The new news 24 thread

[Fumbler]

I managed to get rid of the clunk in the steering by tightening up the steering wheel. No more slop either. This has taken the edge off of being found at fault for a small prang when coming home from work in the Micra.

[High Jetter]

Warning, abnormal movement!

This, or something very similar, is moving from Shoreham to Ninfield on Saturday. Most of it is on A roads, but we also have the pleasure* of it going through our local high-street with 2 90-degree junctions. I think that will take some time to manoeuver. https://nationalhighways.co.uk/our-work/south-east-news/abnormal-load-movement-on-a27-and-a259-march-2022/

[Bren]

Thought I would attempt to tackle the vectra's leaking injectors. I bought no special tools because if they did'nt come out it's wasted money. I removed the leak off pipes and other clutter and got the water pump pliers out.

It came out with little persuasion. It's minging. Sprayed carb cleaner and left it to soak 

Gave the hole a clean. Carb cleaner, rags and various screwdrivers and wood drills turned by hand got rid of the shit.

Injector cleaned and new washer. It went back together ok. This was the worst one - black diesel was going everwhere and making a real mess.

The second injector refused to budge - in fact it began to unscrew so it was put back. I retightened the clamp - the leak on this is minimal - tiny bubbles around the base of the injector. It will get worse - someone else will own it by then or it will be bean cans.

I call this one a win.

[LabRat]

Been tasked with trying to find someone willing enough to scrap this heap

Apparently it was gifted to the trust I work for, but being parked for 2 years, neglect and vandals mean it's utterly fubar.

Its brakes are seized, the batteries are flat and scrotes have smashed the dash and it's based on an Iveco for bonus will it start points. 

[Dyslexic Viking]

I'm still working on the Vivaro and will be done soon. But I had thought and hoped I was done with working on vehicles outdoors in winter/early spring and in the snow.

[chaseracer]

37 minutes ago, LabRat said:

Been tasked with trying to find someone willing enough to scrap this heap

Apparently it was gifted to the trust I work for, but being parked for 2 years, neglect and vandals mean it's utterly fubar.

Its brakes are seized, the batteries are flat and scrotes have smashed the dash and it's based on an Iveco for bonus will it start points. 

http://www.pvsbuses.com

[Fumbler]

1 minute ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said:

Did you tighten the wheel bolt or the u-joint at the bottom which seems to be where mines knocking?

Ah, I should have elaborated that the steering wheel fault was on the BX. I assume with the high mileage on yours that it's the UJ that's failed.

[tommotech]

Finished off a power steering conversion using Suzuki Alto components, on a Panther Kallista over the weekend. Makes such a difference to the low speed manoeuvrability but assistance needs winding off at higher road speeds. Quite pleased with the outcome. 

 

[Minimad5]

New job induction today - Classroom based 🤯.

I genuinely don't do well in this environment,  so no idea how well (or bad) I've done, but I've not felt this out of my depth for a long time. 😬

[richardmorris]

8 minutes ago, tommotech said:

Finished off a power steering conversion using Suzuki Alto components, on a Panther Kallista over the weekend. Makes such a difference to the low speed manoeuvrability but assistance needs winding off at higher road speeds. Quite pleased with the outcome. 

 

My mechanic friend fitted one to a 1953 Citroen traction BN some years ago. Not sure what car it came off, but made parking easier.

[mitsisigma01]

2 hours ago, HarmonicCheeseburger said:

Once I've got YET ANOTHER throttle sensor, like seriously why do they die so damn fast? 

What symptoms are you getting to make you think it's the throttle sensor 🤔

[Split_Pin]

On 3/13/2022 at 12:35 AM, trigger said:

I've been offered a car today, apparently a 1 owner from new, he won it on holiday in 1982 in Scarborough whist staying at a hotel, he's owned it ever since but is now 81 and is too scared to drive it  but I must say the body work is mint. I'm not sure what it's worth or if I really have room for it? .

 

That is truly glorious.  This model is to Vauxhall what grey grilles are to Sierras. I loved spotting this variant as a lad when they were current. They weren't even that common back then though. I do recall them most frequently being seen in either being in solid yellow, red or terracotta so this nice metallic colour is a treat.

[wuvvum]

This arrived in the post today. 

Another addition to my collection of 1:43 scale Eastern Bloc cars.

[Ged]

On 3/13/2022 at 8:07 PM, reb said:

Tried some heat, thought I'd shifted the nut but it turns out the movement was just the flats on the inner rounding off. I have new inners so it's not the end of the world, I'm just not sure how to change them.

I have these two sort of things in the garage somewhere for inner tie rods, first one for where there is no flats for whatever reason. You can borrow them if you are local.

[JakeT]

In prep for a trip to the NEC this weekend, I nipped the valve cover off of the Bavarian Sierra, as I forgot to add sealant where the head and timing cover meet, and it was weeping slightly.

 

midway through. Clean enough for 60,000 miles

 

Buttoned back up. Ready for some more usage.

[reb]

10 hours ago, Ged said:

I have these two sort of things in the garage somewhere for inner tie rods, first one for where there is no flats for whatever reason. You can borrow them if you are local.

That first one looks like it would do the job. I'm in Fife, so I think I'm reasonably local. Will sort something out then, thank you!

[brownnova]

1990s America…. Or Wales in 2022? 

 

Nice little spot on my way home from work! 

[AnnoyingPentium]

7 hours ago, reb said:

I'm in Fife

I'm sorry to hear that.

[reb]

18 minutes ago, AnnoyingPentium said:

I'm sorry to hear that.

No, see, I'm in a nice bit of Fife. It's not very big, but it has a castle in it.

[AnnoyingPentium]

3 minutes ago, reb said:

No, see, I'm in a nice bit of Fife. It's not very big, but it has a castle in it.

Ah that's not as bad then. I'm in the marginally less shite bit of Ayrshire, full of neds... "but at least we're not Kilmarnock" - the unofficial slogan.

[juular]

On 3/13/2022 at 8:07 PM, reb said:

Tried some heat, thought I'd shifted the nut but it turns out the movement was just the flats on the inner rounding off. I have new inners so it's not the end of the world, I'm just not sure how to change them.

I've got one of these that works well if you want to borrow it.

 

Depends how urgent it is as I currently have covid 😄

[reb]

19 minutes ago, juular said:

I've got one of these that works well if you want to borrow it.

 

Depends how urgent it is as I currently have covid 😄

Unfortunately that kind won't work for me as I can't get the end off so it won't fit over. I could always cut the rod in half, but I'm scared of grinders.

[richardmorris]

20 hours ago, wuvvum said:

This arrived in the post today. 

Another addition to my collection of 1:43 scale Eastern Bloc cars.

Anywhere else people would think you were weird!

[High Jetter]

Only one wiper and no glass* in the n/s door?

[wuvvum]

Single wiper is correct for the Tavria.  No glazing in the doors though.

[barefoot]

Susie* is back on top form. Tracking & carburettor issues have been resolved for a while. All is good with (this part of) the world.

* what an utter twat

 

[Fumbler]

53 minutes ago, barefoot said:

Susie* is back on top form. Tracking & carburettor issues have been resolved for a while. All is good with (this part of) the world.

* what an utter twat

 

Who did you use to get the carb tuned up? I could do with someone who knows his onions to work some magic on mine.

[barefoot]

There's an interesting little garage called ShenPar just down the road from me in Melbourne, Derbys. Nick Parkinson is a belter. As I've mentioned elsewhere he used to set up baby 954cc Citroen AX's to run on a brace of Weber 45's or a set of 4 motorcycle carbs. His son races go-karts, he likes Peugeot/Renner French stuff and the bloke he works with seems to spend all of his time taking Audi RS6 to bits.

[cobblers]

Shenpar, that brings back memories. I've been a few times about 15 years ago for bits to go on my 106 rallye.

[wuvvum]

I've ordered a secondhand front leg for the Laguna - it was only £2 more than the cheapest new strut top mounting I could find, and if it saves buggering around with spring clamps and the top strut nut then it's £2 well spent in my book.  I'm now just hoping that everything comes undone easily and that there aren't any rinkydinks to getting the strut out (it looks like a fairly straightforward setup to be fair).  The bottom ball joint nut could be a pain though - no clearance to get a ratchet in as the CV joint is in the way so I'm going to have to hope I can get it undone with a spanner.

I've repaired (or at least I think I have) my 12 volt ugga dugga gun, so once my shiny new Irwin knock-offs arrive I'm going to try it on the recalcitrant bolts on the 75 to see if it can shock them into undoing.  Otherwise it's bottom arm off, which is not going to be fun.  HBOL says "Remove the anti-roll bar mounting bracket - the retaining bolts are difficult to get to but this must be removed in order to gain access to the rear bottom arm nut".  Or words to that effect.  They weren't kidding - it's impossible to get anything vaguely resembling proper tools on the front bolt, although the rear one is just about gettable with a shortish 10mm spanner.  That's going to be fun if I have to go down that route.