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35011

General Discussion Area / Re: Ronnie project 2007/2 another update

« on: 30 April 2007, 21:01:31 »

The pipe is the EGR feed from the manifold, is it not?

I've heard LPG runs cleaner than petrol so maybe it's done the lion's share of that mileage on gas. If it's been on petrol if certainly hasn't had the VX recommended service intervals because the dirty oil would have stained the ali head by now I reckon. That head looks like it's just come out of an acid bath!

Kevin

35012

General Discussion Area / Re: Ronnie project 2007/2 another update

« on: 30 April 2007, 20:18:45 »

Note how clean the cams and area are.

The internals of that engine do look lovely and clean. What's the mileage?

I wonder if that's a consequence of it running on LPG?

Kevin

35013

General Discussion Area / Re: Welders - What should I look for?

« on: 01 May 2007, 10:04:48 »

Ahh, OK. Thanks.

I'll make a smaller purchase and see if I can get on their list then!

Kevin

35014

General Discussion Area / Re: Welders - What should I look for?

« on: 01 May 2007, 09:30:32 »

OK. Looks like the Clarke 135TE then.

Meant to ask about the power supply situation. Wouldn't be a problem to put a 32 Amp socket on the wall but sounds like it's not necessary. The socket I have in mind for the welder is connected to the fuse box by about 1.5 m of 2.5mm T&E and the garage has its' own 32 amp breaker so hopefully it'll get a good supply and I won't take out SWMBO's computer!

What is this "VAT free day" of which you speak? Sounds interesting...

Kevin

35015

General Discussion Area / Re: Welders - What should I look for?

« on: 30 April 2007, 23:06:00 »

For a quick repair, what's wrong with exhaust patch, a few bean cans and some self tappers?

In normal circumstances I'd agree but this repair was structural (30"long by 6" diameter silencer cracked where it attaches to the pipe and thus the car) and visible. It may still come to that if the local welders have a busy week.

Thanks for the suggestions. I will keep an eye out for something suitable.

Kevin

35016

General Discussion Area / Welders - What should I look for?

« on: 30 April 2007, 21:39:28 »

Well, it looks like the Westfield is off the road for a week that's forecast to be nice and sunny for want of some welding to the exhaust.  

I've often thought I'd like to learn to weld and it would have come in very useful this weekend so I'm thinking about getting a welder and having a go.

I'm just wondering what to get.

I've got some knowledge about the various types of welding but have never tried it. I assume a MIG welder is probably the best all-rounder?

Usage, assuming I get the hang of it, will be for small jobs in steel and the odd bit of stainless (i.e. when my exhaust breaks again).

I'm not looking to do a restoration or anything so it won't need to cope with long sessions of welding and it probably won't need to cope with particularly thick metal.

So, what should I look for in terms of min / max current, duty cycle, etc?

Is it an advantage to be able to work with gasless wire (I assume I want to be able to use gas?)

Are there any pitfalls to just buying a used one off ebay (other than the obvious) or would a new unit be better?

In addition to a welder, some gas, wire, a mask and gloves, oh, and a fire extinguisher, what other bits and pieces will I need to get started?

Any recommendations welcome.

TIA

Kevin

35017

General Discussion Area / Re: Re major problem - thank you

« on: 30 April 2007, 16:57:29 »

Is it any worse or better under braking? Could be a disc not seated flat on the hub or something.

Also worth checking the wheel nuts are all tight, although I'm sure this was your first port of call!

Kevin

35018

General Discussion Area / Re: so who can guess?

« on: 28 April 2007, 23:55:31 »

I think your private road needs resurfacing, TD.

Bulge in tyre?
Missing balance weight?

35019

General Discussion Area / Re: Omega V 24v Ford Scorpio

« on: 28 April 2007, 23:53:23 »

I was starting to wonder if the Scorpio was as ugly as I remembered. Many cars that I hated when they first came out have grown on me in this age of the Fiat Multipla and the Renault Vel Satis.

Anyway, saw one today. EEk!   The wide mouthed frog is spot on.

In fact, it was while ClarCE was giving me a ride in his Omega if I'm not mistaken, so I appologise if I flinched. It wasn't your driving  

Kevin

35020

General Discussion Area / Re: Importance of cambelt changes!

« on: 27 April 2007, 12:21:31 »

A million miles Rover

I don't know... That's only about 20 Head Gasket's worth. Should be Ok as long as you don't skim the head each time!

 

Kevin

35021

General Discussion Area / Re: Importance of cambelt changes!

« on: 27 April 2007, 12:08:39 »

Sounds fairly typical of Rover in the last few years. You did mean 100,000 miles not 1 million?

They do seem to wear differently on different cars. I've rebuilt Ford Zetec engines with 6 figure mileages and found the tensioners absolutely as-new. Ditto my Renault Laguna when I had the head off at 137,000.

I don't know if it's the quality of the bearings that VX use or that they have a harder life for some reason on the VX engines. Granted, I'm comparing single / twin cam 4 pots to quad cam V6's but the belt tension, temperatures, speeds, etc. must be roughly comparable.

Kevin

35022

General Discussion Area / Re: Importance of cambelt changes!

« on: 25 April 2007, 09:57:51 »

I ought to have a look at mine really, even though it's under warranty. 47K now, and I have an entry in the log book saying cam belt and tensioners done, by the dealer I bought it from, the day before I picked it up.  :-/

For a garage mechanic used to doing "simpler" cambelt changes there is a lot of potential to make a mess of a V6 cambelt change. Whereas they are used to chucking the belt on so the markings line up, tightening everything up and job done, that is just the start of the job. I suspect most never bother to turn the engine over 2 turns, check and adjust the timing as necessary and then make sure the tension is still correct.

The other problem is, as a car gets older and the value drops, the cost of having a cam belt change at garage labour rates gets significant. There are, in most cases, no obvious signs that it's about to fail so the average Joe will probably just drive around, ignoring the advice, until it breaks.

Kevin

35023

General Discussion Area / Re: road wars on sky one

« on: 27 April 2007, 10:06:37 »

It's the personalities of some of the scum bags that really makes me laugh.

What's your name, son?

Fred bloggs er.. I think..  D'oh!..

Kevin

35024

General Discussion Area / Re: Automatic or manual?

« on: 26 April 2007, 08:36:16 »

I like both for different reasons. My Omega is an auto and it's nice when in traffic and for general pottering about, and a slight frustration when pressing on, tempered by the fact that it's got plenty of power.

You can't beat a manual for more spirited driving, or if the car doesn't have plenty of power. If I were to be limited to one car it'd have to be a manual.

Kevin

35025

General Discussion Area / Re: Omega Vs Carlton/Senator

« on: 27 April 2007, 16:42:06 »

Yes as it was a hideous lump!

 

Well, bad example as usual but you know what I mean. When I said Scorpio I had in my mind's eye a picture of the earlier Granada Scorpio not the later abomination.

Kevin