The new news 24 thread

[wuvvum]

The gearbox on the Merc started behaving very strangely yesterday evening - it was taking a good second or so to change between gears, with the revs flaring in between.  It wasn't responding to manual shifts either.  The accelerator felt strange too - very on/off near the top of its travel. 

I pulled over, switched off and restarted and it was fine after that.  Plugged the laptop in when I got home and it wasn't finding any fault codes.  So no idea what was happening there, although it was definitely electrical rather than mechanical.  I did briefly wonder whether it was the tuning box playing silly buggers, but that isn't linked to the gearbox so it can't have been that.

[Supernaut]

5 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

I did briefly wonder whether it was the tuning box playing silly buggers, but that isn't linked to the gearbox so it can't have been that.

But is it linked to the throttle...?

[wuvvum]

Not directly, no - not to the pedal sensor anyway.  Its only direct measurements are fuel pressure and turbo boost pressure.

[somewhatfoolish]

On 07/12/2024 at 16:11, JJ0063 said:

Mrs JJ wants Xmas lights outside, I only own a stepladder. 
 

Stupid question but what sort of size ladder am I going to need to be able to reach the point of this gable end to drill a hook in and hook some lights up? 
 

Never bought a ladder before.

Hire a cherry picker; they're fun to use and much less likely to result in a full body cast. 

[reb]

I'm now the richest person on AS

[Asimo]

1 hour ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Hire a cherry picker; they're fun to use and much less likely to result in a full body cast. 

A chap I knew from primary school onwards (we had the same birthday) died when his hired cherry picker collapsed.

Gravity is not on our side!

[plasticvandan]

Dad's got a front end for his Somerset,now chasing down a pair of wings 😊

[Hawkeyethenoo]

On 08/12/2024 at 17:08, Hawkeyethenoo said:

Bugger. Could only find one H4 bulb, stuck that in the O/S lamp and it worked, so is just the dipped beam bulbs that both failed on the same day. Will rustle another up from somewhere. Spent a couple of hours this morning getting the mighty Dacia cleaned up and although the seats could do with a shampoo, it came up really well. Dacia Logan MCV Laureate, 2015, 92500 miles, has had a clutch and a timing belt last year, runs brilliantly and N/S dipped bulb aside, everything works!

A work colleague of my wife expressed an interest as her car just died. Sad times. I showed Lucy round it today and we've agreed terms. Then nipped down to Stirling to pick up Xmas shyte and the bloody thing returned 56mpg without even trying. What a car. We've owned it nearly 10 years and it's going to its new home just up the road. Well done thy good and faithful Dacia. Live long & prosper! 🖖

While I'm here, need a radio code - anyone got a code that I can try? Thanks.

 

Got the pesky security radio code via the handy free Dacia app, was 0060. High security indeed. Now clearly recorded in the owner's manual where it should have been.  Checked today and the OG steel spare wheel, remember them; never been touched. Must get a photo !

[Sunny Jim]

Vehicle pre-conditioning shouldn't just be the preserve of electric cars.

Extension lead, timer switch and dehumidifier.

Job, jobbed.

[lesapandre]

Great vans. I have mine with me here today. Keep on top of the rust tho'. 

[SiC]

On 09/12/2024 at 12:35, wuvvum said:

The gearbox on the Merc started behaving very strangely yesterday evening - it was taking a good second or so to change between gears, with the revs flaring in between.  It wasn't responding to manual shifts either.  The accelerator felt strange too - very on/off near the top of its travel. 

I pulled over, switched off and restarted and it was fine after that.  Plugged the laptop in when I got home and it wasn't finding any fault codes.  So no idea what was happening there, although it was definitely electrical rather than mechanical.  I did briefly wonder whether it was the tuning box playing silly buggers, but that isn't linked to the gearbox so it can't have been that.

Transmission coupler plug letting transmission oil into the wiring? Common issue on them and can wick up the the gearbox ECU if left unresolved. Fucking up the wiring and ECU. 

This thing:

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/121092797988

 

[SiC]

McMurty of the ludicrous electric car fame has died at 84 today. 🙁

https://www.topgear.com/car-news/tech/mcmurtry-founder-sir-david-mcmurtry-has-died

 

[stuboy]

asked er'indoors about sorting her car out, she says oh no rush as she likes the sitting up high position and zooming about in the galaxy........... shes only 5'3 and the galaxy has the 1.9 PD engine compared too the 1.6 summit diesel

[Split_Pin]

Minus 5 and falling up here in Central Scotland. Despite being frozen solid for 24 hours the red Audi fired up straight away on the first cycle of the glow plugs.

As ever though, the bugrums strike when I'm preparing to change a car, especially when I've found it's possible replacement. As I started to drive I got a warning beeper and a message on the dash shouting 'BRAKES' which would go away after about 5 seconds and then return 10 minutes later. All wheels and calipers look dry, no patches under the car and the brakes work normally. Fluid level is about half way between min and max, which I always assumed was due to it having 3 new calipers before I bought it and not topped up fully.

I'll investigate in the morning, dumped back on the drive for now and took the grey one instead.

[RobT]

I did a day trip to France yesterday.  Took the 406 which is still behaving thankfully.  The way it picks up and fucks you off into the distance still raises a smile.

It was 2005 in the services parking area.

I didn't go far, only an hour down the coast from Calais to Saint-Valery-sur-Somme.  A view of the bay.

Mooched about, did a bit of spotting then buggered off home.  Not a bad way to spend a day.

Massive house and R3 Rover.  Spud cam because I had to zoom in as the driveway was equally impressive.

[Metal Guru]

On 09/12/2024 at 18:48, Asimo said:

A chap I knew from primary school onwards (we had the same birthday) died when his hired cherry picker collapsed.

Gravity is not on our side!

It’s the centre of gravity that counts. Once the perpendicular from the COG is outside of the base, you’re doomed.

[Split_Pin]

Investigated the 'BRAKES' error message on the red A4 at lunchtime.

The level was quite low, about 3/4 of the way down between max and min so I topped that up first. The master cylinder is all dry but I figured that a leak there would be pretty obvious from the pedal side of things. I checked the lines in each wheelarch and both calipers, one of which is just over a year old, all good.

Under the car the lines are hidden under plastic covers but there's no dampness there either. 

Round the back all looks good as well.

The only thing I can think of is that the car had 3 new calipers last year and the level was perhaps not topped up again after bleeding, but just enough not to ping on the warning alarm. Maybe the exceptionally cold weather caused the fluid to contract just enough for the level to drop a bit more.

The brakes work fine so I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens.

[beko1987]

28 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Investigated the 'BRAKES' error message on the red A4 at lunchtime.

The level was quite low, about 3/4 of the way down between max and min so I topped that up first. The master cylinder is all dry but I figured that a leak there would be pretty obvious from the pedal side of things. I checked the lines in each wheelarch and both calipers, one of which is just over a year old, all good.

Under the car the lines are hidden under plastic covers but there's no dampness there either. 

Round the back all looks good as well.

The only thing I can think of is that the car had 3 new calipers last year and the level was perhaps not topped up again after bleeding, but just enough not to ping on the warning alarm. Maybe the exceptionally cold weather caused the fluid to contract just enough for the level to drop a bit more.

The brakes work fine so I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens.

Not a pair of pads suddenly worn away to nothing is it? 

Once you've checked those though top up and monitor sounds reasonable

[Split_Pin]

Ah, good shout. That happened on the 75 except it fell off entirely 😂

[SiC]

1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

Investigated the 'BRAKES' error message on the red A4 at lunchtime.

The level was quite low, about 3/4 of the way down between max and min so I topped that up first. The master cylinder is all dry but I figured that a leak there would be pretty obvious from the pedal side of things. I checked the lines in each wheelarch and both calipers, one of which is just over a year old, all good.

Under the car the lines are hidden under plastic covers but there's no dampness there either. 

Round the back all looks good as well.

The only thing I can think of is that the car had 3 new calipers last year and the level was perhaps not topped up again after bleeding, but just enough not to ping on the warning alarm. Maybe the exceptionally cold weather caused the fluid to contract just enough for the level to drop a bit more.

The brakes work fine so I'll keep an eye on it and see what happens.

Or a dicky sensor 

[Split_Pin]

20 minutes ago, SiC said:

dicky sensor

Soon find out!

The level was a bit low though.