The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

I’m amazed it hasn’t sprung up the dreaded “ anti pollution fault”.

[wuvvum]

I’m amazed it hasn’t sprung up the dreaded “ anti pollution fault”.

It used to, but it hasn't in a while.

[Spottedlaurel]

Made the most of the decent weather today. Popped into town in the '88 Sunny and picked up some paint I'd had mixed-up for the Datsun 1200, then had a pleasant drive out in the lanes to a bodyshop on a farm recommended to me for some work on the Nissan. That's booked for next month, want to get it smartened up in time for FOTU.

 

I'm paying someone else to do it because this is my effort from today:

 

 

Mrs SL's verdict was that it looked a bit "textural". TBH that's what I was left with in primer after a previous MoT repair, and given how much filler is in the rest of this thing it's not worth doing too much more. At least it's all one colour now.....

 

 

Laurel and 1200 then given a decent clean and even some polish on one of them, in preparation for Ipswich-Felixstowe tomorrow.

[blackboilersuit]

I just put a new cat on my car and the paperwork that came with it mentioned something like 5 times that any exhaust paste used upstream of the cat would immediately invalidate the warranty. 

 

You should be ok to fit it without a gasket and put up with a bit of blow untill you can get a new one IMHO.

 

 

On the subject of small blue 3-door cars with strange rear screen designs, I got the cat off the C4 this afternoon - a task which proved to be just as much fun as I'd anticipated.  I think I may have found why it was struggling to get through the CO emissions mind.

 

IMG_20180505_192746.jpg

 

That's as it came off the car.  Now I'm no expert, but it looks to me like there's something missing...

 

I'm going to fit the replacement cat tomorrow - there is a burr on the top flange which needs filing off first or it won't seal properly, and I can't find my file.  The gasket is pretty knackered, and annoyingly the new cat didn't include one - not sure whether to try and get one or whether to just reuse the old one with a load of gun gum and hope for the best...

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Be interested to see if the beam pattern is the same?

This might be an eye-opener

[stuboy]

Had no kids bar the baby so decided to release the seized handbrake on ns of the daddy wagon, missus likes to help so i guided her through the process of whats to do.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

^^

She'll be rebuilding engines next.

[MarvinsMom]

you have gotta start them young......

[alcyonecorporation]

 

Got out for a brief drive in poobaru as the sun went down. 

26 mpg this time; driving long distance off boost/70 mph is key. 

And yes, blebby surround is blebby. 

[dollywobbler]

And now you are reading in the voice of Morgan Freeman.

 

I wish I could say that Dollywobblers convoy was of such a length to be impressive, but it was not. What I do know is that sometimes its not size that matters. Its whats inside.

The really bad news is that in the end, we didn't even convoy! Logistic reasons meant I was on the M4 before Mrs DW had left the house. Impressively, be both arrived at the holiday house at the same time (my sister gave me a lift after picking me up from the centre of Bath. Not a nice place to drive!)

[dave21478]

This might be an eye-opener

 

 

Bulb seller states that £139.99 bulbs are better than £29.99 bulbs. How surprising.

[Tadhg Tiogar]

Bulb seller states that £139.99 bulbs are better than £29.99 bulbs. How surprising.

The patterns and throw were all different, though.

[dave21478]

Absolutely. But they appear to be testing with a loose headlight sitting on a desk and its possibly not in their best financial interest to be entirely accurate. Maybe they are correct. Maybe they are exaggerating how bad the cheap ones are. 

independant testing is whats needed.

[beko1987]

A quick cup of tea and rolly before I get started on the car, then I'll get started!

 

Anyone done diy tracking before? I've got a pull to the left, and I intend to thread count the new track rod ends onto the inner arms, but if there a '2 threads less' or something cheat I can do, or should I just put them back on as they were and take it to somewhere who knows what their doing (or leave it if it's no worse than before...)

[Guest Hooli]

I try to leave the lock nut on the track rod as close as possible to where it was & screw the new track rod end up to it. If that makes any sense?

[Kiltox]

Get it as close as you can and take it to a £20 fast fit place (National usually have a voucher on their website)

[fordperv]

Had no kids bar the baby so decided to release the seized handbrake on ns of the daddy wagon, missus likes to help so i guided her through the process of whats to do.

Good to see your teaching her right with her safety sandals on

[dave21478]

Tracking....thread counting is often pointless as there are huge differences between the castings on various brand parts. Best to use a decent ruler and measure from a point on the track rod to the steering arm.

[egg]

Mazda 323 update, I've found a shiply driver who is going to pick it up after I have done the deal this afternoon.  Then, it will be trailered back to my rented parking space a couple of miles from home.

 

I've asked my mechanic to book it in for an MOT when he is back at work on Tuesday.

[bramz7]

Rover booked in for an MOT in a little under a fortnight. All tyres look good, no obvious rot anywhere (just some scrapes turning orange which I will treat ASAP). I've just hoovered all the seats and floor and it looks great now.

 

Just in dire need of a clean, all the window rubbers have moss on them, and it's covered in years of London dirt. Also, will replace cracked indicator lens and taped up mirror beforehand. Post MOT, I will be doing the oil (which is clean enough anyway but I think it's been overfilled) and the plugs, and probably the HT leads too. 

 

I am assuming these will take any DEX II gearbox oil?

[Ghosty]

Yeah, I used IID in mine, and my Prelude.

[beko1987]

Tracking....thread counting is often pointless as there are huge differences between the castings on various brand parts. Best to use a decent ruler and measure from a point on the track rod to the steering arm.

Buggar, that's a good point, and one that I've missed... Drivers side is done, what a cock of a hot day, and the gaitor is a twat. I've used the back half of the old one and the front half of the new one and it seems to be fine. Having a drink now, then onto the passenger side.

 

Ill do the 'close enough' route and go to national tyres for a quick job. I had it tracked when I first got it at a place by work who are usually quite good, but there's no tool marks on the drivers side, tre is nicely seized onto the inner rod... Will see what the passenger side looks like, have noticed the outer edges of the tyres just start to wear, they were bald on the old tyres when I picked the car up, hence why I got it done.

 

Its too hot! I'm in the road for the passenger side too

[Ghosty]

Compression tested the Honda and it's fine, Old Man can shut up now.

Seems to have lost its spark in the process though, any ideas anyone? Checked everything obvious (I think).

It's acting as if the battery has been disconnected at some point so what might have blown up?

[Guest Hooli]

Dislodged wiring to the crank sensor or the coil/s?

[Ghosty]

I'm thinking coil yes. New plugs/leads/dizzy cap I think.

[Guest Hooli]

I'd try to get it running again before replacing bits. I just find it easier not to confuse the issue until you find a problem.

 

 

EDIT. Did you do a wet compression test with oil down the holes? just wondering if it was still there & has fouled the plugs?

[Hawkeyethenoo]

Wife just sold her 2004 Mazda 2 diesel. Advert went up at 9am this morning and the car has just been driven away by the new owner. Priced it to sell at £745 and agreed on £650. Sold via free (7 day 5 photo) Autotrader advert, so bit of a result all in all and no eBay wankers to deal with either.

 

Thanks Autotrader.

[xtriple]

Just met someone I hope is me in 20 years! Lovely old bloke with his equally ancient wife with a lovely LS400 MK4 (T reg). He's only had it a year and got it rather cheap (£700) as it had 218000 on the clock and no one wanted it. Honestly, it's cracking! Barely a mark on the body, interior spot on and when running, silent as an Angels fart.

 

He has an 87 Rolls-Royce Silver Spirit as well.

[davehedgehog31]

Up at the SMRC meeting at Knockhill today.

 

Sports and Saloon championship race not exactly going to plan. An open wheel type track car hit a back marker and rolled over on the grass coming to rest on the tarmac, a destroyed car and lengthy extraction, hope the driver is ok.

 

Race restarted and at the same place a Seat Leon in the Touring Car style fully collected a Marcos Mantis at the hairpin. An expensive day for these fellows.

[MikeR]

happy days  ...

 

dug my old elm 327 ( clone )  out of the pits of the garage , it got relegated to non communication with the old mobile ...

 

tried it  with my new mobile , latest BT and firmware etc

 

loaded up Car Scanner from the Play store

 

and it worked on the Focus !!!  , codes , fuel trim , loads of fiddly bits

 

just goes to show it pays not to throw shite out