My iswara now is 13 years of age. Coming to 14 soon. Recently did a general overhaul + clush lining replacement. Change spoilt engine mounting also. Although it's an old car, it's has a new engine and hopefully will keep going on for another 10 years. But I am not pro in mechanic so cannot contribute anything but just absorbing.

Before I say the price, I need to clarify I am living in a remote area in Sabah. Big enough to have 3G internet coverage, small enough to not have a single fastfood chain. The nearest city is Kota Kinabalu which is 2 hours drive away. This has its toll on everyday expenses, they are more expensive than I would have got in Semenanjung.

2ndly, almost all the engine parts are genuine originals from Proton Eon in Kota Kinabalu.

To slightly break it out:

Clush: 400
Radiator (I am sure this is not original because it is thicker) : 180
General Overhaul = 1600
Labour = I got special price. Can't disclose it here.

Mine was a bit different. When the car was fully heated up (i/e drive long enough), then the gears engages very easily. However, when i just started the car, the gears are hard to engage. I eventually have to force them in. Will have the forman help me check during my chinese new year break lol... now just bear with the pain.

I need to check back the oil I am using. I changed my gear linings recently and I am not too sure what oil the mechanic used.

Does it makes a big difference, I mean when you used the Toyota gear oil?

My mum's 2004 vios got that mechanism where if you switch off engine and the light is still on it will buzz till you are deaf. Not sure if we can get an aftermarket one.

I am doing air-cond service tomorrow due to cold water dripping from the passenger side. Air-cond still blow cold air but now I have to bring it up to fan 2. Fan 1 air-cond is non-existent.

This post has been edited by chrisstse: Jan 6 2015, 11:16 PM

Sad story with your old car dude...

My whole alarm system was replaced last year by a aftermarket module when it will automatically bounce back after 5 minutes you lock it down. It took 12 years for it to break down. Not bad for Proton.

Did not dare to take proton original as it will not cost only my arm or leg, but half my body due to budget. So, take the universal alarm system which is like rm200. I still have the original proton central locking system blackbox in the car but the actuator already gone liao...


Out of topic story:

Got this car from a plantation worker 3 years ago (The car was 9 year old that time). Surprisingly this car did not give me lots of problems. I only replace:
1) Odometer (10 years after used) => can't get my original LMSS lotus odometer as it's so rare in Sabah =RM300
2) Front absorbers (not sure how long after use, i switch it right after i bought it)=> 2 x RM 150 (The mechanic told me it's kelabu punya bagus tahan, that time I am not very good with car, i just follow)
3) Aircond switch TWICE. Don't ask me why = 2 x rm 40
4) Tyres. I changed 3 times the tyres. Total Rm 1100
First time after i bought the car, i changed the front tyres as it wears out. Changed to continental tyres which i
regretted so much. I have to say continental tyres are not built for rough roads, and in Sabah mostly you got
is rough roads with holes here and there (2 x RM 220).
Last year, i changed the back tyres due to cupping problem. This time due to budget, i get the Silverstone
Synergy M3 (2 x rm170) I know i got chopped gao gao because it's 2 days after hari raya.
Then continental tyres wear off, changed to Toyo NanoEnergy 3 (2 x RM180)
5) Back absorbers (not sure, after i bought it for 2 years then it break down) = 2 x rm 75
6) Front breakpads => RM 45 per piece Total RM180
7) General Overhaul and clutch lining change after it reach 12 year old. Total RM 3000
8) The signal lights and wiper stick = rm 140
9) Alarm system = RM 300
Grand total = RM5330

Why I got all this price down is because my girlfriend start to complain i spend more on car than her today . Sampai want me to buy new car summore. I just told her that she did not see that it's been 3 good years with nothing major and the total is only RM5000. If i buy new car I need to pay yearly at least RM5000 for even the SV saga. If I did not do the general overhaul (Car has no problem running, but since it's 12 years old, why not pamper it so it can work for another 5/6 years?), it would be RM2000+. So, for me it's more worth it this way. But the RM3000 general overhaul is really painful to my wallet la some more it's near CNY already.

Service my aircond today and it's just freaking cold.

Sure have to ikat perut to save for my CNY soon.

I have no idea actually. I bought the car with the help of my dealer uncle (a friend of my father). He told me everything is in 1 piece, and it passed puspakom. Since I have no idea at that time, I believe him... I really should have found lowyat got a car club forum by then.

Not sure if I want to check again, since I have bought it and already used it for 3 years. A bit too late to turn back.



LMST was my first choice because it is newer but that time the one that fits the budget is LMSS. In my opinion, LMSS was too loud, the exhaust from the factory also like that. I have heart problems sitting inside a car that is too loud.

LMSS uses the old model lamp, so memang if your car signal lights got holes, and after rain it will have fog around the lamp, making it look like old car. LMSS is special edition so i guess more worth it? Especially with the red Lotus dashboard....now that I have lost it, i kind of missed it.

This post has been edited by chrisstse: Jan 7 2015, 11:27 PM

That was then when I wanted to buy a car. For an amateur newer always means better ma . That time me very naive. But then now you want me to exchange sorry already. I am not going to let go of it.

I saw a glimpse of blue colour lotus style dashboard. Is that even possible? Headlamps you go buy in sparepart shop la...They got sell ma. the signal only lamps 1 pair = RM 180, the headlamps 1 pair = RM360 (i think).

I have successfully restored my car from many many different strange noise to no more noise. Only noise left audible is my loud exhaust which I am still saving up to change it. Also, it does not feel weird when I was driving so my guess is it's still ok.
Please don't scare me wei..... Looks like my bonus not enough to pay for the repair dy.

Sorry, amateur trying to learn... I think i know where the fuel pump is, but where is the starter motor situated?
Also, how much is the starter motor and fuel pump cost? Ori and also cikai brand... want to estimate how much i need to save for those.

Yalorh, Ori cost 1 arm and 1 leg, cikai brand 2 years later have to change. So praying mine still hold. If not have to buy cikai LMST lamp already.

Out of topic question:

Anyone knows where to get the LMSS odometer?
Also, the centre linings at the doors....mine is like senget already and now flapping outwards.

This post has been edited by chrisstse: Jan 8 2015, 06:21 PM

Your RM60 is using which oil price? Please help us convert to litres ok? There are many things that affect your fc.
1. your engine status (ie. how long din do basic service/ overhaul/leaking or not)
2. Your route condition, you mentioned city drive but need to know got jam or not?
3. Your exhaust (stock factory or modified to get more hp?)
4. Tyres condition: What rim and tyres are you using?

Those are some surface stuffs that I can think of now. Let quatz and albert answer you about the mechanic part.

Your engine idle at what rpm? It could be:
1) Your engine idling at wrong idle timing
2) Carburetor dirty already
3) Engine status
4) Engine mounting damaged already (the most unlikely cause you say once driving no more vibrate)

Best to bring it to a trusty mechanic and have him check for you...
Find the guy under the coconut tree and you end up like me, paying hundreds and thousand and get the same problem.

Ok. I got it. Usually what sort of warning signs do these 2 give out or it would just die straightaway without any abnormal signs?

I am having a very weird issue now where sometimes (only sometimes, like 2/3 times in a week) when i cold start the car, it will have to do asthma gasping like not enough air. Adjust the autochoke screw, ok for the first day and the second day, then come again the asthma gasping the 3rd day. It is not always but it's just funny because i thought adjusting the autochoke screw would give me like 4 to 5 weeks no problem.

The unable to start is when you turn the key it comes out with the horse like sound or langsung no sound when you turn the key only come out like clicking only? So far haven't had any of these 2 kinds of symptoms. Thank god and hopefully will not get it at all.

Seriously salute you...normal 13km/l is very very good fc...
Mine unfortunately is around 11.8~12km/l
Before general overhaul it's around 9~10.5km/L

Must be my driving techniques eh?

I need to take a video to fully show how asthma gasping is, will do it tomorrow morning. It's like the engine is trying to suck in air to reach idle. My idle is set at 1 rpm, but when cold start, the engine will go up to 0.5rpm first, then do the asthma gasping to reach 1rpm. When the engine is hot, no this kind of problem pulak. Even if i press the throttle, it will go normal, but when i lift up the throttle, it become back asthma gasping until the engine is hot enough and reach 1rpm.

Ok bro, your fc is actually not bad. you get 11.5km/l which is around the same as mine. but mine average have to refill every week due to the 70% highway run. Yours are quite ok considering kampung roads and less than 20km per day. So, I am not going to mention anymore fc here...hehe

I was referring to the vibration you are experiencing when i ask about your car idling at what rpm. Usual car will adjust to idle at 1rpm. But there is always other factors that causes vibration, like aircond and stuffs. You need to go find out yourself.

Carburator cleaning and tuning cost me around RM80 last time i did it. Mine here is much more expensive as it's east coast.

Bro, by basic service i mean change motor oil, filter oil, carburator cleaning and tuning etc. In layman terms, overhaul is to take out the engine from your car, open it up and clean it. Only do it when your car is like 10+ years and have never done any overhaul before. Its very expensive and somebody can go without it until they sell their car anyway.

Thanks for the info. Although you are replying our bro, i also learnt that I kena potong
My gear oil is penzoil Sae90 Gl4 which the person quote me RM 45 per bottle. The mechanic guy told me our gear oil capasity is 1.6L? I had to buy 2 bottles....

Probably will ask the mechanic to change the timing belt. I am using bearings and belts from mitsubishi, 3 years ago until now no change.

I dunno why my place here ori bosch spark plug very expensive, rm12 per spark plug.

I am having the pretty LMSS now. Loud, yes..... not the engine but exhaust. If you car engine is loud and you don't like it, then you know what to do....

Idling tuning, carburator cleaning and also check your engine mounting.

For power wise, you don't get to save fuel on this baby. Nope, you WILL NOT save. With the exhaust so exotic, you will keep pressing, pressing and pressing until you realised, alamak, only 11.8km/L max. One more thing for your car, do ask about the clutch lining from previous owners. The clutch linings in this car may have not been changed.

Cheers.

p/s: One more thing, my baby before general overhaul was like dead man walking, dragging, clanking just don't want to go. After genhaul, it's pushing me to go forward, the engine is very quite, but my 2 fans (engine fan and also aircond fan) are much louder than it.


Mine have 4 speakers, but only 2 was working perfectly, so I ended up just throw away the front. (Please do not mock me because I don't like loud noise in car) the tweeters, I never have them even before i purchase it. So, not too sure.

This post has been edited by chrisstse: Jan 12 2015, 10:10 PM

I hate ants!!!!

Parked under a tree for 1 day at work, went home, and found ants....thought only a couple so just squished them. Today, when i turn on aircond, the ants all crawled out, scary wei....

So far, found the bonnet board that covers the spare tyre is the problem. Water somehow was able to sip through the rubber seal that encircle the whole bonnet and soaked the whole board. The ants lived directly under the board and now I am hoping there is no queen yet. No signs of ant nest yet. Changed the board already and now trying to find where the water went through. I am considering changing the rubber seals if they are not expensive. How much do they cost, if I decide to DIY myself?

This post has been edited by chrisstse: Jan 14 2015, 06:34 PM

Ok, i dried the car liao....today got rain... my car back part is exposed to rain. let me see if tomorrow still got soaking or not. If got can confirm the rubber gone dy right?

Thanks for the reminder, I will check both sides, but fingers cross it's not leaking at all... too pity my BRIM wants to go for the car... already spend a lot on it....

Like the bros here always say...
do not estimate your F/c by only 1 fuel up. Do 5 consecutive fuel up and then get an average. Also, your figures count. Please get a drive distance using the odo meter and note down your fuel up in Litres, because unless I am the fuel in your tank, i won't know how much is your 85%. Most old cars if well taken care would go up to 12~13km/L. I would be extremely happy if I go 12km/L. Please do not expect 21km/L like the new Honda City hybrid. Your car is one tenth of the value so please be more lenient.

I just confirm that my right tail lights are letting the water through, moisture can be felt but not like waterfall.
Another thing, the rubber that used to seal my back windscreen is also leaking, letting the water to sip into the space where the rear wiper motor was situated, stay there and when i open up the boot, drain out the water into the boot. Somemore, because of the water, my spare tyre space has rust all over, need to polish and redo the paintings. Looks like a big ang pow for my mechanic when it's near CNY....

I just hold my brim for 3 secs and now have to give it to the mechanic....

20 January 2015, my car rammed into a viva early in the morning. First time accident for me. I am not hurt, the other driver also ok. But I am really exhausted because it happened in Kota Kinabalu and I have no people to back me up. Not sure how much is the lost, but the mechanic and towing guy say fixable.







Drive safely everyone. Chinese new year is around the corner. For me, it's over before it even started.

This post has been edited by chrisstse: Jan 20 2015, 05:49 PM