OV9

You also want heat away from the valve when it's stopped as you get carbonisation of the oil.

When the ventilation isn't sufficient you will have turbo bearing issues and valve guide seal issues. We also have valve seat issues but we have water cooled exhaust seats.

Same problem, different sizes.

Dave!

I am using Hebridean weather to extract heat.

Today’s job

Did the Tesla rear brakes and lower control arms. Top bolts were a faff to remove, I thought there must be another way and looked online and the official way is to remove the subframe.
Luckily the whole thing is made of thin pressed metal so I just yanked the old arm out and shoved the new one in and it all had enough compliance to work out. Better than removing the subframe…


Did the X5 lower control arms, the beefier ones in the picture. This was much easier than I was expecting it to be as the bolts looked very rusty but the baby Jesus decided to bless me today.

This finally leaves the Mito as the only broken car. However it’s a rusty POS and I really don’t wanna touch it

I've been chasing oil leaks on the Beetle today, they aren't bad but it does like to mark its territory. I don't think you'll ever cure them completely on a car of this age without removing the engine for a complete strip down and rebuild but hopefully I can improve it. Today I've replaced the rocker cover gaskets which are made from your finest cork and given the oil strainer gaskets, nuts and washers the once over

There is also a smelly gearbox oil leak which seems to be mainly coming from the rear axle boots so I've ordered a pair of those. It's a bit of a fiddly job with the engine and box in the car as space is limited

Mini is booked in for a new turbo, which will be about £1500

Mustang a little more tricky. No-one locally to me is interested in getting it in for repair. It's hardly an exotic engine, but I think the prospect of having it kicking around while waiting for parts from the USA is off-putting.

So it's booked in with Modurstang 4 weeks from now. Going to pay to have it recovered there and they should have it in and out pretty quickly.

Alex88 wrote: Mon May 11, 2026 7:49 pm Mini is booked in for a new turbo, which will be about £1500

new? Refurb?

How many miles has that Mini done?! I think I'd have set fire to it by now.

I have been close to binning the fucking thing!

But when it's working, it's a great car and highly competent all rounder. It's just a shame that BMW make critical engine components out of plastic. It's a 2016 car on 97k.

That quote is for a reconditioned turbo, supplied and fitted plus a few ancillary bits to go along with it. Having said that, another BMW specialist has given me a quote for £900, again, re-con turbo. That's more like it...

BMW want £3k just for the turbo

I am a bit conscious that I'm throwing good money after bad, but, since it came back from repair after dumping all its coolant and overheating, it's running sweet despite the lack of boost.

Just have to hope it isn't an endless cycle of 'after this repair, that should be it' as money circles down the drain..

Well this is something of a damp squib after treating the Tesla to new brakes


Seems like the main fuse is on the way out. DIYable easily enough, just need some insulated sockets but I don’t like messing about with the main battery on this car from an error code perspective.

Simon wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 1:11 pm

That's what I was going to say.

DeskJockey wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 1:26 pm

Simon wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 1:11 pm

That's what I was going to say.

It’s just power for the course.

Mito Man wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 12:41 pm need some insulated sockets

Things I didn’t previously know existed #eleventy

Good to see they are as use-limitingly chunky as they are expensive.

mik wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 1:55 pm

Mito Man wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 12:41 pm need some insulated sockets

Things I didn’t previously know existed #eleventy

Good to see they are as use-limitingly chunky as they are expensive.

Honestly I thought I'll just wrap my socket in duct tape. Then I saw a video showing it's at 170 volts

928 is running a little warmer now the fans aren't running continuously. It seems to have coincided with return of the mysterious hot start issue I had. It will almost catch but never start unless I plant the throttle to the floor. My money's on either a leaky injector or a duff fuel pressure regulator. I'm hoping it isn't the FPR as the ones for the 1987 model are unique. I was planning on replacing the injectors with a couple of sets of MGF ones as they have a better spray pattern and yield more power and better (relatively) fuel economy. I haven't got time before Ireland to do anything about it so it'll have to wait.

Rear axle boots changed on the Beetle, a bit of a faff as you are working in a very space limited area. Hopefully that’s one leak cured but it takes a few days to drip out and then work its way down the various components on its way to the floor. Not bad for sixty years old although I’m guessing it’s a bit like triggers broom

mik wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 1:53 pm

DeskJockey wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 1:26 pm

Simon wrote: Tue May 12, 2026 1:11 pm

That's what I was going to say.

It’s just power for the course.

It was good but I won't put you on a pedal stool.

If we keep with the puns we’ll all get tied with the same brush.

Give me more - I’m on tender hooks here

It’s a bit of a mute point.