mins and it was done. Steering wheel now straight and the last of the understeer has been eliminated. I think it's the fist time the car has been absolutely perfectly set up in the 4+ years I've had it and it's goooood!

So good in fact, that I haven't driven anything else since! The Recaros are still superb (and I'm not sliding around in them at all as some warned - this may point to me needing to go on a diet), the car goes in a straight line and the fuel economy is good, so the Subaru, superb as it is, has spent two weeks moping on the driveway.

The only work I've done is to fix an annoyance which was with the locking button on the key fob. I stripped the key down and placed some thick tape on the underside of the buttons where they contact the microswitches. Bit of trial and error and the button now works every time rather than me standing outside of the car furiously pointing and pressing until it decided to lurch into action. The range on it is still only about 3 ft, but it's an early infared set up rather than the fancy three button radio setup.

I have a pack of door clips coming as I lost some due to the replacement of the interior door panels and there's some rattling going on. Can't stand trim rattle!

Next on the list will be a cambelt change (at last) complete with water pump.

After that, I'm going to start on some of the cosmetics - rear brake drums need a paint and the fronts to match - I'll be going for OE colour). I may even splash out and go for a ST150 brake set up on the front as I believe you just need a 3mm spacer to clear a set of prop alloys.

Also some bits and bobs to do in the interior, mostly getting the carpets to stay put between the door and the footwell.

Nothing major other than that planned - hopefully enjoying the car rather than last year where it spent the Summer on axle stands!

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Bit more tinkering today. Started off with removing the front and rear door trims. I'd had to rush through it when I swapped the interior from NAX due to lack of time meaning that there were lots of rattles from the trim clips. Rattles have a subliminal effect making the ride sound harsh when it's not. I'd bought a load of both types of trim clips and swapped all of the broken and missing ones and also padded where they sit in the trim with masking tape. Back together and much better.

Also managed a quick wash as Jegger's been used solidly over the last week and was caked in crud.

Also this weekend, NAX's owner, TheWiltAlternative on here (but also my neighbour) asked me to take a spin as the handling was 'a bit schizophrenic'. I'd call it terrifying. Basically the nearside front shock has completely failed meaning that the slightest bump sets that corner of the car bouncing off to the verge. I turned around at the first opportunity. Anything over 45mph was death trap territory!

Still, what I did learn is that Jegeer is about 20bhp down on NAX who feels rapid. Jegger feels like the aircon's been left on... Flat is the best way of putting it. Investigation required!

 

[XAF]

Schoolboy error there AB - you'd have been happy had you not have driven NAX!

Barry who has the 32k red one on here said I could have blast in his to see what a difference the ST170 brakes have. I'm more worried that it will make mine feel slow and as precise as a lump hammer being used for sewing!!!

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Or, on the other hand, you may find the brake to hard for your liking and feel your's is just the way it should be :wink:

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Schoolboy indeed! :lol:

I had a suspicion I was down on power already (although I thought it may have been a mind trick after driving the boosty Subaru) so this confirmed it.

It's been 4 years since I did the plugs and I've never changed the fuel filter so I'll start with the basics first. The engine sounds fit - it doesn't hunt or idle strangely - just feels a bit strangled.

 

[XAF]

Or, on the other hand, you may find the brake to hard for your liking and feel your's is just the way it should be :wink:

Ha, ha! Too late, it's getting the rear disc conversion for looks rather than performance as soon as I get all the bits together!!

 

[XAF]

Schoolboy indeed! :lol:

I had a suspicion I was down on power already (although I thought it may have been a mind trick after driving the boosty Subaru) so this confirmed it.

It's been 4 years since I did the plugs and I've never changed the fuel filter so I'll start with the basics first. The engine sounds fit - it doesn't hunt or idle strangely - just feels a bit strangled.

Good place to start with plugs and filter, I know what you mean after driving a different car for a while too. My daily is a Golf R, I got back in the Puma and thought there was something terminally wrong with it for a while!

 

[748]

Ha, ha! Too late, it's getting the rear disc conversion for looks rather than performance as soon as I get all the bits together!!

Got to agree with this. Rear discs just look so much better, and maintenance is easier too.

Archbishop, is there a chance that the lack of power could be due to a badly timed up cam belt?
Apparently if it's not done correctly they will run with no symptoms other than low power.
Paul

 

[The Arch Bishop]

I don't think so no. It's been running find for donkey's years and it used to have similar levels of grunt as the other Puma I drove. I'm going to do the service items first and go from there. I've only done minor services for the last few years as I've not done much mileage, but it could well be due new plugs at least. Either that or I have a binding calliper or something. I'm pretty sure it's nothing major.

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Boo...inevitable with an old car, but this happened at Tesco's tonight;

Would fire but splutter and die soon after. Called the RAC who arrived 10 mins later (!) and found that the fuel pump fuse had blown again. Replaced and was on my way after the quickest breakdown I've ever had!

I need this issue sorting out so I'll be trying the fuel filter first. It looks ancient so if it's blocked (and I suspect it is) it could explain the lack of power and the fuse blowing (basically putting strain on the pump while priming).

So that's this weekend then!

 

[Skippy]

That sounds plausible as a cause. At least fuel filters are an easy job. I hope it does sort it.

 

[Wild E. Coyote]

Same here! It would be nice that Jagger flies as it is supposed to!

 

[The Arch Bishop]

Actually, I got of my rear and swapped the filter this evening. No change to the power other than the usual placebo effect of changing old parts, but the one that came off was pretty claggy.

I'll see how the pump fairs before I change it, but I suspect it'll go again.

Service next though with new plugs. Should perk him up a bit! :lol:

 

[XAF]

If Puma's were made by Alfa, they'd call this Italian character!!

 

[TGPlayer1]

I had a similar problem after putting stale fuel in the tank. It basically gummed up the pump to engine pipe and blocked it, so I blew down it with an air line and it fixed it, after blowing about 6 fuses and scratching the entirety of my head off.

 

[The Arch Bishop]

It's spent plenty of time being inactive for stretches of up to six months, but I've been using it every day for 3 weeks which is why I was surprised when it blew just after I parked up. I still reckon I'll end up having to replace the pump, but we'll see!

I've got a stack of fuses in the glovebox after the last time it blew, so it was a bit of a rookie error not to check that first yesterday, but it keeps the RAC men in work I guess!

 

[Skippy]

How much fuel was in the tank when it went? Could it have been bottom-of-the-tank gunk getting out of the tank? Would it be worth putting some 'posh' petrol through abd keeping him/her fairly full for a while?