Author Topic: DC03 Absolute+- Beginnings (Read 6241 times)

beko1987 · « **on:** November 16, 2013, 10:32:14 PM »

This worked its way into my car this morning from a vague facebook ad!

All the tools have the newer logo on apart from the crevice tool

I haven't had a DC03 in ages, and this one is in pretty good condition, and should clean up nicely. It runs well, has ok suction for now. lets give it a whirl

Oh..

Nothings happening on the carpet

Lets turn it over...

Ah

The belt is also nackered as I lifted it clear of the brushroll with 1 finger

snippy snippy

And it works much better now! Not fantastic, but its a good solid base.

Got this out of my mums carpets, so not all bad

It's now sat awaiting attention as the DC08 jumped the queue as I want to sell it.

Sat with its sucessor

And a DC05 Absolute+ I have

So, need to grab some new filters and new belts. Do these need special belts or would 04/07 belts fit?

And another nice addition to the collection.Almost tempted to keep the DC05 too and start an Absolute+ set, but I;m not sure yet.

MVacs · « **Reply #1 on:** November 17, 2013, 11:16:50 PM »

Clutch belts are the same, yes.

absolutepurplelime · « **Reply #2 on:** November 17, 2013, 11:48:12 PM »

Are you doing to keep that 03 beko, I bet it will come up really good. Hope my de Stijl does :)

beko1987 · « **Reply #3 on:** November 18, 2013, 12:54:53 PM »

Yea I plan to keep this one. Need to start collecting Dysons before they become too rare and difficult to find a good one. Got some pictures to upload in a sec, you can see the whole sorry story. Glue will be needed though...

beko1987 · « **Reply #4 on:** November 18, 2013, 03:41:20 PM »

Well, after eventaully getting the DC08 back together, I turned to the DC03. Expecting a nice easy clean up, I was wrong!

Top washable filter was very manky. I did wash it, but I'm looking out for a new one, it didn't come clean enough for my liking, and the non washable bit was minging deep down

The filter housing was nice and clean though. Will give it a light polish before re-assembly

Stripped the wand off

And extracted the hose

Yummy, damp dog

Poked out

Split the hose assembly down some more

Did the ring of sealant come from the factory, or a previous repair? Kept it anyway!

The hose also has a split, if I can find my glue I will attempt to repair it, if not then new hose time!

Ah lovely, more ruddy plaster dust!

Removed the switch, and managed to snap one of the retaining lugs, more glue needed!

Dug the screw out to release the filter top/tool holder

And stripped it down

Top end done, I flipped her over

Much scrapage later and the damp layers of hair were removed. It is cracked in a few places, which should glue up, but the base plate part has worn down a fair bit by the weels so they now don't clip in, so it may need to be replaced.

Much fiddling later, it's all seperated. Makes more sense now I;ve done it how it works!

Clean clutch cover

Looking very odd now

Mint motor removed

Last of the air duct removed

Last but not least was the cyclone

Release valve was choked with dust

And voila, a pile of very dirty parts to wash

Pile of seals to clean and other random fixings

Misc

And the biggest jigsaw puzzle ever is awaiting re-assembly (as is the Turbopower which I still have not done anything with!)

beko1987 · « **Reply #5 on:** December 11, 2015, 07:31:46 PM »

Well, this little DC03 is still about. I've never been impressed with the performance with it, although it did work. The lack lusture performance was confirmed with the now-Mvacs DC03 Clear, which worked MUCH better

<a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43tD5X88PsI" target="_blank">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=43tD5X88PsI</a>

Even with the top chassis blockage cover fitted properly, it was still bad. I used it upstairs for a bit, then tore it down the other night to see if I could work out the issue

It's switch cover was pinched for the 03 Clear

Tools off

The Upholstry tool annoyed me

The hose was broken too, the clip to hold it onto the wand doesnt work

The wand cap spring is bent too as the cap flops around

Wand release button off

Top cord hook off

Hose released from the bottom

Hose removed from the changeover casette

I split the hose end

and noted that there were no little tiny springs present to enable the wand clip to work (it's never worked, I've never stripped the hose out before). The hose and filter (the filter was a silly idea as per my other thread) went into the washing machine

Hose seals out

Switch housing out

Unplugged

Removed

Top blockage cover removed

Seal out

The spinal cord can come out

Cyclone-Chassis seal off

The little passthrough seal is different on this one than the DC03 Clear, but peels off nicely

Pre motor filter holder comes out now

Filter top/tool holder assembly unscrewed

Little seal removed

Purple base removed, which revealed that the white inner was not positioned correctly

Filter holder seal removed

It looks like there is a seal missing from here too

Filter housing - chassis seal removed

Moving down now, the little clear window is removed from the cleaner head

The base plate comes off now. This doesn't seem to sit correctly at the front though, and I can't work out why that is

Split

Wheels removed

Brushroll out

and split

Wheels off now

The broken clutch cover can be unscrewed now

and removed, along with the soleplate seals

Clutch and bumper removed

The brushroll housing can be removed from the chassis now, and it seems one side of it is broken

The removeable soleplate clip unscrews

I think this is part of the changeover valve, either way it unclips from the back of the cleanerhead

and the changeover valve seal pulls off

Looking barer now

Motor housing off

motor housing side seal lifts off

The tiny motor can be seen now

Motor is spotless

armature not too bad

motor seals and retaining bracket off

The motor suction channel is held in with 2 screws

This releases the post motor filter housing, which just needs a clip squeezing to be removed from the machine

The spinal cable and remains of the sealing grommit can be removed from the chassis now

The changeover valve seal from the valve to hose is removed from the chassis

The pivot plate for the side of the brushroll housing pulls out of the chassis

I went to remove the cup that the cyclone sits in, and it crumbled away in my hands. It had faded much more than the rest of the machine though, which weakened it muchly

The chassis is empty now!

Cyclone now

Bin and lower cone all stripped

top seal removed

Release clip removed

Cyclone screw removed

and cyclone bits withdrawn

Cone and Shroud split

Bin seal removed

Release valve cover falls out

release valve assembly unscrewed

seal out

Release valve split

all ready for washing

All was washed up, then the washing machine finished, and I learnt why DC03 Pre motor filters are not washable...

bit melted

bit broken

bit messy

Was like an explosion in a cotton wool factory, took fecking ages to vacuum up, and I had to clean the power head out on the Miele afterwards

beko1987 · « **Reply #6 on:** December 11, 2015, 08:08:07 PM »

All washed, dried and polished, I put an order in to Mvacs, who had me sorted out within an hour for £a really good price!

So, time for back togetherness. Release valve first

Screwed up

Bin seal refitted

Release valve cover popped in

Cone and shroud meet again

Screwed up

Seal refitted

release clip clipped on

Lower seal on

Upper seal on

And the cyclone is done

The broken RH Pivot point slots in

Lower seal in

Spinal cord fitted

Lower filter cover fitted

Motor suction channel fitted

Motor wired up and fitted

motor housing seal refitted

Changeover valve brushroll housing seal fitted

The broken piece of the brushroll housing glued up very nicely

Random purple thing fitted

Baseplate clip screwed back down

Bumper and brushroll housing fitted fitted

Fitted the clutch

The broken clutch cover was screwed down

brushroll seals fitted

Wheels fitted

Brushroll fitted

Soleplate was reassembled

and fitted

Clear window fitted

Tool holder to chassis seal fitted

Pre filter housing seal fitted

slider assembly reassembled and sealed up (without the missing seal fitted)

sticky seal fitted

tool holder fitted

Pre filter holder fitted

chassis - cyclone seal fitted

blockage cover sealed up

and fitted

Cyclone fitted (minus lower cup)

That was it for Sunday night. It's been waiting for the Hermes man, who knocked on the door this afternoon with a box of goodies! So far, I have swapped the lint strips from the DC04 Absolute+ upholstry tool onto the DC03 Long nexk upholstry tool

and washed up the other bits. Hopefully later tonight, I can finish this off!

MVacs · « **Reply #7 on:** December 11, 2015, 09:41:04 PM »

Didn't we send you a clutch cover? You mentioned fitting a broken one.

beko1987 · « **Reply #8 on:** December 11, 2015, 09:48:29 PM »

Yep, just fitted that actually! Eating pizza, then will crack on!

Madrat · « **Reply #9 on:** December 11, 2015, 10:07:25 PM »

I do like the 03 but my god the designer liked the rubber seals

there seems like hundreds when you strip one

beko1987 · « **Reply #10 on:** December 12, 2015, 12:07:03 AM »

It's a very messy design with all the seals isn't it! Especially the changeover valve.

Anyway, I washed up the bits that Mvacs sent me, and finished her off after Dominoes and a few beers

The unbroken clutch cover was fitted

and the brushroll very carefully fitted!

The baseplate just doesnt seem to clip in at the front as well as I think it should. Warped floorhead?

The white part Mvacs sent me didn't have a seal on it either. Looking at the DC03 Clear pictures I dont think it had a seal on it either tbh. I fitted the Mvacs part as it didnt have the little dink in it the other one had

I found a too big seal

cut it to size and it pushed in and held around the perimeter of the white part

A smear of grease helped it all slide home.

I fitted the tools

Fitted the non faded cyclone cup

Sealed up the wand hole

Fitted the changeover valve

Onto the hose now. I found a broken hose end, and one tap with the hammer later liberated it's two speings, and fitted them to the DC03 hose cuff

Hose all clipped together, I wired up and refitted the switch

and fitted the switch cover

Wand back together

I fitted the wand cap spring from the broken DC03 Clear wand, as it wasn't bent. The cap springs as it should again

All done and back together, I gave it a quick test fire, and the suction is back again! And when you block the wand suction off it sounds blocked! The floor head seems to pick up better than it did too, but part of it's problem is it's just so light. Some weight on the floorhead would improve matters no end. It still picked up a fair amount from the rug in 3 passes too.