The new news 24 thread

[stuboy]

I read on a car dealer forum a few of their customers saying they're only looking at French cars now after having their fingers burnt with German ones. It must be bad.

we have french part of our clinic and staff seem to drive german so i asked why u not drive french cars they replied theyre bull**it

[MarvinsMom]

been on all day changing the clutch in the black mini. no pictures cos i had the camera with me today, unfortunately the memory car was at home.....

 

it took twice as long as we had thought or hoped. so no surprise there.

 

and having driven the car back to the lock-up it is, again not surprisingly, even worse than before, like much, much worse now cos it slips in any gear at the slightest application of the throttle.

 

fan-bloody-tastic.

 

now the whole point of getting the clutch changed is so we could drive it. we were planning to go to the mini show in Dudley tomorrow in the black one. the thinking was at least if we got some miles on it, then we (and i mean i) would be more at peace with the idea of taking the black one to the London to /Brighton run next weekend.

 

so, we have fixed* the car so good it could bearly climb the VERY gentle rise up to the lock up garage this evening.

 

brilliant........

 

hoping (praying??) that the clutch "just" wants adjusting (as mentioned in the HBoL's but think it could well be something else that we have done (or not done) causing problems. either way the black one won't be going to Dudley tomorrow or to Brighton next week. the orange one might, if i can be arsed/get out of bed/weather is too crappy......

[wuvvum]

The C4 finally passed its MOT this morning, on the fourth attempt.  It's taken me so long to get it back on the road that I now have absolutely no use for it.  So it'll be going up for sale shortly.

[DodgyBastard]

 

Just been offered a Morris Ital for the Lada. Sounds good to me!

[MorrisItalSLX]

FOAD, How much do you want for the Ital and can you help organise shipping to Australia?

[bub2006]

been on all day changing the clutch in the black mini. no pictures cos i had the camera with me today, unfortunately the memory car was at home.....

 

it took twice as long as we had thought or hoped. so no surprise there.

 

and having driven the car back to the lock-up it is, again not surprisingly, even worse than before, like much, much worse now cos it slips in any gear at the slightest application of the throttle.

 

fan-bloody-tastic.

 

now the whole point of getting the clutch changed is so we could drive it. we were planning to go to the mini show in Dudley tomorrow in the black one. the thinking was at least if we got some miles on it, then we (and i mean i) would be more at peace with the idea of taking the black one to the London to /Brighton run next weekend.

 

so, we have fixed* the car so good it could bearly climb the VERY gentle rise up to the lock up garage this evening.

 

brilliant........

 

hoping (praying??) that the clutch "just" wants adjusting (as mentioned in the HBoL's but think it could well be something else that we have done (or not done) causing problems. either way the black one won't be going to Dudley tomorrow or to Brighton next week. the orange one might, if i can be arsed/get out of bed/weather is too crappy......

I had similar issues with my hateful 1275 metro vdp auto. Gearbox iffy in first,second and third,fourth was ok but fourth was drive on selector so couldn't select it once wheels turning. Fitted new clutch pack and was even worse so stuck it on eBay. Only so much one can take!

[SiC]

So the stupid POS has started making a squealing noise. However it only makes it when warmed up and under moderate load. Usually after 10 minutes or so. Noise stays constant no matter which gear you are in, what revs or speed. This makes me think/hope it's not gearbox related. Also not belt related either.

 

Googling suggests that it's either the PCV valve or diverter valve. Usually though the PCV valve makes the noise at idle too, which this isn't doing. The diverter valve allows boost pressure to divert from the turbo back into the intake. Like a dump valve but less anti social as it doesn't dump it into free air and make a noise.

 

The squealing sounds like this:

[Video]

 

But also like this (but doesn't do it at idle):

[Video]

 

So on that and other basis I decided to change the diverter valve. The replacement looks like this:

 

Quick trip up to GSF with a promo code nabbed me one for 43 quid. Fitting required going through the wheel arch. It's the black thing in the middle of this picture at the back.

 

Which changing it didn't fix it. So now need to change the PCV valve and hope it fixes it. Luckily the PCV valve is cheap (£25) and on top of the lump, so easy to change.

 

Someone did mention on a forum that he had a squealing noise and it was the exhaust gasket. That would require turbo removal and is quite a long job.

 

If a replacement PCV valve doesn't fix it, it's going on eBay as spares or repair. I'll just then have to take whatever hit it gives my wallet.

 

You win some, you loose some. This case I lost. Even though I bought it from a trusted friend (who had no idea that this fault would turn up), I could have easily bought this otherwise. Full service history with loads of receipts, body and interior in excellent condition and drives well.

 

It'll be my last* German car I'm buying.

Changed the PCV valve. Super easy job on these.

 

One thing I will give VAG, apart from a few parts, they are generally easy to work on.

 

Two parts in question.

 

Old one was date coded 2012, so been replaced before. I could blow in the side that's supposed to resist air and found some air was getting through. So mega hopeful that it would fix the issue...

 

 

... Which is didn't. I was flumoxed.

 

So I thought back on the events that caused it. Doesn't do it when cold. Only after 10 minutes or so driving it starts doing it. When braking hard it stops. Hmm.

 

I don't suppose it's ...

 

Drivers side

 

Passenger side

 

Oh bloody hell! Sorry VAG. It wasn't your shitty plastic bits after all. Just good old fashioned sticking sliders. Luckily I've only been driving around town, so unlikely to have caused any damage.

 

Sometimes Dr Google can really lead you up the wrong path.

 

Also had the wife saying "I said it was the brakes. Told you so."

[Tickman]

OO where could I grab one of those fancy thermometers from? preferably that one as it seems to work

Lidl have them in at the moment for about £15 I think

[egg]

Pics from today's Kent meet...(I missed Parky's modern...)

 

Good to meet some shiters I'd not met before, and some that I have!

 

[SiC]

OO where could I grab one of those fancy thermometers from? preferably that one as it seems to work

Yeah that one was a Lidl or Audi Aldi job.

 

Tempted to get an Android FLIR camera. Have a couple at work and they're ace. Gives a much clearer idea than IR thermometers and the price of them are coming down a lot now.

[dollywobbler]

Oooh, that Caramac Skoda is a bit tasty.

[egg]

Oooh, that Caramac Skoda is a bit tasty.

 

A corker! Belongs to skoda_fan

[D Spares & Tyres]

Forgive me for being annoyed at paying through the nose and other fuckers not bothering, if it's trade fair efuckingnough I could care less, but when a car is being used daily and not covered yeah I take issue, sorry princess if this upsets you.

Not quite upset, sweetie pie but you were moaning about curtain twitchers spying on you. Regardless of whether this other car has insurance or not, it is somewhat hypocritical of you to be moaning about those type of people whilst doing the same yourself.

[GrumpiusMaximus]

Oooh, that Caramac Skoda is a bit tasty.

 

The spare tyre lives right underneath the front, in 'splitter' position.  Brilliant interior on it, too.  Quiet.  It was nice!

 

Egg, thanks a lot for organising.  As somebody that doesn't get out much and can be nervous about meeting new people, I was a bit apprehensive but I had a great time and it was lovely meeting everyone.

 

The rear screenwash in your Mazda is nuts.

[richardmorris]

Peepo!

[twosmoke300]

Awesome 3 hr enduro today . Rode well , no mistakes and beat my mate again .

Brain has reset after yesterday’s teary wobble .

Only problem I had was my lid was wobbling around on my head because I’ve lost weight on my face . Treat myself to a new one next week I think

 

Hellish fast track and I’d like to be able to see telemetry from my lil 250 . Lots of time at wide open throttle and max revs

[DodgeRover]

Awesome 3 hr enduro today . Rode well , no mistakes and beat my mate again .

Brain has reset after yesterday’s teary wobble .

Only problem I had was my lid was wobbling around on my head because I’ve lost weight on my face . Treat myself to a new one next week I think

 

Hellish fast track and I’d like to be able to see telemetry from my lil 250 . Lots of time at wide open throttle and max revs

Time for a real mans bike a YZ495 or similar then glad you had a good time, can you buy a new set of padding in the appropriate size rather than a complete helmet?

[twosmoke300]

I bet a modern 250f would run rings round a 495 on the enduro tracks round here. Esp over 3 hrs non stop .

I switched from a 300xc Ktm to the tiddler and I’m much much faster now

[Kiltox]

I can haz garage

 

[SiC]

Looks perfect to fit an Audi TT in. ;)

[Kiltox]

Looks perfect to fit an Audi TT in. ;)

£2k today m7

[Guest Hooli]

Is the previous tenant clearing that rubbish out?

[320touring]

FAO RichardMorris, I dun a car show with the Citroen UK club today..

 

1 Slough built car:)

[MarvinsMom]

ah a good day today, with further mini fiddling,

 

as we got the new clutch in yesterday, but discovered that we had a car with a super-slippy clutch, today i resolved that we would get it sorted. armed with the HBoL's we went to the lockup, and after reading the instructions adjusted this screw stop thing. 

 

it was well wound out, judging by the colour of the screw threads sticking out of the bell housing (they were shiney and new) it had beed screwed out yesterday for some reason, we also yesterday changed our starter solenoid for a new one. occasionally for some reason (best known to itself) it wouldn't start. take the key out and try again, nine times outta ten it would then start. new ones are like £8 so i just got a new one. now we starts with the first turn of the key.

 

a brief test drive, and yes, it seems that we have now got proper working gears... how nice! i even found a proper hill to climb up to the castle

 

all well so far...

 

so boyed on by that small victory, we set off further afield. we did loose a hubcap on the A169, which i was able to retieve. now why the hell did it land a nettle patch? ah yes, that would be because i was wearing leggings and sandles....

 

now with nettle stung legs, we made it into Malton to the see the family of the PO, last time they saw it, the mini didn't look like this

even better, Martin's 67' Camaro is finally coming along, after several years in pieces cos, well, yopu know, life and other apparently more important things have got int he way of putting the car back together.... no pic sadly, but it does look AWSUM.

 

we even managed to break wind at 50....

 

we came back to the lockup through Thornton Le Dale to see what tat Mathewson's have in their up comming auction

not this one! though at times i have been SERIOUSLY tempted!!

 

they did have this super clean looking mark 1 Sierra 2.0 GL. my dad had one, though his was "sable" and was as never as clean as this one. this one hasa 5 speed gearbox, my dads didn't have that! plus, my fathers Sierra had "dangly" mirrors and i think the bumpers are the wrong colour also.... still its a nice looking old thing

 and this 75, a Cowley built car with hi-line sat nav and a neptune blue VELOUR interior. its also a 2 litre V6 and looks a nice one. bet it sells for coppers....

 

they also have a mark 2 MG Metro in white, and a lovely looking Standard 10 that will  be going over the block soon, but they were inside so no pics

 

and then back to the lockup, black mini away and i think we may yet make it to London to Brighton next week in 2 mini's, WCPGW?

[egg]

A grand day out MM! 

[SiC]

£2k today m7

That's still 200 quid more than car take back.

 

If it was yesterday, I'd might have seriously considered that offer...

[dollywobbler]

Mini news! Good Mini news! It looks bloody awesome. Glad it actually works at last.

[ProgRocker]

Inflated my tyres earlier this evening at a Co-Op petrol station...50p for the token. I have moaned about my Almera's extremely heavy (power assisted) steering in the past. Getting the car into the narrow council garage* with little space to manoeuvre in front was a challenge.

 

I checked the label on the inside of the B pillar: 35 PSI for the fronts, 31 for the backs unladen (I'm sure the owner's manual stated 34 and 30 respectively so maybe Nissan are unsure!). I put 37 PSI into the fronts and 33 PSI into the rears. It drives much better now, steering is easier.

 

I hope I don't come a cropper for having over-inflated tyres!

[Kiltox]

might have seriously considered that offer...

Please don’t

[madrat]

Decided to re arranging living room, several hours later we finished, so many cables behind TV.