The new news 24 thread

[junkyarddog]

Found an unopened bottle of sunflower oil at the local recycling center. 

Seemed rude not to!

😁

[wuvvum]

Got the handbrake adjusted up as best I could on the Rover.  Hopefully it'll be good enough for a pass, it's still rubbish but does feel a bit better than it was before, and it was only 1% off the minimum requirements anyway.

Had a bit more of a play with the Ampera - spent a while trying to get the foglight unit unbolted from the lower bumper, but the bolts had deteriorated into little more than lumps of rust so they weren't going to come undone in a hurry - I drilled them out in the end.  I've shoved the upper half of the bumper back on the car for now, it's not on properly but I've held it in with a couple of screws through the relevant holes so it isn't going to fall off, and it's made the car look a bit more respectable.  I've popped the parking sensors back into place and plugged them back in, which is useful as it's not the easiest car to see out of the back of when parking. 

I reckon the top half of the bumper should be salvageable, and I'm buggered if I'm paying the 300 quid the breakers' yards seem to want for a secondhand bumper.  I've ordered some paint, and also a replacement reversing camera which has never worked but was too much of a faff to replace with the bumper on the car.  85 quid for a used one from a breaker, or 32 quid for a new one from China - no-brainer really (like many things on the Ampera it's GM parts bin, Buick Lacrosse in this case, so can be found fairly cheaply).  That'll take a couple of weeks to arrive but realistically it'll take me at least that long to get the upper bumper painted, the lower bumper repaired and the foglight / reverse light unit back together.

The Eos continues to be a royal pain in the arse.  I ended up taking an angle grinder to the drop link, but I cannot get the strut to come out of the hub knuckle for love nor money.  I've been squirting Plus Gas down the gap for weeks now, I tried whacking a chisel into the slot to spread the knuckle apart, but it's not budging.  I might end up having to buy a secondhand hub assembly - if I do that I'll also need to acquire a 12-point 24mm impact socket to undo the driveshaft bolt.

A man can come to dislike a car...

[Split_Pin]

Washer system on the 75 is totally blocked. I dismantled everything at the top end but nothing found. I've been using screenwash tablets and I think one has not dissolved enough and blocked the filter. Bumper off at some point and will check the filter.

I'm going to change the auto gearbox fluid as it's been 7 years/40k since it was last done. Still changes fine for now though.

[New POD]

10 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

Nice when you manage to save something from the tip, but IME manufacturers are actively making stuff to stop you, hence washing machines with welded drums etc.

What happened to that law they were supposed to bring in to make stuff repairable?

It is repairable. Just not in the way you or I consider economical.  You just need a new drum, with new bearings.  

 

[Popsicle]

Thought I'd whip the wheels off the Pisshat this afternoon to give the brakes and suspension a check over.

Oh bugger, locking wheel nuts, I can't find the key anywhere. Asked my mate who I got the car off, he had no idea, thinks it must be in the car somewhere as he had a couple of tyres done last year - I've looked all over, can't find it.

I've messaged a matching service on ebay, send them a picture and they send you out the correct socket, £16.99, so pretty reasonable.

It just reminds me why I throw the fuckers in the bin on every car I've had, total pain in the arse - if I was feeling more energetic I'd have forced something on to the bolts and butchered them off, decided to go out for a meal instead.

[cort1977]

11 hours ago, comfortablynumb said:

Nice when you manage to save something from the tip, but IME manufacturers are actively making stuff to stop you, hence washing machines with welded drums etc.

What happened to that law they were supposed to bring in to make stuff repairable?

Brexit, maybe? That was an EU thing wasn't it?

[Steve79]

@LightBulbFun , saw this earlier on insta

https://www.instagram.com/p/DGd-WHsiTOT/?igsh=bW1mNWx5YnNlbGsw

[SiC]

14 hours ago, bramz7 said:

Another car related day, I seem to have a habit of doing these things close together.

I drove the Xedos to Cambridgeshire today, so swap it for this:

I had asked for dibs on this when my friend got it (in another swap, for a Xantia), so the time finally came. It's been ages since I have had a 90s French car. 

Posher one too.

 

Not entirely sure what the plan with it is. It seems in quite good health, nothing alarming in the 120 miles this afternoon. I don't have any massive desire to sell it, nor to keep it. But I don't have to decide right now. 

 

Looks to have the speaking computer! Buttons on the right hand side of the dashboard.

Only Renault in the 90s/00s would put in an optional extra to physically speak to you when it breaks. 😆

[SiC]

15 hours ago, 320touring said:

Sitting running happily just now, shows 12.6v at idle, dropping to 12.4v with heater blower on.

Too low, not charging at that. Should be 13.8v and above. 

15 hours ago, 320touring said:

Tried running a feed from battery negative to exiter on alt. Get a bright light on my test thing. No increase in voltage.

Exciter line goes to positive through a bulb.

 

[320touring]

28 minutes ago, SiC said:

Too low, not charging at that. Should be 13.8v and above. 

Exciter line goes to positive through a bulb.

 

Tried with battery positive to the Exciter using my test light. Didn't illuminate.

[SiC]

Just now, 320touring said:

Tried with battery positive to the Exciter using my test light. Didn't illuminate.

With the engine running or stopped? On the bare terminal or was something else attached to it?

[chadders]

11 hours ago, cort1977 said:

Brexit, maybe? That was an EU thing wasn't it?

Not in until 2026.

"The Directive on common rules promoting the repair of goods was adopted on 13 June 2024 and entered into force on 30 July 2024. Member States have to transpose it into national rules and apply it from 31 July 2026"

https://commission.europa.eu/law/law-topic/consumer-protection-law/directive-repair-goods_en

[320touring]

Just now, SiC said:

With the engine running or stopped?

Running.

Engine running

Fed 12v positive from battery to exciter terminal. Test light didn't light.

That should be correct though? As alternator should be sending the 12v to cancel?

 

Using the original switched live to the alternator, I get an ignition light when engine stopped and ignition on.

Then when I start it I get the ignition light on but dim. It gets brighter when you rev it 

[dave j]

11 hours ago, Popsicle said:

Thought I'd whip the wheels off the Pisshat this afternoon to give the brakes and suspension a check over.

Oh bugger, locking wheel nuts, I can't find the key anywhere. Asked my mate who I got the car off, he had no idea, thinks it must be in the car somewhere as he had a couple of tyres done last year - I've looked all over, can't find it.

I've messaged a matching service on ebay, send them a picture and they send you out the correct socket, £16.99, so pretty reasonable.

It just reminds me why I throw the fuckers in the bin on every car I've had, total pain in the arse - if I was feeling more energetic I'd have forced something on to the bolts and butchered them off, decided to go out for a meal instead.

On my old Passat it took a while to find the locking wheel nut key, the wheel brace etc was in a pouch and there was a small pocket specifically for the locking wheel nut 

[Lord Sterling]

Jag is now back at the garage to hopefully sort out the scraping noise I've been getting from the nearside rear wheel. It's coming from the brake drum.

Now, this sounds petty; It basically means that I won't use the Vectra unless I really have to. Getting a space around here is like gold dust. Where the Jag is usually parked now is less than a minutes walk from the house up a small service back road where there isn't much traffic except to a tiny private residential carpark and the rear of some businesses on the high street. Losing this space would be extremely annoying and knowing how people are around here, they'll pounce on it.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, 320touring said:

Running.

Engine running

Fed 12v positive from battery to exciter terminal. Test light didn't light.

That should be correct though? As alternator should be sending the 12v to cancel?

 

Using the original switched live to the alternator, I get an ignition light when engine stopped and ignition on.

Then when I start it I get the ignition light on but dim. It gets brighter when you rev it 

I'm not sure quite what you're doing here. 

Exciter terminal must go through a bulb that is connected to positive - as per the diagram above. The regulator uses the bulb as a resistance to load that part of the circuit. 

Connecting it directly to positive or negative is likely going to fry the regulator. 

Just to confirm there are two terminals (well three on a Lucas 18ACR but two are effectively connected together). A chunky one which must go to battery positive - that's the main output feed. A smaller one which is the field exciter terminal/ignition warning lamp - that connects to a bulb which is connected to battery positive (through the ignition switch otherwise you'll get it lit all the time)

[Snake Charmer]

22 hours ago, richardmorris said:

DVLA has it down as a HiTech Automotive with a 7ltr engine. Not one l have heard of before 👍

[Metal Guru]

17 hours ago, auntiemaryscanary said:

1st run out on the bike this year. 

Ended up in Oakham. It's a rough old town...

The driver and co-pilot names are on the side. Sir Christopher Bathley and I assume his son.

I would have expected Caractacus Potts.

[richardmorris]

54 minutes ago, Snake Charmer said:

DVLA has it down as a HiTech Automotive with a 7ltr engine. Not one l have heard of before 👍

It's loud! He imported it when they moved from South Africa. I helped him put the hard top on last Dec before they left for their chalet in Verbier.

[Popsicle]

3 hours ago, dave j said:

On my old Passat it took a while to find the locking wheel nut key, the wheel brace etc was in a pouch and there was a small pocket specifically for the locking wheel nut 

Thanks for the tip - I've been out and had another shufty, still not found it. There is a pouch in the bag for the wheel brace and jack, nothing in it though.

I did find another compartment I'd missed, more strange bounty received.....

I'm really trying hard not to be judgemental, but a salt pot in the boot lining, seriously!

[Pat Earrings]

Ampera has gone. Sold it for a bit less than I wanted but only a touch. In the end the 4 seater arrangement was incredibly inconvenient and the parts availability did worry me eventually. Aside from that probably one of the best cars I’ve owned. Shame the support network isn’t there.

i still want a boring an car, so will look at a mk1 auris hybrid as I really enjoyed the fuel savings.

[Popsicle]

The couriering Caddy hasn't been out much lately, I did 300 miles in it on Friday, but that has been it over the past few weeks. Unsurprisingly the brakes felt a bit rough for the first few miles after being sat for so long, there is also a very faint brake judder when slowing from NSL speeds. Time for a quick shufty. 

The front brakes were last changed at 138k miles, its now on 396k miles, so these front pads and discs have lasted an incredible 258k miles.

A small lip on the discs, a couple of mm left on the pads. I genuinely can't believe how long they have lasted.

The front shocks were an advisory on the last MOT, I also reckon the top mounts are groaning a bit, the front shocks were last changed at 140k miles, the top mounts at 213k miles, sigh, nothing's built to last these days 😂, time to start gathering parts to keep it earning its keep.

 

[artdjones]

3 hours ago, Popsicle said:

Thanks for the tip - I've been out and had another shufty, still not found it. There is a pouch in the bag for the wheel brace and jack, nothing in it though.

I did find another compartment I'd missed, more strange bounty received.....

I'm really trying hard not to be judgemental, but a salt pot in the boot lining, seriously!

I bought an 85 B2 Passat estate back in the mid 90s as a project. I brought it home, but thought it was a bit smelly. After a bit of tracking down, it was coming from a compartment in the LH boot lining. I opened the door to find a very used disposable nappy floating on top of a couple of gallons of water, as the compartment drain was blocked.

It was strange, the family that owned it was ruled over by a fanatically clean termagant. I have noticed, however, that women often have different standards of cleanliness between their houses and their cars.

[Popsicle]

9 minutes ago, artdjones said:

I bought an 85 B2 Passat estate back in the mid 90s as a project. I brought it home, but thought it was a bit smelly. After a bit of tracking down, it was coming from a compartment in the LH boot lining. I opened the door to find a very used disposable nappy floating on top of a couple of gallons of water, as the compartment drain was blocked.

It was strange, the family that owned it was ruled over by a fanatically clean termagant. I have noticed, however, that women often have different standards of cleanliness between their houses and their cars.

Urgh sounds a grim find. The mate who I got the Passat from, his Mrs was the main driver - what you've said sums her up perfectly. I found a load of used cotton buds in the centre console while cleaning it out, amongst various other bits of rubbish stuffed in every orifice.

[Split_Pin]

Got the Saab starter out. Unless you're like me with small hands and thin arms there's no chance you'll reach it! 50% of the job was still done blind as the single arm I could get up the back of the engine was then blocking my view.

New one looks bigger but all the connections and mounts seem to line up. We'll see!

[Popsicle]

Decisions, decisions.

Brands I like and trust, £290.
Stuff I've not used before, £179.
Both from GSF.
ECP coming in at £380 for quality brands, Carparts4less, £389.
Parts in Motion seem similar to GSF, but I find their website a bit awkward to decipher whats what and my Caddy has wider shocks, 55m instead of 50mm, due to heavy duty set up and there are 3 different disc sizes, 280, 288 and 312mm.

I could get cheap shite from Ebay, but I've been down that road before, its just not worth it for the miles I do.

Due to not wanting to do the jobs twice, I'll probably go with the Brembo/Monroe stuff. Unless you folk reckon Drivetec, Friction1 and Amtex are any good?

For context, if I just left it to the garage I use they always fit the 'gold' rated stuff from GSF.

[Dyslexic Viking]

5 minutes ago, Popsicle said:

Brands I like and trust, £290.
Stuff I've not used before, £179.
Both from GSF.
ECP coming in at £380 for quality brands, Carparts4less, £389.
Parts in Motion seem similar to GSF, but I find their website a bit awkward to decipher whats what and my Caddy has wider shocks, 55m instead of 50mm, due to heavy duty set up and there are 3 different disc sizes, 280, 288 and 312mm.

I could get cheap shite from Ebay, but I've been down that road before, its just not worth it for the miles I do.

Due to not wanting to do the jobs twice, I'll probably go with the Brembo/Monroe stuff. Unless you folk reckon Drivetec, Friction1 and Amtex are any good?

For context, if I just left it to the garage I use they always fit the 'gold' rated stuff from GSF.

I am of the opinion that on cars that you plan to have for a while, it is worth buying good parts. And when you are using it to make a living, it is certainly worth it.

Buying cheap is like pissing in your pants to stay warm. It's good then, but it passes.

[Popsicle]

2 minutes ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

I am of the opinion that on cars that you plan to have for a while, it is worth buying good parts. And when you are using it to make a living, it is certainly worth it.

Buying cheap is like pissing in your pants to stay warm. It's good then, but it passes.

Cheers - I'd do a laugh emoji as well as thanks if I could mate!

[Sunny Jim]

Found a couple of bumble bees trapped in the porch at work today.

Put a saucer of sugar water down and left the outside door open for them.

Look after your pollinators and they'll look after you.

[Marina door handles]

Apparently the towbar on my Rover is a bit of a "hazard to shipping" according to Mrs MDH as she has clouted her leg on it more than twice. The car now has a cone of shame.....