Shit Ideas

[twosmoke300]

1 hour ago, New POD said:

How are they able to do that? Only if your exhaust valves are shot to fuck. 

 

The MR2 motor uses a clever* egr system using the vvti to suck exhaust gasses back in through the valves . So I read on here somewhere anyway 

[Asimo]

6 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said:

The MR2 motor uses a clever* egr system using the vvti to suck exhaust gasses back in through the valves . So I read on here somewhere anyway 

This is true.  And clearly a shit idea. 

[Roobarb]

2 hours ago, New POD said:

How are they able to do that? Only if your exhaust valves are shot to fuck. 

 

I think it does it on purpose to keep the emissions as clean as possible...

Edit^^^

oh bugger. Everyone else is a clever sod too (just faster at typing and finishing a sentence than me...)

[Peter C]

Nowadays the big metal moving parts keep going for hundreds of thousands of miles but unfortunately the tiny electronic static parts that surround them cause us so much grief.

[dc2100k]

6 hours ago, LightBulbFun said:

 

especially when I first started driving, the indicator stalk in the Pug 208 im learning to drive in, was annoying as hell, id go to cancel and then just end up indicating the other way, then try to cancel that, and so on and so....

I think you’re supposed to push the way it’s already indicating to cancel, and push the other way to change direction. 

[twosmoke300]

34 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Nowadays the big metal moving parts keep going for hundreds of thousands of miles but unfortunately the tiny electronic static parts that surround them cause us so much grief.

I think that’s not the case anymore.  Electronics are pretty bloody reliable these days . I see far more mechanical engine issues these days than I used to . Timing chains , turbos , flywheels etc 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

50 minutes ago, Peter C said:

Nowadays the big metal moving parts keep going for hundreds of thousands of miles but unfortunately the tiny electronic static parts that surround them cause us so much grief.

Mrs Dick's old Aldi A4 had turbo issues which ended up being a worn, shitty plastic linkage on the actuator. Over 400 notes to diagnose why the DPF light was on, for a new actuator and linkage (obviously the linkage isn't sold on it's own by Audi) and to road test the ungrateful old snotter.  Essentially,  the issue was a worn piece of plastic which would have cost Audi about 10p I'd have thought. 

[Kowalski]

The curve on the edge of a Capri windscreen. Impossible to drive in the rain with the window even slightly open as the curve drives the rain directly into your face

[LabRat]

15 hours ago, Rod/b said:

Anyone who buys an MG 6 deserves a world of a pain. 

[Three Speed]

The swivel front seats on my 1959 Chrysler New Yorker were of no use at all. I guess Chrysler noticed nobody was using them so for  1960 they connected them to the doors so they swivelled whether you liked it or not. That was a seriously crap idea and the dealers were kept busy for the next couple of years disconnecting them.

[JimH]

Interesting, novel but shit.

Oddly a daft idea like this might help VAG shift some weight backwards in their "premium" range. I can't find the picture right now but there is a shot of an experiemental Vauxhall Victor with this power unit grafted into it. Because that is what the nation's middle managers were after - a 300hp front wheel drive Vauxhall with what might be described as a drink problem.

[JeeExEll]

It's on the Vauxpedia PC Cresta page.  It was a beast.  It could have been a fantastic production car.

http://files.uk2sitebuilder.com/uk2group53061/image/42v.vauxhallpc98000crestaviscountresume14.jpg

[JimH]

She takes the eye.

[sierraman]

Phwoar I bet that Cresta could be interesting in the ice. 

[martc]

On ‎2‎/‎26‎/‎2020 at 8:21 PM, jonathan_dyane said:

/\ ISTR that it was found in pre-production that the Marina drivers wiper was blown off the screen at speed making driving at speed in the rain impossible so fitting them backwards was the *creative workaround.

I wonder if a prototype had a single wing mirror on the drivers side? Because you would assume that the front of the Marina is symmetrical and the air flow over the bonnet and windscreen should also be symmetrical so it wouldn't matter which way the wipers are orientated. But if there was a single wing mirror there would be more turbulence on the drivers side which would explain why LHD models have them on the other way.

But as the early cars had no wing mirrors at all I suspect the problem was not cured by swapping the wipers over; but the 'pillar' wiper would be allowed to lift on the passenger side regardless of RHD or LHD as this would be seen to be safer than the unswept screen in front of the driver. This sounds like a very late in the day panic led bodge as the launch cars also had the wipers going the right way...

Pre-production prototypes

Launch publicity photo

Notice the surly looking anorak and car coat clad  drivers. Excellent image for a new car.

[Jikovron]

Part flow filtration, I first encountered this on my first skoda estelle that had been fitted with a pre 1983 105 engine, the idea was that rather than use a pressure relief valve to regulate max pressure the engine used the oil filter instead as a constant pressure vent of the main feed gallery straight back into the sump leaving the majority of the essentially unfiltered flow to travel on to the bearings limiting the life of the early engines noticeably , after 1983 they fitted a pressue relief to the oil pump and full flow spin on filters which helped matters greatly!

[Talbot]

Shit ideas:  Interlocks between everything.  Press the brake to be able to release the electric handbrake.  Press the clutch to be able to start the car.  Press the brake to be able to move out of park.  Be in park before you can remove the key.

All of these (and I've no doubt more that I've not yet experienced) are absolute shit.  They do nothing to improve the safety of a weak driver, and frustrate the crap out of a competent one.

[wuvvum]

Re Marina wipers - the early production 1.3 that Wobbler drove in one of his videos had the wipers the "correct" way round.

[Zelandeth]

The sodding "bong" which any US car from the 90s seems to insist on making whenever you do (or don't do) anything.

I was seriously about ready to start testing the dash of the Astro van I borrowed over in Michigan a few years back to find and kill the speaker to stop the damned thing bonging at me.

The idea of it being to draw your attention to something was totally defeated by the fact that it did it so insistently and rarely lit any warning lights or anything to assist you in figuring out what the heck it was on about.

The buzzer Proton fitted to the Saga/MPi which went off whenever the ignition key was inserted with the driver's door open was a similar level of annoying...mine lasted approximately two hours I think before I found and disconnected it.

[PhilA]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

The sodding "bong" which any US car from the 90s seems to insist on making whenever you do (or don't do) anything.

I was seriously about ready to start testing the dash of the Astro van I borrowed over in Michigan a few years back to find and kill the speaker to stop the damned thing bonging at me.

The idea of it being to draw your attention to something was totally defeated by the fact that it did it so insistently and rarely lit any warning lights or anything to assist you in figuring out what the heck it was on about.

The buzzer Proton fitted to the Saga/MPi which went off whenever the ignition key was inserted with the driver's door open was a similar level of annoying...mine lasted approximately two hours I think before I found and disconnected it.

 

My truck does this- if you leave the key in the ignition and open the door.. bong.............bong.............bong..............bong......... but if you leave the lights switched on and open the door bongbongbongbongbongbong

The headlights switch themselves off after 10 minutes after you pull the key anyway, but obviously it's much more important that you left your lights on than you forgot to pull the key and invalidated any insurance you might have hoped to have had when the vehicle is removed by the more lightfingered fraternity.

 

--Phil

[Frogchod]

My Buicks got that sodding BONG, bloody load it is too.  When the BONGing stops the stereo BINGs at volume 11 to let me know Bluetooth is active.

Every fucking time you turn the key.

[Frogchod]

22 hours ago, Talbot said:

Depends an awful lot on the vehicle.  Mk6 transit for instance, the DMF is utterly pointless.  So much so that Ford sell their own SMF kit for them, and apparently you cannot tell the difference between a DMF or a SMF equipped one.

Some other engines do suffer without a DMF though.  Clearly a far more fragile design.

But I agree.  DMF is a completely stupid thing.  I'd rather suffer a fractionally (and it is truly fractional) less efficient engine and not have a big risk bill for when the DMF shits it's pants on you.

I've just had the Dmf replaced with SMF on my Expert.  

Absolutely no fekkin difference. 

Maybe a slightly lighter pedal feel, definately lighter on the wallet.

[drewd]

My old Gen 7 Celica used to beep continuously when reverse was selected. But only inside the car.

People used to think it had reversing sensors, and looked utterly confused when informed the beeping was only to inform the driver that reverse had been selected. It had a manual 'box and a precise gear change so I'm unsure anyone would accidentally select reverse.

The only way to disable it was to disconnect the buzzer from the instrument cluster. Utterly pointless and hugely annoying.

[JeeExEll]

Those beeper bong things are so annoying.

Anyone know how to disable the beeper thing on a Pug 206? The car's been in storage for a few years but disabling that noise is on the 'to do' list. I think it's part of a pcb module of some sort buried inside the dash, may be the same as other Pugs from that period so maybe someone else on here has 'the knowledge'. Even squeezing some silicone sealant into the sounder would help. Had forgotten all about it till I read this thread.

[wuvvum]

37 minutes ago, drewd said:

My old Gen 7 Celica used to beep continuously when reverse was selected. But only inside the car.

People used to think it had reversing sensors, and looked utterly confused when informed the beeping was only to inform the driver that reverse had been selected. It had a manual 'box and a precise gear change so I'm unsure anyone would accidentally select reverse.

The only way to disable it was to disconnect the buzzer from the instrument cluster. Utterly pointless and hugely annoying.

Most grey import Japanese cars seem to do that.  I've never had a manual that did it mind.

[drewd]

12 minutes ago, wuvvum said:

Most grey import Japanese cars seem to do that.  I've never had a manual that did it mind.

Mine was a UK spec car. They all do it, the Facebook owners group was full of people asking to turn it off.

[Volksy]

The Dodge Ram I hired over in Charleston last October had a twist switch gear selector, like a Jag XF, however if you switched the engine off without putting into Park, it would tell you off by binging, and a message would flash up on the dash 'ENGAGE PARK!' 

However, it would then immediately, engage park itself. So what was the point of all the palaver!! 

 

[PhilA]

1 minute ago, Volksy said:

The Dodge Ram I hired over in Charleston last October had a twist switch gear selector, like a Jag XF, however if you switched the engine off without putting into Park, it would tell you off by binging, and a message would flash up on the dash 'ENGAGE PARK!' 

However, it would then immediately, engage park itself. So what was the point of all the palaver!! 

I would want it to twist itself back to the Park position, like a 1990's hi-fi volume dial with remote control.

[Volksy]

It did. Internally, which meant that if you try to put it in Park, while it's telling you to put it in Park, you can't put it in Park, as it's already putting itself in Park. ? 

[High Jetter]

3 hours ago, PhilA said:

The headlights switch themselves off after 10 minutes after you pull the key anyway, but obviously it's much more important that you left your lights on than you forgot to pull the key and invalidated any insurance you might have hoped to have had when the vehicle is removed by the more lightfingered fraternity.

If the lights stay on to 'see you home' they must be fecking bright to be of any use when you've walked 9 minutes away from it!