Car Talk

[Paul]

Adblue is never injected into the engine and should never be used as a fuel additive, doing so would cause serious engine damage. It is injected into the exhaust system to reduce diesel particulate emissions. 

Mercedes cars and vans will engage limp home mode once the ad blue tank is empty and will not then restart if the engine is switched off or stalled. In order to restart the vehicle you need to refill the tank then attach a diagnostic device capable of resetting the adblue counter. 

My 3.0 V6 twin turbo diesel has used about 8 litres of adblue in the last 12,000 miles. The tank size is designed to last between services with a reserve of around 20%. If a Mercedes constantly needs refilling between services then this suggests a fault and should be referred to a Mercedes qualified technician. There is an excellent independent Merc specialist in Loddon. Access to the Mercedes Star diagnostic system is essential in trouble shooting the adblue system, it cannot be done effectively without. 

[Paul]

Incidentally, it is a common misconception that adblue is made from pig's urine, it is not. It is a totally synthetic substance. 

[ScrumpyCheddar]

5 hours ago, Paul said:

Incidentally, it is a common misconception that adblue is made from pig's urine, it is not. It is a totally synthetic substance. 

Adblue is Made of Demineralised water and a chemical called Urea.. 

Urea can be found in pigs urine. But that’s the only thing it has in common... The only reason pigs urine is not used is because the Urea is not concentrated enough in the Urine.. 

Thats why us in the Haulage game we always say we are topping up with Pigs p••• . 🤣🤣🤣

[grendel]

to be fair to pigs, urea can be found in any urine in some quantity.

[NeilB]

7 hours ago, Paul said:

Adblue is never injected into the engine and should never be used as a fuel additive, doing so would cause serious engine damage. It is injected into the exhaust system to reduce diesel particulate emissions. 

Ad Blue would make short work of the bearings, nasty stuff and you don't want it anywhere except inside it's own tank.

Ad Blue is actually a brand name who seem to have most of the market, for some obscure reason our US colleagues prefer to call it DEF / diesel exhaust fluid or AUS / aqueous urea solution.

[Paul]

15 hours ago, ScrumpyCheddar said:

The only reason pigs urine is not used is because the Urea is not concentrated enough in the Urine.. 

I was led to believe it is because of the organic impurities in naturally derived urea, pigs or otherwise. I think I read that on the AA, or RAC website. Or possibly somewhere completely different!

[NeilB]

On 28/04/2021 at 06:12, ScrumpyCheddar said:

The only reason pigs urine is not used is because the Urea is not concentrated enough in the Urine.. 

Wonder if it would make the exhaust smell of bacon?.....

[ScrumpyCheddar]

20 minutes ago, NeilB said:

Wonder if it would make the exhaust smell of bacon?.....

I think your taking the Pig P... Now Neil 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

[BroadAmbition]

It seems I'm destined not to receive and fit a K&N air filter to MrsG's Q5.

I ordered one from Demon Tweeks about a week after we bought the car,  after waiting and waiting they finally fessed up that they didn't have it in stock and it would be late June before they had it to send on to me.

So, refund received.

Ordered another un this time from Amazon - after waiting a week it arrived - only the throat size is wrong so that has to go back to them for another refund.]

Did some further research on part numbers - They also don't have the correct one listed either

I have just ordered a third one this time via Ebay being sent out from Germany, we should receive it in a week - ten days.

Third time lucky - Maybe

Griff

[Hrimfaxi]

Oooh car thread!  Thought I'd chime in here....

 

Currently driving my second Impreza - '02 Bugeye WRX, slightly "breathed upon" with Cobra up-pipe and center section and Hayward & Scott backbox, high flow panel filter and a basic map.   

I've been down and huge 3" Jap can backbox path, was fun but LOUD. Got it out of my system, now I'm too old for that haha.  Now it's just a lovely rumble.

Front 02 sensor has chucked me a CEL recently, not looking forward to the fight of getting that off.  I've read horror stories hah

 

 

[BroadAmbition]

As some will be aware the price of second hand vans has recently gone through the roof.  My Trevor is now worth more than what I bought it for, incredible.  I used to be bothered about tools and the like getting stolen out of it, nowadays I'm more concerned with having the whole van nicked.

For peace of mind I have done something about it.  Got an upgraded deadlock fitted along with three s/steel plates designed to stop the wiring loom being cut.  Having viewed on youtube just how easy it is to break into the Custom Transits

The outfit came to where I was working today and fitted the four items, two lads, took them just 20 mins and they were done.  Cost me £340:00 but it's peace of mind

If you want a fright, put your own car into youtube search engine and see if it is vulnerable and more importantly how to stop it being lifted.  We also use faraday boxes to keep both vehicle keys in overnight

Griff

 

 

[YnysMon]

Converting vans into camper vans seems to be all the rage at present. I watch some travel vlogs on YouTube. Almost all the couples whose channels I watch have either bought a camper van already converted or have bought a van and done a conversion themselves. There are even a couple of vloggers who live on canal boats who have converted their own camper vans. 

[oldgregg]

8 hours ago, BroadAmbition said:

We also use faraday boxes to keep both vehicle keys in overnight

Very sensible.

Keyless entry is a terrible idea because it's just so easy to abuse. Car manufacturers happily fit it to whatever they can, though, because if the car gets stolen then they ultimately get to sell another one.

[tim]

I'll tell you about my little incident

About 4 weeks before we were due to go on holiday to Cornwall and the Broads, I spent the Saturday 'tarting up' the car

New mats, cleaned the interior and repaired a couple of very small scratches on the bumper, so I could gain access to all the doors I moved the car to the front of the drive, when I'd finished I locked it but left in at the front (big mistake)

My daughter left for work at 7 am on Sunday, but came back into the house and shouted up to me that my hazard lights were flashing, so I got up opened our front door and pointed the key at it, nothing happened so I wandered to the car opened the door of the car and was shocked to see inside (picture below)

Steering wheel media center built in Sat Nav and half the dash board had gone!

Now, the fun began, cant speak to insurance company had to file a claim online and wait!

The Police were informed and sent a CSI chap out to take finger prints DNA samples etc

The police seemed more concerned making me aware of victim support rather than investigating the crime, but I'm probably being unfair on them!

The CSI guy said that they'd been another spate of these attacks recently, he said they'd probably followed me home and cloned the key, because it was 5 years old it wasn't fully connected, so they could get in but not start it, had it been newer the car would probably have just been nicked!

As it turned out it would probably have been better as where the car was left, (by me) was blocking Mandy's car in the drive!

The car was going nowhere, electric hand break on all wheels locked, and the message on the screen said see owner manual to start car!  I dont think so!    

Monday came, I drove my daughter to work 20 miles away in her car then came back so Mandy could use the car to go work (she is an ANP and also runs Covid clinics)

So once a 3 car family, we were now only one!

Insurance company rang at 1.30 pm, and at first I thought this is going well, apart from being offered £75 for my built in Sat Nav, I explained it was part of the car but she didn't seem to understand eventually she took advice and came back saying she got it wrong, it was part of the car and not personal belongings

She said that the repairers would collect the car tomorrow and bring a hire car, when I explained the situation with my wife's  car and the fact she was a nurse running covid clinics and couldn't get to work they agreed to get the RAC to collect it that day

To cut a long story short, the car wasn't removed for 4 days as they kept sending the wrong breakdown truck!

I explained to insurers, repairers and RAC that I need this car back for my holiday but all they did was blame each other!

Then one week before my holiday, and just 1 day after me telling them to take their time as there was no chance of me getting the car back and I will need to take the hire car on holiday they decided to write it off!

I'd been ringing them all every day for 3 weeks!

Yup a 5 year old Merc with a few bits missing was now un-repairable, and they wanted the hire car back!

I blew my top at them!

I bought that car 6 months old for £21.5k, it was immaculate but I had put a few miles on the clock, they gave me £12,000 for it, but it was worth more that that to me

So a quick glance at Autotrader, it the hit me that to get a similar car with the necessary goodies the same age as the Merc was when I bought it was going to set me back not far short of £30k

Although I could afford to, I just couldn't justify spending that kind of money on a car!

So I found this Volvo V70, just a couple of miles away same age as the Merc but only 22k miles (it had been a motorbility car) cost me £4k plus the insurance pay out and I could get it now, which was the important bit

So I thought it fits my requirements it had all the goodies and more and it'll do me for a couple of years while I decide what to do

The whole situation has left me exhausted and very disappointed in the level of service you get from people today

The thieves managed to take the parts out in the darkness only a few feet from our bedroom window, but a specialist firm couldn't put the necessary bits back in it to make it go in 3 weeks!  

 

 

 

 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

Feel your pain having once got rammed in the side by a lady who claimed she was distracted by her baby in the back seat and therefore didnt see me.

Car was worth £15k and insurance company offered £8k, when questioned they sent me a link to the nearest matching car found on autotrader, that car was three years older with almost twice the mileage!

Legalised robbery.

[oldgregg]

Yeah, unfortunately GAP insurance is pretty much a necessity these days unless buying a £500 banger.

I'm not quite sure how we got to the point where book value is complete nonsense and there's a need to have insurance on your insurance, but it seems to be where we are at.

[annv]

Hi Tim unfortunately inertia parts are not available once car is out of build you can/could ask them to replace like with like, there is userly a sub section in your policy informing you of there right to do this, in a total loss claim,  alternatively you can buy the right off and get it repaired  your self. Afraid it is a very imperfect world. John

[BroadAmbition]

The silver grey vinyl bands on the front of Trevor were no longer uniform in shade with some uv damage apparent.

On contacting Ford, the price was far from cheap and that was supply only

So I contacted my chap who I have used in the past and who supplied the magnetic advertising pads.  He assured me he could supply / fix far cheaper as long as I removed the original silver vinyl which I did, took me an age though, much patience required.

New graphics supplied / applied today £45:00  Bargain.

I am feeling confident there won't be another van out there the same which makes it somewhat stand-out / unique

Griff

 

[Scotty]

On 07/07/2021 at 00:34, BroadAmbition said:

As some will be aware the price of second hand vans has recently gone through the roof.  My Trevor is now worth more than what I bought it for, incredible.  I used to be bothered about tools and the like getting stolen out of it, nowadays I'm more concerned with having the whole van nicked.

For peace of mind I have done something about it.  Got an upgraded deadlock fitted along with three s/steel plates designed to stop the wiring loom being cut.  Having viewed on youtube just how easy it is to break into the Custom Transits

The outfit came to where I was working today and fitted the four items, two lads, took them just 20 mins and they were done.  Cost me £340:00 but it's peace of mind

If you want a fright, put your own car into youtube search engine and see if it is vulnerable and more importantly how to stop it being lifted.  We also use faraday boxes to keep both vehicle keys in overnight

Griff

 

 

Good evening griff if you already have the steering wheel deadlock have you thought about getting the ones for the peddles locks completely around them also it's what I had on my van both wheel and peddle deadlocks 

[ScrumpyCheddar]

28 minutes ago, Scotty said:

Good evening griff if you already have the steering wheel deadlock have you thought about getting the ones for the peddles locks completely around them also it's what I had on my van both wheel and peddle deadlocks 

There brilliant I had one on my VWT5 a Dub Lock 🔐 

[Scotty]

56 minutes ago, ScrumpyCheddar said:

There brilliant I had one on my VWT5 a Dub Lock 🔐 

They are brilliant combined with the wheel lock

[OldBerkshireBoy]

This had me in stiches, so funny.

 

[OldBerkshireBoy]

 

[ChrisB]

Ten Years Ago Today:-

The 50th E Type anniversary run to Cromer, birth place of Malcolm Sayer, the Automotive Aerodynamist who gave the car that wonderful shape causing no less than Enzo Ferrari to call it the most beautiful car in the World!

Incredible that some 3.8 Mk1s are now 60 years old.

Malcolm Sayer 1916 -1970.

[Turnoar]

I’m glad you posted this Chris because I was aware of the Norfolk connection with Jaguar and had often wondered if it was Malcolm Sayer who might have dropped into the Pleasure Boat a few years earlier for what I believe to be an opportunist publicity shot for project Utah aka the jag saloon. If you were deliberately going for a waterside location why aim the lens at the pub?

 I picked this up from Aronline a few years ago but the landlady of the time never mentioned it and believe you me if Jaguar has planned it She my great aunt would have have told me several hundred times over!

My dad had a mkII in the 70s oil crisis, my brother has flogged loads of XJs for Mann Egerton and I had the Daimler 250 V8 version for my wedding car in ‘morse’ red. An E Type I can still only dream of...