LesRasK

only one to start off..
really clean golf...

Narrowly missed out on one about 18 months ago, distraught I was! Metallic green GTX?
Very late one, likely still in Glos/Wilts area.

While on the toilet during a short break in Wales this weekend I thought I'd have a quick browse on the Pistonheads forums for a change. While it is generally the place where all that is wrong with the world congregates I did find one thread that could be plagarised for these hallowed pages: affordable iconic engines. In the case of the original, it stands at 7 pages of largely factually-incorrect chelp and dick waving (well, £30k is affordable isn't it...?) the likes of which I am in no hurry to see again. But I like the idea for a thread, so will start with a few that stand out from my limited first hand experience.
 
Honda E series
I'm probably on my own here, but I had a Rover 213 as my first car. The little alloy 12 valve screamed like a pig near its lofty redline, gave plenty of performance for a new driver and was ace on petrol. But to me it's here because of the abuse it took: I managed to put the new cambelt on a few teeth out but being non-interference it survived; I rebuilt the carb with some new parts on a trial and error basis; it ran even though there was hardly any metal left in the rotor arm, the list goes on. It went from being owned from by a couple of old dears (covering 48k in 20 years) to being asked to carry more than its allocated maximum passengers, being thrashed through the middle of nowhere, and countless other abuses that will remain unmentioned. The poor bastard had never been above 50mph and actually stopped working for a few minutes the first time it had to go on the motorway. I have never since known of an engine having to take a deep breath and then carry on as normal, and for that along with everything else it earned a place in my heart.
 
Alfa Romeo Busso V6
I've always had a strange aversion to V6 engines; there's something a bit off-putting about them unless they're in an Alfa. Not had one of my own but my dad had a 2.5 12v  (155) at the same time as my unlce having a 3.0 12v (164). They were both standard but the noise they made going up the A653 was astounding: my child-self was unable to resist cracking into a broad and gormless smile. The song 'bittersweet symphony' by The Verve had a similar effect a few years before, but I've heard it too many times now. That isn't possbile with a Busso. The 155 was followed (via a few others) by a 156 24v. It was probably a much better car but didn't sound nearly as good. Plus it ate its belt and fucked 6 pistons and 24 valves, forcing me dad into £500 shitters for a few years. Which leads nicely on to:
 
SAAB turbo
After getting burned with the Alfa, me dad decided to get something cheap that he didn't have to take a loan out to buy, and was therefore disposable should anything go wrong. The best* option in the local area was a wonderfully scruffy 5 door hatch 900S turbo, with the lower boost 140 ish bhp engine and a burbly exhaust. It was a lovely place to sit like all SAABs but the 16v slant 4 under that odd shaped bonnet was the star of the show. It took me to Leeds festival 2004, some of the journey sat on the roof, and, crucially, didn't break down or overheat like the newish Renault Espace my mates got a lift in. A small, albeit important detail an I realise I'm getting a bit sentimental but it was the first of many with the same basic motor and it's a fucking good engine: lots of shove when you need it but very refined and 100% reliable. 
 
PSA XUD
I don't think there's much I can say that hasn't already been said about this one, but I'm one of the fan club. Transforms the character of whatever it's in without making it less enjoyable to drive (compared to petrol versions)
 
BMW M42
Just because the purists seem to think a BM without a straight six is not worth mentioning, and I adored the 1.8 twink in my E30. It is denounced generally as being gutless and needing to be screwed to the redline to get anything out of it, but in the real world I found it to be very flexible and better on fuel than it had any right to be. It also made a better noise than any BMW 6 pot I've ever heard, M3s included. This of course is purely subjective...
 
Mercedes OM-6xx
Precisely the sort of thing Pistonheads users in the main would denounce, but an iconic engine to me at least. Years of forced progress in diesel engine technology has yet to produce anything as refined as these old lumps. I've only owned 2, a 3 litre 6 pot in a w124 wagon and a 2.5 5 pot in my 190, but have been in plenty of taxis in various places where they've still run like clockwork. Slow, but sure. The 1.6 million mile W123  taxi we hired in Marrakech felt tighter than my old 80k mile 280ce. They are capable of massive power outputs when turbocharged, but I honestly can't think of a better way to get around day to day than being behind an NA Merc diesel.
 
As I said, my own experience is very limited. I could go on about the power delivery of the Nissan RB26 but there's another forum for that sort of thing, and I don't plan on joining it any time soon so I'll keep it to myself. Over to you  ....

I thought I would add all my woes together into one thread and then one day perhaps I could share some good news as well.

Our winter motoring looked good, no fantastic.

1999 Volvo V70 T5
2001 Volvo V70 XC
1990 Mercedes 200TE
1996 Citroen ZX TD Estate
1988 BMW 735i SE
2004 Range Rover TD6
1995 Audi V6 Convertible
2000 BMW 330 Ci
1999 Citroen Xantia V6
2000 Citroen C15D Van

Now
Our V70XC is in a garage trying to trace another oil leak. Audi Convertible is in a different garage to have its rear shock absorbers replaced following a bad knocking noise. C15D out on loan but ready to come home. Xantia has airbag light on now. I have just found 735i has a flat battery, I was planning to take it to a BMW meeting tonight and the interior mirror has fallen off. Why now I have owned the car 7 years. The worst is I had taken the ZX out and 13 miles from home the clutch pedal hit the floor. I managed to drive it home staring off in gear and the up changes were not too bad but down changes did not really work. I will have to book that in to be sorted now. In case you wondered about the rest of the fleet
My wife does not like her 330Ci used when there is any salt about. The Range Rover is hard to park, expensive to run and makes you look like a posh git. So my wife is using the V70 T5. Me, I using the 200TE.

Well I've been meaning to sign up here in forever, but kept forgetting. Thanks to someone over on another forum I frequent poking me about it recently the subject was forced back into my very brief attention span for long enough to get me to act on the instruction.

I figure that my little varied fleet might bring you lot some amusement...

So...we've got:

1993 Lada Riva 1.5E Estate (now fuel injected, as I reckon the later cars should have been from the factory...).
1989 Saab 900i Automatic.
1987 Skoda 120LX 21st Anniversary Special Edition.
1985 Sinclair C5.
2009 Peugeot 107 Verve.

Now getting the photos together has taken me far longer than I'd expected...so you're gonna get a couple of photos of each car for now, and I'll come back with some more information tomorrow when I've got a bit more time...

Firstly...The Lada. Before anyone asks - in response to the single question I get asked about this car: No, it is not for sale. Took me 13 years and my father's inheritance to find the thing.


Yes, it's got the usual rusty wings...Hoping that will be resolved in the next couple of months.

 






Next, a proper old Saab. One of the very last 8 valve cars apparently, and all the better for it. I've driven two 16v autos and they were horrible - the auto box works sooooo much better with the torque curve of the 8 valve engine. Just wish it had an overdrive for motorway cruising...









Next up a *real* Skoda...back when they put the engine where it belongs, right out the back. In the best possible colour of course...eye-searingly bright orange.







Seat covers have been added since that photo was taken as it suffers from the usual rotting seat cloth problem that affects virtually all Estelles.

Then we have possibly the world's scruffiest Sinclair C5...



Realised when looking for this that I really need to get some more photos of the thing...I use it often enough after all! We have a dog who's half husky, so this is a really good way of getting him some exercise.

Finally - again, I really need to take more photos of - we have the little Pug 107.



Included for the sake of variety even if it's a bit mainstream! First (and probably to be the only) new car I've bought, and has been a cracking little motor and has asked for very little in return for putting up with nearly three years of Oxford-Milton Keynes commuter traffic, before finally escaping that fate when my housemate moved to a new job. Now it doesn't do many miles and is my default car for "when I've managed to break everything else."

I'll fill in some more details tomorrow - I warn you though that I do tend to ramble...

If you have:
a part to sell something you're looking for something to give away for free please post it here.

 
(Starting a new combined thread so that we have less pinned threads.)
 
The original wanted and offered thread is here
The original shitecycle thread is here
 

...by which I probably mean Marty and jonkw, but anyone else is welcome to comment!My '94 405 (XUD9T, I think - 1905cc 92bhp turbo anyhow) has, since I bought it the first time round last year, exhibited an annoying fault, namely taking 45secs of cranking (sometimes needing priming of the fuel pump via the rubber bulb in the engine bay) to start when cold. At which point it will emit a largish cloud of grey (not black) smoke. Definitely runs on all four cylinders straightaway though. It goes first time if you start it again within up to 4hrs of shutting off. I give the glowplugs two blasts until the relay clicks.I have a new set o' glowplugs to try - but do you think it's something else - air getting into the leakoff pipes and hastening the derv's slippage back to the tank, or (shudder) the fuel pump itself misbehaving? It does seem odd that priming the pump never makes the bulb 'hard', if you know what I'm saying. As I will be pressing the thing into daily use in two weeks' time, a simple fix would be great...