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256

General Discussion Area / Re: Vettel’s successor?

« on: 01 August 2022, 14:33:29 »

There are quite a few up and coming "promising" youngsters in Formula 2. Last years winner Oscar Piastri is the one that is most talked about. Look at the previous winners -  Mick Schumacher, Nyck de Vries, George Russell and Charles Leclerc. There is also a lot of young talent in Formula E. Trouble is, none of these are very likely to be dropped straight into a competitive F1 car.

There is also a lot of politics in driver placement, with many of the drivers being tied to managers or manufacturers. Mercedes supply the engine for the Aston, so they have a lot of clout in who gets to drive for them.

Piastri is 'owned' by Alpine. With Alpine now running in 4th place on the grid, they may allow him to race for another team to gain experience. Can't see him dropping straight into the Alpine alongside Ocon at the expense of Alonso. And I don't see Alonso going to Aston either - why would he go from a team challenging the big 3 to a team that currently struggles to get out of Q1.

Aston have just signed Alonso so Merc haven't had much say in that one I wouldn't think

AIUI the negotiation over engines is often along the lines of...

A) You buy our engines at £100 Million per year
B) You buy our engines at £50 Million per year, and we loan you Driver X for the season and we pay portion Y of their wages.

If you don't need the money, and/or you think you can get a better driver, then you opt for A.
If you're skint then B.

Aston have obviously decided on A, and that a 41 year old Alonso is better than any other options available to them. What's in it for Alonso is a mystery to me - he can't need the money can he?

I was pondering it during yesterdays GP. Aston certainly need an experienced driver, so I could see Ricciardo partnering Stroll, and someone like Piastri partnering Norris at Mclaren. Maybe Alpine think Piastry is ready for the Alpine seat, but it looks a big risk to me to have Ocon and Piastri - two rookies - in the same team.

Still I doubt that will be the last "shocking" move now we're in silly season. 

257

General Discussion Area / Re: Vettel’s successor?

« on: 31 July 2022, 13:09:36 »

There are quite a few up and coming "promising" youngsters in Formula 2. Last years winner Oscar Piastri is the one that is most talked about. Look at the previous winners -  Mick Schumacher, Nyck de Vries, George Russell and Charles Leclerc. There is also a lot of young talent in Formula E. Trouble is, none of these are very likely to be dropped straight into a competitive F1 car.

There is also a lot of politics in driver placement, with many of the drivers being tied to managers or manufacturers. Mercedes supply the engine for the Aston, so they have a lot of clout in who gets to drive for them.

Piastri is 'owned' by Alpine. With Alpine now running in 4th place on the grid, they may allow him to race for another team to gain experience. Can't see him dropping straight into the Alpine alongside Ocon at the expense of Alonso. And I don't see Alonso going to Aston either - why would he go from a team challenging the big 3 to a team that currently struggles to get out of Q1. 

258

Omega General Help / Re: Diff Axle shaft seal

« on: 29 July 2022, 10:46:58 »

Err - are you talking about replacing the two "Axle seals" or the (one) "Input shaft/pinion seal"? Or all 3?

The two "Axle seals" where the axle shafts go into. I want to change the seals, while the diff is off the car. Not touching the pinion shaft seal, I have been guaranteed that it is OK.

Never done those on an Omega, but the nut and preload stuff that amba is talking about are for the pinion I think? 

259

Omega General Help / Re: Diff Axle shaft seal

« on: 29 July 2022, 00:21:23 »

Err - are you talking about replacing the two "Axle seals" or the (one) "Input shaft/pinion seal"? Or all 3?

260

Omega General Help / Re: Identification of plug & socket

« on: 27 July 2022, 23:30:39 »

I unplugged it from the white socket to repair the wire - I suspect it may have something to do with the air-con, but that's not worked for many a year and is always set on ECO.

It's now repaired and doesn't make any difference from before. Maybe it took a fuse out when chaffing against the chassis?

It's the A/C compressor clutch connector. When energized an electro magnet near the front of the compressor 'clunks' and locks the compressor drive to the spinney pully that runs off the 'fan' belt. The gubbins in the compressor then start compressing the gas in the A/C system. You can tell if the compressor is engaged because there is triangular shaped assembly on the front of the compressor. If it's stationary with the engine running, then the compressor isn't engaged. If it's spinning, then it is.

However, if there is no gas, or too much gas in the system, then the electronic thought police grass that up to the electrickery, and the compressor is clutch is not powered. There are also fuses and relays which if faulty will stop the compressor clutch engaging.

261

Omega General Help / Re: OIl leak and blue smoke

« on: 26 July 2022, 21:24:17 »

Thin oil certainly won't help, but continuous smoke on moderate acceleration/throttle (climbing a hill on a motorway) would suggest piston rings to me.

Try changing the oil for 10W40, and if that works, great. If it doesn't then compression test and leak down test to confirm piston ring state.

The car won't just 'conk out' leaving you stranded unless it gets much, much worse. You'd probably hear nasty mechanical noises for a while before it dies like that.

262

General Discussion Area / Re: Rishi v Liz at nine

« on: 26 July 2022, 14:09:04 »

I just don't know what the Tories are thinking in having these TV debates. 

Only 160,000 odd people get to vote, and ripping lumps out of each other on live TV just gives ammunition to the opposition and the media. 

IMO they would have been better doing a few 'Town Hall' type events around the country for the members than airing their dirty laundry in public like this. 

Spot on. And there are 6 weeks of campaigning in total, followed by the Tory party conference.

Whoever advises the Labour party needs to hammer in advice to "Keep your Gobs Shut". Napoleon was spot on - "Never interrupt your enemies whilst they are making a mistake".

263

General Discussion Area / Re: VBOA Sywell

« on: 20 July 2022, 20:24:07 »

I've been ex-communicated and drummed out of the Brownies. I always renew my subs using pictures of the Queen at Billing/Sywell, but that results in by membership 'lapsing' on July 1st, and being blocked from the forum 2 weeks later.

So, I need to know that this is deffo still on. If it is I need to throw a bucket of water over it 

264

General Discussion Area / Re: Migalot banned ?

« on: 13 July 2022, 22:01:55 »

One wonders why anyone, apart from the scammers, would use VPN’s.  Is there a legit reason why they should?

I use one when abroad. It allows me to watch BBC iPlayer, which is blocked if you try and access it from a foreign IP. And yes, I do have a TV license.

265

General Discussion Area / Re: Covid - a nice little earner.

« on: 13 July 2022, 14:37:50 »

We can just hope there are one or two of the 600 odd sat on their arses in Westminster, who arent complete wasters and might do a bit of work one day.

They won't just repeal old regulations. They'll replace them with additional (and worse) regulations. It's what politicians do when they stop arguing amongst themselves.

Just been round the Sainsbury near me. Lady was re-arranging the shelves. When i made the comment about moving stock around, she said that this was due to a government directive regarding unhealthy foods being in certain vulnerable peoples eyelines. Blimy, the nanny state at work. Why the hell a tin of prunes has to be moved escapes me.  When i did get to the correct location, they didn't have any.

Prunes can make the elderly vulnerable to all sorts of scatological disasters. Just ask Uncle Stemo.

266

General Discussion Area / Re: Covid - a nice little earner.

« on: 13 July 2022, 00:18:53 »

We can just hope there are one or two of the 600 odd sat on their arses in Westminster, who arent complete wasters and might do a bit of work one day.

They won't just repeal old regulations. They'll replace them with additional (and worse) regulations. It's what politicians do when they stop arguing amongst themselves.

267

Omega General Help / Re: Overheating almost

« on: 12 July 2022, 21:10:36 »

Finally I’m gonna bore holes in to each cover. Poo in a small piece of brake pipe and then washer tube to a catch can cable tied somewhere. The only solution I can think of to relieve pressure if there is any.

I wouldn't do that. IMV better off putting a T piece in the Y pipe that runs from the crank breather to the plenium breather.

268

Omega General Help / Re: AC compressor

« on: 12 July 2022, 10:01:28 »

High pressure hose stays warm even when ac compressor is running, condenser and dryer were replaced two years ago, I've read here there are cases of expansion valve fail but I can't seem to find any "how to" anywhere. It's a shame, because it's a major dashboard out job. Even on LHD Omegas

The high pressure hose will be warm. The compressor compresses the refridgerant and that gets it hot. It then passes through the condenser (radiator) where heat is lost to the atmosphere, but if the atmosphere is at 20-30C then the refridgerant will never cool to less than that, so the temperature after the condenser will still be warm/hot. The refridgerant  then goes to the expansion valve, where its squirted through a small hole. This causes the refridgerant to expand, reduce pressure and get cold (like 0C) all at the same time. The now cold refridgerant then passes through the evaporator inside the heater matrix where external air is blown over it. This causes the air to get colder and the refridgerant to get warmer, but again, the refridgerant will always be below the air temperature. Therefore the Low pressure side will often be in the 5-10 Deg C range.

High Pressure = Warm
Low Pressure = Cold.

269

General Car Chat / Re: Waving bye bye to 'the appliance'

« on: 12 July 2022, 09:49:56 »

C180 2012-15 W204 Estate. £6-8K ish and 45MPG on a run, and still 40MPG ish at 80MPH. Correct wheel drive, Euro 6, no DPF nonsense to worry about. Ok, only a 1.6 petrol turbo engine, but still 170 odd BHP so you can overtake grandma in her Nissan Micra.

270

General Car Chat / Re: So what have you done to your car today?

« on: 11 July 2022, 16:04:23 »

Considered starting cleaning it for Billing Sywell. Then remembered I wanted to change the prop-shaft incase that is the reason for the whining diff (it won't be but still), so did that instead. Now I need one new exhaust hangar rubber thing - should be here Wednesday. Car can stay up on blocks till that arrives, and it's impossible to clean a car that's 2 foot off the ground.