The new news 24 thread

[dollywobbler]

Oh come on Luxo. Fitting a stereo to a car is one of the first things I learnt about cars! The only problem is trying to do the wiring in a way which allows you to go back to older wiring at a later date. Household connectors will do for wiring. You don't need an electrical degree. The only slightly dangerous bit is when you're dealing with the 12v live.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Are there any relevant LINKZORS?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I bet you can get a connector for it. Stick a photo up!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

OK- shall be doing that tomorrow.

[coalnotdole]

was it this one from braintree?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/OXFORD-300-AM ... true&rt=nc

 

Yep thats the one, the photos really dont give much of an idea of the scale. The supposed fault was a simple case of the copper terminals not being swapped over from 3 phase. When we got home it had a decent clean, a new reel of 0.8 wire, an earth lead and a bottle of gas and it seems to be fine now. Not totally sure if the spot function is working but its not a feature I'm likely to need.

 

I'll keep an eye open for a slightly smaller unit in the future as its taking up quite a bit of floor space at the moment and I only have a small garage!

[hairymel]

thought it would be something simple

 

if you get tired of pushing it around, and want a better class of buyer,pop over to migwelding.co.uk and bung it on their for sale board and you should be able to shift it on for a profit

 

will last forever and probably weld miles better than anything new and small though

 

happy welding

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

This is the moment you've all* been waiting for.

 

HOT GRANNY PHOTOSHOOT follows:

 

Headunit cabling- these came out of the radio and most likely were going to the amp (though the route is not obvious)

 

Amp connection #1 - this was especially shy and didn't want to get photographed, so I had to hold it in place.

 

Amp connection #2 - good luck finding an adapter for that!

 

Amp plug.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

WTF is going on with the images? Links seem to work alright (just right click 'open in new tab' or summat), the forum detects that they're pics, but they are not shown.

 

Is there anything blocking .ru links? That site is MEGA- no need to faff about with passwords and so on.

[Spiny Norman]

WTF is going on with the images? Links seem to work alright (just right click 'open in new tab' or summat), the forum detects that they're pics, but they are not shown.

 

Is there anything blocking .ru links? That site is MEGA- no need to faff about with passwords and so on.

 

I'm always a bit dubious with any site hosted on a '.ru' domain, I far prefer http://imgur.com/ as a photo host.

[Richard]

That looks pretty standard for the era. I reckon Autoleads would come up with something if you sent them the pictures. You only need to use the first cable for the power and the second Amp one for the speakers.

[M'coli]

This is the moment you've all* been waiting for.

 

HOT GRANNY PHOTOSHOOT follows:

 

Headunit cabling- these came out of the radio and most likely were going to the amp (though the route is not obvious)

 

Amp connection #1 - this was especially shy and didn't want to get photographed, so I had to hold it in place.

 

Amp connection #2 - good luck finding an adapter for that!

 

Amp plug.

FTFY

[skattrd]

I've just bought some lancia bits from the cars previous owner, nice chap.

I now have 6 spare beta wheels (some with decent tyres) electronic dizzy, ecu and front & rear seats.

Now I just need to find some time to fit the new interior and other bits I have for it; then continue the de-stickering.

I'm working 12hrs a day at the moment, which is good for the dosh, but it cuts in to the shite fixing time/energy.

[meggersdog]

I have one of those Fiat Doblo window licker/sunshine tours mpv thingies at the moment.The MOT has run out so I checked it over before booking in for the test.Needed a tyre and a NSF lower balljoint.Phoned my local factors (pro-parts) who said they could get one next day.Booked the car in for a test the next afternoon.So the next day (yesterday) I first went to a used tyre place then called in to Pro-Parts on the way home.The part had arrived and was on the counter but is now nowhere to be found.They thought maybe the delivery driver had picked it up by mistake and he won't be back for an hour and a half.I went home and replaced the tyre and removed the old balljoint.Had to grind off the massive rivets holding it in place but it was fairly straight-forward.The balljoint had been taken by mistake by another customer and at 11.15am I had it in my hand,the MOT wasn't until 2pm so plenty of time.I go to fit it and it's wrong,oh fiddlesticks.That is the only one listed but they can supply a complete arm....A frantic phonecall to the usually excellent Millfield auto parts and yes there are two types listed.I rushed over with the old one to compare.The only one they have is the same as the new one not the one fitted to my window licker van.Apparantly my balljoint is a Quinton Hazell one and they've just gone bust.Millfield's can't supply one.Time is getting on so I had to get home drill out the massive rivets,find some nice shiney bolts and refit my old knackered balljoint.Obviously the car failed it's MOT so when I got home I phoned Exhausts Unlimited.Yes they kept the later type in stock but not the one I need.It was ordered for this morning.When I get there it turned out to be the same as everyone else's but they could order me a complete arm.

This is what I need.

Hereward car and truck didn't have one but could supply an arm.However,they did give me the QH part number.

I'm having to drive to these parts suppliers so I can look at their screens.

Next was Euro carparts and the result was the same as all the others.

I dived into Unipart automotive next.These guys used to supply Q and H parts but like everyone else they could supply an arm.FFS

The main stealers are just up the road from Unipart so I head that way and get ready to have my pants pulled down.Hang on,just over the next roundabout is GSF let's try them first."yes mate" says the cheery assistant "this the one ?" showing me the picture above."there's 35 with my supplier,I can get you one for 8.30 in the morning" What a game,let's see if the right one turns up tomorrow.

[Cheggers]

It's a shame to hear Quinton Hazell have gone, my Mum used to work for them when I was a kid.

[Cheggers]

Replaced the jammed seatbelt in the Saab this afternoon, but foolishly did it with the engine running for a bit of warmth. As soon as I unplugged the pretensioner...bing...on comes the SRS light, which apparently can only be reset using the GM Tech 2 diagnostic thingy

 

I are a twat, it's official.

[oman5]

Volvo 240 torslanda .

passed MOT first go. yay!!

[M'coli]

Cavalier broke down today - in Bridgwater, 240 miles or so from home. No sparks from the coil. RAC man turned up, got out the multimeter, diagnosed a failed amplifier module and produced a new one from the back of the van. With this bolted in place, the Cavalier fired straight up, no problems! He was really happy to work on the Cav too, "You can break down in this anytime you're here, I'll happily work on this!" was his view.

[Shep Shepherd]

Decided once and for all this evening to spend some money improving TV2, as opposed to junking it and buying another car to replace it. At present it's serviceable, but it needs a cambelt, serpentine belt, water pump, PCV system, a few bits of trim, a good second-hand tailgate spoiler in the right colour, and possibly a replacement aircon compressor, to name but a few things to make it A1, but I think it's better the Volvo I know than the Volvo, Saab, etc. that I don't

[garycox]

SIMCA NEWS

 

[Cavcraft]

That doesn't look too bad, Gary. WTF is that 'adversely effected' thing about the lights all about though?

[nigel bickle]

Bad earth I suspect.

 

Thats virtually a fly through Gary -nowt serious there. A little tickle with the welder, couple of tyres & the rest is silly stuff.

 

Get on it tosh. Expect it at the Maypole, next month.

[splatthefat]

Well, firstly appleogies for not being around for a while, long story short my BP meds were atrophying my lungs.

 

Anyway, didn't get the V70 I was looking at, took it for a pre-MOT and it needed rear discs and pads, the calipers stripping and cleaning (at least), and the reason for this, the brake bias valve had failed meaning it had no back brakes, on top of a couple of bushes and the fan not working I decided to keep the Mundano, at least until its MOT runs out in April.

 

Ho hum.

[cort16]

Well can't say Mazda don't stick by an idea no matter how unpopular it is.

 

http://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/motoring/mazda-continuing-rotary-engine-development

[cort16]

I just saw this on twitter. Holy f!ck

 

[M'coli]

At least it's not silver or barbie pink!

[cobblers]

I took the T25 back down to the garage for the tracking redoing after noticing the front tyres they fitted when they tracked it were absolutely worn to bollocks on the inside edges after about 1500 miles. I got them to check the tracking first of all without mentioning that it was them that did it last time, and they mentioned that it was fucking miles out (4.5mm out instead of 3mm in) so after they had put their foot in it, they sorted the tracking for nowt and swapped the tyres side to side so I can get the best of the life out of them. I wasn't gonna push it and try and chip them for some new tyres since they were £15 a piece 215/40/18 part worn "firenzas" to start with.

 

It's now like driving a different van, but not in a good way - it self centers far more harshly than before and just driving around the place needs a lot more effort to keep it on target. maybe I'll get used to it or the tyres will bed in since they are worn all wonky.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I reckon 50% of these lads who work in tyre fitting shops have abolutley NFI what setting the tracking is all about, its one of these things where if they fuck it up you're not gonna know for a good few weeks at best at which point they probably wont work there anymore anyway so who gives a shit?

[cobblers]

Aye, the mind boggles - They've got a set of tracking gauges that are connected to a computer over flipping bluetooths, and it shows the alignment adjustments on a 40" plasma telly on the workshop wall rather than them having to read a red dot on a greasy scale hung off the back wheel. It even beeps at them when it's right so they don't even have to poke their head out from underneath the vehicle while they're mangling your track rods with a pair of stilsons. It's got all the alignment settings for any vehicle back to about 1950 built into it all accessible by just putting the vehicle reg number in, yet they completely ignore all this thousands of pounds of tackle and set everything that comes through the doors to dead ahead (and make a fuckup of that half the time)

[RobT]

Had one of those 'all old cars are shit' moments earlier today. I'd begrudgingly agreed to go shopping, so took the E30 out of the garage but the driver's door just wouldn't shut. Everytime I slammed it the door just bounced back at me, and the key wouldn't turn in the lock. Right, time for plan B, we get into the Sierra and battery was more or less dead. Cue the rant from the missus 'why don't you get a decent car' etc Stuff breaks, it's the way of things....

 

Anyway, I took the battery off the Sezza to charge so that's an easy enough fix. I'm hoping the fact that it's f-ing cold and I've done a few short runs recently is the cause, will check it out though. On to the BM a quick fiddle with the door lock and locking/unlocking loads of times and some 2 in 1 oil seems to have fixed it, I love it when they are easy Still no joy with selling it though. Had plenty of interest from the C&C ad but no actual viewings, so will leave it for now and have another go selling in the spring.

[wuvvum]

Must be the day for flat batteries - the Stagea was almost completely dead when I went out to it earlier on. I jumped it off the LDV and took it for a run round the block to put a bit of charge in it, and when I got back the fugging thing wouldn't switch off. Turning the ignition key off locked the gear lever in park but had no other discernible effect. I turned the key back and forth several times to no avail - I eventually had to pop the bonnet and pull the ignition fuse, which had the desired effect. I put the fuse back and started the car again, and it turned off on the key no problem. I tried it a few more times to make sure and it seems fine, so hopefully it was a one-off gremlin caused by a sticky relay somewhere.

 

I had a bit of a play with the LDV and have eliminated the servo as a possible cause of the brake woes - I disconnected the vacuum pipe and went for a drive, and the brakes stuck on fast after about a mile. As always, cracking a bleed nipple on a caliper brought them back to normal (albeit fugging heavy due to the lack of a servo). They bound on again shortly before I got home.

 

It must be something to do with the master cylinder, but I'm at a bit of a loss as to what. Someone suggested before that it could be that the cylinder wasn't spaced properly when it was fitted, which would lead to the brakes being always slightly on and then pulling themselves on harder as the brake fluid heated up and expanded. However I jacked the front of the van up when the brakes were in "off" mode and I was able to spin both front wheels by hand easily enough - there was some resistance there, but no more than I've seen on a lot of cars while changing wheels and such, and I've never had this problem before. It really is most odd.

 

I'm now trying to decide whether to fork out 30 quid or so for a master cylinder rebuild kit and some brake fluid and see if that sorts it, or whether to just cut my losses and sell the bastard thing as it is.