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Six Cylinders Motoring Notes


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A little car progress today, my friend Ian came over and we stripped the seats, carpets and other trim out of the Visa GT to properly inspect the rust damage. A lot of work, but no more than I was expecting. The next stage is to get it booked with the guy Ian has coerced into welding it for me.

 

Having finished our floor inspection Ian asked me if the GT had been started in my ownership, I told him it was fine because I had checked and the engine is not locked. There was a glint in his eye I would have thought was reserved for his lovely wife and young family, but no his heart lay with getting the Visa started!

 

The only battery I had on site was the LNA so we connected it and the engine spun over but did not fire. We poured a small amount of petrol down each carburetor and it ran, we guessed the fuel was not being drawn from the tank, but a check revealed it was. The conclusion was the fuel is several years old and needs draining, now Ian has booked a day off work tomorrow to get the GT running!

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We returned to The Visa GT today and found the tank 1/2 full of completely stale fuel/crud but did not have time to drop the tank. So cleaned out the fuel line by pumping fresh fuel though with pick up in a can, then drained the carbs and pumped fresh fuel though. It now starts and runs but sometimes won’t rev and cuts out. I think the carbs need removing and cleaning properly.

 

Unfortunately the exhaust fell off once we got the car running!

 

Pushing the car back to its parking space the conversation went something like this:

 

Chris what have we run into?

Nothing Ian you have just turned the wheel the wrong way.

No I have not, come and look at my wheel.

O-dear!

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As is quite usual my working day had been punctuated by car stuff today.

 

I helped my friend refit the last door on our Bi-Turbo this morning.

 

The Auto electrician came at lunch time to sort the wipers on the Sovereign, he had previously tried to repair the wiper motor as a brush was stuck but could not make it work when he refitted it. He asked me to get a s/h replacement which I did and that did not work either. He then found the corroded terminal block. We now have wipers and a good s/h wiper motor to sell!

 

Next was our Volvo V70 T5 that is in storage and has been a non starter for a while now, that turned out to be the ignition fuse had blown. He thinks the most likely reason is when jump starting the car previously.

 

I used the E reg Visa diesel to get myself to storage and stopping at my friend’s house to collect the storage keys. I found the glow plug light stuck on when I came away. As I had the Auto electrician about I had him check it and sure enough it was feeding the glow plugs permanently. He pulled the plug off for me to get home and some time ago I broke a Visa diesel and had a rely box. The bad new is it broke the power lead stud undoing it on the replacement, so now it is on one thread, no washer and some araldite!

 

Wish me luck I am going to a Triumph meeting in it tonight in Bicester!

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More time spent on cars today.

 

The Biturbo has come to a stop because the driver’s window mechanism is stripped and I can find another one easily. It is now parked up outside waiting for me to find a part.

 

The Sovereign S1 has entered the garage principally because the bonnet does not shut properly, but I am sure this will be more than a minor adjustment!

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XJ6 series 1 where do I stop?

 

I wish we could have avoided starting this job because of all the rot it has revealed, but the bonnet would not close properly and only caught on one catch. I have looked for a replacement bonnet but what I have seen for sale is very poor.

 

Thing is we are supposed to be starting the Alfa Giulietta project so I don’t really want to get bogged down with this.

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I lent this black BMW E36 323i to my son and when he went to Canada he lent it to his friend. The car is now unused and I am being asked if I want it back. Trouble is I never though I would get it back and have considered it gone so it would be like having another purchase added to my 2017 non buying tally!

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2 door E36s are gaining value especially manuals with decent engines as DRIFTYO wankers have ruined most of them. Keep it, looks proper fit.

Trouble is I have a 328i sport but that is rusty and I am having to have welding done for the MOT. The 328i had popped a head gasket when I bought the 323i so I have never had them back to back. You are right this 323i is a nice one, but my 328i has an LSD!

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Is the GT rotten? Well yes but it's only considered rotten due to the type of car it is, I.e a lowish value French family car(Sorry Chris!) if it was a more desirable "M" car or 911,it would be seen as just a set of sills and some floor! It will live again.

 

From memory that 323 was a smart looking car

 

Sent from my F3311 using Tapatalk

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hooligan and yes the white one (e9?)

It is a 3.0 S E3 (E9 was coupe) and it is mine which is why is was parked next to my sons car. I have had it nearly 5 years and is currently with a friend from the BMW club because he is going to fix the poor starting and lumpy running for me.

 

When I first got it we did a fair amount of bodywork and now it looks a lot smarter than many of my cars, if not a show car.

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My temp gauge reads high as well which really annoys me as it had new thermostat, the three temp sensors and new coolant. Like you, all gauges should sit in the bloody middle unless: A, fuel gauge when it will be on the 'e' mark, or B, the thing is actually malfunctioning!

 

I was so stressed by it I sent it back to Specialist cars to have it checked out and was informed (and shown pictures) of the same as you. Apparently it is a 'thing' with the new sensors available now for my car at least that they read high. Mine isn't as high as yours but it is so bloody annoying. I'd have the sensors changed again but they are so bloody expensive and take many hours to fit as there is so much crap to remove before you can even see them. I have even contemplated taking the gauge out and modifying it (read: bend the fucking needle!) ...

 

At least one thing is: the thermostats only last a couple of years in my car and then start to fail 'open' (lead pellets melt just in case overheat) so they read progressively cooler.

 

I HATE cars sometimes!

 

Just came across this - surely the answer is a low value resistor in series with the sender?

 

Edit - this bloke did it on his Caterham -

 

https://csr175.wordpress.com/2013/12/21/recalibrating-the-water-temperature-gauge/

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Are you going to sell or roffle?

It is a bit soon to be talking about selling it, my son wants to keep it but now lives in Canada and never paid for it!

 

It is a lovely car and I bought it just over 3 years ago when my friend who had it bought his farther's 325i E46. My friend did what ever the car needed to keep it in first class order but not want to advertise it and deal with people telling him his car was not perfect so I took it on. I used it for a short while and then my son ran my E30 up a kerb and smashed the sump, ruined the engine and damaged the bodywork. So I lent him the E36, he loved it and spent a lot of time and effort maintaining it, so did his friend as well but now does not need it.

 

I know all this sends out very mixed messages, I do not need it but the family think should keep it.

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