The new news 24 thread

[John F]

On a slightly different note, the Volvo is running like a pig under load IE: missfiring and hesitant. Just stuck a new dizzy and rotor on it to no avail. Anybody have any ideas before I start chucking good money after bad at it.

 

Does it feel like an ignition-related problem? If so, maybe damp getting into HT leads / DIS pack.

 

If it feels like fuel starvation, maybe blocked fuel filter. Possibly worth changing the air filter too, if it's old.

[mk1_4dr]

On a slightly different note, the Volvo is running like a pig under load IE: missfiring and hesitant. Just stuck a new dizzy and rotor on it to no avail. Anybody have any ideas before I start chucking good money after bad at it.

 

Does it feel like an ignition-related problem? If so, maybe damp getting into HT leads / DIS pack.

 

If it feels like fuel starvation, maybe blocked fuel filter. Possibly worth changing the air filter too, if it's old.

 

Air filter looks recent but fuel filter is a good call, I'll give that a whirl for the sake of a few quid.

 

I does feel ignition related, but having just spent an hour underbonnet doing the cap/rotor arm, I didn't notice any issues with the leads.

 

I will get everything priced up and take it from there...

[John F]

On a slightly different note, the Volvo is running like a pig under load IE: missfiring and hesitant. Just stuck a new dizzy and rotor on it to no avail. Anybody have any ideas before I start chucking good money after bad at it.

 

Does it feel like an ignition-related problem? If so, maybe damp getting into HT leads / DIS pack.

 

If it feels like fuel starvation, maybe blocked fuel filter. Possibly worth changing the air filter too, if it's old.

 

Air filter looks recent but fuel filter is a good call, I'll give that a whirl for the sake of a few quid.

 

I does feel ignition related, but having just spent an hour underbonnet doing the cap/rotor arm, I didn't notice any issues with the leads.

 

I will get everything priced up and take it from there...

 

Just noticed you've replaced dizzy cap & rotor so no DIS pack... I R IDIOT. But how about a dodgy coil? Assume it has Hall switch ingition rather than points & condenser so that should be OK.

[mk1_4dr]

Yeah, theres no points and condenser, its a '96 940 2.3t. I'm leaning towards leads or possibly coil, but I think a fuel filter is a sound investment too (though, its mounted underneath so it may have to wait for better weather)

[Lord Sterling]

Fuggin brill. Just as was pulling into work today, the wipers on the Rover decided to suddenly stop play in the middle of my screen, luckily I just made it into the works carpark and even luckier I managed to get a proper space. A small quick check revealed that the culprit was the linkage as the motor worked fine.

 

I had no tools or access to tools, nor did I have the time as I'd just got into work, so the RAC was promptly called out, they found that the linkage joints to the arms were worn, obviously being 20-odd years old and exposed to all sorts of weather had an effect on them, the RAC man tried a few things before settling on a couple of cable ties that would at least see me home. If it wasn't for the weather, I wouldn't have minded, there isn't exactly much in the way of OMG SNO KAOS, but enough to see the use of wipers. Hopefully I have secured a new linkage so this weekend will see me pick up more new parts including the alloys.

 

Bloody old cars...grumble...grumble....

[vulgalour]

I'm having second thoughts about viewing this Reliant tomorrow, but I've priced up a rigid tow bar and organised a helper 'just in case' anyway. It had better turn out to be a shed so I don't end up doing something stupid. Admiral's multicar policy doesn't help either, because they make it remarkably affordable to keep all my cars. This could get messy.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I'm not sure you can tow those things with a rigid tow bar as theres nothing forward of the front wheel, that you can attach it to.

[vulgalour]

I'll find out tomorrow, I have no doubt.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I suspect the only way of shifting a dead Reliant will be a proper trailer, or a thing like a motorbike trailer that will 'dolly' the front wheel off the ground.

[Lankytim]

Could you A frame two at once, side by side?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Maybe, if you fastened the two together with some big bolts and washers through the two closest doors.

[cobblers]

You could use the holes left in the doors as a head start on fitting the banger racing H frame jobbie

[Parky]

Anyone heard of Toyofuji filters?

 

Parky snr has a Citroen Nemo and I said I would do the oil change if he got the stuff. Anyway, local factor that used to stock mainly Fram and Wix stuff now stocks these things. I thought they might be Japanese but despite the lack of manufacture country, the font suggests they are Chinese. Any insights welcome!

[vulgalour]

According to the interbutts, Toyofuji is a leading Ro-Ro shipping company, I have no experience of their products, nor had I heard about them until now.

 

Re: Reliant transport, this is how you do it; pace car and micro-truck.

 

Not looking good for towing points though.

 

Maybe I'll just 'drive it to an MoT' instead? It's only 65 miles away

[trigger]

Got my first MOT fail this morning. , Took my Mondeo in and it's failed on the exhaust and a front tire, I noticed yesterday the exhaust had got noisy so it was no surprise to see it had snapped, more of a surprised was the split inner tire wall on my front tire, it's only done 8000 miles and was less then a year old, apparently these new low profile tires are shite and only last 10-15k on average, mine are 225/40/18 and on a hard suspension which makes them even worse, makes me wonder how long the tires on these twats with slammed cars last for.

 

So I've just spent £50+ vat for a new budget tire and another £20 to bodge the exhaust together for another pass then, as well as the £40 for the test, no wonder I'm skint this month.

[dollywobbler]

Went for a drive after finally getting enough snow to test the winter tyres. Very impressed. It snowed late last night, then froze so it was difficult to stand on!

[vulgalour]

I return from Walsall. I do not return with a Reliant, and with good reason! For £230, or £300 delivered, I could have been the proud* owner of this tastefully* modified British fibreglass classic. Even I found myself very quickly walking away from it.

 

I knew it was likely going to be an appalling little car, but I'm used to that, I quite like appalling cars. What I wasn't aware of from the advert or the vendor was just how much was amiss and missing.

 

What you can't see in the above shot is that the door cards are completely missing, the open door is only attached on the top hinge, is cracked, and has chunks missing from the inside. It also has none of the mechanisms for door release or window fitted and only opens with a jiggle. Below you get to see the quality* way in which the wheel nuts have been reattached, and the hilarious* signwriting on the painted side windows. Classy.

 

There's also some damage, like this whopper of a crack on the rear wing. There's another bit similar on the front wing, same side.

 

Not to mention the amount of missing parts.

 

So, if you want a Reliant Rialto that needs a lot of body repair, a door repair, a dashboard, both rear light lenses, a windscreen seal, both door window mechanisms, carpets, new seats, passenger door glass, steering wheel, air filter and box, petrol tank, heater pipes, some wheel nuts, a new set of rear panels/glass (originals painted, passenger side cracked), new locks (all mostly seized), bonnet and gutters, then take yourself over here: http://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C352928

 

The chassis may be good and the engine may be good, but we didn't go that far especially since there wasn't even a battery fitted and because there wasn't any point. All signs point this to being an ex-racer, and it is therefore probably completely fubarred.

[Lankytim]

Got the blasted, etched and epoxied Austin 1300 rear subframe back today. It looks brill! Shame it's going under the car where nobody can see it.

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Thats flippin brilliant LT. Stick it on eBay with a reserve of £10,000 and see what it makes, I bet its quite valuable.

[RedSparrow]

Hey Volksangyl, don't give up, there are plenty of Trotterised Reliants that need saving. I think you have a noble idea wanting to return one to standard.

[Lankytim]

£10k would be nice, however my 1300 is worth more to me than a mere £10,000.

 

I also freed up the old hubs by battering them to death with a copper mallet.

 

 

I was going to use a pair of donor trailing arms, but the bearings seem to be knackered so i'm going to stick these ones back in, it will save on re-shimming and faffing about with preloads e.t.c.

 

It's all slowly coming together!

[vulgalour]

@RS: I haven't given up, I've already got 3 more lined up, one of which is another Rialto-based Trotter van but with an MoT and only in Sheffieldland.

[cort16]

I'm going to see my first potential Korean shite tonight. I've a feeling it's going to be horrible.

[cort16]

Well that was short lived they just emailed me to say they'd sold it!

[R9UKE]

What was it Cort? Tell me it was an XG30

 

Flying over to Birmingham next Tuesday and hopefully picking something up while I'm there to drive home in. Top contenders so far are a tasty little Peugeot 206 Roland Garros and a Laguna V6 Executive - but it's in Bristol

 

What are the odds of a mint L reg Mondeo Ghia coming up while I'm there?

[cort16]

Nearly! It was a v6 Hyundai Coupe. Cheap because of a crap advert and no MOT but I held off going over last night and missed out. Bah! It was a manual too!

 

I recon there must be a cheap XG30 just waiting for you in Birmingham.

[Mr Lobster]

Driving around in the SEAT with a dashboard glowing with warning lights. Intermittant (mostly on) engine management light and now joined by screenwash warning light as a pipe has split and allows it all to drain out. Might have to find a couple of hours tomorrow to fix / bodge something.

[skattrd]

Just fitted a new battery to the boring as the old one went flat after 2 days. ABS light is now staying on though, and I split my trousers whilst picking up a spanner I dropped cos I'm a post Xmas fat bastard ... bumhats.

[skattrd]

Lancia news, heater and alternator now fixed

The heater just needed plumbing back in and topping up with anti-freeze. The previous owner disconnected the heater matrix in France last year to try and help engine cooling

Alternator fixed by attaching it properly. There was no bolt through the bottom of it and the top bolt was missing a bush, so it is now packed with washers.

A few more stickers were removed as well.

 

Oh, and I had another play with the Scirocco windows, it appears one of the recently replaced switches is faulty.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

My Xsara failed the test on assorted issues relating to the lights being set up for LHD use, plus a broken coil spring. All the brakes etc were spot on, amazing seeing as it hasn't been used for 2 or 3 years. I'd be on fixing it now if I hadn't copped another sodding flu bug thing.