The grumpy thread

[ashmicro]

Xilisoft iPod Magic. Torrent link:

 

http://kat.ph/xilisoft-ipod-magic-plati ... 58525.html

 

This works, I use it myself, it doesn't matter who the shite piece of Apple hardware is "registered" to. Get the tunes off the iPod, on to your pc nd thence to the new device.

[wuvvum]

My home broadband appears to have died. It started dropping its connection on Monday night, yesterday was worse and today it just doesn't want to know. I'm sat typing this on my phone while waiting for a call back from Talktalk-mobile signal here is shit so it's quite painful. Still, this is the first serious problem I've had with my broadband in over 3 years, so suppose I should count my blessings really.

[sporty-shite]

I'm mildly grumpy at the fact that the 306 diesel chugger is doing less than 40mpg. This seems pretty shit to me. Now I know there is evidence of the pump being fucked about with to boost fuelling, but it doesn't feel particularly fast for it, and I'm loathed to start arsing about putting it back to normal in case I fuck it up.

 

Any constructive input?

[Cavcraft]

Only that mine was doing that fully loaded and with a roof box on holiday and I wasn't hanging about either. No sign of fuel leaking from anywhere or brakes sticking slightly I take it?

[sporty-shite]

Nothing obvious, Billy, although mines a turbo, so I wouldn't expect as good economy from it as from yours. Still thought I'd get better than that, though.

[Cavcraft]

Hmm, I'd have still thought very late 30s at absolute minimum going flat out, and to be honest surely even if it's been 'boosted' you'd think it's only use more fuel if you're wellying it? Is it veg oil friendly? If nowt else the cheapness of that should offset the lower than expected mpg.

[garethj]

Maybe they're adding some vicious anti-waxing agent to the diesel just recently? The 205 dipped below 50mpg for the first time ever. That tankful included a lot of fast drives, and one bit where the road sweeps up and down over the hills where it got to 105 on the speedo, but still, 49.5mpg ffs? I might as well be driving a 7 litre Cadillac.

 

I've ordered some diesel cleaner to put in the fuel tank, I got some last year and it really helped to perk the little car up but the anti-waxing agent in diesel really fucks up economy.

[Ben_L]

I agree this winters fuel is utterly shite. My economy has dropped from 565 miles per tank to around 440.

 

Properly serviced it as well, plugs leads, air filter etc etc... Still no improvement. Takes the piss that we pay 133.9ppl for it and it's about as explosive as brie.

[sporty-shite]

The poor quality fuel thing may explain why Mrs S's Beetle seems to be drinking like Ollie Reed in the green room of Parky. Not done any figures on that, yet, but it's looking like it's only in the 20's.

 

As for veg oil in the 306. It's a Lucas pump

[skattrd]

I've just started using the boring (VW tdi) again for work as part of my January money saving (I shouldn't have bought that Lancia). According to the onboard computer I'm getting 56mpg, which may sound good, but I used to average 60-62mpg according to the computer. Which means I'm about 10% down on diesel economy at the moment as well. I was planning on giving the car a good service next w/end to try and help it.

 

From personal experience, and my driving style, I find that n/a diesels aren't any better on fuel than turbo'd cars. With a n/a diesel I find my foot is glued to the floor a lot more than with a turbo dizzler. The turbo uses more in short spurts, but you're spending less time getting to speed, then the turbo isn't used.

 

Oh, and added grump, after 8hrs driving with the heater on full blast, towels on the floor, and tubs of rice in the car the damn thing still hasn't dried out.

[splatthefat]

If it's any consolation to you dizzler drivers, my mingebag Mundano 1.8 petrol is only getting around 31mpg, Ok so I tend to drive it like I stole it but my 306 1.9TD was getting 45ish driving the same way.

As to the Jag? 20 if I'm lucky....

 

CJ

[dollywobbler]

Not done any recent tests in the BXs but the NA diesel generally does 48mpg, the turbo diesel 54. The 54 is bloody impressive because my old 306 DTurbo would never do better (or worse) than 45mpg.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I always used to get 46-48 in my 205 NA dizzler which I always found mildly disappointing, though not disappointing enough to take any action at all about it, and it was the same whether I was pottering about or hammering it up and down the A69 or whatever.

 

On the upside, I did find a sort of downhill long sweeping bend in the road where I could make it do a massive long drift if I was travelling in the right direction.

[cort16]

The only car I ever got mega mpg out was my 1.5 Dci Clio with a heart stopping 65bhp. It got between 55-65 mpg. The turbo must have been the size of a walnut.

That Merc I've got just now's pretty good. I get between 48-52 mpg, it has 170bhp and I drive it like a fanny. It has all that stop start milarky in it but I'm not sure how many mpgs that actually saves.

[Cavcraft]

John McCrirrick:

You got the nine ten jack from CH4 because you're a boring fucking gobshite NOT because of your age. Move on and stop whining, you fat c*nt.

[wuvvum]

I have to say I've noticed a bit of a reduction in mpg too - the Rover used to get 160 miles to £20, at the moment I'm lucky if I get more than 140. Still not bad in the grand scheme of things, but not as good as it should be,

[splatthefat]

Just filled up the Mingebag Mundano, and according to the a-car app that I've got on the phone I'm averaging 26mpg now, methinks either car needs a service/5l of unleaded and a packet of Swan Vestas* or I need to moderate my driving style. Ho hum.

 

CJ

 

 

 

 

*delete as appropriate

[coalnotdole]

Todays grump ebay, I sold an engine at the end of November for not a lot of money... So far so good as I just wanted rid of it. The buyer lived a long way away and said he wanted to collect it after Christmas. I wanted rid of it as soon as I could because my storage space is very limited but I agreed to wait a month providing he paid up front by cheque. Few weeks and emails later check finally arrives and we made an arrangement he'd come for it this week.

 

This week came and no contact from him until today when I got an email saying he now wants to collect it in July... !

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Just tell him that’s no good, no-one is gonna accept to be tripping over the damn thing for 8 months. Tell him you need it shifted by the end of January otherwise you’ll weigh it.

[coalnotdole]

Thats the plan but at the same time I don't particularly want him leaving negative feedback on ebay or to have to give him the cash back,

[Albert Ross]

You aren't being a bell end, he's decided that he's going to move the goalposts. Well meet him half way. Tell him it will be left outside as of this weekend, so he can collect at his leisure. If the pikeys get there first mind.....

 

What engine is it?

[coalnotdole]

Its a short Essex 3.0 its in bits and was sold without heads, tinware or ancillaries,

 

Its essentially a rebuild job for someone but its nice block to start with as none of the parts have been machined before.

[Albert Ross]

What's the geography involved? Where's it going from and to? Could it not be relayed at small cost to him....?

[coalnotdole]

Sussex - Channel Islands. I cant Imagine it being cheap.

[retrogeezer]

He won't be able to leave any feedback after 30 days from the end of the auction anyway.

[autofive]

http://www.speedshift.co.uk/index.htm

 

send him this link

[scaryoldcortina]

Today I am very grumpy with Mercedes Benz.

 

This is the sump off an automatic gearbox.

Pan by scaryoldcortina, on Flickr

As you can see, the "drain" plug sits up from the bottom by almost an inch. This is NOT mentioned anywhere, so the fact that there is about a litre of fluid remaining in the sump is hidden from you until you have undone the bolts and lowered it.

Splash by scaryoldcortina, on Flickr

This is where it ended up, or at least the portion of it that didn't go straight down the back of my neck.

 

BASTARDS!!!!!!

[retrogeezer]

Makes an oil change pretty pointless if you still have a litre of dirty old oil still floating about!

[scaryoldcortina]

Filter is inside the sump too, so double pointless. I would have appreciated some warning that I was due a thorough lubricating though!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

Next time, drill a hole in the sump after 'draining' but before removing it, I think thats the answer