Grogee's spannering (Maestro & Mondeo IV). MAESTRO SERVICE

[beko1987]

2 minutes ago, S2000 said:

Can you remember who owned the L200 pulling the trailer? It is my old one !! BK07LHZ

Really? Was my ex's sisters then boyfriend Karl! He had it several years but it did a big nasty OMGHGF and cracked something, mostly because he drove it 5 miles to work then 5 miles back between chinnor and lewknor. He is quite high up in bt as an engineer so he'd drive it to chinnor exchange then go do 450 miles in a work van then drive it back to the pub 🤣

He sold it after it was fixed up as he knew it would just happen again, not checked if it's still alive though! 

[S2000]

2 hours ago, beko1987 said:

Really? Was my ex's sisters then boyfriend Karl! He had it several years but it did a big nasty OMGHGF and cracked something, mostly because he drove it 5 miles to work then 5 miles back between chinnor and lewknor. He is quite high up in bt as an engineer so he'd drive it to chinnor exchange then go do 450 miles in a work van then drive it back to the pub 🤣

He sold it after it was fixed up as he knew it would just happen again, not checked if it's still alive though! 

Jo and Karl, it had been sat for two years when I purchased it with HGF and I spent a fair wack to get it sorted as it was a good truck never worked! I still occasionally see them now with their new life’s. I sold the truck a year ago, regret it as it was very sorted but I needed something automatic, if I had the room I would have kept it!

Apologies for the thread hi jack @grogee

[beko1987]

8 hours ago, S2000 said:

Jo and Karl, it had been sat for two years when I purchased it with HGF and I spent a fair wack to get it sorted as it was a good truck never worked! I still occasionally see them now with their new life’s. I sold the truck a year ago, regret it as it was very sorted but I needed something automatic, if I had the room I would have kept it!

Apologies for the thread hi jack @grogee

Aaah so you had it after them, I see! Did tell Karl it would happen again, and I think he'd scratched the itch.

Don't really see either of them now, Jo was always the less mental of the 3 sisters

Its a small world!

[grogee]

Changed the oil and filter in the Maestro, as well as doing a little bit of rust touching up here and there while it was on stands. Topped up gear oil, which is a bastard, and a couple of other bits and bobs. 

Back of the car looks good behind the bumper, mind you it was only repaired a few years ago. 

I gave it a good wash this morning, taking time to get rid of some of the winter grime that had built up. 

Most of it is holding up well, a couple of annoying rust blebs but that's what happens when you clean your car, you get up close and personal and notice stuff that nobody else is going to see. 

Think I need another set of HT leads and a cap, as it's being grumpy during warm up despite a good spritz of WD over the dizzy cap. They were Chinesium Lucas parts though so maybe not surprising. 

Nu_Mrs Grogee and I went out for a bimble around the lanes, lots of villages looking pretty with blossom out. 

New tailgate latch held firm so I'm calling that a win. 

[High Jetter]

5 hours ago, grogee said:

Nu_Mrs Grogee and I went out for a bimble around the lanes,

Not heard it called that before 🤣

[grogee]

Decided to splash out £20 or so on a new distributor cap and leads. I'm sure they're Chinese shite but that's all I can get these days. 

The cap I took off was (I'm fairly sure) "Lucas" ie no-name zombie brand wank. Mind you it was probably three years ago I changed it, maybe that's how long they generally last? 

Anyway the centre electrode that rubs on the rotor arm has left the chat, which would explain the misfiring and kangarooing I'd been experiencing during warm up. 

Very tempted to drive it tomorrow but the forecast is wank so maybe I won't. 

[FakeConcern]

TBF I think the Lucas distributor caps, rotor arms and points I fitted to my Minis and Metros back in the 70s never lasted very long so seems about right to me.

[grogee]

Did a bit of Forth Bridge style rust proofing this morning. I'd spotted signs of crustiness coming through on the bottom of the sills so I wanted to give it a seeing to. 

Also, I had treated myself to a litre of Aquasteel, as recommended by @sierraman. 

Gave it a good wipe with alcohol before splashing some onto the bottom of the sills. I even took the rear wheel arch spats off to check behind them for any grot, luckily all clear. 

Nice to see my fixing strategy for the spats is holding up - thread inserts in the sills, with small holes in the wheel arches and stainless fixings all round. Seems to be holding up well. 

Bit bloody cold today, mind.