N19 Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 I'm on a half day today, so after retrieving the Mondeo from having a new cambelt fitted, I decided to start on swapping the Bluebird starter motor. First error - trusting the rain to hold off. Fortunately, this is where having useless* things like a gazebo come in handy. Disconnected a coolant hose to give better access. Even the HBOL calls the access "very difficult" so that's saying something... Then I get a proper view of the starter, undo the bolt on one side, and then start cursing whoever has previously sheared the head off the bolt... Before stopping to take stock and realising that the other bolt is fixed from the opposite side of the bellhousing. Undone and old starter removed. In doing so I took a step back and nudged the gazebo just enough to cascade water down my back and the back of my trousers. I miss my garage. Tadhg Tiogar, Burnside, Shep Shepherd and 7 others 9 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayts450 Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Streetwise reached a milestone this morning, pulled over to capture the moment (no rozzers around, don't dob me in please) To celebrate, I'd already bought it a new front grille badge, so fitted it when I got home. The old: 2 mins later holbeck, Kowalski, chodweaver and 17 others 20 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HMC Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 On 7/7/2020 at 3:29 PM, richardmorris said: Maybe - I'm looking at images on google. There seems to be a bonnet mascot and a V shaped badge on top of the radiator. It's very pretty. All the electricity has run away, our panel of experts say FIAT! 999LHOFIAT Check another vehicle ColourRed Fuel typePetrol Date registered11 January 1965 MOT expired on16 April 2019 Get an MOT reminderwhen the vehicle's MOT is near its time for renewal.(Opens in a new Window) by email or text. If you think the MOT expiry date or any of the vehicle details are wrong, contact DVSA. Open All MOT history Check mileage recorded at test, MOT expiry date, defects and advisories, and view test certificate The MOT test changed on 20 May 2018 Defects are now categorised according to their severity – dangerous, major, and minor. Find out more Date tested17 April 2018 PASS Mileage65,352 km MOT test number9804 3900 3602 Test location View test location Expiry date16 April 2019 Advisory notice item(s) Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a) What are advisories? Date tested14 April 2016 PASS Mileage61,688 km MOT test number3351 4212 3323 Test location View test location Expiry date13 April 2017 Date tested16 May 2014 PASS Mileage60,077 km MOT test number1273 9693 4181 Test location View test location Expiry date15 May 2015 Date tested27 June 2012 PASS Mileage56,247 miles MOT test number7666 2947 2166 Test location View test location Expiry date26 June 2013 Advisory notice item(s) Nearside Front Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (2.5.A.3a) What are advisories? Date tested6 April 2011 PASS Mileage55,149 miles MOT test number1762 1649 1469 Test location View test location Expiry date5 April 2012 Advisory notice item(s) Steering system has slight free play detected at steering wheel (2.2.A.1a) Exhaust has part of the system slightly deteriorated (7.1.1a) Nearside Axle king pin has slight play in pin and/or bush (2.5.A.3a) What are advisories? © Crown copyright Yes that’s a Fiat otto vu. I saw one on my school trip to Italy in 1994. Most took pics of the colloseum etc, and to be fair I did too. I took far more pics of old cars though, although annoyingly I’ve mislaid the pics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borsuq Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 My Caro came back from the body shop, so I drove it to work today. Happy to have it back. Painted areas look pretty good as long as you don't look too closely at reflections. Also, I found a cool Transit while taking the scenic route home. Asimo, BorniteIdentity, paulplom and 23 others 26 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bramz7 Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 Just this minute got a response for a quote for a cat back Powerflow exhaust for the Laguna. £425. Which is happily exactly what I expected. BorniteIdentity, w00dy and loserone 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuboy Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 insurance renewel with the aa £700... stuff that..... hastings direct £391..... just need them to confirm few details over the phone Floatylight 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
clayts450 Posted July 9, 2020 Share Posted July 9, 2020 AA shafted me this year on the Coupe, citing the 'you got an introductory rate' routine. Did a Money Supermarket on their asses, and off to Tesco I went for half the price. Ker-ching. stonedagain 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuboy Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 11 hours ago, stuboy said: insurance renewel with the aa £700... stuff that..... hastings direct £391..... just need them to confirm few details over the phone Just rang up Hastings direct and added mondeo onto galaxy policy as multicar for extra 22quid a month, so both cars now 58 quid a month clayts450 and paulplom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anonymous user Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Following on from the disappointing news that Ineos is no longer interested in building its Grenader in Wales there are rumours that a German company is in talks to open a factory in North Wales to build a retro city car. If it comes off they will be producing the Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwryndrobwllllantysiliogogogogogomobil. The nearby car badge manufacturer has already taken on more staff in anticipation. chadders, Joey spud, Supernaut and 11 others 3 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Jetter Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 ^^ which reminds me, I saw the local green Gogomobil out and about today - too quick to get a pic, sadly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
richardmorris Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Had the day off today for the crown to turn off the gas and change everyone’s meters. Sadly this did not happen as they hadn’t told everyone! So off at 8.40 and back on again at 8.45. did the weekly shopping and trip to the bank. Pumped the tyres up on the Mercedes - all low despite looking ok, and blew a seal on my foot pump. £8 from Halfords twenty years ago! Then decided to start the 2cv for the first time since Easter. Battery a little slow turning the motor over, but once the fuel pumped through it started up ok. Not enough juice to power the indicators though until the revs were up from idle. I think I’ll take it to work one day next week for a run. I’m also getting the occasional burning oil smell in the Mercedes when stationary - seems to happen after braking to a stop when the engine is hot. Not all the time though, perhaps once every couple of journeys. My mechanic friend is coming to work on Monday to take a look. I’d guess that there’s a little oil leak from somewhere that is pooling and then dripping onto the hot exhaust. It’s not billowing smoke and there’s 7litres of oil in the engine so I’m not too worried. LightBulbFun 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cort16 Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 How do you get a big car in a small garage? With great FUCKING difficulty. Borsuq, Twiggy, HarmonicCheeseburger and 16 others 11 8 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N19 Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 After yesterday's fun, with clear weather, simple task to put the new starter in, right? Oh. No, it's not. Spot the difference. Dammit wrong parts... richardmorris, Borsuq and dome 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borsuq Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Took the Transit out for the first time in months today. Old girl is retired and doesn't have to work for to make a living anymore, but still needs her legs stretched every now and then. Got to compare it with the Polonez as I took the exact same scenic route from work as I did with the FSO yesterday. Seems to me like the suspension in the Transit is a bit more sporty. Definitely reacts quicker. Steering is also more direct. That said, the Polonez, despite being ridiculously floaty (or maybe partially thanks to that), is a more peaceful drive. Obviously couldn't pass up the opportunity to take a photo with the old Transit rotting on the side of the road. Hopefully that sight will scare some reliability into our Ford. phil_lihp, Semi-C, anonymous user and 16 others 19 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N19 Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 The ebay seller said the part was correct. Indeed, part numbers are the same, but mounting points totally different. Am I going loopy?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Borsuq Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 Just now, N19 said: The ebay seller said the part was correct. Indeed, part numbers are the same, but mounting points totally different. Am I going loopy?! I had a similar problem with the crankshaft mounted pulley for my 126. Idenitcal part number, yet the pulley everybody seemed to stock had differently spaced notches for ignition timing. Thought I'd go mad. Ended up having to shop calipers in hand to make sure I got the correct part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
N19 Posted July 10, 2020 Share Posted July 10, 2020 1 hour ago, Borsuq said: I had a similar problem with the crankshaft mounted pulley for my 126. Idenitcal part number, yet the pulley everybody seemed to stock had differently spaced notches for ignition timing. Thought I'd go mad. Ended up having to shop calipers in hand to make sure I got the correct part. Eyeing other ones on ebay which seem to be correctly oriented. Not sure if it's worth kicking up a fuss over 25 quid, if the part numbers are the same then the guy has supplied it in good faith, even if it's the wrong part... Oh well, got it back together with the old starter for now. It works, but needs percussive persuasion from time to time. A therapeutic couple of hours spannering, so went for a spin down the country lanes. RobT, LightBulbFun, Borsuq and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jamie Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Off to Whitehaven tomorrow to pick up this little project ? dome, anonymous user and paulplom 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LabRat Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Whoever designed air wrenches and then thought it would be a clever idea to sell them to the knuckle dragging apes in fast fit tyre fit centres wants shooting for crimes against humanity. Not that I've thrown my back out trying to get the front wheels off the mg6 or anything... 20 stone of fat bastard swinging off a scaff bar and the fuckers are still solid, I've not even thought about touching the locking nuts. mitsisigma01, Eyersey1234 and Borsuq 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eyersey1234 Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 48 minutes ago, LabRat said: Whoever designed air wrenches and then thought it would be a clever idea to sell them to the knuckle dragging apes in fast fit tyre fit centres wants shooting for crimes against humanity. Not that I've thrown my back out trying to get the front wheels off the mg6 or anything... 20 stone of fat bastard swinging off a scaff bar and the fuckers are still solid, I've not even thought about touching the locking nuts. I'll get my ex boss to come and give them a disciplinary for you, he's not done one for a couple of years since his dad sold up to Go Ahead Group ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Fuelly tells me that the fair wife & I have done 7,000 miles in the Rover 75 since last September. MPG's not too bad for a 2.5 litre V6 auto. Eyersey1234 and BorniteIdentity 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barefoot Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 And a partial fleet shot too. mercedade, dome, BorniteIdentity and 6 others 9 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tadhg Tiogar Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Answered a phone call whilst at the FoD. It was Garage Dubois-Loizou. They'd been having a hard time of flushing CX engine and cooling system until they remembered Finish, a popular brand of dishwasher cleaner (other dishwasher cleaner products are available). Apparently I now have the freshest smelling coolant in North London. And some of the other hoses are not far off looking fucked as well. Plus the nearside radiator fan has lost its mountings, so they will have to fashion new ones. I can't wait to see what happens next. dome and paulplom 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bobthebeard Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Well..... Hiya. Been off here for a while due to a nasty virus which has infected some people in hospital and some other folk apparently. Ho Hum. Anyway....... Anyone want a free car? Tax (VED) is silly, £48 per month, but car is FREE. 2007 Chevrolet tacuma auto 2.0 SiC, andyberg, paulplom and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loserone Posted July 11, 2020 Share Posted July 11, 2020 Hope you are feeling better Bob. No thanks to the Tacuma.. ? Bobthebeard 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyberg Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 Apart from the tax, I can recommend the Tacuma as an car. I may* be biased mind? I love mine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paulplom Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 Saab has just turned high mileage. Saabnut, dome and LightBulbFun 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stevebrookman Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 Picked up the sons new car yesterday. Due to bat flu he's had two driving tests cancelled and being in fucking Wales still means no driving lessons or tests-behind England again. Wasn't planning on buying till he passed test but needed to get him out on road. Better car than my first- a Mk5 Cortina 2.0GL when I was 21- not a Fiesta Zetec S when I was 17. Must be bloody mad. DVee8, anonymous user, NorfolkNWeigh and 2 others 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mally Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 I'm sorry, but no Fiesta will never be better than a 2.0 Mk5 Cortina. Austat, Shep Shepherd, spike60 and 11 others 14 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supernaut Posted July 12, 2020 Share Posted July 12, 2020 A Zetec S! Nice! When I was learning to drive I got to learn in a Xsara Picasso HDi, then was let loose in a SIII Land Rover once I had my licence. Stevebrookman and LightBulbFun 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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