The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

I've polished the fiat ready for Goodwood's soft top breakfast meeting tomorrow. Anyone else going along?

[Eddie Honda]

 I'm sick and tired of watching 'letterboxed' videos online.

 

Have you got a door with a letterbox like this? I know I haven't.

 

Perhaps, the word you're looking for is "portrait". I'm sick of them videos too. Makes me want to go into their houses and rotate their tellies onto their sides.

[SiC]

Went to see a last model Saab 9-5 this morning on the way to taking the wife to her friends hen-do. I really liked it and pretty sure it's going to be the Lagunas replacement.

 

As the wife was out, it gave me time to fix some small outstanding issues with the fleet.

 

First on the list was the Civic. When dipping the clutch the revs drop really low. It's not the EGR as that's clean as a whistle. It's actually one of the clutch switches not triggering anymore. Utter arse to get to the nut to release it. It's the switch at the top, to the right of the OBD port, with the white connector.

 

Got out the angle grinder to cut an old, rusty spanner in half. Managed to get the spanner in now and used brute force to release the nut.

 

It appears the switch has a rubber coating that's worn right down to the metal pin in the middle. I can only assume it was all rubber coated to stop noises when it triggered.

 

I screwed it right in and used a diagnostics tool to confirm that it's now switching and triggering.

 

Next on the list is the Lagunas headlight washers. These had stopped working again and I want to get it fixed before I sell the car on. Pulled the front bumper off and took the pump out.

 

Last time the motor spindle had seized. So I took the pump out and pulled it apart again.

 

Not a lot of bits in these pumps. I put 12v on the connector and it spun fine. Hmm. Put it back in and tried again. Nothing.

 

Checked with a multimeter to find that the connector was happily getting 12v when triggered. In doing this found the connector was suitably manky green. Gave it a clean down with a screwdriver and contact cleaner.

 

Tried again...

https://youtu.be/KT2xaZ6I4GQ

 

Working! Certainly got some pressure that pump. Oh and yes I had my phone the wrong way round.... Sorry.

 

Put it all back together and tried again. Looked around the front to find only one washer popping up. Damn. Luckily second hand Laguna popup washers can be had from eBay for around 20 quid a side.

 

Really the only job that needs doing on it before it's ready to sell.

[JeeExEll]

Not car related and not sure if it affects anyone on here directly but check breaking news for latest London bridge incident.

My wife's travelling back to a hotel from a Depeche Mode concert in that London tonight with her pal and they're totally safe but FFS.

[stuboy]

my missus cant get hold of her sister neither

[twosmoke300]

It's been my world for as long as I can remember

[drum]

I have collected my new trailer.

 

IMG_8206.JPG

 

It fits in the shed fine in terms of length, but the width is a challenge. The Rover in the photo is tight up against the bench and shelves out of shot, and getting the trailer in and out means manoeuvring it by hand, so I can't store a car on it.

 

I have therefore completely fucked up my life by buying this and my storage problem has exploded.

 

Also, literally ten minutes after I'd shoehorned it in there, a friend rang up to say his MGB had just broken down on the way home and could I help. I couldn't deny the existence of the trailer because I'd been showing it to him about an hour before. So out it came again... and that's Saturday gone.

 

(MG was getting spark at the king lead but not at the plugs. Rotor arm looked ok and rotated as it should, carbon brush present and correct, so possibly condenser or something.)

Skizzer, howzabout you put the rover on the trailer then you won't have to worry about scratching it when you reverse the trailer in. Low box on the disco so you can go nice and slow without melting the clutch.

[drum]

 

I had a puncture.

Built in jack is handy for front wheel removal.

[Kiltox]

Not car related and not sure if it affects anyone on here directly but check breaking news for latest London bridge incident.

My wife's travelling back to a hotel from a Depeche Mode concert in that London tonight with her pal and they're totally safe but FFS.

I start work tomorrow morning a few hundred yards from there and need to get to a hotel there this evening

 

I'm sure that's going to be great.

 

Wankers.

[panhard65]

 

 

(MG was getting spark at the king lead but not at the plugs. Rotor arm looked ok and rotated as it should, carbon brush present and correct, so possibly condenser or something.)

That will be a crap modern rotor arm. I had it years ago with my Jensen. They look perfect but short out in the middle, find an old original one and all will be fine.

[puddlethumper]

DSC_1397.JPG

 

I had a puncture.

Built in jack is handy for front wheel removal.

Damn fine looking Davey Broon, 

[Skizzer]

Skizzer, howzabout you put the rover on the trailer then you won't have to worry about scratching it when you reverse the trailer in. Low box on the disco so you can go nice and slow without melting the clutch.

 

That would work very well, except I would still need to get another car alongside (because too many cars).  The trailer has to go in and out of the shed by hand because the doorway is only wide enough for it to go in straight and there's too little space between mine and the shed opposite to straighten up a car and tow it in or out.  Trailer also has to be manoeuvred into place indoors to get it from the centre (where the doors are) to the side.  It's doable single-handed unladen, albeit a bit of a faff, but will be impossible with the weight of a car on board.  There's also a three inch step up to drive out, and although I can make some ramps to help with that I don't fancy my chances of pushing a laden trailer up it.  

 

Hence why a caravan mover (i.e. motorised jockey wheel) could really help.

 

Obviously I should have thought this through a lot better before I bought the trailer, but hey ho.  Medium term solution is to rent the shed opposite, which has better access, but someone else is in there for a while longer.

[richardmorris]

Just back from goodwood. Top down all morning!

 

Lots of lovely cars, and lots of modern stuff too. Four X1/9 in total. Didn't buy a bacon roll at £6.50 though, I'm not mad!

[Momentary Lapse Of Reason]

That would work very well, except I would still need to get another car alongside (because too many cars).  The trailer has to go in and out of the shed by hand because the doorway is only wide enough for it to go in straight and there's too little space between mine and the shed opposite to straighten up a car and tow it in or out.  Trailer also has to be manoeuvred into place indoors to get it from the centre (where the doors are) to the side.  It's doable single-handed unladen, albeit a bit of a faff, but will be impossible with the weight of a car on board.  There's also a three inch step up to drive out, and although I can make some ramps to help with that I don't fancy my chances of pushing a laden trailer up it.  

 

Hence why a caravan mover (i.e. motorised jockey wheel) could really help.

 

Obviously I should have thought this through a lot better before I bought the trailer, but hey ho.  Medium term solution is to rent the shed opposite, which has better access, but someone else is in there for a while longer.

 

Maybe won't help your particular problem but I put a rawlbolt with an eyelet on the end into the floor so I could use the winch to help me draw the loaded trailer into one of the lock-ups I had. There was no way I could have pushed it in my hand or reversed it with the tow-car but with the winch doing the hard work I could do it.

 

I've got a electric motor jockey wheel but I am struggling to fit it with my particular trailers draw-bar (and it is a lot of weight to have on the draw-bar if I leave it there when towing)

so I'm thinking up a way to convert it into a tug that picks up the 50mm ball receiver and I will be able to pull/push the loaded trailer about.

 

HTH

[clayts450]

my missus cant get hold of her sister neither

 

Hope all okay.

[Kiltox]

Hotel is closed but they're moving my booking to one near Tower Bridge instead

 

Stuboy I hope everything is OK!

[Guest Hooli]

Skizzer, you can also get motor movers that are two motors on arms that turn the actual tyres, and a remote control. It'll make your trailer like a giant RC toy & have a lot more grip to drive it up that 3" step.

[andy18s]

Yeah but those setups will affect the weight capacity of the trailer

[tooSavvy]

Skizzer, you can also get motor movers that are two motors on arms that turn the actual tyres, and a remote control. It'll make your trailer like a giant RC toy & have a lot more grip to drive it up that 3" step.

 

 

Yankie stylee 

 

 

TS

[Cavcraft]

My daughter bought herself a Corsa C as a 21st birthday present. #prouddadmoment

[eddyramrod]

You've trained her well!

[fordperv]

Sounds like a chip off the old block cavcraft

[DeeJay]

You're slipping, you should've sold her one of your fleet 

[richardmorris]

My daughter bought herself a Corsa C as a 21st birthday present. #prouddadmoment

 

Stockholm syndrome!

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Bit of a fleet update.

 

307 dizzler had a turbot failure. New turbo acquired and fitted, car now sounds like a bag of spanners. Suspect it's run long enough on little or no oil to do serious damage. Thinking the chain that looks after the variable valve timing is shot?

 

At this point the XM should have been pressed into daily duties however the MOT had expired and I took it off the road to start doing some of the bigger jobs.

 

A few years ago my brother bought a mk1 focus, which then passed onto my brother in law who just so happened to be wanting rid of it again. So it's back with us now and it's actually a far nicer car to pilot than the 307 is.

 

Four hours of cleaning inside and out saw it looking pretty good.

 

 

It needs a lower arm replacing, possibly drop links, the proper size battery and definitely two tyres, there's a dent in the offside rear door as well. But it was free so not complaining. Oh and this annoys me:

 

Today I jump started the XM, it rose majestically as usual and received a good wash. I'm a bit skint at present but would like it back on the road by the end of June in time for my birthday. To be honest it doesn't need much more spent on it as I have the new parts it needs bar two tyres and an MOT but I'm pretty time poor as well just now.

Looks like the LHM is a bit low, but it's had a very slow leak since it arrived so I'm not too worried.

 

As for the micra, it continues to be boringly reliable and unfazed by whatever the Mrs throws at it.

 

I'm left with a dilemma with the 307. I'm thinking I'll break it but seems a shame. However swapping a new lump into it doesn't make financial sense. I'd just like to get back what the turbo cost or close to it.

 

Sent from my SM-A510F using Tapatalk

[egg]

Favorit out and about again. I've managed to turn this...

 

 

into this, with an expert* repair

 

 

I wanted to remove the leaking aerial, because it leaks directly on to the light below (base broken), and it has been sealed one too many times.

 

 

I dropped the light down and found two random loose wires (but light and clock are wired in correctly!) because Skoda?

 

 

I couldn't get any purchase on the 10mm aerial nut inside, which means I'll have to remove the whole sun visor luxury* spec bit, which will be a job for another day!

 

 

So I got my job satisfaction from changing the brake pedal cover, lol.

 

[SiC]

 

I'm left with a dilemma with the 307. I'm thinking I'll break it but seems a shame. However swapping a new lump into it doesn't make financial sense. I'd just like to get back what the turbo cost or close to it.

 

They're worth sweet feck all. What about taking the turbo off, flogging that and frag the rest? Or continue driving it until it runs no more?

[They_all_do_that_sir]

They're worth sweet feck all. What about taking the turbo off, flogging that and frag the rest? Or continue driving it until it runs no more?

I think seizure is imminent. The alloys and tyres are good so there's £100, the turbo is brand new and literally only on the car so hopefully I'd get £150 for that. Battery / cat and scrap the rest I guess

 

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[Supernaut]

I just discovered that 320touring now owns every car I've driven around Knockhill.

 

All 2 of them. Still.

[egg]

Ok, one more job, swapped the Felly tailgate lifts that either theshadow or Walter White added for new Chinese ones. Reduction in decapitation chance by around 35%