The new news 24 thread

[Popsicle]

1 hour ago, Bear said:

Apparently someone's left a box on my driveway.

Amazon playing knock a door run again? 😍

[Split_Pin]

Gaa, the starting problems continue with the Saab.

After getting a flat battery last week, today the starter began sticking. Checked the battery terminals but all good.

New starter required I think! I was planning to take it to Inverness tomorrow but not any more.

[andy18s]

Looks like winter has taken a turn..

[Spottedlaurel]

Good news on the ex @BorniteIdentity Avensis SR:

Pretty clean pass compared to last year. <6,000 miles between tests, at that rate it's going to take another two years to get to the magic 300k, although it may well see daily commuting duties again from the summer.

[Rust Collector]

Something something project creep.

Still, at least the sun is out, for a change.

[Zelandeth]

24 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

Something something project creep.

Still, at least the sun is out, for a change.

...Proton?

[camryv6]

6 hours ago, Bear said:

My dad wants a camper van. For pennies. There's a Bongo near me with a suspected/known blown head gasket but otherwise sound sounding.

So assuming the body is worth bolting new bits onto and the inside is worth being in...

...exactly how horrible a job is a Bongo 2.5 diesel head gasket?

Forum research suggests to me that actually lot of issues aren't inherent weakness in the engine (and most are going at 150K+ miles anyway) but more that people have no clue about the rear heater and pipework so completely screw up coolant changes. If they bother with coolant changes at all.

Did these have a habit or cracking heads, or did i make that up ?

[Bear]

1 minute ago, camryv6 said:

Did these have a habit or cracking heads, or did i make that up ?

I don't know - and to be fair the seller decided to fix it instead after getting sick of lowball offers (I was interested in their asking price, but you know people see asking price and try for half), so I'm not chasing it. I did read comments along those lines though when looking for info.

[Joey spud]

Here's something I never knew I needed. I've just bought this for a tenner.

I'm sure it's obvious but it is a dog porthole and just what my young nosey Beagle needs in her life.

What could possibly go wrong...

[Rust Collector]

52 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

...Proton?

Yeah, it’s the next car on the list for sorting.

The control to select which vents are in use has never worked, it was stuck set to the dash vents.

It turned out the Bowden cable had popped out at the actuator end. Refitting this revealed that a couple of the linkages on the main lever needed adjustment.

Now I’ve adjusted them, it’s working as I think it should. I haven’t refitted the dash though as the power feed for the fan has been rewired, and I’d like to put it back to using the correct fuse in the fuse box.

I’ll need the dash out in order to retrofit sunroof drains too, which is something I want to do as I think it should ensure that the next owner(s) don’t have grief with water ingress ruining the car.

[Zelandeth]

9 minutes ago, Rust Collector said:

Yeah, it’s the next car on the list for sorting.

The control to select which vents are in use has never worked, it was stuck set to the dash vents.

It turned out the Bowden cable had popped out at the actuator end. Refitting this revealed that a couple of the linkages on the main lever needed adjustment.

Now I’ve adjusted them, it’s working as I think it should. I haven’t refitted the dash though as the power feed for the fan has been rewired, and I’d like to put it back to using the correct fuse in the fuse box.

I’ll need the dash out in order to retrofit sunroof drains too, which is something I want to do as I think it should ensure that the next owner(s) don’t have grief with water ingress ruining the car.

Great to see the work going into it.  Such underrated cars in my view.

Just don't reconnect the bloody ignition buzzer...

[wuvvum]

This beauty is parked outside the office today.

(With bonus i-Miev in the background.)

It's a Brooklands R Mulliner - one of a limited edition of 100 apparently.  It's a rather lovely thing.

[Rust Collector]

37 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

Great to see the work going into it.  Such underrated cars in my view.

Just don't reconnect the bloody ignition buzzer...

It’s very utilitarian in its construction, which I like. I’m sure that once sorted, it should be a pretty straightforward car to live with. I’m hoping that it will go on to live for some time once I’m done with it.

I’ve no idea if the buzzer is connected to be fair, I don’t recall ever hearing it!

[High Jetter]

4 hours ago, Joey spud said:

Here's something I never knew I needed. I've just bought this for a tenner.

I'm sure it's obvious but it is a dog porthole and just what my young,nosey Beagle needs in her life.

What could possibly go wrong...

So your dog/cat/kid is spying on your neighbours? Or dreaming of escape 😀

[Popsicle]

Tried to fix the DAB reception on the Pisshat earlier. Some contradiction online as to where the aerial is, some reckon the wing mirror, some reckon the rear side windows and some reckon the shark fin on the roof. Whichever one it is, it is very poor for DAB tunes, but the FM, AM and nav all seem fine.

This is the connectors on the stereo.

Number one seems the fella, so ordered a new aerial, never had much joy with the standard DAB glass mounts, a dash mounted one had good reviews so gave it a whirl.

The stereo is really easy to remove, pull the trim cover off and 4 torx screws has it all out.

New fancy aerial.

Well that was a waste of money, no difference at all, bloody fake reviews no doubt! I've now ordered a normal glass mount, which is what I should have done in the first place.

In other news, I think the van has had a hissy fit at being parked up all week, I last went out in on Sunday and since then its seen me wafting around in the Pisshat, I must have hurt its feelings!

I need the van for work tomorrow so thought I'd give it a run this evening. Fired up first time, drove fine until up to temp, then ran like a sack of shit, revs all over the place and engine shaking. Code reader brings up no faults, can't see anything obvious awry, so fuck knows. Turned it off and on again and it seemed fine, not really sure whats going on with it. Over the last few weeks its ran fine from cold, then seemed a bit rough running while getting up to temp, then has ran fine all day, so its not happy about something.

 

[lesapandre]

Morning fleamarket find.

[beko1987]

13 hours ago, Popsicle said:

Tried to fix the DAB reception on the Pisshat earlier. Some contradiction online as to where the aerial is, some reckon the wing mirror, some reckon the rear side windows and some reckon the shark fin on the roof. Whichever one it is, it is very poor for DAB tunes, but the FM, AM and nav all seem fine.

This is the connectors on the stereo.

Number one seems the fella, so ordered a new aerial, never had much joy with the standard DAB glass mounts, a dash mounted one had good reviews so gave it a whirl.

The stereo is really easy to remove, pull the trim cover off and 4 torx screws has it all out.

New fancy aerial.

Well that was a waste of money, no difference at all, bloody fake reviews no doubt! I've now ordered a normal glass mount, which is what I should have done in the first place.

In other news, I think the van has had a hissy fit at being parked up all week, I last went out in on Sunday and since then its seen me wafting around in the Pisshat, I must have hurt its feelings!

I need the van for work tomorrow so thought I'd give it a run this evening. Fired up first time, drove fine until up to temp, then ran like a sack of shit, revs all over the place and engine shaking. Code reader brings up no faults, can't see anything obvious awry, so fuck knows. Turned it off and on again and it seemed fine, not really sure whats going on with it. Over the last few weeks its ran fine from cold, then seemed a bit rough running while getting up to temp, then has ran fine all day, so its not happy about something.

 

When I had dab+ I found the magnetic external small whip aerials amazing. I got crystal clear reception even where fm would die off. I just ran the cable out of the boot seal and onto the roof. 

It only broke as I broke the connector on the head unit moving it between cars 😢 

It would make your car look like a taxi though 🤔😂 I didn't have that issue in the zx/lagunii I ran it in... 

 

Edit this sort of one

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/256019954319?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=c7XWy2NLRJm&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=QOvj0cTJQtq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

Then an smb to fakra adapter behind the radio

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/195219411542?mkcid=16&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-127632-2357-0&ssspo=UdLxmPhjSYW&sssrc=4429486&ssuid=QOvj0cTJQtq&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

(the aerial will have an smb female plug, so you want a male smb to whatever sex of fakra you desire) 

[Steve79]

23 hours ago, Steve79 said:

Enjoying a well deserved holiday in Costa Adeje in Tenerife. Holiday is off to a good start at the airport. Girlfriend was unimpressed.

The bottom end on the saloon was banging like a goodun though.

Was hoping to get in one but had to settle for a Renault Arkana hybrid instead.

Impressions of Arkana. Bit tight on interior space and poor switchgear layout. 

 

 

Further chod sighted

[wuvvum]

Minor win on the Ampera repairs front.  It needed a new rear bumper reinforcement bar, the original was completely mangled.  There was one being sold by a breaker on eBay - £94.32 plus £12.60 postage.  The joys of owning an obscure car.

After a bit of research it turns out the bumper bar is exactly the same as the one on an Astra J.  Found one for £19.99 including postage, ordered Wednesday night, delivered this morning.

[comfortablynumb]

@Popsicle, I've got a magmount aerial for my dab+, fitted to my roof light bar coz roof is ally, good reception generally, and we're in a poor reception area 

@Bear, there are a number of aftermarket alarms for cooling systems on bongos, they made a habit of losing water and cooking themselves.

[wuvvum]

The Rover 75 failed its MOT today.  On the handbrake efficiency being 1% below the requirements.  So not exactly the end of the world.

I adjusted the hell out of the handbrake mechanism last year, but hopefully there's still a bit of adjustment left in the cable to give it that extra 1% it so desperately needs.

[richardmorris]

Quick trip to the garden centre.

[Split_Pin]

4 hours ago, wuvvum said:

The Rover 75 failed its MOT today.  On the handbrake efficiency being 1% below the requirements.  So not exactly the end of the world.

I adjusted the hell out of the handbrake mechanism last year, but hopefully there's still a bit of adjustment left in the cable to give it that extra 1% it so desperately needs.

Mine failed on that too, as it does every year.  I've never had a 75 with a decent handbrake.

[bramz7]

Just traipsed down to Bristol (BCA) for this:

It didn't cost a lot. It also doesn't have much MOT left (5 hours and 55 mins as it stands). A curious spec of 156, 1.6 T Spark, facelift, Brunello Red with two tone Alfatex interior. 

It drove back literally fine, there is a groan from the steering which could be dry ball joints but the suspension is bizarrely knock free. There is a bit of grot on the driver side sill, and at least one tyre is perishing. But jeepers, having had 8 of them now, this one seems ok. 

I did freak the alarm out, the boot was open which I didn't realise, so it kept arming and blaring when I opened a door. I finally twigged it, and the fob seemed to eventually disarm it and lock properly. Announced the car to the whole street. Great! 

It has service history too! Actual relevant service history. 

It will fail the MOT. But I knew that beforehand. 

[richardmorris]

3 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

Just traipsed down to Bristol (BCA) for this:

It didn't cost a lot. It also doesn't have much MOT left (5 hours and 55 mins as it stands). A curious spec of 156, 1.6 T Spark, facelift, Brunello Red with two tone Alfatex interior. 

It drove back literally fine, there is a groan from the steering which could be dry ball joints but the suspension is bizarrely knock free. There is a bit of grot on the driver side sill, and at least one tyre is perishing. But jeepers, having had 8 of them now, this one seems ok. 

I did freak the alarm out, the boot was open which I didn't realise, so it kept arming and blaring when I opened a door. I finally twigged it, and the fob seemed to eventually disarm it and lock properly. Announced the car to the whole street. Great! 

It has service history too! Actual relevant service history. 

It will fail the MOT. But I knew that beforehand. 

Lovely. Did you get both keys of doom?

[bramz7]

27 minutes ago, richardmorris said:

Lovely. Did you get both keys of doom?

Nope, no red key! But I have two fobs...and probably the key code somewhere. 

I once had an Alfa 147 with one key, which I ended up losing. Still annoys me to this day. 

[Schaefft]

That looks like a nice spec, certainly an unusual color. I got the red key with the 166, I wasn't sure if it's original because it's pretty flimsy.😂

[SiC]

1 hour ago, bramz7 said:

Just traipsed down to Bristol (BCA) for this:

It didn't cost a lot. It also doesn't have much MOT left (5 hours and 55 mins as it stands). A curious spec of 156, 1.6 T Spark, facelift, Brunello Red with two tone Alfatex interior. 

It drove back literally fine, there is a groan from the steering which could be dry ball joints but the suspension is bizarrely knock free. There is a bit of grot on the driver side sill, and at least one tyre is perishing. But jeepers, having had 8 of them now, this one seems ok. 

I did freak the alarm out, the boot was open which I didn't realise, so it kept arming and blaring when I opened a door. I finally twigged it, and the fob seemed to eventually disarm it and lock properly. Announced the car to the whole street. Great! 

It has service history too! Actual relevant service history. 

It will fail the MOT. But I knew that beforehand. 

These are so rare now!

[bramz7]

@Schaefft

Does 'our' (well yours!) 156 SW have a red key? I can't remember.

@SiC

They are. Unfortunately the 156 is probably my favourite car, ever, and I am attracted to them like no other car. A recent trip to Italy did not help. 

[320touring]

9 minutes ago, bramz7 said:

@Schaefft

Does 'our' (well yours!) 156 SW have a red key? I can't remember.

@SiC

They are. Unfortunately the 156 is probably my favourite car, ever, and I am attracted to them like no other car. A recent trip to Italy did not help. 

Love the colour! How is the 1.6 to drive? I found my 2.0 twinspark to be lacking in torque but happy enough to roll along.

The 2.4JTD 10v I had was much sprightlier, but like trying to get a supertanker to turn in comparatively.

The Alfa 156 is simultaneously the best and the worst.

2.5 turns lock to lock and a decent gearshift = glorious fun down a back road.😍

2.5 turns lock to lock into a parking space = half a space out🤬

 

And the squeaks man, the squeaks.

Glovebox, suspension, seats, gearstick, clutch pedal...

 

Enjoy it!