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Driver seat removal..
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 1:29 pm
by BongoBongo123
I have never removed a driver seat and on the face of it it seems like removing 4 fairly easy to get to bolts. Am I overlooking anything ?
3 out of 10 idles after ignition this winter have been a little doddery/stutter-y... always starts though and very smooth again after about 1-2mins. So I am making a guess since this never happened at all during summer last year and having no paperwork/historic invoices saying glow plugs were changed that it would be wise to change them.
I will have to try and retrieve one with the fact sheet to hand at first and then order in the right ones as I gather there are a couple of types. I have the magnetic retrieval tool as per the fact sheet.
I have read the sheet through and someone mentioned a deep socket is necessary to get them out elsewhere online. (which i have so should be ok)
Anything else to be aware of that could be hassle-y for a beginner ?
Thanks
Re: Driver seat removal..
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:09 pm
by BongoBongo123
Hmm... I wonder if I can get the seat off runners and leave them in place ? I think the 4 bolts I spotted was for runners.
Re: Driver seat removal..
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:14 pm
by novocaine
no the runners come out as well.
4 bolts in the floor and one in the centre mound accessed from the rear of the seat. don't forget the wire to the seat belt sensor when you lift it out.
why are you removing the drives seat? if it's to work on the glow plugs then you can tip the seat back as you would the passenger side, unless you have a side conversion that is.

Re: Driver seat removal..
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:29 pm
by BongoBongo123
Thanks man... yeah have a side conversion so behind the seat there is a 6 inch gap then the wood from the conversion.
I am starting to think again before I rush in (I have a tendency to do that and am trying to learn from it)
My starter battery is 12.52 volts open circuit (did 60 miles yesterday for reference) It seems to stay around 12.52 at each measuring. I think that is ok according to this... seems about 85pct charged. Though one of those pages says if your battery is 12.45volts it needs charging. It seems borderline. I do wonder if when standing for a week the battery is showing signs of aging/not holding charge well and needing replacing.
http://carbatteryonline.net/car-battery-tester.html
http://www.aa1car.com/library/2003/us20310.htm
It did start to cross my mind given the other thread on here that the battery could be a cause of glow plugs....err not glowing well. My gut thinks it is the glow plugs but before I start tampering I did start wondering about the starter battery. (it is 6 years old)
I started the Bongo yesterday and it was completely fine and also today when I swung it around so the door was on pavement side.
Re: Driver seat removal..
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:47 pm
by novocaine
12.45 is border line and i'd be tempted to have it checked using the right diagnostics tool. is it a serviceable battery? might just need a fluid top up.
Re: Driver seat removal..
Posted: Mon Mar 23, 2015 3:52 pm
by BongoBongo123
Hi Novacaine, yes the plot thickens...(my starter battery is 12.52V for info and I ran 60 miles yesterday so it has had a boost recently)
In contrast 2 quite new batteries read above 13 Volts when fully charged. A similarly aged battery on another vehicle (at least 6 years old reads 12.48 volts)
An additional check shows the cells all ok (fluid wise) on the Bongo starter battery however the magic eye is not showing green. I am thinking I might need to sort the starter battery. Given that is easiest I might start compared with glow plugs as it seems it will probably need doing at some stage soon and would provide peace of mind.