The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
38.7C Mattishall Norfolk
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What's made you grumpy today?
To be fair...my wind down this evening was a big food shop.
Only because the local Tesco has cracking A.C....and we could drive a nice climate controlled car there.
The house isn't too horrible but as soon as you walk out the back door the humidity is pretty mad.
Although we're only at a mild 33 degrees because it's grim up north.
Only because the local Tesco has cracking A.C....and we could drive a nice climate controlled car there.
The house isn't too horrible but as soon as you walk out the back door the humidity is pretty mad.
Although we're only at a mild 33 degrees because it's grim up north.
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Trying to get the gearbox off our 1.2 Panda and its **ing raining. Oh wait, it's stopped. Now its **ing humid and I have to get revved up to start again.
Rain. That'd be welcome.
Not as welcome as the heatwave leaving London, the whole country can return to normal now…
Just spent the day detailing my Panda,used a cutting compound for the first time since owning the car, polish & wax got it looking really good after getting rid of some swirl marks & minor clear coat scratches, just as I finish up & go in to eat dinner its starts raining even though when I looked this morning rain was not in the forecast
. Still, watching the rain bead on the paint & then run off the car is quite entertaining in its own way.
. Still, watching the rain bead on the paint & then run off the car is quite entertaining in its own way.
If anyone has been following my orbital sander strip down and rebuild in the "What made you smile today thread" you may have noticed a wee bit of rusty metal lying on my vice in some of the pictures.
That's it just to the right of that tool. Here's a closer up view and you can see it's got signs of a screwthread in it:
I found it on the driveway slabs last week when I was clearing up after servicing the Ibiza and it's been bothering me ever since. Did it come from the Ibiza, if so what on earth can it be? It's obviously a little bit of a casting isn't it?
After feeling "grumpy" and worried about this ever since I found it, I've had a sudden "flash" and now realized what it is.
So, just as a wee game, anyone like to make a guess. Clue - It's not off the Ibiza, It's the result of something I was doing to the Panda several months ago and it's definitely cast iron.
I'll come back on here in a few hours with the answer.
That's it just to the right of that tool. Here's a closer up view and you can see it's got signs of a screwthread in it:
I found it on the driveway slabs last week when I was clearing up after servicing the Ibiza and it's been bothering me ever since. Did it come from the Ibiza, if so what on earth can it be? It's obviously a little bit of a casting isn't it?
After feeling "grumpy" and worried about this ever since I found it, I've had a sudden "flash" and now realized what it is.
So, just as a wee game, anyone like to make a guess. Clue - It's not off the Ibiza, It's the result of something I was doing to the Panda several months ago and it's definitely cast iron.
I'll come back on here in a few hours with the answer.
I'm working on my Wrangler. So far, it's been two days to replace the radiator, water pump, and timing chain. The radiator has been really taking the **** outta me. I would like to spend five minutes in a room with one or more Daimler/Chrysler engineers.
Back in the days when I was employed as an instructor (motor vehicle repair and maintenance), a recurring question which was frequently asked of me when a student was struggling to access an awkwardly situated component or fixing was "why on earth (more colourful language was often used) did they "hide" it away in there?" To which I would reply "it's not worth wasting time thinking like that because it is what it is, we've just got to figure out how you're going to do it." Have to say though that I've often pondered exactly that same question and I think the answer is often that a particular engine or component was originally designed for another vehicle/model/variation and then, because it's economical, gets "shoe horned" into a new or face lifted vehicle where the engine bay is a slightly different shape. One that comes to mind is the alternator/aircon pump situation on our 169 Pandas. On my old 1992 Panda parade (model before the 169) access was pretty good but then they put the aircon pump into the 196 and turned the alternator renewal process into a bit of a nightmare?
I remember looking a the 5 cylinder bravo/brava some years ago, then left that idea aside after reading some of the stories about maintenenace. I have a belief that every car has at least one nightmare job that resulted in an "ohhh...." moment from the designers after it rolled off the production line.
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Ok folks, just in case someone was loosing sleep over this last night? It's actually a wee bit of rear wheel cylinder - don't know how anyone might be expected to guess that? unless you happened to have read what I wrote when I was trying to get the old cylinders out. I couldn't shift either of the little retaining bolts/set screws and was about to take a cold chisel to it when one of Kenny's merry men told me that what he does is drill into the casting along side and parallel to the screw's thread then breaking away part of the casting with a chisel. If you look at the top of the picture you can see where the drill has penetrated with the thread of the side of the hole just below it. It only took a couple of hits with the chisel and chipping away this wee bit of metal released the rust's hold on the thread of the bolt and it unscrewed very easily without risking any damage to the backplate. What is a mystery is how it's managed to hang about on my slabs for all that time without either getting kicked out of the way or me noticing it?
I shouldn’t complain too much because I did get 17 years out of that radiator, but the timing set/water pump were a snap compared to the radiator. Specifically, the two lower bolts holding said radiator in place. Rust and lack of access added hours to the job. Throw in that two holes for the fan shroud didn’t line up with the new radiator really had some choice words flowing. It was one of those jobs that seemed to required every tool that I own.
But, the old girl fired right up and I got all the air burped from the cooling system. Hopefully good for another 17 years.
But, the old girl fired right up and I got all the air burped from the cooling system. Hopefully good for another 17 years.
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Having managed to avoid it for 2 and a half years, thanks to my supervisor at work, I now have covid. 
Commiserations. I had it back earlier in the year, probably caught it from the grandchildren. I felt poorly one afternoon and went to bed early. Woke around one to two in the morning feeling short of breath. This was a wee bit alarming but I felt so tired I must have just dropped off again. No shortness of breath by the next morning but felt "hung over" like a very bad cold and tested positive LFT. Poorly for a couple of days then one more just getting up to speed again. Apart from that one early evening I didn't take to my bed but didn't feel like going out either (wouldn't have gone out anyway being Positive LFT). I wouldn't say it was as bad an experience as I remember when I had "proper flue" as a teenager. My "far better half" had it too but says she didn't think it was even as bad as a bad cold - lucky her!Having managed to avoid it for 2 and a half years, thanks to my supervisor at work, I now have covid.
Hope you don't feel too bad and get well soon.
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Cheers. It's nowhere near as bad as the norovirus I had in march, but now I can't go out, I really want to go out!
Even if it's just for a walk, lol! How many days did it take for you to test negative once more?
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Well I am still testing positive 12 days down the road and I need two neg tests to get into hospital. It seems to vary but my neighbour reckoned it was day 11 before he tested negative. You are allowed out after 5 days if I read the guidance right. Best to stay as well clear of people as poss for 10 -14 days though. I am over the aches, that was 3 days but feel very tired. I said to the wife today... I need some high energy food. Whats that she said. Fudge was my reply. As our bank has just paid £75 in compensation for lets be kind.. odd service I might just indulge in £75 worth of fudge. Im sure it would boost my energy levels just before she killed me..Cheers. It's nowhere near as bad as the norovirus I had in march, but now I can't go out, I really want to go out!
I have a C3 Picasso 1.6 diesel 212K ex taxi and it goes like a train, happy pulling from just over a 1000rpm in fifth, I maybe 69 and a grandad but not a lot passes me, best £300 I have spent in a long time. Having said that it will probably blow up tomorrow!
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Great! That means I'll lose 3 days wages, which as I live by meself, I can't afford!
I was still testing pos after 6 days. Mrs J tested pos the day before me although she had almost no symptoms - lucky her - She continued testing pos for at least 10 days so, as we're retired and were well stocked up with the necessaries I just kept to the house until she tested neg. Don't know when I went neg but I was feeling back to normal on day 3 or thereabouts.Cheers. It's nowhere near as bad as the norovirus I had in march, but now I can't go out, I really want to go out!
