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Lankytim

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Everything posted by Lankytim

  1. A few months ago I replaced the main upper engine mount on the Laguna as the vibration was getting excessive. It took a while to track down the source of the issue but on inspection the oil filled mount had collapsed as wasn’t really damping anything. A new aftermarket one was ordered but failed again after a week or so! I was refunded by the vendor but only got around to replacing the mount this week. A used OEM mount was sourced on eBay and finally fitted last night. I haven’t taken it for a test drive yet but the car is making much less noise on the driveway and the wiper arms aren’t dancing around anymore! I cut the old (new) mount open and found the damping oil had escaped and was sitting at the bottom. New Renault mounts cost approx £130 and this one was £50 so maybe that explains it!
  2. I got into an online argument with someone who claimed to own one of these O series carb versions. I was absolutely sure they never existed. Years later I found out I was very wrong.
  3. A custom cut down loom with a version of the ECU without an immobiliser is the usual state of affairs. Not all cars are common enough on the track for racers to have figured out how to wire them up though.
  4. The cream coloured car is a Sunbeam Talbot 90.
  5. The Fusion has been parked up for 2 years or so, it’s been a “spare” car but was never needed. I decided to get it MOTd and either sell or keep it for myself as it’s sat there basically rotting away. It’s been in the family since it was a few years old so it will be a bit of a wrench to get rid of it. After a quick wash and check of tyre pressures it was delivered to the MOT garage. The test showed up front brakes, to be expected I guess. The bulb was slightly annoying as I swear it all all working the evening before! I had the bits needed at at home so an hour of tinker time and a retest was scheduled and pass issued. Result! It’ll probably end up parked up for another two years. We’ll see what happens.. it’s at least ready to use. Can anyone identify the reason for the slight mark on the lower wishbone? Only level 10 or above shiters will recognise it’s origins.
  6. If it’s anything like my 145 you can alter camber and castor angles by adding and removing shims on the top wishbone. The crossmember tends to bend in over the decades and shims need to be removed from the wishbone to keep everything straight. Apparently Volvo dealers had a special hydraulic press to splay the crossmember back out on high mileage cars. I’ve read that this castor/camber is very difficult to get right and places like ATS won’t know how to set it correctly so it’s a case of trial and error and DIY.
  7. Unfortunately he’s already sold it apparently!
  8. He’s advised that he’ll sell it complete for the right offer. He cleared a few other cars from the site too, one of which is a Ford Zodiac (or similar) that’s up for sale now I believe.
  9. I do need to stock up on ethanol friendly fuel hose, this will do as a temporary fix for now though. Accessibility wasn’t too bad once the back end was up on axle stands.
  10. Finally found time to replace a corroded fuel pipe on the 145 today. A few months ago I removed the tank to clean and repair it and disturbed some of the existing steel pipe work near the rear axle. As this was corroded it immediately sprang a leak. Very annoying. The corroded section was removed and a length of rubber fuel pipe clamped in to replace it. After priming the fuel system the 145 sprang into life first turn of the key and settled down to a nice idle. I nearly gassed myself but I suppose that just adds to the giddy delirium you get when you finally fix something shite related!
  11. I know the bong for the headlights and seatbelt deffo isn’t working. I’ll have to try the indicators with the engine running and see if anything happens. AFAIK they all use the same buzzer anyway so if the headlight bong isn’t working then the indicators probably aren’t either.
  12. MOAR FOX FETTLING. Ive found there’s no audible tell tale for the indicators, hazards when you leave the lights on and open the door. Is this an MOT fail? Google suggests it’s the speaker module in the dashboard.
  13. I did notice the high ground clearance, it’s quite utilitarian. On the V5c it’s listed as an URBAN FOX 55, I’m guessing that’s why it’s got electric front windows. Googling these 1200 3cyl engines gives mixed reviews. Many have had timing chain problems. I guess it’s the nature of the market segment that these cars get neglected and impending issues get ignored until it’s too late.
  14. Drove over to the in-laws today and gave the FOX a very quick going over with a bucket and sponge. It hasn’t been washed in a couple of years and was pretty green. First of all I swapped the battery for a fully charged one. What’s with this stupid plastic cage on top of the battery? I couldn’t figure how to remove it and it ended up breaking. No doubt a YouTube video would demonstrate how easy it is to remove in 10 seconds or something. The engine bay itself looks like it belongs to a car that’s been parked up for decades, lots of ally corrosion and cobwebs. With a fresh battery the FOX started first time. Everything seems to work, electric power steering, brakes, windows etc and nothing is seized. Cleaning it showed it to be in pretty good shape with a few small thumbnail dents on one rear quarter and the the odd scratch. Very good for its age. Interior looks very good with nothing broken or badly worn. The paint is a weird pewter grey colour that used to be popular a while back, a good polish should bring it up very well. I think it might’ve had one of those ceramic treatments dealers used to offer as there doesn’t seem to be any oxidisation. One tyre is badly perished (Michelin obv) but the spare has a new tyre fitted so will get swapped over. Despite being very smoll the Fox is pretty tall and my 6ft1 frame fits behind the wheel with no issue. The rear seats are pretty comfy too although it’s strictly a 4 seater rather than 5. It deffo seems too good to crush. Should I give the Laguna a break for a few months and experience some South American minimalist motoring?
  15. VW FOX COLLECTIONED Some cack collected today from an old work mate. No collection thread as I don’t think modern dross like this warrants one. It didn’t go without incident though. I drove the 15 miles or so to my friends house and realised I’d randomly forgotten my detachable tow bar, drove home to get it, hoofed it back and hooked up the A frame then realised I’d left the extension lead to my trailer board at home too! Honestly, I think I’d forget my balls if they weren’t attached to me! By the time everything was hooked up, money had changed hands and tea had been drunk it had gone dark so I towed the new purchase home with the engine running and the lights on without event. This little Fox is in pretty good shape despite being parked up for 18 months. The battery is totally knackered but I don’t think it will need much for an MOT. 1200cc and 3 cyl! I think these VWs were built in Brazil and the Fox was a stopgap model in Europe as the Polo had got too fat and they needed a new small car in the lineup. OBV it will just sit around for another 18 months before I fill it with random scrap and weigh it in.
  16. I can’t remember if I’ve mentioned this before (and CBA to check) but if you set your browser to incognito mode compare the market or whoever you’re getting quotes from think you’re a brand new customer rather than someone trying to get a cheaper quote multiple times a day. They tend to load the quotes if they think you’re getting desperate. “of course I wasn’t looking at porn dear, I was trying to get car insurance, honest” Best time to get a quote is 28 days before renewal apparently. The closer you are to renewal the more desperate they assume you must be.
  17. After the success of the N/S Laguna wishbone replacement I got cracking with the O/S. its always nice to see an obvious failure point when replacing a part. Oddly the front bush had failed on this side, on the other it was the rear bush that had split. I managed to break my 1/2 to 3/8 adaptor but I should be able to get a replacement FOC from Halfrauds.
  18. It’s got a “pulse air” system too I think! This was a system of pipes that fed air into the exhaust manifold in an effort to reduce emissions, they often corroded away and resulted in poor running and backfires. They’ve mostly been removed and blanked off now as it was a shite system.
  19. Shouldn't this have the B230K “Heron Head” engine or was that just 240s? If it does have a B230k then it’s an interference engine too.
  20. Replaced the NS wishbone on the ‘gooner today. I’d been putting it off as the bolts are super tight and I didn’t want to end up with an immobile car for a week with the job half done or something. With a 2ft scaffold tube the bolts were eventually cracked off and the wishbone replaced. The rear bush looked pretty knackered so replacement was overdue!
  21. Woo! The Laguna went and passed!
  22. Parked up in Barrow at the weekend. These are all apparently owned by the same guy who sounds like a bit of a Shiter. He leaves them parked until they get ticketed by the council and then moves them to a different street where they eventually get ticketed again and the game of musical shite carries on forever. I’d love to own that Marina estate. It’s a Mk3 in the right colour and 28 days younger than me. Lush!
  23. I’ve had that a few times before, they often change their tune if their car won’t start or they have a flat tyre. I’m always happy to help though. One old codger was always on my case moaning about everything. When he died his wife often came over and asked me to help with stuff. Before I knew it I was up a ladder on her roof moving the TV aerial around trying to get a signal. I’m not sure what was worse, the moaning or all the odd jobs I ended up doing.
  24. More ‘goona action. The scrubbed up and generally borderline front tyre with inner shoulder wear has finally been swapped for a nicer* part worn. Managed to get an identical Michelin to match the rest too. These things matter on a sub £500 motor.
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