The new news 24 thread

[barefoot]

The EML may be 1420 or similar - O2 sensor - apparently it's caused by a tiny leak in the exhaust & makes no blinding difference to anything.

[RobT]

Cheers m9.  Hopefully it's just that.  Didn't think to pop the ashtray out.

Oil change and lubed the wiper mechanism earlier, as a squeak was disturbing the quiet waft.

[St.Jude]

19 hours ago, bunglebus said:

Friend of mine is in Germany and hired a Trabant. Looks like there were a few to choose from!

 

There's a "museum" opposite Trabiworld and it's a joy. 

Went there pre-COVID, went to purchase something for €5, and they wanted to charge €15 (or something like that) to use my card. Not a minimum spend, an actual charge to use the card. 

I used the coke head's friend instead - cash. 

[bunglebus]

Not sure where else to put this

[Split_Pin]

I phoned the garage last night again about the Audi exhaust.

He said his 3rd mechanic would be back today and they would definitely get the job done.

I phoned again today just before 3.

He said that his 3rd mechanic now has Covid and its just the 2 of them in still, so he hadn't looked at it.

I said I'll stop you there, when do you open in the morning. 9am. I'm taking it back tomorrow, together with all the bits I supplied.

He helpfully told me that my front disks and pads also weren't very good. OK thanks, but EHHH???

Remember the car has been there since October 5th. 

Anyone in the Falkirk area feel free to PM me and I'll give you the name of the garage as one to absolutely avoid.

[RobT]

2 hours ago, barefoot said:

The EML may be 1420 or similar - O2 sensor - apparently it's caused by a tiny leak in the exhaust & makes no blinding difference to anything.

Here's what I got:

Did it drive OK for you when it popped up last? Come MoT time hopefully some Cataclean will sort it.

Just an idle thought, but for 800 miles I was using the wrong fuel.  Apparently this engine needs E5.  So I put some in the other day.  Could be related to the EML coming on....who knows.
 

[barefoot]

That's exactly the same as I used to get - couldn't remember the exact number! My tame mechanic told me it was an O2 sensor not operating at peak efficiency, but I think they've both been replaced. When I introduced it to a specialist Renner licker, he declared it down to a very small leak in the exhaust system. Whatever it is, it tends to come on for no apparent reason, usually on a light or even trailing throttle and it used to make no difference to anything. The old Vel Satis ran exactly the same whether that code was showing or not. Even the fair wife ceased to be upset by it.

[RobT]

I did wonder if the exhaust was leaking, as I noticed a moistness along one section when checking things over pre-road trip.

Thanks for the reassurance!  My cheapo code reader finally had a use.  Not often I have a car new enough for the OBD shiz.

[cort16]

I rolled this old XJ6 seat and various old bits of chair I had in my lockup into one thing. 

it's very comfy .

[SRi05]

That's class. You should make some more, I'd buy one 😂

[cort16]

3 minutes ago, SRi05 said:

That's class. You should make some more, I'd buy one 😂

I used to make them years ago and this is all the bits I have left over. Making this one reminded me why I don't it anymore as it took me flippin ages.

 

[Cord Fourteener]

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I phoned the garage last night again about the Audi exhaust.

He said his 3rd mechanic would be back today and they would definitely get the job done.

I phoned again today just before 3.

He said that his 3rd mechanic now has Covid and its just the 2 of them in still, so he hadn't looked at it.

I said I'll stop you there, when do you open in the morning. 9am. I'm taking it back tomorrow, together with all the bits I supplied.

He helpfully told me that my front disks and pads also weren't very good. OK thanks, but EHHH???

Remember the car has been there since October 5th. 

Anyone in the Falkirk area feel free to PM me and I'll give you the name of the garage as one to absolutely avoid.

You seem to find the bad ones

[SRi05]

8 minutes ago, Cord Fourteener said:

You seem to find the bad ones

There's plenty of them unfortunately, it's the good ones that are hard to find in my experience

[Cheezey]

3 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I phoned the garage last night again about the Audi exhaust.

He said his 3rd mechanic would be back today and they would definitely get the job done.

I phoned again today just before 3.

He said that his 3rd mechanic now has Covid and its just the 2 of them in still, so he hadn't looked at it.

I said I'll stop you there, when do you open in the morning. 9am. I'm taking it back tomorrow, together with all the bits I supplied.

He helpfully told me that my front disks and pads also weren't very good. OK thanks, but EHHH???

Remember the car has been there since October 5th. 

Anyone in the Falkirk area feel free to PM me and I'll give you the name of the garage as one to absolutely avoid.

I could just PM but curious if I can guess. Any clues? 
I’ve had this a few times where garages have had my car for over a month. 

[richardmorris]

2 hours ago, Cheezey said:

I could just PM but curious if I can guess. Any clues? 
I’ve had this a few times where garages have had my car for over a month. 

It’s odd if they were given the parts - easy money I’d have thought. 

[stuboy]

12 hours ago, richardmorris said:

It’s odd if they were given the parts - easy money I’d have thought. 

exactly what i was thinking

[SiC]

Fabia is making some horrific scraping noises at times. Turning a corner and reversing are the worst. Told the Shitbox Snail (it's what Mrs SiC calls it now) that if it misbehaves even slightly then it'll be off to the bailer..

Had a prolonged cold recently so having a look at this problem was a good chance for me to start getting back into the swing of evening car fettling.

Put the wheels on full lock and gave a good look on both sides but couldn't see anything amiss. Bouncing on the corners didn't bring any banging. Neither rocking the engine on its mounts. Slight tapping from the gear cables though. Rerouted them as I suspect they have been making noise over bumps.

Jacked it up and had a look underneath for loose headshields. Couldn't see anything wrong.





Gave the wheels a wobble and could feel no play.

Hand caught the brake disc heatshield and a bunch of rust fell off. A-ha! I've found the cause.

Took the wheel off to find the offside headshield flaking paint and rust. Attacked it with a scraper to get most of it off.




Plenty of meat on the pads and the discs are barely worn.


Forgave the car and decided I'd finally fit the replacement fog light bulb.


Easy to do on this as you just rip off the plastic and you can get your hand round the back. I didn't bother drying out the condensation. Heat from the bulb can do that.




Boot light doesn't work. Rather annoying now we are getting to evenings being dark early.

Removed the internal boot panel by just pulling it off.


Removed the catch. Used those weird spline bits that look like torx but far more teeth.



Removed the microswitch assembly.
The boot light is the microswitch without the lever arm.


Both are sealed so you can't disassemble and clean up. But the troublesome one I put a tiny pin hole in the boot. Then sprayed contact cleaner in and worked the switch.

Also modded the end stop so the plunger had slightly more action. I suspect these are far too underrated to directly drive a bulb. But good enough to work for the warranty period...
Anyhow got my boot light back.

[Cord Fourteener]

8 hours ago, SiC said:

Fabia is making some horrific scraping noises at times. Turning a corner and reversing are the worst. Told the Shitbox Snail (it's what Mrs SiC calls it now) that if it misbehaves even slightly then it'll be off to the bailer..

Had a prolonged cold recently so having a look at this problem was a good chance for me to start getting back into the swing of evening car fettling.

Put the wheels on full lock and gave a good look on both sides but couldn't see anything amiss. Bouncing on the corners didn't bring any banging. Neither rocking the engine on its mounts. Slight tapping from the gear cables though. Rerouted them as I suspect they have been making noise over bumps.

Jacked it up and had a look underneath for loose headshields. Couldn't see anything wrong.





Gave the wheels a wobble and could feel no play.

Hand caught the brake disc heatshield and a bunch of rust fell off. A-ha! I've found the cause.

Took the wheel off to find the offside headshield flaking paint and rust. Attacked it with a scraper to get most of it off.




Plenty of meat on the pads and the discs are barely worn.


Forgave the car and decided I'd finally fit the replacement fog light bulb.


Easy to do on this as you just rip off the plastic and you can get your hand round the back. I didn't bother drying out the condensation. Heat from the bulb can do that.




Boot light doesn't work. Rather annoying now we are getting to evenings being dark early.

Removed the internal boot panel by just pulling it off.


Removed the catch. Used those weird spline bits that look like torx but far more teeth.



Removed the microswitch assembly.
The boot light is the microswitch without the lever arm.


Both are sealed so you can't disassemble and clean up. But the troublesome one I put a tiny pin hole in the boot. Then sprayed contact cleaner in and worked the switch.

Also modded the end stop so the plunger had slightly more action. I suspect these are far too underrated to directly drive a bulb. But good enough to work for the warranty period...
Anyhow got my boot light back.

Those dust shield are the source of most annoying noises on my cars. 

Fortunately my current fleet are not afflicted yet but I've come to expect it sooner or later. 

[beko1987]

That boot light microswitch looks near identical to a Dyson upright brushroll switch incase the repair doesn't last! 

It probably will last though, fixes like that are often all those things need*

[Split_Pin]

Yes.

My car has been looked after since 5th October.

Definitely * been kept inside.

Yes.

Interior is filthy as well. 

At least it's back, seems to drive as it was and the the replacement temperature guage voltage regulator is working

At least he gave me the down pipe gasket for free.

[captain_70s]

There is one of those kicking about the west end of Glasgow same colour and everything. Want me to nip out one night with an angle grinder and liberate it's exhaust?

[Split_Pin]

43 minutes ago, captain_70s said:

There is one of those kicking about the west end of Glasgow same colour and everything. Want me to nip out one night with an angle grinder and liberate it's exhaust?

Knowing these cars it would have a minute model difference and therefore everything would be completely different!

[Supernaut]

37 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Knowing these cars it would have a minute model difference and therefore everything would be completely different!

Or, more likely, the exhaust on it is just as bad!

[TheOtherStu]

Brand new job started this week, down south. Drove back last night, been there since Sunday.

The wife is particularly impressed that this afternoon, I'm driving to the NEC to disappear until Sunday night. If anyone is coming, if you come to the MR2DC stand, I'm the fella with the beard and the Blue Mk3 (with the brown engine). I've seen some of the snobbery around the NEC and my car is far from a) standard and b) a garage queen, so expect to see some criticism. The MR2DC got slagged off last time too, because it didn't contain mint, standard examples (which isn't what the DC is about).

[RichardK]

Covid sucks.

Five days of isolation to go. But also feeling like death warmed up.

Meh.

[Garythesnail]

On 11/10/2021 at 6:11 AM, bobdisk said:

Did he do the Trabi-Safari around Berlin? I did, Its the best drive around a city there is!!😃!!

Is it? Tokyo looks good, too🤪

[Talbot]

7 hours ago, beko1987 said:

That boot light microswitch looks near identical to a Dyson upright brushroll switch incase the repair doesn't last! 

Microswitches like that are standard engineering components, available from electrical suppliers the world over for a few pence.  There are a bazillion different sizes, orientations, options and so on, but with a part number, you can usually find somewhere selling an identical one for 20p.  Not the £289 they want for a new mechanism from a main stealer.

[stuboy]

Went to see my friend again and I know I posted before but uts looking kinda knackered now..

[beko1987]

2 hours ago, Talbot said:

Microswitches like that are standard engineering components, available from electrical suppliers the world over for a few pence.  There are a bazillion different sizes, orientations, options and so on, but with a part number, you can usually find somewhere selling an identical one for 20p.  Not the £289 they want for a new mechanism from a main stealer.

Yup! I've got a handful of them floating around my small dyson parts box too incase they come in handy one day

[SiC]

Look what I parked next to at the chippy!


Came back to my car with chips in hand, I was greeted with "don't suppose you could give me a jump start?"
"Sure!"
What he didn't realise is that it was his lucky night and met a fellow British Leyland bother.

Jump start didn't make any difference. You could hear the clunk of the solenoid but I noted the lights didn't dim much.

I asked for a wheel brace to give the starter a whack. Unfortunately I couldn't get enough room to hit it with any force. Also noted that the shaft on the end didn't move. Anyway I suggested that we push it to the end of an empty car park and give it a good old fashioned bump.

Pushed it to the top of what is a slight incline. He got in and I started pushing.

Brrrruum!


Gave me a first bump in thanks and he thanked me for all my help. I said I couldn't leave a fellow British Leyland owner in need like that. He set off very happy that he didn't have a long wait for the recovery services.

But for my good deeds, my dinner had gone cold!

(Kinda wished I left my number in case he wanted to sell it as I'm after one right now 😂)