The new news 24 thread

[Dyslexic Viking]

I spent 2.5 hours moving snow today and for the first time in my life moving snow is now enjoyable.

I like this loader a lot.

[artdjones]

6 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

I spent 2.5 hours moving snow today and for the first time in my life moving snow is now enjoyable.

I like this loader a lot.

Can you get any sort of back actor for it?

[Dyslexic Viking]

12 minutes ago, artdjones said:

Can you get any sort of back actor for it?

No I can't on this one and this is not exactly very common on wheel loaders.

But there is a company here that sells a small wheel loader with this, but it is expensive.So this exists but is not common as i said. 

[egg]

2 hours ago, Joey spud said:

For years I was strictly a PG tips man but recently it started tasting rank,sort of florally so I've switched over to Yorkshire tea. Much better one bag gives a lovely strong brew.

Same with the Decaf tea, again a switch to Yorkshire.

[Spottedlaurel]

Needed to nip out and buy a tray of eggs, was going to take the Carina E but as it was a decent day I thought I should give this old thing a bit of an airing:

Just taxed it the other day, need to get my £nil's worth. Other than shunting it out and back into the garage it was its first drive of the year. Felt like the battery was starting to get a bit low when I turned it over without the choke (my usual habit if it's been sat for a while, to get some oil around), but once the choke was pulled out it started fine.

Drove the same as ever, after 15+ years (the longest I've owned any car, by some margin) I'm pretty well in tune with it. However it's probably time for a proper MoT and a bit of a service this year, just to make sure I'm not overlooking anything.

This will be the year it turns over 100k - I'm just over 500 miles short of it at the moment.

In extended fleet news, Miss SL's BF got new wheels for his MR2, they look much better than the old aftermarket alloys. It's been his daily driver since his LS400 ran out of MoT.

Interesting to think that these two were on sale within 10 years of each other - the Laurel just about staggered into the '80s, but it's much more a car of the 1970s (more like the '60s in some regards), and the MR2 was launched here in early 1990.

[richardmorris]

11 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Needed to nip out and buy a tray of eggs, was going to take the Carina E but as it was a decent day I thought I should give this old thing a bit of an airing:

Just taxed it the other day, need to get my £nil's worth. Other than shunting it out and back into the garage it was its first drive of the year. Felt like the battery was starting to get a bit low when I turned it over without the choke (my usual habit if it's been sat for a while, to get some oil around), but once the choke was pulled out it started fine.

Drove the same as ever, after 15+ years (the longest I've owned any car, by some margin) I'm pretty well in tune with it. However it's probably time for a proper MoT and a bit of a service this year, just to make sure I'm not overlooking anything.

This will be the year it turns over 100k - I'm just over 500 miles short of it at the moment.

In extended fleet news, Miss SL's BF got new wheels for his MR2, they look much better than the old aftermarket alloys. It's been his daily driver since his LS400 ran out of MoT.

Interesting to think that these two were on sale within 10 years of each other - the Laurel just about staggered into the '80s, but it's much more a car of the 1970s (more like the '60s in some regards), and the MR2 was launched here in early 1990.

They do look light years apart. What’s the interior of the laurel like? I don’t think I’ve seen it.

in other news,,,, saw my first 24 plate today - black Range Rover parked up outside a building development in frimley. Probably cost more than the house.

[artdjones]

15 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

Needed to nip out and buy a tray of eggs, was going to take the Carina E but as it was a decent day I thought I should give this old thing a bit of an airing:

Just taxed it the other day, need to get my £nil's worth. Other than shunting it out and back into the garage it was its first drive of the year. Felt like the battery was starting to get a bit low when I turned it over without the choke (my usual habit if it's been sat for a while, to get some oil around), but once the choke was pulled out it started fine.

Drove the same as ever, after 15+ years (the longest I've owned any car, by some margin) I'm pretty well in tune with it. However it's probably time for a proper MoT and a bit of a service this year, just to make sure I'm not overlooking anything.

This will be the year it turns over 100k - I'm just over 500 miles short of it at the moment.

In extended fleet news, Miss SL's BF got new wheels for his MR2, they look much better than the old aftermarket alloys. It's been his daily driver since his LS400 ran out of MoT.

Interesting to think that these two were on sale within 10 years of each other - the Laurel just about staggered into the '80s, but it's much more a car of the 1970s (more like the '60s in some regards), and the MR2 was launched here in early 1990.

A friend had a nice newish dark blue one back in the 80s. I remember it particularly for the mellifulous bong it made when either a door was left open or the seatbelts weren't done up with the ignition on.

[Spottedlaurel]

14 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

They do look light years apart. What’s the interior of the laurel like? I don’t think I’ve seen it.

A sea of beige and brown, somewhat cramped, not quite as chintzy as you might imagine:

 

 

 

It's a bit plusher as it's the 2.4, the 2-litre was more basic. Seats are big and squashy, people who sit in them who are only used to modern stuff comment on how comfy they are.

[richardmorris]

2 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

A sea of beige and brown, somewhat cramped, not quite as chintzy as you might imagine:

 

 

 

It's a bit plusher as it's the 2.4, the 2-litre was more basic. Seats are big and squashy, people who sit in them who are only used to modern stuff comment on how comfy they are.

Just missing the anti-Macassar’s on the headrests !

[EyesWeldedShut]

9 hours ago, brownnova said:

Fancied a treat from the petrol station… 

Realised I now identify as an 84 year old… 

Get a bottle of cheap gin or vodka, drink a shot or two, fill up the air gap by dropping in cracked Werther's. Invert now and then (with lid back on) and, in about 48 hours - you have a sickly liqueur that some people love.
I think it's a waste of a good Werther's myself.

News 24 from the Bini front - changed a R55 front wheel bearing today - never before have I resorted to angle grinding the old retaining bolts off but, after faffing around on two of them, out came the angry grinder. Feck me - that was much, much easier. Happy days. Know what I'll do now on the other side

[hairnet]

6 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

I spent 2.5 hours moving snow today and for the first time in my life moving snow is now enjoyable.

I like this loader a lot.

DRIFT MODE ENGAGED Yo!

[Barry Cade]

Work continues on the Astro. After finally finding and curing the coolant loss I built it all back together, then a few days later it wouldn't start from cold. Would crank and crank but nothing. Slightest waft of brake cleaner and it would fire right up and be fine for the rest of the day. Take out wooden Starcraft dash, then plastic Chevy dash then the doghouse again and hours of diagnostics.. it's pre OBD2..  turns out its the ignition control module.. doesn't activate the injector when cranking, but as soon as it sees 400rpm, the ECU takes over and it fires right up . Early injection/ECUs are fun! Waiting on a module arriving so fitted the sink and tap, then stuck a new bumper sticker on 😁

 

 

[stuboy]

Anyone used vcds/vag thingy.. I got disk and cable off ebay and don't communicate with the galaxy.. and I'm getting fed up..

[Yoss]

23 hours ago, wesacosa said:

 

Thanks to @Rust Collectorfor the tip on running a wire from the tailgate earth to a body earth, it's solved all the dashboard light gremlins

 

 

 

23 hours ago, Rust Collector said:

It’s not elegant but it gets the job done. If you figure out what’s gone wrong with the original earth before I do then I’ll have to copy your notes. Well done on the pass!

That's interesting as mine has thing where the rear fog light warning light comes on slightly when you select reverse. You can only see it at night and it doesn't seem to be affecting the lights themselves, they still come on separately as required.

This is only on the green car which is a mk2 like yours. The mk1 has a completely different set up with eight plungers in the tailgate and brass contacts on the body. Four on each side as can be seen here.

So there is no physical connection between the electrics in the tailgate and the rest of the car. On the face of it this seems like lots of extra complication and a recipe for problems but, so far at least, they have been faultless. The only problem I've had in that area is that occasionally the reverse light bulbs have vibrated themselves out of their holders but that's nothing to do with above system.

[wesacosa]

11 minutes ago, Yoss said:

 

That's interesting as mine has thing where the rear fog light warning light comes on slightly when you select reverse. You can only see it at night and it doesn't seem to be affecting the lights themselves, they still come on separately as required.

This is only on the green car which is a mk2 like yours. The mk1 has a completely different set up with eight plungers in the tailgate and brass contacts on the body. Four on each side as can be seen here.

So there is no physical connection between the electrics in the tailgate and the rest of the car. On the face of it this seems like lots of extra complication and a recipe for problems but, so far at least, they have been faultless. The only problem I've had in that area is that occasionally the reverse light bulbs have vibrated themselves out of their holders but that's nothing to do with above system.

It was the same symptoms on mine, although the heated rear window light came on too but only when reverse was selected.  When I was playing around with it last year I did notice the reverse lights didn't come on with the tailgate open but started to flicker as you closed the tailgate and were fully on when it was about 3/4 closed

[SiC]

2 hours ago, stuboy said:

Anyone used vcds/vag thingy.. I got disk and cable off ebay and don't communicate with the galaxy.. and I'm getting fed up..

As @Nyphur says. Check to see which serial port it's using in Device Manager. Depending on the adapter, you might need to select USB in the config too. 

Is the adapter plugged into the car too when doing this? They get their power from the OBD port and won't switch on fully unless plugged in. 

[Yoss]

^^ My heated rear window was never reconnected when the previous owner fitted a new tailgate so I've not had that issue. It would probably be fairly easy to reinstate but I've never bothered. The amount of condensation in there makes them next to useless anyway (it still works in the blue car so I can confirm this). It's far more effective to open the windows. 

[Ghosty]

 

Private plate wanker. 

[Barry Cade]

1 hour ago, wesacosa said:

It was the same symptoms on mine, although the heated rear window light came on too but only when reverse was selected.  When I was playing around with it last year I did notice the reverse lights didn't come on with the tailgate open but started to flicker as you closed the tailgate and were fully on when it was about 3/4 closed

Used to have this with Fiestas.. try tapping the tailgate hinge pins back and forth slightly if that's the hinge they have

[egg]

Kent shiters meet 5 years ago today. Time moves.

[Joey spud]

Blimey five years already that's scary.

[Joey spud]

I recently bought an old Casio watch off eBay, one that I've always hankered after but when it arrived it didn't have the crisp clean dial of the one on the listing but a rather cloudy one instead.

It's like over the years a dusting of the luminous coating has transferred to the back of the crystal. So today after watching a YouTube clip of an American chap sitting on his bed successfully pull a similar watch apart I had a bash at taking the mechanism out of mine and giving it a clean up.

A bit of Tesco's finest glass cleaner and a soft cloth and it's come up like new again.

[cort1977]

Saab back in service today after time off over the winter. Got down to Edinburgh no problem but a few issues appearing, oil leak now joined by power steering leak and a general baggy feel means a few new bushes are in its future. Still not bad for 220k and 32 years old though.

[Hertz]

Started a long overdue deep clean of the rear of our T25 Multivan.

Bought some bristle attachments for a drill and waded in. 5 buckets later and it's much better but probably needs another go.

 

[beko1987]

Drill brushes are fab things! All you need is a shitty wet pick up only vac then, just add water externally, drill then suck it all dry. 

I want to take my seats out and give the carpets a really good going over this summer, but I have the fear of unplugging seat airbag connectors on a 22 year old French pos so haven't yet. Might just do around the seats... 

[stuboy]

This was the results

[hairnet]

6 hours ago, cort1977 said:

Saab back in service today after time off over the winter. Got down to Edinburgh no problem but a few issues appearing, oil leak now joined by power steering leak and a general baggy feel means a few new bushes are in its future. Still not bad for 220k and 32 years old though.

do ya huf te keep it oota sight in case yon local fella sees it

 

[Spottedlaurel]

Earlier tonight I had to go and collect four youngsters who'd been enjoying St Patrick's Day drinks nearby. It seemed only right to use the Carina E, a natural for such taxi duties? Made a bit of a discovery on the way:

I knew the HRW worked OK, with every element still doing its thing - not bad for an old estate car. As it was a bit damp I thought I'd give the other switch a try, which I believe is for a heated element or two in the front screen. I don't know whether it did anything in that regard, I think it's more intended for snow/frost, but I discovered that's how the heated door mirrors are operated. Everything else I've had with heated mirrors they just work off the HRW switch, and I'd just assumed they didn't work any more. Result!

Perhaps even better was that there was no vomiting, so I didn't have to apply penalty charges.....

[lesapandre]

Peer of the Realm in Driving Ban!

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-68599661

Caught speeding 7 times in one year!! 

Hang on...let's look at that a bit more closely...

1. 29mph in 20 Zone Embankment.

2. 28mph in 20 Zone Kensington Gardens.

3. A316 Twickenham 46mph in 40 Zone.

4. A316 Twickenham 46mpg in a 40 Zone.

5. A316 Twickenham 47mph in 40 Zone.

6. M25 intersection with M3 62mph in a 50 Zone.

 7. M4 73mph in temporary 50 Zone.

My experience of driving in London...

1.& 2. The 20mph Zones are in the main not observed by drivers and if you do drive at 20mph, as I do, you often get an angry tooting gesticulating mob behind - and inevitably overtaken by a black Audi and a white van.

 3.-5. This is the A316. Easy to lose track of your speed on here.

6. M25 intersection with M3 - Easy to lose track of your speed here.

7. M4 73mph in temporary 50 Zone - easy to get 'pushed' by other traffic to a higher speed as the 50 limit is only sporadically observed.

And the moral of the tale - pay attention and observe the limits - but do not get bullied to go faster than the limit or shadow other fast moving traffic - none of these convictions were for particularly egregious flouting of the limit and several were just over 10%+.

Sometimes takes an iron resolve - particularly in the 'temporary' 50mph's - on the M20 through Kent - I stick at 50 and am passed by 80% of traffic coming back into London.

[lesapandre]

As an aside the BBC reports that "as District Judge Daniel Sternberg disqualified the Tory environmentalist from driving, he warned that drivers who speed "emit more harmful emissions" even in hybrid and electric cars."

Interesting legal point there - that the judge is taking in the whole scope of these limits in his consideration of the offence ie not just the danger aspect.

Of course the admonishment may have been directed with some irony at Zac Goldsmith as a prominent "environmentalist" driving an electric car.

But the jist of the judgment is that some limits are indeed there to protect the environment overall. 

Interesting point of law bought out there.