The new news 24 thread

[Craig the Princess]

Maybe a grump. A girl at work couldn't start her Saxo this afternoon, seeing as I'm the only one with a car older than Justin Bieber I am apparently the expert in the building am asked to jump start it for her. No problem, work of an instant. Except after it started there was no way of turning the alarm off . With no breakdown cover (! do people really not have this?) she ending up driving it home with the Alarm going and the radio up.

 

Stupid modern French cars, when my 1991 AX is back on the road it won't have these issues.

[scooters]

usually pressing the doofer button to lock and then unlock the car works - failing that - pliers!

 

I have been rather busy this week -

mate dropped off a 2002 Mondeo TDci 2.0 with me at the weekend - has been smoking like a bastard and is in constant limp home mode. Both Ford and Lochrin Motors in Edinburgh flumoxed and have so far replace glow plugs and injectors £1500!

 

Anyway - eventually in desperation (they must me) they got in touch with me. fault code is a cylinder above knocking level - rather than recode injectors immediatly I agreed to gfo overthe whole EFI system and have so far replaced: fuel filter, cam sensor, turbo hose and have blanked off the EGR Valve - I have also cleaned up the inlet manifold which was caked with nasty diesel soot. The fuel filter was pretty old and full of slime - bacteria - which is good news as there were no metal fragments which usually indicate a borked pump and mulchos denarios. All that remains is to recode - the problem is that because it is a 2002 there are seperate 'puters for the car and the injectors so your average FSuper - OBD2 will tell you what the issue is but won't allow you to recode it - uh oh - this means delphi specialist or Ford - luckily a splendid chap on the talkford forum has got a special cable which some chap in Czech made up that allows pre OBD2 fords to be reconbonulated so once this horrible rain stops I will be scooting over to see him.

 

Rover 820 - well the actuator diaphragm gave up the ghost last week so a quick skank of the gumtree located a local 220 track car getting broken a deal was done and I now have a spare T25 Garret turbo charger with exhaust manifold attached..the actuator diaphragm is nice and tight and the pre load settings nicely rusted to the perfect 1/4 hole. When my new steel gaskets turn up - bought from a Nissan tuner the new turb will get lumped in along with the childish and quite frankly irresponsible manual boost controller. I suspect the old actuator had been out of action for a while so an expecting an OMG increase in BHP and boost from all this - I have already replaced the gifferspec clock with a turbo boost gauge.

 

On Monday I am popping down to Hillman Imp's place in Leeds to collect The Golden Turd - expect a chod collecting story of dullness as the 740 will do exactly what it says on the tin!

[scooters]

usually pressing the doofer button to lock and then unlock the car works - failing that - pliers!

 

I have been rather busy this week -

mate dropped off a 2002 Mondeo TDci 2.0 with me at the weekend - has been smoking like a bastard and is in constant limp home mode. Both Ford and Lochrin Motors in Edinburgh flumoxed and have so far replace glow plugs and injectors £1500!

 

Anyway - eventually in desperation (they must me) they got in touch with me. fault code is a cylinder above knocking level - rather than recode injectors immediatly I agreed to gfo overthe whole EFI system and have so far replaced: fuel filter, cam sensor, turbo hose and have blanked off the EGR Valve - I have also cleaned up the inlet manifold which was caked with nasty diesel soot. The fuel filter was pretty old and full of slime - bacteria - which is good news as there were no metal fragments which usually indicate a borked pump and mulchos denarios. All that remains is to recode - the problem is that because it is a 2002 there are seperate 'puters for the car and the injectors so your average FSuper - OBD2 will tell you what the issue is but won't allow you to recode it - uh oh - this means delphi specialist or Ford - luckily a splendid chap on the talkford forum has got a special cable which some chap in Czech made up that allows pre OBD2 fords to be reconbonulated so once this horrible rain stops I will be scooting over to see him.

 

Rover 820 - well the actuator diaphragm gave up the ghost last week so a quick skank of the gumtree located a local 220 track car getting broken a deal was done and I now have a spare T25 Garret turbo charger with exhaust manifold attached..the actuator diaphragm is nice and tight and the pre load settings nicely rusted to the perfect 1/4 hole. When my new steel gaskets turn up - bought from a Nissan tuner the new turb will get lumped in along with the childish and quite frankly irresponsible manual boost controller. I suspect the old actuator had been out of action for a while so an expecting an OMG increase in BHP and boost from all this - I have already replaced the gifferspec clock with a turbo boost gauge.

 

On Monday I am popping down to Hillman Imp's place in Leeds to collect The Golden Turd - expect a chod collecting story of dullness as the 740 will do exactly what it says on the tin!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Would running 5w30 semi synth hurt a Mini?.

 

Eep! That's like water! 20w50 is what you want in a Mini, especially during the summer months. You'll probably find that it sounds a lot quieter and maybe leaks less with proper oil in it...

 

Get the grille off to do the oil filter. It can be done with it in place - I did it last time - but I should have just taken the sodding grille off. Oh, and if your rocker cover gasket is in any way dubious, don't be too heavy-handed sloshing the new oil in or you'll find it all leaks out all over the floor...

 

I'm amazed any oil stays in that engine to be honest!

 

Coming out of the sump hot, it seriously looked more like dirty water than oil. I don't like other people working on my cars, and now I worry that if they were ignoring the oil spec what else weren't they doing?

 

They look like tiny pickup trucks at that angle.

 

 

1996 Vauxhall Tigra 1.6 Pick Up by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

There's a modern Vauxhall I want! I'd also want some rear lights on it and maybe a colour change though...

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Would running 5w30 semi synth hurt a Mini?.

 

Eep! That's like water! 20w50 is what you want in a Mini, especially during the summer months. You'll probably find that it sounds a lot quieter and maybe leaks less with proper oil in it...

 

Get the grille off to do the oil filter. It can be done with it in place - I did it last time - but I should have just taken the sodding grille off. Oh, and if your rocker cover gasket is in any way dubious, don't be too heavy-handed sloshing the new oil in or you'll find it all leaks out all over the floor...

 

I'm amazed any oil stays in that engine to be honest!

 

Coming out of the sump hot, it seriously looked more like dirty water than oil. I don't like other people working on my cars, and now I worry that if they were ignoring the oil spec what else weren't they doing?

 

They look like tiny pickup trucks at that angle.

 

 

1996 Vauxhall Tigra 1.6 Pick Up by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

There's a modern Vauxhall I want! I'd also want some rear lights on it and maybe a colour change though...

[dollywobbler]

I have prepared the BX 'Safari' for MOT in the Autoshite way. I cleaned off the signs of diesel spillage (the captive nuts that hold the filler neck to the rear wing are not very captive. I WILL fix this properly by fitting new nuts when I get a chance) and 'fixed' the non-working windscreen washers.

 

 

I say fixed...

[dollywobbler]

I have prepared the BX 'Safari' for MOT in the Autoshite way. I cleaned off the signs of diesel spillage (the captive nuts that hold the filler neck to the rear wing are not very captive. I WILL fix this properly by fitting new nuts when I get a chance) and 'fixed' the non-working windscreen washers.

 

 

I say fixed...

[Shep Shepherd]

Spent some quality time this afternoon removing the horrible transparent rubberised coating from the knobs and buttons of TV2's heater control panel with methylated spirit. It now looks the best it has done during my ownership of the car:

 

 

Quite why Volvo decided to coat every switch, knob and button inside the series 1 C/S/V70 with said transparent rubberised coating is beyond me, as it doesn't enhance the look of said switches, knobs and buttons, is easily marked by fingernails, etc. and is impossible to clean when it gets dirty. The dashboard switches are next

[Shep Shepherd]

Spent some quality time this afternoon removing the horrible transparent rubberised coating from the knobs and buttons of TV2's heater control panel with methylated spirit. It now looks the best it has done during my ownership of the car:

 

 

Quite why Volvo decided to coat every switch, knob and button inside the series 1 C/S/V70 with said transparent rubberised coating is beyond me, as it doesn't enhance the look of said switches, knobs and buttons, is easily marked by fingernails, etc. and is impossible to clean when it gets dirty. The dashboard switches are next

[garycox]

I'll be picking up my new car on Saturday!

[garycox]

I'll be picking up my new car on Saturday!

[Craig the Princess]

Housemate has brought home a rental car for a work trip. A 12-plate Audi A4. Yuk!

 

He played the how long will it take an Autoshiter to start a new car (DNF, why can't you start an engine without your foot on the clutch?).

 

That this is horrible, slient at 70mph but so bland. Also the electronic handbrake would put me right off.

[Craig the Princess]

Housemate has brought home a rental car for a work trip. A 12-plate Audi A4. Yuk!

 

He played the how long will it take an Autoshiter to start a new car (DNF, why can't you start an engine without your foot on the clutch?).

 

That this is horrible, slient at 70mph but so bland. Also the electronic handbrake would put me right off.

[vulgalour]

Stainless are releasing a new Carmageddon game. I am inordinately excited about this! I only just found out as a friend decided to surprise me with a pledge to the kickstarter thing. I'd completely missed that this was happening.

 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sta ... ncarnation

 

I'm so happy, Carmageddon is my favourite game of all time and I was so sad when it disappeared. I have each of the three games (the third felt very half-done, apparently because it was, and not by Stainless) and enjoy playing them when I can, though I've had trouble since the last time I updated my computer with getting Carmageddon 2 (the best of the three titles) to run on my computer which led to me planning a Carmageddon specific machine designed to run just that game with a case built out of old car parts and designed to look just like a baler cube... which I never got around to doing for some reason.

 

Looking at the info put out there, it sounds like the new Carmageddon is going to be like the first one, but bang up to date without compromising any of the stuff that made it awesome first time out. I can only hope that there will be the possibility to build my very own autoshite to earn cunning stunt bonuses with just as there has been through the modding community for Carmageddon 2, favourites from the modding community were the Subaru 360 and the Volvo 240, for very different comedy reasons.

 

Happy days, Carmageddon is coming back!

[vulgalour]

Stainless are releasing a new Carmageddon game. I am inordinately excited about this! I only just found out as a friend decided to surprise me with a pledge to the kickstarter thing. I'd completely missed that this was happening.

 

http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/sta ... ncarnation

 

I'm so happy, Carmageddon is my favourite game of all time and I was so sad when it disappeared. I have each of the three games (the third felt very half-done, apparently because it was, and not by Stainless) and enjoy playing them when I can, though I've had trouble since the last time I updated my computer with getting Carmageddon 2 (the best of the three titles) to run on my computer which led to me planning a Carmageddon specific machine designed to run just that game with a case built out of old car parts and designed to look just like a baler cube... which I never got around to doing for some reason.

 

Looking at the info put out there, it sounds like the new Carmageddon is going to be like the first one, but bang up to date without compromising any of the stuff that made it awesome first time out. I can only hope that there will be the possibility to build my very own autoshite to earn cunning stunt bonuses with just as there has been through the modding community for Carmageddon 2, favourites from the modding community were the Subaru 360 and the Volvo 240, for very different comedy reasons.

 

Happy days, Carmageddon is coming back!

[Pete-M]

Housemate has brought home a rental car for a work trip. A 12-plate Audi A4. Yuk!

 

He played the how long will it take an Autoshiter to start a new car (DNF, why can't you start an engine without your foot on the clutch?).

 

That this is horrible, slient at 70mph but so bland. Also the electronic handbrake would put me right off.

 

If it's like a Skoda, the dashboard displaying "CLUTCH" when you try to start it without pressing the clutch is a giveaway.

[Pete-M]

Housemate has brought home a rental car for a work trip. A 12-plate Audi A4. Yuk!

 

He played the how long will it take an Autoshiter to start a new car (DNF, why can't you start an engine without your foot on the clutch?).

 

That this is horrible, slient at 70mph but so bland. Also the electronic handbrake would put me right off.

 

If it's like a Skoda, the dashboard displaying "CLUTCH" when you try to start it without pressing the clutch is a giveaway.

[catsinthewelder]

I played that game for a solid quarter hour in my bosses Pissat Estate. It flashed up clutch repeatedly which was fine, after years of shonky motors that need leaving in gear on a billiard table I'm used to dipping the clutch before turning the key. What the fucker did not flash up at any point was 'seatbelt'. I'm used to a warning light or even an annoying noise but complete refusal to fucking start? thats a new one on me. I only needed to move it 5 yards so it was easier to swing round in the LDV minibus, It would have been quicker to push it

[catsinthewelder]

I played that game for a solid quarter hour in my bosses Pissat Estate. It flashed up clutch repeatedly which was fine, after years of shonky motors that need leaving in gear on a billiard table I'm used to dipping the clutch before turning the key. What the fucker did not flash up at any point was 'seatbelt'. I'm used to a warning light or even an annoying noise but complete refusal to fucking start? thats a new one on me. I only needed to move it 5 yards so it was easier to swing round in the LDV minibus, It would have been quicker to push it

[John F]

I'll be picking up my new car on Saturday!

 

What is it??

[John F]

I'll be picking up my new car on Saturday!

 

What is it??

[RobT]

and 'fixed' the non-working windscreen washers.

 

 

 

I say fixed...

 

Perfectly acceptable fix, I'd do the same! Did they change the setup on these then as my '88 BX has the washer jet tube incorperated into the wiper arm, which is an excellent design as the spray covers the whole swept area.

[RobT]

and 'fixed' the non-working windscreen washers.

 

 

 

I say fixed...

 

Perfectly acceptable fix, I'd do the same! Did they change the setup on these then as my '88 BX has the washer jet tube incorperated into the wiper arm, which is an excellent design as the spray covers the whole swept area.

[dollywobbler]

When they work, the spray bars are excellent. Mine has a blockage somewhere between the tank and the top of the wiper spindle. Could I be bothered to disassemble the scuttle and pull the wiper motor out to try and sort it? I could not. The pipe is stuck on the bottom of the spindle (this is the weak point of the design) so the only way to access it is to remove the entire motor linkage. Sod that. Not enough time! This is a temporary fix, though I refuse to give a timescale to the word 'temporary.'

[dollywobbler]

When they work, the spray bars are excellent. Mine has a blockage somewhere between the tank and the top of the wiper spindle. Could I be bothered to disassemble the scuttle and pull the wiper motor out to try and sort it? I could not. The pipe is stuck on the bottom of the spindle (this is the weak point of the design) so the only way to access it is to remove the entire motor linkage. Sod that. Not enough time! This is a temporary fix, though I refuse to give a timescale to the word 'temporary.'

[Caffiend]

I quit smoking ... checks laptop clock ... about 13 hours ago. Only posting this because it'll make it too embarrassing to quit quitting.

 

Starting to twitch. Need to lock myself in the house until going back to work on Weds in case I turn into psycho bitch from hell (as well as being a complete drama queen ). I can do this, I've done it tens of times before Must start tracking £££ I'm saving to keep me motivated - all that lovely money to spend on the cars . Well, after the credit card bill where I've already spent all that lovely money on the cars.

[Caffiend]

I quit smoking ... checks laptop clock ... about 13 hours ago. Only posting this because it'll make it too embarrassing to quit quitting.

 

Starting to twitch. Need to lock myself in the house until going back to work on Weds in case I turn into psycho bitch from hell (as well as being a complete drama queen ). I can do this, I've done it tens of times before Must start tracking £££ I'm saving to keep me motivated - all that lovely money to spend on the cars . Well, after the credit card bill where I've already spent all that lovely money on the cars.

[pompei]

Not brilliant when it freezes though I remember hellish journeys on the M62 with no screenwash! Fiat Coupe has the same arrangement.

[pompei]

Not brilliant when it freezes though I remember hellish journeys on the M62 with no screenwash! Fiat Coupe has the same arrangement.

[dollywobbler]

Not brilliant when it freezes though I remember hellish journeys on the M62 with no screenwash! Fiat Coupe has the same arrangement.

 

Aye, but then most cars are a pain when the screenwash freezes. Moving the washer bottle from a nice warm engine bay to a freezing cold corner tucked away in an inner wing somewhere was not a good move! My Peugeot 306 was a nightmare for that.

 

Caffiend - good luck with the quitting. I'm many years down the line now - a fully reformed 'OMG CAN'T BULEEV U SMOKE!' character. Seems a great way of saving money. Bloomin' expensive habit these days.