Grizz’s OCD Awesome ASTRO Van 🚙 Megane SCENIC 1.5dci 🚙 MX5 JEEP For Sale.🚨 🔥 DIESEL HEATER INSTALL 🔥

[grizz]

8 hours ago, Bmwdumptruck said:

Eh up Rian, looks like I’ve got you in Stereo now😂.  Here and ukgser, I’ve a slightly different title here though, this ones my more usual handle. 

Welcome mate 

 

Once you post up a bit the magical land of for sale opens up for you 

[grizz]

Most of you know my life motto continues to be that LIFE IS GOOD. 

YESTERDAY was one of those days. 

Up at 5.30, showered and ready to rock n roll by 6.30am

Mate Kevin collected me at 6.45 and we drive up to Dunstable to collect La Petit Crapaud (The Little Toad) 

Petrol filled at a truck stop and great bacon and egg rolls at leisure (I am always in a hurry to get home) on site plus a nice chat with Jamie the chef before heading down the M1 and onto the M25 homeward. 

Amazingly all the roads were open during the whole day. 

Back home on my drive by 10.45

I had not even switched the kettle on when mate Fil @sparkplug pulled up outside in his new Citroen Relay van. He is building his new camper, having built an Ambulance camper before and then a yellow Sprinter which eventually blew up on him.  The Relay is not quite two years old. 

He brought me a really nice amplifier that @engineer had sent. 

We did the whole looking at each others cars thing and then went out for a Turkish lunch we had booked. 

Back home I managed to force him to take some of my clutter home in his van. 

Postman also delivered a parcel from Ernie @pedalcarjoe with some super nice vintage VW T-shirts, stickers and a watercooled badge. 

Did I mention life is good. 

Amazing day. 

Today I will make time to look the Peugot 206 CC over and list things that needs attention. 

Upholstery and torn leather seat bolster and exhaust hanger 
are on the list. 

More to be found I am sure. 

Caddy is awaiting a new ECU and Astro just needs to be driven. 

.
 

[grizz]

Soooooo

Why??

Not really sure if I should try understanding the universe or Karma. 

Sometimes life throws you a curved ball, sometimes it tosses a turd. 

And once in a while you strike gold or is that GREEN? 

The seller was an accomplished purveyor of tat. 

Knowing that “Free Candy” would attract a certain audience. 

So he stepped up his game to warp speed. 

Adding a Fray Bentos steak pie to the offering. 

Absolutely intrigued of course but resisted. 

Not having the desired effect he added in quick succession a Pink Prime energy drink to attract those too tired to realise how alive they are. 
Followed shortly by the foreign sex tourists beacon, a cream Panama hat. 

I nearly walked away when the next offering was added to the steadily growing sacrificial pile. 
A half dozen faggots to start the party off. 
I make better meatballs. 

Just in time, his next offering had my interest reignited. 
Home brew beer making kit. Much more grown up. 

I was still not quite convinced that I needed to drive a little green French toad. 

Until he played to most dirty, unfair and trumpest of trump cards. 

BEHOLD !!!!

THE CUCUMBER BUCKET HAT OF GLORY. 

I threw my money at him and made a buy. 

My life would be complete. 

So I got insurance and road tax shaken out of my piggy bank and agreed a collection date as long as not a Tuesday. 

Next job……. Figure collecting this thing of beauty. 

The Chevy Astro was a few trains and station collection followed by 200 miles drive home. 
VW Caddy was three trains and a tube, station collection in Zel’s awesome Rover and 104 miles drive home. 
I really did not feel like three trains and a tube to then do a 77 mile drive home. 

So I hinted really hard at good mate Woodsie to help and he offered to drive me up early on Saturday morning as we both had appointments by midday. 

6.45 we headed out, still dark. 

Woodsie stuck to the left lane at 65mph maximum 70 and proved a point. We were there quicker than my usual right lane driving. 

By the time we got there at exactly 08,00 and thirty minutes earlier than anticipated it was -3’C out on the sidewalk where the seller met us and handed us car, documents, keys, and all the sweetners. 
Kevin pounced on the cucumber bucket hat like a cat on a tin of tuna.  His new music festival hat. His wife was not impressed when I sent her the pic below. 

So after half an hours chatting we headed back to the motorway via a truck stop so I could get some unleaded in the cars belly. 

Parking up behind Kevins not so subtle camper bus showed how small the little toad is. 

Next up….

Breakfast ordered from Jamie in the food van. 

Totally open to the elements I felt sorry for him freezing his nuts off. 

And he just stayed happy and chatty. Making our bacon and egg crusty rolls and coffee. 

Tell you what, someone is going to marry a good cook. 

Super nice and really nice quality bacon. 

Pose time. 

Then scoff. 

After breakfast we headed back onto the M1 motorway down to the M25. 
Amazingly quiet and easy driving. 

I took a pic of the speedo as we started out. 

Nice baseline to work from. 

The two litre engine is so eager and willing on the riad. 
Totally unstressed 
I think it could do with a 6th gear to drip the revs down from 3k at 70mph. 

Home by 10.45 

All my treasures unpacked from the cavernous trunk/boot. 

No spare wheel but a tin of PUCK tyre gloop in French. 

Not ideal but insurance came with RAC recovery. 

Hopefully better than my experience with Green Flag. 

In short succession mate Fil @sparkplug and then @nickwheeler arrived. 

The usual pisstake from Nick and Fil. 

Not jealous at all. 

Maybe surprise. 

We tried to get a thumbs up from Nick. 

Failed. 

I did also approach the onboard super computer and set the time and date. 
Oh, and the radio. 
Could be a pointless exercise though based on the sellers disclosure and advertising. 

And for those interested in a shorter video…….

https://youtu.be/BD0eotY2Ao4?si=sylWn5G8oazMFTIZ

Cold out today but I look forward to investigating it all. 

Another day. 

 

[bezzabsa]

thata a pickle Rick hate... a-la Rick and Morty 

[beko1987]

That clock picture gives me flashbacks! 

I was driving around Heathrow in my 206 with my then fucking new and shiny and fully relevant Nokia E63 laid in that little bowl bit, on a non slip map. Streaming mp3's to my cheap head unit. 

Was a hot day and my shite 206 had no air con so both windows were down (3 door). Was honing it around, took a roundabout quite fast and watched the phone slide across, into that equally fucking useless passenger dash tray, slide across that gathering speed and straight out of the window... Music cut out 😡

Pulled over into a bus stop and ran back, picked the phone, battery and back cover up dodging cars and ran back to the car. Being a Nokia E63 I put the battery back in and the cover back on and it was fine but the shell ruined. Be careful with what you place in it with the windows down... 

Once it booted it resumed playing too. Fucking miss old phones 😢

[grizz]

4 hours ago, bezzabsa said:

thata a pickle Rick hate... a-la Rick and Morty 

 

Not one I am familiar with. 

[grizz]

3 hours ago, beko1987 said:

That clock picture gives me flashbacks! 

I was driving around Heathrow in my 206 with my then fucking new and shiny and fully relevant Nokia E63 laid in that little bowl bit, on a non slip map. Streaming mp3's to my cheap head unit. 

Was a hot day and my shite 206 had no air con so both windows were down (3 door). Was honing it around, took a roundabout quite fast and watched the phone slide across, into that equally fucking useless passenger dash tray, slide across that gathering speed and straight out of the window... Music cut out 😡

Pulled over into a bus stop and ran back, picked the phone, battery and back cover up dodging cars and ran back to the car. Being a Nokia E63 I put the battery back in and the cover back on and it was fine but the shell ruined. Be careful with what you place in it with the windows down... 

Once it booted it resumed playing too. Fucking miss old phones 😢

 

I was saying to someone else that my iPhone 4  was similarly bulletproof. 

[grizz]

Got home from getting a spare key cut for the Caddy @Zelandeth and with the ECU having had the immobiliser deleted it only needed an actual key cut  

Another £20.00 added to the burn pile. 

Neighbour came around just when I pulled the Astro through to the back and dropped off a parcel. 

ECU. 

Fast delivery. 

Fitting planned for tomorrow. 

I really hope it sorts out the previous issues. 

Dead ECU looks dead compared to this one. 

[grizz]

Right 

Fault finding. 

Obviously being a 21 year old car it will have some. 

Being French adds another dimension 

So none of these affect its actual performance. 

Paint…… being that it is possibly a fragile type of metallic it has faded a bit on the top surfaces. 

On the bonnet/hood there are two “spots” of lacquer fail. 

Next small thing. 

Parking ding. 

PDR job

One wheel missing a chunk. 

Upholstery is leather. 

Drivers seat is rough as a rough thing. 

Needs repair or a replacement. 

Lastly

@nickwheeler also noticed this driving behind me. 

Hangers are present but rear box swings around madly. 

Also not central to the exit an some clunking on potholes. 

I will try sort that too. 

LASTLY. 

Booked the little toad in at my local garage for a genuine Peugeot cambelt and waterpump replacement on 20 December. 

£360.00 plus tax. 

Not cheap but I feel it a worthy investment as the service history becomes a mystery from 45k miles in 2007. 
And it is on 103k miles now. 

Lets hope it’s a worthy investment. 

[grizz]

Couple of points. 
 

 

Firstly  

Did I change my thread title to include OCD or was it a compliment from someone else in management?

Secondly

If anyone has a lead on a black, leather drivers seat in GOOD condition or a complete dark, fabric interior that’s not mouse eaten, or eaten half a pizza itself ie clean, and is sensibly priced, please let me know  

 

This one was available complete for £65.00 collected near Manchester  

And I would have had it, except seller informed me a back seat was mouse eaten in storage.  Surprised  

 

 

[grizz]

Yesterday was the first rainless if cold at 4’C day. 

The Caddy’s refurbished ECU was delivered the day before. 

So I got going in refitting the Throttle position sensor which despite being awkward was not that bad to do. 

Clever move (for me at least) to use a bit of masking tape to help seat the back, out of sight allen bolt. 

Followed by cleaning out and washing the complete scuttle area as there was no ECU in the way. 

A good place to start from when refitting it. 

Much better. 

Of course nothing is ever quite as easy as it looks. 

Mounting bracket really let the rest of it all down. 

Just not good enough after all the effort. 

So it was time for the 115mm grinder with a 125mm flap disc, followed by some more vigorous wire brush action. 

Amazing how much aluminium oxidation there was.  

Much better. 

Better than it looks 

A quick wipe down and then some grey primer to hopefully give a basis for the satin black finish. 

Primer. 

Satin black 

Refitted 

Home made cover over it all. 

Started it (on video) 

Runs

Throttle working. 

Silly grin. 

Closed up scuttle area 

Kept under dash open so that I can take it back to Cliffs to reset or delete the faults it had shown. 

Also reconnected this one wire that was dangling around. 

A switch associated with the clutch pedal. 

No idea if it was disconnected before I removed the throttle sensor. 

But I connected it anyway. 

Any ideas? 

Thanks as always for your replies. 

 

[Zelandeth]

Clutch switch will be there mainly to disengage the cruise control when it's pressed for vehicles so equipped.  Apparently if you can find the appropriate stalks it can be enabled in the ECU via VAGCOM.  Possible the ECU alters fuelling/timing when the clutch is dipped too to help smooth gear changes.

[grizz]

1 hour ago, Zelandeth said:

Clutch switch will be there mainly to disengage the cruise control when it's pressed for vehicles so equipped.  Apparently if you can find the appropriate stalks it can be enabled in the ECU via VAGCOM.  Possible the ECU alters fuelling/timing when the clutch is dipped too to help smooth gear changes.

Very cool. 
 

I did not know these came with cruise control. 
 

Certainly not bothered to have it. 
 

Basic is good enough. 
 

I will disconnect it to see if just maybe the flashing glowplug light goes Away. 
 

That is new since the ECU was fitted. 

[grizz]

9 hours ago, Zelandeth said:

Clutch switch will be there mainly to disengage the cruise control when it's pressed for vehicles so equipped.  Apparently if you can find the appropriate stalks it can be enabled in the ECU via VAGCOM.  Possible the ECU alters fuelling/timing when the clutch is dipped too to help smooth gear changes.

And from Zeberdeewesty on Garage Journal. 
 

This the part?

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-volkswagen-audi-parts/cruise-control-valve-priced-each/811907343b/

Everything is already installed for cruise control, just the CC stalk needed and then the computer needs telling its now got cruise.
Last one i fitted was a 1/2 hour job.

 

 

 

[loserone]

9 hours ago, grizz said:

black, leather drivers seat

Do you have airbags in the seats?

[loserone]

I have front and back seats from Lionheart.  They're dusty but mouse free. Also a Quiksilver boot liner tray.  And four FOUDRE wheels. 

 

I'd like them to be loved, but I am also feeling skint so £50 would be appreciated if you had it - once you are employed again.  

 

If you have airbags, the ones I put in lionheart have the airbags in.  They're full leather rather than leather / cloth like these are.  Also much heavier.  @yes oui si probably not in a state to sell them separately but I reckon something could be arranged.  

[grizz]

1 hour ago, loserone said:

Do you have airbags in the seats?

Well……

Buggerr. 
 

Yes the seats do have airbags. 
 

The ones in Manchester do not appear to have them. 
Does this in itself pose a problem? 
I had not even noticed or cared. 
So if I pull the existing full leather airbag seats from the car, does all sorts of electrical hell break loose with MOT failure on the books? 

[grizz]

So today I used the Caddy to do a few chores. 

Totalling about 7 miles driving. 

After fitting the new ECU the glowplug warning light kept blinking last night and this morning. 
Plugging a reader in showed nothing. 
Then after part of my drive which included stopping and turning the car off a few times the reset automatically happened and the light has been gone since then. 

I came home after fish n chips at Sallys house. 

Helped the latest lodger unpack his truck and saw him off. Two minutes later he was at the door. 
His 2018 Ford Ranger 3.2 was dead and would not start. 

Battery suspected. 

Caddy out on the street and on Mickey next doors driveway. 

Brrrrrmmmmmm!! 

Hero. 




Short version for most. 
 

Longer all inclusive version for masochists and insomniacs. 

Enjoy. 
 

I think the Caddy is now sorted. 

Still a nice tool. 

Thankfully

 

 

 

[grizz]

So @loserone and I were discussing replacing the very tired leather seats in my 206 CC. 
 

I had neither noticed nor known or even remotely thought they had airbags in them. 
 

I found what seems to be fabric NON-airbag  seats for a 206 CC. 
 

Question now is……. 
 

Will it cause chaos for the ECU and Com2000 unit, ultimately resulting in an MOT fail or worse?

 

Is there a proven way to circumvent all this and fooling the car into thinking it still had airbags fitted?

 

Also, something that does not need two degrees in microwave or electric stuff to fit or make work. 
 

Thank you.  

[grizz]

Random things seen while inspecting the 206 CC interior.

 

Weirdest of cup holders in back seat.

 

Almost shoulder height.

 

Seriously?

 

 

 

 

[beko1987]

10 hours ago, grizz said:

So @loserone and I were discussing replacing the very tired leather seats in my 206 CC. 
 

I had neither noticed nor known or even remotely thought they had airbags in them. 
 

I found what seems to be fabric NON-airbag  seats for a 206 CC. 
 

Question now is……. 
 

Will it cause chaos for the ECU and Com2000 unit, ultimately resulting in an MOT fail or worse?

 

Is there a proven way to circumvent all this and fooling the car into thinking it still had airbags fitted?

 

Also, something that does not need two degrees in microwave or electric stuff to fit or make work. 
 

Thank you.  

Would the same sort of resistor bodge people use to get fucked air bagged seats to keep the light off for an mot work? Being psa someone probably makes some dodgy plug in module so you don't have to bodge the loom about too much! 

Cant say I disagree with deleting them, I've had more cars without seat airbags than with... 

[flat4alfa]

Not sure what happened to that exhaust hanger.  The MOT is only just over a month old and wouldn't have passed like that.  Maybe I, or my wife, caught it recently on the stupid upright flappy metal things at the school car park entrance. They do ground out on the Mini One Seven

 

[grizz]

14 minutes ago, flat4alfa said:

Not sure what happened to that exhaust hanger.  The MOT is only just over a month old and wouldn't have passed like that.  Maybe I, or my wife, caught it recently on the stupid upright flappy metal things at the school car park entrance. They do ground out on the Mini One Seven

 

They are both intact. 
 

It just swings around alarmingly for people driving  too close to the rear. 
 

And we spoke about the clunk which does nothing to slow it down. 
 

So this is just one of those things I like to address. 

[flat4alfa]

To be fair, there are more clunks coming from my body these days, I barely notice what's going on with a car.  Plus I put music on loud too.  Wassat Sonny, speakup?

[beko1987]

I had 3 sets of exhaust rubbers snap on my blue laguna 2! Thought it was cheap parts at first and the 2nd more expensive set did it too... 

2nd time one snapped and the 2nd one stretched, so I looped some cable ties a round them and pulled them not mega tight, but enough to hold the slop and that pair outlasted the car 👍

My backbox hangs quite low on my Xsara but is rock solid, fully mounted and not banging (I got concerned and checked) and is fairly* recent so I put it down to some just don't sit right 😂

[Zelandeth]

My last Lada absolutely definitely didn't go through not one but two MOTs with the rear silencer hung from two chunky cable ties because the hangers kept unhooking themselves for reasons I never quite figured out.  I always thought after the MOT " I need to sort that properly" but of course then forgot about it until the next MOT when "Exhaust hanger repaired" appeared yet again as an advisory...

[grizz]

I think we all at times need to remind ourselves of the forum name and what we subscribe to on here. 
 

Basically many cars here are on borrowed time. 
 

So the pleasure and frustration of fixing them,  rewards in equal measure. 
 

Its fairly unlikely too many of us intentionally deceive when selling cars on here. 
 

Often in my opinion these cars deliver something we need. 
 

And with foibles. 

[grizz]

Bloody freezing today. 2’C at the garage. With a stiff breeze as well. 

Caddy got some attention. 

Small thing that has bugged me since day one. 

This tight parking scrape. 

So this afternoon I dragged myself out onto the driveway and added some pinstripes and a combination sticker to misdirect the eye. 

Not going to be everyone’s thing but you could buy it and remove the stripes. 

And once again………

A reminder. 

Going to get the 206 some fabric seats over the weekend. 230 miles from here. 

Should be good. 

Video for those who like moving pictures. 

https://youtu.be/d-dK_xVYIRA?si=39sNWmiJMmtbM6LT

.

[grizz]

Fame at last 😏

 

At 3 minutes 

 

https://youtu.be/KMM-oDchkJA?si=pLNhQ4clzDmjpY-c

[grizz]

Up early and out on the road. 

 

 

First stop at @westbay for coffee, biccies chat and dog. 

 

 

From there it was off on the next leg to just outside Manchester to collect a complete Peugeot 206 CC interior bought for £60.00

 

 

Got there and had a good chat with the seller. 

 

Loaded up and headed out for the last 50 miles. 

 

 

On the way I stopped for a pee and a Costa Coffee at a newly built service station. 

 

 

On ordering the coffee, I was chatting to Harish, the barista, he gave me a muffin at no charge. 

Random kindness of strangers again showing. 

 

 

 

Then off again, headed for Whitchurch in Shropshire to Craigs place. 

 

He was at a work function in Bristol overnight and got in at 08.15 this morning. 

 

I took Hershey out for a walk this morning. 

 

Brrrrrrrrr

 

-5.5’C outside. 

 

 

 

Today has been mostly putting up a Christmas tree and having a look at his office in the stables that are nearing completion And of course some YouTube videos. 

 

Maybe tomorrow will be warmer.