The new adventures of Brownnova. Abject failure.

[brownnova]

Not ready... spring did not arrive. I R disappoint. 

Was offered a 9-3 courtesy car though... 

Declined and opted for a weekend of 2CV propulsion. 

[brownnova]

Saga concluded!! 

Saab MoT now renewed! 

Got the Saab back from the specialist Monday. He showed me the bits. To be fair the spring was in two pieces and yes the other bits were a bit worn. 

Today I took it back for retest, quick check later, full MoT achieved! 629 miles between test and retest!! But naughty but hey ho! 

I mentioned about the Mazda and the owner informed me that they no longer use that tester after a car they had done a nut and bolt rebuild on failed despite them having checked it thoroughly beforehand! This story adds they said to their reasons for not using him! 

All in all, it’s been a bit of a pain in the arse, but my two old crocks live on for another year... reckon the Saab will be at 200,000 by its next test! 

[richardmorris]

Whereabouts are you in north wales? I’ve been having cars MOTd at hengoed, nr Weston Rhyn, Oswestry since 1993. Not had a fail yet. They are used to old cars and motorbikes and used to be next door to the Citroën specialist I used for years until he retired. 

[brownnova]

On 7/2/2019 at 8:29 PM, richardmorris said:

Whereabouts are you in north wales? I’ve been having cars MOTd at hengoed, nr Weston Rhyn, Oswestry since 1993. Not had a fail yet. They are used to old cars and motorbikes and used to be next door to the Citroën specialist I used for years until he retired. 

We’re in Flintshire. Id never get there whilst they were open!! But thanks for the suggestion! 

[brownnova]

New house has been purchased. Said new house seems to have a lot of crap in its outside space. Now some people would have just got a skip... but why, when for the same amount of shekels you can has... 

Yeah!!! Shonky trailer... that isn’t actually that shonky. Faceache marketplace came up trumps for once!

Currently the van is the only tow-able vehicle. But it is quite long so it doesn’t look too ridiculous... 

However I think the van will

a) have trouble getting into the tip

b ) burn its clutch if it tows anything heavy... 

So I now NEED to get project Saab back on the road as it has a tow hitch! 

[brownnova]

So, Saab progress: 

Job #1 Tyres

The tyres were badly perished and would only stay inflated about a week. So a quick de-wheel before work this morning 

And a trip to Andy’s tyres

Three part worms for £25 a pop. The fourth tyre seems fine and holds pressure. 

I’ll refit after I’ve been under yo check the brake pipes. 

Saab specialist (brakes) and MoT man booked for next Monday.

[brownnova]

As alluded to in News24... I now have all 5 fleet members on the road! 

As a quick recap I bought my second 9000 off a driveway where it had languished for 2 years slowly festering. I’d spotted it for my spotting thread, and just couldn’t stop wondering if it was for sale. Turns out The old chap who used it had died, and it just sat unused. I bought either for parts for mine or to do up. Once I saw how good it seemed under all the lichen I couldn’t break it. 

I bunged it in for an MoT and the fail wasn’t too bad at all... so I set about gathering parts to do the jobs and...  never got around to it.

Fast forward to earlier this month where I bought a trailer. Only the Campervan has a tow bar and that’s heavy enough, so the only sensible suggestion was to put the Saab back on the road... 

Having languished with me for a further 9 months I decided to bung it to the Saab specialist who sorted my other 9000 for its MoT. I did a little prep work on the brakes and put new tyres on, and checked it over and gave it a jet wash. I guessed a new brake pipe would be needed and the exhaust I had bought would need fitting. Oh and the ABS light was on. 

Today I got it back, admittedly with a larger bill than expected (which I could’ve done without what with a wedding and a house to pay for!) and it was the expected items plus a pricey ABS sensor, fitted a new ‘flex pipe’ on the exhaust (bit in front of the cat) which cost 3 times what I’d paid for the whole rear exhaust, and serviced it (which I didn’t ask for, and he has charged me for... but hey ho saves me a job) and changed the ATF (which I did ask for and he didn’t charge me for...). 

Anywho the result is that I now have two 9000s on the road, this one (Bjornadette) has done 100,000 fewer miles, has leather seats and an auto box (oh and it’s technically @Mrsbrownnova‘s). It’s likely to be the tip run and towing car for now. The outside looks tatty, and the lacquer has more peel than a ginger who’s been in the sun. But it runs lovely and the drive is smooooth. It’s down on power compared to my one. I think the turbo might need a fettle. But it’ll do for now! Next steps will be to tidy the exterior, sort the few rust spots and re-lacquer a few bits. 

Here they are together at home! 

[brownnova]

Hmmm.... day 2 of Bjornadette’s return to the road, and there’s somewhat of a rattle. It only occurs in D or R at idle and again at around 1600-1800 revs. Pop it in N at idle and it goes away, same if you rev up to 1600-1800 revs in N. Sounds like a vibration or something rattling against something else. New exhaust was fitted and the ATF changed.

This is the first auto I’ve ever owned, I hope it’s not a bad sound... 

Will just have to keep driving it and see if it self heals. 

[Ghosty]

Loose heat shield?

[brownnova]

That’s what I’m hoping! 

No time to investigate tho... moving house today, getting married ion Saturday! 

Busy busy! 

[brownnova]

Two updates really.... I broke one and I bodged a fix on one. 

Firstly.... 

The ‘project’ Saab had been back on the road a week... but the rattling made it sound like a skeleton having a wank in a biscuit tin...I drove to pick something up from the house we’re about to return to the Landlord having bought one. The rattling was so horrific I thought I’d best see if I could work it out. So I put it in reverse so it would rattle (I didn’t want it to roll into the garage). It started to roll backwards (as it’s an automatic) which spooked me as I thought I’d put the handbrake on. I stabbed my foot at the brake, but caught the accelerator and sent the car flying backwards... the door was open and caught the fence post bending the door backwards... FUCK!!! 

Door dented to buggery. Thankfully I managed to bend it round and it still closes. But I’ve made a right mess of it. 

Doesnt look too bad... but wait... 

The fence post didn’t fare much better...

Arsenuggets. 

So that’s a new door and a new fence post required! ?

I’ve taken a hammer to it, to try and knock a few of the dents out,

and it’s driveable now. You have to slam the door tho... 

So today I thought I’d sort the rattle.

My first chance to use my pit!!! 

Turns out it was the heat shield on the exhaust. 

That’s supposed to be attached but both bolts appear to have sheared off. So I’ve bodged it with some exhaust paste for now as I just wanted a quick fix whilst I work out how to fix it properly. It’s stopped the noise, so job done! 

Now to source a decent door for not much cash... 

[wuvvum]

2 minutes ago, brownnova said:

Now to source a decent door for not much cash... 

[brownnova]

To be fair the door was pretty past it anyway... 

£30 quid the best price so far.... but that involves a trip to Pontefract to collect... 

[leanycan]

1 hour ago, brownnova said:

To be fair the door was pretty past it anyway... 

£30 quid the best price so far.... but that involves a trip to Pontefract to collect... 

Flintshire to pontefract and back. Probably need an overnight stop for that...?

[brownnova]

Door would easily fit in the Campervan.... 

[dollywobbler]

Oops! I think all of us have had an auto fail at some point, usually the emergency stop after going for a clutch pedal that isn't there...

[HMC]

Cringe! Feel for you! I had a similar feeling once when I finished some underbonnet fettling and merrily slammed the bonnet down on a pry bar in the engine bay. D’oh

[Zelandeth]

2 hours ago, HMC said:

Cringe! Feel for you! I had a similar feeling once when I finished some underbonnet fettling and merrily slammed the bonnet down on a pry bar in the engine bay. D’oh

For me that was a 10mm socket sitting on top of the air cleaner that I'd missed when tidying up because I was rushing.

That's a nasty one...just worth doing some checks to ensure the B pillar is still square before shelling out on a door.  A mate did something not dissimilar in a Volvo 240 many years ago (except it was a parked Mini that got attacked rather than a fence...the Mini didn't come off well either) and after a considerable search did get a new door the right colour only discovered that once fitted the door wouldn't close because the aperture was no longer the right shape.  It had a mangled door for the next ten years or so.

[brownnova]

I think it should be ok to fit in the aperture as the main points of the door are where they should be. It’s possible the hinge may have shifted slightly, but it doesn’t look to have, but as I have to really slam it to get it to shut it might have... 

[00833827]

17 hours ago, brownnova said:

sound like a skeleton having a wank in a biscuit tin

best description of a rattle ever!

[richardmorris]

9 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Oops! I think all of us have had an auto fail at some point, usually the emergency stop after going for a clutch pedal that isn't there...

I did that in a CX prestige on a test drive. It DID stop instantly.

[Robson3022]

I’ve done similar. Used to have a great trick when stuck in the snow on my own. I had a 406 HDI which my dads mate had had from new. I got it at 10 years old it was mint. I was stuck so set the wheels spinning in reverse got out to push it, the car became unstuck and I wasn’t quick enough to jump back in and shut the door before the door hit a wall and essentially looked like yours. 

 

Needless to to say I don’t use that trick anymore!

[brownnova]

Current fleet status: 

Saab 1: the main car providing near faultless service with whatever we throw at it... except locking and unlocking, it’s a pain in the arse at that. Relay needs soldering. 

Saab 2: Heatshield rattle bodged, door hammered a little to make it useable. Towing the trailer well. Will replace door in due course. 

CamperVan: Passed it’s MoT. Ideally needs a couple of CV boots before winter. 

2CV: The other day I noticed the volt meter drop to zero. A bit of wire wiggling saw it up to 10 volts, but used it again and it was like this:

Should be higher than that! But the battery condition meter recovers well from start up, it never gets higher than this. 

Fan appears to be spinning ok, but the fan/alternator belt looks like it may be loose. So that’ll need adjusting or replacing I think. I’ll break out the alternator tester first before I rule out a faulty voolt meter. 

Mazda: Jettisoning it’s oil at an increasing rate. In the queue for pit time. But have house stuff to sort first! 

[brownnova]

Erm.., not sure what happened to the text there... 

[brownnova]

Another month has slipped by... what news or update? 

Saab 1 

194,000 not out. Has developed a hesitation under full load (useful when overtaking) and the central locking is now almost completely kaput, but I’ve bent the fuel lock so I can still fill it up and we just lock and unlock the old fashioned way. This one keeps running reliably. Used every day and is a truly superb car. 

Saab 2: 

Still awaiting the door transplant. No one local seems to have a door. Heat shield rattle came back a week or so after my temporary repair. A longer term solution involving metal clips has been devised and so far is holding well. Seems very down in power from the other one, think the turbo might not be turbo-ing very well if at all. Pulled the Yugo back home really well, but you could tell it would’ve struggled up any big hills. Light/occasional use otherwise, mainly as Mrs B finds the door embarrassing! 

CamperVan

Following the tyres incident the van’s occasional use has been trouble free! Needs a service urgently, and a clutch in the not too distant future. Some interning bodywork tidying is on the list too. 

MX5

In the naughty corner. PAS fluid leak which I’ve tried and failed to cure twice. Can’t seem to do the bypass. I’m actually a bit bored of it after 4 years. May well be up for sale soon... which considering the money I’ve spent on it in the last couple of years is a bit annoying! 

2CV

Fan belt replaced, volt meter unmoved, think it’s that that’s faulty. Have done a few runs in it since and all seems well. Needs a service and a greasing, has a slight oil leak (TADTS).

Yugo:

Ive had it a week, but had no time to do anything! Underneath looks better than expected, and all the electrical stuff works as it should. Going to pop some fuel in the carb to try and start it (hopefully this afternoon) then work by process of elimination to get it running properly. 

Possible fleet shuffle on the cards this winter... 2CV and Yugo will definitely stay, probably the van too... but i have a hankering to try some of the other cars off my ‘list’ and having such as static fleet isn’t helping with that. 

[LightBulbFun]

On 8/10/2019 at 12:53 PM, brownnova said:

Erm.., not sure what happened to the text there... 

did you copy and paste some text from somewhere?

if you do, the "fancy" editor will keep its formatting

(so if the text you copied was black 12 size font on a white back ground etc it will copy that across)

but anything you type after that will also have that formatting,

hence the funniness with the text

to avoid it happening, when you copy something and the paste it in here

paste it in plain text, i cant recall how to do it on a windows machine, but on a Mac its Command Shift V to paste something as plain text

hopefully this helps!  

[brownnova]

The Mazda has been out of regular action for a couple of months due to a leak on the PAS cooler pipe. The leak was due to corrosion abd a new pipe was £lots. 

Firstly I attempted to use pipe repair tape, but the worse pipe was the top one, and I disturbed it trying to repair and made the leak worse. The car was now unusable.

So second fix was to bypass the pipe as per advice. Easy job of cutting the pipe and joining them.

Except... I only had a hacksaw and I couldn’t get it into the gap. 

 

So fast forward to today.

Plan was to do it on the drive as the garage is full of Yugo (not easy to move) and 2CV... but the rain meant that was unlikely, until Mrs brownnova suggested pulling it into the front of the garage and doing it there.

I’d bought a dremel to cut the pipes and cut the two pipes, which is where human error kicked in as I cut the top pipe too short and at an angle making looping the rubber replacement pipe more challenging as the pipe went wider at that point. But a pipe widener  whilst o ate my Sunday Roast helped with that. 

Not totally happy with it as I wanted more overlap between the pipes. I may get a slightly bigger and longer pipe and re-do it, but test drive complete and all the PAS fluid is where it should be! 
 

Fingers crossed it’s fixed!!! 
 

Just in time for Winter.... ?

[brownnova]

First arrival of 2020... don’t get too excited!

With the impending addition to the family @Mrsbrownnova decided she wanted a more sensible family wagon. One which could carry prams and friends and their babies etc, 

I was mindful that I wanted something at least interesting enough so I wouldn’t feel like a total sellout to dull modern motoring.

Yesterday we went to look at a local car for sale, and today we bought it  the massive 8 miles home!

 The car...? 

A Citroen C5 2.0 HDi Exclusive! Oh yeah... top spec baby!! 

It’s dark so I’ve only got the sellers pictures at the moment.

97k, wafty suspension, panoramic roof, all of the leather, many many buttons and a huuuge boot! It does have a few little battle scars here and there, including big-ish one on the door, but it is just paint no more so should be easily remedied.

 Having only driven it a short distance it wafts along really nicely. Mrs_b is pleased (it’s her car really).

Full report to follow when it’s light and I can take pictures. 

[jumpingjehovahs]

That looks like a nice car, you don’t see many of them around but I think they always look great when you spot them out and about.

Does it have the good suspension?!


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[loserone]

That looks painfully attractive.