Turbocharger

Went for a drive today, and now I seem to be in trouble. George and I went out to do a couple of nice easy lanes, then on to a country pub for Sunday lunch. I went outside ahead of her to check the oils and levels so she wouldn't get her hair frizzy in the rain, although I was a little greasy by the time she joined me. We headed out to the Fosse Way, which I thought might be a bit 'interesting' after the rain we've had. There were several decent puddles although the first ford we found wasn't more than 3" deep. The second looked a little more interesting, and the bonnet dipped under as we crossed. As the Tupperware and assorted detritus from the passenger footwell floated past her, George seemed a little agitated at my choice of route to the pub. Of course since I'd found a good ford I had to have a couple more attempts (to the glee of the watching local kids), although she didn't seem to want to join me. "Excellent", I said. "You can take the video." "Hmm", she said. I made a couple more crossings (that water's cold, and it was up as high as the seats), watching the rear tub and cubby box take on and let out water. After a couple of runs I'd got George's feet wet (hear her scream at the end of the vid ) and she wanted to get warm again. I was shivering and both seats were wet through, so I decided it was best to go straight home, rather than try to find a pub that would take us and serve food. I was worried about the headlights on the way back too, and one has subsequently stopped working on dip beam - ho hum. We got back before dark though. It seems the CD changer didn't like my rapid-clean technique and has thrown it's toys out of the pram too, but at least I know there's less road salt in the rear cross member now. The biggest problem seems to be George. After promising a day out in the car with food, and then not delivering every item on the list, she's in a strop. She wants to 'wash her hair' (again - she only did it this morning ) but she can't, because the shower's full of everything that was in the cubby box. "Fine" she said. "I'll do the washing up." "No, the CD changer's in bits in the sink, and the headlights are going in next." "Right. I'm going to bed." Now I think I'm in trouble, but I'm going to London in the morning (if it starts and my seat's dry) so I only need to survive the evening. Any thoughts? Oh, PS - here's the video! [3.6MB]

I've had problems with a 6ft10 car park with the roofrack on too, but that can easily come off for residency. Thanks guys - Jon's 6ft9 3/4" should really hack off the greenies I'll let you know how I get on.

How tall is a Ninety, officially? I can take a tape measure outside but it won't tell me what I want to hear. I want a resident's parking permit but I can only register if the vehicle is less than 18ft long and 6ft10 tall... "officially". I know I'm safe on one count... If it's taller on paper, I will look to live somewhere else. I hate househunting. Your assistance is, as ever, greatly appreciated. In fact, if anyone knows London reasonably well, a top three places to aim for and avoid would be handy - I'm looking anywhere in north of the river and west of the M1 corridor.

I got a £70 jobby on eBay, came with two batteries and charges quickly, it'll take all four wheels off and back on so it does what I bought it for. It's a little too bulky to be very useful under the truck, but as everyone knows the most important thing is to look trick in front of the neighbours and for that, it's the ballon de chien.

I'm sure we'll soon have handful of owners and a modding thread, but who'll be the first to fit portals?

I'd say to keep the angles sensible, when winching forwards the best compromise would be to tuck the winch up as far forward as possible against the bed's "headboard" and run it back to a pulley on the rear crossemember before heading off through your tubes etc to the front of the truck? Otherwise you'll always be working a compromise of front and rear winching.

Well, to conclude my off-topic whinge, I left Aberdeen ten minutes late in perfect visibility in a two-litre Saab (SAAB-2000) with much more room inside than a Jetstream 41, flew down in an hour-ten (compared to 1:45 in a Jetstream) and landed on runway 27 with zero cloudbase but visibility of 300m(ish). In short, I was early and undiverted, unlike a lot of people who were on the flight with me who were trying to go to Southampton. It surprises me how people will carry on arguing when they're told they're going to Bristol instead of Southampton because the airport's closed... Merry Christmas to everyone who works with the awkward public! I don't like sitting in line with a turboprop engine's propellor - there's something about it that unnerves me.

Putting my forensic hat on, Chris, I'd say that your loose bolt dropped the fluid out of the system and this is what caused the bearing to fail and sieze. Pure speculation but that's the order I'd say it happened on if just presented with those facts... Nice writeup by the way, more for the Tech Archive I hope!

I usually do a search but forget to include the archive, ask a question and someone links straight back to it for me but indeed, an excellent resource. I put a tenner into the forum funds when I used the Archive to do my cam belt, since it saved me many times that in labour for someone else to do it.

Well, it took a while but we've got a Happy Christmas thread. I think 21st December is a good date to shrug off the humbug shawl and say HAPPY CHRISTMAS!!

And in an ORRP style, there's my quote for 2006.

Yup, that's what I just installed in mine (again).

Have you considered using an engine working on the compression-ignition cycle? I believe the more modern units use forced-induction 'out of the box', although the specific output might fall slightly short of your targets... Someone had to say it...

I'm supposed to be flying from Aberdeen to Bristol shortly. The airline report no delays but BAA have just taken down the server which carries the internet Live Departure information. Ho hum. Happy Christmas to everyone working in customer services, it's a helluva day!

Ignorance is no defence, but the MOT only assesses the vehicle's roadworthiness on that day. Also, bear in mind that the vehicle standard required to pass an MOT is different (and higher) than that required to avoid a roadside prohibition. For example, your vehicle will fail an MOT with an indicator repeater inoperative, but this will only attract an inspection notice (PG35) at a roadside check. Equally, a PG35 can be issued for an inoperative reversing lamp but this is not a testable item at the annual MOT. VOSA say (reaching for Categorisation of Defects book):

... except the oil, which doesn't make a good shampoo!

I took the fan off my 300Tdi completely, warms up quicker now and it's actually quieter (although the viscous unit had died and locked up solid). We used to joke that Series 3 bulkheads were full of dangerously pressurised air, because so much is sucked in through the wing vent, but barely any comes out to dribble halfway up the screen - it must be getting stuck somewhere in the bulkhead, pressurising it for all of time.

If you've got plenty of time and a digicam, do it over a weekend and posts pics on here if you get stuck. The way I look at it, even if you mess it up and it snaps subsequently, the worst that will happen is you'll bend a few pushrods or snap a rocker. If you don't mess it up, you've saved a pot of money. It is daunting but after my first swap (old one snapped) I'd be happy to do another.

Have you still got any material science books from when you were at school Bish?

Surely unless your vehicle is issued with a prohibition prevent use on a public road, you're still legal to drive it on the old certificate. I taxed my car online yesterday using the new computerised MOT - very simple, saves me a trip to the (Christmas shopper laden) post office.

14/15th January is a Sunday/Monday combo. I'll see you all there on the Sunday. Remembering the gun debate of 97/98, the only way forward is clear, reasoned discussion. Messages like 'you p!ss me off so I'll break your legs' doesn't help our case. Much more helpful is observing that a new Mini Cooper does 32mpg and so does my LandRover.

It's quick and easy to check your thermostat, but it won't affect the warm-up time because it won't be open then! To check your thermostat yourself you will need: flat blade screwdriver 10 or 11mm socket, ratchet and extension a bit of coolant, maybe a litre or two It's literally a two-minute job, a new stat will cost you about £12.

Mister Numberplate?

Because I'm cold to the core, I've got a tarpaulin which I sometimes drape around the cage hoop behind my head to exclude the air in the back a little. Takes seconds to hold it up with clothes pegs and seems to make a difference on long journeys. So would sealing the vent flaps properly and making the doors fit the apertures, of course! The Ninety heater is ok, but helping it with a truckcab or smaller hardtop can make it tropical inside