The new news 24 thread

[cort1977]

A friend of mine has had his faithful 2005 Honda Accord flooded in Texas, where he lives, and has just learned his insurance won't pay out.  Because America, mostly.  Like me, he's a self-employed artist.  He's also one of those people that will help others at his own expense but is rubbish at accepting help.

 

The long and short of it is I want to try and find some way to help him save or replace the Honda in a way that he cannot say no to.  As for many of us, his car is really important for his independance and just generally getting shit done and, as for many of us, he simply doesn't have the spare cash lying around to replace it. Particularly so since you can imagine what's going to happen to the used car market in any area hit by Hurricane Harvey.

 

I've already passed on what little I know about how to dry out a flooded car and that while the chances of it surviving being under 10 feet of water are slim, there is a chance it can without him spending megabucks.  Of course, it's also entirely likely its fucked, he knows this, I know this.

 

Any ideas are welcome.  I'm already considering an art auction deal but I have to make sure he will at least accept cash before I even think about setting that sort of thing up.  I'm not going to force money/charity on someone if it's not what they want but at the same time I'm not about to see a friend suffer for the sake of some stupid pride.  Especially a friend that has been so selfless over the years I've known him.  Your suggestions are welcome, you guys often have useful ideas and being that we're all over the world there might even be someone nearer to/in Texas that has a more practical solution I can send his way so pride needn't come into it.

I'm in Houston, where is he? I have some idea about fixing cars and I'm off work for the rest of the week so would be happy to go take a look. Pm me if required.

 

We were very lucky and our area didn't flood significantly. Thankfully the loss of life has been low but the property damage is massive.

[somewhatfoolish]

I'm in Houston, where is he? I have some idea about fixing cars and I'm off work for the rest of the week so would be happy to go take a look. Pm me if required.

 

We were very lucky and our area didn't flood significantly. Thankfully the loss of life has been low but the property damage is massive.

Awe-inspiring quantities of rain involved, a metre+ in a few days is fairly damp.

[3VOM]

Isn't it just because insurance?

More likely. Floods are "act of god" sort of category therefore not covered.

[Kiltox]

More likely. Floods are "act of god" sort of category therefore not covered.

Thought this had been abolished? Did everyone in Gloucestershire affected by flooding in 2007 (for example) not get paid out if they had insurance?

[cobblers]

Disconnect the battery ASAP then remove any water damaged ECUs and flush the insides with loads of Iso Alcohol, then blast them with a hairdryer for ten minutes. Do the same to any connectors that got damp, plug it all back in and it should be fine if it hasn't been stood long.

[dollywobbler]

Today, I am mostly conducting glamorous photoshoots.

 

Well, I was until it STARTED BLOODY RAINING.

[Asimo]

Thought this had been abolished? Did everyone in Gloucestershire affected by flooding in 2007 (for example) not get paid out if they had insurance?

My Avantime bent some rods in that flood and the insurers couldn't pay me off fast enough. 

I claimed for what I guessed an engine repair would cost but they declared it a write off and offered almost what I had paid for the car. I had the cash barely a week after they had collected it. (It was in a salvage yard for a bit but was returned to use)

[M'coli]

Thought this had been abolished? Did everyone in Gloucestershire affected by flooding in 2007 (for example) not get paid out if they had insurance?

Different country, different laws.

[tooSavvy]

Did a MakkieD feedback webbie link, after feeding the anklebiter & friend, observing a food-prep staffer was wiping his fingers up his pants arse between making burgers.....

 

Got apology + £5 voucher (sadly, for McD)

 

 

TS

[Kiltox]

Different country, different laws.

Yeah fair enough

[vulgalour]

I'm in Houston, where is he?

Also Houston, he's a few minutes away from Osteen's Lakewood mega-church. I've Pm'd you.

[OwdChina]

WOW...............look what just showed up.............It's like fucking Christmas here.

 

[dollywobbler]

Tag-team changeover complete. Proton now SORN, Honda back on the road.

 

Took it for a spin, and remembered just how fond of this vehicle I am. Sure, it doesn't like cornering with anything like pace, and the ride is a bit bouncy, but it's very likeable nonetheless. I LOVE the driving position, which is almost 4x4-esque. Gearbox is changing beautifully too. Maybe it appreciated a rest...

[egg]

So the 'buyer' went a little flaky!

[dollywobbler]

So the 'buyer' went a little flaky!

 

Yeah. Basically spent a week saying "oh, yeah, I'll definitely send a deposit" then didn't. And this without advertising it on Ebay! Twunts, twunts everywhere. So sod it. I like it, I've spent quite a bit on it, I've done 10,000 miles in it, and I want to do more. Coming up to the 12-month anniversary!

[17-Coffees]

The Lexus has, what I think is, a buggered alternator. 

A massive whuuring sound, as well as the battery discharge light coming on the dash point me in that direction. So when I get the time I'll have a proper check. Theres the worry that the power steering pump has started to leak (which when they do, like to leak onto the alternator), but that is't as much of a problem on later cars as it is on the earlier models.

Oddly, it is keeping charge. (Which threw me off the alternator train of thought) but having read up online, it does seem like an alternator problem. 

 

And on other news, I've managed to sell my Civic. With the new owner collecting it tomorrow. 

[worldofceri]

Had a mild-to-moderate panic just now... Glanced down at the gear selector, having just jumped in the Omega, and ALL the lights were on (i.e. P R N D 3 2 1) not just D, which it was in. Shifted to neutral, then back to drive and all seemed well. But... I was getting a 'slipping clutch' effect all the way home (only a couple of miles).

 

So... have I b0rked my transmission? I don't really have much experience of autos. Or do I likely need to just top up the atf?

 

Internet wisdom suggests the trans is either 'sealed for life or needs a flush every 80k. I reckon mine's probably on the original fluid. And I've done more miles in the last month than the previous owner managed in a year.

 

Procedure for checking the atf level seems to be to jack the car; start the engine; cycle the gears; undo the fill-bolt, taking care not to get a face-full of Dexron III; top up as required using a yard of plastic tube and some sort of squeezy bottle. Seems mildly terrifying to me.

 

I may attempt this this weekend.

 

PICTCHURE 4 ATTENSHUN

 

[trigger]

I like it, I've spent quite a bit on it, I've done 10,000 miles in it, and I want to do more.

 

It sounds like the non appearing buyer was for the best, I said you shouldn't sell it, It's the one car that you can rely one and it's actually pretty decent.

[Arthur Foxhake]

I'm off to see Chaz'n'Dave as a guest in a short while.

Not motoring related at all, but awesome all the same.

[crapcarcollector]

Decided to try and get the aircon recharged on my GTV. Any of you who have followed the story of my car will know it's been in a million pieces what with the engine swap, and the dash and heater box out when I discovered the heater never worked.

I held out zero hope of it actually holding a vacuum and therefore a charge, particularly after I'd taken the Volvo of much pamperedness and discovered that had a fuck off leak and wouldn't hold a vacuum.

 

Well bugger me if the old Alfa held a vacuum no problem, took the charge and now blows ice cold. Well happy.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[vulgalour]

Worldofceri:  Sounds like your gear selector has gone and done an Omega.  Generally, you'll find some days it'll work and some days it won't and sometimes it'll go into a sluggish horrible limp mode.  Solution is a new selector pack (think that's what it's called).  If Chompy (RIP) was still on here he could tell you, it happened to his Omega and I believe it happened to Dad's Omega too.

[SiC]

Had a mild-to-moderate panic just now... Glanced down at the gear selector, having just jumped in the Omega, and ALL the lights were on (i.e. P R N D 3 2 1) not just D, which it was in. Shifted to neutral, then back to drive and all seemed well. But... I was getting a 'slipping clutch' effect all the way home (only a couple of miles).

 

So... have I b0rked my transmission? I don't really have much experience of autos. Or do I likely need to just top up the atf?

 

Internet wisdom suggests the trans is either 'sealed for life or needs a flush every 80k. I reckon mine's probably on the original fluid. And I've done more miles in the last month than the previous owner managed in a year.

 

Procedure for checking the atf level seems to be to jack the car; start the engine; cycle the gears; undo the fill-bolt, taking care not to get a face-full of Dexron III; top up as required using a yard of plastic tube and some sort of squeezy bottle. Seems mildly terrifying to me.

 

I may attempt this this weekend.

 

PICTCHURE 4 ATTENSHUN

 

That's a favourite with VAG. Sounds like the gear selector switch has failed or simply miss-aligned, so it doesn't know what gear it is in. However often these older boxes still have a mechanical connection, and so still can do the physical shift. The slipping is slipping, because its in a limp home mode. Usually boxes go and only stay in 3rd gear in this mode.

 

You need to get a op-com or similar to read the error codes and also see what it thinks the shifter is in.

 

This may help: https://oldsite.omegaowners.com/forum/YaBB.pl?num=1267956397

[dollywobbler]

I've been polishing the Bluebird, like an idiot. The paint was horribly flat, and I got carried away. However, the bonnet is ENORMOUS, and the polish is having a hard job cutting through years of ick. I've got the bonnet and front wings done and frankly, that might have to do. After all, the lacquer is still completely fucked on the offside rear wing, so there's no point getting all concours with it.

 

EDIT - Also, I hate myself for asking, but does anyone have some tyre dressing I could borrow on Sunday? They got a bit carried away with the lube when fitting the tyre you see in that shot, and the sodding stuff won't come off.

[MarvinsMom]

what a day....

 

chip in the Rovers windscreen fixed. its still visible from inside, but much less noticable than before.

 

FiL's front garden dug over, bloody hell, that was a job and a half. but he is pleased with it.

 

and back yard light replaced

with EXACTLY the same light that has been up for god know how long....

 

well i've been here for 17 years and it was here when i moved in.

 

now its not worked for many years, cos the bulb blew and i couldn't get it to bits cos it was all rusted up to buggery.

 

so why have the same light as before?

 

well having looked in several home improvement emporiums the current crop of new lights were frankly crap. 

 

so i bought a replacement Coughtrie one, which is, shock, horror, made in the UK!

 

plus i don't like change......

[SiC]

My local motorfactors had a good day today. God knows how long it's been on their shelf. The guy who served me said it's been there as long as he has, which is a couple of years. Bought it so I can adjust the rear drums on my MGB.

 

 

I also replaced the outside light as the old one was a bit crusty and ugly, which doesn't give the best first impressions when you're wanting to sell a house. It had the typical previous owner bodgery involved.

 

Yup that's parcel tape and it's over the top of masking tape. Was it too much for him to use a terminal block or even insulation tape?

 

Naturally, the wires were just twisted together...

 

Pretty much the last bodge I've had left to sort here now.

[plasticvandan]

I've been polishing the Bluebird, like an idiot. The paint was horribly flat, and I got carried away. However, the bonnet is ENORMOUS, and the polish is having a hard job cutting through years of ick. I've got the bonnet and front wings done and frankly, that might have to do. After all, the lacquer is still completely fucked on the offside rear wing, so there's no point getting all concours with it.

 

EDIT - Also, I hate myself for asking, but does anyone have some tyre dressing I could borrow on Sunday? They got a bit carried away with the lube when fitting the tyre you see in that shot, and the sodding stuff won't come off.

I use shoe polish,makes them black without looking like a shiny roadside traders wheels,and fills cracks in too,and cheeps

[DVee8]

http://www.autosspeed.com/here-are-eight-engines-you-should-avoid/

 

Anyone agree?

[OwdChina]

Well after the joy of all those parts arriving yesterday I started to strip out the front of the engine ready to clean the surfaces up ready for rebuilding.

Front pulley is the first thing to come off, and as some of you know the pulley bolt is tight......very tight. A bit of jerry rigging later and a quick blip on the starter and off it comes.

 

 

 

Oil pump and then the timing chain case can then be removed ready for a new chain kit............wasn't expecting this though.

 

 

 

At sometime in the past something nasty has happened in here, and then been lashed back together. chain case is damaged and bottom sprocket is damaged with two teeth missing to boot. Bummer.........New casing on order.

 

 

 

 

 

[SiC]

http://www.autosspeed.com/here-are-eight-engines-you-should-avoid/

 

Anyone agree?

No.

 

Saab engine sludge problem well known and easy to resolve. Those still around likely to have fix. Full synthetic also reduces the risk if the fix kit hasn't been done yet.

 

1.8t VAG, that's a tough engine. Again full synthetic resolves problems. Never really heard of sludging on them when run with synthetic apart from neglected lumps.

 

1.3 rx8. Yeah potentially problematic. But the cars are dirt cheap now. Plus rebuilds aren't that pricey either.

 

The rest we don't really get in the UK.

[Guest Hooli]

I use shoe polish,makes them black without looking like a shiny roadside traders wheels,and fills cracks in too,and cheeps

 

It was good enough for Burt Munroe.