The Epic Austrian owned R16 from Germany doing French things in a Parallel Universe near England Saga

[Junkman]

Well, I made one last repair attempt before that ruddy thing goes the way so many of them went.

If it doesn't work now, daughter #2's piggybank is d00mt.

[Eddie Honda]

Fling it here if no joy and it can sit in the projects pile for a few years.

 

My first car, a posh two horse, had a non-functioning fuel gauge. Instead, it was operated on an A5 giffer ledger notebook passed onto me by the previous owner. It never did less than 8 miles to 1 litre, so as long as I stuck to that calculation, it never ran out.

 

I did of course run out of petrol 3 times, but on all three occasions, I went over the calculated mileage.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Just use a dipstick. 

[Junkman]

No. I'll check it with a lit match through the filler pipe.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

No. I'll check it with a lit match through the filler pipe.

 

Dipstick with light:

 

[Junkman]

Well, the tank is about half empty (<= I is pessie) and the fuel gauge reads about half empty, which is something that never happened before.

I shall keep and eye on it, but I'm not driving much these days.

[SiC]

Our Eastern European friends got by using a dipstick for years just fine.

 

[Junkman]

Our Eastern European friends also got by having socialism for years just fine.

I can happily live without socialism. And dipsticks.

No, honestly, I can.

[Eddie Honda]

and the fuel gauge reads about half empty, which is something that never happened before.

 

Probably fine then and just* needs cleaning up.

[Junkman]

It's spotlessly clean, exactly like the tank inside. There is no visible damage whatsoever.

In fact, it looks like new. It doesn't look like rocket science either.

I disassembled it, cleaned and re-bent the contacts, exactly like I did once before,

just this time, I bent them with more vigor.

There is no visible reason why it shouldn't work, but hitherto it refused to do so.

 

I'm not an expert in fuel level sending units though, mind.

I have much more experience in hurling them into a field.

But considering the hyperinflation they obviously enjoyed the past decade,

I'll henceforth try many a thing to mend them.

I bought complete cars for less than a fucking fuel sending unit costs nowadays.

The mind boggles.

[Junkman]

I just blew 225 Quid on a new exhaust system.

No, not stainless. That costs 1,200.

 

The world has gone mad.

 

Me included.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Does that include a manifold gasket?

[Junkman]

Nope.

That would be 20 Quid extra.

[Eddie Honda]

I just blew 225 Quid on a new exhaust system.

Megabarg! I splashed out £150 for a back box for the Jizz (because OE)

[PhilA]

Our Eastern European friends also got by having socialism for years just fine.

I can happily live without socialism. And dipsticks.

No, honestly, I can.

Is the fuel gauge a heated bi-metallic or is it voice coil style?

 

Phil

[pshome]

Just leave it alone and allow self healing process to complete.

[Junkman]

Is the fuel gauge a heated bi-metallic or is it voice coil style?

 

Phil

What?

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

I put a new exhaust on my 7 Series in 2007. It was some £85 Walker rubbish and it was changed under warranty for a Bosal one. That was even worse. It looked as though it had been welded together by Judith Chalmers. I sent that back and ordered a genuine BMW system (rear and middle boxes) for £600. It's still on there and sounds lovely.

 

Mind you, I took the old Lad out for a run yesterday and the indicator stalk (also controls the OBC) failed, internal spring broken and you can't dismantle it. So, I rang Sytners, steeled myself and.............£85.

 

Didn't think that was too bad tbh. I shall be writing a strongly worded letter to the Bayerische Motoren Werke c/o The Berghof expressing my dissatisfaction that it didn't last 30 years. Not good enough imo.

[Junkman]

Eggsorst of R16 looks like it's been there since before the '68 Paris riots, but it's now relegated to pure cosmetical duties

with the odd annoying snare and rattle thrown in for good measure.

 

That it will last half a century is the least thing I can expect for 225 bloody Quid. If it doesn't, I shall send Renault a nasty letter in 2068.

[junkyarddog]

I must be doing it wrong.

Anytime I need an exhaust it invariably means cobbling various bits of pipe together in a fashion that hopefully more or less fits the required application!

[Junkman]

The pipes aren't the problem.

It's these:

 

 

 

 

They don't even look like exhaust parts to me.

 

French, you know.

[PhilA]

What?

Two types of gauge, one draws much more current than the other. Voice coil type are just a glorified volt meter, bi-metallic heat a strip and work like a Bourdon pressure gauge to move the needle. Depending on which type it is means the cost of the sender can be cheap or expensive to duplicate.

 

Phil

[Junkman]

I bet it's neither of those. It's just French.

[PhilA]

<Gallic shrug>

[Junkman]

There has been a road trip.

 

 

 

 

 

It ended at a fellow shiter's place.

 

 

[Junkman]

Just rebrimmed the car - 7.83 l/100km or 36.08 OMGMPG.

Half a century of progress not available at this time.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Just rebrimmed the car - 7.83 l/100km or 36.08 OMGMPG.

Half a century of progress not available at this time.

 

 

Exactly what a 2010 Mark 7 Fiesta 1.25 Zetec achieves with OMG hairodynamics and a five speed box. 

[Junkman]

No wonder The Climate is shit.

[PhilA]

The Renault also probably took less energy to assemble in the first place.

 

Unless you calculate the calories contained in red wine and brie, then it may be the same.

 

Phil

[Junkman]

Note to self: Must burn more petrol.