Six Cylinders Motoring Notes

[DVee8]

What had you got in mind?

lol everything automotive

[Six-cylinder]

lol everything automotive

Your will have to take a weeks holiday to do that!

[hairnet]

 

shenanigans maybe happening close to you - will see what transpires

[Six-cylinder]

Yesterday I fitted the wheel bearings to my trailer and found the outer bearing on one side was different from one side to the other. The n-s had a separate drum from the hub and the o-s is a one piece. Anyway that led to an emergency trip to Beeline Engineering Products Ltd in Milton Keynes to get the correct item, they took the time and trouble to carefully measure the old one as there were no part numbers and swap them over for me after I had wrongly assumed the second side would be the same as the first!

 

My Metro was the transport for the trip and when I went to drive away and turned the key, nothing! I fiddled with the immobilizer and then I realized nothing had any power so I opened the bonnet and one of the battery leads had jumped off! I pushed it back on and off we went.

 

While I was at Beeline I had a call from the garage who have the BX of many because they had found a few items that need attention for the MOT, two rear brake pipes corroded, one rear caliper leaking, leaking exhaust, CV boot cover, ball joint and a couple of things I can’t remember and had nothing to write with. They are pricing the work and will come back to me.

 

When I drove my Triumph Vitesse a couple of weeks ago it did not run well and had a bit of a misfire. I had a look at the points and they were closed up to 6 instead of 15 thousandths of an inch so I reset them. To my surprise the car would not start even with the booster pack, it has always turned over a bit slower than I would like. I suspect as it is parked facing up hill the fuel has drained back and the manual pump is not pulling it up turning slowly while cranking. I was planning to feed it a bit of easy start today but have run out so have ordered some.

 

My 328i coupe will not start, it is three weeks since I used it and seems like a flat battery. I took out my new super small jump pack and camera to show you what I had done but it made no difference and I cursed gadgets that don’t work! I went back to it with my big jump pack and tried the under bonnet connection posts and then the battery but still the same the ignition lights come on but when you turn to start position it all cuts out. I have called the garage that got it back on the road for me today and they can not come out for a week…….

[Six-cylinder]

The day did not go well, This morning we planned to collect the last two water tanks from Chinnor, the trailer was already on the drive after I changed the wheel bearings so I went to reverse the Xantia up to it to connect as tow car and the power steering failed. I know low fluid causes the steering to fail before the suspension and then brakes and sure enough toping up the LMH tank restored the steering. As I needed to get on I decided to look for the leak tomorrow after the towing job was done but Mrs Cyl shouted at me to stop as the drive was being flooded with LMH fluid. So the Xantia is now out of action, what else have I got at home to tow with, my Vitesse has always been a decent tow car but will not start so the only thing left is my no.2 Visa 17RD.

 

This Visa is just back from MOT after nearly a year out of use and very untested. While legal I have been advised by the garage that serviced it to change the tyres because they are so old. Anyway it was don’t move the water tanks or tow with the Visa!

[hairnet]

many shonk are you kfw in disguise

[hairnet]

 but Mrs Cyl shouted at me

 

:lol:

 

she make i larf

[DSdriver]

Experience has taught me that if you own three or more LHM Citroens your driveway will always be a shade of green. Even with two parked in the road outside.

[richardmorris]

Well the same engine in a bx would be up to it, so it shouldn't be a problem.

[Six-cylinder]

Well the same engine in a bx would be up to it, so it shouldn't be a problem.

Towing is about body weight and track as well as engine power, the car pulled well enough. The worst bit is the tyres are old, while they have a good tread depth it spun the n-s front at the slightest provocation. Also any wind from a passing lorry pushed the water tanks around and I was not sure the Visa has the body weight to resist.

[hairnet]

are they 145s on decadent 4 bolt steels??

[Six-cylinder]

are they 145s on decadent 4 bolt steels??

155 on the front 145 on the rear!

[Six-cylinder]

This is from a private FB group!

 

Stephen A - Well don't tell any one but I fancy a drive !!

 

Me - Are you sure this one is a 71 bhp non turbo diesel!

 

Steve B - So far in the closet, they're in Narnia.

 

Stephen A - It won't matter if it's slow in Narnia

 

Me photo.

 

Stephen A - Very good Chris

[320touring]

Re your e36 328i

 

if it is an auto try starting it in neutral instead of park.

 

the start inhibitor switch may be grumpy.

[forddeliveryboy]

155 on the front 145 on the rear!

 

   

 

I reckon a Visa diesel is one of the definitions of a Q-car, I had a 205 diesel for a few months and it wasn't half as capable as a mate's old Visa 17RD.

 

I was once embarrassed by one off the docks at Calais, driving what I thought (at the time) was a way-superior vehicle in the form of an early Golf 1.6 injection. It was in the days of single carriageway roads for a good while before you hit the autoroute, it took at least an hour to catch up the family of four with more load than us.

 

Later in the day, I was seen off by a well-driven R5 1.4 on some bendy D roads south of Nancy. I soon learnt more about the superiority of French smokers and their fine chassis in the form of chain-smoking local girls in the Vosges.

[Six-cylinder]

Re your e36 328i

 

if it is an auto try starting it in neutral instead of park.

 

the start inhibitor switch may be grumpy.

It is a 5 speed manual and too old for you to have to push the clutch in to start it!

[320touring]

It is a 5 speed manual and too old for you to have to push the clutch in to start it!

Bugger.

 

another thing to check is the engine earth strap. Had similar issues on a 318iS I had.

 

Put a jump lead from the engine block (lifting hoop at front of engine is usually good) to the earth strap on the battery- where it earths on the shell

[Six-cylinder]

Bugger.

 

another thing to check is the engine earth strap. Had similar issues on a 318iS I had.

 

Put a jump lead from the engine block (lifting hoop at front of engine is usually good) to the earth strap on the battery- where it earths on the shell

I think you are right it will be a battery cable or maybe the starter.

 

I have tried my jump pack putting the earth to the engine itself.

[JohnK]

Love the picture of the BX. Funnily enough I had a message on Facebook today (had also advertised it on a local group) asking if it was still for sale. I informed it had been sold last week and he asked if the new owner would sell for a profit. I said I would ask the question but he was put off when I told him where in the country it now resided!

[Six-cylinder]

Love the picture of the BX. Funnily enough I had a message on Facebook today (had also advertised it on a local group) asking if it was still for sale. I informed it had been sold last week and he asked if the new owner would sell for a profit. I said I would ask the question but he was put off when I told him where in the country it now resided!

I was very lucky that RobT was willing to collect me on his way up, that saved me a great deal of hassle and cost.

 

The BX is with a garage and they are trying to get brake pipes and a calliper for it, the form is if they can't they will give the parts finding job back to me. They don't really like the work I give them but if I don't pressure them on time they will put up with me.

[hairnet]

na dizzle in a xantia is ok - visa must be fairly nippy

 

must fly with an obrut - would 405 motor fit?

[Six-cylinder]

na dizzle in a xantia is ok - visa must be fairly nippy

 

must fly with an obrut - would 405 motor fit?

I have a dream.........

 

I would like just a bit more go in my Visa XUD diesel:

 

1905cc non turbo - 71 bhp

1769cc turbo no intercooler - 78 bhp

1905cc turbo intercooler - 92 bhp

[Six-cylinder]

Two more sleeps and I have a collection by train, yes it is on-off-on ZR. I am due in Yeovil Thursday afternoon where the seller will collect me from the station but I lack confidence in this car so is anybody in Yeovil and about Thursday pm if I need a back up plan?

[Six-cylinder]

Purchase of the MG ZR I won on ebay was cancelled at the last minute due to suspected HGF. I thought the seller had had a better offer but I now think he is very genuine and very decent as he had refunded my train fare and the car was relisted with HGF. My local garage now says they may have a black ZR for me with a duff starter.

 

I had 4 new tyres fitted to the E reg Visa yesterday as while they had plenty of tread they were old and a mixture of winter/normal and my garage recommended it did so. Also all the damage to the n-s front wing was caused by tread peeling off a tyre so I was not comfortable driving around on its other original tyres.

 

I spent a bit of time yesterday getting the darker blue paint from the lower bodywork on the Visa using thinners. That and a Hand Car Wash has smartened the car up no end. All I need to do now is take some patches of grey primmer off where when the last owner saw a rust spot he painted an area the size of my hand with undercoat! Oh yes and fit the new n-s front wing!

 

The “BX Estate of many†has passed its MOT and details will follow next week when I collect it.

[Six-cylinder]

"BX of Many" is home from the garage with a new MOT. I had it cleaned up on the way home, so it looks really good from 10 yards!

[Inspector Morose]

Aaaah.

[skattrd]

Yay, the BX bike lives another year ... I'm sure it will have many more.

[Skizzer]

Very pleased you've taken on the family BX!

 

And that Visa is looking very saucy.

[hairnet]

mmm dizzle

 

prefer sideways engine tho i think

 

thanks for saturday ya madman

[Six-cylinder]

This evening I tried dugong Picasso wheels on the BX and they fit so I have taken them, not sure what I will fit them to.

 

At last the GS is in primer, which feels like progress.