The new news 24 thread

[Kiltox]

Fair play, they do concentrate 25L too or did but it might not be on the website, I usually buy it when they have it on special which they ring me about most Thursdays

[beko1987]

Last time I was timing a XUD was 2010. I initially could only get my hand on 90mm long bolts, which were too long and a complete arse to fit. Can't remember if I had to hacksaw them down or not. I also pinned the flywheel with a 7.5mm drill bit - I think - I'm only going by my notes on the BXC forum.

I bought a length of rod a d cut it to 40mm x2 and 50mm x1, then fitted the 50mm to one of the fuel pump holes so it's been catching on the chassis all day! If I'd used bolts I can spanner them off, gonna have to get some grips out tomorrow to get them out

[Kiltox]

Put 2 nuts on the end and lock them together

[Cavcraft]

Started stripping the Tigra today to do the head gasket, quoted £110 for headset and water pump, eBay seems to make it a lot cheaper though. Had an offer on the Calibra of straight cash, or plus £300 for a tidy looking 2001 Merc C230E, or whatever those three door coupe type things (not CLK) are with the panoramic roof.

[DodgeRover]

Well, it's a black day in my neck of sunny Oldhamshire. My experiment to prove that not all vauxhalls are shite ended here:

 

 

The poor old gal succumbed to the twin horrors of knackered rings and some berk not bothering to replace the timing belt tensioner when the belt was changed 10 months back. (Prior to my ownership)

 

RIP Omega, you will be sorely missed!

 

Now the search begins for a cheap automatic, preferably in estate form to get the Basset in...

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Still worth better than frag money from the banger lads....

[richardmorris]

Not sure if grump or antidote but got mistaken for Kenneth Branagh this morning in laithwaites at Virginia water ( wentworth for those not local). Apparently he has an old merc too although I fear this is where the similarity ends. She said he does come in regularly though.

 

In the film of my life I like to think I'd be played by Nathan Filian, but expect it would be Charlie brooker. Kenneth Branagh never entered my head! Perhaps I was having an off day-he's 12 years older according to IMDb.

[Eddie Honda]

but expect it would be Charlie brooker. 

 

Charlie is unavailabe. I hear Laurence "Don't call me Larry" Fishburne is available though.

[trigger]

Dad came over today to help me remove the head from my Dolomite to find out why it's running on 3 cylinders, we done the head gasket on it eariler this year so it all came apart ok.

 

Once off we poured some petrol on the valves, which quickly showed the problem.

 

 

The fuel poured straight threw so popped the valves out to have a look.

 

 

 

Fuck sake what a mess, the seats are basically corroded, I'm not sure whats caused it, we thought it was from years of unleaded fuel with no additive although others have said it could be water in the fuel? It's not something i know much about to be honest.

 

 

 

I'm hoping that it can be repaired? I'm guessing it's also best to get them refaced so that it unleaded converted too? Dads gonna take the head to a specialist near his and get a price, i haven't a clue what that will be.

 

The engines quite tappy, i thought it was tappets but I'm now wondering of it could be the worn exhaust valves smashing away, hopefully it will be a bit quicker and not running so rich all the time once it's fixed.

[cort16]

Is the camshaft in the block in these?

I'm guessing pressing hardened valve seats in with be the answer . At least you can run it safely ok unleaded then .

[Cavcraft]

Live from the VACC

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Vauxhall Apology Centre Chester

[Cavcraft]

It'd had a water pump not so long ago, have a look at the fan belt...

 

[DodgeRover]

Dad came over today to help me remove the head from my Dolomite to find out why it's running on 3 cylinders, we done the head gasket on it eariler this year so it all came apart ok.

 

Once off we poured some petrol on the valves, which quickly showed the problem.

 

 

The fuel poured straight threw so popped the valves out to have a look.

 

 

 

Fuck sake what a mess, the seats are basically corroded, I'm not sure whats caused it, we thought it was from years of unleaded fuel with no additive although others have said it could be water in the fuel? It's not something i know much about to be honest.

 

 

 

I'm hoping that it can be repaired? I'm guessing it's also best to get them refaced so that it unleaded converted too? Dads gonna take the head to a specialist near his and get a price, i haven't a clue what that will be.

 

The engines quite tappy, i thought it was tappets but I'm now wondering of it could be the worn exhaust valves smashing away, hopefully it will be a bit quicker and not running so rich all the time once it's fixed.

 

You can get the inlets recut then have the exhausts fitted with hardened seats - its not a dear process and any competant* machine shop should be able to handle it. FIt all new exhaust valves at the same time, they will all need grinding in. You can go all old school and do that with a stick and a rubber on it or you can show zero engineering competance and do it in minutes lapping them in using copious quanities of oil on the stems and a cordless drill to spin them slowly with...

 

If things are ultra tight moneywise for a little while and you are running leaded fuel or additive you might get away with new valves and recutting all the seats but last time I did that I managed the grand total of 6000 miles before loosing compression again. I have my own recutting tool so it cost me nothing* to try it except a headgasket, 4 new valves and a couple of days lost work....

[M'coli]

It seems that standing for two weeks is more than the ZX battery can cope with - photo taken after removal of jump leads from TUD to XUD.

[Tamworthbay]

Dad came over today to help me remove the head from my Dolomite to find out why it's running on 3 cylinders, we done the head gasket on it eariler this year so it all came apart ok.

Once off we poured some petrol on the valves, which quickly showed the problem.

The fuel poured straight threw so popped the valves out to have a look.

Fuck sake what a mess, the seats are basically corroded, I'm not sure whats caused it, we thought it was from years of unleaded fuel with no additive although others have said it could be water in the fuel? It's not something i know much about to be honest.

I'm hoping that it can be repaired? I'm guessing it's also best to get them refaced so that it unleaded converted too? Dads gonna take the head to a specialist near his and get a price, i haven't a clue what that will be.

The engines quite tappy, i thought it was tappets but I'm now wondering of it could be the worn exhaust valves smashing away, hopefully it will be a bit quicker and not running so rich all the time once it's fixed.

Hardened seats need material removed to fit them anyway so that should be saveable at sensible money.

[M'coli]

Or just get bigger valves and have the seats recut to suit.

[Kiltox]

Panda engine runs.... but it's fucked

 

Think the ECU has been knackered all along. Fuck.

[SiC]

Panda engine runs.... but it's fucked

 

Think the ECU has been knackered all along. Fuck.

I reckon we should remote control your Panda, and my Saab. Then crash them at speed, in a field, head-on and see which survives the most...

[catsinthewelder]

If either of them run for long enough.

[Kiltox]

Do I spend another £85 on an ECU set or do I just put it back together and ring the scrappers, that is the question

[tooSavvy]

I reckon we should remote control your Panda, and my Saab. Then crash them at speed, in a field, head-on and see which survives the most...

Like 5th Gear TV stunt....

 

 

 

TS

[SiC]

Like 5th Gear TV stunt....

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fe3JpuVy4cA

 

 

TS

Just like that. Except maybe doing it in reserve to see the damage that would happen if two people were reversing along at high speed. Then make a public campaign to highlight the risks.

[trigger]

Hardened seats need material removed to fit them anyway so that should be saveable at sensible money.

Fingers crossed. The question is how did it get so bad in the first place? It looks like water but the oil is still perfect and it doesn't lose water?.

[Tamworthbay]

Fingers crossed. The question is how did it get so bad in the first place? It looks like water but the oil is still perfect and it doesn't lose water?.

I suppose it's hard to say when the worst of it happened, I have seen similar on twin carb set ups when one was running very lean but that affected two cylinders and wouldn't explain this one. I don't know how much water you need to lose to cause issues. On two strokes I have seen localised damage that has been caused by overheating localised to an area due to a casting flaw or other damage. One of my RDs ended up with a hole you could get the end of your little finger in.

[SiC]

Page 1111. Satisfies the eye.

[dollywobbler]

Had a lovely day out in Wythall being a sad bus geek. Quite cringeworthy watching bus spotters almost get flattened by passing cars, and sometimes even the buses. Many of them had forgotten that you NEVER cross the road in front of the bus you've just got off. Twats.

 

I managed to get there in about 2.5hrs. I reckon my next economy figures will be AWFUL.

 

That's the S-MX resting outside the fancy office building near the museum. I used to work there many moons ago, lowering the tone with my red 2CV (with yellow front wings) and other assorted shitheaps. 

 

Have a quick burst of video of my first bus trip.

https://twitter.com/dollywobbler/status/785056004597743616

 

A Michelotti-styled sports* bus.

 

Back in the 1950s aboard an old Daimler. This amused me.

 

Ailsa! And loads of sad bus geeks. Glad I'm not one of them...

 

Then I failed to photograph a sunset on the way home.

 

What a lovely day.

[DodgeRover]

Fingers crossed. The question is how did it get so bad in the first place? It looks like water but the oil is still perfect and it doesn't lose water?.

Running on unleaded, burning a little oil for a long time. Valve seats are due to lack of lead and possibly lack of attention to setting tappets regularly.

[richardmorris]

2cv duck racing day at Farnham followed by Apple fair at Blackmore. One my club, the Thames tortoises won.

 

No idea why the photo is sideways by the way.

[ShiteRider]

OSF scene tax is fucking crazy, i've just sold some cortina spot light brackets on ebay.........£205....... Yes, you read that right, two hundred and five fucking pounds!!

I've put this here a it's pickled my head a bit, the guy who won them is made up and thinks i should be too, but to be honest i'm kinda pissed off that even basic parts are now basically unaffordable.

The craziness continues, my cortina rs steering wheel just sold.....£303.59 + £20 postage.

WTAF!

I'm fucking done with fords.........

[Ghosty]

Going on a mystery trip tomorrow afternoon, as in I don't even know where I'm going. 

Probably be only moderately interesting, but I can hope, eh?

[trigger]

 

 

I'm fucking done with fords.........

Yep, i feel your pain. I can't afFORD a Ford anymore!