The new news 24 thread

12,539 · April 24

Last year I bought a ten year old Honda CRV and it's been really good except for the aftermarket head unit that's an absolute pain in the arse.

Recently though I've been getting ''Auto headlights/check system'' messages pinging up on the dash every minute or so also the other night I noticed the back lit switches on the drivers door were flickering. I've spent ages checking what I could with opinion being it might be the auto main beam camera or the headlight bcm (auto main beam is something no ones ever needed).

Today I was starting to clutch at straws and unplugged the Chinese head unit and went for a drive and low and behold my random messages and annoying binging has suddenly stopped so I guess the head unit has decided it doesn't want to be compatible with the Honda anymore.

The moral of this story is if you want your reliable Japanese wagon to stay reliable don't contaminate it's electrical system with cheap Chinese junk.

19,793 · April 24

2 hours ago, Popsicle said:

bring me cups of tea. I have pointed out how much it would cost for a garage to do

Mrs Grogee rarely brought me cups of tea, even when I was working on her car.

She is now the ex-Mrs Grogee and about to find out how expensive garages are.

29,430 · April 24

52 minutes ago, Yoss said:

Now I can see why you don't use the Mercedes over winter.

Yes, it's bad and is a mixture of sand and road salt that gets into disc brakes and more.

It really is car killing stuff so thorough cleaning of car and wheels is necessary every spring.

9,068 · April 24

Not much.

Clients refusing to give fair invoice payment lead times (and others refusing to pay at all) mean that I can't do much these days.

I finally got the screws back into the SVX's door card after taking it off to do the sleeve lock regulator, losing the screws, paying a fiver for more screws from a breaker, then rooting through a box of SVX bits that I keep safe only to find the screws and the infill cover I was looking for.

At least the door card doesn't try to come off when you pull it to any more.

I also made up a bag of essential service bits to keep in the boot from a mixture of bulk buy stock I got ages ago, and Millfield Autos (RIP Lincoln Road branch):

The pump thing is something the Millfield boys rigged up in case I have to top up the ATF. I also keep a few cans of Wynn's Lifter treatment nearby because the tappets like to tick occasionally, and I got five cans mega cheap last year.

Speaking of deals, XCP rust blocker is less than half price a can if you have a trade card:

For the battered and bruised cack I roll round in, it's really useful stuff - and stops surface rust getting any worse.

Also: remember this fucking thing?

That's right: the 605 is slowly edging back towards the road.

It's been dry stored since some very minor MoT fails took it off the road in 2018: I, of course, got distracted and didn't have them fixed.

It has *always* been a cunt to start - and it proved that way over the Bank Holiday weekend when it fired off the Leon but then *would not* restart on the original battery, despite it being off and charged.
The 029 that was in it was at the very bottom of the CCA range (480CCA) that you can get away with. When funds allow I'll put a 720CCA 096 in, as it'll fit.

Alas, the Big Bastard Battery (BBB, below), our unit slave, didn't fit.

I later shit a third battery (OK, I nicked it out of my mate's Merc) rated to 550CCA on to it and it fired straight up. Surely this car's *miserable* starting issues weren't all down to a correct-but-too-weedy battery?

My CTEK rescued the 029, but it won't be going back on. I think it's been too deeply cycled, anyway.

I gave it a good wash over the BHW.

I have a spare door for it now, but it'll be a wee while before another MoT can be attempted. Regardless, it will be kept cleaner and moved more often; the unit access road is very quiet and I binned a shitload of stuff recently, with more to come, and it's in a much better place for access than it's been in for the past three or four years. The SVX is reliable-ish now, and a couple of cars have been sold that were blocking it in.

And yes, the blow through in the garage goes everywhere, but it's secure and dry, the dust easily removed.

I have plans for the SVX, too: get the air-con fixed (it's miserable to drive in the summer, owing to the glazing), have the blowing cat down pipes replaced, and then have Carnetix do the rocker cover gaskets and a couple of other minor jobs, along with a small service.

Like everything else on that car, parts books lie (so far they've been wrong on the battery size, rear brakes, starter, and rocker cover gaskets) and the fucking septics hoover up any old dealer spares to scalp, so it's been a bit of a mare. I think I'm winning, though.

10,123 · April 24

So glad the 605 is still alive and (fairly) well. I still can't believe I dented the door like a moron.

Hey ho 🥲

9,068 · April 24

1 hour ago, bramz7 said:

So glad the 605 is still alive and (fairly) well. I still can't believe I dented the door like a moron.

Hey ho 🥲

It's the same car it was in 2018.

I copped an unbeliveable amount of shit over that door from the CCC. I had several narky letters sent into me when I was a CCW staffer.

I couldn't get a door and finally got one just before COVID: a mate has it.

I bulk bought all of the bits it needed in a COVID sale at GSF, and @Captain Slow found the boost pipe that it needs.

The door is still some way off - but another MoT is achievable. I reckon it could be back on the road for circa £500, and the *galling* thing is that I could have it all done if my bastard clients stopped dragging their feet.
It's still beautiful inside; I even found some OEM dealer mats for it and have another black set if needs be.

19,843 · April 24

2 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Cleaned some winter wheels today and it's amazing how much crap builds up on the wheels over the course of one winter.

It's around 10 mm thick in places.

britta r5 ev tyres? (bjorn joke)

9,068 · April 24

Mood pic of 605 back in the day at Bruntingthorpe.

SEAT also behaving after five attempts to get the air out of the coolant circuit.
That also crippled me financially.

4,867 · April 24

1 hour ago, grogee said:

Mrs Grogee rarely brought me cups of tea, even when I was working on her car.

She is now the ex-Mrs Grogee and about to find out how expensive garages are.

Not providing your man (or woman) with the necessary sustenance to do a job is unreasonable behaviour - the number one grounds for a divorce in the UK.

April 24

1 hour ago, alcyonecorporation said:

Surely this car's *miserable* starting issues weren't all down to a correct-but-too-weedy battery?

Extremely likely. 2.1 XUDs are very battery sensitive.

The XM D I am selling, with a crap battery AND a Jag breathing life into it for an hour, won't go. Put a nice new 096 on and it starts first crank.

I've long been a believer in "whatever the biggest battery that fits the space and has the right terminals on it is, is the right one whatever the factory might think."

April 24

55 minutes ago, alcyonecorporation said:

I reckon it could be back on the road for circa £500

What does it actually need doing to go back on the road? Not to be perfect, but - say - to let you drive it over here legally?

9,068 · April 24

1 minute ago, Captain Slow said:

What does it actually need doing to go back on the road? Not to be perfect, but - say - to let you drive it over here legally?

CVs, a washer pump, a track rod end and a boost pipe if memory serves.

And getting parts that weren't absolute shit was quite difficult.

8,688 · April 24

2 hours ago, Dyslexic Viking said:

Yes, it's bad and is a mixture of sand and road salt that gets into disc brakes and more.

It really is car killing stuff so thorough cleaning of car and wheels is necessary every spring.

Looks like an uncleaned cement mixer drum!

27,292 · April 24

A Japanese night at the Car Barn, tonight.

Myself, N02 son and @gm , went along in the mighty Mazda and the Exo.

There was a great turnout.

The next one is a German night. 8th May.

9,068 · April 24

Better as a proper thread that, looked good.

20,263 · April 24

17 minutes ago, DVee8 said:

Myself, N02 son and @gm , went along in the mighty Mazda and the Exo.

not to mention a minor hoon on the way home great fun

9,604 · April 24

Epic!

1,851 · April 24

4 hours ago, alcyonecorporation said:

Not much.

Clients refusing to give fair invoice payment lead times (and others refusing to pay at all) mean that I can't do much these days.

I finally got the screws back into the SVX's door card after taking it off to do the sleeve lock regulator, losing the screws, paying a fiver for more screws from a breaker, then rooting through a box of SVX bits that I keep safe only to find the screws and the infill cover I was looking for.

At least the door card doesn't try to come off when you pull it to any more.

I also made up a bag of essential service bits to keep in the boot from a mixture of bulk buy stock I got ages ago, and Millfield Autos (RIP Lincoln Road branch):

The pump thing is something the Millfield boys rigged up in case I have to top up the ATF. I also keep a few cans of Wynn's Lifter treatment nearby because the tappets like to tick occasionally, and I got five cans mega cheap last year.

Speaking of deals, XCP rust blocker is less than half price a can if you have a trade card:

For the battered and bruised cack I roll round in, it's really useful stuff - and stops surface rust getting any worse.

Also: remember this fucking thing?

That's right: the 605 is slowly edging back towards the road.

It's been dry stored since some very minor MoT fails took it off the road in 2018: I, of course, got distracted and didn't have them fixed.

It has *always* been a cunt to start - and it proved that way over the Bank Holiday weekend when it fired off the Leon but then *would not* restart on the original battery, despite it being off and charged.
The 029 that was in it was at the very bottom of the CCA range (480CCA) that you can get away with. When funds allow I'll put a 720CCA 096 in, as it'll fit.

Alas, the Big Bastard Battery (BBB, below), our unit slave, didn't fit.

I later shit a third battery (OK, I nicked it out of my mate's Merc) rated to 550CCA on to it and it fired straight up. Surely this car's *miserable* starting issues weren't all down to a correct-but-too-weedy battery?

My CTEK rescued the 029, but it won't be going back on. I think it's been too deeply cycled, anyway.

I gave it a good wash over the BHW.

I have a spare door for it now, but it'll be a wee while before another MoT can be attempted. Regardless, it will be kept cleaner and moved more often; the unit access road is very quiet and I binned a shitload of stuff recently, with more to come, and it's in a much better place for access than it's been in for the past three or four years. The SVX is reliable-ish now, and a couple of cars have been sold that were blocking it in.

And yes, the blow through in the garage goes everywhere, but it's secure and dry, the dust easily removed.

I have plans for the SVX, too: get the air-con fixed (as it's miserable to drive in the summer, for obvious reasons), have the blowing cat down pipes replaced, and then have Carnetix do the rocker cover gaskets and a couple of other minor jobs, along with a small service.

Like everything else on that car, parts books lie (so far they've been wrong on the battery size, rear brakes, starter, and rocker cover gaskets) and the fucking septics hoover up any old dealer spares to scalp, so it's been a bit of a mare. I think I'm winning, though.

Have you still got the silver Impreza WRX Wagon you bought off me years ago (that I bought off @Dave_Q)?

9,068 · April 24

Just now, J-T said:

Have you still got the silver Impreza WRX Wagon you bought off me years ago (that I bought off @Dave_Q)?

I still own it, yes.

It's waiting its turn. The SVX needed a shitload more work than anticipated.

It still runs and drives, but the cat collapsed, a misfire needs tracing, and those psychotic electrics need sorting out.

It was a pretty sorted car and Carnetix could sort it for me if I had the spare money.

9,068 · April 24

I'm surprised that some of you haven't clocked that there is blatantly another old piece of shit in that thread above.

40,336 · April 24

6 minutes ago, alcyonecorporation said:

I'm surprised that some of you haven't clocked that there is blatantly another old piece of shit in that thread above.

Facelift Vectra C?

9,068 · April 24

1 minute ago, SiC said:

Facelift Vectra C?

LOL that isn't mine.
I'll have you know that's a 'life' model.

April 24

Tried starting my new engine yesterday but four months on the shelf haven't been kind to the carb, and the float seems to be stuck to an extent where bashing the float bowl with a spanner isn't accomplishing anything.

15,807 · April 25

12 hours ago, DVee8 said:

A Japanese night at the Car Barn, tonight.

Myself, N02 son and @gm , went along in the mighty Mazda and the Exo.

There was a great turnout

Oof, fastest I've ever driven was in a Mk1 CRX. That one was reg local to me too.

15,324 · April 25

13 hours ago, DVee8 said:

A Japanese night at the Car Barn, tonight.

Myself, N02 son and @gm , went along in the mighty Mazda and the Exo.

There was a great turnout.

The next one is a German night. 8th May.

When’s the next Japanese night? 15th August?

20,263 · April 25

the events are all themed this year

but anyone is welcome to come along - get booked in early or you may end up in the top field when the main area is full

https://www.facebook.com/share/1TY6Lu37V5/?mibextid=wwXIfr

18 minutes ago, Metal Guru said:

When’s the next Japanese night? 15th August?

can you spot the Exo ?

4,947 · April 25

The ex @Sunny Jim piss yellow 106 has got through its MOT. @BerginJRis very happy BUT the tin worms seem to have found a home, or many homes☹️ I think it’s going to struggle next year without some major work with a sparkly stick. His test is in August, hopefully before🤞 so if we can get 6 months of proper road experience in then the car will have served him well.

32,139 · April 25

18 minutes ago, andyberg said:

The ex @Sunny Jim piss yellow 106 has got through its MOT. @BerginJRis very happy BUT the tin worms seem to have found a home, or many homes☹️ I think it’s going to struggle next year without some major work with a sparkly stick. His test is in August, hopefully before🤞 so if we can get 6 months of proper road experience in then the car will have served him well.

Sorry about two winters in Weardale