What's made you not grumpy but not smile either today?

[SB1500]

Second coating of the new bottle of Rainex today. Before that, washed the car, and then used some autoglym intensive tar remover to clean any sort of wax and crud off the glass.

As I explained to my girlfriend what took me so long (basically applying that stuff after washing it) I googled to try and find an actual photo like on the bottle of ‘treated vs untreated’.

All I could find were people’s own photos tied to forum posts and discussions about how the treated glass seems to always cling more water to the glass in a streaky sort of way.

That’s pretty much my experience really… anybody else had the same?! Though I bought it so I’ll stubbornly use it until it’s finished and it does make the glass ‘feel’ clean and like I’ve done some sort of beneficial task on it is that maybe the real reason it sells in volumes?! Not sure the ‘1 second advantage’ is as scientifically real as they state on the bottle.

 

[Cheest]

This could be a What made you smile and what made you grumpy post.

First, this place opened on Saturday https://stcmotorcyclemuseum.org/
A wonderful collection of American and European motorcycles. I went yesterday and today. It's one of those places you walk in and say, "Oh my."

It was a decent enough day yesterday to ride to the museum, so I did. On the way there, my front brake caliper seized. Thought that maybe the cold weather mitt over the throttle/brake lever caused the problem, so I took them off. Nope, that wasn't it, because it seized up again on the way home. The caliper is four piston Brembo, normally found on the likes of Ducatis. It's capable of stopping a truck.

I tore into it this morning and found two pistons, one on each side, that wouldn't fully retract. I freed those up, cleaned all four of the pistons, polished the pins, cleaned the slides, new pads, and replaced the fluid. I think we're good.

And the new Chromebook is supposed to be at Costco tomorrow to pickup. I sure hope so. This one is getting jankier everyday.

 

[StevenRB45]

I’m sure I’ve seen this as a reoccurring issue on the Golf R. Pretty much every VW/every car for the last 10 years has required the clutch down to start them, I think it would be a problem across all brands and models if the clutch down was the issue.

I’m sure even the DSG cars can develop this issue, but I have not seen any real explanation of what causes it.
Let’s be honest though, if you’re buying a 300hp golf, you’re not doing it to drive at 20mph all day every day, and I am sure the R cars get more than their fair share of abuse.

I've seen it on a Corsa weirdly...if you toast the bearings then the clutch does indeed move the crank but it's more of a symptom than a cause.

It's just funny that a company that also offers stage 9000 remaps blames the clutch switch for crank bearing failures. I'm sure it's nothing to do with launch control... pop and bang maps and turning the boost up to the sky.

 

[portland_bill]

The Triumph engines, both the fours and sixes, had very weak thrust washers, and were prone to dropping them into the sump.

When I learnt to drive in the early seventies, most manufacturers advised not to push the clutch while starting, although the Ford Cortina Mk2 actually advised to do so. Having owned one at the time, with the clutch up, the starter was barely able to turn the engine over, so no way would it start. Press the clutch and there was then enough power to turn the engine for a start.

I think the modern trend to push the clutch is in EU legislation, as owners can no longer be trusted. The 2017 Doblo declares in the handbook that the clutch must be pressed, but it starts without doing so. MES shows the clutch switch operating as expected. I do not understand the thinking really. If the car is in gear when the starter is turned, the car will try to move, but usually only a jerk, which will alert the driver. If warm, it is possible to start in gear, and roll away, but this would haev to be deliberate. But if the clutch is pressed, and the car is in gear, once started, if the cutch is brought up, there is a greater likelihood of the car moving away, further, harder, and faster, so risk is higher. But that's legislators for you.

The crank thrust washers issue is nothing to do with the starting procedure. The cause of premature wear to the thrust washers is sitting holding the clutch down for prolonged periods, like at every traffic signal and junction.

 

[portland_bill]

Briefly, on Friday, there was a knocking noise under the bonnet. Disappointing and sounded expensive. Lifting the bonnet, no noise. Drove on, it came for a few seconds, then before I stopped, it disappeared again.
Spent some time yesterday with head over the engine, probing with the stethoscope, can't find it.

Lightbulb moment. Aircon compressor.
Now all I need is a warm enough day to test it, perhaps tomorrow morning, if I'm lucky. (Or is that unlucky)

So that'll be a compressor, and a condenser, and a flush and refill. Hopefully local garage will evacuate the system, and refill after I've fitted the bits, and do a flush either when evacuating it or before refilling, whatever they advise. Really do not want to have them repalce the bits, as that'll be astronomical.
Compressor: Parts in Motion £235 for a Denso, or £200 for a NRF (apparently specialists in aftermarket aircon). Euro, £515 for a Denso. Silly. Condensers are more reasonable, varying around the £50-60 mark, but require the front bumper off, so better for the pocket if I do it.

I suppose 19 years of always on is acceptable.

 

[StevenRB45]

Disassembling 400 quid of borrowed child seat for cleaning.

These things are meant to come to pieces but I always feel like the first time you do so is nerve wracking it's very much can I remember where this all goes? Will it all go back together again, is the bit that's just come off with a snap meant to?..is the cover going to shrink in the washer etc.

With the added jeopardy of it being borrowed not that I've already priced up replacing it...but I've priced up replacing it

Fingers crossed it appears previous owner never had it to bits judging by how tight everything is and accumulated detritus contained within and some stains. So worthwhile job but please god let it go back together and not look like the hulk sat on it.

If course none of it can be anything other than hung up to dry...so I'll not know for a few days.

 

[porta]

Why is it that, whatever motoring magazine it is, the top twenty EV’s are dominated by large or luxury motors, Porsche, RR, LR etc etc. the only consistent small cars are the new Renault 5, Mini, a Kia and the new Panda…to take a large and/or luxury vehicle, with all its environmental issues, and their frankly stupid mile per KW if you want to use them as intended, as anything other than lip service, then both the manufacturers and buyers have succeeded in basically saying f-u to the environment

 

[SB1500]

Why is it that, whatever motoring magazine it is, the top twenty EV’s are dominated by large or luxury motors, Porsche, RR, LR etc etc. the only consistent small cars are the new Renault 5, Mini, a Kia and the new Panda…to take a large and/or luxury vehicle, with all its environmental issues, and their frankly stupid mile per KW if you want to use them as intended, as anything other than lip service, then both the manufacturers and buyers have succeeded in basically saying f-u to the environment

Motoring press on EVs are just taking the biggest cheque. No different to a decade ago I suppose where everything was compared to a Golf or some Kia.

Plus… hard working people buying the less expensive cars tend to care more about what they spend their hard earned cash on so it’s probably a tougher sell to try to appeal to them. Those city sized EVs are the cost of the engine versions of those large luxury monstrosities half the time

 

[PuntoHowTo]

Disassembling 400 quid of borrowed child seat for cleaning.

I don’t envy you, recently had a spillage of bodily fluids in a car seat (the less stinky variety) and had to pull the car seat a part to wash the covers. They do come apart but seem to have been designed by a master upholsterer so you need a couple of decades of chair building experience under your belt to make sense of it

 

[portland_bill]

Why is it that, whatever motoring magazine it is, the top twenty EV’s are dominated by large or luxury motors, Porsche, RR, LR etc etc. the only consistent small cars are the new Renault 5, Mini, a Kia and the new Panda…to take a large and/or luxury vehicle, with all its environmental issues, and their frankly stupid mile per KW if you want to use them as intended, as anything other than lip service, then both the manufacturers and buyers have succeeded in basically saying f-u to the environment

It is easier to hide the cost of a battery in a large SUV EV, so that is what the manufacturers are concentrating on.

 

[porta]

It is easier to hide the cost of a battery in a large SUV EV, so that is what the manufacturers are concentrating on.

It’s not just the ‘lard arsed’ nature of size, the top twenties always have ‘premium price’ brands overwhelmingly in them. Yes it would be lovely if we could all afford a bloody great rolls royce EV except, if I had that kinda cash, I’d spend it on something other than a car, and, as for its environmental credentials, four tons and a top speed of 180mph really doesn’t cut it, neither does the it’s wear and tear on roads, tyres and the grid…plus, does an electric Ferrari appeal as much as a raucous V8 or V12?

 

[StevenRB45]

I don’t envy you, recently had a spillage of bodily fluids in a car seat (the less stinky variety) and had to pull the car seat a part to wash the covers. They do come apart but seem to have been designed by a master upholsterer so you need a couple of decades of chair building experience under your belt to make sense of it

Victory...I wonder if it will get more than 6 months use given that's why we have it as the child it was bought for grew through it nearly immediately.

I'd not be exaggerating to say it took longer to strip it and put it back together than it's taken me to change a wheel...or even do an oil change in the past so not exactly easy!

Having done many of them and stripped all the bouncy chairs and pram fabrics etc etc recently...the trick is to line up the holes and be absolutely brutal with the bits that don't line up.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Ok folks, explain this to me. I've posted before that Becky (our 2010 169 model Panda 1.2 Eco Dynamic) has a very slight propensity to pull to the left when driving in a straight line. I've read a number of posts from others on the forum who seem to have much the same problem. I've done all the usual stuff like very carefully checking for wear or damage in suspension components and "fiddling about" with slightly altering the toe setting but nothing seems to have much effect. Some have suggested it may be due to the rather slack tolerances seen in rear axle geometry and I wouldn't be surprised if this was a factor.

So, to my latest observation. Shes been pulling to the left just slightly more over the last month or so and yesterday I checked the tyre pressures - which I haven't done for some time due to family pressures using up my time. Well, I was surprised to find the front right (O/S/F) tyre was substantially down on pressure, by a good 10psi. The other 3 were within a whisker of what they should. In the past her tyres have held their pressure very well so I suspect I may have a slow puncture/leaky valve or leaking at the bead or whatever, I'll have to do a soapy water test. I'll do that at the weekend as we've got some serious stuff to do with my brother's lawyer today. So I reinflated the tyre and have just returned from getting milk and bread etc from Aldi. To my absolute amazement the pull to the left (N/S) is almost completely gone! I can't figure it. She was pulling to the left (just a little but more than normal) with the O/S front tyre down on pressure - that doesn't compute for starters, surely that should have made her pull to the right if anything? Then, after reinflating the O/S/F her pull to the left is almost completely gone. This just makes no sense to me. I'm going to try over inflating it a bit and see if the usual very slight pull to the right disappears completely. Logic says it shouldn't, however? To my way of thinking this is producing exactly the opposite reaction I would expect. Anyone got a comment? As my old (American) boss at Firestone would have said "Well Jan, theat's really got ya hornswaggled!" He never did tell me what hornswaggled means!

 

[StevenRB45]

I'm sitting here thinking is it a Diff thing.

You've got 2 tyres running at different diameters across the driven end how the diff squares that circle in a straight line could lead to some odd behaviours maybe but otherwise yeah I'm also baffled.

 

[PuntoHowTo]

a very slight change in the tyre pressure, changing the height of the wheel affecting the castor angle? I agree the drag on the lower tire I’d expect to pull to that side

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I'm sitting here thinking is it a Diff thing.

You've got 2 tyres running at different diameters across the driven end how the diff squares that circle in a straight line could lead to some odd behaviours maybe but otherwise yeah I'm also baffled.

That's an interesting theory - talk about thinking outside the box. you get the prize this week!

On previous occasions I've spun one wheel and listened to the diff spider gears but never heard anything unusual. Which isn't to say that's not the reason. Her transmission is generally nice and quiet, perhaps just a very slight whine in third if you really listen for it but no final drive noises. Of course spider gears are hardly moving when driving in a straight line so you wouldn't expect to hear anything from them.

a very slight change in the tyre pressure, changing the height of the wheel affecting the castor angle? I agree the drag on the lower tire I’d expect to pull to that side

Wow. Another very interesting hypothesis. That had never occurred to me. Although I've spent quite a bit of time experimenting with toe settings I haven't yet had her checked on something like a Hunter bench, mostly because I'm a tight fisted old git! If we can get her though her MOT and no damning advisories are listed, I might just treat her to a whole chassis measurement (Castor, camber, KPI, and all the rest) if for no other reason than to find out why she has this, albeit very slight, pull to the N/S. It's so slight that if I drive on the wrong side of a normally cambered road she drives straight with hands off the wheel, so we're not talking much here.

 

[StevenRB45]

I wasn't thinking the diff is knackered in general I'm more thinking the recent change in respective tyre diameters may lead to slightly odd steering behaviours.

If one is significantly down on air going in a straight line becomes going round a corner as far as the diff is concerned.

If one wheel is smaller the larger wheel must turn slower to maintain a straight line also the forces involved will move round depending on if you're accelerating or braking.

So although your underflated wheel will be causing more drag if the diff allows it to spin faster this slows down the opposite wheel as power is transferred maybe it goes the other way.

To be fair despite building many different diffs in smaller scale they remain largely witchcraft...so this could be absolute bobbins.

 

[Cheest]

Hornswaggled=Confused. Sounds like one of the Dadisms I heard while growing up. Along with,

"Are you deaf or stupid?" Me-"Yes." Wrong answer.

"Do you think I'm made of money?" Me-Says nothing remembering my last response.

"Where's my goddam black handled screwdriver?" Want to say "You used it last.", but know better. I swear, he's being buried with it.

"I'm not heating the outside, shut the goddam door." Door has been open long enough for me to come in.

"You can't do anything right." After trying to do something for the first time and failing

"You are slower than sour owlshit!" I'm 69 years old and I still don't know what it means.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

I wasn't thinking the diff is knackered in general I'm more thinking the recent change in respective tyre diameters may lead to slightly odd steering behaviours.

If one is significantly down on air going in a straight line becomes going round a corner as far as the diff is concerned.

If one wheel is smaller the larger wheel must turn slower to maintain a straight line also the forces involved will move round depending on if you're accelerating or braking.

So although your underflated wheel will be causing more drag if the diff allows it to spin faster this slows down the opposite wheel as power is transferred maybe it goes the other way.

To be fair despite building many different diffs in smaller scale they remain largely witchcraft...so this could be absolute bobbins.

More interesting stuff to ponder on. Thanks.

Yes I got your drift regarding the torque distribution from the diff - thanks, again hadn't thought of that. I only mentioned about the nice quiet transmission in general so we could dismiss it as a possible problem.

When I first started looking into this pulling to one side, some years ago, after checking all the obvious stuff I swapped the front wheels over but it made no difference. I even tried running the rears on the front and then swapping them side to side but the pull remained the same.

The effect is really pretty small and doesn't worry Mrs J at all. In fact she says she's no idea what I'm talking about. So, as the car really only does local trips, mostly of less than 10 miles, and as we've been driving her like this for years maybe I should just ignore it? Trouble is that, as slight as it is, I know she shouldn't do it - Aaargh! Wish I wasn't such a pessimistic perfectionist.

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Hornswaggled=Confused. Sounds like one of the Dadisms I heard while growing up. Along with,

"Are you deaf or stupid?" Me-"Yes." Wrong answer.

"Do you think I'm made of money?" Me-Says nothing remembering my last response.

"Where's my goddam black handled screwdriver?" Want to say "You used it last.", but know better. I swear, he's being buried with it.

"I'm not heating the outside, shut the goddam door." Door has been open long enough for me to come in.

"You can't do anything right." After trying to do something for the first time and failing

"You are slower than sour owlshit!" I'm 69 years old and I still don't know what it means.

Thanks for the translation. As he tended to use it when I was trying to solve a difficult problem I kind off guessed that was what it meant - nice to know for sure though. There were others but I can't bring them to mind right now.