fatharris

I gave it a blast with the hose before I set off, because the windows were impossible to see through 😅 I'm intending to crack on and get home with the driving done in one stint - I've got work tomorrow 😎 We're having a quick stop in France, we're currently 130km from the Ferry port. We've had a casualty too, in the form of a front fog light catching a stone. These are a pain the arse to source, I should imagine! Weather has been lovely the last few days, and today has been no exception. However, I can't imagine it is going to stay like this. We set off in plenty of time, which was handy because an hour after setting off, we got a message saying the ferry departure has been moved to an earlier slot due to the weather.

Woke up this morning to find the Rover covered in Saharan dust. Quick blast with the hose and it's got the worst of it off. Car is loaded and we're ready to go! Long old day ahead of us. Setting off now.

Only nipped out to the shops today - it was our last day in NL so we wanted to rest before the big drive home tomorrow morning. Only one spot worth sharing: The owner came out as I was taking photos and we got chatting, it was a 1980 model and he bought it a few months ago for his nephew. Also finally spotted my first Rover of the trip! Going to have an early night tonight - got to be at the ferry terminal for 1530 so we're leaving about 1000.

Today's Spottage: I spotted this BX (the only one on the trip so far!) parked up at the bottom of an allotment. Got chatting to the owner and it transpired it was getting scrapped next week and offered me any parts I wanted from it. I didn't have any tools with me, but I happened to be on a Facebook group for BXs in the Netherlands, so I made a post on there and a few former owners popped out of the woodwork and shared some pictures of it in a previous life! I believe someone is going down there to get a few bits and bobs off it, so at least it's not entirely going to waste. We also saw another football match, supporting Mons away in Belgium. They're a different breed when it comes to crowd safety, with flares and firecrackers going off! The team won 3-1, thankfully. Wouldn't like to see the aftermath of they had lost 😅

Unfortunately not, the weather was bloody awful that day so they closed it, probably for the best as nowadays with Google maps satellite views, you could be out in mere moments [emoji28] Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

Popped to Liege, Belgium today to tick off some bucket list items for the family. You can definitely tell when you go over the border from NL to Belgium, because the road surfaces deteriorate almost instantly. Rover appears to be behaving again for now. Anyway, Waffles achieved. Youngest had chocolate and marshmallows with hers and was 90% Nutella by the time she finished. Had a few spots: Dunno if I posted this one from Germany earlier in the week, but I loved it 😅

Ha, spoke too soon didn't I? I think it's sorted now, I gave the seal another wipe and flipped the coin. It was dry after a 20 mile drive home, but I'll watch it like a hawk. Spots: Also spotted a MK1 Mondeo, 2CV, DS and an immaculate 80s Civic, I was driving at the time though. Took the kids to Holland's answer to Disneyland - very much recommended. Borrowed Alex's C-Class for the journey because it was diesel. Nice enough to drive 😅

Has a long enough driving period to highlight another coolant leak. Same area as last time, from the plastic bung-sealed one. The 2p fix is still bone dry, and I only changed one to see if cleaning the bung and seal up was an effective fix. That clearly wasn't the case! Luckily, I was already prepared for this and had a second 2p piece filed down and in the car in case the plastic bung ever leaked. Two seconds to swap out and minimal coolant loss this time, I've dried up the area and will monitor it over the next couple of days.

Chod spotting? Chod spotting. The Netherlands has no car culture at all. Zero. They're memed about this for a reason. Remarkably, the car park of the local Lidl was surprisingly fruitful. On the way home, I saw my first JDM car of the entire trip! See? It counts. (I expect someone from the AS collective will know immediately where the tail lights are from) Even had JDM wheels! Not sure on the dashboard, but think it's upmarket 106? Bonus twingo content. And spotted a lovely original Lancer! And eventually consoled myself with retail therapy: Later, we popped to the Drielandenpunt, a point where Belgium, Germany and Netherlands meet. It's also where the highest point in Netherlands is, at a whopping* 325.5 metres. Got to recreate a classic Simpsons moment: Tonight, I'm watching some football with the boy and @chatsharris. Not a bad way to spend an evening. Cheers!

Well, the ferry was an emotional experience - key lowpoint was out overtired 2 year old just wouldn't go to sleep, and kept getting up, and wanting to wander about. I totally understand that, she'd been sat in the car seat for nearly 11 hours at that point. They all eventually fell asleep, leaving me to stay too wired to follow them. We got out of Dieppe ferry port around 0515, and immediately happened along the Alpine factory 😁 Didn't realise just how poor the lights got after the beam deflectors were fitted, they were like bloody candles! Thankfully, a reinvigorated MrsH had planned ahead and filled a thermos of tea, which was still piping hot the following morning! Can tell the British influence in the Rover, it was practically made for this purpose! This only worked on the French roads, which were impeccable, with only two potholes observed. Belgian roads are a different kettle of shitey fish altogether. Entered NL, and took a quick photo whilst adding to the PC. And triumphantly arrived 45 minutes later at my destination, staying with my brother @chatsharris and his wife who has recently had a baby. The Rover was absolutely faultless, it worked an absolute treat the entire time and I definitely made the right call to take it. Even the seats that were a bit firm at the beginning, became supportive in the end. PC: 7, with one false start.

She only finally dropped off to sleep about half an hour ago! [emoji2357][emoji1787] Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

Well, we're at the ferry terminal, four hours before departure! Filled up at a Shell about 40 miles ago- decided to treat the Rover to a fill up of V-power @ £1.70! Now to twiddle my thumbs for several hours.

200 miles down, only drama is our 2 year old projectile vomiting on herself on the outside lane of the M27. Cleaned up all right though!

T-minus 90 minutes to go before we set off, fuelled up and loaded. Yesterday in the nick of time, the speakers arrived. Chopped the old connectors and solder sleeved the new leads and connectors on. And thankfully, this set fits lovely in the original frames, and the window can go up and down fully. Sound isn't amazing, but it isn't rattly and at £17 delivered I wasn't expecting miracles. Naturally, I slept horribly last night, woke up with a sore back, and the kids are hopped up on Easter choccies. With a friendly reminder of which side of the road to stay on: We are fully ready to embrace driving on the continent. Winner. Let's have it.

Have a bigger one then [emoji41] Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

They still didn't touch your dingle then either [emoji8] Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

Man, I wish this weather would piss off, bursts of sunshine, interlaced with sudden downpours and hailstorms. It was finally time to wash the Rover after a winter spent as the daily, in preparation for the long journey on Sunday. Took a LOT of scrubbing but eventually, it came up alright. Even took the time to fit the bits needed for European travel: I shan't be touching the BX now until.i get back, as I've yet to actually pack any clothes yet. Long journey ahead of us on Sunday!

Thank you, it's been hard going at times but hopefully rewarding, although I've still got the BMW, MX5 and Beat to get back on the road yet so there's still plenty of work to go! Sent from my VOG-L09 using Tapatalk

Time for a change of subject today. The Rover is the preferred vehicle for the upcoming family trip to NL on Sunday, so it was time for a few jobs to be bashed out. First job, swap the front and rear wheels round - the fronts were exhibiting wearing on the outer edges. Whilst the oil was draining, I jumped onto the fuel filter. All evidence points to the last service being conducted in late 2020, judging by the date stamps. Oil filter was marked with the mileage and date. And moved onto the auxiliary belt - piece of cake on this! Spark plugs followed - gaps were checked for the magic number of 0.85mm before being copper greased and torqued in. Next job was a preventative one - I could only get a cheap 8mm clevis pin for the clutch arm during the clutch change last year, so it was time to swap it out for a more substantial stainless steel one. Managed to swap them out without having to open the clutch slave bleed screw and pushing the plunger in. You can just about see the start of the wear on the old, long one. Noticed some chafing on the underside of the boost pipe from the cone filter, so some protective tape was applied to the pipe. Not the tiniest, but will provide a sacrificial layer. A new filter is on order. Whilst working in the engine bay, I noticed there was a weep of coolant coming from these two bungs - the only aftermarket radiators available for 620ti's are also fitted to the diesels. These bungs are for the diesel sensors. As a compulsive tight-arse, I hopped onto the Rover groups and was delighted to be told that a solution was available, for literal pence. Apparently the old school trick was to remove the plastic bung, leave the seal in place, and add a slightly-filed down 2p piece in its place. Decided to test either one for effectiveness - the 2p piece, or the bung, having been removed and cleaned along with the seal. (I have been for a 10 mile test drive, and so far, both have remained dry. Going to pack the bung and another prepared 2p piece just in case) Remember this utter tightwadded bodge I did when I had the flywheel off in November? Well, it's been four months and I have finally checked underneath the car - it's bone dry underneath there, so it actually bloody worked, £25 saved 😅 Whilst inspecting underneath, I finally found the source of the large explosion noise about three weeks ago - the weld around the back of the centre box has split, suggesting some sort of initial blockage in the actual box. This pipe moved a bit when the exhaust was moved up and down. Mindful of the arseache we went through when the Laguna's exhaust welding completely failed, I decided to act now whilst it was on axle stands. Safety first on the other side. Didn't bother getting any pictures of it, but I didn't want to fully re-weld it back up, especially if there is still any sort of blockage in there. Instead, I elected to weld the joint back up at various intervals to ensure the exhaust remains attached to the rest of the car. Another quick job was adjusting the door and door catch, as it was catching slightly on closing. The strip of making tape highlighted the contacting area when closed, and I adjusted accordingly. Not too happy with the shutline gap, so I'll get the front wing off at some point to access the hinge bolts to allow for better adjustment. Finally, the speakers have been blown for ages and they were irritating me, so let's whip them out. These were the OE Goodmans speakers so it was no surprise to see the glue had failed around the cone: Still, being tight as fuck, I elected to attempt a regluing of the cone to the metal base. After a couple of hours left to dry, I reinstalled one in the darkness: And realised they sounded just as poor as before - guess it's replacement time then. Ah well, the block and head were dropped off for the required work, the garage was re-tidied ready for another day's graft, and I've got an overnight shift at work so there'll be no work happening on the cars tomorrow. Cheers!

Small jobs today Scrubbed off the inlet manifold gasket, and removed all the studs off the head. Fired a message to the bloke doing the work, and I'm dropping the head and block off tomorrow afternoon. Be good to get it over there! Next up, taking the track rod ends off the steering rack. Decided to leave them connected at the ball joint end. Luckily, I didn't have to stay upside down with filth falling on my face. Result! Got it out, albeit with a struggle! Turns out the new boot I had doesn't match at all, so I've got a new set on order. Noticed the power steering ram looked a bit damp, with OE examples commanding prices of £400+ for new examples, the aftermarket has triumphed, with a new unit available for £45. Ordered one and will see what it's like when it gets here. Ordered the last of the seals required too, so there'll be a mountain of parts awaiting fitment when I get back. Tomorrow is forecast to be dry, so my focus is shifting slightly.

Jesus, brief panic ensued in the work car park - popped out to get something from the Rover, and the fob wasn't working. Totally dead. Unlocked the door with the key and the alarm went off, and wouldn't stop. Had to run back into the building, prise the fob open, reseat the batteries and try again. Working now, but poo shot out.

These updates almost feel daily at this point! Yesterday, I had a rare day off the tools, and instead had a day spent on the computer, sourcing more parts that have been discovered in poor shape. They'll be here at some point. Today, we had an actual break on the miserable weather, and even some sunshine! Decided to crack on with the block again, stripping the last few bits off before it goes away for repair. Timing belt tensioner spring is the original! Suppose it's just a spring, the pulley itself is grumbling so that'll be changed. All the various mounting brackets etc were removed and I decided against the original plan of leaving the cylinder liners - as I had it pointed out to me, I've gone this far with it, so why stop there? Glad I did, as more evidence of mingebaggery by the previous owners became evident - clearly this has been run on water for ages. Thankfully it cleaned up pretty nicely. The water pump turned out to be the original too! I then spent a couple of hours cleaning up, cataloguing and boxing everything up from the block strip job, in order to make room for the head strip. Made decent progress in short order so I popped the head onto the clutter free workbench. This ended up being a rather pleasant job and the Haynes manual was pretty helpful in that regard for once. The camshaft seal was found to be U/S on removal so a new one will be ordered. In no time at all, the camshaft was off, cleaned and stowed in the driver's footwell for safekeeping. Tappets were off next - didn't have a fancy magnet on a stick, so I used a board magnet 😅 Everything was marked with paint dots to keep everything as a matched set and in the right order. Which left me with valves, and a problem. The spring compressor wouldn't operate without fouling the edge of the head! Ended up improvising with an injector socket, and just screwing it in to get the collets. The socket was absolutely the millimetre perfect size required for the job! Paint markings evident here. Eventually, all the valves were out! I had been cleaning the components as they came off so they were all bagged and tagged and ready for reinstall. Finally, I knocked it on the head, with a rag draped over it to keep the dust out. A productive day, and a productive weekend all round! This week will be focused on dropping off the block and head, working the remaining mechanical jobs on the BX, and prepping the Rover for a road trip - eventually, I'll get a break! Cheers!

So glad this is getting a second chance, it is a lovely motor, I had a 1996 1.8 when I was 18 back in 2008 and felt like the bollocks, until it shat a conrod five days out of warranty. Still think they look great.

All this has done is help prevent a future FTP. Be grateful.

Ah, figured the dilemma out at 6am, because I'm an idiot. Forgot I took the other woodruff key off when I took the crank pulley off during the timing belt removal - it is present so there's nothing to worry about, and I panicked for nothing. Ah well, c'est la vie.