The new news 24 thread

[Lankytim]

The ‘goona clocked up 170,000 miles yesterday. It got to 169,999 as I approached home so I drove around the block to round the number.

I do like this car. 

[HMC]

Met an old road sign on our way to the pub….

[brownnova]

On 18/02/2023 at 18:53, lesapandre said:

Interesting article on the perils of electric cars. No chargers at holiday resorts which are quiet a lot of the year and then have peak demand over the summer.

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/feb/18/taking-tesla-to-truro-warnings-lack-of-electric-charging-points

Great way to make silly money - strap a big old diesel generator to a flatbed and tour Devon fleecing owners who can't find a charger this summer...

I'll stick to my diesel banger...

After the 940 let us down the day before the holiday we ended up taking the wife’s EV on holiday to Devon last summer.

Absolutely no problem at all, no issues charging and cost a quarter of the money it would have cost in petrol. Don’t believe every scaremongering article you read. 

[stuboy]

9 hours ago, artdjones said:

Is Kate Middleton's brother on here, then?

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11762405/Real-reason-James-Middletons-neighbour-feud-revealed.html#article-11762405

tell him too sod off to chipping norton

[brownnova]

The TransSport has been laid up since October as it started misfiring in September, and it was really too bad to attempt going far. Knowing it was coming off the road for winter anyway I didn’t bother investigating thinking I’d leave it til spring.

Today I put a few litres of fresh fuel and some injector cleaner in, and wondered if it would start… quick go of the boost pack and away he fired first time. 

No misfire when cold, but the warmer it gets the more it misfires. I’m guessing coil or leads Does the hive mind agree?

Its parked in the same spot as my old 900 was… and seems to have inherited the same furry friends… 

They didn’t nibble anything in the engine bay last time… I hope that’s the case again this time! 

[Schaefft]

I guess heat indicates coils going bad? Plug wires are easily measured for differing resistance.

[Zelandeth]

Spark would be my thought.  A lean mixture needs a hotter spark to ignite, so if it's weak it will worsen as the engine warms up and the mixture is leaned out.

[Supernaut]

8 hours ago, barefoot said:

Last night I watched 22 miles with Mark Wahlberg on C4. He only tried to escape in a Rexton!

Mwuhahaha, they're everywhere!

I notice you said tried to escape. That would be correct, you aren't going anywhere fast in a Rexton.

[lesapandre]

30 minutes ago, brownnova said:

After the 940 let us down the day before the holiday we ended up taking the wife’s EV on holiday to Devon last summer.

Absolutely no problem at all, no issues charging and cost a quarter of the money it would have cost in petrol. Don’t believe every scaremongering article you read. 

Yes I suppose it depends on where you go and when -and the specific demand at that point. It's certainly a possible challenge getting enough chargers to meet spikes in demand - but yes of course you are right, we'll see.

All this kit needs daily maintenance as well as initial capital cost on set-up - it depends where that comes from in the public demesne. Certainly a lot of councils will not be in a position to procure this unless through a third-party provider.

I think the country needs to get serious about charger installation. The article raises some interesting points about how disconnected (no pun intended) the process has been at the moment. 

Having been part of some major infrastructure delivery teams (both roads and railways) there are a lot of practical issues to resolve to get this roll-out. It appears some need planning permission which is often fraught.

I would expect some nasty situations at charge points if there are not enough at any given point - the sort of thing the tabloid press gleefully report.

Our local Tesco has gone over to majority self-service tills - half were not working today and massive queues. A very very ugly atmosphere at the check-out and almost a fight.

(Fear and Loathing at the Car Charger)

Ho hum.

[mitsisigma01]

4 hours ago, Lankytim said:

The ‘goona clocked up 170,000 miles yesterday. It got to 169,999 as I approached home so I drove around the block to round the number.

I do like this car. 

My k11 passed a milestone and as I pulled up to get a picture it clicked over ... fk fk

[wuvvum]

Not a great deal done on the fleet this weekend because the weather was just too bloody nice to be rolling around under cars.  I did drive quite a few of them though.  I took the Volvo for a spin for the first time since it got ejected from the drive by the Visa - it fired straight up and drove fine, and it seems to have managed to stay dryish inside thanks to the windscreen cover.  The Innocenti needed a jump start but that fired up straight away too, and I took it for a run up the coast road - I still love driving that little thing.

Then I took the Visa out - not very far, only a couple of miles up the road and back again, but that's the furthest I've driven it so far and also my first foray onto NSL roads.  I didn't push it too hard but I took it up to 50 and it buzzed along happily enough.  It's still not running 100% right but it didn't break down and it didn't chuck all its petrol out over the engine so that's progress.

It actually started up fine on the original fuel pump after sitting for a week, so my worries about potentially having to wind it over for ages to drag the fuel up from the tank seem to be unfounded.  I did have to hit the starter motor with a rubber mallet to get it to engage though, which is mildly worrying - I'm hoping it's not starting to get tired as I remember how much hassle Lankytim had tracking it down.  It's only done it the once though and it's started fine several times since then.

On the fettling side, I did some paint touch-ups on the MG (really badly, but then it's always going to be a 10-footer anyway) and plugged the laptop into it to see why the airbag light sometimes comes on (looks like a dodgy connection to the driver's pre-tensioner).  Interestingly the Delphi wouldn't talk to the engine but the cheapo generic eBay special code reader would.

The only other job I got done was to replace the bottom hinge on the nearside back door on the Maxus.  The hinge had partially seized and no amount of grease or oil seemed to be able to make it operate correctly, so I bought a pair of used hinges off eBay.  Strangely the replacement hinges have different fixings where they bolt onto the body (one has studs, the other has threaded holes for bolts) whereas the hinges on the van both had studs.  I didn't have any M8 bolts short enough so I've just fitted the one hinge for now - it's done the job as the door now opens and closes fine but it looks slightly strange with odd hinges.

It seems that the battery I thought was on its way out is actually OK after I put it on the charger overnight last weekend - I've taken to disconnecting the live terminal when I leave the van to stop it draining, but I reconnected it today after it'd sat for a week and the van fired straight up.  So that's saved me having to fork out for a new battery, which is a bonus.

This afternoon I went for a bike ride down to Hickling Broad.  It was difficult to believe it's only mid February, it felt more like April (although the snowdrops were a bit of a giveaway).  There was even a chap fishing out on the broad.

[JJ0063]

I managed to have a pretty productive weekend for a change. 
 

Ambers grandparents asked me to take their 50” LED flat screen TV to the tip for them as they’d knocked it against a wall which pushed the HDMI cable and snapped the socket off the board. I looked on eBay and there’s a complete main board on there for £10 but I found a HDMI - Scart converter so tried that and it works perfect. Obviously quality isn’t quite as good but for a free ‘fix’ I’ll take it. Bought a wall mount for £16 and stuck it on our bedroom wall. Massive (literally) upgrade from the 23” one we’ve had for years.

Next on the list was the X5, it was running cool which on the M57 is a common problem where the thermostats stick open. Picked a pair up for £67 so changed them both. Took around an hour to fit them, the X5 has an electric auxiliary water pump so it’s fully self bleeding.. you just put the ignition on, fan speed on the lowest speed, heat up high, push the accelerator pedal to the floor for 10 secs and the pump comes on, 10-15 mins later it stops and it’s done. Also refitted the original grill back on.
 

Now gets to 96c and I’ve gone from 24mpg at best to over 29 so I’m happy.

 

Today I managed to do the air, fuel and cabin filters on the Scirocco. Need to sell it as soon as I get the V5 back so trying to get it ready. Only got the oil change left to do and a hoover! 
 

Finally I also got round to mounting our retractable washing line on the wall, been meaning to do it but mrs JJ wanted to hang the washing outside today as it was nice so I finally got round to it. 
 

Also did 3 hours at work. 
 

Successful weekend!

[sutty2006]

The discovery now fits in the garage

 

 

only had to remove the roof…..

 

and the door……

 

and the walls…… 

 

 

at least I can see it while doing kitchen chores. 

[bunglebus]

Very strange wheels on this Leaf

[EyesWeldedShut]

13 hours ago, wuvvum said:

It seems that the battery I thought was on its way out is actually OK after I put it on the charger overnight last weekend - I've taken to disconnecting the live terminal when I leave the van to stop it draining, but I reconnected it today after it'd sat for a week and the van fired straight up.  So that's saved me having to fork out for a new battery, which is a bonus.

Try one of these - had same trouble with our van (some sort of intermittent parasitic drain) so fitted one ....

[Noel Tidybeard]

19 minutes ago, bunglebus said:

Very strange wheels on this Leaf

better than these

[EyesWeldedShut]

10 minutes ago, Noel Tidybeard said:

better than these

Oh I dunno - you could keep the kids busy for days cleaning those with some TFR and a toothbrush? 
Have a gander at the Hyundai offerings for their Ionic (Ironic?) range - similarly bothersome and tasteless

[horriblemercedes]

51 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Oh I dunno - you could keep the kids busy for days cleaning those with some TFR and a toothbrush? 
Have a gander at the Hyundai offerings for their Ionic (Ironic?) range - similarly bothersome and tasteless

Like rain on your wedding day

[sutty2006]

1 hour ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Try one of these - had same trouble with our van (some sort of intermittent parasitic drain) so fitted one ....

Battery cut off switches are the future. Just fitted this one to my discovery 

[Leyland Worldmaster]

Alison passed her MOT today. Two advisories. A chipped 'screen and a Number Plate Lamp; the latter being a nice* easy* fix. 🙌🙌🙌

[HMC]

Daily driving 1936 style. 

[hairnet]

16 hours ago, JJ0063 said:

I managed to have a pretty productive weekend for a change. 
 

Ambers grandparents asked me to take their 50” LED flat screen TV to the tip for them as they’d knocked it against a wall which pushed the HDMI cable and snapped the socket off the board. I looked on eBay and there’s a complete main board on there for £10 but I found a HDMI - Scart converter so tried that and it works perfect. Obviously quality isn’t quite as good but for a free ‘fix’ I’ll take it. Bought a wall mount for £16 and stuck it on our bedroom wall. Massive (literally) upgrade from the 23” one we’ve had for years.

Next on the list was the X5, it was running cool which on the M57 is a common problem 

thats a problem cos its quite a long way from norfolk *shit scouse joke alert

[hairnet]

Just now, HMC said:

Daily driving 1936 style. 

still 1936 in devon anyway

 

[EyesWeldedShut]

4 minutes ago, hairnet said:

still 1936 in devon anyway

 

Just on that side of Dartmoor - it's at least 1940 in Torbay these days (Belisha Beacons and all)

[chaseracer]

31 minutes ago, HMC said:

Daily driving 1936 style. 

You are James Herriot's Devon cousin AICM£5...

[High Jetter]

39 minutes ago, HMC said:

Daily driving 1936 style. 

There is a theme developing of this being parked outside pubs!

[hairnet]

47 minutes ago, chaseracer said:

You are James Herriot's Devon cousin AICM£5...10s and sixpence

 

[SiC]

It was my birthday yesterday so I had a chill out weekend. Mrs SiC struggles to comprehend that idea so tried booking the day up for us to both see her friend. 🤦‍♂️

Anyway on Saturday we went to a country life museum.








Wondered around Tiverton. Lovely buildings intertwined with a sorry looking town centre.









Drove back home up the A38. The roads around Somerset/Devon are absolutely filthy at the moment.
Took the TT to scrub the tyres in. The handling is vastly improved with decent rubber now on it.

Also saw this quirky RHD Yank on the Saturday morning on the streets of Clevedon



Yesterday we had lunch in Priddy and then to Wells for a wander and Ice Cream.


Finally the Engine pallet has been picked up today to head northbound to its new home. Was supposed to have gone on Friday but useless couriers.

Going to find a scrapman to pick up the remains of the Dolomite carcass. Even if I don't get money for it, I just want it gone from the drive now.

 

[Split_Pin]

I have finally reached 500 subs on my You Tube  channel. 

Finding time to release new videos has been challenging but I hope to do more once the lighter nights allow some shite spannering again.

The funniest thing is that my buyer's guide for MK3 Cavaliers helped someone buy a good example. I know its a decent example because I subsequently and unknowingly bought  that same car blind from ebay and it wasn't until I sent him a picture of it outside my house that he recognised the surroundings from my videos!

 

[AnnoyingPentium]

17 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

I have finally reached 500 subs on my You Tube  channel. 

Finding time to release new videos has been challenging but I hope to do more once the lighter nights allow some shite spannering again.

The funniest thing is that my buyer's guide for MK3 Cavaliers helped someone buy a good example. I know its a decent example because I subsequently and unknowingly bought  that same car blind from ebay and it wasn't until I sent him a picture of it outside my house that he recognised the surroundings from my videos!

 

Congrats mate. Subscribed to your account as well.