THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Cavcraft]

Interested party came to see the Blueturd yesterday. Cracking bloke, needs to speak to his missus so we'll see what happens.

 

Neighbour called for me today, wanted me to have a look at his step-daughter's Corsa as it 'had a bit of an oil leak'. The said car was everyone's favourite flavour, a 1.0 3 cylinder. Anyhow had a look and the amount of oil it had thrown out was astounding. The underneath of the car was covered in it, ditto the hatchback and the rear window, it looked like something had exploded in an oil refinery.

Suspected the sump had cracked as had a Corsa that had done that a while back and owner confirmed it'd been welded a couple of years back. Sod all showing on the dipstick so topped oil up, started engine and we found the problem: it was absolutely pissing out of the oil pressure switch. Checked the washer, didn't have a spare so neighbour went to Halfords. Forced a couple of washers on, tried again, still pissed out everywhere.

Ho hum, they're only about seven quid all in from Fleabay so one on order.

[garethj]

Put a new thermostat in the Ginetta on Saturday, drilled so it should be easier to bleed. Seems to help but it takes a bit longer to warm up.

 

The exhaust I had fitted last weekend was still clonking a bit so I got the centre exhaust hanger replaced. It’s now clonking slightly less so I might spend half an hour under there and hammer the bracket out of the way.

 

In a fit of enthusiasm I reconnected the heated rear window after replacing the relay fuse, there’s volts across the window now but I’ll wait for a misty day to see if any of the elements work.

 

Put the other Recaro seat on the passenger’s side and threw out the old Rover coupe seat. The inside looks better for it, I might even be tempted to fit the carpet that’s been sitting in the garage for months.

 

The wipers on the Volvo S80 stopped working halfway up the screen. I was pretty much leafing through the Autotrader to chop the car in – MrsGarethJ’s car is not allowed to break down at all. Had a look at the fuse and it was fine and found the relay in the same fusebox. I pulled it out and helpfully there’s a little diagram on the side which tells you what goes where. I stuck 12V across and it clicked nicely so dropped it loosely back in the relay holder while I mulled things over. The wipers went back to their park position...

 

2 minutes with a fibreglass pencil and the relay contacts were gleaming like new, so I plugged the relay in and all was well. Phew.

[gearoil]

S.F.T.J.O.D Vectra is stashed at work, came in today to find the o/s/r tyre is best friends with a sharp bit metal and the battery is flat as a pancake. The locking wheelnut key is missing too.

 

Ordered replacement buttons for the key from ebay and will solder the board inside back together so the thing opens on the button. It has a little bit of folded cardboard packing it up just now so it works. Botchtastic, for the interim.

 

First short drive on Saturday, V6 is quiet, no signs of anything amis other than a droplink on the n/s/f, rubber for the backbox and the rear wiper arm is gone.

 

Plan is a good clean inside & out, filters, fluids & belts, and a good run to see if its a keeper.

[Pillock]

I've just done some actual mechanical work!

 

Replaced the release bearing on the Golf clutch. God bless you VW for designing a back-to-front gearbox, the release bearing is behind a cap on the end of the box. The cap is one-use so had to get a new one from the dealer (£6!) along with the bearing from Euro (£3.59!). Total tool requirement is a flat-blade screwdriver and a scissor jack. Jack clutch release arm up and unhook cable. Let arm go. Prise off end cap with screwdriver, hoik out the bearing, push new one in, refit cap and cable.

 

Then wonder why you've got no clutch action at all, apart from the last 2mm, and it's slipping like a bugger.

 

Realise that when you unhook the cable, the auto adjuster goes mental. Grow a third arm (or find some tiny molegrips), jiggle the cable around whilst maintaining presssure on it and hook it back on. Sorted!

 

30 min job, which ain't bad for me.

 

 

 

Ordered replacement buttons for the key from ebay and will solder the board inside back together so the thing opens on the button. It has a little bit of folded cardboard packing it up just now so it works. Botchtastic, for the interim.

 

This is a really common issue when them.... both my keys did the same, and a guy at work has just bought one with the exact same issue.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I complained earlier in the thread that my Herald only returned 20mpg, probably because the carb was horribly ill adjusted. I spent a while fiddling with it and got it running rather nicely. In fact, I was almost looking forward to filling it up today so I could smugly calculate my massively improved economy.

 

20mpg.

 

Going to inspect the fuel lines tomorrow, it's gotta be getting out somewhere.

[seth]

20mpg.

 

Definitely something wrong somewhere. What engine/carb is it?

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Just a standard 13/60 - 1300 engine with a Stromberg 150CD. Aside from its thirst, it runs really well at the moment. It feels lively!

 

I will dig out the colortune.

[seth]

Bloody Strombergs! If you want to change it to a single HS4 SU then I have spare carb and manifold here.

[Louise2cv]

Rumour has it the Allegro has passed an MOT and should be back home on Friday

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Bloody Strombergs! If you want to change it to a single HS4 SU then I have spare carb and manifold here.

Tempting, thanks! But I'm going to see what I can do with its current setup before I change anything.

 

How much were you looking for, just out of interest? I might be tempted to change to SU if the Stromberg needs reconditioning.

[warren t claim]

Today I have bodged a couple of holes in the Mercs bumper and front wing with wob and a copy of my super soaraway Sun. Quality repair. Just need to sand and primer tomorrow if I can be arsed.

[seth]

Tempting, thanks! But I'm going to see what I can do with its current setup before I change anything.

 

How much were you looking for, just out of interest? I might be tempted to change to SU if the Stromberg needs reconditioning.

 

Oh, not too much. I totally re-built the SU, new throttle spindle etc. and found the manifold flange to be not quite flat so sorted that too. Then ended up "borrowing" the needle valve from it but its otherwise in very good order and complete. Manifold is the squarer looking type from a FWD1500 I think, water pipe is good and sound. £25?

 

[Cavcraft]

Rumour has it the Allegro has passed an MOT and should be back home on Friday

 

Nice one!

 

Yesterday I fixed my neighbour's Corsa as the oil pressure switch thing arrived. Two minute job and all done so jet washed all the oil from the underside and back of the car.

 

Now, as much as it pains me to admit it, let alone say it, I'm starting to like the Passat a bit*. It still has faults it shouldn't have but we're working through them and the economy is still ace. I found out (or rather my daughter did) at the weekend the rear seats fold flat so there's a fair old space for a saloon car and the boot is bloody good anyhow.

Tempted to put standard height springs on it though, I'm too old for lowered cars and local speed humps are a pain at the best of times.

 

 

*I utterly and steadfastly refused to become some VW 'scenester' type or go to any of their shows though.

[dollywobbler]

Fleet is now equally split between Wales and Cambs. 2CV is now snuggled in the new garage with the Mini, having a 'who can piss most oil over the floor' competition. I think the Mini will win. Easily.

 

My wife's great though, driving the 200 miles to Wales almost without complaint, despite having to tailgate a 55mph truck all the way.

 

Truckin' was good fun, despite the speed limiter. I tell you what - spend two days driving a truck on British motorways and you develop an entirely new respect for those of a large wagon persuasion! Bloody car drivers. Still don't know if the truck was a four or six pot. Sounded pretty dreadful but seemed powerful enough - though bizzarely it didn't seem any quicker when empty than when fully laden! A bonus is that our fuel bill came in £20 less than expected. A downside was that on the way back to the hire place, I clipped a hedge which broke the blind spot mirror. That was only £30 but still more than negates the fuel saving. Bumhats.

 

I think the biggest downside to the truck was that it took SIX hours to load all of our stuff in. Then we had to drive to the new place, which took four and a half hours - an average of 44mph which is pretty impressive in a truck! I abandonded it roadside for the night as I had to reverse a 7.5ft wide truck through an 8.5ft gap and I didn't fancy doing that in the dark.

[Cavcraft]

I found the ideal gross weight to make a Eurocargo fly was about 6.5 tonnes, for some reason they could really motor along around that weight. If it sounded a bit wheezey/flat it was probably a four pot.

Then again if the fuel worked out cheaper than you thought it was more likely a six banger, as the fours were absolutely awful on juice.

[warren t claim]

Fleet is now equally split between Wales and Cambs. 2CV is now snuggled in the new garage with the Mini, having a 'who can piss most oil over the floor' competition. I think the Mini will win. Easily.

 

My wife's great though, driving the 200 miles to Wales almost without complaint, despite having to tailgate a 55mph truck all the way.

 

Truckin' was good fun, despite the speed limiter. I tell you what - spend two days driving a truck on British motorways and you develop an entirely new respect for those of a large wagon persuasion! Bloody car drivers. Still don't know if the truck was a four or six pot. Sounded pretty dreadful but seemed powerful enough - though bizzarely it didn't seem any quicker when empty than when fully laden! A bonus is that our fuel bill came in £20 less than expected. A downside was that on the way back to the hire place, I clipped a hedge which broke the blind spot mirror. That was only £30 but still more than negates the fuel saving. Bumhats.

 

I think the biggest downside to the truck was that it took SIX hours to load all of our stuff in. Then we had to drive to the new place, which took four and a half hours - an average of 44mph which is pretty impressive in a truck! I abandonded it roadside for the night as I had to reverse a 7.5ft wide truck through an 8.5ft gap and I didn't fancy doing that in the dark.

 

Did it have the awful dash mounted gear change and did you find the cruise control on the right hand stalk?

[dollywobbler]

Nope. This was an older one so didn't have any features like that. Cruise control consisted of me planting my foot on the floor and letting the speed restrictor control my pace. Quite relaxing in a way!

[Louise2cv]

Further to yesterdays news, the DVLA online MOT checker says my Allegro has an MOT! Woo!

 

Advisories on rear wheel bearings (meh... whats the worse that can happen? ) and no reverse light, but that might be because its a manual switch hidden near the parcelshelf.

 

Oh and an Oil leak... I hadn't noticed one, we'll see what he says tomorrow.

[Louise2cv]

Wooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

The End.

[whitevanman]

The Shitetrak is back working again, BUT the Recently aquired shite ( I know, I'll get pics up soon) has just destroyed it's front pipe on the way down south....£50 for a front pipe from Kwik Shit robbin bastards

[Angrydicky]

 

I was at work last night, when this pulled into the carpark.

 

 

E169 AAR - RIP.

 

I went to see the car today in daylight, turned out it was a one previous owner car that had a very good body, but unfortunately the interior was a right mess, the front seats were ripped, the back seat and headlining was missing, the rear windows had been painted over and boards had been screwed over them. Then there was the fact the owner wouldn't shift off £210 (the price of scrap and tax) so very sadly I had to pass on it. It gets baled tomorrow morning.

 

I would have loved to save it, but already having several projects on the go, no space, no access to a replacement interior and no potential for any profit (very tidy Maestros regularly go for under £200 on the bay) ment I had to pass on it

[Mr Lobster]

Irrespective of how scruffy it is, why on earth would you scrap a car that works, is taxed and has 10 months MOT.

[Angrydicky]

The same reason a lot of perfectly good cars get weighed, because the owner couldn't face dealing with the mouth-breathing morons at the sub £300 end of the car market With scrapyards offering £170 for cars driven in, it probably wouldn't have made much more than that on Ebay anyway.

 

Sadly I haven't secured it until he rings me back, hopefully he will tomorrow. If I get hold of it I'll clean it up, especially the interior and possibly even replace with a better one, then pass it onto an enthusiast hopefully not making a loss in the process.

[Pillock]

FINALLY got the Golf running halfway decent. Decided to check the timing - it's an old 2E engine, so it's got an oldskool distributor which you can twiddle. No difference.

Popped the upper timing belt cover off and lined up the marks. Unplugged the hole in the bellendhousing to look at the mark on the flywheel - guy who put the engine in has lined it up to the 6 degree mark, not the TDC. Doh! Slipped belt off, corrected. Runs better, but not brilliant. Next, pop dizzy cap off. It's about 10 degrees off #1 when it's at TDC! Hoik dizzy out and realign.

 

It now drives, idles at 1100rpm (not ideal, but 350rpm lower than it did), still pulls well, and on my little shakedown thrash got 36mpg. Previously, a thrash would see high 20s and a careful pootle to work would be 35mpg at 50mph.

 

I are happier. Just gotta get the hesitation sorted, I suspect it may just need more dizzy twiddling.

[trigger]

Mrs Trigger's 2004 Micra DCi is due it cambelt change and mot so i sent it of to my tamed mechanic this week to get the work done, I've already had frightening quotes from Nissan for £500 just for the belt change and from a local garage for £250 so I knew my mechanic would be cheaper.

 

I got the gates cambelt kit for it from my old work for £65 as well as the cam locking tool as my mechanic hasn't got one, The job is quite a big one involving stripping the front bumper off, the headlight and the wheel liner and it recommends replacing the AUX belt as well which my mechanic supplied.

 

He finished it today and sent me the bill, Only £141 all in!, this includes the AUX belt as well as the mot which was £50 on it's own!, I can't complain about that!

[warren t claim]

Filling and sanding the back bumper. I'm now well past the point or no return and think I'll do the front bumper and all the arches. Massive hole in the front wing has been filled and wet and dried and it's almost decent enough, by my standards, to prime and paint. The arches are going to be a pain though because I'm hoping not to have to slap more paint on than I absolutely have to and I'm hoping I can get a decent match with rattle cans. I'll make a few enquiries around the local scrappies to see if I can get hold of a spare wheel cover for a 4x4 that I can use to mask the wheels as I'm spraying the arches, much easier than using newspaper.

 

I'm actually finding this very theraputic.

 

This is the first time in a long while that I've gone to this trouble with a £350 runabout.

[whitevanman]

see if I can get hold of a spare wheel cover for a 4x4 that I can use to mask the wheels as I'm spraying the arches, much easier than using newspaper.

try using a bin bag same effect zero cost

[Guest]

Or an old coat!

[Guest]

Oh yeah, a radiator turned up for the Stanza today in a great big Nissan box with Japanese writing all over it. I'll fit it in a few weeks probably.

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I have got a FULL DAY in the garage lined up for today, i'm hopping to get my Rover back in one piece and running again. BRILLIANT!