Your fleet running reports

[Sundayjumper]

Problem In Chair, Not In Computer

[DeskJockey]

Ah. Know that as PEBKAC.

[Rich B]

Problem In Chair, Not In Computer

I didn't need to amend the section c for "car"!

[tim]

Jag-wah XJ8wned by Rust Edition

So in a fit of ham-fistedness, whilst attempting to replace one of the engine bay covers without undoing the adjoining one properly, I managed to snap off the end of a coolant overflow return line. Feck.




Fortunately, the replacement part was £11 from Berkshire Jags. Unfortunately the car was parked in front of my garage and I needed to move it, without pissing all the coolant out. After some discussion with my Dad we reckoned plugging it off would be fine for some localised driveway manouvreing, and so it was.

It turned up today and replacing it was a simple affair, after I'd figured out how these wierd-ass little clips work.



There's probably a special Jag tool, but a pair of pliars and a thin screwderiver got them off.

At the same time I ordered a factory-spec windscreen wiper. You can buy "almost" wipers from the usual places, including the Bosch one that was on it, but they don't sit properly because of the odd curve of the screen. Proper ones are super cheap, much cheaper than usual replacement wipers, if you know where to find them. Berkshire Jag, of course.

I'll probably have a convo with the garage this week about getting it booked in and properly fixed.

Rover 45 year old virgin edition

Has a slow puncture. Arse. The tyres are about 60% worn, Landsail's on the front and Goodride's on the back. No, me either. I was hoping to avoid springing for a new set of tyres, because that'll be a good 30% of it's value in one hit, but may be unavoidable now.

The replacement aerial base and bee sting aerial turned up, which was a simple fit. I may have the door cards off this week, as the windows start to bind when they get almost down. Enough to stop the one-touch drop.

I put £70 of fuel in it today, which hurt!

[JonMad]

Swapped the front and rear wheels of the Yeti to even out the tyre wear. Will replace the CrossClimates with CrossCliamtes 2s when it's due, which will probably be in about a year.
Have decided I prefer studs and nuts to bolts. And lightweight 15" wheels to heavy 17" ones.

[mik]

I hate those clips @tim . Always put a Jubilee on when I have to remove one.

[tim]

Yeah that's a good shout. Given how brittle the pipe was - I tested the other end on the defunct part and it snapped very easily - I might do the others, and replace all the clips as a minor maintenance job post-fixup.

[V8Granite]

I hate those clips @tim . Always put a Jubilee on when I have to remove one.

On small pipes those are far better.

You can get much better fittings but the normal style of small jubilee clip doesn’t make a perfect circle when tight so doesn’t seal as well. Also those type of clips keep an even pressure on whether hot or cold. It’s why manufacturers use them.

On larger pipes I’ll fit jubilee clips but if I had a good supply of quality spring clips I’d use them instead.

I only recently learnt this as I’d always replaced them with Jubilees.

Dave!

[IanF]

I hate those clips @tim . Always put a Jubilee on when I have to remove one.

That a type of dress Mik?

[Jobbo]

Have decided I prefer studs and nuts to bolts. And lightweight 15" wheels to heavy 17" ones.

And 4 studs to 5? I've ordered one of those spider wheelbraces to try to make my job a bit quicker switching to winter wheels this year. Next year I'll probably get an impact driver.

[integrale_evo]

I have this set for hose clips and it does everything I need. Seem to remember being about half that price from eBay
HFS (R) 9pc Deluxe Flexible Hose Clamp Plier Assortment Kit Flexible Tool Set

3rd from left on the bottom row is for those little clips. One way round to remove, the other way to refit

[mik]

I hate those clips @tim . Always put a Jubilee on when I have to remove one.

That a type of dress Mik?

ITS NOT A DRESS, ITS A KILT (YEC).

[V8Granite]

I have this set for hose clips and it does everything I need. Seem to remember being about half that price from eBay
HFS (R) 9pc Deluxe Flexible Hose Clamp Plier Assortment Kit Flexible Tool Set

3rd from left on the bottom row is for those little clips. One way round to remove, the other way to refit

I have the exact same kit, can be fiddly to put on but far far less than trying to contort some pliers underneath an inlet manifold and not drop them.

Dave!

[Jobbo]

Yeti booked in to have Carplay activated on the head unit next week (only taken a year and two attempts to use Heritage Skoda in Gloucester who were utterly inept - I shall praise the dealer who does it after it's been done).

Fourth winter wheel/tyre for the Audi still stuck in a courier and customs system glitch

Jimny MOT needs doing but it's currently too full of unopened Lego boxes to move it out of the garage. Kittens displaced the Lego storage in the spare room

Mini is not doing anything, new battery and cam angle sensor waiting to be fitted when my stepdaughter actually bothers to do some revision for her theory test and pass it.

[IanF]

I hate those clips @tim . Always put a Jubilee on when I have to remove one.

That a type of dress Mik?

ITS NOT A DRESS, ITS A KILT (YEC).

I bet you look lovely (jubilee)

[Nic]

Getting there





A little lower than standard so I’m really pleased with the ride height. When it gets the respray I’m going to find a 10mm or so deep rubber lip on the front bumper as it was close to kerbs etc before and will be a bit closer now. Plus I think it’ll give it a slightly more aggressive look.

MOT and air-con next. Just needs a re-gas, maybe.

Dave!

Epic.

[Matty]

Huzzah - 4C is back on the road MOT also passed with flying.

Alternator internals refurbished, and it had also cracked the outer casing so in total, £165, which isn't bad, and much cheaper than the £380 for a new one. Car seems quieter, so the alternator had clearly been unfit for quite a while. First time I've driven it in 5 weeks, forgot how FQ it was.

[Delphi]

928 update -

2 new rear shocks
new ARB bushings
hard brake lines cleaned up and soft lines replaced
hard fuel lines cleaned up and undersealed
new ABS sensor

Next up is the A/C compressor and the HVAC vacuum leak, followed by the the N/S door mirror then it should just be respray and interior left to do.

[DeskJockey]

928 update -

2 new rear shocks
new ARB bushings
hard brake lines cleaned up and soft lines replaced
hard fuel lines cleaned up and undersealed
new ABS sensor

Next up is the A/C compressor and the HVAC vacuum leak, followed by the the N/S door mirror then it should just be respray and interior left to do.

"Just"?

[NGRhodes]

Set of Avon All Seasons fitted to the Previa today for a little over £320 (215/60/16), ATS have £55 off until end of the month (strangely advertised as £50 off), making them by far the cheapest mid range all season tyre I could get (in stock this week) and they do comparatively well in tyre reviews own all season test.

Previa is proving to be pleasingly economical (50 mpg on a trip to Whitby yesterday via the North York Moors), humorously huge (fits an ironing board across the floor of the middle row seats) and un surprisingly slow (can only just out accelerate a regular transit van).