Today I mostly .....

[Zelandeth]

The Xantias came with either a Bosch or Lucas injection pumps depending on configuration. Can't remember off the top of my head exactly which engine had what though.

This one would run quite happily on veg though I have been assured. Something I may try later in the year at some point. For the moment though it's my main mode of transport so experimentation is being kept to a minimum!

Had forgotten the Cillit Bang degreaser actually. Remember that being rather effective back when I had the Fiesta with the typically leaky rocker covers that all the HCS engines seemed to have. Wish I'd taken before and after photos of that, it was truly disgusting...

Reckon the vast majority here is coming from the timing cover, just due to the way the engine sits it pools in several places and looks like they are sources too. At least the fuel system seems to be leak free given there is no smell of diesel under the bonnet and none of the starting issues that leaky bleed off lines seem to cause.

[Ged]

im off for the male equivalent of having a baby.

MOT Time.....

[Ged]

wheres the "smug look" smiley?

[Ged]

one advisory for low rear brake pads.

and a hastily adjusted wheel bearing in the car park

[Ged]

sigh

[Ged]

another today i have mostly been.......


winding richard up on difflock.

[Ged]

i like to keep my hand in just incase someone interesting comes along....

besides, hes dug himself a hole again.

[Ged]

oh man dont go setting me targets. thats not fair

i think hes just about to explode.

http://forum.difflock.com/viewtopic.php?t=77071

[Ged]

you wanna see when i really get wound up.

ive been banned 5 times so far

[Ged]

today, i have mostly.....

been collecting dirty chip fat and watching richard completely lose the plot.

[Ged]

i got i £500 quid car and it dont leak.

did i mention that bit

[Ged]

psychologically, richard has a dominant, controlling and slightly narcissistic personality. once you know that, you can allow him to dig himself holes.

normally he gets other mods to lock the threads or delete them, depending ho much he has embarrassed himself in them.

the problem with me is that i have no shame, cant be embarrassed and dont really care what anyone thinks of me.

its a recipe for fun/disaster, depending on if you are a mod or not.

[Zelandeth]

Today I mostly...

Took the windscreen washer jets off the Xantia, blew them out and stuck them in the ultrasonic cleaner, which finally seems to have cleared them. Also blasted a fair amount of water through the system without the jets attached to try to flush any crud out. I now have four working jets again rather than 1/2 of one at the far passenger side.

Also started to do some remedial paintwork where the clearcoat has been flaking off (which sadly is something the red Xantias seem to be very prone to). It's never going to be perfect, but should look a lot better anyway once done (and the whole thing has had a polish). I don't mind a car of this age having some battle scars, provided that it's obvious that something has been done to try to look after it!

[Zelandeth]

Today I mostly...

Watched the utter hilarity outside our house and realised first hand for the first time how utterly and completely incapable people down here are of dealing with snow. When I mean snow, I mean a dusting of about 1/4" that we had yesterday evening.

Our road is on a slight incline, and was what I would have described as "pretty icy" this morning. In the 30 minute period I was keeping tabs on what was going on, I saw no less than 38 cars struggling, sliding around and mostly sliding backwards down the hill, having to then negotiate the roundabout backwards to get onto the level roads there.

The double decker bus and the bin lorry managed just fine mind you...

What really made me laugh though was that I had to actually rescue one lady who got herself utterly stuck wedged between our neighbour across the road's fence and the kerb. In a Range Rover. ...with 27" wheels and racing slick tyres on, who just didn't seem to get the idea that you can't just Clarkson your way out of trouble on ice. I decided to drag her out of trouble before she found a bit of clear tarmac and propelled herself at the speed of sound across the road into one of my cars.

...She got towed up the hill by me in my scruffy S plate Xantia with knackered front tyres without any trouble whatsoever.

Realised afterwards that I really missed the trick and should have used the Skoda for proper comedy effect!

[Neil Chowney]

Hi Mary, are you gainfully employed yet?