Pumapeople: Our 200 Quid Puma - Pumapeople

Jump to content

Page 1 of 1
  • You cannot start a new topic
  • You cannot reply to this topic

Our 200 Quid Puma Shed to chic - maybe! Rate Topic: -----

#1 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 09 February 2014 - 09:04 PM

Hi there everyone,

My wife and I have recently been looking for another car. My wife's had puma's before and, although they're too bloody small for us both to fit in, for some reason we decided it might be a good idea to get one. About a month ago we saw on a facebook selling group someone locally selling a puma for scrap money - £250. We went and saw it in the dark whilst it was raining and got it for £200 in the end. It's got a stupid personalised plate on it which will be sold when it's got an MOT on it (worth about £300 so we're quids in already).

So it's a S reg with 83k on the clock, a bit of rust here and there, a spoiler which was held on with wood screws, a couple of scratches in weird places and rust around the rear arches (but not that bad to be honest).

It was low on oil, the aux belt was knackered, the brake warning light was on, it was hesitating and bucking when you let off the throttle, but it was damn cheap.

Since it's been sat on the drive, i've been accruing parts ready to pop on when the weather gets better. Despite the weather being shite this weekend, i went ahead and did some work to it regardless. Not got pictures of everything though!

So first job was put on some better brakes. As I said the brake warning light was on and the old disks had seen better days (although the pads were fine). I got a set of Fiesta ST 150 brakes of eBay and put them on. A simple caliper swap, easy peasy. Here's the new disks when they were delivered at work, i've not got a comparison shot, but they're massive compared and don't half stop you well!

Posted Image

I plugged it into a code reader and we got an error on coolant temperature sensor out of testing range, which considering it was about 4oC above freezing, isn't unreasonable. We got an error on the heater on the first o2 sensor (pre cat) so I went down the scrap yard and got another o2 sensor, a load of fuses and relays and stuff, an aerial, a jack (mysteriously missing from this car) and some wheel studs (as I didn't know where the locking wheel nut key was, so had to smash 'em out). £20 quid for the lot so quite happy with that. I also got a spare ICV as you never know!

Incase you're wondering i found the locking wheel nut key the next day, wrapped in a tissue in the little hole next to the gear lever.

I took the plugs out and cleaned them up and regapped them, topped it up with oil and it sounds alot better now.

Next job was new timing belt, water pump, tensioner, rocker cover gasket & aux belt. Got it all stripped down and the timing bloody slipped when i was getting it to TDC so i'll have to get the timing tools. I was going to just mark everything up and be done with it but never mind. That'll have to wait now. It's all stripped down ready for the new belt though. Check out the old aux belt!

Posted Image
Posted Image
Posted Image

As we're had a lot of rain recently, i couldn't help but notice we'd inadvertently purchased a swimming pool:

Posted Image

So I took the interior out and found the leak (right up past the throttle pedal, in the corner were you can't get to it very easily. I'll stick a load of silicon up there if it ever stays dry for long enough. The seats are in the conservatory with the carpet now. I found a rust hole in the floor i'll weld up which it's dry (in there and outside Posted Image. Sadly there's a fair bit of rust inside as this problem has obviously existed for a while and the previous owner didn't bother to do anything about it. All the sound deadening material is in the bin now as it was absolutely sodden.

Posted Image


A quick question:
Does anyone know the size of the front crank seal? I'll get one ordered from a bearing supplier as it seems to be a bit weepy there.
Is putting silicon on the inside really the best course of action? It's be better to get to it from the outside to stop it getting in in the first place surely?

Costs so far:
Car: £200
Cambelt kit and waterpump: £70
Brakes: £70
Rocker cover gasket: £15
Aux Belt: £15
Stuff from scrap yard: £20

Total: £390

Still to do:
Fix rust
Finish timing job
Replace tyre
Oil + Filter
Plugs
Burnouts

This post has been edited by Xenocide: 09 February 2014 - 09:07 PM


#2 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 09 February 2014 - 10:10 PM

Oh and as I look here at my bloodied hand. Who the hell put *that bolt* there on the timing case. Anyone who's done the job knows which one i'm talking about.

#3 User is offline   happy-kat 

  • Group: Admin
  • Posts: 21811
  • Joined: 10-February 03

Posted 09 February 2014 - 10:45 PM

A bargain for you, especially as you are able to do all the work on it.
Bit of a swimming pool sized leak there.
There is a water water everywhere article in the wiki which might be of help.
Sorry I don't know the size of the front crank seal.
searching is fruitful | I'm a sponge not a mechanic | please do try that if stuck with a Puma problem whilst waiting for a reply | For the Puma fan this read 'The Inside Story Book' is very nice to own sometimes still seen for sale

#4 User is offline   eldoodarino 

  • Group: Moderators
  • Posts: 6257
  • Joined: 12-March 03
  • Location:Nottingham

Posted 10 February 2014 - 09:06 AM

why do you need to know the 'size' of the crank seal..just order one from ford using your reg/vin number

what brand was the cambelt and waterpump? sounds very cheap to me
Wizards Of Nos 60hp progressive delivery.... yeah baby yeah :-o
Denso Iridium Plugs
Helix Clutch
Mobil 1


#5 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 10 February 2014 - 09:31 AM

'Cos you can pay 20 quid for one from ford or £3 for one from a bearing supplier.

Gates timing belt kit

#6 User is offline   eldoodarino 

  • Group: Moderators
  • Posts: 6257
  • Joined: 12-March 03
  • Location:Nottingham

Posted 10 February 2014 - 03:03 PM

the front crank oil seal is only around £6/7 from ford..

who sells gates kit plus water pump for £70? was that incl. VAT... lot less than i pay
Wizards Of Nos 60hp progressive delivery.... yeah baby yeah :-o
Denso Iridium Plugs
Helix Clutch
Mobil 1


#7 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 10 February 2014 - 03:08 PM

Ahh may aswell get it from Ford then. Last one i did was a zafira which was THIRTY SEVEN pounds from Vauxhall. Mental.

Some guy on eBay a few weeks ago.

#8 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 16 February 2014 - 06:48 PM

Got it all timed up today and runs a treat.

The old water pump had shed all the vanes on the impeller so it's a bloody good job i'd changed it.

Turns out It's a dayco belt rather than gates. Was a gates aux belt, got them muddled up.

I had a sod of a time finding the crank pin location. I'd imagined it would be on the flywheel end as most of the time they are but it's not. This also shows the articulation of the vct pulley as it may prove interesting to some. When you time it up just make sure it's all the way back to its resting position.

Posted Image

#9 User is offline   eldoodarino 

  • Group: Moderators
  • Posts: 6257
  • Joined: 12-March 03
  • Location:Nottingham

Posted 16 February 2014 - 06:58 PM

wow..that water pump is proper stuffed! :o
Wizards Of Nos 60hp progressive delivery.... yeah baby yeah :-o
Denso Iridium Plugs
Helix Clutch
Mobil 1


#10 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 16 February 2014 - 07:15 PM



There's a video showing pin and bar locations.

#11 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 18 February 2014 - 10:16 PM

As it was dry tonight, I did a bit more to it.

First off the remote only had one battery in it and (unsurprisingly) didn't work like that so I put a couple of new ones on, the LED now lights up when you hold it down however it doesn't make the car do anything. I read the programming instructions but unfortunately fell at the first hurdle. It's a two button remote and the instructions say turn it to key one and when the light next to the clock stops flashing, remove the key and hold the buttons, but the light in the center doesn't actually stop flashing.

I thought maybe it was a fault with one of the door sensors thinking that a door was open and I read the sensor test procedure (6 presses on the bonnet pin) but when I tested the bonnet pin, it didn't actually do anything. I stripped the wires and used them as a temporary switch but the sensor test mode doesn't work and if you hold them together, the key program procedure still doesn't start, so i'm somewhat at a loss there, sadly.

Anyone know where to start with that one?

Next I thought i'd sort out the scabby looking lights:

This is the state of the first light. I've no idea what all the patchy stuff was but it wasn't sticky and you could feel it easily when it was rubbed.

Posted Image

So I wet sanded it with 2500 grit wet 'n dry paper:

Posted Image

Which left it looking like this - GULP! No going back now!

Posted Image

Next I used one of these

Posted Image

with some Meguiars PlastX to polish it up.

Then i've lost the polishing pictures. But they ended up like this:

Posted Image

This is actually the other light to the one pictured above. It had a scuff across the bit which is centered in that picture, but as you can see it's mostly gone now. Pretty happy with that result in all.

Next I cleaned up the area where the water was coming in with some brake cleaner and a brush, dried it with an air gun and squished in some silicon. I opened the hole up a bit bigger and forced the silicon in the hole hoping that it'd squirt through to the other side and seal it from there too. No idea if it worked, it was dark Posted Image. We'll see I suppose. I put a nice big blob in there anyway and smoothed it all out.

Fingers crossed!

Bit of welding of the floor, bit of rust repair/proofing then the carpet can go back in.

This post has been edited by Xenocide: 18 February 2014 - 10:19 PM


#12 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 18 February 2014 - 11:32 PM

Bit more info. I checked all the fuses. A 20a one in the internal box was blown. No different. Then I read a post on here about a hidden fuse behind the same box. That was also blown so I replaced that and all the hazards started flashing which I assume was the alarm going off without the horn noise.

Which does point me back to the bonnet switch. I cleaned the boot contacts too so I'll have to have another play tomorrow

#13 User is offline   happy-kat 

  • Group: Admin
  • Posts: 21811
  • Joined: 10-February 03

Posted 19 February 2014 - 09:12 AM

I think the wiki has key info for both sorts and experiences with getting into program mode.
I use bilt and hamber dymax s-50 for getting into areas by creep
searching is fruitful | I'm a sponge not a mechanic | please do try that if stuck with a Puma problem whilst waiting for a reply | For the Puma fan this read 'The Inside Story Book' is very nice to own sometimes still seen for sale

#14 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 26 February 2014 - 04:48 PM

So I fixed the water leak but it's still leaking. The one I plugged was from right up in the corner of the pedal box above the accelerator pedal. But It's still filling up with water. This time it's collecting on the bottom of the brake pedal mount/shroad thing.

Posted Image

I drew the line in so you can see roughly where it runs. You can see the drip forming (it's red because I put food colouring in there so I could see it a bit easier).

Any idea where that might be coming in from? It's a dash out job if I can't sort the leak out externally :(.

This post has been edited by Xenocide: 26 February 2014 - 04:49 PM


#15 User is offline   happy-kat 

  • Group: Admin
  • Posts: 21811
  • Joined: 10-February 03

Posted 26 February 2014 - 07:26 PM

Have a look through the wiki water water everywhere article as it lists and has images of lots of potential points, i would give link but I am using my tablet.
searching is fruitful | I'm a sponge not a mechanic | please do try that if stuck with a Puma problem whilst waiting for a reply | For the Puma fan this read 'The Inside Story Book' is very nice to own sometimes still seen for sale

#16 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 27 February 2014 - 10:18 AM

Yeah I had a look - couldn't see anything relevant to this particular leak :(. Dash will have to come out I think. :).

Nevermind, fingers crossed for a dry weekend.

#17 User is offline   Xenocide 

  • Group: Members
  • Posts: 35
  • Joined: 25-May 08

Posted 22 April 2014 - 12:23 PM

Right well it's been a while since I updated but i've been busy.

First off I've fixed the leak which entailed taking out the interior and the dash.

Posted Image

The leak was coming from behind the brake MC stiffening plate so I drilled out the spot welds to see where it was.

Posted Image

This is the hole. Just in the seam sealer, although you couldn't have seen that without taking all this shite out.

Posted Image

I filled the holes in the strengthening plate and painted it with some zinc primer then welded it back in. It wasn't the neatest job as there's really not much in the way of room there.

Posted Image

Everything was ground flat and seam sealer applied to everything, then a few layers of underbody sealer, then some silicon in the corners just for good measure. If it still leaks i'm burning the bloody thing.

I fitted a new clutch cylinder as it was leaking. Here's the wrong one I ordered.

Posted Image

Next up was some rust from all the water sat in the foot wells for god knows how long.

Chop out rust and put on rust fixer stuff.

Posted Image

Make up a plate.

Posted Image

Glue it on.

Posted Image

Then that was seam sealed and under body sealer on both sides after primer.

I then finished the service. I can't remember what I said i'd done but it's had:

Plugs
Coolant
Oil
Cam belt
Fuel filter

Here's the inside of the old fuel filter (should be white).

Posted Image

Next I fancied some new wheels. I hate the standard "fans" or petals or whatever with a passion. I got some of these from a mk1 focus. I think they look great.

Posted Image
Posted Image

They need some spacers to get them back out to standard offset as they're about 20mm inward. They need some new shoes so that'll be after i've been round the isle of man. In the mean time i've put some longer studs on to allow for the spacers.

I did a bit more rust busting on the door sills and the doors themselves and put some paint on just to seal it until it can get to a body shop (after i've done the arches).

Posted Image

And.. It's actually water tight! We had a massive down pour and it's still bone dry inside. :)/>

We might get to drive it soon!

This post has been edited by Xenocide: 22 April 2014 - 12:25 PM


Share this topic:


Page 1 of 1
  • You cannot start a new topic
  • You cannot reply to this topic