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13681

General Discussion Area / Bench grinder problem

« on: 17 December 2007, 13:50:17 »

Irritating problem.

I bought a twin wheel £15 bench grinder 4 years ago. Tried it once. It worked. Put it away and am using it in earnest now to sharpen hand tools etc..

Problem is it starts up and takes ages(minutes) to get up to speed. I keep expecting it to burn out!

Before I bin it and splash out 15 euros here on another identical one is there anything I could try to make it work better? Could it be a brushes problem or the commutator(?) with muck in the grooves?

varche

13682

General Discussion Area / Re: Global warming

« on: 14 December 2007, 12:48:40 »

No doubt there is something real about global warming. Not helped by major polluters like the USA, China and India.

I haven't ever seen much written about there being too many people on the planet. How much greenhouse gases and emissions are the extra 1 billion humans( since forum members were born) creating each day? Maybe the Chinese were right with their draconian policy of one child per family!

Some possible new taxes:

Tax payable on all children after the first but free condoms for all.
Tax on body emissions (baked beans would become a luxury item).

varche

PS I read that the Chinese have experienced a 56% rise in the cost of pork over the last twelve months. Expect that to feed into prices in the West. God help the Spanish. That could tip the economy into recession.
 

13683

General Discussion Area / Re: More disks lost in the post!

« on: 11 December 2007, 19:11:37 »

I read somewhere that a bunch of these people had a meeting and despite the fact that the outfit that wanted the 25 million names and addresses had said repeatedly they didn't need all the rest of the data they didn't strip it out because it would have cost an extra £5000.

I wonder how many of those people and the dept who posted it have still got their jobs. My guess is all of them. there seems to be no accountability anymore for incompetence.  

I worked for a company that drilled into us the data protection act. We would have been sacked for far far less.

varche  

13684

General Discussion Area / Re: POST YOUR MPG FIGURES

« on: 09 December 2007, 11:41:02 »

2.5 auto , 22 mpg average speed 23! Very hilly twisty roads.

I think it would be useful having more data columns to the spread sheet and more members contributing their data.

varche

13685

General Discussion Area / Re: tunnies next motor....

« on: 07 December 2007, 17:24:26 »

Been looking out for one of these at the right price for a while now.

This one is no good though as it hasn't got a towbar , only got two doors and it is a manual.

varche

13686

General Discussion Area / Re: apart from omegas......

« on: 06 December 2007, 13:45:17 »

Too highly tuned Mini Cooper S, straight cut box, LSD, minilights, ultralightweight body (perspex windows, no winders, no heater,trim and so on).  Ah those were the days. Nowadays any production car seems to be faster and handle better than the so called performance cars of the 60's and 70's.

I wished I still had them now.

varche

13687

General Discussion Area / Re: How many miles until your cambelt KIT is due?

« on: 05 December 2007, 12:13:19 »

That is the pressure off for using my gaff as a venue then!! Mind you we will be too busy with olive harvesting and pruning until end of April.(don't laugh - it isn't anything like that bloody Bertoli advert)

Plenty of space for cambelt changes, gearbox ATF changes and a corner for those that find thrust washers in bits in the front pan to cry/fix them.

varche

  

13688

General Discussion Area / Re: How many miles until your cambelt KIT is due?

« on: 21 November 2007, 10:36:17 »

Mine is due in June by date rather than miles.

Are any of these cambelt parties in Spain?!

I haven't seen any mention of gearbox thrust washer changing parties......

varche

13689

General Discussion Area / TPS, It is a small miracle!

« on: 04 December 2007, 20:46:22 »

A week or so ago my EML came on. The stored codes suggested wrong voltage at throttle position sensor. A secondhand one was duly sourced ( Thanks Issunaz) and fitted yesterday.

Result. The car is smoother on take up, appears to have more power and changes gear better. One thing that is noticeable is the throttle pedal is lower at tickover than it used to be. Much more pleasant to drive overall. I still think my car is gutless compared to a real 2.5 V6 but it is better than it was.

How many other cars are there out there with a failing TPS??!! I wonder what else will turn up as failing?

A pleased varche

13690

General Discussion Area / Re: Hamilton v. The Stig

« on: 02 December 2007, 21:18:02 »

That was some lap and he made it look so easy. How many thousands of laps has the Stig done!

Lewis will be remembered in the truly greats hall of fame. Senna, Schumacher M, Stewart J, Villeneuve G, Peterson R, Clark J.   Mansell despite being British and a true fighter didn't quite make it for me. Neither did Prost.

varche

13691

General Discussion Area / Re: Cheap elite on EBay?

« on: 03 December 2007, 13:31:54 »

It's not for me! Although given the amount of stuff on mine I have had to change maybe I ought to buy it.

I just thought it was cheap.

varche

13692

General Discussion Area / Cheap elite on EBay?

« on: 03 December 2007, 13:10:06 »

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/OMEGA-ELITE_W0QQitemZ260188211686QQihZ016QQcategoryZ18424QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

No bids, 1 day to go! Oil cooler? It has got to be worth £99 for parts.

varche

13693

General Discussion Area / Differences between 3 litre and 2.5 engine

« on: 01 December 2007, 12:56:09 »

Just an idle thought but is it possible to rebuild a 2.5 as a 3 litre?

Is the extra capacity from a different crank or bigger pistons? I know the cams are different on the three litre. What else don't they share?

varche

13694

General Discussion Area / Re: Top gear tonight

« on: 26 November 2007, 10:40:38 »

I enjoyed the programme. It was a lot better than the one from Africa.

I never owned any of the three cars featured but had plenty other similar cars from that era. Mostly all ghastly looking back.

Does the memory play tricks? I always remember cars pre that era as being more reliable. Maybe they just didn't have as many extras or sophistication. Maybe people didn't do as much mileage as they were so basic.

varche

13695

General Discussion Area / Re: with how this country is changing....

« on: 25 November 2007, 13:12:58 »

We obviously made the move. Some of the reasons are those listed above. I would say that for pensioners or people of independent means the move is a good idea. Better climate and less worry generally.

It isn't all as rosy as you might think. Using Spain, For example health care for non pensioners costs unless you get a job. If you get a job (and it is a big IF) then the pay and conditions are worse than the UK. Little job security unless you get a government job or a long term contract then it is the opposite - job for life.. Pay at  best 70% of UK levels. Living costs though are less - maybe 70% of UK levels. It used to be cheap here but not anymore.

Social security. Virtually non existent. Young unmarried mothers get looked after by their parents. No free houses, grants and dole each week for life.

Crime and drugs are just as big an issue, certainly in urbanisiations as in the UK. Immigration is possibly a bigger problem than UK.

Red tape is none existent in the UK compared with Spain where it is an art. Also the officials are actually corrupt and take back handers. The Spanish government has set aside 3.5Billion euros to help local councils demolish illegally constructed properties that received illegal planning permission by local councils. One belongs to Antonio Banderas!

varche