The new news 24 thread

[JakeT]

9 hours ago, Popsicle said:

As the Pisshat is now firmly on the fleet.

Quick processing by the DVLA.

Time for a service. I will admit to being an unashamed Mann fanboi, its a hill I will die on, bestest filters ever.

Oil, air, fuel and pollen filters from GSF, I've 40 litres of finest Mannol 507 spec oil as I use it in the caddy - incidentally the cabin and air filters are the same for the Pisshat and the caddy.

Although the Pisshat engine is a bit more modern than the Caddy, everything seems to be set up similarly, so nice and easy to get at everything.

Looks fairly clean and leak free for 214k miles.

The mate who I got the car off said it was last serviced about a year ago, he uses the same garage I use, so I knew it would have been done properly.

Air and pollen filter didn't really need changing, but I've done it.

Blue one is the old fuel filter, orange is the new one, again probably didn't need doing.

Oil filter was black, as expected, other than removing a bracket out the way to get to the oil filter, it was really easy to service.

Reset the service and inspection reminders on the dash display, fuck knows why it says a service is due again in 9400 miles? Thought it would be longer than that.

Once serviced I tried again to sort out the DAB reception. Fitted my new glass mount ariel, still no signal ☹️. Had a brainwave and took the stereo out of the Caddy, plugged it in to the Pisshat, DAB's working fine. Looks like the DAB part of the stereo units fucked in the Pisshat then. Replacement stereos aren't overly expensive, but I'll see how the car behaves for a bit first.

Nice work! The Hengst filter that came out of it is good quality, too.

 

From when my Mrs worked in a Skoda dealer around this time I seem to recall there was two service intervals. Fixed servicing and long life servicing. I recall the dealer had to take into account the usage pattern of the customer and set it accordingly. I think it could also be changed but only when a major service was done. If it’s on fixed intervals thats a win in my eyes as 10k is a nice sensible number for a modern engine.

 

On that note, my BMW made the decision for me. All BMWs came with ‘condition based servicing’ where they would just tell you when things needed changing based on the usage of the car. Even the pollen filter had an algorithm that looked at fan speed and air recirculation usage. Sounds smart, but all it did was make people go to BMW every three months for stupid stuff like an air filter, and then a pollen filter, and then an oil service. After around 2007 BMW removed most of these as it was a pain. But oil remained. My 330i will go 19,000 miles before a service if you let it. But, after 186,000 miles the CBS for the oil service starts to stop working. You can reset it but it starts resetting to a lower amount. By 217,000 miles my car wouldn’t reset at all, and starts binging that the service is overdue. BMW released a fix which just disabled the oil service Indicator and requested the dealer to tell the customer to service the car at fixed intervals. Which I’ve been doing. Every 10,000 miles from 130k to then.

[Split_Pin]

Our Trigger's broom Indesit condenser dryer had another FTP last night. No burning smell, motor is working, plenty heat but drum wasn't turning. I suspected the belt had slipped off but how?

Tensioner bearing completely shot and wobbling about allowing the belt to slip off.

New one ordered from Espares, should be here tomorrow. Another £300 odd saved!

[comfortablynumb]

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?

[richardmorris]

[dozeydustman]

The fleet of cars here has been so utterly reliable of late I’ve had bugger all to post hence a large amount of radio silence. Also adding extra units to the kitchen has taken a lot of my time up. Thankfully just tiling left.

This said on 28th the 205 has its MoT. Aside from the original clutch cable snapping it’s been reliable for the 2,000 miles since purchase. I do have a list of MoT jobs to do including repairing the front seat mounts with the electric PrittsStick. I have the last week of March and the first 2 weeks of April off work so I can do much car and house tinkering then.

Also Grandson is due around then…

[auntiemaryscanary]

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.

[320touring]

Anyone any ideas?

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

Get a dim light on test thing at the connector I was using for a switched live..so alternator likely not getting full12v from that feed.

With the switches 12v hooked up, 8 get ignition light on with ignition, but it doesn't go out when started.

Gets brighter when you reckon it ( more demand ?)

Unsure as to next steps - I have a tested good new alternator I can swap in and try exciting.

Or it's an earthing issue

Or a wiring issue.

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

[bramz7]

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. 

 

[wesacosa]

5 minutes 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. 

 

Nice. Those mk1 Lagunas really seem to get better with age. 

Still tempted to try and find a Xedos at some point so if your mate is looking to move it on at any point might be interested if I can get my XM moved on

[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.