RichardKs wanderings: BMW ex-xDrive examinations x3

[Zelandeth]

I stand corrected - it's not the cable itself, but the return spring.

Photo from when I found it.

I think I basically encased it in a lump of grease at the time as I was about to set out on an 8 hour drive, which I think shut it up for...about half an hour.

[RichardK]

Spot the obvious error...

The old knob had been attempted to remove by unscrewing and has been doing my head in. New one? Cheap. But getting the plastic collar off was infuriating...

Because the metal bit is inside the knob, not part of the lever...

Better.

Much easier to change gear. And another tidy-up job off the list. I love this Volvo!

[RichardK]

Get a Volvo estate, become Lovejoy...

[RichardK]

Noticed a light panel in the record player side.

But there's more @LightBulbFun to be had...

 

[LightBulbFun]

25 minutes ago, RichardK said:

Noticed a light panel in the record player side.

But there's more @LightBulbFun to be had...

 

looks like a 1960's German Osram 15W Pygmy lamp, which I mean I guess you would expect given its a german bit of kit  nice to see especially in Pearl dont often see pearl pygmy lamps

any other info/writing on it? lightbulbs often have cryptic date codes on them that I can decode and tell you the month/year the lamp was made  

[RichardK]

41 minutes ago, LightBulbFun said:

looks like a 1960's German Osram 15W Pygmy lamp, which I mean I guess you would expect given its a german bit of kit  nice to see especially in Pearl dont often see pearl pygmy lamps

any other info/writing on it? lightbulbs often have cryptic date codes on them that I can decode and tell you the month/year the lamp was made  

120 F 5 (I think)

 

[RichardK]

Made a decision: the Sixfire has to go. It's too far gone in too many places for me to formulate a plan of attack - it's not shabby but mobile, or pretty but broken, everything that might have moved five, six years ago is siezed, rusted or broken and aside from the engine and hopefully gearbox, I can't see anything that would remain intact when it made it back to the road 😕

I could gave sat on it longer and maybe hoped to find a reasonably priced panel or two, but I need the covered space to work on the camper.

Which if it breathes in can get right under the carport!

No room to open the door or get to my back garden though.

Goodnight camper.

Breathe in two: Volvo back on the drive. I love reversing that thing, the gap between it and the Audi was not generous but the slim pillars make it easy.

They make a good pairing.

Camper improves the view from the garage, too.

[brownnova]

That’s an impressive car port for sure! 

[Urko]

Thought I saw you today on the A34 but when I came home and checked the reg I see it was an almost identical van but K reg.

[RichardK]

"Come on MacLeod, let's go for a nice drive in the country..."

"Look at this pretty town"

"We'll just park by this old red people carrier"

"What, no, I am just changing the plate so no-one clones it honest don't worry I'll be back"

"Wait... where's my Volvo?! Maybe another Highlander got it. I'll just take that red thing then"

"Perfect for a trip to the WMC"

"Trans Sport... Transport-er"

 

"American cars are so big and bloated"

Fun day out! Humans! Cars! Smaller, happier humans free of the burden of excessive knowledge of capitalism beyond the provision of tasty snacks! Patient dogs! More humans! Inexorably long routes that take an eternity and make 30 year old cars work for their keep on depressingly shabby roads! And more humans! An overpriced Swans LP that the cat has warned me off playing...

and a gift for whoever buys @vulgalour's Radiogram...

Many thanks to @brownnova for leaving some convenient Trans Sport when my Volvo mysteriously disappeared from the carpark (and tolerating the inevitability of getting anywhere across the Peak District on time).

 

[brownnova]

So glad you like it! 

[High Jetter]

Bonk!

[Inspector Morose]

Does anyone know the way? Did we hear someone say?
(We just haven't got a clue what to do)
Does anyone know the way? There's got to be a way
To dust Buster!

[RichardK]

14 hours ago, Inspector Morose said:

Does anyone know the way? Did we hear someone say?
(We just haven't got a clue what to do)
Does anyone know the way? There's got to be a way
To dust Buster!

See, that's much more creative than "Who you gonna call? DUST-BUSTERS!".

Still very tempted by the presence of B16 GMU on the DVLA cherished site. £399 is too much, that could get many fixes and repairs done, and it's not that cool, but how nerdy a private plate is that?

I put Swans on earlier. It stopped suddenly, no scratch or weird noise, just stopped.

Indy had pushed the "Stop" button on the player and was sitting staring as the arm returned to park.

She REALLY hates Swans apparently.

[Schaefft]

6 hours ago, RichardK said:

See, that's much more creative than "Who you gonna call? DUST-BUSTERS!".

Still very tempted by the presence of B16 GMU on the DVLA cherished site. £399 is too much, that could get many fixes and repairs done, and it's not that cool, but how nerdy a private plate is that?

I put Swans on earlier. It stopped suddenly, no scratch or weird noise, just stopped.

Indy had pushed the "Stop" button on the player and was sitting staring as the arm returned to park.

She REALLY hates Swans apparently.

I'm not sure if 399 quid is good value considering only a handful of people will get it in this country (I would love it tho).

[RichardK]

On 8/15/2023 at 11:13 PM, High Jetter said:

Bonk!

Which is exactly the noise my head made when the bonnet landed on it just now.

The hinges feel self-supporting. It even balances.

Long enough for you to lean forward.

[Christine]

That  She Devil  Lilith  again, innit ! !  

[RichardK]

It's the bit everyone hates!

Going over the Pontiac - which won't be going on the road for a while as I cancelled the insurance, just can't accept how much more it was for half the mileage from the same broker.

Good looking beast. I really do like these.

Check and tidy...

Look how far back the strut tops are!

Bonnet seal de-lichened but it'll need softening and reshaping. If I can get a replacement even better.

Top of the inner wing is dissolving, I'll treat that for now but it's probably quite deep into the sandwiched panels. I am not sure GM were telling the truth about galvanising...

Some archeology from under the arches...

I should really close the trench before Tony Robinson falls in

This is definitely going to need attention but with it open like this I can make the job 10x harder by filling the remaining sill with wax, right?

Rubber trim trying to escape - it was full of lichen most of which has been evicted...

Stubborn stuff though...

De-mudded rear section - typical American "make a box then cover it it plastic" approach but solid. This will do well when protected, though the bumper supports have suffered a bit.

We may be in the gutter, but some of us are... no, just in the gutter...

I like seals to seal and drains to drain...

Cleaned and de-gunked. The colour of the water that washed out from behind the door cladding was spectacular!

Peely white sticker, wrinkly Ché and a B without a G. Hmmm.

Needed to take revolutionary steps to remove the Havana Club Rum dude, involving a cheap clay bar, but whatever the GB letters were attached with it was bloody tenacious and nasty...

Next time I need to get rid of GB I'll just ask Farage to do it.

Inside is a good story mostly, just a couple of irritations I will want to sort...

So that's why the wiper control wobbles!

This has a wee rotating thing serving as a latch. I will attempt to replace all of it when upgrading the stereo - I'm almost certain there will be a 1.5 DIN Android unit if I don't go back to stock CD (unless I find a tape one of course).

This was all procrastinating on getting into the tailgate lock, of course...

[RichardK]

Mission impossible theme plays...

Time to get to the tailgate...

Can poke the latch...

But it only releases to first detent, the rotating latch is very grr...

Long-nose pliers and...

Keep it from latching...

Not a real Benbo monopod, it's just a prop.

Unpick the trim...

(that corner was already broken).

Grr.

Ew.

Rooomy.

Spaceship.

It's a Pontiac Trans Sport GT Kompressor!

So, those extra lights do back into the plastic. Huh. I could probably have...

Maybe not, I am not /that/ flexible despite being able to change rev counter bulbs on an Avantime without removing the dash...

Safe to close. I shall rebuild the tailgate handle and cursed central locking plate after I've got some new tailgate struts. It is HEAVY.

[brownnova]

Well done! I’m impressed that you’ve managed to fix it so quickly! It totally foxed me as to how to even start! Good to see the boot open again! Even if the struts no longer hold! 

[RichardK]

I had two thoughts - either attack the latches, once I worked out where they were, or see what I could reach via the fog lights. The screws for the foglights were mildly worrying and also appeared to be pretending to be numberplate caps - so latches it was!

Removing the trim from inside would have trashed it, as it's screwed in inside the door shut all the way around

Option three, now I see how it works, I could have made a hook to go via the speaker grille and pull the mech. But before I saw it I wouldn't have known how!

[RichardK]

More lock shenanigans!

Out it comes

Into the machine

Bits

The issue - the locking pin wasn't retracting,, I think it works electronically so when you unlock it the motor releases the lock pin.

It was not releasing, then the springs where in the wrong place, and the key was not releasing the locking bar

Partially reassembled

But now lets see if we can match the tumblers to the lock.

Thought I'd try the lock solenoid

No power.

FFS.

Solenoid is on the interior light circuit.

Fuses okay but no interior lights.

Not sure how to proceed next but I'll sort it. The inner panel behind the fuel filler side feels a bit shabby as well, so quite glad I cancelled the insurance!

[brownnova]

On 23/08/2023 at 22:22, RichardK said:

More lock shenanigans!

Out it comes

Into the machine

Bits

The issue - the locking pin wasn't retracting,, I think it works electronically so when you unlock it the motor releases the lock pin.

It was not releasing, then the springs where in the wrong place, and the key was not releasing the locking bar

Partially reassembled

But now lets see if we can match the tumblers to the lock.

Thought I'd try the lock solenoid

No power.

FFS.

Solenoid is on the interior light circuit.

Fuses okay but no interior lights.

Not sure how to proceed next but I'll sort it. The inner panel behind the fuel filler side feels a bit shabby as well, so quite glad I cancelled the insurance!

Ah. Now, IIRC the interior lights appear to have been wired to the red switch to the left of the drivers side of the dashboard, along with the front fogs. It certainly operated the footwell lights. However, the power to the sliding door lock and rear hatch lock never worked in my ownership. But I never tried it with the little switch turned on I don’t think as I didn’t know they were on the same circuit. 

[Schaefft]

Some excellent progress so far, following! If you need interior parts the NL and Germany should be able to supply anything you need. Might even be able to bring some smaller bits back from my holidays if you aren't in a rush and it makes sense financially.

[RichardK]

1 hour ago, Schaefft said:

Some excellent progress so far, following! If you need interior parts the NL and Germany should be able to supply anything you need. Might even be able to bring some smaller bits back from my holidays if you aren't in a rush and it makes sense financially.

You have no idea how much this would help me! I don't know if I will be able to bring it up to the standard I want - American galvanising is rather different to my understanding of it it seems - but every small irritation fixed is a step closer to the rest being good.

I think a bush has been lost from the tailgate lock, as even with the parts reassembled the handle wobbles. Could just be a GM thing, but gut feeling is there should be an extra ring - maybe a rubber gasket - in the assembly. So even a complete boot lock assembly would be a big step forward.

The front fogs and wiring are getting in the bin. I may fit some replacements but from @brownnova's comments someone just found a permanent live and hopped on - which explains the 25A fuse in the courtesy light circuit. FFS etc. relay across sidelight circuit with fogs on 12V fused live from battery, switch on earth from relay.  If I refit front fogs that's how it'll be done. The smashed light and correlated drain/issues on that circuit may be related but I think it could be a dicky solenoid to blame for the flat battery.

I'll make a list. It may be extensive. I may just find some money and buy another one from Austria or wherever:

Do like it very much. The Volvo had an honesty and simplicity that I miss, but to my mind this is shabbier but also would cost far more if it were good condition - I just want to get to enjoy it a bit and the stupid insurance from Adrian Flux spoiled that, I need to find a sensible broker who makes an effort to get it an appropriate policy.

[RichardK]

Stupid day dream ideas:

Remove front roof panel (scary due to the windscreen trim and relationship).

Make mould.

Make solar panel roof over carbon fibre backing.

[Schaefft]

Yeah, if you can create a decent list of parts you need I can check whether any breakers have them for reasonable money.

[yes oui si]

4 hours ago, RichardK said:

I need to find a sensible broker who makes an effort to get it an appropriate policy.

May be worth having a chat with @JJ0063 

[RichardK]

On 8/27/2023 at 3:13 PM, yes oui si said:

May be worth having a chat with @JJ0063 

Honestly I think this won't be sticking around - it's so far from the condition my Volvo was in, in terms of 'just being able to enjoy it' that I'm already demotivated by it and the insurance is proving to be a complete pain in the arse - and it's not for the want of trying but it seems that for whatever reason the underwriters that these brokers use have decided this class of vehicle is cursed.

I'm not paying £599 for a shit policy from Sterling or £400 for a differently shit policy from Flux when the car's off the road, behind gates, in a quiet postcode, and I have 20 years' NCB and haven't paid more than £200 fully comp for insurance on anything else in years. If it were perfect and behaving it'd be a different matter but I think I'm destined not to have a Pontiac and of course will have to put up with the loss that it's going to be a ballache for anyone else to insure too.

I'll keep poking it for a while and if anyone wants it/has a trade policy so it's not an issue, etc.  please buy it. Some bits will be improved, and I'm not going to chuck it up for sale, but spare me the distraction. It's a lesson in "doesn't matter how tempting an alternative is, if you love the car you've got DON'T CHANGE IT" and I'm not annoyed or feel like it was a bad deal, it's just not working out for me.

Open to swaps of course, as long as they're not difficult to insure

[Zelandeth]

17 minutes ago, RichardK said:

Honestly I think this won't be sticking around - it's so far from the condition my Volvo was in, in terms of 'just being able to enjoy it' that I'm already demotivated by it and the insurance is proving to be a complete pain in the arse - and it's not for the want of trying but it seems that for whatever reason the underwriters that these brokers use have decided this class of vehicle is cursed.

I'm not paying £599 for a shit policy from Sterling or £400 for a differently shit policy from Flux when the car's off the road, behind gates, in a quiet postcode, and I have 20 years' NCB and haven't paid more than £200 fully comp for insurance on anything else in years. If it were perfect and behaving it'd be a different matter but I think I'm destined not to have a Pontiac and of course will have to put up with the loss that it's going to be a ballache for anyone else to insure too.

I'll keep poking it for a while and if anyone wants it/has a trade policy so it's not an issue, etc.  please buy it. Some bits will be improved, and I'm not going to chuck it up for sale, but spare me the distraction. It's a lesson in "doesn't matter how tempting an alternative is, if you love the car you've got DON'T CHANGE IT" and I'm not annoyed or feel like it was a bad deal, it's just not working out for me.

Open to swaps of course, as long as they're not difficult to insure

Sorry insurance is being such a pain.  Just FYI, these days Stirling are owned by Flux...imagine my "joy" when I discovered that after setting up my policy on the Caddy with them...