The new news 24 thread

[derskine]

I used one like this, I think it just widened the slot so much that it cracked if I'm honest rather than smashing the thin steel.

But yes goggles are a must!

 

http://geo-tools.com/Images/Products/New%20Folder/Chisels/Fulton-2-big.jpg

[wuvvum]

I got a fair bit done today as the weather was pretty much perfect for outdoor pottering.  As well as playing with the Stanza, I gave the back lawn its first mow of the year, and then pissed around with the Beluga for a while trying to figure out why it won't run properly.  Hand over the carb mouth to act as an artificial choke and it'll fire up pretty much straight away, then it dies - take hand away and keep cranking and it'll putter into life again and then start idling far too high (pretty much at clutch biting point), despite the idle screw being right the way out.  It'll run like this for a few seconds and then conk out - repeat the process and it'll do exactly the same thing.  If run from a jerry can rather than the fuel tank, it'll run for longer, but still not right. 

 

I did manage to keep it going for long enough to take it for a buzz round the garden though - it seems to pull well enough, and the brakes are now working OK.  The only problem is if it's left with a fuel supply connected (i.e. jerry can - the fuel from the tank is cut off by the vacuum tap when the engine stops), the float bowl will eventually overflow and the carb will start dribbling petrol out.  So obviously the float valve isn't set right. 

 

I couldn't face dismantling the carb yet again, so I pushed the scooter out of the way and went for a ride on the Cagiva.  This time I took it for a run up the A149 - the first time I've been on a proper main road with it, hitherto I'd stuck to the local back roads.  It's not a good cruising bike.  It has absolutely no mid-range torque and won't pull 50 in sixth even into a light headwind.  It doesn't bog down or owt, just completely gutless.  I ended up leaving it in fifth for the 50mph sections.  Once it's up to 65 or so the engine's starting to get into its power band in 6th so it pulls OK.  Obviously thrashing it through the gears it still goes like poo off a spade (by 125 standards anyway).  I'm not sure how high these engines can safely be revved so I've been changing up at about 10,000 revs, but the engine is still pulling hard at that speed.  It's definitely not a machine for going out for a relaxing potter though.

 

I also took the Innocenti and the Solara for a spin, as neither had been out for a while.  The Solara was a PITA to start, but once going it ran fine.  Innocenti started straight away, and again behaved itself fine, with none of the spluttering it sometimes does when it's been stood a while.  I was going to have a bash at patching up the exhaust blow, but didn't get time in the end, so that's a job for next weekend.

[barefoot]

Fuck sticks, the 944 has shat out a quantity of it's coolant in the car park where the wife works.

No running hot issues on the way.

Split pipe? water pump? but certainly a recovery and then I'll have to go and fetch her home tonight.

What a bum hole.

[Heidel_Kakao]

The SC100 had its first trip on a recovery truck yesterday. The crankshaft pulley fell off because I obviously failed to tighten it up enough when I changed the waterpump. No damage done though as it is a non interference engine. Luckily it didn't happen when I was doing 60MPH, I even found the bolt a few metres away from where it came off.

 

Put it all back together & even used some blue Loctite on the bolt so hopefully it won't happen again. I have now cured my fear of cambelts & timing up engines etc as it was the one job I was always a bit wary of doing.

[derskine]

Drove 18 to work this morning and was hesitating everytime I put the foot down.

Had a feeling the pump diaphragm has shat itself again, nope, the spring is missing - despite making every effort to not lose it!

[cort16]

My leased Merc is going to go back next month and I wanted to make sure the servicing was up to date to stop me getting dry bummed by Mercedes etc. My recollection is it's supposed to be serviced at 18,000 miles but it's just turned 37 with no sign of the service indicator pinging on so I called up Mercedes to as ask when what the score was. They called me back a bit confused to say the service interval is 15,500 miles and I had it in to Mercedes Ayr at the end of the october when the car was at 31,000 miles. Eh?? Worrying as I can't remember this at all.

Must lay off the magic mushroom terrines.

[barefoot]

Porsche update - failed heater valve - only a minor inconvenience then.

[richardmorris]

Definitely the head gasket - pressure test confirms water loss and so do the clouds of white smoke after idling. The car was actually booked in for a new starter motor as the old one was failing. This was non too soon apparently as the bushes were non-existant.

 

I'm now waiting for a quote for the head gasket.

 

In other news, this is the courtesy car (definitely suitable for this forum, being a 1.9D with 150k miles).

[hairnet]

keep the courtesy car

[richardmorris]

I am for now. If the merc's going to be in the garage for a while then I think I'll return it, come home on the train and use the2CV. The zx goes well, it's no ball of fire though

 

P reg and no rust on it at all.

[trigger]

After all the hassle I've be having from my modern Focus TDCi things have started to improve, I spent £484 on having this new fuel pump fitted and after getting it home on Saturday it seemed nothing had changed as it was still a bugger to start, luckily yesterday and today it's been perfect and the range has gone from 37mpg to 43mpg so I'm hoping it's settled down now.

 

In Cortina news when I dropped the seats ofg to the trimmers they recommended a local shop that colour matches vinyl spray paint so I went along to their warehouse this morning, http://www.bradleysmart.co.uk, £66 worse off i've now got 5 cans of colour matched paint and a 1ltr of prepclean on order so I can finish of the interior.

 

After this last week my bank account has never looked so low.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Keep the faith Trig... you're spending money on a cool old Ford - the rules of investment and return are a lot different on those things compared to pretty much everything else on the road. I'm sure you won't be tipping money into a black hole like I tend to do, on 'interesting but utterly worthless' shitheaps.

[scruff]

Just been sent a photo of a gayed-up, winched-up, OLLI'd, 200Tdi Defender 90 winch challenge, OMG I'm ard, Bruce Lee, satin black with lime green highlights macho wagon of about 1992 vintage wearing the ID of one of my old Series 2a Landies. 

 

Not one for going off crying to the DVLA but I hope he gets a tug from an alert copper or VOSA bod. Especially as it's still down as a green 3.5 V8 and is crusin' the same area I did when I had the real thing. 

[Richard]

What happens to the donor vehicles when they give up their identity? Do they just get broken up?

[Pillock]

The_Bollocks makes a good point Trig, can't think of any safer investment than an old Ford..... And it'll be pretty damn cool when it's done.

[messerschmitt owner]

Keep the faith Trig... you're spending money on a cool old Ford - the rules of investment and return are a lot different on those things compared to pretty much everything else on the road. I'm sure you won't be tipping money into a black hole like I tend to do, on 'interesting but utterly worthless' shitheaps.

Paul, who your wings are coming from, said he sold his Cortina Mk3 for £6000. So think of yours in the same way and price range!

[trigger]

Pauls Mk3 was a bit more desirable though, his was a tax exempt GXL in green with rear louves, but I agree with what your saying, I shouldn't be too out of pocket in the long run.

 

I'm really excited about getting it back though! Once it's back I have to fit all the trim back, change the interior and fit the new tyres i've bought for it, and I want it all done before a show i'm running on the 6th April, i'm not holding my breath.

[beko1987]

did you break the clock? Or does it just need a bulb or two?

No it works and displays a time, but the buttons won't push. When I attempt a dash out fix some bulbs day I'll have a look, I expect they've pushed in under the casing, or go out at 1 minute to midnight and pull the battery quickly...

[dugong]

Looks like the Amazon's sunroof drive cable catch failed because of metal fatigue. 

[Junkman]

Them is made from aluminium, right?

Of what I gather from the interweb, the same will happen again, after you replaced it with a used or NOS part, that has fatigued over the past half century in due honour.

[explosive-cabbage]

Went to a speed awareness course in Wakefeild yesterday, as I got flashed going 36 in a 30 through Bradford.

 

Cost me over £120 in fuel and charges, but it was quite an interesting course. I knew most of the answers as I had been on the same course in Preston a few years ago.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the way home through Bradford I got flashed by the same camera.

 

 

FML

[derskine]

Polo's head gasket has blown again, should've got the fucker skimmed.

For now my only working car is a Renault 18 with two completely knackered rear wheel bearings and about 10 inlet vacuum leaks.

And it's got to do an 800 mile trip this weekend.

£100 for a new head set, bolts and skim, really not what I wanted but hey ho.

[HMC]

504 shenanegins....

 

Started the day successfully spotting where the fuel was weeping from on the top of the engine, one fuel return end cap rubber later and all fixed for a few pence.

 

Ended the day with all the lights failing a mile from home as I flashed to let a car out ahead. Karma isnt supposed to work like that! It may not apply to ageing French electrial systems. HBOL tells me Its fuse 1 unless its the switch. So at the end of play the to do list is no shorter!

[stuboy]

me and large lad dean went to timpsons (inside sainsburys), to collect replacement/spare key for my scooter, then wander round sainsburys i got this beaut of a book to read..

decided to give mates car a jet wash on way home, with a bit of road rage from a plonker being impatient and barging into traffic, said nobhead came into same garage that i was going to get car washed, he had plenty of gob from inside his motor... fool.. anyway one washed shiter-mobile..

[barefoot]

Porsche update - failed heater valve - only a minor inconvenience then.

Fucking expensive minor inconvenience - £245 - but in fairness that does include the cost of recovery.

[cms206]

Just been to my local part worn tyre place after losing some boots on the Volvo. 195/65R15 tyres... part worn Wanlis at £21, or new Kingpins at £34 each. I've gone for Kingpins, so I expect to end up in a ditch shortly.

[vulgalour]

Kingpins are terrible, you might as well fit jellied eels.

[Bobthebeard]

Kingpins are terrible, you might as well fit jellied eels.

In what way terrible Vulg?

Admittedly not good on anything fast or modern, but would have thought ok on most of the stuff we chug around in?

[dollywobbler]

Define 'ok.' Personally, even in a shite old car, I like to stop nice and quickly. The Kleber's I've fitted to the BX seem very good in that regard, and when hanging on in the bends (I don't tend to chug anywhere, regardless of what I'm driving!).

[cms206]

Kingpins are terrible, you might as well fit jellied eels.

 

That is what I feared; the taxi drivers round here recommend them (was talking to two in the place) and apparantly they last well. The PHC drivers round here all drive like fucking loonballs so I'll give them a go.