The new news 24 thread

[MorrisItalSLX]

It is the standard radio fitting position and I am hoping the plate will just lift out.

 

The car is away in storage so I can't check at the moment.

 

My research says that it should just lift out, allowing for traditional DIN fitment.

 

[Six-cylinder]

My research says that it should just lift out, allowing for traditional DIN fitment.

 

 

The car has a aerial so I am thinking I may have had a radio at some time in its life or did they come with an aerial ready to fit a radio?

[xtriple]

I've been out in the howling gale to feed and colour the leather, one of the disadvantages of having the mutts in the car: they scratch the leather on the bolster when they get in and out.... well I say, 'they' when I actually mean: 'him'! I have to lift Phoebe in and out of the car as she can't do it anymore. So, it's all done and looks good again, nice leather in these old dollops

 

In other dollop news, I have been having electrical problems with it ever since it came back from its last service: if the battery gets low then I get loads of messages on the dash (mineral oil low, gearbox fault, airbags etc) and also the rev counter goes nuts. It has been worse in bad weather and I wasn't sure why. Then it clicked, bad weather, the lights and wipers turn on (auto dontch know    ) and the air con goes into overdrive to keep everything mist free, which with two wet dogs in the back takes some doing.

 

However, I was a bit worried about it as the electrical system on it 'should' be able to cope with all these things on while in traffic without the battery going down, so, is the alternator failing?

 

The other day, got to the shop and opened the door before I turned the engine off and heard the hideous squeeling of a loose fan belt. At the last service it had all new belts (at vast fucking expense!) and since then it has done 300 miles, with this problem apparent. I really am thick 'cos I didn't put two and two together, I was spoiled by how good Craig was but this new guy (taken on because they are so busy now) is a wanker!

 

Just checked the belts and the alternator belt is looser than a three inch nut on a toothpick, so is the aircon, power steering and... well I can't reach the other two but you would have to say, they probably are as well. With a handy 17mm and 11mm socket, the work of a moment (literally as a 'moment is defined as; 'a period of time not exceeding 90 seconds') to do the belts I could reach. All is now quiet on the drive belt front. I shall see what it does for battery charging. The problem is that the damn car is sooooooo quiet inside and so well insulated, you can't hear things like that until you get out with the engine running.... that really is a 'first world problem'  

 

It may also have something to do with the fact I have 'Pink Floyd' blasting out at a volume quite unbecoming to a gracious old lady such as she is! 

 

Not impressed with the last service: the guy was keen to do the oill leak on the turbo, change all the belts etc but not so keen on putting the radiator cap back on (just rested on top of the expansion tank) which caused it to lose water and flash warnings up and give me heart failure, set all the tyre pressures wrong (set for an early non 'R' car) left all the belts loose, and underfilled the oil. Okay, so I can fix all these things myself but, being a 'tad' paranoid I wonder if he was doing this sort of thing to get work in? Is it because he used to work in a mainstream main dealers? Craig was awesome and with all the work he did on the car when I first got it, never a moments problem (apart from the new steering rack that blew a seal - not his fault) this guy does one job on it and it's not good.

 

Maybe I should move this to 'grumpy old man' thread?

[Guest Hooli]

I hope you told them, dropping standards like that will annoy other customers as much as you.

[xtriple]

No not yet. When I get my arse into gear I want them to sell the bloody thing for me (if I do decide to get rid) so I don't want to alienate them at all. If they annoy me though, I will. The fact they are sooooo busy is partly down to me as well. Not wishing to 'big myself up' but I did a big (6 or 8 pages) thing about my car in the Spirit and praised them to high heavens, a lot of comments and feedback from people round here with other dollops that didn't know they existed and were taking their cars to the guy in Bournemouth!

 

No gratitude these bastards

[MorrisItalSLX]

The car has a aerial so I am thinking I may have had a radio at some time in its life or did they come with an aerial ready to fit a radio?

 

I did some more research* and I have definitively* determined that that is the factory aerial placement but not all cars had them fitted.

[Guest Hooli]

No not yet. When I get my arse into gear I want them to sell the bloody thing for me (if I do decide to get rid) so I don't want to alienate them at all. If they annoy me though, I will. The fact they are sooooo busy is partly down to me as well. Not wishing to 'big myself up' but I did a big (6 or 8 pages) thing about my car in the Spirit and praised them to high heavens, a lot of comments and feedback from people round here with other dollops that didn't know they existed and were taking their cars to the guy in Bournemouth!

 

No gratitude these bastards

 

I can't see how a friendly mention would upset them, just don't go ranting.

[xtriple]

I can't see how a friendly mention would upset them, just don't go ranting.

Me rant? Nah, never, the most laid back sort of geezer ever!

 

 

 

Except when I lose my temper when I tend to explode in every direction and no one and nothing is safe. Even the dogs hide.... doesn't happen very often these days (about once a year I reckon) but I used to be a right fiery bastard, I have burnt more bridges than Venicions (sp?) have managed to build!

[RobT]

I went to the BMM at Gaydon on Saturday.  I've been meaning to go since the new building was opened, and I reckon it's well worth the 14 quid entry fee.  I've seen much of it before (such as the SD1 estate etc) but the best bit for me was the collection, on the first floor of the new block.  

 

Weapons grade shite such as the Ogle Princess and the AR6 Project 90 Metro replacement are now on full view, rather than under wraps in a draughty damp outbuilding, or wherever it is they used to keep stuff.  The Princess may well have been in the main museum before but I can't remember.

 

 

 

They also have tool shite on display.

 

 

A workshop area is also on view, nowt happening on Saturday although this was in a bay.

 

 

I didn't take many photos in the main museum, but this massive Allard was striking.  If they ever do a Lampoons prequel this should be the Griswold wagon!

 

 

Oh and there's some nice old Jags too.

 

 

 

Random pic for Lolz.

 

 

So yeah, worth a visit even if you've been there before.

[Sloth in a bowl]

Following SiC pointing this modern radio with a vintage look I have ordered one and plan to fit to the Gamma.

 

This is photoshop fitting what do you think?

 

Is there anything better remembering this was only £14 and I am not looking to spend more.

I like. I'm considering getting one for the Wizzkid and another for the Z. Not that you can hear anything while driving the Z.

[Ghosty]

The Pioneer DEH-P77MP is a lovely designed piece of kit:

 

 

alas they're a mid-2000s unit, scarce and go for good money.

 

 

My personal choice is the Sony CDX-GT24:

 

 

more subtle than this picture suggests (you can set the display to just a clock), easy to get hold of, and only worth about £20. Sounds absolutely wonderful too.

[cros]

I had a job for the Morris on Saturday which meant sampling our Capital's roads, and they have deteriorated noticeably in the last few months; potholes you could lose a Reliant in now.

Coming back late on Saturday night the car kept up a noisey 60, but turning into my road there was a bit extra noise and a bit less power.

I've just had a look and the 2 rear cylinders are down on compression. The £7 arsehole-inspection camera revealed nothing too horrible so my diagnosis is that the head gasket blew out between the cylinders.

When I rebuilt the engine I used an old style copper one, so I'll have to replace it and remember to tighten the head down or splash out on a composite gasket.

I'm thinking of selling this car when its fixed. The reason is novel, a couple of owls have moved into a box above where it lives, and they keep shitting over it.

[Six-cylinder]

The Pioneer DEH-P77MP is a lovely designed piece of kit:

 

 

alas they're a mid-2000s unit, scarce and go for good money.

 

 

My personal choice is the Sony CDX-GT24:

 

 

more subtle than this picture suggests (you can set the display to just a clock), easy to get hold of, and only worth about £20. Sounds absolutely wonderful too.

 

Similar to what is in our 1990 MB 200TE

[Ghosty]

Very similar! They're really good units, Kenwoods are good too.

[Talbot]

Just to confirm, there's a trace of fluid on the dipstick (at all of the marked levels, and it looks clear-coloured rather than the Dexron's red) when the gearbox is stone cold. But when the engine and gearbox are warm, the dipstick appears "dry". That suggests to me that it's all going somewhere, but exactly where it's going is a mystery. The fluid tell-tale trace should be staying on the dipstick. And there's still no trace of a pool on the ground. I'm inclined to pour in even more Dexron III, but that means I'll probably overfill the gearbox, which is not good either.

 

 

...

 

 

I ran the thing for about a minute, as recommended, and saw that the fluid was already disappearing. Still think it shouldn't run dry when warmed up. I'll give it another go tomorrow to make sure I'm not going mad.

Reason I'm going a bit paranoid about fluid levels is because I notice that the gearbox slips (and the engine revs go up) at about 2000rpm, rather like a Variomatic that's got loose bands.

Your fluid level is low. Very low. The high revving is because the torque converter is not full, and hence it "slips" badly.

 

Get some fluid in it. It should be roughly at the mark when hot, after a drive. Go through ALL the selection points (even 2 and 1) three times to completely fill the valve chest with fluid, then select park and check the level with the engine running. If it's low, fill.

 

With the engine off for some time, you can expect the level to be significantly above the full marker.. like 30-50mm maybe.

[nacho man]

I need a set of tyres for the Scimitar, there a 185 R14 and the current ones are all about 15/20 years old and are as hard has nails, have zero grip and the rears have no tread left.

 

Anybody got any ideas I want these but there just tooooo much money really.

 

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/dunlop/sport-classic/185-80-r14-91h-827992

 

So might have to go for these?? 

 

What's the thoughts??

 

 

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/nankang/cx-668/185-80-r14-91t-40102
 

[RobT]

Nankang should be alright I'd have thought.  Some of the other stuff from the list have quality* names...Achilles and Joyroad for example, bound to be shit!

[AlabamaShrimp]

Proper poo. Noticed the rust on the inside of the passenger door on the Fiesta is a lot worse than it was before winter.

 

All the seal stuff has come off now and the metal is just falling apart. Luckily though the door skin is OK. No way I can weld it so it'll just have to be bodged

[They_all_do_that_sir]

The Pioneer DEH-P77MP is a lovely designed piece of kit:

 

 

alas they're a mid-2000s unit, scarce and go for good money.

 

 

My personal choice is the Sony CDX-GT24:

 

 

more subtle than this picture suggests (you can set the display to just a clock), easy to get hold of, and only worth about £20. Sounds absolutely wonderful too.

I really really like that pioneer. I like subtle stereos, in my youth I was guilty of fitting all sorts of (literally) dazzling look at me stereos to whatever pile of tosh I was driving but I've seen the light now and much prefer something that looks a tad classier, and factory if possible.

 

The standard "audio 10" in the w203 sounds tremendously well. I'm not sure if that's down to the unit itself, the speakers or both. I'd hate to replace it with something that ruins the sound quality but I'd like to be able to stream music noise from my phone via the blue teeth....

 

I'd also like handsfree so that I don't have to keep pulling over to answer calls (ahem) but I've an old parrot kit here I might fit if I could be holed

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Your fluid level is low. Very low. The high revving is because the torque converter is not full, and hence it "slips" badly.Get some fluid in it. It should be roughly at the mark when hot, after a drive. Go through ALL the selection points (even 2 and 1) three times to completely fill the valve chest with fluid, then select park and check the level with the engine running. If it's low, fill.With the engine off for some time, you can expect the level to be significantly above the full marker.. like 30-50mm maybe.

I got home early from work to do the 1-minute dipstick test again, as suggested. It is low. Feckin' low. Is only just hitting the "min cold" notch on the dipstick. Looks like there's going to be a massive investment in more Dexron III this week.

[clayts450]

Second attempt this evening at re-attaching the rear view mirror to the PTSD, which threw a hissy fit and fell off when I attached a rear view mirror dash cam module to it. 

 

Attempt #1 at the weekend epic fail. Bought the appropriate Loctite kit, drew a nice little outline on the outside of the screen of the original location, cleaned off as much as poss, and set to work putting the kit into action. Smear fishy smelling substance over mirror mount and smooth it out - check; cut out 'activation mesh' so it was the same shape as mount - check; prodded and poked so the glue came through the mesh - check; line up mirror to outline and hold it for a minute - check. Dropped straight off. Now I had a sticky mess on my windscreen and no rear view mirror.

 

Streetshite-d it to Halfrauds to buy a comedy temporary rear view mirror and another Loctite kit - the temp mirror was because I needed to give the PTSD a run in the countryside due to lack of use.

 

Bought some isopropanol yesterday - delivered this morning (eBay as well - not bad). Cleaned off the mount and the windscreen. Difference this time - er, actually unscrewing the mirror from the mount. What A Twat I Am.

 

Anyway, 2 minutes in and the mirror-less mount is still holding steady. Not gonna reattach the business end until tomoz

 

[Parky]

I need a set of tyres for the Scimitar, there a 185 R14 and the current ones are all about 15/20 years old and are as hard has nails, have zero grip and the rears have no tread left.

 

Anybody got any ideas I want these but there just tooooo much money really.

 

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/dunlop/sport-classic/185-80-r14-91h-827992

 

So might have to go for these?? 

 

What's the thoughts??

 

 

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/nankang/cx-668/185-80-r14-91t-40102

 

Princess Anne opened Hankooks new warehouse:

 

http://www.etyres.co.uk/news/13511-13511.html

 

You know what you have to buy......

[They_all_do_that_sir]

Princess Anne opened Hankooks new warehouse:

 

http://www.etyres.co.uk/news/13511-13511.html

 

You know what you have to buy......

Ahahaha this is brilliant. Fit Hankooks by Royal decree

 

Sent from my F3211 using Tapatalk

[stuboy]

Got home early from work decided I would remove the rear exhaust backbox from the focus and replace with the sportex one I had previously fitted before the MOT but it seems the centre section would not meet up with the rear box as they were the same diameter tube not perturbed I decided to rummage in the shed finds a piece of pipe roughly the same size chop off the smaller bore and badly welded on a larger sleeve and in the process decided to skin a few of my knuckles with the grinder guards are for wimps

[Parky]

And THATS why we have H&S regs!

 

Hope that doesn't hurt too much!

[Ghosty]

'guards are for wimps'? 

 

You got lucky.

[Mally]

Grinder guards also stop a million shards of disc sticking in your face if it shatters.

[Roverageous]

I've always had a 75 since 2011 - infact I'm on my 5th. Most of them have been daily drivers too - but every time I drive this thing... It's in another league. Despite its 108,000 miles it's the tightest & nicest to drive out of all my previous.

 

Absolutely love it.

 

Sent from my SM-G960F using Tapatalk

[Guest Hooli]

IMG_20180414_092525.jpg

I had a job for the Morris on Saturday which meant sampling our Capital's roads, and they have deteriorated noticeably in the last few months; potholes you could lose a Reliant in now.

Coming back late on Saturday night the car kept up a noisey 60, but turning into my road there was a bit extra noise and a bit less power.

I've just had a look and the 2 rear cylinders are down on compression. The £7 arsehole-inspection camera revealed nothing too horrible so my diagnosis is that the head gasket blew out between the cylinders.

When I rebuilt the engine I used an old style copper one, so I'll have to replace it and remember to tighten the head down or splash out on a composite gasket.

I'm thinking of selling this car when its fixed. The reason is novel, a couple of owls have moved into a box above where it lives, and they keep shitting over it.

 

Did you anneal it before use and retorque it after 500 or so miles?

 

I'd lift the head, check for any reason it blew, anneal the gasket & put it all back again.

[cros]

Did you anneal it before use and retorque it after 500 or so miles?

 

I'd lift the head, check for any reason it blew, anneal the gasket & put it all back again.

It would be good if I could remember, definitely didn't anneal it before use , it was new though!

In the olden days I would have tightened it down after less than 500 miles, its the double layer copper sort.

The head was skimmed so I don't think there's anything untoward there, waterworks are fine too.

I've rebuilt and run 2 A series in recent years (1275 in a Minor and 1100 in an A35) Both got quality composite gaskets, neither received any further attention and covered lots of miles happily.

An 1100 engine has to work quite a bit harder in this car, its about a ton and not exactly aerodynamic. I had a 5 speed box in the Minor and a 3.9 diff in the A35. The 10 has a 5.3:1 axle, so not a recipe for relaxed cruising, it does have 16" wheels though.