The new news 24 thread

[wuvvum]

Had a reasonably productive day today despite the changeable weather. 

Got the Eos emptied out and refitted the offside front arch liner which I'd removed when I did the spring - that was a fairly straightforward job but took a little longer than it might have done as I was trying not to disturb the two collared doves which appear to be building a nest on my satellite dish.

Emptied out the Maxus and fitted the new front drop link.

Actually the easiest one I've done in a long while - took about 15 minutes.  The old one was really quite knackered so I'm glad I decided to do it.

Jacked the front of the Leaf up and removed the arch liner so I could put a bolt through the end of the bumper to hold it onto the wing - so with the new bracket as well it's as properly fitted as it's going to be.  I didn't get around to investigating the knocking from the nearside, that's a job for another day.

Backed the i-Miev up onto the ramps, gave the rear inner sills a jet wash and a wire brush then sprayed them with anti-corrosion wax - they were the one advisory on the MOT, still very much only surface rust but i-Mievs are somewhat rust prone so I didn't want to give it a chance to get any worse.

The only job on the list I didn't manage to get done was sorting the leak on the Renault 6 fuel tank - I'll hopefully get that done next weekend.

Got bugger all fettling done yesterday as I was kept awake half the night by a quite spectacular thunderstorm and then had to be up early to take the Mitsubishi in for its MOT, so I then needed a nap in the afternoon.  Must be getting old.

[comfortablynumb]

My god, it started, and actually got out of hibernation under its own power!

Mot Wednesday morning.

Showing the better side...

[stuboy]

A father's day stop for egg chips and ham saw these at the stag pub....

[stripped fred]

The horn on my Jaguar S type has always been feeble. It stopped working completely last week.

I got my son, who's car mad and training to be an electrician, to check all the connections and he confirmed the relay was working. I bought replacement horns from an XJ which are going on today. My son opened up the old horns and this is how they looked. Hoping for quite an improvement!

[Bren]

My 530d has gone in for an EGR recall. I had been warned I may lose the car for a couple of days - the receptionist said it would be ready between 3 and 5pm but I took this with a large pinch of salt.

When my e60 went in for the battery cable recall I was given a load of old bollocks as to why it had taken so long - the receptionist said the car had needed "welding" ( I doubt it's something techs are taught  any more )- nothing on the walkaround video the tech does mentioned welding and there was no aroma of burning underseal when I picked it up.

Excuses Excuses.....

[Bren]

I fittwd a powerlite starter to the SD1 at the end of March but I had urgent jobs around the house so it had'nt been touched for about ten weeks.

The oil pump on the Rover V8 can empty if left too long - starting ones of these that has been left standing can be risky.

So off come the rocker covers. No 1 cylinder/ piston needs to be TDC with the two valves closed. Mark the dizzy - or take photographs.

Then the distributor clamp can be removed. Then the distributor.

Years ago I made a tool that fits an an electric drill - it has a slot in it to locate in the male end of the oil pump drive.

As the drill spins it will slow as the oil pressure begins to build - 

Once you have got oil pressure you will start to see oil at the rockers.

Now I need to refit everything and fire it up. I dont enjoy doing this because the plugs are usually piss wet through from all the cranking.

[Pat Earrings]

Headlights on the Golf wet sanded and compounded/polished. In my opinion they look absolutely crystal clear, pleased with the outcome. 
also took advantage of the weather and wet vacced the interior..the amount of dirt that came out made it worth it. Smells much fresher.

[vulgalour]

Finally got around to ordering myself a finger sander (not for sanding fingers, I hasten to add) so I can have an easier time of some of the bodywork repairs on the Princess.  Couldn't afford a big name one so just got the Titan brand one from Screwfix and hopefully it'll be at least as good as anything I'd get out of the Midl of Lidl.

[Zelandeth]

36 minutes ago, vulgalour said:

Finally got around to ordering myself a finger sander (not for sanding fingers, I hasten to add) so I can have an easier time of some of the bodywork repairs on the Princess.  Couldn't afford a big name one so just got the Titan brand one from Screwfix and hopefully it'll be at least as good as anything I'd get out of the Midl of Lidl.

I've got a few Titan tools here, no complaints about them.  Have never had any failures yet, so they seem perfectly adequate for normal DIY levels of use.  Couple of other things I've had to return there and had no stress over it.

[comfortablynumb]

I've had several power tools from Screwfix, including a mouse sander. They've all been fine, except swombo didn't realise the sanding pad had come off the mouse, and was trying to sand with the velcro 🤣

Obviously this screwed it up.

I was in the local branch for something else, and jokingly mentioned it. The response was ' bring it back, we'll change it!'

I said it was user error, but they said they didn't care, we could have another!

We did, their guarantee is great

[Popsicle]

27 minutes ago, Zelandeth said:

I've got a few Titan tools here, no complaints about them.  Have never had any failures yet, so they seem perfectly adequate for normal DIY levels of use.  Couple of other things I've had to return there and had no stress over it.

Same here, Titan battery drill, sander and jigsaw, never given me a moments trouble for average DIY usage.

[Markeh]

I'm still rocking a Titan drill bought from Cash Converters about 10 years ago, although the batteries are about shagged now.

[vulgalour]

That's all very reassuring to hear.

[mat777]

Well, it was a shitty journey traffic wise but the Discovery survived towing my Sea King from Cheshire to Lincoln in 25 degree heat, although it definitely didn't like the hills on the way! 

Now installed at Lincolnshire showground for the county show tomorrow and Thursday along with my friend's Phantom.... If you're attending, do come and say hi! 

[Spottedlaurel]

After being at the garage since early April the Laurel was delivered back to me tonight:

Recored radiator and a few hoses were required to address a slightly leaky coolant system. Although it seemed to lose only a negligible amount I was getting drips on the garage floor, and it would only have been a matter of time before something went pop. Will be great to use it again.

In other news the Auris is hopefully being collected by its new owner on Sunday, and the Carina E is going to be loaned to Miss SL and her BF while they work out what to do with the Land Cruiser Colorado that doesn't seem to want to behave itself. This may end up with trips abroad for both cars, permanently in the case of the Colorado (i.e. let it go for export) and the Carina E spending four weeks tootling around France and probably a trip into Belgium. Remember they have form for this sort of thing, taking the Avensis SR to Dubrovnik and back. BF is going to look at resurrecting the Carina E's A/C. It was an expensive option even on this top-spec estate, so it would be good to get it working again. 

Still waiting for news about the Carina E's replacement......

[Wibble]

31 minutes ago, Spottedlaurel said:

After being at the garage since early April the Laurel was delivered back to me tonight:

Recored radiator and a few hoses were required to address a slightly leaky coolant system. Although it seemed to lose only a negligible amount I was getting drips on the garage floor, and it would only have been a matter of time before something went pop. Will be great to use it again.

In other news the Auris is hopefully being collected by its new owner on Sunday, and the Carina E is going to be loaned to Miss SL and her BF while they work out what to do with the Land Cruiser Colorado that doesn't seem to want to behave itself. This may end up with trips abroad for both cars, permanently in the case of the Colorado (i.e. let it go for export) and the Carina E spending four weeks tootling around France and probably a trip into Belgium. Remember they have form for this sort of thing, taking the Avensis SR to Dubrovnik and back. BF is going to look at resurrecting the Carina E's A/C. It was an expensive option even on this top-spec estate, so it would be good to get it working again. 

Still waiting for news about the Carina E's replacement......

I was wondering what was happening with the Aerodeck.

[Popsicle]

1 hour ago, MrGTI6 said:

The toll for the Dartford crossing will be increasing to £3.50 in September. Doesn't seem like long ago that it was 50p.

I'd sooner drive through central London or go the long way round the M25 than pay that. I'm sure my one-man boycott will teach them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cedg1z2dz8zo

Wasn't the original plan to only charge the toll fee until it covered the building costs?

The article mentions it was paid for by 2003, something doesn't add up to me. Or are motorists being used as a cash cow again?

[Metal Guru]

1 hour ago, MrGTI6 said:

The toll for the Dartford crossing will be increasing to £3.50 in September. Doesn't seem like long ago that it was 50p.

I'd sooner drive through central London or go the long way round the M25 than pay that. I'm sure my one-man boycott will teach them.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cedg1z2dz8zo

I commuted through the tunnel (before the bridge was built) for most of the 80s. It was 50p then.

The cost increase is to “manage demand”.

Going the long way round is hardly practical if you live in Kent and work anywhere in Essex. If you’re heading north, it can work but then you have to pass Heathrow which is as much a nightmare as the crossing, albeit no charge.

[lesapandre]

The Blackwall Tunnel is now tolled and the associated Silvertown Tunnel - £1.50 off-peak but still free 22.00-06.00.

The Rotherhithe is still free too - but goods vehicles are restricted. Tower Bridge is the next upstream free crossing point.

The Woolwich Ferry is still free.

A new tunnel - the lower Thames Crossing starts construction soon - but that will be tolled.

[silvercar]

44 minutes ago, lesapandre said:

the lower Thames Crossing starts construction soon

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[auntiemaryscanary]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c2d567wwglko

Pics 3 and 4 are within a 1/4 mile of where I live.

Not much fun using that pic 3 roundabout on the motorbike. There is a pub 100 yds from there - they held a pothole party complete with a pothole cake.

If you were following me whilst I'm on 4 wheels you'd think I was drunk for all the pothole swerving I do but inevitably you end up hitting a lot of craters.

The article correctly states that 2 of the worst main-ish roads will be re-surfaced but that will still leave majority of the roads untouched beyond the low grade tarmac-in-a-bag patching. There even seems to be less patching too, not sure if that's due to the relatively strict criteria of what is deep and wide enough to get done. Of course where patching on patching on patching on patching has been done the resulting uneven surface is as bad as the craters.

I don't venture into the politics sub forum but it's no surprise to which then governing Party led us into all this.

[artdjones]

10 hours ago, Spottedlaurel said:

After being at the garage since early April the Laurel was delivered back to me tonight:

It's looking good. A family friend had one back in the late 80s in dark blue, and my main memory is of the loud but melodious warning bong for something. Maybe the seatbelt warning.

[stripped fred]

Horn fixed, replacement brake servo fitted, and drivers side sill cover removed on the S type by my 18 year old son. Can anyone spot any issues? Clue, it's not the horn or the brakes.

It's crusty all along it's length. I doubt the nearside is any better.

[SiC]

18 hours ago, vulgalour said:

Finally got around to ordering myself a finger sander (not for sanding fingers, I hasten to add) so I can have an easier time of some of the bodywork repairs on the Princess.  Couldn't afford a big name one so just got the Titan brand one from Screwfix and hopefully it'll be at least as good as anything I'd get out of the Midl of Lidl.

My Silverline finger sander has been working faithfully for something like 7+ years now. A really handy bit of kit that I couldn't live without. 

The replacement belts from Screwfix/Toolstation are pretty shit though and don't last very long. 

Even with good belts, I tend to save it for awkward areas as they don't last anywhere near as long as a flap or grinding disc. 

[Schaefft]

54 minutes ago, stripped fred said:

Horn fixed, replacement brake servo fitted, and drivers side sill cover removed on the S type by my 18 year old son. Can anyone spot any issues? Clue, it's not the horn or the brakes.

It's crusty all along it's length. I doubt the nearside is any better.

Good old Jaguar. I don't think there's a single S-Type out there that's any better.

[stripped fred]

1 hour ago, Schaefft said:

Good old Jaguar. I don't think there's a single S-Type out there that's any better.

It's a shame as other than a few scratches on the bodywork it looks mint. It's been through many MOT's like this due to those plastic covers.

Time to put it to rest although I may pootle about in it for a bit longer as it's MOT'd until December 

[Snake Charmer]

Chodtastic conditionio.

[SiC]

1 hour ago, stripped fred said:

It's a shame as other than a few scratches on the bodywork it looks mint. It's been through many MOT's like this due to those plastic covers.

Time to put it to rest although I may pootle about in it for a bit longer as it's MOT'd until December 

It doesn't look too bad for someone to weld up. 

The problem would be finding someone to do it though. 

[wesacosa]

7 hours ago, lesapandre said:

The Blackwall Tunnel is now tolled and the associated Silvertown Tunnel - £1.50 off-peak but still free 22.00-06.00.

The Rotherhithe is still free too - but goods vehicles are restricted. Tower Bridge is the next upstream free crossing point.

The Woolwich Ferry is still free.

A new tunnel - the lower Thames Crossing starts construction soon - but that will be tolled.

it's only £1.50 if you have a pre pay TFL account..Its £4 at all times if not

Woolwich ferry is a waste of time

no tolled crossings at all in central or West London

cnts

[vulgalour]

Finger sander is actually pretty neat!  I haven't had a problem with it snapping belts, instead I've had it throw the belt when it snags on something.  Much quieter and nicer to use than the angle grinder and can actually get in at what I need to.