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Topics - JamesV6CDX

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61
General Car Chat / Another MOT
« on: 29 October 2020, 19:16:48 »
This time not so positive.

My L322, '02 V8  Range Rover.





62
General Car Chat / MOT and Covid!
« on: 25 October 2020, 19:43:25 »
I realised on Monday last week, that that the MOT expires today on the Range Rover. I tried to book in for Last Thursday, to be told "Sorry, due to the previous covid MOT extension, there is a mad rush for MOT's at the moment, there's a two week wait".......

Oh well. The Omega is MOT'd until December. I've put a battery on that, and pumped up the tyres / put some fuel in. That will have to do me until I can get a test.

Speaking of MOT, the Omega is up for test in late December. I've had her since 2017 and will be sad if she fails, but I think (despite no advisories at all at the last one), the writing is on the wall........  :'( :'( :'( :'(











63
General Car Chat / L322 4.4 V8 Range Rover breakdown / ramblings
« on: 05 October 2020, 22:34:50 »
Hi Folks, long time no speak. I apologise for being less active (including any PM's I've missed), I have been very busy (work and family) in these strange times, and I really hope you are all well.

I wondered however, if I could please ask for some views or advice about my Range Rover. I know a few on here have / have owned them, so thought it worth a punt!

2002, L322 Range Rover, 4.4 litre V8 Petrol (Lpg converted) BMW lump - the M62. 5 Speed auto. Does 11 to 15mpg, (regardless of which fuel) depending on weight, and driving style / conditions. It's one of the neatest and best LPG installs I have ever seen - I bought it like it, very tidy indeed, and you can't tell which fuel you're on.

This is, absolutely hands down, the best car I've ever owned.l She carries 4 of us, two dogs, two roof boxes, two bikes, and still does 15mpg (on gas or petrol) on a run, which I think is good. We call her "Ronnie the Rangie".

We've had it a few years, done tens of thousands of effortles miles, and replaced no more than a water pump, and a couple of suspenison consumables. (And of course, a service or two and some tyres).

On Sunday, she let us down, for the first time. Only, really, it was my fault :(

So on Saturday, we drove down to the South Coast. On the way through Oxford, I ran out of LPG, but, as Shell at Witney was 10 miles away, I did that little bit on petrol, and then filled up with gas.

By a sheer mistake, I forgot to flick back to LPG. So, I began a long journey, and got to the M5. After a while, I notced a misfire, and thought "What's going on", thinking it might be the recent rain in the plug wells.

It then twigged - we were still on petrol, and had ran dry.

This is the bad part. Because my mind was elsewhere, and because were half way down the air balloon hill and had nowhere to stop, I switched onto LPG, which she duly did, running great again, and proceeded to do another 100+ miles.

I then kept her running, until we got to a garage, and I filled her to the top with petrol (ouch, £130!).

Went to set off... wouldn't start.

I force started on LPG, and being warm she instantly fired up, drove to our hotel, and thought little more of it. Went out, had a mexican, played the slot machines.
 f
That night, I (sadly) lay awake in bed, thinking, "why won't she go on petrol". And it twigged.

The LPG injectors "piggy back" from the petrol ones. As far as the engine ECU is concerned, the car is still on petrol, even if it's actually on LPG. So, the fuel pump will continue to run, pumping fuel around the rail, and back to the tank, albeit unused.

So, at the point it ran out and I flicked to LPG, although the car SEEMED to keep runing fine, in fact, the petrol pump was still running - now dry. For a couple of hours.

I can, therefore, only conclude that I have burnt out the petrol pump, in the tank.

Concur?

Pattern pumps start at £60 plus, genuine at £500+. To do the job, is a load of trim  / back seat up, and do it from above, through a hatch. A ballache, but in the scheme of things doesn't look toooooooo painful!

Any thoughts? Don't shoot me, but becuase I only use petrol to start and warm up, I might use a pattern one. I could even fit a switch to disable it after the initial warm up, to stop it wearing out?

I also, was hesitant to post this bit, because I KNOW this wasn't ideal (far from) but I would like objective opinions.

I won't go into why, because it's personal, but I have a real problem being driven over any distance, if I'm not behind the wheel. So I was really anxious about calling the AA. I also didn't want to be in a recovery truck, making small talk with someone wearing a mask for 4+ hours. So I looked at trains, with a view to collecting the rangie later. They were also a no go (£150+ each, and taking hours, with replacement busses). So, I took a risk, and went to a nearby halfords, and then used some of that (awful) holts easy start, to fire up the rangie initially, to allow her to then flick onto LPG, given petrol wouldn't work, and then drove home on gas.

I know esay start is volatile stuff. I know it causes hell with engines, incl pre-ignition. I know I took a risk. Please don't judge me for that. But I would like objective opinions on whether that one off, is likely to have caused one off, serious damage.

If it helps, She drove 150+ miles homs on LPG, lots of power, smooth, without a beat missed, like she always has been, so I am keeping all crossed that I got away with it as a one off. She won't be started again, until the new petrol pump is fitted. L

Thanks for reading :y

64
General Discussion Area / Help with Windows XP Drivers
« on: 06 May 2020, 17:49:22 »
Before the security patch brigade hang me out to dry  ;) This isn't an internet machine, but I have installed Windows XP onto an old laptop of mine for car diagnostic purposes (Various, not just Vauxhalls). It HAS to be XP.

so I've installed XP SP3 and the Dot Net 3.5 Framework.

But I cannot get it to accept my graphics / VGA drivers. The laptop is an Acer Aspire 5740, with intel graphics. All of the support stuff online is for Windows 7, onwards.

Do you think I'll get a VGA driver for this machine, or am I piddling in the wind? Sound drivers would also be very useful, but I can't seem to find either!

65
General Car Chat / Uncle STEMO
« on: 29 April 2020, 22:23:11 »
Some bedtime material for you ;)




















66
General Car Chat / Free Image hosting for Car Stuff
« on: 27 April 2020, 22:08:32 »
Hi Folks,

I recently noticed that Photobucket have now started charging, and all of the other image hosting sites are rammed full of ads and unwanted popups that generally p*ss me off. I've seen that many people on various forums are also struggling for image hosting, so I thought sod it, I've bought a server, and made a not-for-profit website where car enthusiasts can host images to then post on forums (I am also now using this myself to host the Astra thread images, etc).

Admin please note, it has no forums, and the comments facility on each image has it's length significantly reduced to remove discussion. This is Just an image hosting site for car people, we are not aiming to remove traffic from forums, but instead to help them out.

A brief guide on how to use it (It's not hard):

The home page, looks like this:



When you click on "member albums" at the top, you can see everyone's albums, and choose between seeing the latest, or sort by other choices:



To upload, you need to make an account. It's dead easy and all details are transmitted securely (Https/SSL). Click the "Register" button at the top right, and you'll see this:



Upon logging in, you'll see this



If you click on "member albums" and then "my photos", you'l be directed to your own album portal:



To upload, simply click the blue "upload photos" button seen above.

When you click on any of your photos, you can right click it, and select "Copy image address"

Edit: like this



You can then just paste that address into a forum post on here, making sure you put an tag at the end, and your image will display.

I hope even a couple of people get some use out of it :y

The site is https://www.mycarphotos.co.uk

A proper T+C page will be developed soon, but the basics will be you can only upload images that are not indecent in any way, and images that don't have copyright, or, you have permission to post them.

You can choose whether or not images are public, or just for you - but bear in mind if you set an image not to be public, it won't appear on forums etc if you link to it.

There is a slight glitch with registration with android phones and tablets which I'm looking into.

Enjoy.

67
General Car Chat / Anyone know about Astras?
« on: 03 April 2020, 00:17:23 »
I have, completely on impulse, bought a cheap, but seemingly very tidy Astra Estate, for not very much money.

It's a 2011 Astra "J", with the 1.7 CDTi engine, around 100,000 on the clock. Excellent MOT history.

Known fault - running poorly.

The owner, who has had the car from 2015 and is the second owner, said "It wasn't running good, the AA man came out, said it was on three cylinders, and could be an injector or DPF fault".

Anyone have any experience?

I will, naturally, start with a code read and methodically troubleshoot it, but I know nothing about these "modern fangled" diesels *

* in comparison to my old Omega!

That said, I managed a top end rebuild on a 6 Cylinder BMW530d previously, so I would like to think this won't beat me!

68
Retail 3.2 MV6, registered as KP52 OMC.

Owes me nothing - purchased for disposable car money in 2019 and gave me several months of carefree hooligan motoring, before an MOT failure today.

Roughly 238k miles

Auto

MOT until 20/1/2020 if you want to drive it away on your own head.

MOT Failure. You can see on the history online yourself, but essentially, structural rust front and rear near suspension components are the deal breakers. The rest is just bulbs, and a front droplink, which I forgot about because I just kept turning the radio up.
Advisories for shock misting. No advisories for tyres, but I'd be looking to do them within the next 6 months.

Cambelt is over due, there's a whiff of oil but I've only put a cupful in over the last 6 months. Drives, steers, brakes all straight and true.
There's a leak (rain) somewhere, passenger footwell is soaked.

Rear arches are rusty. I started to treat one with a dremel and hammerite, followed by a school boy spray job to slow it down but winter hit before I could do the same to the other.

Lumbar support isn't great in the drivers seat.

Scratch on windscreen in drivers wiper arch.

Slow puncture on NSR tyre. Until I put a can of foam in there and forgot about it.

Drivers door card kept in place with duck tape.

Marks consistent with age and miles.

Hopefully I've set your expectations by now and there won't be any come backs or tyre kickers.

All that said, I'd get in it tomorrow and drive it across europe. All I've done is put a cup of oil in and rag it for the last six months. It's always started, always taken me whereever I want to go without any fuss at all.

Heated seats work!

If you're handy with a welder, you could have a year of the same.

Goes like something off a stick, even on LPG (no noticible difference than petrol).

Very tidy sequential LPG install (not on the database). a DIY job with an awful lot of care taken.

Loads of usable spares.

Guide price, £225 as is, or £150 if I can rip off some LPG stuff (particularly the tank and frame, to expand the capacity on my V8)

I know cars don't sell well on here, so will soon also be on a well known auction site, at a 1p start price with no reserve, to represent how little it owes me.

Cheers, :y
James

69
General Car Chat / Thank You so much. SOS Automotive.
« on: 10 November 2019, 23:22:03 »
A bit late posting this, because I've had loads going on, but I wanted to give a massive shout out to our friends at SOS Automotive. I left Serek my Range Rover for a few days, with a hell of a drone on the front, a wandering back end, and about 3 days left on the MOT (having already failed on rear hub bushes).

I picked her up, sporting a new front wheel bearing, CV joint and reluctor ring, new bushes pressed into both the rear hubs, new front arms, and a full years MOT.

The service, price, knowledge, can-do approach, and friendly, welcome attitude of this garage is absolutely unrivalled, and that's before I come on to the cost, which made it an absolute no brainer, compared to me rolling around under axle stands, skinning my kuckles and hurting my back with improvised drifts, etc.

That's before the free-of-charge look into the MOT advisory for coolant loss, which appears to be some worn LPG plumbing.

This isn't a first either, my 530d had a load of suspension and brake work 2 years ago, and the service was just the same, then.

Thanks, mate, happy and impressed doesn't begin to describe it - I'll be back soon to drop the gearbox sump and do the filters and diff oils etc, I'll message you to book in :y :y :y


70
General Car Chat / MOT Flagup
« on: 19 August 2019, 00:05:24 »
Regarding registration RJ04ZYX. Check it out on the official gov.uk MOT website and look at the FAIL reason flagged in 2015.

Any tips on how to rectify?  ;D

71
General Car Chat / My 226,000 mile Omega Elite.......
« on: 27 June 2019, 21:39:53 »
Yet again, she didn't let me down. After a tiny bit of tinkering this afternoon, I now have - Another year's motoring, without any advisories  8) 8) 8)



Apart from the arches, which he described as "cosmetic", the tester said it's "absolutely solid", sounds like a swiss watch, and that I'd be stupid to ever get rid :y

Poor old girl has been sat for a while, but I've just re-insured for a year, and ordered all the bits for a cambelt kit / pump / full service / ATF change, which I will slowly work through over the summer.

The aim, also, this summer, is to get some new rear arch panels put in, and the associated paintwork, so she'll be back to where she was this time only 18 months ago:





72
As per title. Free to the first person that wants / can make use of it.


73
I can't be bothered with the time wasters on the well-known-auction-site, so I am offering my recently acquired 3.2 Elite Estate to OOF members, on a scrap basis, and a price to reflect it.

The details:

Index: KV02 DCU

3.2 Elite Estate, first registered on Friday 15th March 2002

MOT valid until 23 April 2020

Around 123,000 / 124,000 miles

Star Silver, I am 99% sure the colour code is Z157 but I need to check this.

Photos

















Issues:

1) From the moment I first bought the car, the battery never worked. Once I had driven an hour around the M25, I assumed it would have charged / start alright, but it was dead a a dodo when I stopped for a coffee and tried to drive off again. A jump start got it going, to get me home. I found a battery in my garage, which is only 6 months old, I have charged this up, and it so far seems to be holding a charge fine, for the last few days. For honesty, though - you may need to budget for a new battery (around £45 when ECP have their deals on) as mine was sat discharged, for some time, which kills them off.

2) There is a coolant leak from the top of the Radiator (pictured below). It seems to be a split in the rad. It doesn't empty the header tank at any great rate, and would get you home, but nevertheless the car needs a new radiator, before it can be put into reliable service. You'll also need antifreeze, as I expect it's far too diluted, from top ups.



3) Very significant rust issues, here is a glimpse from the rear:





On the subject of rust, on the very recent MOT, there were advisories for:

A) Offside Front Lower vehicle structure is corroded but structural rigidity is not significantly reduced

B) Coil Springs Corroded - all 4

C) Rear Lower suspension component mounting prescribed area corroded but not excessive (both sides)

D) Nearside rear brake pipe corroded

In addition to the corrosion:

4) The Offside rear wheel bearing has play (also advised on the recent MOT). It is not, however, noisy at all.

5) The engine, whilst smooth, is (very) flat. Upon a quick look, the vaccuum pipe that feeds the multi rams, is broken. So you might get lucky. At the moment it's more like a 2.2. It'll cruise at 70+ all day, but I wouldn't overtake in it.

6) The brakes are very poor. There were no mention of them on the MOT, however, they are spongy. Might get away with a fresh fluid bleed.

7) There is a violent shudder upon braking from anything above 55mph.

8) When braking firmly from national speed limit type speeds. the car feels very unstable, and dives all over the place. It also isn't at all tight into corners. Largely to be expected, from a 17 year old barge. In reality, if you were to keep it, you'll want a total suspension overhaul, front and rear.

9) It has an oil leak (also picked up on the recent MOT). You can tell just by looking, that the cam cover gaskets are leaking (both sides)/

Of less importance, but still worthy of mention for honesty:

It really needs a service, especially oil and filter:



I'd suggest a few short oil and filter changes.


There is some damage to the leather:






Wheels are all in poor condition, one looks like it's been half painted










There is no service history

No evidence of any cambelt change, although the aux belt and tensionor look quite new

The auto box isn't nearly as smooth as my Elite (although it's not as such I would say there's a fault). Probably benefit from an ATF change, and a software update.

On the plus points, the engine ticks over smoothly

The tyres are all Avons and seem pretty good

There is a towbar with electrics (not tested those, as I don't tow anything)

Suitable for someone to either -

Use it as a donor car
Drive it until the MOT runs out, and scrap it,
or spend a lot of money and time doing it up.

 It would, of course, also be lucrative to break, but again, I Can't be arsed with selling parts off a 17 year old car, to strangers on the internet, for the sake of a few more quid.

Logbook in my name and keys present.

If you're going to turn up, pay, not kick the tyres, not moan that the "paint is faded" etc, you can take it away for £200, which easily represents the value of the wheels/tyres and cats alone.

74
I have a set of brand new, unused wishbones. They will fit any Omega. No idea on brand.

Free of charge to OOF registered members. To avoid ambiguity or disappointment,, the first user to post on this thread asking for them, will get them.


75
General Car Chat / Getting out of trouble......
« on: 29 May 2019, 20:10:40 »
I just made this (very rough and ready) youtube video on my phone, to show you all this absolutely incredible, pocked sized device I was given with an Omega Purchase, and what it can actually do, especially when you drive an old barge. I genuinely never, ever believed this would be possible..........

Don't get me wrong. I wouldn't put much hope in it, but, keep it charged up, and it might just get you out of the brown stuff........ :y

https://youtu.be/3Om5V8Y3haM

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