The new news 24 thread

[richardmorris]

1 hour ago, 320touring said:

Wot u on about M9?

He’s deleted it now, @hairnet double posted.

[artdjones]

5 hours ago, 320touring said:

Pikchurs wot I has takrned since getting to Lisbon.

A terminal replacement bus

Cork based seating 

This one needs no explanation 

Those seats are surprisingly comfortable.

[wuvvum]

Well it looks like my expert* repair solution for the Innocenti exhaust is going to work.

It still needs slathering in paste and clamping, but it's holding together pretty well on its own.  So that's good.

I had a rather fruitless afternoon of fettling on the Visa earlier in the week.  First job was to do the valve clearances as the engine is sounding a bit tappety.  Getting the rocker covers off was a bit of a faff but nowhere near as bad as the Renault 6.  Got the feeler gauge in there and all four clearances were absolutely spot on.  So that was a waste of time, and I'm no closer to figuring out where the tappet noise is coming from.

Then I bled the brakes using the vacuum bleeder.  That hasn't made any difference either.  The pedal still goes nearly to the floor with the first press, but pump it once and it comes up to where it should be and stays there for a short while.  I think something must be amiss in the rear brakes, but I'm loath to take the drums off as the hub nuts look to have been staked in as many times as they can handle and I've been struggling to find like for like replacements.  It's livable with, especially given the performance of the car, it's just a bit annoying.

[RayMK]

A couple of weeks ago I visited my forlorn Tipo which had been stuck at a garage since July 2023 when the AA dragged it there after a FTP.   Despite attention by the busy garage, component replacements, useful assistance on here and on the Fiat forum regarding ways to diagnose the electronic problem, attempts to get other garages/classic car/Italian car specialists to take on the problem, my feeble efforts and an offer of the car for free, no workable solution was found.  The car had significantly deteriorated during its motionless 11 months outside.  I therefore removed the nearly new (NOS) Sony stereo radio cassette player during my final visit in June and signed the car over to the garage for disposal.  It was collected from them shortly afterwards and the DVLA have acknowledged that I'm no longer the keeper.  My son and I had owned and used the car since buying it in February 2013.  Both of us enjoyed it as a useful rather than characterful vehicle.  I'm not rushing out to replace it and may sell my '61 Reliant - although there's no urgency to do so.  

[artdjones]

8 hours ago, wuvvum said:

faff but nowhere near as bad as the Renault 6.  Got the feeler gauge in there and all four clearances were absolutely spot on.  So that was a waste of time, and I'm no closer to figuring out where the tappet noise is coming from

If this is the suitcase engine, they are prone to the rocker tips becoming indented where they press on the valves. So when you use the gauge you are bridging the indentation, and the actual clearance is much greater. Once they get like that, the only way to shut them up is to find out the pitch of the adjuster screw by taking one out and measuring it with a thread gauge. Next undo the lock nut on each rocker in turn as you turn the engine to the various positions you need, then screw the adjuster in finger tight on the one you're adjusting until there's no more clearance. Once you've done that, screw out the adjuster the right amount according to the thread pitch. I.E., if the thread pitch is 1.0mm each complete turn of the adjuster will give you 1mm clearance. If its 1.25mm one complete turn =1.25mm clearance. You can watch the locknut to help. One flat equalling 0.16mm clearance if the thread pitch is 1.0. 

It's awkward, and probably best done from underneath the car for the exhaust clearances. But it does shut them up.

 

[Ghosty]

Spectral health update.

SDEC doctor has been in touch after central booking denied any knowledge of my referral, so I went back to SDEC. Turns out doc referred the wrong patient to the stroke unit. I should have been seen on Friday. Next clinic is tomrorrow and I've been told to expect a call between 12 and 4.

Will be complaining, natch.

[wuvvum]

4 hours ago, artdjones said:

If this is the suitcase engine, they are prone to the rocker tips becoming indented where they press on the valves. So when you use the gauge you are bridging the indentation, and the actual clearance is much greater.

It's the 652cc flat twin - I'm not sure if they're prone to the same issue?  The pushrods did seem to be meeting the rockers at a bit of an angle, but I assume that's how they're designed.

[artdjones]

38 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

It's the 652cc flat twin - I'm not sure if they're prone to the same issue?  The pushrods did seem to be meeting the rockers at a bit of an angle, but I assume that's how they're designed.

Maybe take off a rocker shaft and examine the pad that presses on the valve end and see if theres any grooving. The only other thing that could be clattering is the camshaft/ followers interface if there's any wear there.

[wuvvum]

The Z4 failed the MOT today, which I'm slightly miffed about.  Not because it did badly - in fact it did a lot better than I was expecting it to.  The only thing it failed on was a snapped wheel bolt - if I'd known that was all it needed I would have stuck the bolt head back on with JB Weld as a temporary bodge to get it through the test, but now I've got to do it properly.  

[DodgeRover]

On 04/07/2024 at 22:16, Ghosty said:

Been in A&E all day.

Had absolutely awful headaches as soon as I wake up for about two weeks, painkillers do nothing but they pass after about an hour.
Yesterday one didn't shift for 3 hours, and for a bit it affected my speech, called 111.

They said A&E or they'll send a paramedic, I opted for the latter but the ambulance service declined and said take paracetamol and see the GP.

Went to see paramedic at the GPs. Straight to A&E, had a CT scan and all ok, been sent home. They reckon it's bastard migraines but they can't rule out that I've had a minor TIA. A mini stroke. Been referred to the stroke unit.

Can't drive til all clear. Everything is on hold. I'm devastated. I have nothing left in my life. Hoping to sort it asap. A month without the cars would destroy me.

I had this a couple of years ago, I do have a history of odd migraines (symptoms but no headache) though, I felt fine but my face had slightly fallen and I was slurring my words. Lots of tests and 2 days in hospital revealed nothing conclusive apart from there was no evidence of any bleeding on my brain.  Took about 3 months for me to be able to talk normally again and if I get stressed it comes back.

Good luck

[brownnova]

On 07/07/2024 at 23:57, wuvvum said:

The pedal still goes nearly to the floor with the first press, but pump it once and it comes up to where it should be and stays there for a short while.

My Green 2CV does exactly this! 

[brownnova]

A weekend 2CV club camping… in the pissing rain! 

One of our number bought his modern…. 

Very sexy. Would. 

Went on to a local show from the camp. Some excellent chod: 

And a lovely ride on this! 

 

[barefoot]

That rat look 2cv looks totally wrong. It works somehow on a VW, but not on the Citroën.

[nomiST]

2 hours ago, barefoot said:

That rat look 2cv looks totally wrong. It works somehow on a VW, but not on the Citroën.

TBF that's not very far from how mine looked towards the end of their life!

[Ghosty]

All clear, stroke don't want to take it any further and reckon it's migraines.

[grogee]

I've just set a new record for the furthest North any human has ever driven. 

Went to Barnoldswick nr Skipton to collect this Maestro body panel. I don't actually need it but it's a case of hoarding stuff when it comes up to keep the old girl going. 

On the plus side it was £35. On the minus side - it's a bit rusty, but it'll clean up with a wire wheel and a lick of paint. 

I've been on the road about 7 hours including M6 south in the afternoon which is always fun*. 

I also combined with a visit to the most generous @Mudster to collect a motorbike jacket. He's very conveniently located just off the M1 and also lives near a Hickory's Smokehouse, the lucky sod. 

[EyesWeldedShut]

24 minutes ago, grogee said:

I've just set a new record for the furthest North any human has ever driven. 

Went to Barnoldswick nr Skipton to collect this Maestro body panel. I don't actually need it but it's a case of hoarding stuff when it comes up to keep the old girl going. 

On the plus side it was £35. On the minus side - it's a bit rusty, but it'll clean up with a wire wheel and a lick of paint. 

I've been on the road about 7 hours including M6 south in the afternoon which is always fun*. 

I also combined with a visit to the most generous @Mudster to collect a motorbike jacket. He's very conveniently located just off the M1 and also lives near a Hickory's Smokehouse, the lucky sod. 

Have a badge (for the jacket) bound to go down well at biker meets  

[grogee]

4 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Have a badge (for the jacket) bound to go down well at biker meets  

Have you got another badge that reads: 'I tolerate my MG Maestro'? 

[EyesWeldedShut]

Just now, grogee said:

Have you got another badge that reads: 'I tolerate my MG Maestro'? 

No, but there's possibly an Etsy sales idea?  Maybe go the full hog (hah!) and get jackets made up?
'Born to Tolerate', 'Tolerate or die' ?
Maybe not - bad idea.

I'd have a badge though that said 'I tolerated my Volvo 440, briefly'
Don't think there's another car of my own that I have really not liked - hated some of the kids' stuff though.

[High Jetter]

MOT for the MG ZTT today. I hadn't got round to the airbag light or screenwash pump (again) cos reasons, and was nervous about how many other things it would fail on - especially as the OSR indicator didn't always want to work (due to the bulbholder, not the new bulb I bought, typically). The answer? Zero. At least the re-test won't take long if I can get it sorted and back before Sunday Saturday.

[stuboy]

@brownnova any pics of the cavalier?

[Yoss]

Sat on a train with this car train opposite. I thought what are these things that look like small Range Rovers. The train was full of these and various BMWs. 

But then I noticed it has a slightly Miniish grille. They seem to be a new clubman or Countryman. The thing is this picture was taken near Bekescsaba in Hungary near the Romanian border. 

So where are they building these things? I'm guessing the BMWs are being built in the same place. So these people who think they are buying quality German engineering probably don't want to know they were actually built in Romania. 

Bloody long train too. This is looking one way. 

And this the other. 

[EspenO]

BMW’s got a plant in Debrecen, but the electric Countryman is made in Leipzig, according to Google.

[wuvvum]

Got the new front brake discs fitted to the Merc, and the judder under braking is gone.  So that's good.

Got the Innocenti's exhaust Gun gummed and clamped together properly, and it all seems to be holding together in an adequately rigid manner.  So that's also good.

Next job is to try and extricate the broken wheel bolt from the front hub of the Z4.  I anticipate that this is going to be fun*.  I might have a crack at it tomorrow evening if the weather permits.

[brownnova]

10 hours ago, stuboy said:

@brownnova any pics of the cavalier?

No, sorry! 

[Split_Pin]

8 hours ago, Yoss said:

Romania

I think that goes for a lot of cars in the past 20 years. I think my late dad's Volvo V40 was built in Poland and my Saab 93 Convertible was built in Hungary by Steyr-Puch Garden Fork and Paper Towel General Manufacturing Industry.

I think some Binis are still built in Oxford though?

[Ghosty]

3 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

I think some Binis are still built in Oxford though?

Mini Electric (the hatch one) is built there yes. 

[Cheezey]

DIY Audi convertible

[Cheezey]

DIY Audi convertible

 

[320touring]

Felt this was worthy of a post here!