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Post by Penguin45 on Jun 30, 2014 0:00:45 GMT
   I suppose....... in the fullness of time....... No, can't see it. With the Chinese production, it's apparently the most numerous car in the world - millions of the little blighters out there. Possibly the motoring equivalent of a cheap washing machine - I can relate to that. There is also a slight point of principle involved. MrsP bought it, MrsP likes it and MrsP knows absolutely nothing about cars whatsoever. Therefore, it will survive, as a leverage point, if nothing else. Chris.
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Post by Penguin45 on Jul 17, 2014 23:25:03 GMT
Thursday was sweltering in Yeadon. Strange to relate, the phone didn't ring, so no work to do. We do have other vehicles, so I dealt with the squealy front brakes on the Fiat Ulysse. Just changed the pads, so cleaned everything, goodly dollops of copper slip all round and all was well. Then MrsP pointed out the large pile of bits for the box trailer which she bought when I wasn't looking (Honest!). Number plate, bracket for the breakaway cable and a new jockey wheel assembly were all duly attached in 28ºC temperatures. Then I went to sleep for 4 hours. How David copes out in Thailand is quite beyond me - perhaps he was a lizard in a previous life. Chris. |
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Post by dave1800 on Jul 18, 2014 0:40:31 GMT
There are certainly plenty of lizards here and they mainly come out at night as it is too hot even for them and their prey in the daytime. It took me about a couple of months to adapt to the heat although I still cannot understand how the locals work non-stop on building sites when it is 40C, I take cover when the temperatures are above 36C close to body heat. You just have to get used to doing no more than half an hour outside at the time. It's often a cool 28C in the early morning and if it falls below 25C the hairs on my arm stand up just as they would back home at 5C!. I have an elderly English neighbour who only complains when the temperature goes over 100F (38C for you younger readers)! What are you going to use the spot welder for? I thought MOT regs required seam welding for repairs although I guess whole panels like wings are exempt or would not be noticed? Enjoy the heatwave, they never last very long in Yorkshire  David Thursday was sweltering in Yeadon ..... Then I went to sleep for 4 hours. How David copes out in Thailand is quite beyond me - perhaps he was a lizard in a previous life. Chris. |
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Post by Penguin45 on Jul 25, 2014 23:09:17 GMT
MrsP has driven the Ulysse full of 7 teenagers plus trailer full of camping gear for 10 teenagers from Leeds to Shepton Mallet and successfully burnt out the clutch. I'm kind of speechless, really. Shepton Mallet does seem to have a few garages, so it's a bit more than a dot on the map, and hopefully it'll get repaired during the week they're down there.
Chris.
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Post by dave1800 on Jul 26, 2014 1:05:05 GMT
What a pain. Hope she can find somewhere to get it fixed. I remember they do drink a lot of scrumpy down there. Don't you have breakdown cover? regards David MrsP has driven the Ulysse full of 7 teenagers plus trailer full of camping gear for 10 teenagers from Leeds to Shepton Mallet and successfully burnt out the clutch. I'm kind of speechless, really. Shepton Mallet does seem to have a few garages, so it's a bit more than a dot on the map, and hopefully it'll get repaired during the week they're down there. Chris. |
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Post by Nick RS on Jul 26, 2014 7:48:42 GMT
Hope the job's less involved than for a Landcrab
Nick
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Post by Penguin45 on Jul 26, 2014 9:12:02 GMT
I've got a couple of recommendations for local garages and there's a week to fix it in, so we'll try and get it done down there.
As far as I know, it's all done from underneath by a couple of big strong mechanics, so that's me out of the picture straight away.
She's got AA cover if the worst comes to the worst. They probably won't like the trailer though.
Chris.
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Post by Penguin45 on Aug 29, 2015 20:19:31 GMT
I've been doing clutches again.  That's a proper collapsed thrust bearing!  Did the clutch properly - new plate and cover. Took half of yesterday and almost all of today. No access, all very very awkward. Ady and I can't get the box back on.    We've had enough. Battle will re-commence on Monday. Off to a show at Ripon racecourse tomorrow. Chris. |
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Post by Penguin45 on Aug 31, 2015 23:49:55 GMT
Well, the Ripon Show was good fun. All Wolseley Owners Club, so not a lot for us 'Crabbers to admire. I definitely paid for Saturdays manic activity - by 1pm I'd completely run out of steam and found a comfy chair.
Monday, Mark (Snoopy11) of this parish came over and we set about round 2. There was no way that that gearbox was going back on. Pulled clutch cover and plate. Offered plate up tio gearbox shaft. Yup, wrong splines. Time is an issue, so the lightly worn plate we removed is now back in. Did it go back together? Didit'eckaslike. BIG crowbar sort of helped. In the end, we finished up with a scissor jack down the end of the gearbox and quite literally cranked it back on. Which was nice.
It's a staggeringly badly organised bit of design. Take the starter motor. (Please). Two people working on the car. Only the man on top of the engine can fit the bottom bolt for the starter motor. He has to rely on the man underneath going "Up a bit, left, down" etc. But - only the man underneath the car can tighten the bolt, if the man on top steers the socket and extension bar home. And, he can't see the bolt head. So - the man on top of the engine can put the top bolt in place, but only the man underneath can exert any leverage to it, one click at a time, before the man on top takes over and cranks it home. If it comes off the bolt head, the man at the bottom has to put it back.
The whole thing is like that - complete and total nightmare. Just the nearside suspension and roll bar to go back now. Might have it finished by lunchtime tomorrow.
Book says the whole job should take three hours. 36 man hours so far...... Never again.
Chris.
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Post by Penguin45 on Sept 2, 2015 15:13:54 GMT
Got this finished today. Actually had it all re-assembled yesterday, but the starter motor wouldn't. I managed to find the untightened engine earth strap this morning, nipped it up and the starter motor spun back to life. Took it out for a spin. Gears changing nicely, clutch quite light and gentle, then a horrible knocking noise started. Back into the garage to find the gearbox mounting had rotted apart. Out with the welder.... 'Tis done.
Chris.
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Post by Penguin45 on Sept 13, 2015 17:35:11 GMT
Twin 2 drives - Twin 1 does not. In a gesture of brotherly love, 2 drove 1 back to Staffordshire University yesterday. Matiz stuffed to the gunnels, Dad suitably tapped up for a tank of petrol and off they went. Early evening, MrsP receives a text saying that 2 "might have scratched the car on the gatepost at 1's new digs, just a little bit". Waited until 10.30pm - no sign, so went to pub. Came back from pub to find Matiz parked across front of garage. Twin 2 is nowhere to be found....
Had a look at it in daylight - big dent in the middle of the F/N/S door, and another one at the rear edge, running into the rear door. I've pulled it into the garage and dealt with it - bit of hammering, bit of filling and a blow over with some paint. Got it starting to look decent when 2 appeared, rather crest fallen and apologetic. Then he says, "It pulls left quite vigorously".
Check tyre pressures. F/O/S 28psi, F/N/S 18psi. Hmm. Blew them up to 30 psi, like wot they're meant to be.
Kids.
Chris.
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Post by tripplescrew on Sept 13, 2015 18:46:11 GMT
So its your fault he(scratched) hit the gatepost for not checking the tyre pressures were correct! Kids Chris if I had done that to my dads car I think I would have been seeking asylum in Syria would have been safer.
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Post by Penguin45 on Sept 13, 2015 19:54:12 GMT
Bound to be my fault... Mind you that's what the Matiz is for. Imagine if he'd been out in one of the 'Crabs! He'd probably never have come home again!
Chris.
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Post by Nick RS on Sept 14, 2015 16:22:01 GMT
To be honest that's a good event. A nice low speed incident with no lasting harm done helps to teach respect for what you have control over. I remember spinning a car on ice when I was a teenager, didn't hit a thing but it put the wind up me enough to be careful on such surfaces in the future and to remember it clearly to this day.
Nick
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Post by dave1800 on Sept 15, 2015 0:15:33 GMT
I think I would have been made to repair the damage, but times were harder when I grew up and caning was not just acceptable but expected if you misbehaved at school or at home!
D
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