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akface
P Plater
24 Posts
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 Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 9:14:33 PM
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Hey guys, im new to this site i hope to be getting help off u guys if i need it!
Now i have sourced a vn calais (90) i think, 155000kms, new tires, no rust looks very clean...gonna check it out in person tomorrow.
I dont know much about commodores i was wondering if u guys could give me a heads up of what to look for if anything? i had alook at it from the outside and doesnt seem to leak oil or nothing.....but just in case if u could tell me the most obvious things that would go wrong at this stage in a vns life...
Thanks guys
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SWEET
Fully Licenced
600 Posts
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Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 9:39:08 PM
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| hi akface welcome to the site and yes the guys will help u alot in the future if u stick around. well one thing i know to check for is blown head gasket start the car up wen its cold and have the radiator cap open and check for any bubbles also the oil dipstick check for any milky thingy's in the end of the dipstick thats bout all i can say besides all the usual stuff like tyres and interior and rust and stuff anyways b4dn xxxx |
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mouce
National Driver
1525 Posts
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Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 10:22:05 PM
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The most obvious things to look at are the condition of the suspension bushes, the steering system and...
Well...the most common thing to go wrong with a VN would be the fuel pump, followed by the crank angle sensor, and the most (in)famous of all oil leaks, the rear main seal of the engine.
The best way to check each of these:
Suspension bushes; Have a good look underneath, if any of the bushes look cracked or damaged, they really should get replaced.
Steering system; if you're lucky to get a test drive, get up to cruising speed and rock the wheel from side to side, only a little bit in each direction, if there's any clunking...you'll need to get the steering system or front suspension looked at.
Fuel pump; either it works or it doesn't, if it makes a LOT of noise, you know it hasn't got long yet.
Crank Angle Sensor; again, it works or it doesn't, if it's dead it will just cause the engine to not run. It only costs $70, but it's in a whore of a spot.
The rear main seal; this is the bane of almost every VN owners life. As the name would suggest it's at the rear of the engine, it's down the bottom, just in front of the flywheel. If it's leaking, the engine has to come out to get it fixed. It's only about a $10 part, but it takes about $1000 in labour.
Something worth looking at is the boot. See if there's any rust spots under the spare wheel. Some VN boots closely resemble swimming pools after even a light shower (well...most of them do), the water tends to pool under the spare wheel, it can just sit there and rust it out. Actually, they tend to not leak heaps normally, but if the car has ever had a rear end accident, the boot tends to leak heaps.
Next, it's probably a good idea to know which engine you're looking at.
If it's the V6, it'd be helpful to work out which series engine you're looking at. Officially, Holden made two different V6 engines for the VN, there was (unofficially) a third that was made for only a few months as a 'cross-over' engine between the series 1 and the series 2.
The S1 engine is characterised by having tubular black fuel rails, and a coolant pipe running down the drivers side of the engine, and running into the block just under the throttle body. The S2 engine has the thermostat on the front of the engine, and chunky silver fuel rails.
Each of the engines has it's own unique quirks when it comes to working on them, and what works well on one engine may not work so well on the other. BUT for the most part they are fairly equal.
Best of luck with it, hope that you do get it, when looked after the VN can be a very rewarding car, when disrespected they can be damn dangerous especially in the wet. Take it easy for a few weeks after you get it, and I think you'll have a blast. |
Bite off more than you can chew, and chew like hell - Peter Brock (1945-2006) |
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lolo
Fully Licenced
503 Posts
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Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 10:34:53 PM
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| 155k is damn good, one thing I learned is to start the car and listen for the subtle ticking from the injectors.. no ticking or too loud ticking, haggle the price down a couple of hundreds cos you'll need them for new inejectors and that way you can use my theory. "If its broken, replace it with something much better" good luck |
Marcus Rogulic R.I.P (1980-2007)
"The Good Die Young" |
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akface
P Plater
24 Posts
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Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 10:37:55 PM
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thanks mate! for all the information
the good thing is that the guy im buying from said it used to be his dads! so an old man has owned it for most of its life, also when i spoke to him he said he has taken up to melbourne and back a few times! with pleasure!
so i hope it isnt a dud.....he just hasnt registered it from aug 06 so thats my job but im gonna take it to my regular mechanic get it checked out and i will also probably be buying a gregorys asap if i buy it....i most likely will.
i just sold my othter car which was manual and i was actually look for a manual but i thought about it...i have been driving little 4 cylinders and never had a powerful 6 to my self so i think i am kind of underestimating the power it can deliver at the punch of the accelerater
cant wait to take it for a fishy or two!
anyway thanks again mouce for your input i hope to be posting plenty more to come!!
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SWEET
Fully Licenced
600 Posts
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Posted - 20 Feb 2007 : 10:50:56 PM
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| lmao lmao b4 i thought bout replying to this post i thought bout mouce thinking i bet his gonna be under me with a long msg, lmao how right was i it was looooooooong alright, b4dn xxxx |
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trizo
Forum Moderator
3091 Posts
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Posted - 22 Feb 2007 : 9:09:49 PM
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lmao nouce wins hands done every time but thats y were all here to pik him up when he slips..... ;)
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3 can keep a secret if 2 are dead |
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akface
P Plater
24 Posts
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Posted - 22 Feb 2007 : 9:35:13 PM
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hey boys, i ended up buying the calais! i have now fallen in love with it.
I have never had the chance do drive a nice, reasonably powerful V6 before and im loving it! soo smooth!
i also just found out it has a full service history with holden up to 100,000kms, then another random one at 135,000!
i got it for $1500 unregistered!
straight up i took it to my local mechanic, he serviced it and got the blue slip which required new front shocks but when i picked it up he said quote:
"for its age and kilometers (156000) it perfect!"
i am soo stoked and im gonna take good care of it. Lovin it!
Future mods include CAI and sound system, and prob tints...nothing too heavy.
I hope to maximise fuel economy as i have pumped in Vortex 98 ($40) and see how it goes...
Luv the VN!
it was built in may 1990, and i beleve its a series 2 engine. |
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baalamb20
Fully Licenced
115 Posts
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Posted - 25 Feb 2007 : 12:39:03 PM
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Hi, cool, mine is a may 90 aswell,
Holden told me tho that series 2 wasn't till september 1990 models.
is it imperial blue? mine is upto 160,000 now and is going great. |
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mouce
National Driver
1525 Posts
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Posted - 27 Feb 2007 : 5:55:34 PM
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If you want to get the best possible fuel figures from it, you'll need to find out which fuel is the best one for your car.
Doesn't matter what works well in your mates cars, because what works well in one won't work so well in the other. I have a mate with a VN who swears that Vortex is the way to go, but in mine the best of the best is Optimax (now V-Power) from shell.
You'll need to run through about 6-10 tanks of each fuel type from the different manufacturers before you can work out which one is the best, keep a log of how far each tank gets you.
As a final note...stay away from any fuels that contain Ethanol...the VN doesn't like it. Forget what Holden and the Government say about it all, most VN's run a lot worse on fuel with any ethanol in it. Even E3 fuels are enough to make them unhappy. |
Bite off more than you can chew, and chew like hell - Peter Brock (1945-2006) |
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