THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[Guest]

Sounds like there were some ways round it then - thought there would be.

 

The insurance thing is rarely mentioned here but I have heard about it. I understand that the Plymouth Superbird was an absolute nightmare to sell due to the absurd insurance premium (not to mention the "strange" looks) and that some of them sat unsold on lots for a few years.

[Lord Sterling]

Brilliant! The sodding Sterling is out of action again. I dont know why, but I agreed to take my mate into Birmingham from Halesowen, the journey into Birmingham was fine, the car performed well, but on the way back it started to lose power, then it conked out on City Road but I somehow managed to get going again, then as I was heading tohrough Quinton it lost alot power and seemed reluctant to change gear. I managed to limp to Blackheath were it finally lost all power, all lights, indicators, the lot. My mate phoned another mate to get back to Halesowen and I was on the phone to the RAC. Thankfully I'd earlier decided to buy a top-up, I wasnt going to originally

 

Turns out the alternator is fucked, its not charging the battery so it drains quickly. The RAC bloke charged up the battery enough to get home and followed me home to make sure I got there. Now I need an alternator, I may have one somewhere as I received a few boxes FULL of parts free a few months ago.

 

I have to say though, despite me being a little pissed off with the car , its constant problems and my basically worring if its actually going to make it to my destination, it does drive really well when it works, it pulls very well and is really nice, smooth and refined to drive. It does put a smile on my face.

 

Watch this space for more problems to come....................

[tonedepear]

That sounds like an easy win to me LS. Replace alternator = 1000000s of miles of trouble free motoring from now on?

[Lord Sterling]

  tonedepear said:

That sounds like an easy win to me LS. Replace alternator = 1000000s of miles of trouble free motoring from now on?

 

Who knows, this car seems intent on throwing up as many problems as it can muster.

[RoadworkUK]

Lord Sterling; I saw your "victory is mine!" post earlier when I was at work, and powerless to comment. Now I return home to dashed hopes and reality biting.

 

The car looks beautiful, but it sounds like you'd be better off ripping the honda lump out and fitting a KV6, as the most ironic engine transplant of evar.... Hope your luck sorts itself out tout de suite.

[tonedepear]

  Lord Sterling said:

  tonedepear said:

That sounds like an easy win to me LS. Replace alternator = 1000000s of miles of trouble free motoring from now on?

 

Who knows, this car seems intent on throwing up as many problems as it can muster.

 

A gippy alternator on it's way out could have caused all manor of weird problems though I'd have thought. So almost anything that didn't need previsouly fixing with a hammer could have been caused by a long-term juice deficiency? I'm an eternal optimist with this kind of thing.

[Lord Sterling]

Thanks guys The alternator problem did cause some funky goings on, loss of power, almost complete loss of drive (On a roundabout again) the trip computer and clocks going wild. My fellow Rover 800 enthusiast mate has offered me an alternator but he is a bit busy until next week. I think I may have a spare one somewhere as I got given a shed load of mk1 800 parts for free not long back (though had to hide most of them in loft as Ma_Sterling is getting a bit fed up of my room looking like a motorfactors storeroom) and I'm sure there was one in amongst it. I've searched the boxes in the loft tonight but to no avail, but I did take one box to my garage so I'll either have to bus it up there or go there this weekend when Ma_Sterling returns with the Micra.

 

It will be sorted one day. I hope

[Tayne]

  tonedepear said:

A gippy alternator on it's way out could have caused all manor of weird problems though I'd have thought. So almost anything that didn't need previsouly fixing with a hammer could have been caused by a long-term juice deficiency? I'm an eternal optimist with this kind of thing.

 

"Tis true.

Range Rover p38s are voltage sensitive and will throw all kinds of wobblers that can be cured with a new alternator and battery.

I once got the full slew of fault messages whilst attempting a three point turn on a side road at night, the alternator and battery a few weeks later meant no more electrical gremlins.

[The Moog]

Saab has gone to a new home to someone who is going to restore it. Means I am without car for first time in years. Feels very odd...

[Pete-M]

  Tayne said:

 

"Tis true.

Range Rover p38s are voltage sensitive and will throw all kinds of wobblers that can be cured with a new alternator and battery.

I once got the full slew of fault messages whilst attempting a three point turn on a side road at night, the alternator and battery a few weeks later meant no more electrical gremlins.

 

Ain't that the truth. Mine's got a brand new alternator and battery, charges perfectly but if the key is turned to II and left for 15 seconds the display pops up with "ALTERNATOR FAULT". I think they all do that. Another little foible.

[ashmicro]

Going to have a butcher's at a 1991 Kawasaki KR1-S this evening, despite having forsworn Kwakkers. Mind you at 3 and a half bags it would need to be a good one.

[dollywobbler]

Was going to do an oil change on the BX, but I forgot that it's got a stupid recessed square sump plug thing. I can't even hammer a larger socket over it! Probably worth spending the few quid to buy the correct tool, so I have done.

[Cavcraft]

  ashmicro said:

Going to have a butcher's at a 1991 Kawasaki KR1-S this evening, despite having forsworn Kwakkers. Mind you at 3 and a half bags it would need to be a good one.

 

Buy it, buy it, buy it, buy it BUY IT.

 

Despite the fact they're more fragile than a fragile thing, they're absolutely ace fun. Just make sure you have the tools to rebuild the top end every twenty lamp posts.

Three and a half large seems a lot of money mind you.

[Tayne]

  dollywobbler said:

Was going to do an oil change on the BX, but I forgot that it's got a stupid recessed square sump plug thing. I can't even hammer a larger socket over it! Probably worth spending the few quid to buy the correct tool, so I have done.

 

Its not just a half inch square that you can use a ratchet (sans socket) on, is it?

[ashmicro]

KR1-S sold. And not to me

[catsinthewelder]

Had to get rid of a knackered double mattress, only working and legal vehicle here at present is the purple 1100.

 

The look on the face of the bloke at the tip was priceless as I climbed out the window

 

(ratchet strap through both front windows and over the top of the mattress on the roof)

 

He wandered over , said "hmm different, want a hand with that?"

 

[Cavcraft]

Scored some nearly new tyres (PistonHeads) not too far away, so had the brainwave of jacking the Vectra up so I could lob the spare on, job down to ATS and get the good tyre fitted to the alloy.

Verdict? FAIL. Due to how stupidly low the car is I had to drive it up a kerb and use various bits of wood* and even then I couldn't the blinking thing high enough. Undeterred I got some more chocks and tried again. This time the jack crashed through the wood, slipped and I tw*tted my hand. Again.

 

*Turned out to be that sh*tty plywood stuff

[mk2_craig]

  boobydoo said:

I don't think a Lancia Jetta exists? It was a Chrysler Delta.

 

It was launched over here 1st September. We have one in the showroom....but no interest in it so far whatsoever. Shame as its actually a nice car. 1.4 twin air petrol or 2.0 or 1.6 diesel. Interior space is amazing and the build quality is good! It just suffers from an identity crisis and at over 20k for a decent spec, a tad expensive.

 

 

After fixing the Sierra this morning, I nipped down to see if the local multi-franchise and former Rover dealer had any old parts stock left in the hope of getting some mudflaps for the other half's MG TF (mission unsuccessful). Parked next to the service desk was a white Delta with a price tag of NINETEEN GRAND in the window. I think I'll wait eight years, pick up one of the three remaining roadworthy examples for half a bag of sand, then change all of the Chrysler branding for Lancia badges.

[155V6]

I heard a radio ad for these & was wondering if they were a Lancia in disguise,here's a real one I saw at Goodwood a couple of years back

[Lord Sterling]

Might have scored myself another garage to store yet more Rover 800 car/parts shite inside hopefully. Same mate offering me the garage will also have a Nissan Bluebird for sale in the not too distant future:

 

[Spottedlaurel]

Injected one like that seems to be pretty much the ideal Bluebird to me.

[blackbird]

You're right SL , looking back at the sales stuff , and models Vs Spec , back in the day the GSXi would have been the one to buy

[Rusty Pelican]

Beemer started mis firing yesterday and eventually refused to start , A poke about revealed that the rotor arm was very loose on the dizzys shaft resulting in some random timing issues , Ordered a new rotor arm , In the mean time the use of some PTFE tape around the shaft and beating the rotor arm back on has temporarily solved the problem

[Angrydicky]

Here's some pictures of my new Austin 1100. When I got it, it had been sitting outside a garage for a year, and it was filthy inside and out.

 

 

 

I gave it a good wash, cleaned all the rubbish out of the interior and T-cut and polished the bonnet (I'm slowly working my way around the car).

 

Before

 

 

After

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have to say I'm very impressed so far, it's done 53,000 miles from new, drives like a new car and everything works except the heater. The garage were glad to see the back of it as the elderly original owner kept phoning them up every week to see if they had sold it yet!

 

I'm now feeling a bit guilty as I did more miles in the first day of ownership then it's done in the last three years!

[outlaw118]

 

Quality mate, are you using a buffer or is it a "hand job" (snigger)?

[Angrydicky]

[dollywobbler]

Gorgeous. I do prefer the little fins at the back.

[Cavcraft]

Yee gads that's nice.

[dollywobbler]

I think I'm going to pluck up the courage to start on the BX's cambelt change tomorrow. Sounds like it'll be like trying to get a girl pregnant while she keeps her trousers on. The experts can do it in half an hour. I'll be chuffed if I can get it done before the end of the week!

 

I expect absolutely no sympathy from anyone who's changed a belt on a transverse V6 (I'm looking at you Earl...) but this is my first time. It could end badly and will definitely end with a lot of cursing and (as I haven't de-oiled the engine) a lot of filth and crying. Just like what happens when you get a girl pregnant I guess...

[HillmanImp]

That 1100 is lovely. I would not feel guilty about doing that mileage, I would be proud. Cars are there to be used.