How much shite is too much shite? Specials and Space

[Saabnut]

They bloody know! I have had the Saab 9-5 about 6 months, covered over 6000 miles trouble free. This weekend I had an invite to lunch today, I have to go to Northampton for a week tomorrow and in 2 weeks I am going to France, for all of these I planned on using the Saab. Thursday I was at the hospital, yesterday I went to my friendly MOT station and booked it in once I return from Northampton. I was confident of a pass, having fitted a new exhaust a couple of weeks ago. From the MOT station I went to my friends to fill up with LPG ready for tomorrow. On the way home, the PAS pipe ruptured. A common fault but terrible timing. I have ordered a new pipe, but this morning I had to get up early to disconnect the trailer and Vitesse from the Disco to free up the Disco. Been out for lunch and just finished an oil and filter change on the Disco ready for tomorrow. Did think about taking the Bentley instead but not sure of the area in Northampton I will be staying in and I don't want to be worrying about the car overnight!

[Mrs6C]

4 hours ago, Saabnut said:

Did think about taking the Bentley instead but not sure of the area in Northampton I will be staying in and I don't want to be worrying about the car overnight!

You could leave the Bentley with us and we'll lend you something anonymous to take to Northampton!!!

[Saabnut]

Well the Disco behaved perfectly and covered the over 900 mile round trip without a hitch, if lacking in comfort due to the collapsed drivers seat (must sort that out). As it turned out we were staying in the posh part of Northampton so I could safely taken one of the better cars. One of the guys on the course is a director on Nankang UK so took his Lambourgini Uros as he was commuting from Birmingham. We democratically took a vote to see who was going to be the lunchtime taxi driver to take us to Gregs or KFC. Fair play to the guy, he thought it funny and happily took over the taxi duties. Have to say in impressed.

Once back home. thoughts turned to next weekends trip, Friday to Coventry, NEC for the Classic show Saturday then down to Crawley and over to France Sunday night. I am still hoping to get the Saab PAS fixed and MOTed, but should anything go wrong, the back up vehicle is again the Disco and there is zero chance of fixing the seat before then. So, obviously time to pick up something reliable, comfortable, local and above all, cheap. If it is a make/model I have not owned before, then it is a bonus! Searching the classifieds the obvious answer in another forum bike reared its head. A quick message to @Supernaut had it delivered to me and a lift home arranged. First time I drove it was to get back from Fyvie and I have to say so far I am impressed. Just need to get the non functioning drivers window an roof fixed.

 

[Saabnut]

With the back up plan Mercedes giving me confidence, yesterday it was take the Saab to my friends in Arbroath to fit the new PAS pipe. What a git of a job, it fought us every step of the way! 

At least we got the chance to put in a new air filter as these are a bugger to get to so often get left. This was no exception though I have seen much, much worse

Eventually after much swearing we got the old one off and the new one on. Not a job I am in a rush to repeat.

A quick phone call and an MOT was booked for 1900 which gave me just enough time for a late lunch  at KFC. A thorough looking at, running on LPG gave emissions of 0.00 and HC of 122 of 1200 allowed. The end result was a clean pass so @jonathan_dyane will be pleased it will live on. Coventry tomorrow....

 

[jonathan_dyane]

Great result, I'm glad to hear it still lives. Hopefully it will serve you to 200000 miles and beyond 

[Saabnut]

420 miles down, made it to Coventry with no problems apart from the LPG system deciding to be temperamental for 20 minutes before giving up the fight and working properly.

[Saabnut]

Another 150 ish miles today now near Gatwick for the night

[Saabnut]

With a final 225 miles from Gatwick to Portsmouth and Caen to here it has clocked up 195k and again completed with no problems and on LPG for 99% of the journey. 

Chod spotting in the Sarthe starts tomorrow ish

[Saabnut]

Not been out chod spotting yet as the first few days here have been busy vacuuming spiders and cobwebs as usual, plus fitting a new belt to the ride on mower and a new shackle to the tractor with flail mower. I have also started fault finding on my friends Iveco Cherry Picker but that will be a whole seperate post!

So today, I went for a quick lunch with friends here

Lunch consisted of these

accompanied by some very nice local rose wine. Hindsight tells me the dozen oysters were not excessive, but the 1.5 liters of wine (each I hasten to add) probably was. Not much done this afternoon as I have only just woken up!  

[hairnet]

WTAF

[Inspector Morose]

Oysters maybe not but rosè? Now we’re talking .

[Saabnut]

I am writing this whilst watching snow fall and settle outside, only the second time I have seen this here in France in 10 years. Oh well, turn the heating up and a day working inside beckons.....

It is a bit frustrating as my friend has left his Iveco cherry picker here, the deal being if I can get it working I can borrow it, the main job being to put in a chimney liner to reinstate a log burner ironically. The cherry picker is based on a 61 plate 7 tonne Iveco. The van itself runs fine but has lots of electrical gremlins and the cherry picker and stabilisers dont work. I am sure these are related and as the van has been sitting outside unused for over a year. I managed to get it started after replacing a knackered battery terminal along with a jump, and that earth improvement brought the wipers and indicators back to life, confirming the gremlin theory.

I managed to get the PTO for the hydraulics to engage, but no electrical controls do anything. I suspect that the isolater/sensor on the boom is faulty, which stops everything working if the boom/basket is not detecting locked/unlocked. I do have wiring diagrams but I am rubbish with electrics, but I guess I am about to learn!

First job was to charge the battery to ensure any low voltages are not being caused by a flat battery, so moved it forward and put it on charge. Snow has, however, stalled progress.

[Saabnut]

The scene currently. Still snowing!

[hairnet]

un homme des parties supérieures de l'écosse devrait être habitué à 2 pouces

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

1 hour ago, hairnet said:

un homme des parties supérieures de l'écosse devrait être habitué à 2 pouces

Are you saying that he's hung like a Hamster ? 🙃

[lesapandre]

'Hamster' in French is: 'le hamster'.

French is very easy to speak. You simply put le in front le major words and you can immediately be understood by le French.

Le snow is due to stop le-ater according to le French weather app.

[hairnet]

29 minutes ago, Momentary Lapse Of Reason said:

Are you saying that he's hung like a Hamster ? 🙃

with the weather cold atm then dunno maybe

[somewhatfoolish]

The boom won't go anywhere until the stabilisers are out, weight on them and depending on how old/new it is, levelled.

[Saabnut]

8 hours ago, somewhatfoolish said:

The boom won't go anywhere until the stabilisers are out, weight on them and depending on how old/new it is, levelled.

Problem is the stabilisers won't go down either! I think it is the sensor that operates when the boom is fully stowed, but it has been too cold to go out and test my theory. Hopefully soon!

[Saabnut]

As usual, an update here is well overdue. The weather in France did improve, but I ran out of time as I had to return for another hospital visit and I found myself in need of some tools I had not taken with me, As a result the cherry picker was parked in* the hanger and will have to wait for my next visit, and since being home more research has yielded some results, and a visit to the manufacturers in Bradford is a possibility.

Since being home, I have been stupidly busy with courses, exams etc for my new (part time) career amongst other things. The final part of that should be completed early in the new year. All this lack of time has resulted in my shed being used for storage rather than working, so the last couple of days has seen a start to putting that right. The old grey tin barn I have been using as overflow storage has been under utilised as when it was part of the farm and used for straw storage, the floor was covered with pallets to keep the straw off the ground. I had moved some out of the way but at least half the floor was still covered in now rotten pallets. I have spent 2 days lifting these out an burning them (there is so much woodworm evidence there is no way they are coming near my house for the wood stove). I have roughly a third of the barn cleared.

Once that is complete, I can move things around and get on with my Saab 93 that basically needs brakes doing

Of course, as these were never officially imported to the UK, there are no spares available off the shelf. Shoes I can get relined and I believe the wheel cylinders are as fitted to a Morris Minor, but there are two types so I need to get the drums off to see what I need.  As the drums have the bearings in them, a puller is required, ideally one that will fit on a slide hammer. A few of the Saab specialists list them, but they have been out of stock for years. I mentioned this to my friend and neighbour who reminded me he had this

Yes, that is a CNC Plasma cutting table and he offered his help. Saturday evening I took my slide hammer and the one drum I had managed to get off round, and an hour later it was done.

Now once I have space, I can get on with it!

[hairnet]

4 hours ago, Saabnut said:

 

 

 

 

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