The new news 24 thread

[cort16]

Ahh, penny in the air...   Do you have a timing light?

 

I found the biggest factor in overheating, BY FAR, was the ignition timing being out.   All those little explosions should be generating motive force rather than waste heat.

 

Set the timing to 6ºBTDC and dwell to 28º at idle and the cooling system won't have so much heat to deal with.

 

But if you're not losing coolant, the full checklist is:

• Stuck Thermostat
• Loose Fan Belt (water pump not working hard enough)
• Radiator blockage
• Heater blockage (often a flush, in both directions, is enough)
• Hose blockage
• Inlet manifold water pipe blockage (the small pipe gets mucky quickly)
• Failed Water Pump (will manifest itself as hot engine but cold radiator)
• Ignition Timing (just too much heat for cooling system to deal with)
• Failed Head Gasket
• Slipping Fan Clutch
• Worn out radiator (i.e. missing fins)
• Other Engine issues  - dwell setting, health of points & condenser, spark plug gap, mixture settings, carburettor balance between banks.
• Failed temperature sender (gauge telling lies)

I post this because I can now testify that it IS possible to conquer the Rover V8 overheating problems.  To the extent that I am now happy to drive mine on 104ºC days, in traffic, with the clunky inefficient 1970s air conditioner on, and remain confident, not just hopeful, that everything stays at normal temperature.  Mind you, I did spend time and money fixing every single one of the above items on the checklist!

 

One bodge that can help is a high-flow thermostat.  Don't know if you can get these in the UK, but out here, they're available.  When they open, they OPEN, and the water pump can really get that coolant moving.

 

 

Here's a question. Is there a cold air kit for the P6 so you can pull air from down the front of the car rather than from the top of a hot engine. I know I could run a bit of tumble drier hose or something down there but is there a kit

for the the SD1 or anything that could be adapted?

[LC Torana]

Here's a question. Is there a cold air kit for the P6 so you can pull air from down the front of the car rather than from the top of a hot engine. I know I could run a bit of tumble drier hose or something down there but is there a kit

for the the SD1 or anything that could be adapted?

Dunno.

 

All I can say is that if you get it right, you shouldn't need it, even in the heat of the Australian summer with an aircon running.

[Clanger]

Here's a question. Is there a cold air kit for the P6 so you can pull air from down the front of the car rather than from the top of a hot engine. I know I could run a bit of tumble drier hose or something down there but is there a kit

for the the SD1 or anything that could be adapted?

You could try a NADA style hood scoop.  Alan at Classeparts sells them on evilbay.

[Louise2cv]

More modern car stuff, soz!!

 

Just gone out and found my neighbour in a bit of a flap, his Vectra C(?) 2004 has stopped working. He drove home, no probs, parked up went in his house. Then he came out and on turning the ignition key nothing happens. He tried a few times, every now and then the dash would light up but the engine made no attempt to turn over, no headlights etc. Odd thing was the drivers door speaker was "fluttering", regardless of whether the ignition or radio was on. We tried a jumpstart and while it did bring all the electrics back to life and turned over it just wouldn't catch.

 

Its a shame, he really looks after it and its just had a new MOT which involved a bit of work I believe.

 

I plugged my code reader in and got P0036 and P0136 which I believe are oxygen sensor codes, but that wouldn't knock out all the electrics and prevent the car from starting would it? I guess it was an ECU fault?

 

I left him with the codes and suggested a google of those and I suggested he check his manual and see what fuses might need looking at.

 

 

Any other ideas, anyone?

[Richard]

Earth strap?

[Louise2cv]

I wondered that but it seemed ok on a wiggle it about level, would it be worth checking it with real live tools? 

 

*It is just the connection from negative battery terminal to the body isn't it?

[wuvvum]

The plan is to rip the ID off it,and slap it onto something with coil springs......

Can one buy 1/43 scale chequer plate?

[Arthur Foxhake]

So.

I didn't win the other 205. Thankfully.

 

But in other news I now own a diesel 106 due to a conversation in the pub earlier, was at my weakest ( read drunkest).

And also a ZX will be in the fold before the weekend is out.

 

Still need to shift this poxy Hyundai Matrix though, Goddammit.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Well after taking the Fiesta ST back to the main dealers to find out why the engine management light was back on. The code reader said nothing again.

 

Might be the battery they said as it struggles to start. Well yeah I knew it was on its way out as a few weeks ago it was reseting the dash.

 

Anyway got a new battery at Euro carparts. Fucking thing was about half an inch too high for the battery clamp to fit so had to bodge it but bugger me if it didn't clear the engine management light and the air bag light that came on too.

 

Modern cars and their ecu type things, I just don't understand them

[alf892]

I wondered that but it seemed ok on a wiggle it about level, would it be worth checking it with real live tools?

 

*It is just the connection from negative battery terminal to the body isn't it?

I'd check battery cables /connections..........but possibly very knackered battery Edited October 23, 2015 by alf892

[dollywobbler]

I wondered that but it seemed ok on a wiggle it about level, would it be worth checking it with real live tools? 

 

*It is just the connection from negative battery terminal to the body isn't it?

 

Put a jump lead between battery neg and engine and see if that changes anything.

 

EDIT - and as per Alf, try hooking it up to another car to rule out battery itself. It is battery dying season and as I know, they can just suddenly fail, even if working minutes earlier.

[Louise2cv]

Yeah tried jump starting from ours, all the electrics came back and it would turn over, but wouldn't start. Would the fuel pump need priming after a dead battery?

[beko1987]

Dont say that, the meriva took a few more turns of the starter to fire the other weekend, its not got the newest battery... May test it this weekend, is it a multimeter across the teeminals test?

[beko1987]

Is it a derv? Didnt junkman (or someone) mention with dervs that theres a special tool it a fair few starts to get it bled and running?

 

*thinks happily about the primer bulb sat in my engine bay...

[wuvvum]

Yup, the V70's battery has breathed its last this week - the car's currently borrowing the little 063 battery from the Innocenti, which actually starts it fine as long as it's properly charged.

 

While we're on the subject of car electrics, as well as the Vectra-related shenanigans that I've posted about elsewhere, the other task for today was to fit the replacement alternator for the Perodua which arrived in the post yesterday.  It was a bit of a faff to get off (I had to remove the PAS fluid bottle to be able to get to the top bolt, and the only way to actually get the alternator out of the engine bay was to roll the car off the ramps, jack up the offside front so the suspension is at full hang and then wiggle it out between the inner wing and the driveshaft), but refitting was indeed the reverse of removal and I now have a charging alternator.  The fanbelt is a little bit squealy for a few seconds after startup, but I can live with that for now - especially as it's such a twat to adjust.  I'd never bought a secondhand alternator before, but it's doing the job, and for 30 quid delivered I can't moan too much.

 

Here's a picture of it, resplendent* in its new two-tone paint scheme.

 

 

[twosmoke300]

I wouldn't discount a pooped battery on that vectra Louise . If it's really knackered a jump start won't do it . They just absorb all the current

[Louise2cv]

Thanks all, just popped round and suggested that it might just be the battery, he said its been on since he had it so.....

 

Good sense to check basics first eh?!

 

He's going to try a borrow a mates battery tomorrow.

 

Thanks all

[dave21478]

 

The fanbelt is a little bit squealy for a few seconds after startup, but I can live with that for now - especially as it's such a twat to adjust.

 

 

 

Give the belt a spray with some kind of liquid trim cleaner while the engine is running. I use Autoglym vinyl and rubber care as its what I have lying - this quietens squeely belts perfectly. I dunno why but the Glandrover needs a squirt every couple of months - its impossible to get the belt to tun quietly.

[dave21478]

Its battery fail time round here too - the big mower wouldnt start the other day so I jumped it off the Escort, but it wouldnt go. I got the Escort keys and started it up to give it some revs for the jump but it only just started itself.

 

The mower ran for a few hours and wouldnt restart when I stopped, so its battery has suddenly died with zero warning.

 

I put the Escort on to charge and it was still a bit slow this morning - I will keep an eye on it this weekend, but it looks like it will need replaced.

[anonymous user]

I'm about to be famous; don't get too excited, it's not life changing; it's just that I passed the Google street view car today on the A473 in Bridgend, I must remember to check for the update.

[DodgyBastard]

My heap of shit Proton broke down on me

 

DSC_6225 by srblythe, on Flickr

 

I got to the end of the road at the unit and it just died, it turned over fine but wouldn't fire. I had a look under the bonnet at the fuel pump connection as it had managed to rattle itself loose in the past but no such luck this time, everything seemed to be in order. I was faced with a dilemma of which car to take home.

 

The choices were

 

DSC_6228 by srblythe, on Flickr

 

or

 

DSC_6156 by srblythe, on Flickr

 

I insured both of them but in the end I chose the one least likely to draw attention...

[D Spares & Tyres]

Funny how batteries can just die instantly

 

Stopped in motorway services a few years back and when came out the battery was totally dead

 

Bump started it, then changed battery and it was fine after so definitely not the car at fault

[HMC]

Alfa 166 front tyres really are fucked, had a closer look, both almost down to the depth marker and one is almost down to the wire on the inner edge where its scrubbed off. Handily having a fwd tyre eater Ive got a tyre fitters at the end of my road. May as well have the tracking looked at too.

[captain_70s]

Don't think I'm going to manage to shift my Dolly 1850, there is no market for the bastard thing up here miles away from civilisation. 

 

Problem being Dad wants me to get rid of it or give him the V5C 'cause I sort of owe him £2k for a Honda Civic. Wondering if I can get together £500 or so to give him by the end of the month and see if I can find a Doloshite sized shed for long term rent in the locality for not a lot of money resulting in the APPEARANCE of a car being sold.

 

Then when I get my life back on track (which will TOTALLY HAPPEN) and the 1300 repaired (also TOTALLY GOING TO HAPPEN) and have paid him back in full it can reappear on my drive and I can claim I bought it back... Sometimes I'm not sure if I REALLY like cars or am just a masochist with some sort of mental illness.

[wuvvum]

Sometimes I'm not sure if I REALLY like cars or am just a masochist with some sort of mental illness.

As Michael Jackson once said, you are not alone.

[D Spares & Tyres]

£2000 for a ten year old honda?????

 

Yep mental illness ☺

[panhard65]

Put the ZT on mongtree and just been offered a 2001 Laguna v6 auto. I hate the ZT with it's endless desire to rape my wallet but really a Laguna !. I bet that will be a wonderful ownership experience. I would rather take an xbox.

[hairnet]

£2000 for a ten year old honda?????

 

Yep mental illness ☺

+1 (hope ya didnt)

[cort16]

2001 might be a Laguna 1 so probably not so bad or then again..

[D Spares & Tyres]

Put the ZT on mongtree and just been offered a 2001 Laguna v6 auto. I hate the ZT with it's endless desire to rape my wallet but really a Laguna !. I bet that will be a wonderful ownership experience. I would rather take an xbox.

I imagine the autobox on that would actually be an ex-box...