The new news 24 thread

[nigel bickle]

MOT''d my BMW boxer (R60) today. Its the first time I've ridden a m/bikey in nearly 2 years- felt kinda weird. Nice run out though & a shiny new ticket

[dollywobbler]

STOP PRESS. Anyone got a vehicle that needs taxing by the end of the month? Probably best to do it today as I imagine the rates will change in the Budget tomorrow. I've just scored a year's rent for the 2CV. Off to the MOT station soon...

[HMC]

Just agreed to buy a 2 door morris oxford fastback (MGB GT). never had one before, looks fairly original. due to collect saturday. I always thought an mgb should be sampled in v8 flavour. This one isnt but was at a tempting price, and my limited willpower and ability to pass such things over got the better of me!

[barefoot]

STOP PRESS. Anyone got a vehicle that needs taxing by the end of the month?

Probably best to do it today as I imagine the rates will change in the Budget tomorrow.

 

I was just about to post the very same thing - Scirocco taxed today.

 

It actually causes me pain to hand my money over a whole 11 days earlier than normal.

But I suspect I'd be handing over an extra tenner at the end of the month & it comes out of the same pay packet,

I'm going to have to have a lie down.

[dollywobbler]

2CV passed. Phew. Indicators packed up at the end of our driveway, but it turned out I'd disturbed the bulbs when cleaning the filthy (as in full of green gunk) lenses earlier. I didn't think to test the indicators after I'd done that...

 

Was a bit high on emissions, but after the test, on a second attempt with a view to tweaking the mixture a bit, she was well within limits.

[ruffgeezer]

Well the Xantia has a new ticket as does the Ax vts, I'll detax the Delica for the end of the month and pop them both back on the road, the Xantia was a disappointing drive, I hope the ax is still the hoodlum I remember it to be.

[michiel]

Just agreed to buy a 2 door morris oxford fastback (MGB GT). never had one before, looks fairly original. due to collect saturday. I always thought an mgb should be sampled in v8 flavour. This one isnt but was at a tempting price, and my limited willpower and ability to pass such things over got the better of me!

 

Hope it's a rubbabumpa! I secretly like them a bit... if I had the money I'd have one of them modernised Bs with an MX-5 enigne. But with rubbabubbabumpas.

 

And congrats to all MOT winnahs!

[meggersdog]

So this was the smoke stack

 

that I mentioned in the grumpy thread.It was blown across number one like this

Been running like this for about a month but because it didn't really affect the starting and driving I assumed the exhaust manifold gasket was causing the chuffing sound.I'd bought a new gasket and was about to fit it when I saw the smoke.Because the car doesn't use any water and hardly any oil I only check under the bonnet once a month

[Father Ted]

Not really my news, but in the news:

Dog Finds Ceat tyre

[dollywobbler]

Replaced a handbrake cable on the BX today, to cure one of the brake binding issues. You'll be pleased to hear that it was a mild-pikey fix as rather than spend £5 on a new one, someone in the BX Club sent me one for sod all. Lots of people have contributed bits to the BX on that forum. I owe a lot of pints. Still needs a caliper on the other side. Roll on pay day.

 

The best thing is that I can close the garage door again. I'd put the BX on stands and whipped the wheels off while I investigated both issues, but had managed to leave the towbar sticking out too far, preventing door closure. Oops. Couldn't be bothered to put the wheels back on just to move it 3cm further forward.

 

Went for a test drive. Thought the ride was a bit crap. When I got back, I noticed I'd left it on intermediate suspension height. Idiot. That shoves more fluid pressure into the spheres which means the floaty-ness diminishes. On full height, there's nowt but Mini-esque bounce! I am planning to replace all of the suspension spheres, as the ride could be better even when an idiot hasn't left it on the wrong setting.

[Pete-M]

Changed the rest of the locks on the Senator today. What a fiddly bugger of a job that is. The little pingfukkit clip on the back of the door barrel couldn't be more awkward to get to if they'd screwed it to the Titanic.

 

Also, the lock set I bought had a different boot lock barrel from the correct one, so I spent a couple of minutes swapping the lock pins from the new barrel into the old one. That bit is easy enough.

 

Just the glovebox lock left to do and job jobbed.

 

One pisser is the indicator stalk. The main beam hasn't worked properly since the knobhead scally did his thing, I thought I may have disturbed something refitting the shroud, but no, the indicator switch needs replacing - and it has the cruise control switches as part of it so I need to find a Senator or posh Carlton in a scrappy.

[Mike D]

Pete my mate has a Senator 24v in his field, i'm pretty sure it's a digi dash one, would the stalk be the same?

 

In other news, I bought this crock o shite yesterday,

 

 

Its bumpers are miraculously gaffer tape free! other than that, it's a scruffy old thing but seems to run well, and will do a sterling job of carting my ass to work while I fit the Colt GTi engine into my truck, and swap the front suspension on the 840

[cms206]

Pete my mate has a Senator 24v in his field, i'm pretty sure it's a digi dash one, would the stalk be the same?

 

In other news, I bought this crock o shite yesterday,

 

 

Its bumpers are miraculously gaffer tape free! other than that, it's a scruffy old thing but seems to run well, and will do a sterling job of carting my ass to work while I fit the Colt GTi engine into my truck, and swap the front suspension on the 840

 

 

This must be a lie, I thought I had the only Mondeo this shape without gaffa tape bumpers!

 

Need any bits? Cash is rediculously tight so I fear mine is going over the bridge...

[Mike D]

Does it have the same style wheels? I have a couple of low treaded tyres and no spare! Other than that, i don't really want to spend owt on it so it should be ok!

[Pete-M]

I think it'll be the same one Mike, yup. I could do with the lower column shroud too if that's there....

[Mike D]

I'm pretty sure it should be there, i'll take a trip over at the weekend and have a gander, and grab it if it is Is there anything else you need?

[rml2345]

EML is still on, which is fine as the little Japanese hatchback doesn't seem to mind but it's annoying me. Staring from the dash like a little orange LIGHT OF DOOM.

Being a mechanical clot, I took a look at it today, and noticed the spark plug on No.1 cylinder was past it's best. All 4 had fairly copious tan deposits on them so off to Halfrauds for some new ones.

Has it made a difference?

Has it buggery.

So I painted the sills black instead,. Mostly to cover up some earlier repainting in the wrong shade of blue. and to better hide the massive dents. Now has black Hammerite. brush, dust, fuff and whatever else has stuck to the paint instead.

Still looks better though!

 

[cobblers]

I reckon anyone with a modern vehicle should drop £12 on a USB code reader off ebay - You'll be able to plug it in, immediately see what's turned the light on, then turn the light off and know what you need to do to fix the problem. It's not always 100% accurate, but it's pretty much always better than just throwing parts at it and hoping.

[meggersdog]

I agree with cobblers.Management lights work off low voltage so sparkplugs (high voltage) won't cause it.Could be one of many oxygen sensors which might improve with injector/cat cleaner.Without the fault code you will be chasing shadows.

[Pete-M]

I'm pretty sure it should be there, i'll take a trip over at the weekend and have a gander, and grab it if it is Is there anything else you need?

 

Much obliged tA.

[ashmicro]

I agree with cobblers.Management lights work off low voltage so sparkplugs (high voltage) won't cause it.Could be one of many oxygen sensors which might improve with injector/cat cleaner.Without the fault code you will be chasing shadows.

 

 

Although - a cracked plug logged a fault (and lit the EML) in my 25. With you on the code reader, though. These days they're as indispensable as a 1/2" drive.

[DSdriver]

News from abroad: Mercedes-Benz press release:

 

A case had arisen in which a company based in Germany had built an unlawful replica of a Mercedes-Benz 300 SL (W 198 series). The first step in destroying the replica was to separate the chassis from the body. The Mercedes-Benz used-parts centre, which is also responsible for scrapping all Mercedes-Benz prototypes from the development units, then destroyed the body on behalf of Daimler AG. The certified equipment used in the centre includes two presses, each applying over 30 tonnes of pressure. The replica sports car had a fibreglass body weighing precisely 148 kilograms, which the compressor smashed into small pieces. This dramatic end to the unlawful body was officially documented with a signed and stamped ‘confirmation of scrappage’.

 

I suppose they gave the rest of the car back?

[ashmicro]

They'll be smashing up another few in the very near future - the new Merc E200 has a 1.6 turbo petrol four-banger. From RENAULT.

[barefoot]

Brand new front springs on Scirocco cost £14.40 each.

[rml2345]

I reckon anyone with a modern vehicle should drop £12 on a USB code reader off ebay - You'll be able to plug it in, immediately see what's turned the light on, then turn the light off and know what you need to do to fix the problem. It's not always 100% accurate, but it's pretty much always better than just throwing parts at it and hoping.

 

I should probably have done that first but baulked at the cost and having to borrow a laptop.

Cheaper than getting the local garage to plug it in though, so will invest.

[ashmicro]

In that case buy a handheld scanner, rather than getting an laptop. From £70 ish, or basic ones like this

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Autel-Maxisca ... 27c2eadc2c

[dollywobbler]

First time I've removed a door on something modern(ish). What a PITA! Hinge pins = horrible.

 

Now to start building up the replacement door, which has a rather funky BX graphic on it. Pics later, depending on how I get on...

[cort16]

That's some dent in the sill there.

[Cavcraft]

Hey Ian, you should try taking the doors and boot lid hinges off a Mk2 Cavalier-absolute nightmare of a job. The boot hinges were incredibly difficult and I ended up taking a hacksaw and axe to the bastard and cut myself badly.

[dollywobbler]

That's some dent in the sill there.

 

It certainly is. It's getting crunchy in places too. Have a replacement that needs to go on before the MOT.

 

Hey Ian, you should try taking the doors and boot lid hinges off a Mk2 Cavalier-absolute nightmare of a job. The boot hinges were incredibly difficult and I ended up taking a hacksaw and axe to the bastard and cut myself badly.

 

I shall consider myself lucky then! Very few flesh wounds today. Have just finished stripping the old door but think I've had enough for today. Will risk sleeping before building the new door up. Can I remember how everything went? We'll see...