Famous Five - NOW SOLD

[eddyramrod]

So today I thought I'd revisit the glovebox, after finally getting it open the other day.  This time I removed it from the dash...

And this is what I've got: a hinge has broken away.

It's supposed to look like this one (the other side)...

Fortunately I'm a lifelong plastic-modeller, so I have some poly cement in stock, and was able to do this...

Tomorrow I'll go back to it and see how it's held up  overnight.  If it seems firm enough it can go back on.

[danthecapriman]

Haha, glad I’m not the only one using model supplies for fixing cars! The paints like Humbrol enamel come in handy too.

If that poly cement doesn’t work, try some of the Plastic weld adhesive from DIY stores or eBay, it’s meant for plastic plumbing really but it’s insanely strong. Does a similar thing to poly cement really and melts the plastic together. I used it on the plastic in my old Volvo and it certainly did the job.

Good to see the brittle plastic Volvo tradition lives on in the 800 too!

[eddyramrod]

I've been back in the Volvo today, reassembling the glovebox.  The hinge seems to have held up fine.  However: I haven't put the trim pad back on the door, because once it's closed, it's still hard to open.  Without the trim pad I can fiddle with the catch, so it stays off for now.  The car hasn't moved in at least four weeks, probably more like six, and the battery is now so flat it won't even display an ignition light.  Good thing I have other cars!  (And nowhere to go anyway)

[eddyramrod]

Having had time to think about it, my brain being rather less sharp than it used to be, I've worked out why the battery is flat.  The glovebox on this car has a little light, controlled by a switch the same as the courtesy light switches.  I've left that switched on, effectively, for a month.  Yeah, that would explain it!  Doesn't matter at the moment, I'm not using it.

[danthecapriman]

1 hour ago, eddyramrod said:

Having had time to think about it, my brain being rather less sharp than it used to be, I've worked out why the battery is flat.  The glovebox on this car has a little light, controlled by a switch the same as the courtesy light switches.  I've left that switched on, effectively, for a month.  Yeah, that would explain it!  Doesn't matter at the moment, I'm not using it.

Well, at least you found out. Eventually!?

 

Has it killed the battery? Or will it charge?

[eddyramrod]

Don't know yet.  We will find out I expect!

[eddyramrod]

Since Huggy seems to be starting ok, and as I've had to lay him up again pending parts, I thought I'd borrow his battery to get the Volvo going.  Hooked it up and nope, not a sniff.  So flat you could play snooker on it.  So I jumped it off the Suzuki, and that seemed ok.  Put everything away, park the Suzuki back in its place, and take the Volvo for a little run to charge it up.  Except it just stopped, zero electricity, just like Huggy two years ago.  I had to go back home for the Suzuki and jump it again, then bring them home one by one.

CBA any more today; probably this whole week.

[danthecapriman]

2 hours ago, eddyramrod said:

Since Huggy seems to be starting ok, and as I've had to lay him up again pending parts, I thought I'd borrow his battery to get the Volvo going.  Hooked it up and nope, not a sniff.  So flat you could play snooker on it.  So I jumped it off the Suzuki, and that seemed ok.  Put everything away, park the Suzuki back in its place, and take the Volvo for a little run to charge it up.  Except it just stopped, zero electricity, just like Huggy two years ago.  I had to go back home for the Suzuki and jump it again, then bring them home one by one.

CBA any more today; probably this whole week.

You have my sympathy with batteries, they’re something I have to do battle with quite often! It’s lack of use for me that kills them. The one in my Transit is dead at the moment, annoying as it was an expensive Bosch one. I’ll have to replace that at some point. 

The last year or so I’ve bought a cheap battery charger from Machine Mart and periodically take all my batteries out and charge them on the bench over night. So far it seems to be extending the lives of them!

[eddyramrod]

My kindly neighbour Brian has been charging batteries for me; the other day I took off the Volvo's battery and lugged it round to him.  He hooked it up and the following day brought it back to me, but he wasn't happy about the way it seemed to be performing.  So I put it back on the car, the dash lit up, turn the key.... and nothing.  Today I replaced it with a spare battery Dan was kind enough to supply two years ago when I was down his way with Huggy, and lo, there was life!  To celebrate, I took the car for a little run (thick end of 20 miles) to make sure there would be charge there when I want it next.  Which will be tomorrow morning, as I have some stuff for the tip. 

It isn't all good news though: the ABS light is glowing at me, as is "Trac Off" which I presume will be traction control.  Oh and the radio is begging for a code.

[PhilA]

I would think an inexpensive "smart" trickle charger/maintainer would be good to have if the cars are stored in a location that allows their use (driveway not road etc).

Extension lead out, end tucked under the hood, charger clipped to the battery and just left there.

The charger will run the clock and radio memories and other little drains and stop the battery from sulphating up from low voltage.

The one I bought is good for 1.5A and can be left plugged in. Once the battery is charged, it stops charging and monitors the battery. Once it falls below threshold it'll charge it up full again then stop. Rinse and repeat. Cost me $15 so nothing to really break the bank. Cheaper than a new battery.

 

Phil

[The Moog]

I think the code is in the handbook (although might have been different car).

[eddyramrod]

2 hours ago, PhilA said:

I would think an inexpensive "smart" trickle charger/maintainer would be good to have if the cars are stored in a location that allows their use (driveway not road etc).

Extension lead out, end tucked under the hood, charger clipped to the battery and just left there.

The charger will run the clock and radio memories and other little drains and stop the battery from sulphating up from low voltage.

The one I bought is good for 1.5A and can be left plugged in. Once the battery is charged, it stops charging and monitors the battery. Once it falls below threshold it'll charge it up full again then stop. Rinse and repeat. Cost me $15 so nothing to really break the bank. Cheaper than a new battery.

 

Phil

You are absolutely right Phil, and if I had a driveway that's just what I would do!  Unfortunately all I have is on-street parking.  Once the finances have recovered from buying supplies for Huggy I will be looking for a charger for off-car use.

[PhilA]

For summertime I had reasonable luck with a big solar panel on the dash, but that's always a bit hit or miss.

Particularly if the diode dies then instead of it just turning light into electricity, at night it turns electricity fed into it from the battery into heat, further flattening the battery and being utterly useless.

[eddyramrod]

I live in the Lake District... solar panels? Hahahahahahaha!

[danthecapriman]

Crikey, has it really been 2 years since I gave you that battery!? It doesn’t seem like it. I think it was out of my Capri originally!

[eddyramrod]

On 3/11/2020 at 11:11 PM, eddyramrod said:

It's funny, isn't it, how the length of those rear quarter windows seemed to reduce steadily from the 240, to the 740/940, to the 850.  Yet there's still as much space as a man could need in the back!

Actually there isn't, as I found out yesterday.  I put a door in to take to the tip (a household door; the bloody heavy one I took off my shed) and had to push it between the front seats to get it in and close the hatch.  This wouldn't have happened with a 245, or even a 740!

[warninglight]

Only just seen this! I'll have to keep an eye out in the locality.

Have a look at the bottom rear of the front passenger seat. There should be two little levers, flick them up together (they're spring loaded) and the passenger seat back will fold forwards. Ideal for longer loads! 

[eddyramrod]

There's only one on pale green steels...

[eddyramrod]

On 7/9/2020 at 7:11 PM, The Moog said:

I think the code is in the handbook (although might have been different car).
 

You think correctly sir!  I didn't realise I even had a handbook, but I've just been looking in the seat pockets and found it.  There is indeed a code handwritten in there so I tried it and it only worked!  Thank you for the tipoff?

[eddyramrod]

Famous Five has been providing good service, going out once or twice a week mostly; which is still more often than Huggy!  Yesterday I went out to my one open support group, and noticed both nearside tyres were soft.  I had my plug-in compressor with me, so pumped them up, then realised the OSF was heading the same way so had to do that one too.  None of them had more than 10lb in...  Strangely the OSR was fine.  I'll have to keep an eye open to make sure it doesn't happen again.

[eddyramrod]

Welcome to Urban Wildlife with David Attenborough.  Today we are looking at a rich landscape...

Most of what we will see here is youngsters, bloated from recent feeds, but occasionally one can find an elder of the pack...

I mean, how natural does that look?  Old Volvo, filled with detritus, queueing for the tip.  Perfect.  Only towing a caravan up through Windermere could be any more natural!

[New POD]

4 minutes ago, eddyramrod said:

Welcome to Urban Wildlife

I mean, how natural does that look?  Old Volvo, filled with detritus, queueing for the tip.  Perfect.  Only towing a caravan up through Windermere could be any more natural!

It would be very unnatural because you'd have to tie wrap the caravan to the back because it doesn't have a tow bar 

[Asimo]

Natural habitat for that 850 wagon is at an Autoshite meet, early the next day,  condensation on both sides of all the windows and  a sleeping-bag full of snoring, chip-munching 'shiter stretched out in the load area.

[eddyramrod]

LOL!  I meant, of course, ANY large older Volvo.  Don't imagine that the absence of towbar on this one escaped me, at all.  Oh no, you can't get stuff like that past me.  This is actually the second time I've owned a big Volvo with no bar as my first, my 1978 244GL, didn't have one when I got it.  I soon rectified that!

[eddyramrod]

Wish me luck.

MoT on this car expired in May, but of course a Boris extension was applied.  Now we're into October I thought I'd better do something about it, so today I've dropped it off with a local garage, with instructions to only call me if any element of the task goes into three figures.  We were supposed to be in Scotland now, hosting Shiters at Cumbernauld, but obviously that's not happening.  I wouldn't have missed the Volvo for a week if I was 400 miles away from it!  So, let's see how it goes.  I believe the actual test is booked for Monday.

[danthecapriman]

Fingers & toes crossed for you Eddy!

[High Jetter]

When you say 3 figures, is a decimal point involved? GL4MOT

[eddyramrod]

As expected, we got a fail.  Malcolm has replaced the NSR tyre, which was never going to pass, and he's on top of the other stuff too.  I might even have it back by weekend.  N425 HOY if you want to look up the failsheet...

[eddyramrod]

MoT achieved! :)  Malcolm put a new tyre on for me, and did some other little bits I wouldn't be able to do nowadays, and took it back in.  Job jobbed.

[eddyramrod]

Six weeks later, and the car hasn't moved in that time.  Last week I went to start it and the dash lit up, but nothing else.  So I took the Suzuki wherever it was I was going.

Today I tried again as it was such a nice afternoon.  Same symptoms, so I jumped it off the Suzuki and it fired up.  I then went for a run out, through Ulverston to Greenodd, which gave me a couple of little stretches of NSL dual cabbageway.  If I want to use it tomorrow, which is the plan, it should now be ok.  I hope!

I was putting my foot down where I could.  This is a nice effortless car to do that sort of thing in, on a Sunday afternoon...