Six Cylinders Motoring Notes

[AnthonyG]

I found the below periodical amongst all those MotorSports that had been living in the Renault 11. I know @Mrs6C loves this sort of old crap, so will bring it with me on Sat. 

Look forward to a really half-arsed road test of a MG 1300, a buyers guide to about 50 different makes of identical looking caravans (of which I think only Elddis are still going), and a great ‘repair your door sills’ feature where some donkey goes to the trouble of buying new sills from a Vauxhall dealer for his FB Victor and then pop-riveting them on and ‘blending’ the join with filler ?

[AnthonyG]

Also a Triumph enthusiast applying what looks like semolina to an innocent Vitesse: 

[Six-cylinder]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

<insert expletive here>

Dash has to come apart again.  Apparently I didn't refit the speedometer cable properly, it was clicking slightly during the brief test run.  In the off chance it was just binding (there was a fair amount of slack in the cable) I gave it a wiggle from the engine bay side.  There was an audible "clunk" from inside the cabin...and now the speedo doesn't work...That clunk will have been the cable dropping off then.

It's not actually a big deal, taking the dash back out is all of 10 minutes work, and it was because of the potential for things like this that I hadn't refitted any of the blanking covers over the screws.  I'm not a complete rookie!  Cable did look a bit dry anyway so putting a good blob of grease on the end of it probably isn't a bad idea anyway.

Just one of those developments which makes you sigh and roll your eyes.

I wanted to be able to do some before/after tests regarding the cooling system flush so grabbed a reading from the metal line that runs into the radiator top hose (that's why there's a bit of matt black paint on there - to give me a solid temperature reading with the IR thermometer).  Slightly concerning to see that it seems to stabilise at 105C - that's definitely the upper end of what I'd like to be seeing - and is a good deal higher than the gauge is reporting (80ish).  Not in the red...but definitely leaning towards that side of the gauge.  This DOES seem to tie in with the way the fan behaves though, it kicks in after 15-20 minutes and then never cuts out again until after the engine is shut down.  Let's see how things look after a good old flush...I KNOW the heater hasn't had flow through it until yesterday because there was no vacuum to the valve that controls flow to the matrix...so it's entirely possible that my getting that working has released further gunk...and is all the more reason to do a coolant flush.

Tomorrow will involve much taking apart of things.  Let's see it I can get them all back together again!  Either way I'll make sure to get Dolly's carb put back together and dropped back over so whatever I wind up doing at the weekend that can be reinstated.

Other really minor detail I did today but had forgotten about...I noticed that there was quite a lot of oil on the underside of the air filter...a lot more than I'd expect given the engine doesn't seem to be breathing heavily at all.  Then I spotted that there's a PCV tap on the bottom of the air cleaner housing with nothing attached to it...I would say twin carb difference bit it doesn't look like it's ever had a hose on.  Not in recent history anyway.

It now has the blanking plug from the inlet manifold hose barb that the heater vacuum supply is hooked up to on it.

Was nice to be able to just grab something that I'd previously removed bit of the car and put it back into service...Especially as if she gets twin carbs again and things need switching back around all the original parts are still there.

I'll give the air cleaner body a good clean while the carb's stewing in the ultrasonic cleaner as the underside is gross and every time you go near it the back of your hands end up caked in black sludge.

The air filter box was never from this car or this carburretor, just a spare one the seller had.

[Zelandeth]

16 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

The air filter box was never from this car or this carburretor, just a spare one the seller had.

Ah ha, that would explain the additional PCV tap then.  It's definitely from a close relative though given that everything lines up just perfectly, including the cold air intake cutout in the front panel.  Ah well, it's properly blanked off now anyway!

[bobdisk]

11 hours ago, Six-cylinder said:

My guess is metric and these are our longest.

O, I cant do any better than those!

[chaseracer]

12 hours ago, Tadhg Tiogar said:

...or a half-open tin of surstrømming...

???

[beko1987]

Now my ear has stopped hurting I suddenly feel less shitty! Cold is almost gone, blocked up nostril now... 

If I may, I'll come for the day but not sleep, ill just leave late tomorrow afternoon and come home. A night in the car won't help I don't think. 

@LightBulbFun will you want to go shopping? I've not got anything to bring so wouldn't mind dropping past somewhere if you wanted to anyway for some nibbles and drinks for the day. I'll pm you my number too and leave the house at 9 to build in getting lost and traffic time

 

[LightBulbFun]

25 minutes ago, beko1987 said:

Now my ear has stopped hurting I suddenly feel less shitty! Cold is almost gone, blocked up nostril now... 

If I may, I'll come for the day but not sleep, ill just leave late tomorrow afternoon and come home. A night in the car won't help I don't think. 

@LightBulbFun will you want to go shopping? I've not got anything to bring so wouldn't mind dropping past somewhere if you wanted to anyway for some nibbles and drinks for the day. I'll pm you my number too and leave the house at 9 to build in getting lost and traffic time

 

ah happy to hear that I was going to post soon asking how you where doing  

I should be fine on the shopping front but I appreciate the offer, hopefully there will be a chippy run in the evening, and ill get a premier inn breakfast for sunday  (and maybe grab a subway once I arrive at MKC, mmm)

 

thanks for the number too, I appreciate that!, ill be aiming for the for the 9:43 euston to MKC at 10:13 train (or maybe if I wake up early enough the 9:20-9:50 train?) one of the 2!

[Six-cylinder]

Is anybody planning to arrive at the FoD this evening Friday 11th?

[LightBulbFun]

4 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Is anybody planning to arrive at the FoD this evening Friday 11th?

I dunno whats the MTBF for a Merlin V12 and how many german/Italian cars are currently parked there?

(has anyone ever landed a plane in the FoD?)

[Tadhg Tiogar]

9 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

....(has anyone ever landed a plane in the FoD?)

I doubt it could provide a long-enough runway for anything bigger than a microlight.

FoD is big....but not that big.

[wuvvum]

I think even in a microlight you'd struggle to clear the trees at the end of the field.

Anyone got a Sea Harrier I can borrow for the weekend?

[Six-cylinder]

Stol

 

 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

23 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I think even in a microlight you'd struggle to clear the trees at the end of the field....

The answer is simple: start the run from the tree end of the field. 

[catsinthewelder]

See you a little after 7 with any luck ?

[Talbot]

15 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I think even in a microlight you'd struggle to clear the trees at the end of the field.

I think a fair few types of microlight aircraft could easily get in and out of the FOD.  Going corner-to-corner there's about 250M of potential "runway" available.  Many Microlights will get in and out of that, and depending on weight/wind etc, a Cessna 172 potentially could too.

Any takers?

[wuvvum]

33 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Stol

 

 

OK, that one at 0:27 would probably be OK - although I'd always be worried about standing on the brakes in a taildragger, for fear of doing an unintentional forward roll.

[wuvvum]

8 minutes ago, Talbot said:

Any takers?

Well if you want to buy me a Cessna 172 I'll be happy to give it a bash...

[hairnet]

@Andyrew what time are you arriving tomorrow?

could i ask for an accessory belt and alternator belt for 98 mx5 nb s918mew please? if you have them in? 1.8

it has a/c

thanks

[Talbot]

If I was in a position to buy a Cessna 172,  I

A ) Wouldn't.  I'd buy a Piper Archer/Cherokee.

B ) Would damn well have a go myself.

[Andyrew]

5 minutes ago, hairnet said:

@Andyrew what time are you arriving tomorrow?

could i ask for an accessory belt and alternator belt for 98 mx5 nb s918mew please? if you have them in? 1.8

it has a/c

thanks

I could probably get one for you. But im at field on sunday.  Are you staying over or heading home saturday night?

[DoctorRetro]

Picked littlun up for the weekend. 

He's got a cold, sore throat, cough, runny nose. First week back at school! 

So that's us out, sorry. ??

 

[Ghosty]

I can get there in three hours, should I... I can't see myself doing much else this evening. 

[wuvvum]

8 minutes ago, Talbot said:

If I was in a position to buy a Cessna 172,  I

A ) Wouldn't.  I'd buy a Piper Archer/Cherokee.

More fun to fly, but less good for STOL.

[Talbot]

There's a field across from the FOD with 575M available.  Good enough.

[dollywobbler]

1 hour ago, Six-cylinder said:

Stol

 

 

Um, how is the sea breeze in the field?!

[Eyersey1234]

18 minutes ago, TheDoctor said:

Picked littlun up for the weekend. 

He's got a cold, sore throat, cough, runny nose. First week back at school! 

So that's us out, sorry. ??

 

I hope he is better soon @TheDoctor 

[Six-cylinder]

10 minutes ago, dollywobbler said:

Um, how is the sea breeze in the field?!

We are going  to run up our pair of XJ6s that will cause a weather event to get the breeze!

[hairnet]

23 minutes ago, Andyrew said:

I could probably get one for you. But im at field on sunday.  Are you staying over or heading home saturday night?

Ahh ok forgot about the previous askings.no.problem

[beko1987]

2 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

ah happy to hear that I was going to post soon asking how you where doing  

I should be fine on the shopping front but I appreciate the offer, hopefully there will be a chippy run in the evening, and ill get a premier inn breakfast for sunday  (and maybe grab a subway once I arrive at MKC, mmm)

 

thanks for the number too, I appreciate that!, ill be aiming for the for the 9:43 euston to MKC at 10:13 train (or maybe if I wake up early enough the 9:20-9:50 train?) one of the 2!

OK, ill set off earlier and go on my way, or drop you off at the FoD and nip back out

If your happy to go for either train and be safe in the knowledge that I'll be there just before/at 10 anyway so you may have to sit for 10 minutes, that sounds like it'll be alright!