THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Pete-M]

I'm considering buying an Afla 156 with the engine management light on and a missfire. What could go wrong?

 

It could turn up. If you have access to diagnostic stuff, plug it in first!

[cort16]

It's been code read and is showing a failed coil pack, which isn't too expensive but you never know.

[dollywobbler]

Mini sailed through the MOT, though the light switch did cause me some concern. Worked on the day though. Advisories for the usual oil leak (five years on, still done nothing about it) and slight corrosion to rear floors. It's only done 1800 miles between tests, which kind of highlights why we're selling it. Still no interest at £2495 so going to get some little bits of bodywork tidied up (including those rear floors) and we'll just keep it I guess.

[Negative Creep]

BMW has been hunting quite badly of late so did the easy thing first and cleaned out the ISV with lots of carb cleaner. Seems to have worked as the cold idle it steady and around 1100rpm not 700 as before. COuldn't be bothered to go on a test drive though so won't know if it's sorted until tomorrow

[Shep Shepherd]

Bought a spray head for my recently-acquired hose pipe from the Argos near work yesterday afternoon and wondered at the time why the box it came in was so big, but thought nothing more of it until this afternoon, when I opened the box:

 

 

£60-worth of spray heads for £15!

 

Next time I'm in the vicinity of the store, I'll be returning four of them, in order to save a couple of staff members from getting a less severe bollocking than they otherwise would. I suppose I could keep them, as it wasn't my error, but that's not my kind of thing. In any case, I don't need five of them.

 

What would you do?

 

On a related note, it's incredible how something simple like a decent garden hose can make car cleaning so much easier. I should have got one years ago

[Cavcraft]

I cannot believe I've done this but the Cortina has just been sold. My missus better be fucking grateful now, sespecially as it's gone to fund a camper van to keep her happy*.

[dieselnutjob]

Bought a spray head for my recently-acquired hose pipe from the Argos near work yesterday afternoon and wondered at the time why the box it came in was so big, but thought nothing more of it until this afternoon, when I opened the box:

£60-worth of spray heads for £15!

 

so the next four people who "reserve and pick up" or whatever it's called will be well pissed off as their stock control system will tell them that they still have some

 

Got a nice new fat wire from the alternator to the battery on the 604 today. Discovered a wire with a plug on the end and have no idea where it goes. It's near the starter motor. And no it's not the coil-resistor-bipass-to-help-it-start connector. Everything seems to work without it.

[trigger]

I cannot believe I've done this but the Cortina has just been sold. My missus better be fucking grateful now, sespecially as it's gone to fund a camper van to keep her happy*.

 

Your Mad.

[cort16]

I've bought a shiny new Super MIG150. My old 2nd hand one has done good service but as of late it's been doing my head in and I've got a lot of welding to do.

I can't wait for it to turn up now.

[Negative Creep]

Now have a lvoely smooth idle - great! Except it's at 1100rpm all the time, even when hot - balls!

[trigger]

I've finished the wing repair on the Kadett now, Still not 100% pleased with the swage line but it looks better then i expected it to, The Halford's mixed paint matched really well too (It looks lighter in the photo but this is the white of the cardboard shinning back).

 

Wings all fixed by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

So after a really good clean and polish plus i got that broken quarter light glass replaced by a new piece of perspex (£26 fitted) I'm all ready for a weekends camping at the VODC rally at Billing, Packed the tent and a few other bits tonight, I've only ever camped once (apart from school camp) and that was V2007 so a bit nervous about it all!.

 

Getting packed for Billing by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[dollywobbler]

Hmmm. We're camping this weekend in Cambs. We're not quite as advanced on the packing front as you! (in other words, I don't even know where the tent is...)

 

2CV Registers' Day - the show and shine event, but a nice, relaxing camping weekend ready for a Sunday show. Always tends to be a good one. Word has it that there will be several Amis this year, including two vans!

[wuvvum]

Getting packed for Billing by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

That is one stylish hat. I can see it going perfectly with the Christmas jumper.

[Guest]

£60-worth of spray heads for £15!

 

I hate to sound mercenary, but I'd be lobbing those on eBay for a tenner a pop plus P&P. But that's 'cos I need the money. People take retailers for far more, trust me. I'd make good on their mistake.

[trigger]

That is one stylish hat. I can see it going perfectly with the Christmas jumper.

 

 

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Hat will mark you out as a pro camper.

 

Here's an odd thing which has been puzzling me. Came home in my car, put it on the drive and left it idling while I opened the garage. When I went back to the car, the door was locked. How the hell had it locked itself? The keys were still in the ignition! Car was still running! Door properly locked too. There is no way to lock the door without the key - the interior handle can't lock it.

 

Fortunately the window was open, so I could open the door from inside. But seriously what the hell?

[barefoot]

 

 

GR9 for high-visibility perimeter patrols

 

 

 

Back in the day when I worked at UPS, our ramp car was a 2.3D Sierra.

It had about half a million miles on the clock, but also an engine 'hours' meter.

It was literally never switched off.

 

Handovers used to be entertaining - the fun was in 'handbraking' the car.

Where the parking brake was applied with much gusto.

 

I remember turning up one day to see one of the weight & balance blokes head

sticking up through the sunroof.

He was stood on both front seats having to use both hands & as much strength as the little bloke could manage,

just to get the handbrake off!

[scaryoldcortina]

Here's an odd thing which has been puzzling me. Came home in my car, put it on the drive and left it idling while I opened the garage. When I went back to the car, the door was locked. How the hell had it locked itself? The keys were still in the ignition! Car was still running! Door properly locked too. There is no way to lock the door without the key - the interior handle can't lock it.

 

Fortunately the window was open, so I could open the door from inside. But seriously what the hell?

 

The central locking is usually worked by a microswitch in the driver's door. When these go faulty they can cause random locking/unlocking as the door is closed (or kicked from outside...) I'd investigate and change it now.

 

PS, have you ever wondered why some chavs go down a line of cars booting the driver's door?

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Here's an odd thing which has been puzzling me. Came home in my car, put it on the drive and left it idling while I opened the garage. When I went back to the car, the door was locked. How the hell had it locked itself? The keys were still in the ignition! Car was still running! Door properly locked too. There is no way to lock the door without the key - the interior handle can't lock it.

 

Fortunately the window was open, so I could open the door from inside. But seriously what the hell?

 

The central locking is usually worked by a microswitch in the driver's door. When these go faulty they can cause random locking/unlocking as the door is closed (or kicked from outside...) I'd investigate and change it now.

 

PS, have you ever wondered why some chavs go down a line of cars booting the driver's door?

 

No central locking though. Very worn locks, but I couldn't replicate the effect when I tried. Even tried half locking it then slamming the door, but nothing. I think this one has to be marked down as ghosts.

 

Incidentally I retro fitted central locking to my old Fiesta, I did such a good job that if you put any pressure on the lower B post trim (where a ball of wiring was concealed) the doors would lock and unlock frantically.

[trigger]

Fixed the electric window in the Golf tonight!, Yippee!!, Ended up stripping the old motor down and rebuilding the new one with the parts and fitting the old regulator back in, after a lot of adjustments it now works a treat!.

[scaryoldcortina]

Peter - yes, ghosts then. I hadn't considered it being a non central locking car! FWIW, my dog managed to lock me out of a montego estate once - I nipped to the shop and forgot to take the keys with me, she frantically bounced from door to door popping all the buttons down! It's lucky montegos are easy to break into.

[cms206]

Proton's gone in for MOT... just home the exhaust bodgeup'll make it through, some parts seem to be made of pure unobtainium...

[CreepingJesus]

Meg's going over the bridge...mot fail. Not on much, but £400 of cat and exhaust has sealed her fate. Never really liked the leaky rotbox anyway! Time for a spot of shite hunting methinks.

[Pete-M]

Bloody Golf has popped its radiator. Jesus fucking wept, will it ever end?

[HillmanImp]

Saab passed its retest. Yay! The small bit of welding was in a right awkward place.

 

 

Ended up having to cut out some good metal just so that I could get the tip in it. Angling the grinder in to cut out the rot was impossible too and took about an hour as I could not get in to cut it, I had to grind it back bit by bit.

 

 

So it lives for another year.

 

Volksy kindly sorted out the brakes for me, so mutcho reshpekt to him. Glad he did as its a weird set up at the back on these compared to my experience with brakes. I would never have figured it out.

 

On another note I spotted this down the pub. Was lovely.

 

 

and one for Cavette. This was outside the same pub. They dont normally come down AFAIK. There was a mix of old and new mopeds. I also saw 3 BSA's when over in Rothwell, I dont know if there was somesort of meet on.

 

 

Think the oil leak on the DAF is sorted too. Finally got round to sorting out that washer I had left off about 2 months ago and it seems to be holding. But there its not turning over so I am going to hopefully track this down over the weekend. I think it might be something to do with the coil but will see what I can figure out with a bit of trial and error.

[M'coli]

I'm chuffed for you with the Saab. Hit it with the waxoyl and let it last a bit longer!

[HillmanImp]

I'm chuffed for you with the Saab. Hit it with the waxoyl and let it last a bit longer!

 

Yeah, its needs hitting with something all over. There is a fair bit of exposed metal beginning to flake away. I am going to attack it with a wire brush and some Hydrate 80 at some point before winter.

 

The bottom of one of the rear doors in seriously rotten. Been plugged up with fibre glass at some point which is now all hanging out. Think I might buy a new door. Maybe in red to really please the neighbours

[ashmicro]

My new daily:

 

 

 

GR8 4 BEIN A SMALLER PETE-M.

[The Moog]

Took saab fuel pump apart again and worked out that the pick up slot was wrong way. Rotated it and fitted it again. Also crimped on the connectors rather than just loose wire. Went to start it up .. .flat battery. Got jump pack out ... that was flat as well. Put both on charge but will be 24 hours before can I do anything. Bugger..

[Cavcraft]

Mopeds, Mr Imp, mopeds? How bloody dare you, 197ccs of 'high performance' Vespa engine and you call them mopeds?

Good news on the Saab though, not a bad result that chief.

 

Ash: looks quite swich that Jag, nice to drive I take it?

 

Right, my lad's 106 continued to display the RLOD despite a new thermostat and more bleeding. Took a look at it the other night and discovered the radiator was leaking. Never mind, internet auction site to the rescue and only about £38 inc. postage for a brand spanker. This was duly fitted by my lad, bled again and all seems well. Just the (blowing) exhaust and smashed fog lamp to replace and all should be well.