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106

General Car Chat / Thanks greatly Johnnydog

« on: 19 October 2018, 11:49:39 »

The parts have arrived safely and all complete, as they should have done with your really impressive packaging!!

I love also the origins of the plastic, over the radiator, covers!  When I attend the Kent Police Training College again next month my car will feel quite at home!  Indeed, I will be asking my friends and contacts there to let me have a few more spare parts, like sirens, blue lights, etc, to really complete the package!!

Many thanks again!

107

General Discussion Area / Serek is a star

« on: 04 October 2018, 20:52:58 »

Just got back from my trip to Serek's garage in Huntingdon.

He did everything I was hoping for, and a bit more with the replacement of a lower engine pulley and an oil seal, all for the price he quoted me!

He even took the car for a test drive with me in it to see that everything was fine; how many other garages do that?  He also pointed out that the front brakes need doing, but everything else was fine .

He had found though that the timing (last done by Vx) was out!!

Lovely guy who was keen to give me the best possible service.  Excellent, and now would highly recommend to others!

Ron; I passed on your good wishes!

Set off at 0430 hours (so like my professional days!!), with only real hold-up on the M20 with a lorry blocking one section of motorway after an accident. But arrived, after a Services break, at 0800. Overall though a great journey up there when I achieved 33.9 mpg, the highest I have recorded; but I was driving at a steady speed of around 50-60 mph.  Most unlike me!!

Had plenty of coffee in the Dunelm restaurant and read half of a book I have been meaning to read for the last 8 years; Doherty. R. Normandy 1944 The Road To Victory Spellmount (2004), after reading many others on the subject!  So a great result all round

108

Omega General Help / In the Major Service deep end again

« on: 24 September 2018, 18:34:43 »

I have a 3.2 with individual power packs across 3 spark plugs on each bank. I need urgently one of the rubber sleeves that go on top of each plug.  Anyone get a spare please?

I need that as I did what so many have recommended I should do; carryout my own servicing again to save money away from using the Vx dealer. So I swollowed my pride, and have done what I said I wouldn't do in my "wishbone" post

Trouble is as I was closing up one bank of plugs the rubber sleeve disappeared, and that was after everything that could go wrong did go wrong!!  It started so well with the oil and filter change going ever so smoothly, although the first odd thing or two was that the Allen key I had to use on the sump plug, and the socket on the oil filter housing, was Imperial sizes; never encountered that before on my previous miggies!

Anyway, if anyone can send me a spare rubber sleeve please PM for my address and costs.

Many thanks

109

Omega General Help / Front wishbone bush replacement

« on: 16 September 2018, 19:20:37 »

I need to replace both my front wishbone bushes.  How hard is it to do please?

I have read somewhere it can be easier, and cheaper overall, to replace the wishbones complete with bushes already fitted.  Is that true?

Thanks

110

General Car Chat / Jacking an Omega

« on: 15 September 2018, 14:56:43 »

Some time ago there was a post on here discussing how to jack up an Omega whilst using axle stands.

A number said it could not be easily done, if at all, whilst I said it could be.

Well, here you go, this is proof of how I do it:



For those very H&S aware: There is space for another axle stand once you remove the trolley jack

111

Test Zone / Test

« on: 15 September 2018, 14:52:51 »

112

Omega General Help / O/s brake oscillation/fluctuation

« on: 14 September 2018, 20:23:40 »

Back in January my car passed the MOT, but an advisory stated that there was an oscalliation/fluctuation on both o/s front and o/s rear brakes.

Decided now I better get to investigating the situation.  The brakes though work fine, unless braking from high speed when I can feel some "fluctuation".

Any thoughts or suggestions please?

113

General Car Chat / Ford Crown Victoria

« on: 28 August 2018, 09:55:42 »

Ever since my ex and I rented a Ford Crown Victoria back in 1990 during one of our holidays in the States, with all the comfort, technology and big 5 litre engine you could want then, I have wanted one.

Another thread by an American member about importing a British Omega to the USA reminded me of my old wish, and I have just found these ex-police "interceptors" on Ebay:

https://www.ebay.com/bhp/ford-crown-victoria-police-interceptor

They are not exactly cheap, but by golly they are very tempting. With the Californian examples, as mentioned in the advert, they are rust free due to the climate, and then there are all the police extras on them..........

114

General Discussion Area / Questions will be asked - Bridge Collapse

« on: 14 August 2018, 17:33:19 »

"Dozens" could be dead it is reported after a motorway bridge collapse in Genoa:

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-45183690

Questions will surely be asked about how a modern bridge could spectacularly disintegrate.

115

General Discussion Area / Mary Ellis - Last of the Spitfire Girls

« on: 26 July 2018, 18:36:34 »

I make no apologies in repeating my post in the "Dead Person" thread, as I believe this brave individual deserves a full mention in a separate thread as the last of the Spitfire girls who has just died at the grand age of 101. She was one of a number of very brave women of the wartime ATA who delivered aircraft from the factories to where they were needed.

Mary Ellis delivered no less than 400+ Spitfires, and 76 other types of aircraft including Wellington bombers.  To do that in unarmed planes with the Luftwaffe always ready to pounce was probably the bravest acts of all those who flew in WW2.  A real women who made all the difference and set the scene for women flying fast jets, the top rated fighters of today. She and her colleagues, make no mistake, made a great difference to the RAF's ability to fight off the Luftwaffe swarms over Great Britain, and especially my part of the country whose skies were filled 78 years ago by a very real menace.  What the likes of Mary did was allow the men to have their crucial fighters, such as the Spitfire, and give them the means to stop us having now, in 2018, speaking German as our national language, and us not having a democracy. They were that crucial.

Amy Johnson was also one of those brave women of the ATA, but that famous flyer died in 1941 somewhere in the Thames Estuary whilst flying a Spitfire, demonstrating what a dangerous job it was that she, Mary Ellis, and all the other ATA women undertook to keep the brave men attacking the Luftwaffe.

RIP for a brave women and the last of the ATA

116

General Car Chat / Replaced Rear Seat Belt Anchorage

« on: 03 July 2018, 10:54:48 »

Last Thursday I had to order a replacement rear seat belt anchorage in beige, but managed to order the wrong one.  Instead of the one with two 'live' red button clips, part no. 90493614, I ordered, and received, the one with the 'dummy' clip for the central belt, part no.  90493616

After swearing to myself when it arrived just one day after ordering, I quickly arranged to send the wrong one back and obtain the correct unit; that arrived yesterday, along with credit for the returned unit.  The great guy I dealt with for everything was Steve of omegaspareparts.com. via Ebay.

On the forum he has been mentioned before for his wonderful service and friendly, very helpful, manner, and he certainly did not disappoint me, with me giving 100% positive feedback to add to his existing 100% positive rating.  I am also to warrant a 25% discount on any future orders.

A great result all round!

117

General Discussion Area / Heat - Exploding Fuel Tanks

« on: 29 June 2018, 20:35:20 »

According to my daughter there is a whole discussion going on about the dangers of car fuel tanks exploding in the heat!

Now I told her, in effect, don't be so daft. How do you think people get on with their vehicles in far hotter climates than ours. Like I have known in Malta with temperatures going past 40c, and what about in other climes were the gauge can go up to, and stay at, 40-45c. I've never known any fuel tank to explode due to heat.

I told her it is the typical British stupidity; temp goes to 30c and everything becomes a major crises out of nothing, like a dusting of snow! 

Has anyone else heard of this nonsense?

 

118

General Discussion Area / 100,000 Lighting Strikes

« on: 29 May 2018, 18:49:16 »

Do you remember the Beatles lyric "four thousand holes in Blackburn, Lancashire" in the song A day in the Life from their 1967 Sgt Pepper's Album?

Well.............the weather people are telling us there have been 100,000 lightening strikes over the last few days, mainly in the South.  Like with the 4,000 holes in Blackburn, how do they know?

Does someone, or a whole crowd of people across the country actually sit counting them?

I await your interesting comments, with humour please!!

119

General Discussion Area / Justice, what justice?

« on: 27 April 2018, 20:13:35 »

Another example of a ridiculously inadequate sentence given to someone who should be locked away for life (or hung very painfully!):

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-coventry-warwickshire-43926623

9 years ( serving 4.5 no doubt) for what should be murder given the circumstances of the many crimes committed by this (fit for TB's cull) bastard!!!!!!

I can't say anymore, and can only just imagine what the parents of the two little boys are going through

120

General Car Chat / Pleasing solution

« on: 10 April 2018, 17:16:36 »

Not for the first time with my past Omega's, and now with my existing one, both key fobs have given up the ghost with the integral clip that is meant to stop the yoke separating from the main battery compartment, usually when you are pulling the key out of the ignition.

So I came up with a simple fix.  1mm hole drilled carefully into one of the sides of the yoke (the side without the chip), and a shallow (not penetrating) corresponding hole in the side of the battery compartment, and the two sections put together with an ex-electrical switch cable brass grub screw neatly screwed in to hold both together.  Simples!