Was there anything "special" about the wee Citroen van (2nd picture, slightly right of centre of picture, with someone sitting in the back) I've got a "thing" about wee 2 cylinder Citroen vans!
What's made you smile today?
- Thread starter angel
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What's made you smile today?
Is it wrong my First thought about the Jet hearse was "Ooo MV6?"..
Did you actually hear the Jet hearse running the turbine?
I watched a tractor puller down in Cornwall some years ago with a helicopter turbine, it used a Hillman Imp engine to spool it up, impressive but at the time lacked a bit of control and ended up "taking out" some of the opposition whilst they were parked
I didn’t look at it closely but if you like that I will dig out some pictures I took of the same type of van at a motor show in london a couple of years back.
No I think that’s fair. Lots of rear wheel drive fun to be had
Yes they had Parked it up in the corner of the field and when I took the picture they had just turned it off, hence all the fire extinguishers around it. Apparently an engine from some 50s jet but didn’t hear which one. Maybe something like a hawker hunter
How old is she? Very cheeky face a lot like my 2 yoWent for a dog walk and grand daughter showed me how to do pull ups, though not so easy at 71 and 13.5 stone, plus the fun of puddles.
Three years old and great fun, later she copied the dog and sat in a puddle, not bothered in the slightest
Ahh, an old Chicago built tan…er…bicycle. I have a 1946 woman’s frame sitting in my garage attic.On Thursday I was helping a friend, we fitted the sprung front to his head stock, haven't got a suitable wheel yet , but at least front brake works, needs something as the intention is to put one of his Cyclemaster engines in place of rear wheel.
All the old period bikes that match the CycleMaster have stirrup brakes which are useless, so even worse with a engine.
Envy you , I got out of breath cycling this around his yard, never mind 31.5 miles and I am sure Lycra wouldn't be "me".
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I’m have no desire to be an OGIL, an Old Guy in Lycra. I’ll wear bicycle shorts under walking shorts, but that’s where it stops. No desire to be a rolling billboard, either.
The Panda Nut
Nutty about Pandas Infected by Panda virus and OPD
Contrary to local rumours. lolOn Thursday I was helping a friend, we fitted the sprung front to his head stock, haven't got a suitable wheel yet , but at least front brake works, needs something as the intention is to put one of his Cyclemaster engines in place of rear wheel.
All the old period bikes that match the CycleMaster have stirrup brakes which are useless, so even worse with a engine.
Envy you , I got out of breath cycling this around his yard, never mind 31.5 miles and I am sure Lycra wouldn't be "me".
View attachment 448750
Might test the stretch capabilities of the Lycra though.
Wimmenfolk do that all the time on this side of the pond. Some days there just isn't enough eyebleach.Might test the stretch capabilities of the Lycra though.
Late yesterday afternoon our Fireman neighbour, who I think I can almost now call a "friend"? knocked on my door. His wife's car, An elderly, 2nd generation, Kia Rio, won't start. Can I give them a jump? Aye, of course I can, but let's just do a couple of quick checks first. So, grabbing my Multimeter, We returned up the street to his house.
Ok, first off, what's the standing battery voltage? Approx 8 volts, that's not a good start. How long since it was last run? About 3 days but up to then it's been starting "fine". So lets just try a start and let me hear what's happening. Key turned and engine, very slowly, goes Wump, wump - two cylinders going over compression - and stops. Cranking voltage around 5 volts - I'm surprised it turned over at all!
Ok, so the battery is definitely "flat". Well yes, said he, I know that, so can you just give it a jump? (Wife needs to take the kids somewhere) Well, I could but with a battery showing these readings she may not be able to later restart it so they can come home! Oh, said he looking disappointed, but won't it charge up with the engine running? Maybe was my answer, but she's not going very far is she so unlikely enough charge will be achieved.
The battery itself is not the original and certainly doesn't look in it's first flush of youth either. Oh how I wish I had a battery condition analyser! Anyway, he started, quite politely, "leaning" on me to jump it. So, against my better judgement, I popped back to my house and got my big jump battery. Connected in the accepted way, ie. pos on my battery to pos on the Kia using the "red" lead, then and my battery's negative terminal to the cylinder head of the Kia using the "black" lead. But WOAH, as I touch the negative clamp to the head there's quite a spark! Don't like the look of that. Never a good thing is electric sparks! So I didn't continue but suggested we do a parasitic drain test first which would at least give us some idea if there was a serious short going on somewhere. He didn't have time for me to muck about as he decided to run the kids and wife to wherever it was they were going in his car and said he'd check in with me tomorrow to resume the task.
I went back to my garage with my big battery - that's a heavy thing to wander about the streets with - and to search for my ammeter - which I haven't used for many years (much safer to check stuff on voltage scales if possible so I avoid going near taking amperages wherever possible) and after turning out a load of "useful stuff" there it was at the back of the shelf I keep all my electrical gear on:
It's an old and "trusted" friend I acquired at the Portobello autojumble many years ago. I'm expecting to see the needle barely flicker when introduced in series with the battery and negative lead, ignition off, doors closed etc, of course. Let's hope there's not a massive short which will "kill" the meter. - Note to self, Must fit a fuse into one of the leads - As I was thinking about the prospect of a serious short and associated sparks etc that go with such things I was suddenly "hit" by a thunderbolt of a realization - Of course that earth lead sparked when you went to connect to the head, the vehicle battery is pretty much DEAD! and I was, in effect, connecting a fully charged battery (my big jump battery) directly across the vehicle's "dead" battery by doing so. There was likely a potential difference of around 6 volts going on here, Of course it sparked you numpty! By the way, for those less experience members reading this, that spark is why you never make the final earth connection to the battery negative terminal - batteries emit hydrogen and oxygen gasses, highly inflammable, BANG! - As all you "old lags" know I'm sure.
So, if, as I expect, I see no, or very little parasitic drain when I test later today (most probably) then I'm going to connect up my big jump battery and I'm confident I'll then be able to start the engine. I'll leave the jump battery connected while I check for battery voltage to see if the alternator is charging - expecting to see somewhere in the region of 13.5 to 14.5 volts. If this all checks out I'll let it run with the jump connected for 5 minutes or so to allow the duff battery and jump battery voltages to balance before disconnecting the jump battery and we'll take a drive down to Halfords where they, I know, will do a free battery condition check for us and, if needed, I can use my trade card to get him a good discount on a new battery.
I'm pretty confident that what we've got here is simply a failing battery with sulphated plates and unable to keep it's charge over any period of time. The standing voltage observed was around 8 volts and the engine very nearly cranked so I'm not worried about an internal short in the battery - I wouldn't be bothering to try any of this if battery voltage was very low or zero as it's pointless trying to "wake up" such a battery. However, at 8 volts, it might just be needing a good charge or it might be needing a new battery, The battery condition test should establish the answer to that question.
So now I've got a big smile on my face and hoping for a not too expensive outcome for my new friend.
Ok, first off, what's the standing battery voltage? Approx 8 volts, that's not a good start. How long since it was last run? About 3 days but up to then it's been starting "fine". So lets just try a start and let me hear what's happening. Key turned and engine, very slowly, goes Wump, wump - two cylinders going over compression - and stops. Cranking voltage around 5 volts - I'm surprised it turned over at all!
Ok, so the battery is definitely "flat". Well yes, said he, I know that, so can you just give it a jump? (Wife needs to take the kids somewhere) Well, I could but with a battery showing these readings she may not be able to later restart it so they can come home! Oh, said he looking disappointed, but won't it charge up with the engine running? Maybe was my answer, but she's not going very far is she so unlikely enough charge will be achieved.
The battery itself is not the original and certainly doesn't look in it's first flush of youth either. Oh how I wish I had a battery condition analyser! Anyway, he started, quite politely, "leaning" on me to jump it. So, against my better judgement, I popped back to my house and got my big jump battery. Connected in the accepted way, ie. pos on my battery to pos on the Kia using the "red" lead, then and my battery's negative terminal to the cylinder head of the Kia using the "black" lead. But WOAH, as I touch the negative clamp to the head there's quite a spark! Don't like the look of that. Never a good thing is electric sparks! So I didn't continue but suggested we do a parasitic drain test first which would at least give us some idea if there was a serious short going on somewhere. He didn't have time for me to muck about as he decided to run the kids and wife to wherever it was they were going in his car and said he'd check in with me tomorrow to resume the task.
I went back to my garage with my big battery - that's a heavy thing to wander about the streets with - and to search for my ammeter - which I haven't used for many years (much safer to check stuff on voltage scales if possible so I avoid going near taking amperages wherever possible) and after turning out a load of "useful stuff" there it was at the back of the shelf I keep all my electrical gear on:
It's an old and "trusted" friend I acquired at the Portobello autojumble many years ago. I'm expecting to see the needle barely flicker when introduced in series with the battery and negative lead, ignition off, doors closed etc, of course. Let's hope there's not a massive short which will "kill" the meter. - Note to self, Must fit a fuse into one of the leads - As I was thinking about the prospect of a serious short and associated sparks etc that go with such things I was suddenly "hit" by a thunderbolt of a realization - Of course that earth lead sparked when you went to connect to the head, the vehicle battery is pretty much DEAD! and I was, in effect, connecting a fully charged battery (my big jump battery) directly across the vehicle's "dead" battery by doing so. There was likely a potential difference of around 6 volts going on here, Of course it sparked you numpty! By the way, for those less experience members reading this, that spark is why you never make the final earth connection to the battery negative terminal - batteries emit hydrogen and oxygen gasses, highly inflammable, BANG! - As all you "old lags" know I'm sure.
So, if, as I expect, I see no, or very little parasitic drain when I test later today (most probably) then I'm going to connect up my big jump battery and I'm confident I'll then be able to start the engine. I'll leave the jump battery connected while I check for battery voltage to see if the alternator is charging - expecting to see somewhere in the region of 13.5 to 14.5 volts. If this all checks out I'll let it run with the jump connected for 5 minutes or so to allow the duff battery and jump battery voltages to balance before disconnecting the jump battery and we'll take a drive down to Halfords where they, I know, will do a free battery condition check for us and, if needed, I can use my trade card to get him a good discount on a new battery.
I'm pretty confident that what we've got here is simply a failing battery with sulphated plates and unable to keep it's charge over any period of time. The standing voltage observed was around 8 volts and the engine very nearly cranked so I'm not worried about an internal short in the battery - I wouldn't be bothering to try any of this if battery voltage was very low or zero as it's pointless trying to "wake up" such a battery. However, at 8 volts, it might just be needing a good charge or it might be needing a new battery, The battery condition test should establish the answer to that question.
So now I've got a big smile on my face and hoping for a not too expensive outcome for my new friend.
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Always a risk with jobs like that, worst of all it is usually the "gratis" ones that cause the most grief.;(
Too right Mike. Thought I was "wise" enough to avoid - but it seems not! Looking on the bright side though, he seems a nice chap and has lots of "useful" contacts. Now, if I can just manage not to wreck his wife's car!
I trust you are not intending to need his services as a fireman
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Told my lad we were off to get a new tyre today.
"For real life?"
"Can I do it i'm a good mechanic?"
"Sorry matey unless you've got tyre mounting equipment and a wheel balancing machine I don't know about someone else will be doing it"
"But I can fix anything on a Lego car...I'm a good fixer"
"For real life?"
"Can I do it i'm a good mechanic?"
"Sorry matey unless you've got tyre mounting equipment and a wheel balancing machine I don't know about someone else will be doing it"
"But I can fix anything on a Lego car...I'm a good fixer"
A chip off the old block without a doubt.
I need to get myself access to a pit and some tools again and a toy car before he's old enough to do it properly so it's not just "so having identified the fault what we're going to do is go to the garage drink some coffee and let the warranty company pay for it".
Looking at some used cars in a quiet moment this is one of the 40 pictures or so of a C3 Aircross.
Which maintenance operation is this?
Which maintenance operation is this?
