THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[The Moog]

Fitted a new thermostat to Xantia today. Was missing the gasket to go between Thermo housing and casing so have done it up tight and hope for the best. If it leaks I will sort it out later.

 

Car running alot better and it looks like that has solved the issue. STOP! has gone.

 

Read through the service history with the car and the previous owners have spent a fair few quid on it. Running around in it versus ashtray you do really appreciate the magic carpet ride qualities..

 

Going to be servicing the Volvo tomorrow ..

[Richard]

I don't think there's supposed to be a gasket, just a rubber seal around the 'stat.

[The Moog]

Cool. The one I took out had a gasket but was leaking. Fingers crossed it will be fine.

[TagoraSX]

My old man's 2005 Isuzu Trooper has just said goodbye to another injector.

 

For the 3rd time this year

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Are Isuzu Trooper 3.0 TDs dogs then? I've heard all kinds of horrors about them. I tried telling that to an acquaintance who was dead set on buying one; he bought one anyway.

[TagoraSX]

Are Isuzu Trooper 3.0 TDs dogs then? I've heard all kinds of horrors about them. I tried telling that to an acquaintance who was dead set on buying one; he bought one anyway.

 

No, not really.

He's had 3 of them, all bought new since 1996.

The first 2 were trouble free and both had done over 230k when he traded.

 

The current one has done 180k and was fine until last April when it was recalled for a "precautionary" injector change, which lasted about 2 months, the second 6 months etc.

 

On the plus side, Isuzu still pay for everything, they change all the injectors and give it a full service each time.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

I know the old 3.1 TDs are unburstable.

I think his has had a new engine, IIRC there was a problem with the injector seals on the 3.0 Di engines, allowing diesel to mix with the sump oil.

[Shep Shepherd]

A loud and annoying creak in TV2's driver's side tailgate hinge which has been present for some weeks was fixed in five minutes today using a squirt of WD-40 after a tiny bit of interior dismantlage*. Simple/cheap/free car repairs really make me happy

 

I can't help thinking that the creak in the hinge was caused when it was disturbed by the recent support strut replacement, though, but I could be wrong, as I often am.

 

 

 

 

 

*The pivoty bits of the tailgate hinges on a series 1 Volvo V70 are hidden behind trim panels in order to make things look nice - the very same ones that I had to remove a few weeks ago to replace the tailgate struts - and as such cannot be properly lubricated without removing said panels, unless you are very patient or dextrous. Perhaps I should follow-up the WD-40 with some grease on both sides? Not today, though, as it's getting dark and I can't find my can of spray grease...

[M'coli]

New brakelight switch fitted to the Imp, air bled out of system after fitment, rear brakes adjusted to reduce pedal travel too.

[Cavcraft]

Bollocks. Bought one of those heaters that plug into your fag lighter from Maplins a while back. Left it on half an hour before going to work everyday to (feebly) warm the interior a bit and all was well. Today I left it on for two hours and it flattened the battery on the Pisser. Just as I was about to take SWMBO to work

Spare battery I'd been charging to lob onto the Celica was fucked, Celica battery is flat. Oh well, that's a bit more fun in the cold tomorrow at stupid o'clock then.

[Cavcraft]

RESULT!

Neighbour jumped my Pisshat this morning, left it running half an hour, picked SWMBO up and all seems well. Pushed my lucked and jumped the Celica from the Pisser and Celica fired up first turn and sounds very healthy, save for the slight blow on the backbox of course.

[dollywobbler]

2CV has clocked up another 750 miles over Christmas after the BX suffered sudden heater failure. I suspect the heater matrix froze up as it was bloody cold overnight! With ice on both sides of the windscreen, we were forced to abandon the BX and drag the 2CV out - which just managed to get itself off the driveway with yet more pushing by my wonderful wife... (she reports that the 2CV is much lighter and easier to push than the BX!).

 

2CV actually has a missing driveshaft nut and cylinder heads that are very leaky (had to keep the vent flap open). I wasn't planning on driving it until I'd got those sorted, but had a trouble-free run anyway. Spent a small portion of Christmas Day kneeling in the ice and re-setting the ignition timing though to get rid of some pinking...

 

2CV is bloody filthy now - I'll have to give it a good wash to get all of that salt off. Last night, when we were hurtling around Sussex, I had to stop and clean the lights as they were so filthy I could see nothing! Didn't take long for them to get filthy again.

[outlaw118]

Haas you wife got a sister?

yet more pushing by my wonderful wife

My Ovlov threw a strop the other day (fuel pump) and would she push it?

Bollocks would she, she just gave me the I told you so look.....

[dollywobbler]

Yes she has, but already happily married and more interested in fixing animals than cars (a vet).

[Polystratus]

2CV is bloody filthy now - I'll have to give it a good wash to get all of that salt off. Last night, when we were hurtling around Sussex, I had to stop and clean the lights as they were so filthy I could see nothing! Didn't take long for them to get filthy again.

 

Just hate this time of year, especially when everything freezes up and can't get to fully wash the car, hopefully going to jetwash sometime this week when the milder weather comes ! Watch that boot floor though (other thread), is that rot caused that?

[dollywobbler]

Yeah, just rot. Car was extensively refurbished in 2002/3 but you can't really keep rot at bay, and the back end is still suffering a bit from a major prang in 2006. Thankfully the two chassis legs are keeping the boot floor from falling out all together!

 

On the plus side, did the 2CV's washer jet freeze up at any point during the travels? No, which got me one up on many, many moderns! So many people forced to use squeezy bottles! I would have had to resort to that myself if we'd gone in the BX...

[Cheggers]

Had a few hours playing with the cars today

 

Porsche: Stripped out boot carpet & found the original spare tyre & 12v tyre inflator are in brilliant condition, excellent!!. Adjusted the boot release cable, cleaned the hatch seal & cleared drain holes. Sorted out knackered connection which fixed the rear wiper.

 

Triumph: Replaced the temperature sender which seems to have sorted out the "under-reading" temperature gauge.

 

All in all, far more satisfying than the rest of the Christmas break put together.

[dollywobbler]

Also been meddling. Fired up the BX to see if the heater would work - it does, so must have been a frozen matrix. Now I've got to nervously keep an eye out for leaks...

 

Been playing with the Land Rover and admiring it's delicious two-tone beige interior. I'll get some pics if the weather improves. Only minor stuff today, like checking why some dash lights aren't working and removing the stupid lamp bar - which wasn't even wired in! The two spots on the front bumper aren't connected up either. PAS fluid is boiling up though and the pump is very noisy, so I see replacement on the horizon. Worked out the mpg on the first tank - exactly the 15mpg expected! Also fitted a grille muff as a temporary measure until I can change the 'stat (Halfords, the only place open, wouldn't sell me one as my car doesn't exist). It was very effective! Nice and toasty.

 

However, I've failed to do anything about the 2CV. It's still filthy dirty and still needs the heads removing again. Maybe tomorrow... (man flu permitting).

[Pillock]

My total car fiddling for the christmas period - I've de-eyebrowed the 318.

[r.welfare]

Front shock absorbers swapped on the Avensis - three and a half hours in total, which I'm quite happy with; took me something close to 7 last year when I did the same job on the Accord, but I made some real cockups like assembling a new strut only to realise it was the wrong side, putting the spring compressors on in such a way the spring went banana-shaped and I had the devil's own job to get 'em off again, etc. This time it all went much more smoothly, although I did amusingly bend a 1/2" socket extension torquing up some bolts to 188lb/ft. Not bad for a 12-stone weakling.

 

Next up - oil & filter change and new gearbox oil. Plus the radio has gone on strike in the Accord (no sound - although oddly tapes play with sound OK?), so time to scour eBay/bootsales for a cheap rad/cass. Anybody got a spare ISO connection job they want to part with for beer money?

[Volksy]

Volvo back in blighty has sailed through the MOT, advisories on a tyre, exhaust hanger and thats about it.

 

Rav 4 Still in the Garage, initial inspection proved oil pump failure, so looking at a new engine..

 

VW Transporter was hit by the Hagland, damage not too bad seeing as it was essentially hit by a small tank... It's a bugger though as the Van is only 4 weeks old....

 

Finally got round to having a go on the Skidoo, damn it's rapid!!! it's one of these:

 

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

Also been meddling. Fired up the BX to see if the heater would work - it does, so must have been a frozen matrix. Now I've got to nervously keep an eye out for leaks...

 

Is the anti-freeze weak?

[ashmicro]

Sorted out a freinds 306 turdblower diseasel earlier. Oil like treacle, brake fluid grey with water contamination, air filter minging, gear oil low (but not leaking??) All sorted requiring 2 lots of STP engine flush, she says it's "like a different car". I'm not bloody surpirsed - it was producing about 10BHP and any meaningful braking required one almighty shove on the pedal. Last serviced 4 years and 30k miles ago

[dollywobbler]

Also been meddling. Fired up the BX to see if the heater would work - it does, so must have been a frozen matrix. Now I've got to nervously keep an eye out for leaks...

 

Is the anti-freeze weak?

 

Don't think so. Radiator didn't seem to freeze up and the hoses were slush free. Bit unusual really. Might slop a bit more anti-freeze in if it gets cold again, but it's currently NOT freezing - which is a bit of a novelty.

[Cavcraft]

Is your's a TZD (turbo) D.W? They could give radiator problems whereby you'd get hot and cold spots so possibly worth a check over.

[dollywobbler]

Is your's a TZD (turbo) D.W? They could give radiator problems whereby you'd get hot and cold spots so possibly worth a check over.

 

Nope. 1905cc slug. I'll take it for a run tomorrow and check it's ok. Wish the thing had a temp gauge though! It's just lunacy to not have one.

[Cavcraft]

Pretty sure you can put the turbo dash in these D.W and from memory of taking dashboards out of BXs it's not a bad job. As you say not having a temp gauge is lunacy.

[dollywobbler]

For over a year now, I've been meaning to just buy an after-market temp gauge and fit it - most of the centre console is pointless anyway - that stupid coin holder (mine doesn't even open) and ashtray. Maybe I'll get on and actually do this. Don't want to change the speedo binnacle as I've got an entire service history for it.

[Lankytim]

Dragged the Maestro Auto from Brum back to Stoke on the (borrowed) A frame today. I took the A roads via Lichfield and Rugely to keep the speed down and make it easier to make the odd stop to allow the baderbox on the Maestro cool down. Got home in one piece and it still drives.. well, forwards and backwards. No idea if it still shifts up and down ok yet as I didn't drive it far enough. While reversing it onto the drive I had to stop to allow a pedestrian walk past, thanks to the burned valves and very lumpy running the engine immediately cut out. It wouldn't restart and some local chavs appeared and started to laugh at me, straddled in the middle of the road with the borked engine chugging over and over but not firing. "Take it easy, grandad, haha!" Luckily the engine started and I managed to chug out of the way and onto the drive. Pah, they think i'm a grandad just cos I got a Maestro... well, maybe 30 is old enough to be a grandparent in Stoke....

 

Next step is to give the Maestro a damn good clean, and then take it to bits and put it back together again. Then drive it around... hopefully...

[Angrydicky]

Any pics?