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20 minutes ago, TataBobu said:

Looks like an interrogation lamp, might leave oncoming traffic blind.

Will certainly have interesting insurance implications if there's a claim later on....

I've already had two near-misses in the past week from oncoming traffic thanks to their stray beam patterns which left me momentarily blinded.

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I did the cam belt on my Alfa this weekend. It’s a bit of a fiddle* to do with access between the engine and inner wing not being the best. At the same time I rebuilt the camshaft variatior with a new spring and washer kit, which was an easy* and straightforward* job. 
 

Suffice to say it was dark by the time I finished and when replacing the spark plugs the little rubber nipple that sits inside the plug socket decided to come out attached to one of the plugs. In the gloom I didn’t notice.

The following day after some swearing and dismantling I worked out why it was running like arse. (8 plugs being a twin spark so wasn’t as obvious as 3 cylinders). I will treat you all to some crappy mid rebuild photos that mainly exist so I could remember how to put it back together again.

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BMW has been brought home. Borrowed some trade plates.

It looked a bit sad having stood for a while so I had it washed and dried. It's now parked up. Battery may need help starting but I have some jump leads.

Decided to tackle the dipped light bulb on the Vectra having blown a few days ago. Officially its a bumper off job. I've never managed to get a whole front bumper off a car before and I wasn't about to start at 6pm in the cold and dark. However, some helpful youtube vids showed me that access is very tight but still accessible. I'm used to getting my hands down an engine and removing stuff by feel. I accessed the light bulb, removed and replaced.:

Access was done by removing the shiny plastic outer cap near the right-hand side of the pic:

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The dipped bulb was sorted but the computer in the car was still screaming that the 'parking light' was still not functioning. So again more fumbling about until I realised that I had removed another still functioning bulb. So bulb replaced and put back into place. I then spotted the culprit which is the small white bulb holder towards the left side of the housing:

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I couldn't honestly be bothered to try, the slam panel was trying to cut my wrist and my fingers just couldn't get grip of the bulb holder.

At least my main lights are done.

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On 1/13/2020 at 7:05 PM, gm said:

yep, got the tool (bought it years ago from junkyarddog when he was involved in mx5nutz) - pm me your address and I'll bung it in the post - mine is also a mk1 1.8 which I was booting off a roundabout when it went ping, a quick tow home from the rac and a new belt fitted a couple of days later and it's running good as new, maybe even better as the old belt was pretty worn, might have been slightly out of timing before.

@Tenmil Socket

 IMG_1079.thumb.JPG.5af2af2a1a661a863c9c57276499e8b2.JPG

I bought the kit off mx5parts, worked out much cheaper than europarts :)

https://www.mx5parts.co.uk/camshaft-timing-belt-budget-mk1-25-p-2758.html

if you've not used them before, sign up for the newsletter before you order and you should get a 10% off code

 

 

It's done now @gm. I shall post the tool back to you as soon as I get chance. Cheers...

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Nearly (9days) in the new house, spent the last two months going up and down the A1 decorating, making stuff etc, we are tired. I have to say my dirt cheep Xsara Picasso has been a star, the sheer amount of stuff it holds and the miles done superb, though I now want to get something else but cant decide heart says BX head says C3 or 4. We still have a fair bit to do but the childrens rooms re sorted as is the lounge and stair risers and we will wake up to views of hills and out to the sea (just) it is all worth the pain. Got told I have high cholesterol, which is a shock and probably the cause of the minor, it can just go with the other body falling apart that I have.  In a good mood generally for a change in winter looking forward to a big change. 

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Finally! Seat belt, ductape and wheel bearings were nonsense, exhaust needed gumgum which fixed the emissions too, handbrake cable needed wd and a slight adjustment which also stopped brake binding. Headlight bulbs had no beam pattern as cheap ebay shit. Retest done at same garage but different tester, if only he had done it the first time.

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Tip run duties for the 11 today.

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I had 25 litres of old oil to shift.  Been meaning to do it for ages.

I also noticed the water pooling in the boot had returned.  Handily there's a recess in the floor that catches it.

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It's not coming in via the light clusters, but it might be the boot seal.  Whatever, it's not enough to worry about.  That probably explains why the rear screen mists up readily in wet weather, but fortunately the HRW still does the job.

A neighbour was also taking his old Riley out for a run.  Soz for the rubbish pic, squint and you'll see it...

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1 hour ago, Split_Pin said:

I have booked the Audi in with a local garage (walking distance) for its MOT and associated work.

They're either going to be reasonable, or condemn it by way of being overly harsh or quoting silly money to do the work required.

Glad to hear it - I know there's a strong temptation to sack a car off when it becomes simply one problem too many to juggle, but the Audi's a handsome old beast and I gather you quite enjoyed it last summer.

And yep, I do believe that garages can get a bit complacent sometimes with their regular customers... 

Fingers crossed for the MOT work, anyway!

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On 2/4/2020 at 12:36 PM, adw1977 said:

The end is more nigh!

BBC News - Petrol and diesel car sales ban brought forward to 2035
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-51366123

I don't think it affects us, it's only new cars, then in 2055 we'll be driving electric shite. 

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5 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I have booked the Audi in with a local garage (walking distance) for its MOT and associated work.

They're either going to be reasonable, or condemn itby way of being overly harsh or quoting silly money to do the work required.

Have you got a link to the Audi, I couldn't find it anywhere? 

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The A4 passed its MOT retest today.  Ended up costing me rather more than anticipated though - the spring I'd ordered off eBay turned out to be the wrong one.  The garage rang me to let me know - obvs it was cheaper to have them order a spring and crack on with the retest than have them put the old spring back in, me order another one and take it back to them to fit, by which time the car would also need a full retest rather than just partial.  Still, the spring they ordered was rather a lot more expensive than the eBay cheapie I'd bought originally. 

So what with one thing and another my bargain eBay Audi now owes me over 400 quid - although that's still decent value for a B6 TDI with a year's test I reckon.  And it's still the most responsive diesel I've ever driven.  It's not a car I'm ever going to fall head over heels in love with though, competent though it is.

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Concerto in garage and straight to work.

Cam cover off, airbox out, exhaust manifold off, power steering pump off, rad out, expansion tank out.
Tomorrow the cams, cambelt and inlet manifold come out, when that's done it's off with the head to assess the damage.

Not sure what the deal with the exhaust is, but new centre sections are £30 and I can get the correct twin exit backbox for £50 so one of those will be got in time.

Some fuckwit has managed to break two chunks out of the big end pulley when replacing a cambelt in the past... c93647503c7f06f522843642b4a46b36.jpg

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2nd new aerial arrived for the Vectra and it actually fits:

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Suffice to say it was screwed in with some loctite added for that extra security. First one needs now to be returned.

As I was in the area yesterday I visited the supplying dealer:

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No real reason, I pass by it often but never stop. Sadly they no longer carry or supply dealer stickers anymore. Non of their cars wore them. I guess dealer plates are enough these days.

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25 minutes ago, Lord Sterling said:

2nd new aerial arrived for the Vectra and it actually fits:

20200205_160051.thumb.jpg.2ee0879b5e059725de7b9eab6dee377e.jpg

Suffice to say it was screwed in with some loctite added for that extra security.....

I fitted a similar one to the diesel Borat. The local automatic car wash subsequently made short work of it.

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