Bling's new toy C service

[Sparky]

Removed the pipe today and located a minute pinhole, just visible here with the pipe full of water.  Replacement is hoped to arrive tomorrow.

Also, the RH chassis pipe isn't very good.  That's a big job, so for the moment it gets patched up.  Applied a layer of J-B Weld to a piece of hose, and tightened it down with clips.  It's not a huge problem right now, so I expect this solution to hold for a long time.  I don't like doing this, but at least it's documented.

(Yes, I straightened that clip after this pic.)

The undertray was (barely) held on with a sparse and curiously diverse collection of fasteners, including simple screws and a 17mm bolt!  I did the best I could to secure it with some better stuff, but the big bolt stays as it's very effective.

So, all now depends on the mail system.  If it gets here early enough, then Spyros may be able to collect tomorrow.

[Bling]

Great job Sparky and many thanks. Looks like I will be able to enjoy it for a while before visiting again next year. I have only driven it two days so hoping to get out in it a few more times before winter sets in. Hopefully I can pick it up by Monday at the latest depending on the mail person. You'll be glad to get it off your drive !

 

[Sparky]

New pipe received, fitted, and leaking.  FML.

Pinholes in this one as well - extremely tiny, but can be seen beading after a few minutes under pressure.  So, round 3.

On the upside, my fix to the main pipe seems to have worked well.

Unfortunately Spyros won't be seeing his car for a few more days.  This car has finally driven me to drink.  The serious stuff.

[tomcattom]

Apprentice welder been tasked with making those pipes?

[Sparky]

Gawd knows!  Unfortunate, but I think just a bad week for the guy.

[Sparky]

Three's a charm, and it's sorted!

The car gave me one final Up Yours whilst checking the carbs at running temp.  No.1 mixture screw found in this state:

Fortunately the carbs are pretty well-balanced despite this, but it'll need addressing in future.

Spyros plans to pick it up on Saturday.  Not sure which of us will be happier!

 

[Dave Eds]

Will he remember which one it is @Sparky......

[Sparky]

Which Saturday, which carb or which of us will be happier?

BTW it's carb no.4, whoops.

[Bling]

It has been a while. I only drove it for 2 days before dropping it off with Sparky. Good to know it has had a thorough service and going over though. A few bits left to do next time 😉

Very grateful for Sparky's patience with my new toy

[Sparky]

Spyros picked it up today, and managed about 4 miles before having to call me!

He noticed a big cloud of smoke behind him and pulled into the first available lay-by.  I fired up the breakdown Vauxhall and shot up there.  Oil filler cap had come off, and a fair amount of oil had sprayed over the engine.  After several litres of high pressure brake cleaner, 60 metres of blue roll and a 10W60 topup, we ran it for 15 minutes or so, all appeared good, and Spyros was on his way with a promise to let me know as soon as he arrives home.

The last thing I did before the shake-down drive the other day was to top up the oil.  So, I can only imagine I didn't fully secure the cap.  Mea Culpa.  Spyros was incredibly decent about my faux pas.

So, a sober warning to anyone thinking of getting me to look at their car.  I'm a loose cannon.  Guess I'll just have to retire.

[Chillidoggy]

"Guess I'll just have to retire."

💩

[Sparky]

It's all part of my cunning exit plan.

[Bling]

I guess the latest challenge posed by my new baby. We all make mistakes and sparky was quick to react and his put on his best impression of an AA man. 
 

Luckily Sparky managed to clean most of the oil and no more smoking on the way home. 
 

Initially, seeing smoke billowing through the rear view mirror just behind my head, I thought the engine had caught fire 🔥 

I was relieved to see it was caused by the oil landing on the exhaust. 
 

The next challenge will be finding some petrol as the yellow petrol light started to come on when navigating bends in the last two miles. 

[Sparky]

That means you have at least 3 gallons left!

[Bling]

Just enough to roam the country for petrol stations with petrol and then sit in a loooong queue 🙃

[MPx]

3 hours ago, Sparky said:

It's all part of my cunning exit plan.

Won't wash I'm afraid Sparky - no more qualifies you than stuffing pencils up your nose.  On one Friday night in the dark ages before Sparky I picked up Lionel from a very reputable Lotus specialist having had its annual service.  Next day was a Pistonheads drive out through Cheddar Gorge.  I arrived to a crowded car park of enthusiasts billowing smoke for exactly the same reason - oil filler cap not in place.  Thanks for that...not embarrassing at all and further cemented some of the playground prejudices.  Easy to refit the cap of course but I hadn't taken either brake cleaner or blue roll so had to put up with smoking for the rest of the day. 

[Sparky]

Wibble.

[pete]

2 hours ago, Sparky said:

That means you have at least 3 gallons left!

You couldn't get it all out then

[Dave Eds]

Reminds me of @Dave Freeman trying to burn me and @martynv alive..

[martynv]

11 hours ago, Dave Eds said:

Reminds me of @Dave Freeman trying to burn me and @martynv alive..

Yes, remember that one, a gallon on petrol on the floor and a parafin heater 🧨. Turn it off...... Oh Ok then 😊

[greentengu]

What a journey—whee!

As I’m currently taking my front cooling system apart for rubber replacement and radiator inspection, before I forget to ask, what coolant (brand and color, I suppose) was the car refilled with?

And pardon by immense ignorance, but what is the “blue roll” you gents are referring to? My only impression is a roll of blue painters tape, which obviously is not correct 😂.

Just amazing to see the amount of work you put into keeping our cars alive and kicking 😊.

Cheers,

Scott 

[exeterjeep]

I'd say blue roll .....

eg https://www.galleonsupplies.co.uk/forecourt-roll-3-ply-blue-p92/s92?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=galleon-forecourt-roll-3-ply-blue-5312&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&gclid=Cj0KCQjw-4SLBhCVARIsACrhWLXHmWCI7Np0vXSQE4QuEocsgI0tCGDdvfariSnP7CMFoa5tARvngxEaAj6eEALw_wcB

 

I use kitchen roll, borrowed from the kitchen.(and not replaced)

[Chillidoggy]

AKA 'Curry toilet roll' 

[Sparky]

4 hours ago, greentengu said:

What a journey—whee!

As I’m currently taking my front cooling system apart for rubber replacement and radiator inspection, before I forget to ask, what coolant (brand and color, I suppose) was the car refilled with?

And pardon by immense ignorance, but what is the “blue roll” you gents are referring to? My only impression is a roll of blue painters tape, which obviously is not correct 😂.

Just amazing to see the amount of work you put into keeping our cars alive and kicking 😊.

Cheers,

Scott 

Coolant brand depends on availability, but in these it'll generally be blue or maybe green.  I'm not too precious about coolant type in older cars.  Many come to me with virtually none, or incorrect, by which point most of the damage has been done!  I've flushed some amazing muck out of cooling systems, one in particular recently that was gross.

[greentengu]

Ahhhh blue roll: basically what I call “Torx” brand towels! Thank you for the link, exeterjeep 😀. Mystery solved, haha nice imagery I now have in my mind, Chillidoggy 🤣 (only I’d say it’s more like “Taco Bell” toilet roll over here 🤪!).
 

I shall grab some green coolant, then—I’m not exactly an authority on coolants, but what poured out didn’t seem too discolored/brown/rust-tinted (it was a clear greenish yellow, which resembled “Prestone” brand “universal” coolant).

Again, thank you Sparky, Chillidoggy, and exeterjeep!

Cheers,

Scott