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I prefer to use Tayna for car batteries now, prices seem fair and when I had to return one because it had gone too flat for my trickle charger, the fees weren't extortionate and process was efficient.

sensory overload

After I fired up the engine via the battery charger on Monday evening, I left the battery to charge overnight. In the morning, the charger battery level light was still only on amber, which I assumed meant that the battery was refusing to receive / hold charge. Time for a new battery. Getting hold of the correct replacement battery should have been easy but Euro Car Parts, specifically their website, made the process very complicated and it took me two days to source the correct battery. I have been advised that the battery that was in the Sierra was not right for the car. Apparently, the battery was more suited to a diesel engine or a much larger capacity pez motor. I measured the battery. I also measured the battery tray, which has three holes for the clamp bolt, which means that the battery tray can accommodate different sized batteries. Clever. Replacement battery purchased and fitted. The weather forecast for today was dry and sunny so I decided to take the Sierra to work. I got my surveying kit in the boot. I drove from home along the M40 and M25 to Old Windsor, then into Windsor, then along the M4 and A404 to Marlow, then to High Wycombe, then back home, approx 65 miles, I think. The exhaust fumes smell has been fixed. Evidently, exhaust fumes have been getting past the old gaskets / loose manifold and downpipe fixings and replacing the lot has fixed the problem. On route home I popped into Wickes to buy a fence post. Which fitted easily inside the cabin. I have a few more jobs in mind for the Sierra but you will hear about them next week as I have non car related plans for this weekend.

I've checked block and there is no apparent banana-ing that I can detect. However there is pitting on areas of the block around the coolant channels, but not near the rings which seal the combustion chambers. There is no way of getting rid of this without a mill and a fly cutter so I'm going to live with it. I have been On A Journey as far as O-Series family tree is concerned. I was blithely assuming that all blocks and heads were basically the same, and I've successfully ordered parts for other cars (eg Rover 2000 and Freight Rover manifold gaskets) that fit just fine. Delving a little deeper I have found that head gaskets differ, at least between FWD and RWD cars and possibly even between FWD car derivatives. Part of my previous HG woes may well have been because I've been trying to fit the wrong gasket. The gasket in the plastic film is for a Sherpa/LDV and you can see the oil way and coolant channels don't match up. Fortunately I have a gasket listed for MG Maestro and Rover 800 (bASe models of which used O-series) coming. Whisper it, but I've also smeared a bit of sealant around the block where the pitting is apparent. This is a big Haynes no-no and must not ever be done under any circumstances. I wonder if it'll work?

It's narrower than a brand new Renault Clio!

I'm in, we're on time apparently. The train is completely booked. 4 Romanian cars, made at Astra Arad. Have no idea of the year. The locomotive is one made at Electroputere Craiova, I think sometimes in the '60s or '70s. There was enough time for a slice of cheese pizza (7 RON) and a one litre bottle of water (8.5 RON), and even a cigarette. Now I'll be cramped for close to 100 minutes. And we're on the way:

2002 mercedes DTM entry - isopon sponsorship

Also the 1.8 Astra's.

I'll have a look at them thanks, I think I would prefer a "proper" auto or dsg than the others. I know it's going to be limited in a small car though.

I can see why Saabnut trusts Duncan with his cars! Lovely stuff. I Googled when BSF was 'discontinued'.....Goooogle says....1948!

I know I had that in an A4 years ago, like Ford's powershift i'll start clear.

Small auto 😁

From memory I think the 1.4 Corsa D's have a conventional Torque converter box, if after a small reliable auto.

Fwiw my wife had a DSG Seat Arona with the 1.0 tsi engine..... plenty of space for a small pretend SUV and fine as an car.

Although there are probably some exceptions I would avoid anything CVT or 'automated manual'....... at least without a decent test drive. Seen a few reports of them being quite an acquired taste!

Train station achieved, a half an hour early. Weather is starting to act up again. My train does not have an advertised platform yet. It's IC571, going to Galați. I won't go all the way unless I fall asleep. Well, time to get some snacks, water,and maybe a cigarette.

I love my auto SF Forester, nice and smooth and very easy to drive, perfect daily even in the city. They're a lot more compact than they look but the space on the inside is fantastic, terrible fuel economy though!

photograph it you must or you will be dismissed!🤣

Second achieved in 6 minutes. Way more crowded, and so is the metro car. I had to change the metro line for the one going to the București Nord railway station. No pic of the metro train, it's the same type of Bombardier.

Any especially keen interested parties in the SEX DEN S124 please feel free to reach out to save me typing up a for sale thread.

some motorsport mash ups 1977 lagonda BTCC entry 1969 mg bergspyder competition prototype at mont ventoux hillclimb 1974 zhiguli works racing car on the targa florio 1970 riley 5 litre sports prototype at le mans, uk government sponsorship Austin-Rover win the 1986 le mans 24hr with a group c prototype sponsored by k- seal

We're on! First station achieved after a brisk 5 minutes walk. It's windy, so the train is coming. Here it is.

phia was semi nuts before but 100% fully committed nuts now go phil

1930s transport hub of the future…. 1938 bus with roof mounted zeppelin docking bay

isn't that a "club of four"? so named cos it was used by 4 brands volvo saviem (renault) iveco (magirus deutz) DAF