Six Cylinders Motoring Notes

[Six-cylinder]

The Trevi is in disgrace as it is refusing to start. I thought it was just Italian temperament and if I kept trying it would eventually go , but no.

Today @ianbmw came to help me, we squirted easy start in but not a cough.  Next we tried for a spark and the HT lead from the coil gives a fat spark. From the spark plug leads we got the weakest of sparks. This evening I have ordered  spark plugs, HT Leads, Distributor cap and rotor arm.

[Mrs6C]

Do you need to add a third category to your signature line, of 'Not at home and broken'?

[richardmorris]

11 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

The Trevi is in disgrace as it is refusing to start. I thought it was just Italian temperament and if I kept trying it would eventually go , but no.

Today @ianbmw came to help me, we squirted easy start in but not a cough.  Next we tried for a spark and the HT lead from the coil gives a fat spark. From the spark plug leads we got the weakest of sparks. This evening I have ordered  spark plugs, HT Leads, Distributor cap and rotor arm.

If it’s like the Mercedes 300 engine, I’d suspect the distributor.

[Six-cylinder]

The green Range Rover is still not running and now I think it needs an autosparks to workout why there is no sparks.

Today @ianbmw bought over a gift of his old wheels and tyres for it because the tyres on it are are cracked and not going pass a MOT. This is optimism that one day it will run! 

[Six-cylinder]

13 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

If it’s like the Mercedes 300 engine, I’d suspect the distributor.

Speaking to a Gamma owner who also owns a Trevi he says check if the coil is 12V, his was fitted with a 12V coil but still had ballast resistor.

[Six-cylinder]

16 minutes ago, Mrs6C said:

Do you need to add a third category to your signature line, of 'Not at home and broken'?

Everybody would have to get 42 inch screens to fit them in!

[Zelandeth]

...If we've got a dodgy spark that may well be a contributing factor to why it seems to be impossible to dial the carb in to run smoothly across anything like a useful band.  Would also explain why there were brief periods where it seemed to run lovely for a few minutes before playing up again.

Have to confess to having got tunnel vision there and homes straight in on the carb (which does need a service kit, for the gasket if nothing else) and beyond clipping on one loose HT lead properly never really looked at the ignition side.  My bad!

[beko1987]

I did some cleaning tonight. 

First, using the v11 with the mini turbo head I got a bin full of sand out

Then each piece of carpet got a good spray with g101, scrubbed with a stiff brush by hand then extracted with my vax full of plain hot water

Rinse and repeat (ha) for it all and it came up quite well! 

They came up very well! They would have taken a drill brush, their in excellent condition but they didn't need it. No stains to speak of, but decades of grime washed out and they've brightened up no end! 

Its currently all behind pretty much every radiator in th e house waiting for the heating to come on in the morning and dry them, then I'll vacuum them again.

The drivers footwell mat needs re stitching though... It's held on by one side though

[Six-cylinder]

I bought the carpets from Bognor, please can you take them their beach back!

[Six-cylinder]

Today I collected our XM from MOT and service, we have had it 1 year 8 months and 4800 miles. When I bought it @dean36014promised me that he would send me a drivers door check strap he had bought as the original was broken, but had not been delivered in time for the handover. True to his word the door check strap turned up in days, it has taken me until this week for me to have it fitted. It is great to have a driver's door that does not try to bash your legs getting out!

[Six-cylinder]

This blue box really is a Tardis!

I had to move an Allegro wing today and stood it by the front door to contemplate what car to use. It seemed a fair size so I selected the 200TE wondering if I would have to put the seats down. Somehow the wing shrunk when it entered the Tardis boot!

[richardmorris]

27 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Today I collected our XM from MOT and service, we have had it 1 year 8 months and 4800 miles. When I bought it @dean36014promised me that he would send me a drivers door check strap he had bought as the original was broken, but had not been delivered in time for the handover. True to his word the door check strap turned up in days, it has taken me until this week for me to have it fitted. It is great to have a driver's door that does not try to bash your legs getting out!

I hadn’t noticed. Perhaps I’m used to my x1/9 doing the same.

[richardmorris]

17 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

This blue box really is a Tardis!

I had to move an Allegro wing today and stood it by the front door to contemplate what car to use. It seemed a fair size so I selected the 200TE wondering if I would have to put the seats down. Somehow the wing shrunk when it entered the Tardis boot!

I think any replacement for the daily w124 coupe will have to be an estate.

[Six-cylinder]

1 minute ago, richardmorris said:

I think any replacement for the daily w124 coupe will have to be an estate.

Not sure, the coupe is so beautiful.

[richardmorris]

10 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Not sure, the coupe is so beautiful.

But practically modern cars just don’t have the boot space.

[Six-cylinder]

17 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

But practically modern cars just don’t have the boot space.

Trouble is I think you would have to spend close to £100k to get something as beautiful and stylish as your 320CE.

[richardmorris]

3 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Trouble is I think you would have to spend close to £100k to get something as beautiful and stylish as your 320CE.

I’ll start saving! 

[beko1987]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

I hadn’t noticed. Perhaps I’m used to my x1/9 doing the same.

I was warned about it when I drove it, but I'm used to shitty psa check straps anyway! 

[dean36014]

I still miss that xm, however I'm really enjoying the jag I've bought even if it did mean dismantling the front door step so I can fit in on the drive! Glad the xm is still providing sterling service.

[Six-cylinder]

Action stations!

I don't often seem to be fit the usual  collection pattern but today there is a plan. so have a picture of my breakfast to get you in the mood.

I have never seen it but a friend has, he dropped a note on my mat Sunday afternoon about a poor bereaved car........

The late owner's sister tells me it is currently a non starter but was running. 180,000 miles, 6 weeks MOT.

so what is it? No, I am going to make you wait until this afternoon, 1988F, red is all I am saying because I know you lot the smallest of clues and you will have it, you are too good at the game.

[SiC]

Morris Traveller sounds interesting! Are you collecting that too?

I'm pretty sure it'll be something PSA ...

[Six-cylinder]

7 minutes ago, SiC said:

Morris Traveller sounds interesting! Are you collecting that too?

I'm pretty sure it'll be something PSA ...

Traveller is a problem, it is derelict and fit for a few parts only. The trouble is it is in a shed in the back garden but is now land locked by new housing behind.  

[SiC]

33 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Traveller is a problem, it is derelict and fit for a few parts only. The trouble is it is in a shed in the back garden but is now land locked by new housing behind.  

That's a shame. Sounds like it'll have to be cut up into small bits and removed that way. 

I really quite like the idea of Traveller and it's a rare classic that gets the thumbs up from Mrs SiC. Unfortunately, given what they go for now, it'll probably have to be something needing work! 

I'm surprised you don't have one or anything Morris Minor based in your collection. 

[Six-cylinder]

4 minutes ago, SiC said:

I'm surprised you don't have one or anything Morris Minor based in your collection. 

You had to drag that subject up again!

We had a Traveller and the gearbox failed in it no longer had 2nd or 3rd. It still sort of worked cane it in 1st, lug it in 4th. At the same time my Bond Equipe 2.0 Ltr convertible project had stalled so I did a deal with a guy where he would MOT and make the Bond usable and in payment he would get the Morris with the broken gearbox. Mrs6C has never forgiven me!

[HMC]

There’s not much to go on for a guess.

im assuming a cruisy long distance type of car with 189k on the clock.

what body type is it?

late owners sister. Hmmmm winter giffer special. 740 estate?

[wuvvum]

BMW E30?

[Six-cylinder]

8 minutes ago, HMC said:

im assuming a cruisy long distance type of car with 189k on the clock.

Sometimes in life there are surprises!

[DoctorRetro]

I'm going to guess Austin Maestro with a 1275 A series and a previous masochistic owner! 

[wuvvum]

2 minutes ago, Six-cylinder said:

Sometimes in life there are surprises!

Fiesta 950 Popular Plus?

[Six-cylinder]

Just now, wuvvum said:

Fiesta 950 Popular Plus?

blimey how rich do you think I am, I can't afford a Ford!