Zel's Motoring Adventures...Volvo, Renault, Rover, Trabant, Invacar & A Sinclair C5 - Updated 13/11.

[LightBulbFun]

29 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

After a wait of what seemed like forever due to pointless Brexit related import issues my new oil pressure switch arrived for TPA last week, today I thought I'd undertake the five minute job of swapping it.

Bit fiddly to get at due to the proximity of the distributor and oil filter.

With the oil filter removed I could at least get a spanner on it.  Holy hell it was tight.  I ended up undoing the boss instead and separating them off the car.

This required a truly ridiculous amount of force - I was absolutely expecting the body of the switch to snap off to be honest.

The boss that screws into the crankcase was also silly tight and let go all at once with an almighty crack.  Results of this were predictable.

Really annoyingly though the new oil pressure switch supplied by Prokschi isn't correct.

The threaded portion is longer and appears to have a different thread.

The length is important as the oil pressure relief valve spring sits against the underside of the body of this, so how far in the switch screws into the boss will affect the preload on that.  It won't screw in more than about 2mm anyway because the thread is wrong so it's a moot point.

This was listed as being suitable for all variants of this engine so I'd expected it to just screw in...did Invacars use a different one for some reason?

ohh sorry to hear it does not fit after all of that, are you able to put the old one back in in the meantime so TPA is not immobilised or is it one of those items once removed cannot be refitted? 

 

but im Just wondering which one did you order?

as I see 2 listed on their website 

this one looks correct

https://prokschi.at/oil-pressure-sensor-contact.html

(who's Bosch Part number is I THINK 0986344041 which if you stick into ebay does bring a couple, including a listing in the UK however quite pricey!)

 

while this one does not look correct, but looks like the one you received? 

https://prokschi.at/puch-500/electrical-parts/oil-pressure-switch-m10x1-thread-0-8-1-2bar-flat-or-screwed-501-1-07-074-0.html

[Zelandeth]

I can't even remember at this point.  It was like February that I ordered it I think.  Plus the website search functionality is bloody awful on mobile so goodness only knows.

I won't be ordering the next one from there anyway - it was the best part of £40 by the time shipping, import fees etc were paid and it actually got here.

[LightBulbFun]

14 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

I can't even remember at this point.  It was like February that I ordered it I think.  Plus the website search functionality is bloody awful on mobile so goodness only knows.

I won't be ordering the next one from there anyway - it was the best part of £40 by the time shipping, import fees etc were paid and it actually got here.

Ouch!

makes this one look almost reasonably priced in comparison!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124305213754

 

speaking of parts matching however, I got some info with regards to the Front flexible hoses for the Model 70

Looks like they may be Girling 18/98 803 GZZ or Lucas GHP106

I have not been able to find much on the Girling front, but did find something on the Lucas front, which Adam has ordered for his own Model 70's

ill keep you posted how that works out  since IIRC we have otherwise not yet been able to figure out the Front have we?

(I also have Lucas GHP13 for the rears for what thats worth)

[Zelandeth]

I can't recall seeing a direct match for the front, but it's a simple enough hose that any hydraulics specialist should be able to knock one up for £not too much if they've got an original to use as a template.

To be honest so long as the fittings are correct and it's long enough there's probably a plethora of off-the-shelf ones which would work fine.

[PhilA]

Just by looking at that picture I can tell you the new one is 1/4" NPT. Far too modern/American!

[Zelandeth]

9 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

Ouch!

makes this one look almost reasonably priced in comparison!

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124305213754

 

 

Don't really think that's too bad.  Yes it stings a bit compared to the £3 odd the one for the Jag was because it's used in five billion other BMC models as well, but it's hardly the end of the world.  Not like it's the madness that seems to afflict some modern car parts prices. 

Based on that Bosch part number I've got another one ordered, hopefully as it's not coming from Austria this time it this won't take snother two months to arrive!

[bobdisk]

@Zelandeth and @LightBulbFun  did you mean this one ?    https://prokschi.at/haflinger/electrical-parts/oil-pressure-switch-m10x1-thread-0-8-1-2bar-flat-or-screwed-501-1-07-074-0.html

Oh, they all come up with "404 not found"  /  now   / 20 min later, they do work 🤔

[bobdisk]

Now, at 07:00,the links go "404 not found "again !!!!!! Am I doing something wrong ??

[Fumbler]

@ZelandethShould you want that steering rack gaiter I found you, it's yours for the price of postage.

[LightBulbFun]

6 hours ago, bobdisk said:

@Zelandeth and @LightBulbFun  did you mean this one ?    https://prokschi.at/haflinger/electrical-parts/oil-pressure-switch-m10x1-thread-0-8-1-2bar-flat-or-screwed-501-1-07-074-0.html

Oh, they all come up with "404 not found"  /  now   / 20 min later, they do work 🤔

 

5 hours ago, bobdisk said:

Now, at 07:00,the links go "404 not found "again !!!!!! Am I doing something wrong ??

both links work fine for me?

but if for some reason they refuse to play ball on your end here are a couple screenshots 

https://prokschi.at/oil-pressure-sensor-contact.html

https://prokschi.at/puch-500/electrical-parts/oil-pressure-switch-m10x1-thread-0-8-1-2bar-flat-or-screwed-501-1-07-074-0.html

16 hours ago, PhilA said:

Just by looking at that picture I can tell you the new one is 1/4" NPT. Far too modern/American!

if the thread is not even M10 as described on the listing I wonder if Zel could get a refund for item not as described!

or if an email could be sent to the shop asking what the deal is so maybe other Steyr puch owners are not caught out in the same way?

[Talbot]

The oil pressure switch that has come off looks like a bog standard switch that is probably used in dozens of other applications.  I'd look at identifying the thread, the length and the switching pressure, and I'll bet there are switches listed for lots of other applications with the same spec.

Might need someone to actually look in a catalogue, rather than trying to look it up on a parts computer, but the information will be there somewhere.

[Zelandeth]

5 hours ago, bobdisk said:

Now, at 07:00,the links go "404 not found "again !!!!!! Am I doing something wrong ??

I've found their website to be temperamental at times so it's probably not you.

[bobdisk]

Yes, 17:34, all links working now !!    @Zelandeth,  The first one of of your pics (blade only terminal) looks like a Daf air cooled switch. The second one, (screw terminal) I have found one in the bottom of a junk box I was poking about in recently ! No idea what its for. 

[Noel Tidybeard]

https://www.motor-doctor.co.uk/products/1160599-oil-pressure-switch

[Zelandeth]

44 minutes ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

https://www.motor-doctor.co.uk/products/1160599-oil-pressure-switch

Noted for future reference.  Only £2 cheaper than eBay though given they want £8.45 for shipping.

[Zelandeth]

9 hours ago, Fumbler said:

@ZelandethShould you want that steering rack gaiter I found you, it's yours for the price of postage.

Sorry, totally forgot that!  Yes, it would definitely be useful.  Let me know if you need a note of my address.  I lose track of who's sent stuff to who over the years.

[Fumbler]

1 minute ago, Zelandeth said:

Sorry, totally forgot that!  Yes, it would definitely be useful.  Let me know if you need a note of my address.  I lose track of who's sent stuff to who over the years.

I'll send a PM later in the week!

[Zelandeth]

Ugh, I need a car with working air con.  This is the time of year where I do really wish I had a modern car I can just use day to day.  My mojo for anything but the most basic of jobs rapidly diminishes to zero once it gets warm.

Jag: Compressor is shot - someone obviously didn't have the correct puller and had previously had a shot at changing the clutch and had bent the shaft.  I am half tempted to try to belt it with a hammer to see if I can straighten it... nothing to lose by trying!

There are also two stinking great leaks on the hot gas line to the condenser.  I've attempted to buy a replacement hose several times now and failed because companies can't apparently keep their stock sheets up to date.

Will probably just get specialist to make me a new one up...there are several specialists but I default to Pirtek as they've got me out of several sticky situations over the years.

However the condenser is...tired.  I couldn't *see* any leaks with the leak spray, but a vacuum test will really be needed.  No chance of passing one just now given the state of the pipework.  Then I've no idea what state the evaporator is in...and then of course I need to do something about the somewhat senile control system.  Not sure if the issue is with the servo system or the amplifier system which runs the temperature control.

Oh...and I still need to address the brake judder, the oil leaks, intermittent charging system, non-ethanol hardened fuel system, rust issues, I'll fitting driver's door, water ingress, horrible paintwork, wacky oil pressure gauge, rattly exhaust...Yeah, it's an 80s Jag.  I should really have sorted most of these issues by now.  However every time I think about it I end up driving the car again and then don't want to take it off the road for any length of time.  It's just so nice to drive.

I still remember that point of "Yeah, probably won't keep this too long..." which I made when the car first turned up on my drive.  That didn't last long!

Xantia: AC on that actually worked fine until one of the flexible lines failed...sadly changing that will be an absolute pain because it runs from the receiver/drier assembly right down the back of the engine...so at the very least I'd need to pull off the inlet manifold and boost pipework to get to it.   May just cut it out and see if I could figure out an alternative at the condenser end as it's only at that end which has issues.  It very much needs the AC though...black leather seats are torture in the summer otherwise!

BX is going to "fun" if I get it going in the summer as it has no heater blower and only the offside rear window opens!

[Zelandeth]

Had TPA out for a run today.  Was curious to see if warmer weather affected running it all, doesn't seem to.

Not that I really expected to see a visible difference on the temperature gauge...a swing of 20C in the ambient temperature doesn't make much odds when the normal running range is 120-175C.  Highest seen on a long uphill stretch today was 165C.

You do notice a difference in both drag and straight line stability with both the windows open though!

 

[LightBulbFun]

3 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Had TPA out for a run today.  Was curious to see if warmer weather affected running it all, doesn't seem to.

Not that I really expected to see a visible difference on the temperature gauge...a swing of 20C in the ambient temperature doesn't make much odds when the normal running range is 120-175C.  Highest seen on a long uphill stretch today was 165C.

You do notice a difference in both drag and straight line stability with both the windows open though!

 

interesting, I wonder how she would do with the roof completely removed given it does "just" unbolt  

(which I was thinking about as you mentioned the lack of working AC on your fleet, although I was also thinking, you do have a completely functional AC on your fleet what are you complaining about! )

[Zelandeth]

Oh, the thought has occurred to me...and you can absolutely guarantee that if the roof is removed to get some work done to it that she will absolutely go out in "convertible" mode. 

Biggest headache is the control binnacle which is attached to the top of the door closure.  Sure we could figure out something there though. 

If there was a way to make the roof easily removable I would absolutely use the car topless in the summer.  However it's a bit of a headache as AC used more bolts to hold the roof on than used to bolt bull sections together on your average submarine.

Guess I should have mentioned earlier that I'm glad to report that while it's still weeping a bit, the oil pressure switch doesn't seem to be leaking any worse than it was before I had it out.  New one should be here before too much longer though.

You can tell the trees around here have decided it's summer today.  The Jag was black this morning...Not now! 

That's all pollen!  Thank goodness I don't get hayfever!

Moved the cars earlier today to cut the grass - I honestly couldn't touch the steering wheel in the BX it was that hot!

[Zelandeth]

Had a few errands to run today and decided it was a good excuse to take out my nice sensible, compact city runaround.

I never signed up for normal.

Also picked up something for the Invacar which had been at the back of my mind for a while.  Someone mentioned it a couple of days ago elsewhere and reminded me of it.

Not what you think.  I'm not just bolting a fog light to the bumper.  I'm going to be fitting a hidden auxiliary brake light as I've nearly been rear ended in the car twice so far and I know that the original brake lights weren't great in 1973, never mind compared to what dozy Milton Keynes drivers are used to in 2021.  This will be tucked away in the cooling intake plenum behind the grill on the engine cover so it'll be essentially totally invisible except for when it's lit.

The thought occurred to me that while I'm there I may as well add a reversing light as well - not because I want it to provide me with light to see by - but as an indication to other drivers that I'm reversing.  Not having one means that nobody will ever let you back out of a space in a car park and things...It's just something that it's nice to have.  For the sake of £3 of light, a switch and a bit of wiring it just makes sense.  I'm using  (and enjoying using) the car a lot more these days so little creature comforts like that are the sort of things which just make day to day life more pleasant as she's obviously not going to be leaving the fleet any time soon.  Does mean I'll need to track down another period appropriate looking switch and indicator light for the dash though. 

Seriously...Did you guys really think I was just going to tack something that ugly thing straight on the back of TPA?

[LightBulbFun]

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Had a few errands to run today and decided it was a good excuse to take out my nice sensible, compact city runaround.

I never signed up for normal.

needs a sign on the back that says "no im not going on holiday I just enjoy driving it"  

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Also picked up something for the Invacar which had been at the back of my mind for a while.  Someone mentioned it a couple of days ago elsewhere and reminded me of it.

Not what you think.  I'm not just bolting a fog light to the bumper.  I'm going to be fitting a hidden auxiliary brake light as I've nearly been rear ended in the car twice so far and I know that the original brake lights weren't great in 1973, never mind compared to what dozy Milton Keynes drivers are used to in 2021.  This will be tucked away in the cooling intake plenum behind the grill on the engine cover so it'll be essentially totally invisible except for when it's lit.

The thought occurred to me that while I'm there I may as well add a reversing light as well - not because I want it to provide me with light to see by - but as an indication to other drivers that I'm reversing.  Not having one means that nobody will ever let you back out of a space in a car park and things...It's just something that it's nice to have.  For the sake of £3 of light, a switch and a bit of wiring it just makes sense.  I'm using  (and enjoying using) the car a lot more these days so little creature comforts like that are the sort of things which just make day to day life more pleasant as she's obviously not going to be leaving the fleet any time soon.  Does mean I'll need to track down another period appropriate looking switch and indicator light for the dash though. 

will be interesting to see how that turns out  hopefully it does not restrict airflow too much!

 I do wonder if the nearly being rear ended bit is really due to the rear lights or just the fact no one down south really knows how to or cares enough to drive properly!

2 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Seriously...Did you guys really think I was just going to tack something that ugly thing straight on the back of TPA?

no not you!  

but if you did/end up having to, it would at least be in keeping with what was done in period! 

(I have to say I do like TJN352R's install it fits the width of the bumper surprsingly well, although being mounted so low down is probably not the best for visibility!)

[bobdisk]

7 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

The thought occurred to me that while I'm there I may as well add a reversing light as well - not because I want it to provide me with light to see by - but as an indication to other drivers that I'm reversing.  Not having one means that nobody will ever let you back out of a space in a car park and things...It's just something that it's nice to have. 

I always go IN backwards, so I can come out forwards, and see what is there before moving.

[Zelandeth]

6 hours ago, bobdisk said:

I always go IN backwards, so I can come out forwards, and see what is there before moving.

I do where possible, there are a couple of car parks I use regularly though which have the spaces angled such and a one way system which means that that isn't an option.  Otherwise yes, reverse parking is generally my preferred option.

[Zelandeth]

That was pretty painless.

Spot the difference?

Cue CSI style "Zoom, enhance..." sequence.

Yes, I fouled up the first time round and fitted it way to high up.

Then how it looks from average sort of driver head height when lit.

The photo doesn't do justice to how much brighter it is than the factory brake lights.

Will need to epoxy on a couple of lugs to the underside of the engine cover to hold the wiring in place to tidy things up but that's not massively urgent.

I don't *like* it, but just feel that it's kind of necessary with the standard of driving I see around here.  It should be a good deal more conspicuous to anyone following than the somewhat weedy original brake lights.   At least it's barely visible when it's unlit and you really wouldn't spot it unless you knew it was there.

[Zelandeth]

Why do I do this to myself?  Just poking idly round on Autotrader.

Managed to find what's 99.9% the Model S I'll be after at some point down the road.  Only box it doesn't have ticked is the correct trim on the dash (I'd prefer the wood as a nice contrast to the modernist style of the interior), but I'd deal with the matt finish carbon fibre to be honest - it's the piano black or silver I really don't like.  If I *really* wanted I'm sure I could swap the inlays out.  Wood seems to be a really rare option in the UK from what I've seen sadly.

[] Good colour, deep metallic blue.

[] De-chromed...which I think works well with the blue.

[] P90D, in Ludicrous Plus 2.8s 0-60 mph flavour.  691bhp and 450lb/ft of torque will be fun.  Especially as the traction control is clever enough to put it down.

...Does mean it has the 21" wheels.  Ditching those for the 19" ones would probably be the first thing on my to do list if they fit over the performance brakes.  I'll take improved ride over a few miles of range or 20 seconds off a Nurburgring lap time.

[] Light coloured interior.

[] Air suspension.

[] The higher spec stereo.

[] Panoramic sunroof.

[] Two years left on the battery warranty, dealer offer a three year warranty on the car too.

Downside?  The £40K price tag!

Yeah.  I might need to A: Wait a bit and B: Be a bit less picky!  Yeah dropping the P prefix off the model number might be necessary too.  Really isn't needed...the normal dual motor cars still have 350bhp plus change!

Need to wait a while yet anyway!

 

[Zelandeth]

Had TPA out today and can confirm that the brake light upgrade has had a noticeable impact on the behaviour of people following me - they definitely seem to back off when I brake now whereas a lot of people seemed oblivious to the fact until they realised I was visibly slowing down.

So mission accomplished I reckon.

Then I managed to hurt my hand closing the door...and I can report that driving an Invacar with a sprained hand is bloody uncomfortable.  Depending on how long that takes to heal it might be a few days until either the van or TPA are out. 
 

[LightBulbFun]

56 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Had TPA out today and can confirm that the brake light upgrade has had a noticeable impact on the behaviour of people following me - they definitely seem to back off when I brake now whereas a lot of people seemed oblivious to the fact until they realised I was visibly slowing down.

I do wonder how much of that is the brighter brake light or actually the fact that an area of the car that no one would expect to light up, suddenly lights up up bright red and sort of caused the snap to attention if that makes sense? (where as brake lights are always there and always red even when off, so when the light up its less of a noticeable change especially if the person is particularly dozy)

glad to hear its doing its Job tho  (might look at doing something similar with REV knowing how similarly cut throat it is around here)

56 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Then I managed to hurt my hand closing the door...and I can report that driving an Invacar with a sprained hand is bloody uncomfortable.  Depending on how long that takes to heal it might be a few days until either the van or TPA are out. 

there are some left hand twist grips in the parts stash if you need something to convert TPA to Left hand throttle while the injury heals?

(found that out the hard way when I went to randomly grab a better twist grip for REV only to of course unknowingly grab one of the Left hand ones)

and if push comes to shove you could always fit a Left hand tiller! 

I do hope you heal up quickly however!  

[Zelandeth]

It'll sort itself out in a few days I reckon.  While I was initially worried thanks to the sheer amount of swelling that I might have actually broken something I reckon I've just done a cracking job of spraining/bruising things.

Have my first vaccine jab today anyway which I'm not looking forward to.  The flu jab always knocks me on my ass for days, so given most people seem to feel rough after this one I don't have great hopes for being in a fit state to do much for the rest of this week.