The new news 24 thread

[vulgalour]

You can probably tidy that wire up with it in situ, it'll be fiddly but not impossible.  Tiny embroidery/nail trimming scissors are your friend for tidying up the loose bits of cover unless you can get it all wrapped in with the wires.

[Vantman]

Distributors are like a black art to me, I haven't a clue. The other side looks nice and simple to remove but this side has hidden screws which i bet I'd have to remove the dizzy to get too.

 

I'm guessing new wires don't come with points then?.

 

It days gone by i knew it as the low tension lead.

[chaseracer]

Tomorrow is the day I attempt to resurrect the 300E.  There will be swearing.

 

Wish me luck.

 

Well, it starts (jumped from BX) and stops, but still will not run properly.  FPB7 (trading as OldMercs-R-Us) suggests a faulty OVP relay.  I concur.  

 

Imagine the hilarity at the Merc dealer in Stafford tomorrow morning... 

[richardmorris]

Well, it starts (jumped from BX) and stops, but still will not run properly.  FPB7 (trading as OldMercs-R-Us) suggests a faulty OVP relay.  I concur.  

 

Imagine the hilarity at the Merc dealer in Stafford tomorrow morning... 

Could be the green fuel relay too. That's the cheaper one. The ovp for my friends 300se was about £60, the one for my 320 was nearer £90.

[Inspector Morose]

Well, as was said above, today was the day to revive the Merc of Many Shiters(Well, Dollywobbler and Chaseracer anyway) after numerous months of slumber. After attaching the worlds shortest jump leads to the BX and the Merc, it awoke with nary a fuss or bother and soon slipped out of its home of several months.

 

 

 

After settling down to a normal idle things were looking good until you prodded the throttle. It was just like the accelerator pump in a carb was duff and wasn't pumping extra fuel. Cough and splutter then a rise of the revs. If done gently, the revs rise smoothly as though nothing was wrong.

 

A few more diagnostic prods of the throttle were tried until the inevitable engine stall on the drive. The fairly new battery was not taking a charge so the BX was summoned again to provide more electricity to the stricken German.

 

 

 

A couple more times of reattaching the jump leads hastened the decision to swap batteries over  on the Merc and BX to allow it to be moved, in fits and starts, to its new temporary home of in the way of the mother in laws front door. a Brainwave was had of me bumping the BX down the hill on the flat battery and going for a short drive to try and cajole the Mercs battery into life. The quarter mile walk back to Chaseracer to retrieve the BXs battery proper reminded me that even old school diesels need a little battery to open the fuel solenoid on the pump. I blame the Merc.

 

Now, these symptoms are not a new thing for me on Mercs. My 190e did exactly the same and it turned out to be the OVP relay so it was suggested as the possible cause of this. Well, Mercs of this era are the same just a little bit bigger or smaller, (like someone got the 190 plans and hit enlarge 10% on the photocopier or the other way around) why cant the problems and causes be the same? The day ended with the Merc on the drive and Mr Racer off to the stealers tomorrow.

 

 

 

 

 

Well what of the BX pics? says Dollywobbler. Well have a few taken today to show how things have changed. Still lots to do but, hey, it's a working vehicle.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HillmanImp]

The BX was on a spotted thread the other week on Facebook. Couldn't remember who owned it now:

 

[DVee8]

This morning was spent fitting the new battery to the Daimler.

Battery in place connecting the battery leads,the earth lead snaps at the terminal.Jump lead required.

 

 

 

 

Due to work,operations and holidays it was the first time started since since around Feb this year.Starter sticking but rocked free then it fired up,2nd or 3rd try.

 

Very pleased.I'll order a new earth lead then MOT time.

[Inspector Morose]

SKEGGERS! (where the BX is in that pic. On way to pick up wheels with Chaseracer)

[Sigmund Fraud]

Now, these symptoms are not a new thing for me on Mercs. My 190e did exactly the same and it turned out to be the OVP relay so it was suggested as the possible cause of this. Well, Mercs of this era are the same just a little bit bigger or smaller, (like someone got the 190 plans and hit enlarge 10% on the photocopier or the other way around) why cant the problems and causes be the same? The day ended with the Merc on the drive and Mr Racer off to the stealers tomorrow.

 

My 260E would behave similarly after standing for a few days, the problem was always humidity inside the dizzy cap. Perhaps that would be an easier/cheaper fix to try than an OVP ?

[ruffgeezer]

Ah yes, on closer inspection that is Skegmess, I have vomited behind a bus shelter similar to that on several occasions.

[Pillock]

Skegness is on the way to NOWHERE. Ergo, you were lost and not admitting it.

[alf892]

And lastly I need some advise on this, this is the distributer on my Civic, either myself or someone else has managed to trap that right hand cable between the housing and the dizzy cap cutting the outer cover and damaging the cable inside, I wonder if it's one of the reasons the car sometimes cuts out?.

What would this cable be called and is it repairable would you thought?.

 

The one on he left is earth. The one you have trapped is the low tension wire from the coil. If you drop the points out you will be able to get some tape on it. If you want to totally remove it/change it disconnect the wire from the coil at the distributor. You will then see the post it was on passes through the distributor body with an insulator........loosen the nut on the outside and the other end of your damaged with can be slid from under the bolt head.

 

Maybe not exact but you get the idea........that wire must not earth........that is the job of the points!

[philibusmo]

Yesterday afternoon was spent taking all the cam covers and such off the Lancia again to make sure that the crank and cam were still lined up with their timing marks, and they were. By the time I had got the crank pulley back in place and the sodding awkward belt cover it was getting dark so I left the rest of it until this morning.

 

This morning it was cold, so very cold and so rather than fixing a car I decided to stay in bed and then once up watch an episode of Parks and Recreation, and it was good. Sadly this wasn't awfully productive so I put on an extra pair of socks, made a piping hot black coffee and set to work reconstructing the Lancias engine bay. After an hour or so of faffing about and swearing at the water pump pulley it was back together and the crank sensor back in place - this was still the original one as despite paying extra for 1st class delivery, when I bought it on Sunday, the new one didn't arrive. With the old sensor back in place it will now just turn over endlessly without a hint of firing up, which is exactly the same symptoms as the last time the sensor failed. Looks like this is the culprit then, I then went to attach the piece of plastic that guards the cam pulley in the wheel arch and managed to pull the spade connector for the oil pressure sender off the wiring loom with my fists of ham, so that is another thing to fix tomorrow.

 

At this point my attention was diverted as we had a call from the MOT station where the Audi A4 that my Dad bought from one of you fine chaps a few months back had failed its MOT on problems with the side lights, front brakes and a suspension arm. As we were planning on driving to Lancashire in this on the 1st with the stench of veg blasting out the back.

 

Upon investigation the front side light bulbs were blue LEDs which were not doing as they should. The drivers side was flashing like an indicator and the passenger side was doing a good impression of a epileptic fit inducing strobe light. These were quickly sacked off and replaced with proper bulbs which do exactly as they are supposed to rather than being generally fucking shit.

 

The issues with the brakes were mostly down to a slightly sticking drivers side front caliper but the discs were also looking very tired with huge rust lips on each side and corresponding ridges out of the pads. I popped down to the local motor factors who had the discs and pads on the shelf which I spent the afternoon fitting, along with covering the calipers in copper grease and freeing up the piston on the ceased one by pushing it in with a G clamp and then using the brake pedal to push it back out again into a lump of wood repeated a few times. Unfortunately this side now seems to wizz around more freely than the original good side, so I'll free that one off as well tomorrow.

 

 

The suspension arm wasn't on the shelf, but they can get me one for 9am tomorrow morning. This looks straight forward to fit as long as the pinch bolt which holds the ball joint to the rest of the suspension comes undone without too much fuss. Autoglass are also turning up tomorrow morning to fit a new windscreen as the current one got a mahoosive crack about a week ago (which also failed on the MOT) so as long as they arrive fairly quickly and manage to fit it without putting a brick though it or whatever then it should have an MOT before the end of tomorrow.

 

It's been quite nice working on something relatively modern for once where the parts are not made of unobtanium and everything isn't rusted and ceased solid. Doesn't mean I actually want a modern though.

[trigger]

The one you have trapped is the low tension wire from the coil.

 

Cheers Alf! That's really helpful, So i really must get some black insulation tape around it then, I do wonder if it's been one of the reasons why the car sometimes cuts out.

[phil_lihp]

That A4 really is in amazing condition, plus it smells of chips.  

 

Incidentally Phil, thinking back to the discussion about whether the Y10's 1.3 engine was put in anything else, it seems it was - the same 'Brazil' 1301cc unit was also in some versions of the Fiat Uno.  

 

I wonder if some parts are easier to find/cheaper under the Uno name?  

 

e.g. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Uno-1-3I-Turbo-85-88-Crank-Sensor-/290609540034

 

Might be telling you something you already know, mind.

[philibusmo]

I did know, as of yesterday evening, so I only just beat you to it.

 

The crank sensor is about £2 cheaper when searched for by Lancia Y10 rather than Uno, but if I struggle to find anything in future Uno will be my first port of call.

 

Hopefully it should be back in action by tomorrow afternoon, if it is would you like it delivered tomorrow evening or does another time suit?

[phil_lihp]

I thought I'd find out in the remote* possibility it needs anything during its stay with me, not a particularly common engine it seems, Fiat seemed to have all manner of little engines spread around the various cars they and Lancia were selling in the 80s.

 

Luckily I'm on a half-day tomorrow so that could work nicely, I can come back to you or you can come here, whichever you like.  

[trigger]

My father in law has been talking about buying a Skoda Roomster for a while and today, rather surprisingly, he bought one unseen that he's spotted all the way in Oxford on Autotrader, he currently has a "nice" 07 plate Peugeot 307 HDi Estate with 64k that he's sold to my wife's uncle for £2000 (Bit cheap i think) and they have in turn asked me to sell their old Vauxhall Zafira DTi and have offered me £100 in return for doing it.

 

It should be interesting in seeing how that all goes.

[twosmoke300]

Phill , is it the 100mm long double pinch bolt you need to remove on the a4 ? They can seize like a bastard . you are supposed to replace it too. Vw dealers and Tps keep them in stock and they are only a couple of quid. I've got a couple here but I suspect that's a bit far for you to travel for a bolt.

[philibusmo]

Phill , is it the 100mm long double pinch bolt you need to remove on the a4 ? They can seize like a bastard . you are supposed to replace it too. Vw dealers and Tps keep them in stock and they are only a couple of quid. I've got a couple here but I suspect that's a bit far for you to travel for a bolt.

Oh bollocks, it is. I'm seriously short of time to get this done today and my nearest vw/Audi dealer is at least an hour round trip. If I can get the bolt out undamaged, will nuns and kittens die if I reuse it as I can't see any particular reason why it should be a problem?

[twosmoke300]

Naa , ive reused em before but they often put up such a fight coming out that you dont fancy reusing it . You might be lucky and it slides right out !!!

 

Nuns and kittens remain safe

[drum]

I had to admit defeat with that pinch bolt on my a4 and gave the local independent garage the job.

[philibusmo]

Changing the top arm was one of the easiest jobs I've ever done on a car, luckily the pinch bolt was very easy to free off which was surprising as it looked like a right rusty bastard before it was removed.

 

All the work has been done, but sadly Autoglass arrived too late for me to get it back down to the MOT station today so it will have it's MOT in the new year. One problem has reared its head though, since changing the pads and discs, this light has lit up on the dash. I think it is the brake pad or fluid level warning light. The pad level sensors are connected up on either side correctly as far as I can see, but the brake fluid level looks a tad high and is about 3-5mm above the maximum mark on the bottle. Would this set the light off or is there something else wrong?

[myglaren]

Could also be the handbrake warning - buggered switch usually.

[Pillock]

That's the wear indicator, probably just a grubby connection if you fitted pads with the loops embedded.

 

I'm sure that can also light up red if it's a fluid low or more serious problem.

[seth]

We've a tame American friend staying with us at the moment who has never been to Wales on his numerous trips to the UK. So we decided to go. Headed to Bath on Monday to see some Roman and 18th Century stuff.  Overnight stop in Hereford. Up to the Elan Valley for a bit of a hike and some Dambusters spotting, then back to London via the Brecon Beacons and the new Severn Bridge just in time to catch dinner with the family for my Mother in Law's birthday.  464 miles according to Google.  Weather's here. Wish you were lovely. Low old cars are totally impractical etc.

 

[Mr_Bo11ox]

One of those A4 front sus double pinch bolts holds top position in my 'most seized up uncooperative muthafukin shitehawk design' league table of horrible jobs. Hope this one is a bit better!!!

[mercrocker]

My 260E would behave similarly after standing for a few days, the problem was always humidity inside the dizzy cap. Perhaps that would be an easier/cheaper fix to try than an OVP ?

The only cure for my 190E's similar habit was indeed a brand new genuine MB gold plated dizzy cap for £100.   Beru ones did not sort it.....Moisture can get past the seal under the baseplate but you cannae get decent W201 dizzies, don't know about the W124.....

[philibusmo]

The light has gone out of its own accord. Cars fixing themselves is one of the best things ever.

[ruffgeezer]

 

 

First 2015 Calendar Nominee? High res version please!