The new news 24 thread

[Yoss]

On 21/09/2025 at 21:23, wesacosa said:

 

As I said its a bloody silly place to have it ,  clearly, as it caught us both out. Id had a good look around the box before I took it out and couldn't see anything else that looked like a drain, coupled with the fact it had a washer 

My Triumph has no gearbox drain plug. The literature of the time says that the gearbox was sealed for life but obviously the design life was not 56 years. The only way to drain it is to take out of the car and tip it on its side. Has no dipstick either, you just fill it until it comes out of the filler hole. 

That's not helpful is it? 

[EyesWeldedShut]

On 22/09/2025 at 20:54, dozeydustman said:

Welcome back to the land of the self-entitled knobhead.

Now you know why some us live over here  Different pace of life (mostly)

[dozeydustman]

6 minutes ago, EyesWeldedShut said:

Now you know why some us live over here  Different pace of life (mostly)

I would happily move away from the south & south east. Would have to find a job and temporary accommodation before the family moves though!

I just discovered my old council is paying dust drivers more (£38k basic + double time + day off in lieu for every bank holiday + 35 days annual leave) than I get paid as a waste ops supervisor on the south coast 😳(I’m on £37k basic, we operate 6 days a week and I don’t get any bank holiday bonus because I do Tuesday-Saturday). But it’s still in the south east!

[stuboy]

Missus says engine light is on... scanned it with my moulineux code reader..  apparently glow plug.. I cleared it and told her too keep an eye on it.. why fix when u can ignore it...

[grogee]

13 hours ago, Yoss said:

My Triumph has no gearbox drain plug. The literature of the time says that the gearbox was sealed for life but obviously the design life was not 56 years

 

[wesacosa]

On 21/09/2025 at 19:08, Rustybullethole said:

Ha I took that one out too and got nowt. Check round the back of the box the drain looks like the fill. 

Am hoping that red circled bolt does nothing too important and wasn't holding some cogs in place! 

Made it to work today without blowing up so I'm calling it a bullet dodged 

Hows your rebuild coming along 

[Rustybullethole]

14 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

Made it to work today without blowing up so I'm calling it a bullet dodged 

Hows your rebuild coming along 

This is great news my friend. Today is my first free day and after a lazy start i'm just about to go get started. Collected the clutch fork Monday morning before work so should now have everything I need. 

[wesacosa]

Just now, Rustybullethole said:

This is great news my friend. Today is my first free day and after a lazy start i'm just about to go get started. Collected the clutch fork Monday morning before work so should now have everything I need. 

good luck!

[Rustybullethole]

17 minutes ago, wesacosa said:

good luck!

Battle shall commence after a cuppa. 

Edited September 25, 2025 by Rustybullethole

[wesacosa]

7 minutes ago, Rustybullethole said:

Battle shall commence after a cuppa. 

im not around today but should be tomorrow and Saturday morning if you need a hand manhandling the box back in

[Rustybullethole]

7 hours ago, wesacosa said:

im not around today but should be tomorrow and Saturday morning if you need a hand manhandling the box back in

Many thanks for the offer and much appreciated though good news... There's no need as its in, on and done.

The combo of smallish lightish gearbox, a couple of dowels, a stud and a handy tie down strap to stop it falling on my face made it easy. 

Most time spent was fishing out a screwdriver I dropped into a cavity near the gearbox mount. Much fuckabout! I did consider chopping said screwdriver with the spinning death wheel though i'm a stubborn fucker so stuck with it. 

Plenty of time wasted susing out which bolts were for the bell housing side of the dog bone mount. Could of made my life a lot easier by not just throwing everything in a bucket together! 

Old clutch was down to the rivets so was nearly as dead as the thrust bearing. 

Few bits spotted to go on the to do list though for now its good to go.

 

[beko1987]

4 minutes ago, Rustybullethole said:

Many thanks for the offer and much appreciated though good news... There's no need as its in, on and done.

The combo of smallish lightish gearbox, a couple of dowels, a stud and a handy tie down strap to stop it falling on my face made it easy. 

Most time spent was fishing out a screwdriver I dropped into a cavity near the gearbox mount. Much fuckabout! I did consider chopping said screwdriver with the spinning death wheel though i'm a stubborn fucker so stuck with it. 

Plenty of time wasted susing out which bolts were for the bell housing side of the dog bone mount. Could of made my life a lot easier by not just throwing everything in a bucket together! 

Old clutch was down to the rivets so was nearly as dead as the thrust bearing. 

Few bits spotted to go on the to do list though for now its good to go.

 

When I did my aux belt at the weekend and got my ratchet wedged on the pulley bolt I spent more time unearthing my big toolbox to find my big screwdriver to un-wedge it then put said big toolbox back again than the entire rest of the job took 😂

Glad it all went well though, a clutch is one of the jobs I've never tackled (yet)

[Rustybullethole]

15 hours ago, beko1987 said:

When I did my aux belt at the weekend and got my ratchet wedged on the pulley bolt I spent more time unearthing my big toolbox to find my big screwdriver to un-wedge it then put said big toolbox back again than the entire rest of the job took 😂

Glad it all went well though, a clutch is one of the jobs I've never tackled (yet)

I find it's often the way. The upside of spending a day unsuccessful searching for berlingo wheel bolts is I got to find where all my other crap is which is nice.

And thanks, is always nice to complete something you've not done before with success. To be honest the Bmw/Ural bike clutch are set up the same and ive done those before. 

Can't quite believe i've got away with not doing a car one until now though.

This is todays war;

Bearings off the hubs and carriers been soaked/beat at intervals yesterday. Last night I introduced some flames which had the seized circlips out. 

Which leaves me here. 

A wee bit stuck. I'm have a plan shall see how it fares...

Stage one complete. New bearings are chilling in the freezer. This shows my intention to have them fitted if nothing else.

Edited September 26, 2025 by Rustybullethole

[ruffgeezer]

Spotted an old friend in Lincoln today:-

As won by @Grumblespeed late last year  from me, having been traded in by @comfysofa who may or may not have got it from @motorpunk?

I must say it looked really well and nicely looked after.

[wesacosa]

2 hours ago, ruffgeezer said:

Spotted an old friend in Lincoln today:-

As won by @Grumblespeed late last year  from me, having been traded in by @comfysofa who may or may not have got it from @motorpunk?

I must say it looked really well and nicely looked after.

I love that shade of blue, when I was looking for a Panda that was on my list but I couldn't find any £35 tax ones in that.shade of blue so thinking they must have discontinued it

[Split_Pin]

Some more progress with the 75 from Gingernutzz:

Arch now welded in, filled and sanded, looking good.

OSF wing is next for the attention. A mudguard thing caused all this believe it or not. 

Bonnet almost ready for paint.

Pleased as always, nothings ever a hurdle for this chap!

[Rustybullethole]

Hot of the press*

*BFH

[barefoot]

My old Porsche passed its MOT today with exactly the same advisaries as last year.

And the same milage since the sodding odometer appears to have packed up.

 

[Grumblespeed]

8 hours ago, ruffgeezer said:

Spotted an old friend in Lincoln today:-

As won by @Grumblespeed late last year  from me, having been traded in by @comfysofa who may or may not have got it from @motorpunk?

I must say it looked really well and nicely looked after.

Great little car👍Alternating daily drive duties at the minute, seems to be running better than ever just now. MOT due again next month so we'll see how it's all holding together.

[Snake Charmer]

Last day at work today, no more AC Cobras. Moved my tools to the new place this afternoon and from Monday I will be walking to work in 6 minutes and one test away from being an Mot Tester.

 

[Rustybullethole]

Bosh

Tyres off

Paint them purple

Good tyres off the wheels I picked up the other day.

Decide to repaint black as often standing out is not such a great idea. No further pics though Berlingo is ready for wheels as soon as they're dry and I can fit the tyres.

Im a bit achy, have a bath running. 

 

[crad]

rover 75 with plates i dont recognise

[Rustybullethole]

Berlingo back together. One of the driveshafts id fitted was missing a clamp and at the time i zip tied it. It predictably fell off and sprayed its grease everywhere. It also made it super easy for the shaft to fall out the coupling when removed from the other end. Upon refitting I skilfully managed to pull the cup out adding stinky arse gearbox juice to the greasy mess. Fortunately had enough oil left over from the panda to top it up. Lock wired the boot on this time and jobs a goodun.

Tyre didn't want to seat. I tried hitting it first before having success with the strap method.

Manual tyre machine is bloody handy for bead breaking/ holding the bead in the well while whilst you lever opposite though i'm yet to master fitting/removing tyres with it on top. Im happy using levers on the floor like i've always done so thats fine.

Luxury to have my mates battery impact on loan again. Pretty sure i've used it more than he has. If i were a rich man id buy one of them and a battery ratchet too.

Off to work later am looking forward to being able to hear the radio.

[Lord Sterling]

13 hours ago, crad said:

rover 75 with plates i dont recognise

Plates are from Greece. The car appears online on some number plates site.

[barefoot]

I like to park my cars close together, but I think one of my chocks has moved a bit.

[Popsicle]

Assume the position.

Service number 29, in my ownership, at 438k miles for the couriering Caddy. Slightly overdue as it was my intention to do it last weekend at 435k miles, but the van had other ideas, the clutch decided to fail in Walthamstow last Saturday.

It's been an expensive year so far, recon turbo and injectors, new shocks all round, front top mounts, front pads and discs, new clutch, flywheel and master cylinder and an AC compressor - hopefully It's good to go now and will crack the 500k at some point in 2026.

 

[Rustybullethole]

Round tyres, silent bearings and non knocking ball joints. 

Feels quite the luxury vehicle. The galaxy seats with arm rest definitely adds to experience.

 

[Brigsy]

U pull it haul yesterday. Stripped fcuk out of a mk3 meg tce180, loads of good spares for next to nowt.

Today started with reprogramming the epas assist settings on my Kangoo with Renolink. This took a bit of trial and error as nobody seems to know anything about it and renault info is scarce, but worked out awesome. Steering feels class now, weighted at speed where it was van light previously.

New private plate fitted to the mrs meg 250.

Fixed a friends 1.9dci traffic. Smoke tested biost circuit and discovered inlet manifold bolts were loose. Egr chocka with shite. Daft hour, road tested, datalogged and sorted.

[dome]

@Brigsy what epas system is it? I have the Portuguese (?) setup on Kangoo (F4R) and I find it too light on the lowest setting and sometimes inconsistent. I did think about removing the motor from the column and running it manual steering, the thought of reinstating the full 182 PS setup makes me cry.

I did wonder if a different/better rheostat on what I have now might make a difference, it's like I can't fine tune it enough 🤔

[wesacosa]

just back from this. really enjoyable. An hour interview then 45 mins Q and A, although most of the audience questions were shite about Hamilton/Verstappen/Norris and not actually about their careers 

DC was much funnier than I expected