The new news 24 thread

[Volksy]

The Celica is starting to grumble from it's rear end, I think a wheel bearing is starting to fail, but the car is so noisy, it's difficult to ascertain which, even on the M1 to Notts yesterday it was hard to tell. Binhoker668 quite liked it though, but he agreed that a 'sports car' wasn't 'me' and I should get something more suitable.

 

The new rear wiper arm and blade arrived for the wifes* 306 yesterday, The recent weight of snowchaos having torn the old one off. And noticed it now has two flat tyres, He's been away in the south pacific since the middle of December, so he can pump the fuckers up himself when he returns next week.

[derskine]

More problems... 18 wouldn't start this morning, cranked over and almost fired up every time but never actually started, even putting the glow plugs on 5 times, I'm reckoning these are probably goosed - opinions?

 

I've also lost the king lead for the polo so basically if I don't find that my only working car is the Cortina.... which isn't what I want at this time of year.

[cort16]

I've had a couple of swapz offers on the CL500. The first and most tempting one is an 03 - E46 325i Msport floppy top. It looks really smart and has full service history. Not sure it's my scene though the last floppy top I had made me feel like a right fanny with the roof down. It was a yellow saab 93 mind you.

 

The 2nd and defo future platinum level shite is an 07 Peugeot 407 Coupe with the 3.0 v6 petrol engine but I suspect these are about 500 quid a year to insure. 

[DS20]

^ likely nearly the same to tax. They are good-looking cars, though, if not quite as pretty as a 406 coupe.

[cort16]

I think the BMW is less because it's pre 2006. I looked at buying a 2.7 diesel one of these last year as they looked value for what they are then I discovered the tax. 'm not paying near on 50 quid a month in car tax!

[dollywobbler]

More problems... 18 wouldn't start this morning, cranked over and almost fired up every time but never actually started, even putting the glow plugs on 5 times, I'm reckoning these are probably goosed - opinions?

 

I've also lost the king lead for the polo so basically if I don't find that my only working car is the Cortina.... which isn't what I want at this time of year.

 

Glowplugs don't generally just suddenly die, unless the relay has failed. Check whether volts are actually getting to them. Generally, one at a time fail, so starting becomes lumpy with a fair dose of smoke. Could be an air leak in a fuel line, effectively weakening the mixture perhaps?

[derskine]

Glowplugs don't generally just suddenly die, unless the relay has failed. Check whether volts are actually getting to them. Generally, one at a time fail, so starting becomes lumpy with a fair dose of smoke. Could be an air leak in a fuel line, effectively weakening the mixture perhaps?

 

I considered there might be air in the system too, however I'm swaying towards glow plugs.

It starts up with a lot of blue smoke and idles very lumpy for a minute or so, and has done for quite a while.

Once it's been running it's fine, it'll start no problem.

I'm thinking one has been gone for a while, as it's always been a little difficult to start in the cold + the blue smoke, and recently another has gone causing it not to start.

[dave21478]

.... Not sure it's my scene though the last floppy top I had made me feel like a right fanny with the roof down. It was a yellow saab 93 mind you.

 

I love the look of some convertibles, and really lust after owning another, but I also felt like a right fud with the roof down in town. It was a purple 306 though, so also not the most masculine thing on the road.

 

 

Convertible ownership requirements....

1 - be attractive.

2 - be rich.

3 - dont be poor, fat, bald and ugly. 

[cort16]

I fail on all three

 

Those 306 Cabs are a lovely looking car especially with the roof down.  Unlike this

 

saab by cort16, on Flickr

[andy18s]

I considered there might be air in the system too, however I'm swaying towards glow plugs.

It starts up with a lot of blue smoke and idles very lumpy for a minute or so, and has done for quite a while.

Once it's been running it's fine, it'll start no problem.

I'm thinking one has been gone for a while, as it's always been a little difficult to start in the cold + the blue smoke, and recently another has gone causing it not to start.

Air getting in and allowing the diesel to run back to the tank?

[derskine]

I'll crack the bleed nipple off the diesel filter and give it a few pumps to look for air.

[dave21478]

Yeah, I fail all three too.

 

I quite rate the saab for looks - maybe not yellow though!

IMO a nice convertible is one that has no rollover bar like on a golf or escort which spoils the lines, and has a neat solution to hide the folded roof ie not a mk3 astra where the folded hood is just a big flappy pile of canvas and metal struts on the back of it and needs covered with a bit of tent held on with loads of poppers.

[cort16]

Yeah, I fail all three too.

 

I quite rate the saab for looks - maybe not yellow though!

IMO a nice convertible is one that has no rollover bar like on a golf or escort which spoils the lines, and has a neat solution to hide the folded roof ie not a mk3 astra where the folded hood is just a big flappy pile of canvas and metal struts on the back of it and needs covered with a bit of tent held on with loads of poppers.

 

To be fair it looked loads better when I painted the wheels. I bought it with a massive scud in the drivers door. Check out the paint blending skillz.

I spend ages fixing the roof and farting around with that door then drove it a couple of times and HATED it. I couldn't believe how much the wheel wobbled in my hands

 

 

[Craig the Princess]

Autoshite Convertible ownership requirements....

1 - be attractive.

2 - be rich.

3 - dont be poor, fat, bald and ugly. 

 

EFA - or is that just me?

 

I like the looks of the Saab 900 ex-Moog mobile, it drives nicely and doesn't seem to shakey even with the v6. The most comfortable car I've driven, the 200 mile trip back at night in an unknown car wafted back with no stress (and the hood down).

 

On the downside it proves I don't like autos and it looks a little fussy with the hood up.

 

[Luckythirteen]

Finally got my arse into gear, and fitted a new battery, after a further two non starts. Neighbours happier.

Rear wiper chucked it, so that was another scrappy trip, which yielded better rear speakers too. Bonus.

While patching wiring with leccy tape and heat shrink, I finally fixed the driving lamps. Some genius* had decided to cable tie the loose conduit up out of the way, and that's where it had kinked and broken the wires.

All fine until it started misting up inside. Carpets dry, sunroof seal intact...turns out it was the aircon, in need of attention. New pollen filter and a regas/service, which seems to have done the trick, but it'll want watched, I have no doubt.

[darkfour]

Started work on the front brakes of the Plymouth this weekend. Figured they'd be pretty grim and my assumption was correct. Each side has a pair of wheel cylinders, one per brake shoe and on removing the driver's side brake drum it was clear that these were shot. The drum is also heavily corroded and would need a skim to get back to a clean and smooth braking surface. Decided that the cost to replace and fix them isn't worth it so it's straight on to the planned disc brake conversion when funds allow. I removed the entire brake set up and am not left with a couple of spindles.

 

1950 brake technology. The top set is probably salvageable although the shoes were very soft. Bottom set were fubared and the seals are pushing off the cylinders with all the crud and corrosion underneath

 

Brake spindle ready for the new disc brakes to arrive. Plymouth suspension designers had some crazy ideas back in the day. Here the shock absorber is mounted between the upper and lower A arms.. As they can't move independently of each other it's a crap design.

 

I then turned my attention to polishing the radiator which should come up nicely

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HillmanImp]

Binhoker668 quite liked it though, but he agreed that a 'sports car' wasn't 'me' and I should get something more suitable.

Shaguar is here and waiting for you.

[derskine]

I need to move the 18 in order to collect the polo so I'll need to get it started tonight.

My thoughts are try holding a hot air gun at the intake whilst it's being cranked, and failing that spray some easy start in.

[320touring]

I need to move the 18 in order to collect the polo so I'll need to get it started tonight.

My thoughts are try holding a hot air gun at the intake whilst it's being cranked, and failing that spray some easy start in.

Could try power direct to glow plugs incase ignition is not switching them?

[derskine]

Think it is as can hear relay clicking when turning the switch to 1st position.

[dollywobbler]

Doesn't necessarily mean 12 is reaching the plugs though. Multimeter time. Is there a primer?

[320touring]

Think it is as can hear relay clicking when turning the switch to 1st position.

But remember "because french electrics!"

[Cavcraft]

 

Convertible ownership requirements....

1 - be attractive.

2 - be rich.

3 - dont be poor, fat, bald and ugly.

I can categorically state two out of three of things aren't neccessarily correct.

Pass me a comb, old boy.

[HMC]

Had the water pump off the P4 and just when I though it was going without a hitch one of the tired old bolts  sheared off in the block. After a bit of stareing at the snapped bolt, almost flush in the block, I decided to sleep on it.

Back the following day I got my mig out, and had a go at sorting it. I'm still very much a novice with the welder, I built up some weld on the sheared bolt and then welded that to a different bolt.

 

 

Maybe the heat helped too, and with a sigh of relief that is at least another step forward. Plus for a novice it felt good to get myself out of trouble.

[spike60]

If you can build a little tit of weld on the broken bolt putting a nut over it then filling it with weld usually works for me. Same idea.

[HMC]

^ TBH that sounds a better idea, good tip thanks

[derskine]

Okay update on the 18.

Got home from work and tried to start it, battery dead.

Charged battery but still wouldn't energise starter solenoid.

Nisfan brought round a hefty battery and we fitted that, it cranked over okay but still wouldn't start.

We tried putting a heat gun in the inlet manifold, still wouldn't start.

Tried putting easy start in, still nothing, it very nearly starts but doesn't quite get there.

I'm totally stumped, diesels are new to me, and this is the first time this one has really gone wrong.

 

Its stuck parked in one of my neighbour's spaces and I really need to move it asap.

Plus side the polo is here and working.

[Wackeldackel]

What dollywobbler said

 

Might be a primer bulb somewhere or a spring loaded button under fuel filter. Perhaps crack open an injector, pump the primer see that diesel is reaching the injectors? If theres air in the lines this will also help get it out

[derskine]

I opened the bleed nipple on the fuel filter and pressed the manual pump lever down and was presented with a spurt of diesel.

I'll check at the injectors though.

[wuvvum]

Try towing it round the block in second gear.  That's usually enough to get old diesels running in my experience.