Pre service inspection

2005-08-20 00:00:00

This morning i visited Leven Tecnology for a pre-service inspection, having booked my car in for a full 12k service earlier in the week. The purpose was for Leven to ensure any parts needed can be obtained before the service, and for me to see what additional work may need to be carried out, so i don't get a nasty shock on the day!

Thankfully, it seems there wont be any nasty surprises. The car is generally in good health and the chassis rust free. There are a few jobs i'm having done in addition to the service.

• Firstly, the rear brake pads are completely worn and the discs have very little life in them life. I will be ordering Black Diamond discs and pads for the rear, to match the front, and these will be fitted at the service.
• A common issue on the Chimaera is a leaking sump, and mine is no different. It's only minor, and certainly not enough to cause oil to drip from it, but the sump will be removed, thoroughly cleaned and then refitted and sealed.
• With the brakes being overhauled and fresh DOT 5.1 fluid replaced, i'm taking the opportunity to have braided stainless steel hoses fitted. There's nothing wrong with the original hoses, but the upgrade will improve pedal feel and generally benefit the uprated dics and pads.

There also seems to be some very slight play in the steering rod arms which will be tensioned up and we also discovered a strange rattling sound coming from the front of the engine, which will also be looked into. This may possibly be the timing chain.

The inspection did highlight a couple of areas that i'll need to address in the coming months.

• The left side of the radiator appears to have a tiny leak - the right side being fine. It's not too serious yet, but i do need to keep an eye on it and replace the radiator before it gets any worse.
• The drivers side rear damper is leaking. In it's current state, it is unlikely to pass the next MoT in April. This is however a good excuse to upgrade the whole suspension to adjustable Avo or Nitron dampers with uprated linear springs, front 375lb, rear 325lb - something that's been on my wish list!