Car Talk

[webntweb]

On 30/06/2020 at 07:17, BroadAmbition said:

Do you know what this is?

It's a replacement sump plug for Trevor (Fitted over the weekend) only it's no ordinary sump plug, its a magnetic one. One that has an insulated magnet to stop the sump from being magnetized around the thread fitting.  I normally fit these to all my vehicles, they really do work and it is somewhat surprising when doing an oil change just how many tiny metal particles they trap

Griff

 

Every time I changed the oil on my Austin 2200 (similar to a maxi but a bit bigger), the magnetic sump plug had one of the chain tensioner forks stuck to it.

So the first couple of oil changes, off came the cover and new tensioner fitted - until, on the third change, I realised it was the same fork each time. I didn't change it and it worked perfectly for another four or five years without the other fork breaking off.

[RumPunch]

5 hours ago, Paul said:

Why do we get so attached to our lumps of metal? ….

 

In my case because I'm a stubborn engineer

Last weekend summed up in 2 pictures - the cost of this at a garage is now close to beyond economic repair

 

 

 

[oldgregg]

Vectra?

[BroadAmbition]

Looks more like a pressure plate over a clutch plate on a flywheel to me

Changed hundreds of em in a past life

Griff

[RumPunch]

1 hour ago, oldgregg said:

Vectra?

Yep

The canbus on these hates LEDs too - had to do some wizardry with relays and resistors on my sidelights 

 

[CambridgeCabby]

Parts should cost circa £200 , most garages will quote 4 hours labour , actually takes 2.5 hours max 

[floydraser]

6 hours ago, RumPunch said:

 

 

Just about run in then. 

[oldgregg]

It's good going for a Vectra!

I'm guessing that's not the 1.9 diesel.... Or it's had the water pump swapped out.

[BroadAmbition]

Battery on Trevor is getting tired,

It is now 5 x years old so no surprise there then.  Winter will soon be with us so a replacement ordered.

Slightly larger capacity than original.  £85:00 inc vat and next day delivery.  Not a bad price from 'Advanced Battery Supplies'

Griff

[ChrisB]

On 24/08/2020 at 16:36, webntweb said:

Every time I changed the oil on my Austin 2200 (similar to a maxi but a bit bigger), the magnetic sump plug had one of the chain tensioner forks stuck to it.

So the first couple of oil changes, off came the cover and new tensioner fitted - until, on the third change, I realised it was the same fork each time. I didn't change it and it worked perfectly for another four or five years without the other fork breaking off.

I had forgotten that BMC fitted magnetic drain plugs to their transverse engines. With the gearbox effectively in the sump the first oil change in 1960s Minis was enlightening! The sump plug came out looking like a Christmas Tree. I suspect it was mostly gear related and not bearing, crankshaft, cam etc.

[FairTmiddlin]

46 minutes ago, ChrisB said:

I had forgotten that BMC fitted magnetic drain plugs to their transverse engines. With the gearbox effectively in the sump the first oil change in 1960s Minis was enlightening! The sump plug came out looking like a Christmas Tree. I suspect it was mostly gear related and not bearing, crankshaft, cam etc.

Most of the metal on the first oil change with BMC's was from poorly washed out cylinder blocks after all the milling of faces and honing of the cylinders. Notoriously bad manufacturing of their engines. Most of it because of the time restraints for the costings of the engines. They were literally thrown together. The later mini's Allegro's (or All Aggro as they were known in the trade) Maxis, Marinas/Ital. Were the bane of my life. As all of it was so poorly manufactured. Triumphs well don't even go there. MG's were fairly well built. 

I bought a Maxi even when I was in the trade ( due to someone writing off my car), biggest heap of Cr@p I have ever owned.

I worked at a BMC, Jag/Daimler, Rolls Royce dealership. What did I drive

A Ford

[ChrisB]

I remember a guy down our Close in Chalfonts father worked at a BMC garage in Bristol. He bought a Princess at a huge discount. This brand new car got from Bristol to Little Chalfont on a Saturday but when he went half a mile next day for his papers it blew the main seal. Oil everwhere, made a real mess of his tarmac drive.

Unlike my MKIV Cortina!

[SteveO]

I was the unfortunate owner of 2 Austin Maxis and, whilst I loved the ride and flexible load carrying ability of the car, the engines and gearboxes were absolute rubbish. You couldn't go anywhere without a spare gallon can of engine oil in the boot, you had to change down 2 gears at a time because it took so long and, if the exhausts lasted more than 3 years, it was by accident. Total cr*p. No wonder the British motor industry died.

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Ah The Princess and a most fortunate day of my life.

So there I am at a car auction bidding on a gorgeous looking Princess but somebody behind me wants it more than I do. At the end of the auction I'm walking out with a friend and the new owner has the boot open with a look of "what the hell" on his face and when I glance a look the floor of boot is all cement!

Guess the Hyrolastic suspension had failed.

 

[webntweb]

After the Austin 2200 I bought a Princess Automatic (again 2200). Front tyres were wearing down on the inside in no time. Two lots of tracking, four new tyres later and it went in for MOT. It failed. Steering rack was snapped and moving about in its casing. Tester said it had been like that for some time. I had bought it off a friend of a friend and they knew we had three young children. I dread to think what could have happened especially if I had cornered at speed. Of course the person who sold it me knew nothing about it.

Having said that it handled well, especially after driving the non power assisted 2200 "Landcrab'. When you kicked it down it took off like a rocket. Main problem with it was I couldn't stop the gearbox leaking and had to top it up regularly.

[Paul]

The ongoing debate over my cracked windscreen seemed to have resolved itself yesterday when I got an email from a certain glass company to say I could now book an appointment for screen replacement. With my MOT now only a month away it came as quite a relief, and even more so when having clicked the link the first appointment for a home replacement was today. I already had Severn Trent coming to replace the water meter, Sky to fix the broadband, and EHCP meeting at school this morning but I wasn't going to miss the chance so booked it anyway. Elaine would stay at home to sort the various tradesmen of any arrived before my meeting at school finished. 

I booked the appointment, printed it and awaited the promised email confirmation. The email duly came, however it was not the confirmation promised, but a message saying we're almost booked, someone would call to confirm things. 

The call duly came, but not to confirm anything, other than that they couldn't do it today, and they can't do it on a home visit. Because of the gradient tint and various sensors fitted within the screen it has to be ordered from Mercedes and requires specialist multi technician fitting so has to be done at their depot. 

In fairness to the glass company concerned they have bent over backwards to i) find the correct screen from Mercedes using my VIN number and create an extra appointment so it can be done on Monday as soon as the new screen arrives. They are aware of the back story and have done everything they can to avoid further delay, which is most noble as the delays so far are down to the insurer rather than them. 

[BroadAmbition]

Remember this magnetic pad on the rear offside door on my 'GriffTile' van?

I got a lot of nice comments as and when folk saw it, it was there to bring the odd smile or two and it certainly did

Well, it is no more.

Why?

That's coz some thieving pond life scumbag has stolen it.  Just for good measure, they have damaged two of the side panel magnetic signs as well.

So I visited Premier Signs at Armthorpe that initially supplied them.  He is confident he can repair the two damaged side panels.  I've told him not to bother making up a replacement rear pad as the chances are it'll only get stolen again.  What he will do is cut the same sign in vinyl graphics and bond them directly on.

What'll this lot cost me?  Time and money, how much I don't know as of yet, should get them later this week maybe even tomorrow

What I do know is that if I ever catch said pondlifes in the act, they will wish it was only money that they will be losing. 

Griff

 

[BroadAmbition]

Side magnetic panel - Repaired.  Missing one reinstated but this time in vinyl graphics, lets see the pond life nick this one.

Gaz at Premier signs didn't want to charge me for his time / materials seeing as it was vandalism / theft, he wouldn't give me a price so we nearly argued over me giving him a tenner!  Anyroadup, job done.  Hopefully fitting winter wheels / tyres this weekend - Long overdue

Griff

 

[BrundallNavy]

9 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

Side magnetic panel - Repaired.  Missing one reinstated but this time in vinyl graphics, lets see the pond life nick this one.

Gaz at Premier signs didn't want to charge me for his time / materials seeing as it was vandalism / theft, he wouldn't give me a price so we nearly argued over me giving him a tenner!  Anyroadup, job done.  Hopefully fitting winter wheels / tyres this weekend - Long overdue

Griff

 

 

i should think so would have been at least a twenty as he has to buy a meal to go with is pint 

[BroadAmbition]

That's Trevor Transits MOT sorted Friday.  Initially it should have been back in July but the governments extension delayed that.  Sailed straight through, however it was brought to my attention that one of the rubber bushes on the front offside lower arm is starting to show signs of wear, that after five years and now 38'000 miles.  It has not yet degraded down to an 'Advisory' but will develop into one.  I have ordered a pair of new arms seeing as the near side one is the same age it is prudent to change them both at the same time

Yesterday carried out another oil change using flushing oil.  Ford state 20'000 mile oil change - Really? I don't think so, I'm doing them every 12'000.  The timing belt on these engines is a wet system getting constantly bathed in engine oil, it has graphite in it amongst other exotic materials and I have been advised by those in the know that the graphite can reduce oil filter performance prematurely.  This can sometimes result in the timing belts letting go earlier than the 140'000 mile recommended change, regularly changing the oil and filter more frequently than Ford states helps. I intend to change the belt at around the 100'000 mile mark (If we get there between us)  Fuel filter will be changed this coming weekend too

Got a bit of a fright last month, for some reason or t'other I was looking at my card driving licence and to my angst discovered it had ran out in October!  That meant I had been driving around for nearly two months with an invalid driving licence - Horrors.  Going on-line to renew it I discovered much to my relief that due to covid it has been extended automatically by 11 months - Relief or what.  As long as I renew it before Sept this year I'm legal and proper.   Whew

Griff

[Andrewcook]

Hi all I've enjoyed reading this Topic including about the B M W  I've driven one it's like being in a Rolls Royce with all the. mod cons. I don't wish to put the damper on this Topic but in Nine Years time we got go over to Electric Cars I object very strongly as I think we should go for Part Electric Petrol / Diesel for few year's I hope as to sorting out putting Electric  Plug Posts  for out new sort of the new environmental friendly free environment Cars

 

[MauriceMynah]

15 hours ago, Andrewcook said:

but in Nine Years time we got go over to Electric Cars

Wrong Andrew, and sadly just the sort of misinformation that is so damaging to the national economy at a time when everything is so fragile.

[Meantime]

The sale of new petrol and diesel cars is to be banned from 2030, 9 years time, with the sale of new hybrid cars banned from 2035, the emphasis on the word new. There are no current plans for second hand petrol and diesel cars to be banned. I would expect some sort of scrappage incentive would be introduced to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles.

[JanetAnne]

I suspect you'll find the value of existing internal combustion powered cars to increase after 2030......

[BroadAmbition]

Me too, it’s all about supply and demand 

Griff