The new news 24 thread

[cort16]

Think how much easier that would have been if you'd had an ambassador.

[dollywobbler]

An angle grinder could surely make that dream possible?

 

Anyway, Disco passed its MOT with two advisories for slightly crusty areas. Slightly too crusty in my opinion, but I shall be getting them seem to ASAP anyway. Pleased the brakes did well on the test - it seems to have self-cured as it was pulling to the left very badly when I got it. Calipers must have freed up with a bit of use. Tyres should arrive tomorrow, wheels should be refurbed next week, then it's ready for Shitefest! (as long as nothing else breaks before then...)

[cort16]

Sd1 failed on 'no horn button' bit weird given the indicator stalk has a picture of a horn on it and when you press it the horn beeps. Does it have to beep with the ignition off?

It also failed on emissions. Not sure what to do here as it was serviced about 1000 miles ago. There's a garage the next town over who's a dab hand with carbs so I might put over to them and get them to set it up right.

No welding, no oil leaks and nothing expensive broken so relatively good news .

[vulgalour]

Think how much easier that would have been if you'd had an ambassador.

 

I know!  still, I also found out today that if I put the front seat into the flat position and remove the head restraint, I have a single bed.

[dollywobbler]

Cort - sounds like your tester just didn't find the horn. Mine just let me operate all of the lights/horn/wipers. I do like to be present for a test, just because testers often don't have experience of every vehicle and mine are usually odd and awkward. 

 

Again, I like to be present for the emissions test. The 2CV struggled last year because they left it ticking over for absolutely ages before running the test. I took it for a rag around the block and it passed no problem - no adjustment necessary.

[cort16]

The car's probably not had a decent run since December. There's no air filter in it either because the daft tumble dryer hose/dusty bin arrangement has always been missing.

[Lord Sterling]

Hmmm. One of the lads off the 800 site has already been to see my G-reg 827 Sterling, he has diagnosed the engine problem as being down to the headgasket. So, that's 2 Honda engined 800s I've had that have borked thier head gaskets. I've got a KV6 now, so will the opposite happen with this one and refuse to die?

 

My mate Brad already has a spare engine, but he has been told that because its an earlier engine, there are some minor differences which could hinder the work for the amatuer spanner man. However, I've just remembered that my autobox was from a (different) E-reg car that simply got converted to manual. Better still, the earlier engine is a high-compression one which means a little more power.

 

There is hope for it yet, but it might take a while.

[Pete-M]

Bought a Saab 9-5 SE Estate on a whim.

 

Um, got no use for it so it's up for grabs. Everything seems to work except for the drivers window which needs a switch. It's not bad, but I bought it thinking "Oooh, big estate with leather and aircon.." and then remembered I've already got the Mitsubishi and the Focus.

 

Stereo is good in it.

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/141038498661

 

I really must stop buying cars just because they're there.

[alf892]

I bought a mk1 Fiesta on ebay the weekend....also on a bit of whim. Alleged to have been sat in a garage for 18 years so it is a bit tatty/horrible. The wench found out about it yesterday when it was delivered.

 

First she was speechless.

 

Then she said loads.

 

Then she found out what I paid and went back to a version of speechless.

[trigger]

Well I've shot myself in the foot, I agree to sell the Alto to this lad in the hope that a Honda Civic for sale locally was as nice as it sounded, I've just got back from looking at it and it's not...

 

 

 

The car is being sold by the manager of a local care home, the 93 year old owner has got dementia and her family have asked him to sell the car on their behalf, I got to his house and the car was parked in a hedge where it's been since April when the tax ran out, It's green and full of leaves and crap, it started and ran perfectly but on closer inspection the bodywork, although straight, was a bit scaby on the arches and wings and along one door edge, the bottom of one wing was also shot with a small hole in the sill under it.

 

 

The engine needs a good service and clean, the clutch feels a bit high, both rear window winder mechanisms are broke as is the aerial but the interior was very clean and tidy.

 

 

As the MOt was shorter than expected, November, I offered £250 but the family want £500 which it's not worth, he'll let me know Friday what they say, I'm not sure if I even want it at the moment...

 

And the Alto goes tomorrow so I'll be a car down and only £600 to find a replacement, what a bellend. 

[Novanick1]

no way are they gunna get 500 for that, 250 is a fair price 

[dollywobbler]

Oh dear. That's a shame. How disappointing.

 

Got the 2CV's brakes overhauled today. Not a bad job really. Took it for a test drive and the indicators packed up. Ugh! Just a fuse - not sure why it blew though...

[M'coli]

New discs for the Pug 106 - best quality new discs I've seen for this car - and the brakes are now behaving as they should do.

[purplebargeken]

 

 

And the Alto goes tomorrow so I'll be a car down and only £600 to find a replacement, what a bellend.

You could buy a nice MGF that I am selling for just that amount, well £599. Ipswich ain't far from North London. Think of the kudos when you take the wench out for a spin - life will be good again for you. It really will. 

[trigger]

That's a lovely offer Ken but not for me! You should make a proper advert with photos and everything

 

I think my £250 offer may have been a little harsh earlier, I've just reoffered £300 which may sound a bit daft, because it is, but I think a good clean would really add value to the car and it would be a shame to see it end up in the wrong hand and I did want a project again...

[purplebargeken]

No worries, I hope you get the car. I suppose I should but I'm kind of half hoping that no-one actually wants it. That way I can try and keep it. 

[dollywobbler]

I can see sense in that Trig. I wouldn't go any higher though.

[vulgalour]

So you know how I said the 120 mile journey up here went without a hitch?  By that I meant I didn't break down or have to get tools out.  There was no failure to proceed.

 

I think I have a hot-start problem.  This is the first time I've done a journey of this length in this car and it was at a pretty constant 55-65mph with a single break 70 miles or so in at Whetherby Services.  I'd also spent much of that behind trucks keeping my mpg down to see just how well I can do which likely didn't help.  Temperature gauge never came out of the blue zone for the entire journey and while the engine didn't get overly hot the SU carb dashpot certainly did.

 

What that meant, in a rather long-winded fashion, is that when I tried to set off from the car park it was a dramatic event.  Start the car, increase the revs until it stays started and wait for the big cloud of smoke from the exhaust to clear by which time the revs have stabilised and the car is running lovely and smooth again.  I had the same issue when we had the really hot weather so I'm guessing there's a design flaw here somewhere.

 

I'm wondering if a heat shield would help as the carb sits above the exhaust manifold and while there is some heat shielding, it's not a lot.  Disappearing in a cloud of revs and smoke and then gliding off as though it wasn't you that was having any problems is amusing the first couple of times, but I can see how it might get tiresome and might draw unwanted attention if it's left untended.

 

I don't get this issue starting from cold, but I do get it when I've done a lot of short journeys over a long time, as with the recent house move.

[dollywobbler]

Starting hot carb engines can be a bit of an art. I keep forgetting that the Golf doesn't have fuel injection, so I need to actually give it a boot of throttle to get it to catch. Smoke sounds a bit unusual though - wonder if it's leaking a bit of oil past the valve stem seals or something? The carburettor can't really cause smoke issues.

[Pillock]

What colour smoke?

Sounds more like it's overfuelling than evaportating it, the throttle is just letting more air in to compensate for how much fuel is being pumped in, if it was heat related wouldn't it be more likely to not start at all until cooled off?

[trigger]

 

Well the Alto has just gone, I do feel surprisingly disappointed and wonder if I was a bit hasty but that's life, I got bored and fancied a change, it was a painless sale to a lad who works at the Transport Museum so hopefully it's in good hands 

[Novanick1]

20130822_163042.jpg

 

Well the Alto has just gone, I do feel surprisingly disappointed and wonder if I was a bit hasty but that's life, I got bored and fancied a change, it was a painless sale to a lad who works at the Transport Museum so hopefully it's in good hands 

you did wonders with it

[trigger]

True, it would be a washing machine now if i hadn't stepped in and it was always the plan to get it fixed and sell it on, i just didn't count on the wife liking it so much!, Mind you she's now badgering me for another K11 Micra again.

[vulgalour]

@DW & Pillock:  Grey smoke, and the valve seals do need doing, I've got them I just haven't got a new timing belt to do at the same time.  I occasionally get a little puff of grey smoke when reversing too.  If I use no throttle the car will start and then cut out immediately.  If I use some/all the throttle when I start there's a big cloud of smoke and she runs fine, it's almost like she has to clear her throat before I can get underway, if that makes sense?  Once out on the road, no further smoke appears and there's no running issues, temperature seems fine, oil and water levels are fine, no loss of power or anything like that.  I'm guessing if I do the valve stem seals, timing belt and get the rocker cover reseated so it doesn't weep oil any more I'll be fine.

[Novanick1]

True, it would be a washing machine now if i hadn't stepped in and it was always the plan to get it fixed and sell it on, i just didn't count on the wife liking it so much!, Mind you she's now badgering me for another K11 Micra again.

do you have any news on that honda civic you bid on?

[trigger]

Not yet, not until tomorrow.

[Novanick1]

Not yet, not until tomorrow.

aah ok, i hope you get it, turn that one around as well  

[cms206]

Ahhh fuckage. Just been done for speeding in the Montego. Traffic pollywop's words were "Fuck me, I didn't know Montegos went that fast."

 

Not looking for sympathy guys, angry enough at myself.

[trigger]

"Liked" for the coppers comments.

[theorganist]

Completely differing outcomes from sales of my Maxi and my Renault 14 which I both recently sold!

 

The Maxi is now resplendent after having been stripped of pain and now looks stunning newly painted in Sandglow. He has done a great job with it.

 

The 14 has unfortunately ended its days being Banger Raced. Lankytim has sent me a video of it with several other "classics" including a Maxi (which also saddens me). I know it was very rotten but it still saddens me that it has met its end this way. The person I sold it to has stripped the lights and badges and part ex'd (presumably with the racer) for an Allegro. Unfortunately the car had several new parts including two shock absorbers, brake caliper, wheel cylinder, which will probably be lost for ever if it gets weighed in!