The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

Some one took my photo!

[HMC]

Back from a cracking shitefest-

 

BBQ and a cider on the go, new reading material courtesy of Garycox, a broken escort over in the garage and a new ( to me) granada on the drive. That it made it to shitefest and back after various breakdowns is impressive.

I'm toasting shitefest and a poorly granada that got me back home...

[meggersdog]

Had my first ever fail to proceed today.

The old Discovery has been playing up for a while.Sometimes it would turn over slow but always start and sometimes flashing the lights to let someone in would kill the radio.I had noticed the headlights had a slight flicker to them so checked the voltages.12 volts at the battery when running,hmmm, 14 volts out of the alternator.Changed the battery a month ago and everything seemed fine.

A few days ago it starts turning slow again but I also notice the indicator light on the dash  flickering when on.Checked the battery yesterday and again 12 volts when running but the alternator is pushing out 16 volts this time.A mate has a spare alternator somewhere in his shed so after a bit of running about this morning I went to see my mate,had a chat and a coffee, came out and the car wouldn't even turn over.We jumped it and away we go down to the shed.Found the alternator but now not even dash lights even when we put the jump-leads on.My series is down there so I took the battery off that and fitted it to the Discovery and away it went.

Drove home to fit the replacement alternator and the same again no dash lights.Cleaned up all the connections I could find.Used a jump-lead as an earth.Took the intercooler pipe off to get at the starter and still nothing.I then clipped a wire from the starter to the alternator charge wire and it all came back to life.Must be a break in the loom somewhere.So using some 5mm wire and yellow terminals I've connected the alternator charge direct to the battery and now when running the battery is showing 13.5-14 volts and no flickering of other lights.

What I shall do tomorrow is get some thicker wire and an inline fuse.I'm thinking 8mm should be ok as that's what is there already.Direct to the battery with an inlne fuse should be ok as the regulator is in the back of the alternator.Well that's my thinking anyway.Somebody on here smarter than me might advise otherwise which would be appreciated.Oh, it's a diesel and an old one at that with none of that fancy electrickery and fly by wire nonsense.

[derskine]

Don't need an inline fuse, they don't commonly have them between the alternator and battery output I don't think.

Just some reasonably heavy gauge wire and you'll be fine.

[vulgalour]

Made some holes on the Princess bigger when chasing out bodge and made some new holes I found go away today.  I now hurt in places I didn't know you could hurt but then most of my Sunday has been spent wedged into the footwell under the steering wheel with a grinder in my hand trying not to accidentally trim the pedals or my face.

 

I probably won't do any more until next weekend now, but it's been nice to get some positive progress made.  I just wish repair panels existed to make my life a bit easier, the bottom of the front wing disintegrated and is a really complicated set of curves that I'm hoping is similar enough to the spare rear outer sill section I salvaged from the Orange Slice.

[Bobthebeard]

Made some holes on the Princess bigger when chasing out bodge and made some new holes I found go away today.  I now hurt in places I didn't know you could hurt but then most of my Sunday has been spent wedged into the footwell under the steering wheel with a grinder in my hand trying not to accidentally trim the pedals or my face.

 

I probably won't do any more until next weekend now, but it's been nice to get some positive progress made.  I just wish repair panels existed to make my life a bit easier, the bottom of the front wing disintegrated and is a really complicated set of curves that I'm hoping is similar enough to the spare rear outer sill section I salvaged from the Orange Slice.

Ahh, the joy of shite! But would we have it any other way? I think not. Nice to see the Mojo returning BTW.

[dollywobbler]

Had my first ever fail to proceed today.

The old Discovery has been playing up for a while.Sometimes it would turn over slow but always start and sometimes flashing the lights to let someone in would kill the radio.I had noticed the headlights had a slight flicker to them so checked the voltages.12 volts at the battery when running,hmmm, 14 volts out of the alternator.Changed the battery a month ago and everything seemed fine.

A few days ago it starts turning slow again but I also notice the indicator light on the dash  flickering when on.Checked the battery yesterday and again 12 volts when running but the alternator is pushing out 16 volts this time.A mate has a spare alternator somewhere in his shed so after a bit of running about this morning I went to see my mate,had a chat and a coffee, came out and the car wouldn't even turn over.We jumped it and away we go down to the shed.Found the alternator but now not even dash lights even when we put the jump-leads on.My series is down there so I took the battery off that and fitted it to the Discovery and away it went.

Drove home to fit the replacement alternator and the same again no dash lights.Cleaned up all the connections I could find.Used a jump-lead as an earth.Took the intercooler pipe off to get at the starter and still nothing.I then clipped a wire from the starter to the alternator charge wire and it all came back to life.Must be a break in the loom somewhere.So using some 5mm wire and yellow terminals I've connected the alternator charge direct to the battery and now when running the battery is showing 13.5-14 volts and no flickering of other lights.

What I shall do tomorrow is get some thicker wire and an inline fuse.I'm thinking 8mm should be ok as that's what is there already.Direct to the battery with an inlne fuse should be ok as the regulator is in the back of the alternator.Well that's my thinking anyway.Somebody on here smarter than me might advise otherwise which would be appreciated.Oh, it's a diesel and an old one at that with none of that fancy electrickery and fly by wire nonsense.

 

WARNING. When my Disco failed to proceed, it was because it was trying to use the handbrake cable as an earth. A very common trick if the engine earth wires are knackered. Sounds like it might not be the case here, but worth checking.

 

Vulg - good to see you back, especially with Prinny progress. 

[vulgalour]

The key is to ignore every other bit of welding than the part I'm working on.  That seems to keep me focused and content and the quality of the work itself is better.  None of it is really as bad as it looked when I started and I've made some really good progress, that's what I need to remind myself as I go along.

 

Yesterday I mentioned I'd finished the sill and the rear arch repair.  I've never repaired an arch with a scratch built section before and while it's not perfect it's a lot smarter than what was there.  A light skim of filler and the original chrome arch refitted and you'd probably not even know it had been done.

 

Today I removed the bottom of the front wing and found a hidden little hole that needed attention.  This is probably how water was getting in to the sill and the floor and rotting them out, I've got another section of sill this side to replace yet, though happily I do have a suitable bit of metal for the job.

 

 

The floor got cut out, removing some rivets and fibreglass and filler and bitumen and rust.  I've got a repair panel for most of this area too, liberated from the orange car.  The time here is more in the clean up as everything is difficult to get at.  The actual welding won't take long at all.

 

 

I'm comfortable enough sharing those pics.  I'm after solid and functional rather than pretty.  Pretty can come later.  In fact, the only job I'm thinking about on the car at the moment is that floor pan and I won't concern myself with the next bit until that bit is done.  It helps, and it's been good to just zone out on a job like this, it's like some sort of productive meditation or something.

[panhard65]

Been out with the local car club today on a tour of Somerset nothing particuarly exciting the usual M.G'S and a very nice 2002 BMW. Also found a new rattle driving with the n/s/f window open it sounds like a wheel trim so hopefully a cheap fix. I also found the rattle on the rear door. Bloody Rolls is so quiet with the windows up you notice every little noise.

 

I don't know what was the score with this old DS420. It still had it's engine and box and wasn't totally rotten.

Strange grille on the XJS I think it might be U.S spec ??

[Ghosty]

Why is everyone FTPing today...

[RobT]

I think it was Trigger who pointed me torwards this Hydragas pump in the tat for sale section of the Llangollen Transport museum. I managed to score it for 20 quid which is a barg, so all I need is some juice and I can go pumpin' my miniMetro whenever!

 

So if any southern shiters who are suspended by the Moulton method need a pump up, give me a shout. FOC or maybe just a nominal sum to cover the cost of the fluid.

 

[trigger]

I done well in that museum, I talked you into buying that, Coalnotdole into buying a pair of Essex V6 cam covers and Retrogeezer into buying a 80s Ford FM cassette radio for his Escort and I bought sod all!

[barrett]

Can you talk somebody into buying my Herald?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

20 quid for that pump is a MEGABARG. Chuck it on ebay, I bet you'll get £70+ for it

 

Or, (better idea) keep it

[trigger]

I looked at buying that pump myself at first and then the more i thought about it, the more i remembered that I don't, or ever have owned a Hydrolastic suspensioned car so I'd probably never use it.

[cort16]

Could you use it for fizzing up bottles of pop like a Soda stream ?

[vulgalour]

That style of pump goes for as much as £200!  I've been after one but they've never come up in budget.  Top bargain for £20, that's unheard of.

[RobT]

Blimey, that much? Tricky then, do I take the long term view and keep it or coin it in. Up to 200 notes in my pocket now sounds appealing.

[vulgalour]

Bear in mind it's usually £50 a top up for Hydragas/lastic, they very quickly pay for themselves if you just hire out your services with it.  If I were you, I'd stock up on fluid - available from eBay and sometimes even Halfords, look for CarPlan products usually listed for use on Rolls Royces - and offer pump ups locally for £notalot.  You could even use the Metro to go and do the job at people's houses/places of work/the pub.

[wuvvum]

Getz... The 3 door dizzle has a motor (not in the other dizzlers) you can 'chip' to GTe spec...

 

Quote:- Hyundai Getz 1.5 CRDI 85  = orig 82 hp to 112 hp, orig 187 NM to 240 NM

 

TS

But then the 5 door dizzle has the VM 3-headed monster, so you win either way.

[trigger]

I don't know that it was worth that much! I would have bought it and sold it on then, It would have covered my fuel and hotel!

[trigger]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/321772786504?rmvSB=true

 

Blimey! They are expensive aren't they.

[TagoraSX]

The XJS grille looks like one from the beautiful* Guy Salmon Jubilee Edition.

[Richard]

I think this is where they made these pumps https://www.google.co.uk/maps/@56.276219,-2.870562,3a,69.1y,8.92h,79.88t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1sz1E_kH3iTnu20W4C_MNmSA!2e0

[Coprolalia]

MsJ got fed up of me fannying around trying to find a Pug dizzler estate.

She's put a deposit down on my behalf for this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181749904498

 

And informed me she's paying for it.

Not a Peugeot. Not a diesel. Not really shite. Too new and expensive for what I'd normally buy.

 

 

 

 

_{Looks quite fun though.}

[Noel Tidybeard]

MsJ got fed up of me fannying around trying to find a Pug dizzler estate.

She's put a deposit down on my behalf for this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181749904498

 

And informed me she's paying for it.

Not a Peugeot. Not a diesel. Not really shite. Too new and expensive for what I'd normally buy.

 

 

 

 

_{Looks quite fun though.}

if she's decided pez why not the 206 estate?

[320touring]

MsJ got fed up of me fannying around trying to find a Pug dizzler estate.

She's put a deposit down on my behalf for this...

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/181749904498

 

And informed me she's paying for it.

Not a Peugeot. Not a diesel. Not really shite. Too new and expensive for what I'd normally buy.

 

 

 

 

_{Looks quite fun though.}

There are a few of these out there running upwards of 400bhp;)

 

Supah stelf skudder shite aff a shovel ftw

[Lacquer Peel]

VAG SHITE.

[Coprolalia]

if she's decided pez why not the 206 estate?

 

I have noooo idea.

 

The vagaries of what she is and isn't willing to be interested in escape me.

I've got past VAG experience with these engines, and am content there's no DMF or too much in the way of electronic gubbins. I'll probably still be driving it in 15 years.

 

I'm just going to keep saying "Yes, dear" and avoid all pineapples.

[dollywobbler]

The XM is not entirely loving its new diet of veg. It's an absolute sod to start in the morning now. Four attempts this morning, and more smoke than Will's 205 on boost. Oh well. An interesting experiment. It's probably eaten its way through 20 of the 40 litres Will put in it now...