The new news 24 thread

[High Jetter]

2 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Narrowly avoided skittling a pedestrian today.  Just as I set off from traffic lights he walked straight out in front of me paying more attention to his phone than his surroundings.  The auxilliary belt chose that very moment to screech (something it's been doing intermittently since the cold snap we had recently, normal for the Princess at this time of year) and prevented a coming together.  Belt screech is something I normally can't abide but I'll tolerate it just this once.

Screech is useful sometimes. Must adjust the belt on my van, but get plenty of looks

[EyesWeldedShut]

12 hours ago, sdkrc said:

https://gooloo.uk/collections/top-sellers/products/gp4000

Gooloo and don't look back. They're class. Project farms on YouTube seemed to rate them in his testing

Looks to be an extra few quid off at Amazon today - £89.95 - I've bought one as my previous version died during lockdown 
https://www.amazon.co.uk/GOOLOO-Portable-Lithium-Starter-Battery/dp/B09CZ89QQ9?th=1

 

[SiC]

I just have enough spare car batteries that I use one of them to jump start off if I ever need to. 

[Split_Pin]

Well, no thanks to the previous, previous owner of my A4 cab, I finally got a replacement locking wheel key. Since November, my offers of paying postage were obviously not enough. I know folk have lives but I also thought we were meant to help each other on here . 

It took me ages to work out how to get a match but Code P is the one:

Nevertheless it has so far been an excellent car and has saved me a lot of money on fuel over the TT.

[Cookiesouwest]

49 minutes ago, Split_Pin said:

Well, no thanks to the previous, previous owner of my A4 cab, I finally got a replacement locking wheel key. Since November, my offers of paying postage were obviously not enough. I know folk have lives but I also thought we were meant to help each other on here . 

It took me ages to work out how to get a match but Code P is the one:

Nevertheless it has so far been an excellent car and has saved me a lot of money on fuel over the TT.

Are you replacing with normal bolts?

My mondeo locking key split, when the front bearings were being done. Had to have all 4 of them drilled out.

[Split_Pin]

6 minutes ago, Cookiesouwest said:

Are you replacing with normal bolts?

Absolutely, this only has to work 4 times. 

Upullit confirmed that they just throw wheel bolts away but sometimes there are a few in the spare wheel well. I will acquire some next time I'm there.

[sutty2006]

Suttys 1976 manta S is almost ready to come home. 
 

 

[Sunny Jim]

Arse biscuits! Aux belt on the C15 let go as I was leaving work.

Soonest I can get hold of one from any of the factors around here is Friday morning. Unfortunately it's booked in for an MOT on Thursday. I have to travel to Chester tomorrow for work, do @Cavcraft or @brownnova or any other shiters in that neck of the woods know of somewhere I'd be able to pick up a 6PK735 belt off the shelf tomorrow please?

[Sigmund Fraud]

1 hour ago, Sunny Jim said:

 6PK735 belt

6PK738 is a pretty common VAG fitment - perhaps try a VW/Audi/Seat/Skoda stealership ?

[stuboy]

Nowt exciting but training on basic repairs on equipment,  then over to ford dealer in my favourite the skoda, for a rear light for a transit ambulance, and see a sporty datsun coupe...lol

[brownnova]

4 hours ago, Sunny Jim said:

Arse biscuits! Aux belt on the C15 let go as I was leaving work.

Soonest I can get hold of one from any of the factors around here is Friday morning. Unfortunately it's booked in for an MOT on Thursday. I have to travel to Chester tomorrow for work, do @Cavcraft or @brownnova or any other shiters in that neck of the woods know of somewhere I'd be able to pick up a 6PK735 belt off the shelf tomorrow please?

You could try LVW in Flint, or CarShop Pitstop in Mostyn often has random things like that in stock. They’re the only places I can think of. 

[junkyarddog]

5 hours ago, sutty2006 said:

Suttys 1976 manta S is almost ready to come home. 
 

 

Please don't paint it!!😆😉

[sutty2006]

13 hours ago, junkyarddog said:

Please don't paint it!!😆😉

Tempting isn’t it! 

[Dyslexic Viking]

Got the Vivaro started for the first time since mid October today. The battery was flat but when it had power it started immediately.

Not quite sure what the future is for this one, I don't get to use this as much as intended and the camper conversion is a failure. It also needs an mot and new tires and timing belt, service etc this spring so it needs money spent on it also. 

[Spiny Norman]

It's rare these days that I do anything more than putting petrol/screenwash/air in the tyres to a car but the stereo in the SLK was annoying me so much I gritted my teeth and set about fitting a Pioneer I had lying around.
Normally when I do anything like this it involves many swear words and sometimes some blood but this was a doddle. I can now play MP3 discs and better still,  have 16Gb of music on a USB stick on random shuffle so I never need to touch it again.

[Sunny Jim]

On 23/01/2024 at 18:46, Sunny Jim said:

Arse biscuits! Aux belt on the C15 let go as I was leaving work.

Soonest I can get hold of one from any of the factors around here is Friday morning. Unfortunately it's booked in for an MOT on Thursday. I have to travel to Chester tomorrow for work, do @Cavcraft or @brownnova or any other shiters in that neck of the woods know of somewhere I'd be able to pick up a 6PK735 belt off the shelf tomorrow please?

All sorted now. Huge thanks to @Nyphur, @Sigmund Fraud, @brownnova & @Cavcraft for suggestions, checking stock and suggesting a 6PK738 - managed to get hold of one in Chester and fitted it after work. Admittedly it took me longer than it should have but I wasted about quarter of an hour following the HBOL and trying to locate the pivot bolt and adjuster as per the very low resolution picture in the book. When I got underneath and saw the tensioner pulley the penny dropped that it wasn't a pivoting alternator! Not done one of these before but soon figured out and how to loosen it off and then re-tension it once I had the belt on.

Cinderalla shall go to the ball C15 shall make its MOT tomorrow - whether it passes is another matter...

[stuboy]

11 minutes ago, Sunny Jim said:

All sorted now. Huge thanks to @Nyphur, @Sigmund Fraud, @brownnova & @Cavcraft for suggestions, checking stock and suggesting a 6PK738 - managed to get hold of one in Chester and fitted it after work. Admittedly it took me longer than it should have but I wasted about quarter of an hour following the HBOL and trying to locate the pivot bolt and adjuster as per the very low resolution picture in the book. When I got underneath and saw the tensioner pulley the penny dropped that it wasn't a pivoting alternator! Not done one of these before but soon figured out and how to loosen it off and then re-tension it once I had the belt on.

Cinderalla shall go to the ball C15 shall make its MOT tomorrow - whether it passes is another matter...

fingers crossed

[andyberg]

12 minutes ago, Sunny Jim said:

All sorted now. Huge thanks to @Nyphur, @Sigmund Fraud, @brownnova & @Cavcraft for suggestions, checking stock and suggesting a 6PK738 - managed to get hold of one in Chester and fitted it after work. Admittedly it took me longer than it should have but I wasted about quarter of an hour following the HBOL and trying to locate the pivot bolt and adjuster as per the very low resolution picture in the book. When I got underneath and saw the tensioner pulley the penny dropped that it wasn't a pivoting alternator! Not done one of these before but soon figured out and how to loosen it off and then re-tension it once I had the belt on.

Cinderalla shall go to the ball C15 shall make its MOT tomorrow - whether it passes is another matter...

Fingers crossed chap 🤞🤞

[dean36014]

23 minutes ago, Sunny Jim said:

All sorted now. Huge thanks to @Nyphur, @Sigmund Fraud, @brownnova & @Cavcraft for suggestions, checking stock and suggesting a 6PK738 - managed to get hold of one in Chester and fitted it after work. Admittedly it took me longer than it should have but I wasted about quarter of an hour following the HBOL and trying to locate the pivot bolt and adjuster as per the very low resolution picture in the book. When I got underneath and saw the tensioner pulley the penny dropped that it wasn't a pivoting alternator! Not done one of these before but soon figured out and how to loosen it off and then re-tension it once I had the belt on.

Cinderalla shall go to the ball C15 shall make its MOT tomorrow - whether it passes is another matter...

Ah I was right first time then when I said about the tensioner pulley. I sat thinking about it after we spoke and thought I'm sure it had a tensioner like that. Anyway glad it's fixed and fingers crossed for the MOT.

[artdjones]

On 21/01/2024 at 22:54, RoverFolkUs said:

Yeah you're right, they weren't. It never used to be brilliant but this is the first time I can recall it averaging less than 30. I suppose in fairness to it, with the recent weather it's spent another 10 minutes or so warming up/defrosting on a few occasions. And now come to think of it, it had its MOT on this tank so spent at least 45 minutes idling for that. 

That was my thinking, 30-35 is easily achievable from something like a 1.8T TT which obviously is a bit quicker and deserves to use the extra fuel. 

I'm ok with anything above 30mpg but it's still disappointing for a car that isn't powerful and has few redeeming features other than being a reliable mode of transport. I wouldn't mind 20 if it was a nice enough car, despite how painful it is! 

Part of me wants to trial a tank of E5, but then I have to remind myself I'm probably just being a bit anal about it all! 

I'm beginning to think it doesn't make a lot of sense to keep it, the Xsara Picasso is more practical, but arguably less comfortable, it's still a 1.6 petrol and is roughly neck on neck in terms of running costs. Man maths says that I should get a comfortable diesel like a Rover 75 for longer journeys and running around (ULEZ/CAZ is not a problem here, yet..) and keep the Picasso as a (well looked after) workhorse. I'm sure a diesel 75 manual will easily be capable of averaging 40mpg, probably even more on a run

I really hate these sort of predicaments 😂 I love the car (for what it is) and I've invested a lot into it recently, but I'm starting to struggle justify running it as I'm not sure what purpose its serving 🤔

I like the MK2 Focus platform but I'm not going to jump down the rabbit hole of the diesels. I've driven loads and never liked them, they're more suited to a petrol 

Ford petrol cars have never been great on fuel. Mk 1/2 Fiestas often only did 29/30 mpgs.

[wesacosa]

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/rusty-car-banned-after-being-28502123

 

[loserone]

34 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/rusty-car-banned-after-being-28502123

 

If they'd put as much effort into duct taping over the sharp bits on the door bottoms as the had installing the amplifier they might have driven home too.

[Justwatching]

1 hour ago, wesacosa said:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/rusty-car-banned-after-being-28502123

 

Wow, rusty door bottoms, what a danger to public safety. 🙄

[dome]

2 hours ago, artdjones said:

Ford petrol cars have never been great on fuel. Mk 1/2 Fiestas often only did 29/30 mpgs.

My Focus ST running 280 bhp is returning around 33mpg👀

[junkyarddog]

3 hours ago, wesacosa said:

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/uk-news/rusty-car-banned-after-being-28502123

 

That hero should be on here😁

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, dome said:

My Focus ST running 280 bhp is returning around 33mpg👀

70s Fords would only have had a 4 speed box compared to mainly 6 these days, so they were handicapped a bit by that.

Mk 1 Fiestas were mainly 1 and 1.1 litre and did  about 40 mpg. (I had an 1982 1.1L). Only the XR2 would have been as low as 30.

I also  had a 1984 1.6 Orion GL and a 1989 1.6 Escort LX. Both averaged around 35.

[wesacosa]

5 hours ago, Metal Guru said:

70s Fords would only have had a 4 speed box compared to mainly 6 these days, so they were handicapped a bit by that.

Mk 1 Fiestas were mainly 1 and 1.1 litre and did  about 40 mpg. (I had an 1982 1.1L). Only the XR2 would have been as low as 30.

I also  had a 1984 1.6 Orion GL and a 1989 1.6 Escort LX. Both averaged around 35.

The Bordeaux auto in the 70s Fords was actually only 3 speed wasn't it?

[Metal Guru]

2 hours ago, wesacosa said:

The Bordeaux auto in the 70s Fords was actually only 3 speed wasn't it?

I was talking about manuals but yes my Dad had a couple of automatic Cortinas and a Granada between 79-85 and they were definitely 3 speed.

[horriblemercedes]

There weren't many automatics at that time with more than 3 speeds. I'd have been very surprised if Ford had used a four speed automatic then

[adw1977]

Ford 4 speed automatics first appeared in the Sierra in 1984, they weren't put in the Granada until the Mark 3 was launched in 1985.