The new news 24 thread

[Pillock]

The car does have some issues like the blowers will only blow hot no cold at all any idea's?

 

Welcome to the club.

Mine also does that with heaters, if you bang it on full it blows cold after a while. Seems to just be heat soak somehow. If it's too hot, lob the roof down!

[RobT]

Today was spent trying to sort the cutting out and random hot start issue on the Cavalier. I thoroughly cleaned the throttle body, breather pipes and ICV with carb cleaner, and also did the rocker cover filter. It'll also need a new gasket as its been spraying oil everywhere from the dizzy end, made a right old mess all over. Just taken it for a long run and I had the opposite problem i.e. revs racing like a bastard and massively fluctuating idle. So as a temporary fix I've nicked the ICV off the 440 which is the same, and bought a new pattern one for £26 which might turn out shit but worth a go.

[HMC]

Rob did I miss another Cavalier purchase?

[Cavcraft]

Had to help a mate move a couple of things this morning. Ran the missus to work, came home and the Vectra wouldn't start again, so I used the Cavalier instead. 

All modern Vauxhalls, etc.

[dollywobbler]

I have left the 2CV and XM at my 2CV camp to have fun, while I lazily went home to my actual bed. We're all off to the Internal Fire museum again tomorrow. I shall ask about the Fiesta, but I don't think they've managed to get it running yet.

[twosmoke300]

Another group shot ? I will have to come up cos dad and I were still lurking round the sheds when the last one was taken

[danthecapriman]

Since it was raining yesterday and I couldn't get outside to get the Mercury fixed, I decided to paint my new master cylinder for it.

 

 

Looks much nicer now. Like most of them it was just bare steel, but once this starts to rust it looks horrible. I masked off the ports and pushrod/servo connection and gave it a coat of etch primer, followed by about three coates of satin black under hood paint.

Nice and tidy!

[wuvvum]

Rob did I miss another Cavalier purchase?

This.

[Skizzer]

Right boys n girls we are back home with a MGF.

6hours to cover 180 miles.66miles in2 hours. The M6 was just a nightmare as the West cost mainline is down for maintance.

No overheating the temp gauge didnt move from just under half given the stop start traffic.Or any problems from the K series-Kettle a cracking little engine.

The car does have some issues like the blowers will only blow hot no cold at all any idea's?

Nothing that some spit, polish,elbow grease and time won't sort out.

It is an agreeable little car that is quite light and nimble on the road.

Thanks Dave Mr Station it was a pleasure meeting you.

No collection thread as the camera was in the other car.I will put some photos up tomorrow.

 

We  stayed in a Primier Inn.We booked in for tea which they managed to fuck up,so myself and No1 son ate the waited 45 mins for No2 sons and MrsV8's  food. So we got the meal free.

Just settling down for some sleep when the floor above started to bounce the noise.A complaint to reception and she goes to knock on the room above all goes quiet for 10 mins the it started again but louder so another word with reception.

As we checked out they asked for the card so they could refund the cost of the room.

 

'Like' for the MGF (not HGF) bit.

 

'Not like' for the shit Premier Inn experience, although fair play to them for voluntarily refunding your money.  I stay in Prems quite a bit and generally find the staff/service/rooms very good - leagues ahead of Travelodge etc. Shame about the great* British** public you have to share them with, though.

[JohnK]

+1 for the premier inn experience.

 

When I used to work away, more often than not found myself in a premier inn. When I was in Leicester I used to use the Braunstone facility quite often as it was a stones throw away from where I needed to be. Good service, good food and the standard rooms were clean and comfortable.

 

I did have a bit of a 'spat' with a member of the public there however. Some guy constantly following me around the hotel all night and then standing outside of my room door. I reckon he was gay and fancied a bit, he did get told in no uncertain terms that all he would get from me would be a smack in the mouth if he didn't fuck off and leave me alone.

 

He was in the room next door and then proceeded to turn the socket switches on and off for the next hour (they were on the wall we shared between rooms so did my goat in for an hour trying to get to sleep).

 

After amicably trying to resolve the issue, given the fact the room was booked by work with all of their details I opted to complain at the desk who promptly moved me rooms. I later got informed by one of the Duty Managers that the gent had been politely asked not too book again. I don't think it was the first time it had happened!

[danthecapriman]

Had a good day today. Mercury is now running brilliantly again, faulty condenser was the cause of that in the end. Fixed with a new one meant for a Mustang. Will do the job until I get electronic ignition fitted.

 

Also gave it a well deserved oil and filter change. Since the old oil stunk of petrol from the non starting issue. It was filthy aswell.

Genuine Ford filter no less!

 

Tomorrow it's going to be new master cylinder fitted, brake bleed and check then it should be ready to grace the queens highway once again!

[vulgalour]

I finally fitted the ex-Moog Pug seats in the Xantia, as a result it actually now feels like a Citroen should to drive, the seats are amazing.  I'm yet to see how they do on a long-distance trek but I suspect I'll be pleased, they have similar sort of squishomatic comfort levels to the BX.  Next step is definitely that single spoke XM wheel and eventually a single wiper conversion.

[ruffgeezer]

The large toolbox I collected a few weeks ago has departed from my garage to a young banger racing lad, I had it up for £350 and we negotiated a deal at £275, then completed the deal by adding a top box on for another £80.

 

Both boxes had been well used but were both complete in working order, so we both got a good bit of business, he has asked me to sort out cheap tools by the bucket load as they tend to be disposable items in the pits for one reason or another.

 

The major bonus is I got a £5 profit on my investment and got to keep a rather nice Mac Tools side box & pry bar rack (easily a couple of hundred to buy new) into the bargain.

 

A good result for us both I hope and a new contact and outlet for surplus tools.

[JohnK]

So, after 9 months off work, SWMBO has returned to work. Working in care she endures strange shifts, tonight being a particular favourite - 4pm-11pm, sleep over then 7am-4pm. Daddy 'JohnK' daycare duties call.

 

With the big man at grandmas I'm left in a mountain of shitty nappies and sicky clothes. However, it gave me the opportunity to do something I have not done for so long, which also allowed much needed bonding time with Mini JK.

 

I thought I would go for a drive!

 

Yes, I drive everyday for work, but as we all know work, kids, family etc take up a lot of time and I really cannot remember the last time I went for a drive, just for the hell of it.

 

I chose a car and summoned my co-pilot -

 

 

and covered 60 odd miles of mixed roads. I really enjoyed it and decided that I need to make time for a 'leisure drive' at least once a week.

 

[RobT]

Rob did I miss another Cavalier purchase?

Yep, a 2.0 CD auto this time. I took it to the Stondon meet today and it drove superb, returned about 38mpg over 180 miles which 'aint bad considering I was doing a steady 80-90 most of the way, hogging the outside lane with all the modern German cockmobiles. Here it is in a line up with other shiters cars at the museum.

 

Is the first time I've seen Trig's Mk3 and it's bloody lovely, even the bits underneath are clean and shiny.

 

Edit: and thanks again to Mr FPB7 for letting me drive his BX, its much improved since I had it and I'd forgotten how much fun they are, even NA diesel ones.

 

[vulgalour]

When asking if removing the air bag in a car was legally possible I was surprised that the reaction was a mix of 'yes with facts', 'no with opinions' and 'omg are you fucking mental?'.  I shouldn't have been, I asked the internet.  Some people have been very upset by the idea and seem convinced I'll destroy my lovely* face as a result of air bag removal.

 

Just as well I'm not worried about this sort of thing.  "oh, you won't say that when you have a crash and smash your face in!", they protest.  No, I'd say "mmmfffmfmfmfffmf" because my face would be all smashed in.

 

Honestly, if I'm going to have a bad car crash I'll end up hideously disfigured at best no matter what I'm driving, I'm sure of that.  At worst I'll end up dead wearing clothes I'd rather not be buried in.

[JohnK]

^^ do these people know that other folk still drive cars where airbags weren't even fitted ?! And these cars don't even have crumple zones so in a high speed impact you're screwed?

[Pillock]

What, there were cars before 1995? Fuck a duck!

 

MoT rules seems to say "The vehicle will fail the test if any airbag fitted as original equipment is obviously missing or defective." but the keyword seems to be obvious. (source http://www.theaa.com/motoring_advice/car-servicing-repair/mot-changes-2012.html)

 

So if you remove the airbag and replace the steering wheel cover, is that enough to pass? Should the light come on and go off like an EML does? The only one I've ever had a query with was my Golf had an airbag in the wheel, but no airbag warning light (it's on a seperate bit of trim). Not wanting to chance a fail, I hoiked the airbag out before the test and left it with a gaping hole in the middle of the wheel, but that was legal since then nothing remains. It failed on rust instead. I've only just lobbed the still-primed airbag in the bin a couple of weeks ago, I wanted to set it off for laughs but was too chicken.

 

As for the horrified people, surely it's personal preference. The only reason we have them fitted to every new car is to enhance crash tests, and that's only because each government wants to look good in league tables. They don't actually care about the driver - in fact it's less drain on the health service if you die in a crash instead of suffering massive injuries, they can just lob your corpse in a skip. Injured people need looking after, and sexy nurses and stuff costs money.

[fordperv]

I'd whip the airbag out vulg and change the wheel, just make sure you disconnect the battery for a short while first, you could then use your airbag for an hilarious* stunt, make sure you get someone to video it if you do

[The Moog]

I would whip it out

 

Only question would be is it something to tell insurance company about?

[Lord Sterling]

Like your BMW JohnK, I've always liked the E34, I'd like to one day add one like yours to the fleet.

[vulgalour]

Simply put, no air bag nothing to test.  That's the info from half a dozen testers so far, some of those in the real world at that.  The only hurdle, legally, is insurance.  Providing the insurer is happy with you removing the air bag then all is good, and some are as it turns out, because many recognise air bags have a 'best before' on them and after a car is about 15 years old apparently air bags count for very little in the event of a claim as they're likely not to explode.  So I've been told at any rate.

[Richard]

There's always the option to drive around stuff instead of into it.

[andy18s]

No airbag ?

You'll be needing some of these then.....

 

[beko1987]

Having no airbags doesn't bother me in the slightest. Means I can have Eva up front too, she likes that!

[danthecapriman]

If you get a good looking steering wheel then you won't mind smashing your head into it. It's a small price to pay for class and style.

[chaseracer]

I would whip it out...

That's fine, Moog - but we were talking about airbags... 

 

Only question would be is it something to tell insurance company about?

Police, possibly 

[cobblers]

If you crash into a tree and smash a citroen logo into your face then it's not your own insurers problem, it's between you and whoever was driving the tree. You can't claim against yourself for personal injury.

 

If someone else crashes into you and causes you to smash a citroen logo into your face then whether or not you had an airbag, or really whether or not  you had any insurance at all is not an issue, the third party is wholly responsible for debadging your face.

[Pillock]

Exactly, it's not like another driver would be heading towards you on the wrong side of the road, and suddenly think "Hang on, that's a 1993 Corsa, they didn't have airbags either as standard or as an option until 1994. I'd best get back on the right side of the road because that crash could lead to a higher personal injury claim against me" so it's really of no consequence to anyone.

 

If testers have said it's a not present, don't test then all is well. The rules in the manual seem slightly different but if you're sensible - like, not just hacking it out with an axe and leaving a hole - then they're not allowed to take the wheel apart to check. If you're fitting a non-airbag wheel, I doubt they have a list of which models should and shouldn't have them.

[TimothyClaypole]

Or just set it off then stick it back into the wheel like this Ebay Golf Estate seller.