The new news 24 thread

[sdkrc]

Best way to cap off a lovely birthday...driving 500m for chips and watching Netflix

[sdkrc]

2 hours ago, stuboy said:

 

 

P.  L. U. S. H. 

https://sprzedajemy.pl/sprzedam-poloneza-akwarium-kwidzyn-2-6bea9f-nr60107399

[wuvvum]

I invented a thing this morning.  When I'm in that weird place between asleep and awake, my brain gets quite creative.  Normally it designs cars or writes music, but this morning I was thinking about suspension bolts and what a pain in the arse they can be to get undone, and my brain came up with a way of removing recalcitrant nuts.  This no doubt already exists but I've never seen it, so I'm going to count it as an invention.  It's basically a long thin hole saw which is designed to fit snugly over a standard sized bolt - they'd come in a set from M5 to M16 or whatever, possibly in two different lengths for different lengths of bolt.  You slide the tool over the bolt until the teeth touch the nut, then spin it up with a drill and the teeth cut through the nut flush with the bolt threads - you can then either slide the nut off like a washer or, more likely, if the nut is rusted onto the suspension component itself, you can get a hammer and twat the bolt out, then a tap with a chisel should get the remains of the nut off.  Obvs like you'd need enough clearance to get a drill in (or at least one of those 90° attachments), but I've seen a few nuts where access end on is easy but access from the side (for a nut splitter or dremel) is awkward because of brackets or whatever.

Anyway, like I say someone probably already beat me to it years ago, but I was quite pleased with myself as it's the first time in a while my brain has come up with anything useful...

[phil_lihp]

Yesterday was service day for the T4, long overdue as it hasn't been done in around 3 years, although it'd only done about 5000 miles in that time.  It has an issue with running rough for a few seconds and puffing blue smoke on cold starts first thing, I was told it's likely piston rings and an oil change with a flush as well would possibly help.  It obviously agreed, as the last 2 days it's suddenly stopped doing it anyway!

Nonetheless, it assumed the position - this is much easier now it's not scraping its chassis on the ground.

I put a flush in the old oil and ran it for 20 mins as recommended, then drained the old stuff - my pump got the first 2 litres but couldn't get all of it as the dipstick tube was longer than the pump's pickup pipe.  A new oil filter, some fresh 5W40 and that job was done.  Incidentally, these have the most enormous and heavy under tray I have ever come across.  This one was also full of 20 years of oil, dirt, sludge, zip tie tails and lost bolts.  It got a cursory wiping out so it's slightly less gross and I also evicted a large quantity of fossilised cow pat from the front suspension - presumably picked up on a field campsite some time in the last few years.

 

These vans have a very handy "service position" where you take out a couple of bolts ands screws to remove the front grill and panel, then the radiator support lifts out on  pivots for easier access to the engine.  Very clever and very handy.

It means access to the throttle cable, which was out of adjustment, went from nearly impossible to very easy.  Unfortunately it does need a new one, it's at the end of its adjustment and weirdly they are no longer available so will have to badger the local VW specialist about that.

I also adjusted the power steering belt with the same result - you use shims to adjust the pulley and I have to take out every last one to get the belt just tight enough not to slip and jump about when manoeuvring at low speeds, so a new one of those will be ordered too.

All quite satisfying, it's now quieter and smoother to drive, there's a few bits more on the to-do list including a coolant flush and changing the power steering fluid but it's already much better than it was. 

 

[egg]

My parent's MK2 early 90s, note GB stickers it took 5 of us to France quite often.

Serck Number plates are in my shed.

Which inspired my purchase of this one in 2003

[Dick Cheeseburger]

56 minutes ago, phil_lihp said:

Yesterday was service day for the T4, long overdue as it hasn't been done in around 3 years, although it'd only done about 5000 miles in that time.  It has an issue with running rough for a few seconds and puffing blue smoke on cold starts first thing, I was told it's likely piston rings and an oil change with a flush as well would possibly help.  It obviously agreed, as the last 2 days it's suddenly stopped doing it anyway!

Nonetheless, it assumed the position - this is much easier now it's not scraping its chassis on the ground.

I put a flush in the old oil and ran it for 20 mins as recommended, then drained the old stuff - my pump got the first 2 litres but couldn't get all of it as the dipstick tube was longer than the pump's pickup pipe.  A new oil filter, some fresh 5W40 and that job was done.  Incidentally, these have the most enormous and heavy under tray I have ever come across.  This one was also full of 20 years of oil, dirt, sludge, zip tie tails and lost bolts.  It got a cursory wiping out so it's slightly less gross and I also evicted a large quantity of fossilised cow pat from the front suspension - presumably picked up on a field campsite some time in the last few years.

 

These vans have a very handy "service position" where you take out a couple of bolts ands screws to remove the front grill and panel, then the radiator support lifts out on  pivots for easier access to the engine.  Very clever and very handy.

It means access to the throttle cable, which was out of adjustment, went from nearly impossible to very easy.  Unfortunately it does need a new one, it's at the end of its adjustment and weirdly they are no longer available so will have to badger the local VW specialist about that.

I also adjusted the power steering belt with the same result - you use shims to adjust the pulley and I have to take out every last one to get the belt just tight enough not to slip and jump about when manoeuvring at low speeds, so a new one of those will be ordered too.

All quite satisfying, it's now quieter and smoother to drive, there's a few bits more on the to-do list including a coolant flush and changing the power steering fluid but it's already much better than it was. 

 

Is that the 1.9 tdi? I'm assuming they're pre-PD at that point? As for the service mode idea, how refreshing! I can't imagine Wolkswarken would entertain designing such a convenient feature in a vehicle now. 

[puddlethumper]

Anyone like a fat ass? Here's an expensive one. 

[Cord Fourteener]

Met @N19for a quick transfer of a Mondeo towbar. 

Sorry I couldn't hang around and chat longer this time but it was a great pleasure to meet you. 

 

[Fumbler]

I did a bit more thinking about the BX's electrics after yesterday and I think I can almost conclude that the aftermarket alarm fitted to it isn't working anymore. It did nothing when the battery was disconnected and reconnected. The only life I can get out of it is the (rather dead) integral buzzer trying to work. There should be a fob with Waso systems- it helps that they were also fitted to Mercs and BMWs from the era too. The one for this car has disappeared into the mists of time.
https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1000098
The link above shows the tribulations a Porche 944 owner has had with his. Even though the pictures are broken, the description of the main unit, fob and everything sound the same as mine. Knowing what I know now, there are covers I can prise off and see what all the knock sensors, ultrasonics and whatnot are set to. There's also a switch to turn the whole thing off- that may have already been done, I'll check later. It's encouraging, though, that this was a professionally fitted device from back in the day. I'm by no means pleased that it's installed on my car, but at least it was done to some degree of prefessionalism and minimises the risk that it'll randomly break one day.

At some point I want to remove as much of the system from the vehicle. From what I can see, it is spliced into the loom by use of a large, removable connector, and has a separate 25A fused +ve supply. Bits of it have already been taken apart: for example, the bonnet switch is disconnected.  The telltale on the column has a mind of its own, which is weird, so the sooner I can rip it out, the better.

EDIT- Some snooping on the internet finds that mine looks to be a Serpi Star GR5 system. An absolute brick from the late 1980s. Yikes!

[artdjones]

23 minutes ago, Fumbler said:

I did a bit more thinking about the BX's electrics after yesterday and I think I can almost conclude that the aftermarket alarm fitted to it isn't working anymore. It did nothing when the battery was disconnected and reconnected. The only life I can get out of it is the (rather dead) integral buzzer trying to work. There should be a fob with Waso systems- it helps that they were also fitted to Mercs and BMWs from the era too. The one for this car has disappeared into the mists of time.
https://www.porscheclubgb.com/forum/tm.aspx?m=1000098
The link above shows the tribulations a Porche 944 owner has had with his. Even though the pictures are broken, the description of the main unit, fob and everything sound the same as mine. Knowing what I know now, there are covers I can prise off and see what all the knock sensors, ultrasonics and whatnot are set to. There's also a switch to turn the whole thing off- that may have already been done, I'll check later. It's encouraging, though, that this was a professionally fitted device from back in the day. I'm by no means pleased that it's installed on my car, but at least it was done to some degree of prefessionalism and minimises the risk that it'll randomly break one day.

At some point I want to remove as much of the system from the vehicle. From what I can see, it is spliced into the loom by use of a large, removable connector, and has a separate 25A fused +ve supply. Bits of it have already been taken apart: for example, the bonnet switch is disconnected.  The telltale on the column has a mind of its own, which is weird, so the sooner I can rip it out, the better.

EDIT- Some snooping on the internet finds that mine looks to be a Serpi Star GR5 system. An absolute brick from the late 1980s. Yikes!

This kind of thing just makes one detest thieves all the more. The trouble that their greed causes to others, even 30 years later.

Cutting their hands off goes too far but two dozen with a thieve's cat might deter somewhat.

[Fumbler]

22 minutes ago, artdjones said:

This kind of thing just makes one detest thieves all the more. The trouble that their greed causes to others, even 30 years later.

Cutting their hands off goes too far but two dozen with a thieve's cat might deter somewhat.

It does, however, show that the original owner liked the car enough to make sure it was secure. It's rather eary to slimjim a BX IIRC.

Because of the alarm's age and the need to be fob activated, it isn't much help anymore now that it is gone. What is a massive help is that it was professionally fitted, meaning there aren't any horrible splices. It's a set of two connectors where it intercepts the loom, aiding the ability to remove it. That is, if I have the balls to.

[Cord Fourteener]

Out in Burford, and it's like every other car is an immaculate classic or an AS suitable 'retro '.

I've never seen anything like it in the wild! Not even on my road back at home!

[richardmorris]

Drive it day,

[dean36014]

Need I say anymore

 

[High Jetter]

VELly SATISfying!

[phil_lihp]

5 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Is that the 1.9 tdi? I'm assuming they're pre-PD at that point? As for the service mode idea, how refreshing! I can't imagine Wolkswarken would entertain designing such a convenient feature in a vehicle now. 

It is not a TDi, apparently they're different - confusingly I think there's a 1.9D (which is extremely slow), a 1.9TD (mine) and a 1.9TDi.  Not sure what PD is but I think this is quite an old fashioned lump, which is fine by me.  The one everyone wants is the 2.5TDi but this is fine for me, it has adequate performance which is all I want.

[Fumbler]

Turns out the alarm fitted is a Serpi Star GR 8 (ha! GR8), of which there's literally nothing on the Interwebs for it. Contrary to what I originally thought, it doesn't splice into the loom at the main unit/siren on the bulkhead. A bundle of wire wrapped in tape goes through the bulkhead and into the pedal compartment. From there is goes up to the column. The keyswitch on the alarm is set to 'on' (how helpful), and I've traced some immobiliser wiring down to the dicky main engine earth I was playing around with yesterday.

It may be as simple as pulling the two large connectors and the two spade terminals and seeing what happens. I found a diesel BX thread on another forum where the person had the exact same alarm and their immobiliser was cutting the feed to the fuel pump. As mine is petrol, I have a feeling the non-original wires at the coil are the immobiliser wiring for my engine. There are also headlamp and indicator flasher wiring to it, but that is in parallel to the car's original wiring.

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Alison driven on Drive it Day. I may have happened on some like- minded people. 

Great afternoon! 😎😎😎

[Dick Cheeseburger]

42 minutes ago, phil_lihp said:

It is not a TDi, apparently they're different - confusingly I think there's a 1.9D (which is extremely slow), a 1.9TD (mine) and a 1.9TDi.  Not sure what PD is but I think this is quite an old fashioned lump, which is fine by me.  The one everyone wants is the 2.5TDi but this is fine for me, it has adequate performance which is all I want.

I think the 1.9TD lump is the one used in the later mk3 Golfs. 90ish bhp if I remember correctly, and whilst a bit agricultural compared to the PD, pretty bombproof. Mrs DL's old mk3 Golf did 50 empeegees on a bad day, although I guess a T4 is a little more portly.

[SiC]

5 hours ago, Dick Longbridge said:

Is that the 1.9 tdi? I'm assuming they're pre-PD at that point? As for the service mode idea, how refreshing! I can't imagine Wolkswarken would entertain designing such a convenient feature in a vehicle now. 

Service mode position for the front bumper has been a thing on Audi's for years and still is - usually on the longitudinally mounted engines. Nice idea in theory when all the fasteners are fresh. Perhaps less so when things are rusted up. 

[stuboy]

Anyone identify these seats?

[stuboy]

Been round future fil place and made a start clearing the bus converted  camper.. as it will need to go to make space for the standard 8 etc... probably scrap it , or anyone want a project once its cleared of personal affects...

[chancer]

44 minutes ago, stuboy said:

Anyone identify these seats?

Proton Persona coupe 

[Zelandeth]

22 minutes ago, stuboy said:

Been round future fil place and made a start clearing the bus converted  camper.. as it will need to go to make space for the standard 8 etc... probably scrap it , or anyone want a project once its cleared of personal affects...

If it does wind up scrapped, any chance a few simple to remove bits could be pulled off first?  Or is time etc likely to preclude that?

[artdjones]

1 hour ago, Dick Longbridge said:

I think the 1.9TD lump is the one used in the later mk3 Golfs. 90ish bhp if I remember correctly, and whilst a bit agricultural compared to the PD, pretty bombproof. Mrs DL's old mk3 Golf did 50 empeegees on a bad day, although I guess a T4 is a little more portly.

75hp in the Golf/Vento, 68 in the T4. Now quite sought after for dropping into T3s.

[HMC]

Been for a moorland blast in the fiesta lx. Fully warm even it’s fine and will stop and start on demand. It just seems to throw a wobbly restarting if it’s  been on an extended Trip; I’ve yet to calculate the exact point of no return distance/ time wise. Any ideas. Would a dodgy coil pack do this?

[catsinthewelder]

1 hour ago, stuboy said:

the bus converted  camper..

It would be a shame to see it scrapped but if it has to be has anyone got Bollox's number?  I'd quite like the canopy off the side but you're a long way away.

[richardmorris]

3 hours ago, richardmorris said:

Drive it day,

She’s named it Miss Deuzy.

[loserone]

12 minutes ago, catsinthewelder said:

It would be a shame to see it scrapped but if it has to be has anyone got Bollox's number?  I'd quite like the canopy off the side but you're a long way away.

I've pinged him a link

[BorniteIdentity]

As reported in the Escort Thread, my chum and neighbour organised a trundle out this morning for a spot of motoring. A gentle 15 mile jolly across salubrious Cambridgeshire awaited our intrepid motorists, and what fun it was.

A friend invited that lovely Fuzz off of the telly and he was just wonderful; a beautiful, gentle man. He spent five minutes telling his kids about the rarity of the Escort before modestly agreeing to a photo. 
 

There was a wonderful variety in the turnout, as ever I felt thoroughly under dressed but fortunately some legend turned up in a MK1 Multipla to save my blushes. Danny Hopkins off of Practical Classics turned out in a smart TR7 and spent the morning in the Escort’s rear view mirror.

Here are some more photos. Sadly @alf892couldnt join us in the end with his smashing Rover 12 but next time eh!