THE GUBBERMINT ALWAYS KNOWS BEST

[eddyramrod]

Tim, don't worry. I'm a grandad...

*

and it's only four years ago I had a Maestro...

and believe me, it wasn't often in anyone's way!

 

*This seems a good time to introduce Cagney and Lacey, who were abandoned at Andreas's garage a couple of weeks ago. Fortunately Andreas cares for his animals, so he simply took them in. When I move house in the spring, they will be coming with me as guard dogs.

[Lankytim]

Any pics?

 

Im afraid my old Apple Spac doesn't want to know my camera, so I can't upload pics. I may get chance to use the inlaws computer tomorrow though so Ill upload some then. Bet you can't wait!

 

Hey Eddie, that MG is class! I wish I had one, although they don't crop up for mega cheap that often. I may have one one day, although this 1.6 Auto may put me off them for life.

 

I presume those guard dogs will grow a bit bigger? They looks a bit too cuddly to guard anything at the moment!

[eddyramrod]

Thanks Tim. Yes, the Maestro was class, I really didn't want to get rid of it, but I needed something like a Volvo 740 estate, which is what I bought to replace it. You do what you have to do, don't you? I would never have bought it if my Orion hadn't been written off. Dumb blonde in the Clio did me a favour in a way, the Maestro was all the fun the Orion wasn't.

 

The puppies will grow, but who knows how big! Foundlings could be any lineage, we will just have to wait and see. All they really need to be able to do is rouse the householder, anyway. I'm sure they will learn to bark. (I'll probably wish they never did! ) At the moment I think they are something like 3 months old, if that. I was going to call them Jake and Elwood until we discovered one is a girl. So she is Lacey and her brother is Cagney, but they don't recognise their names yet. Lacey is very cuddly and loving, Cagney is a bit more independant and plays with Julie, who was abandoned at about the same age in October. I think people must know Andreas looks after his animals, Cagney and Lacey are the third delivery this year!

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I went to go somewhere in my Rover yesterday, unfortunately not only would it not start (due to damp I think), but it had a swimming pool in the drivers footwell and one of the rear calipers has seized up, despite my checking them only a couple of months ago and finding them to be in perfect working order. Fuggin old crock!

[Tayne]

.

[Guest]

You know that feeling when you take a mudflap off an old car and reveal a hole which needs welding up? That bloody feeling.

[Tayne]

.

[Guest]

I can't put it back on, I know it exists now. Still, there was probably a patch or two needed for the next test anyway. It'll just get done with that lot.

 

I tend to take mudflaps off when they get to the stage where they sit wonky (as a result of a mounting hole rotting away). I know what'll be there, but it never gets any easier. Tell you what though, they never go back on afterwards. Mudflaps can sod right off, along with sill covers and interior rear strut top surrounds.

[Guest Leonard Hatred]

My winter tyres are now on the car and despite what the rattle gun monkey was whining on about they don't rub at all.

Seven mil taller and ten mil wider is not "far too big".

 

My Audi Monster Truck by Tayne, on Flickr

 

We did discover that one of my front wheels is slightly buckled, they were only refurbed at the beginning of the year.

Fucking potholes!

 

On the driven wheels only?

OMG GR10 4 SNO PIROUETTES

 

It isn't that bad, but the back end can step out of line if you're abrupt with the steering or brakes. I've seen tests showing FWD cars oversteering dramatically when fitted with winter tyres on the driven axle only, but I think they're hammed up - never had anything more than minor bother in 5 winters.

[Mr Lobster]

^ I found that with having snow tyres only on the front. Still, it keeps you alert

[autofive]

AAAAAAARRRRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHH

 

poxy pinto in the cortina wont fire

 

despite new points, and strong spark (both high and low tension) and plenty of fuel it just wont fire

[Angrydicky]

Have you done a compression test?

[Mr_Bo11ox]

I just brought my Rover to life by baking its plugs and leads in the oven for half an hour. Time for some new ones I think.

[autofive]

Have you done a compression test?

 

nope, not as yet

 

was working fine last week, no issues - then it wouldnt start, points were suspect so changed em - now just doesnt try to fire

 

fresh plugs tomorrow, then an axe if ti still doesnt start

[Tayne]

.

[Richard]

Do the people who refurb alloys do straightening?

[Tayne]

.

[barefoot]

Scirocco (bitterly) cold starting issue solved.

 

Car started fine,

apart from extreme cold when it was catch it first time or fetch the jump leads

battery checked & judged fine by 3 different garages (it was newish & looked it).

Was it draining? radio removed & refitted etc

I finally asked for a specific gravity check...

 

...Oh fuck me, 2 of the 6 cells were empty

- new battery fitted - the job's a caret!

[Pillock]

BMW has developed a really irritating squeak from the aux belt. Squirting WD40 in the back of the pulley next to the alternator seems to cure it for about 20 miles but I'm not convinced this is a long term thing. Hoping it's just the pulley and it's a fairly easy job!

[Polystratus]

BMW has developed a really irritating squeak from the aux belt. Squirting WD40 in the back of the pulley next to the alternator seems to cure it for about 20 miles but I'm not convinced this is a long term thing. Hoping it's just the pulley and it's a fairly easy job!

 

Sounds like the pulley bearing so just a case of putting a new pulley in.

[scaryoldcortina]

I have autofive's head in the boot of my car.

[chaseracer]

I have autofive's head in the boot of my car.

 

Memo to self: avoid annoying SOC at all costs!

 

[eddyramrod]

Got another job to do on the Granada now. At MoT the tester picked up on the steering rack boots, so we promised to fix them, which resulted in me ordering some from UK. They arrived yesterday, so that'll be one for next week. Might also fit the new seat belts I ordered for my A40, as the supposedly-restored Granada has a non-matching pair. It'll be a while before the A40 needs them, plenty of time to order new again.

[autofive]

I have autofive's head in the boot of my car.

 

it was indeed true

 

the pinto had a damaged thread on one plug, scary has worked valiantly in the face of adversity and swapped the cam into another head to be fitted to the block tomorrow, hopefully

[dollywobbler]

More work on the 2CV today. Remove the cylinder heads again for a (hopefully) more successful attempt at head lapping. Got the heads off in no time at all - I'm getting quite good at that bit now. Used a finless barrel for a more comprehensive lapping experience and the heads were cleaned and ready to go back on in no time at all.

 

Then I started having problems getting the manifold to fit. Then I still had problems. I might have got angry. There are four inlet manifold bolts and NONE of them would line up. Anger levels were getting dangerous (still got a bit of lurgy, so my already negligable patience was further diminished) so gave up and the wife and I have been smashing up walls in the house instead (good fun and yes, we did mean to smash them up - exposing lintels).

 

Off to play off-road in the Landy tomorrow so the 2CV is going to have to wait. I do need it working for a 2CV road run next Saturday though...

[Pillock]

BMW has developed a really irritating squeak from the aux belt. Squirting WD40 in the back of the pulley next to the alternator seems to cure it for about 20 miles but I'm not convinced this is a long term thing. Hoping it's just the pulley and it's a fairly easy job!

 

Sounds like the pulley bearing so just a case of putting a new pulley in.

 

Indeed, instead of squirting WD40 at everything that moved (and quite a lot that didn't - it was dark) I started picking on the thing one pulley at a time and it's the one next to the alternator that seems to quieten it down. That's good. I shall trundle down to order a new one, the aux belt doesn't look like too bad a job on that since it has nothing to do with timing.

[Pillock]

£12.49 for a belt. All pulleys ran smooth with the belt off so I just wiped any grease off and put the new belt on, it seems to be fine now.

40 minutes all in, including a walk to the car spares place in town, and puzzling on the routing of the belt because I forgot to make a note when the old one came off. Smartphones FTW, quickly google "318i aux belt" and find a picture

[Albert Ross]

I got woken up this morning by a phone call from my Son in Law. He's off to see a friend, would I like to join him? Seems he's a tat hoarder. Mk1 Capri in bushes and rotten. 1930 summat Albion in bigger bushes, trees growing through it, and also rotten. In a shed, Fowler badged Marshall crawler, another Albion, Grey Fergie, numerous bikes including a CD175 Benly, A Beezer Gold Star, more tractors, a few stationary engines, ANOTHER Albion, (apparently the oldest known of it's type... CX I think) ANOTHER grey Fergie, Fordson Major bits, outside were a Ford 7610 and a Super Major 6 Diesel with a cab, a few diggers, and other rammel. None of it restored. However, in his posh garage (heated, with a urinal!) was a 1932 Sentinel Steam Wagon. Half restored, running, and not a complete cab. He took it out for a spin!

Wow. What a way to see the New Year in. Oh yeah. The remains of the Capri reveal it to have been a V4. Possibly originally a Lime Green colour. Nice. Too far gone to save, the roof touching the seats tels me that.... No pics I'm afraid, as I rushed out the door, and I'm not sure the guy would welcome the attention. I may have to work on him! Thing is, this was only one of his 3 storage places!

[Guest]

Went to the autojumble and there was a choice of two different lots of 626 brake pads - went for the asbestos versions.

[dollywobbler]

SHOCK HEADLINE. Land Rovers are quite good off road. In other news, bears do shit in the woods.

 

Had a bloody great day in Bala testing the limits of my new machine. The tyres aren't up to much, but they didn't stop us really! A few muddy descents were alarming as in low first, it started to skid, but we got down without crashing so that's good. All-in-all, great fun and neither I nor the Land Rover seem damaged!