Dj_efk

“You could argue that if the milkman hadn't pulled out, none of this would have happened. ” <snigger>

You mean the Austin / Morris / Wolseley choice of versions that were withdrawn from sale after only 6 months? Yes I agree partly - although I think the Princess brand was a good way to go, they really should have kept the wolseley, it looked good and sold well, unlike the lack of differentiation between the other two, the Wolseley brand and trimmings definitively put it a cut above. But anyway, we’re definitely thread swerving now!

Vulg that may be true in the case of 1.7 O series (I will bow to your much-superior experience there as I’ve never driven an O series), however the two Princesses I’ve owned with the 1.8 B series like this one were genuine national speed limit cruising machines no bother - and (one assumes due to the shape and high gearing), were still capable of returning decent fuel economy too. This to me is one of the many reasons these cars genuinely deserved to sell much better than they did. If only they had been properly tested and screwed together right from the beginning and weren’t associated with the worst period of industrial strife of BL - thereby endowing the car with the whiff of failure - I think they would have done a lot better than they did even without a hatch (though that too would have undoubtedly boosted their showroom appeal also).

Happy cruising at 60mph? These things will do 70 all day - 4th gear is so high that from memory that’s still less than 4000rpm and the car will still be pretty quiet if the exhaust is full gas-tight and the interior is all in place - I think you’re cosseting yours in its old age (that’s no bad thing mind if you’re not in a hurry).

I would have used a jump cable to test both the live and ground connections between the battery and the starter and the car’s body - that would have identified whether the motor itself is at fault. All the times I’ve ever had the symptoms you describe, it has turned out to be the battery leads not making a good enough connection to handle the large current draw needed.

This thread is SHITE TASTIC

Oh that’s a shame. FIX IT AGAIN TONY.

Yep that’s the standard VAG cruise control stalk - a useful option for long journeys on flat, fast roads. I would run the new oil and filter for 500 miles on some good long high speed runs before changing - that gives the additives time to tackle sludge and gunge. You can of course change earlier but I would argue it’s a waste as a well as a pain in the arse.

Sounds like a good going over with a bissell / vas / rug doctor upholstery tool/ attachment is urgently needed

Post gory pictures of what comes out of the sump please.

That is your opinion - fair enough. Mine is that to an 18 year old me, even with a knackered but still very willing 1300, every journey made in the wet made you feel like a power sliding rally king with the 155 tyres. This is why I remember them fondly. Obviously this is a very specific reason that on public roads would only appeal to a knobend that was me at the time and I dare say you were more sensible when you last drove one than I was then (I remember being caught out on a roundabout in Maidenhead one rush hour when it suddenly stepped out literally 90 degrees to the direction of travel, I only just caught the backend, somehow managed to correct it and indicate / exit as intended before I had to pull over and take a breather due to the shock!) - Reading this now I daresay you’re probably right, but I remember my 100 quid 1300XL Tawny Metallic Bronze with struts that tried to make a bid for freedom through the bonnet at every turn as a bloody fun car to drive.

What’s the rim width? I’d be tempted to keep to the standard size or perhaps go up a width profile to 155/80/14 as that won’t affect the car’S dynamics by much (steering weight etc.) and better options are available in that size (a quick glance gives you the conti eco contact 6 which is excellent value at 40 something quid a corner, up to you if you want to pay a little more over Chinese death rings of course). I’m not sure what the SR bit means, I don’t think it’s important.

Fuel filter would be my first port of call, when you change it I would fill it with neat injection cleaner (good stuff, not redex mind), then tip another bottle in the tank and brim it with branded fuel. Hopefully this sorts the issue.

Might be of interest? Limited edition magnetic engine oil on shitebay

I reckon you might eventually recover enough to get over it in time. Chin up.