The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

21 hours ago, angle said:

One to watch out for as I know a lot of people use Autoaid on here - the bank card I used to pay last year's membership expired, so I got a text saying my renewal hadn't gone through and asking me to phone up. Fine, except the guy said they now ask for the registration of cars in your household. I then got 'oh, the standard policy doesn't cover cars more than 15 years old, you need to take out an older car policy' (£74.99 rather than £59.99). Still cheaper than the AA or whatever and they were good the one time I needed to use them in the past, but not sure what would have happened if the renewal had gone through and then I'd broken down...

Yes, I had this at renewal, but they did back down and give me another year at the lower rate when I grumbled at them. Given the cover is for the human rather than the car, seems a bit rich.

[Zelandeth]

Okay, I officially really hate this timing chain tensioner.  It's the gift that just keeps giving.

Having removed the alternator to get a socket on to remove it, I then discover that there are *two* bits you need to remove.  The second of which has a 17mm inverse hex head...so it's now back off to buy yet another damned tool for this job!

Yes, I did spend about half an hour rooting through the garage to see if I could find a bolt to use instead...but no luck.

[SgtWilson]

22 hours ago, angle said:

One to watch out for as I know a lot of people use Autoaid on here - the bank card I used to pay last year's membership expired, so I got a text saying my renewal hadn't gone through and asking me to phone up. Fine, except the guy said they now ask for the registration of cars in your household. I then got 'oh, the standard policy doesn't cover cars more than 15 years old, you need to take out an older car policy' (£74.99 rather than £59.99). Still cheaper than the AA or whatever and they were good the one time I needed to use them in the past, but not sure what would have happened if the renewal had gone through and then I'd broken down...

Autoaid politely informed me that "

Following the feedback that we have received from our customers we have decided to offer you the option to renew your cover automatically. This will improve the process of renewing your cover, eliminate any potential risk of your cover accidently being overlooked and is to ensure that you have the continuous benefit of our award-winning breakdown service.

As a result, you will no longer need to call us or go online to renew your cover. We will contact you in good time to remind you of your renewal date."

So they weren't offering me an option, but actually helping themselves to my credit card although I had emphatically switched the autorenewal off when I took it out. They got sacked, (took some doing) and I used another - albeit a bit more expensive - provider. If you want a laugh, look at their Trustpilot reviews.

[Zelandeth]

Finally!

One removed timing chain tensioner.

All that faff to do this.

Now I can actually start putting things back together.

Well...if it hadn't just started raining anyway.

[cpjitservices]

3 hours ago, dollywobbler said:

Yes, I had this at renewal, but they did back down and give me another year at the lower rate when I grumbled at them. Given the cover is for the human rather than the car, seems a bit rich.

They phoned me aswell and said my renewal was to be £74.99 due to the age of my car.....

 

Its to cover me not the car might have been hasty to tell them to naff off.

[Dan29]

The Puma goes in for its MoT tomorrow. Fingers crossed that it passes first time as I'm a bit short of dosh at the moment! 

[Crackers]

Time to try cleaning up the small oil slick left behind by the departure of the P6. If it was my driveway I probably wouldn't care but it's rented so I can't piss the landlord off. 

Should have taken a pic before I started, but you get the idea of the scale from the first mid-scrub photo:

First hit is with neat washing up liquid, to see if it will lift the oil. I'll let this sit for a while and either wash it off or let the rain do it. If no luck then I'll try adding some baking soda to the mix. Then it's onto the hard stuff (driveway cleaner) if I still have no luck. 

Thankfully while the stain is large it's not especially heavy so hopefully will come out without too much of a fight. 

[barefoot]

Minor technical failures this week;

The loan car - a VW Boris, is still here & bleeps & flashes an intermittant red warning light if I go above 15mph - my reading glasses revealed that all the commotion was caused by a seat belt warning alarm thing. Then my breathalyzer device refused to refused to recharge & was lined up for the bin. Just before it was chucked, I found the box & the instructions which revealed that the USB was for updating & calibrating it, and it was powered by 3 x AAA's.

[Six-cylinder]

34 minutes ago, Crackers said:

Time to try cleaning up the small oil slick left behind by the departure of the P6. If it was my driveway I probably wouldn't care but it's rented so I can't piss the landlord off. 

Should have taken a pic before I started, but you get the idea of the scale from the first mid-scrub photo:

First hit is with neat washing up liquid, to see if it will lift the oil. I'll let this sit for a while and either wash it off or let the rain do it. If no luck then I'll try adding some baking soda to the mix. Then it's onto the hard stuff (driveway cleaner) if I still have no luck. 

Thankfully while the stain is large it's not especially heavy so hopefully will come out without too much of a fight. 

When I lived at home my mother was more frightening than than any landlord  over oil dips. Trouble was with a series of Triumph Vitesses there was always slicks!

[wuvvum]

Two out...

[Zelandeth]

Holy hell...I know it's been a few years since I last did a head gasket...but good god, that last 90 degrees in the bolt tightening sequence nearly killed me.  Couldn't use an extension bar because the Torx bit is tall enough I really didn't trust it to not slip out of the head of the bolt if I wasn't bracing against it with my other arm.  If I mangled the heads I'd have been in for another whole world of pain.

 

Yes I had followed the manual advice on oiling the bolts and the heads too, and yes I blew all the crud out of the holes in the block with the air line before inserting any of them.

I'm going to feel that from my back in the morning I can tell you that.

[Cord Fourteener]

2 hours ago, Crackers said:

Time to try cleaning up the small oil slick left behind by the departure of the P6. If it was my driveway I probably wouldn't care but it's rented so I can't piss the landlord off. 

Should have taken a pic before I started, but you get the idea of the scale from the first mid-scrub photo:

First hit is with neat washing up liquid, to see if it will lift the oil. I'll let this sit for a while and either wash it off or let the rain do it. If no luck then I'll try adding some baking soda to the mix. Then it's onto the hard stuff (driveway cleaner) if I still have no luck. 

Thankfully while the stain is large it's not especially heavy so hopefully will come out without too much of a fight. 

You can't clean it off, looks like Father Xmas trying to contact you. 

[Crackers]

3 hours ago, Cord Fourteener said:

You can't clean it off, looks like Father Xmas trying to contact you. 

"Santa hears you've been a very naughty boy this year..." 

*shudder*

Creepy. 

 

Anyway, splosh:

We'll see what's revealed when that dries off. Initially looks to be an improvement but won't know for sure until tomorrow. 

[wuvvum]

I found brake cleaner to be pretty effective at getting rid of oil stains.

[Talbot]

4 hours ago, Crackers said:

departure of the P6

Hibernating?  or actually gone (hope not!)

[Crackers]

1 minute ago, Talbot said:

Hibernating?  or actually gone (hope not!)

Yep, just hibernating. Back to my parent's drive for a couple of week, as I've managed to get storage lined up locally to them which will become free in a few weeks time, on the proviso that I go and clear the space myself. Which is a right result.

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, Crackers said:

Santa bears you

<Shudders> 😃

[Crackers]

12 minutes ago, High Jetter said:

<Shudders> 😃

Phukit. 

Fat fingered the spellings on that one. 

[Cord Fourteener]

I'm going to have to Sorn the Volvo for a little while, I need to sort out the heater control leak, and after drying the footwell it looks like it leaks when just sitting with coolant in. 

So I need to drain the coolant to remove the heater control valve in order to look at it. Plus it's due a good service. 

Also the MOT is due soon, so if I can leave that a few months while I do the servicing and heater control repairs that's no bad thing. 

It will be nice to have it back on the road soon though

[Cord Fourteener]

Once again, thanks to @Dave_Q for sorting me out with a spare key before the Mrs puts mine in a safe place. 

I posted it Monday morning special tracked next day and its back just now, lunch time Wednesday. 

Within the third day, that is. Impressive.  Perhaps because its the right kind of key but still, I'm impressed. 

Thanks, good sir. 

[vulgalour]

The most effective way to get rid of oil stains on your driveway is to simply move house.  Works every time.

[Crackers]

50 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

The most effective way to get rid of oil stains on your driveway is to simply move house.  Works every time.

I'll keep that in mind for next time - thanks! 

[Dan29]

On 10/12/2021 at 4:28 PM, Dan29 said:

The Puma goes in for its MoT tomorrow. Fingers crossed that it passes first time as I'm a bit short of dosh at the moment! 

 

It passed! The council MoT stations definitely seem fairer than Halfrauds etc. Think I'll enjoy a few more months with the Puma and will then need to swap it for something estate-shaped in the new year. 

[richardmorris]

49 minutes ago, Crackers said:

I'll keep that in mind for next time - thanks! 

Rather like the best way to keep waxoyl drips off the drive is to rustproof it at work.

[Fumbler]

1 hour ago, richardmorris said:

Rather like the best way to keep waxoyl drips off the drive is to rustproof it at work.

This 10000%. Made friends*

Usually old sawdust, cat litter or sand fixes most spills for us. When the BX widdled LHM all over the place we had to use cement as the mineral oil was melting the tarmac of the driveway.

[Crackers]

Fail. 

Yeah, washing up liquid did the square root of Jack. 

I've got a jug of Gunk driveway cleaner which I've heard is mostly useless, but I'll give it a try anyway. Soon. Ish. 

[Tadhg Tiogar]

10 minutes ago, Crackers said:

Fail. 

Yeah, washing up liquid did the square root of Jack. 

I've got a jug of Gunk driveway cleaner which I've heard is mostly useless, but I'll give it a try anyway. Soon. Ish. 

I've heard that cat litter / fuller's earth can help soak up this type of thing. It did have some effect on spilt LHM, but needs loads more to do anything worthwhile....

[SiC]

19 minutes ago, Crackers said:

Fail. 

Yeah, washing up liquid did the square root of Jack. 

I've got a jug of Gunk driveway cleaner which I've heard is mostly useless, but I'll give it a try anyway. Soon. Ish. 

As others said, have you tried brake cleaner or even carb cleaner?

[Crackers]

2 minutes ago, SiC said:

As others said, have you tried brake cleaner or even carb cleaner?

Not yet, because my tins are 40 miles away. I'll get another tin for here at some point and try it out. 

[gm]

I've been mulling over what to do with the knackered catalyst that the pinkies tried to nick off the crv, initially I thought about getting it welded back together, then thought about buying welding kit and doing it myself, both potentially costing a few quid. Option three is to fit a cheap eBay replacement and sell the damaged one for scrap. 

I sent a couple of messages off to metal recyclers on fb marketplace and got a price back, I phoned a local place and the guy said to bring it in to see him, he hummed and harred then said he'd match the online offer. Not a bad result, I now have £300 in the bank so will actually be in profit* once I get a cheapy off eBay. 

I suspect I've been low balled but considering I was very close to having bugger all and still needing a replacement, I'm not too miffed.

i nipped into europarts to see what they had available and the guy was very helpful, looked up all the parts codes, even printed everything off for me. the total was over £600  how big a bollock have I just dropped ? 

he compared his parts list with the one I'd found on eBay and confirmed it correct, price £219 next day delivered. I'd placed the order before I was out of the carpark