January 2010
What can you think of that`s a `solid` memory - embedded in the golden days of earlier life?
R Hanson`s coal trucks negotiating that steep bend on Durkar Lane - Crigglestone W Yorks. There! In the gutter gleaming - large ball bearings from their wheels - now here`s the thing. You can still FEEL them in your hand, even now. And you can hear them rolling across the the concrete of the playground - and the scattering sound of other kid`s marbles.
Phantom tools - stolen when a teenager - but that mole wrench - gone these 44 yrs (but probably still within a mile of here) is still THERE in the hand. You feel it - but it`s gone.
You think and focus in - on the detail. The choke knob for example on the Mini in 68 - you FEEL your fingers behind it and the resistance of the stiff wire twixt carb and knob. Actually, detailed memory of the smear of Duckham`s on the rod part of the choke control is there too.
The question is - what to think hard about? and it would help to have little artifacts in the hand to trigger trains of memory that may otherwise be hard to reach.
Triggers then really. Wish I still hard the hard substance of those ball bearings to hand - to root and trigger interesting memories.
Did you keep any artifacts - or like me did you tend to throw things out? Read more
In the days of indirect injection diesel engines, glowplugs would have been needed for all cold starts and a fair few luke warm starts too. I seem to recall needing some new ones at around 90k miles on an old Peugeot 205 that I ran. In the main, I don't think they used to stay on to reduce emissions after a cold start though.
In modern DI/CR units, the glowplugs only really come in to play to aid starting in sub zero temperatues. However, I suspect that even if no yellow light appears on the dashboard, they may be used automatically after a cold start, to reduce pollution and aid smooth running for a few seconds.
Clearly, these devices have developed a lot in recent years and now heat up far quicker than they did a few years back.
Do you reckon that modern glow plugs in a modern engine that will probably start (eventually) in most conditions without their use, will last longer than in old IDI applications, where they were needed a lot, but perhaps didn't stay on after the engine had fired?
Will modern fuel injection systems and the quality of the fuel also contribute to a longer life for the modern glowplug...? Read more
Do you reckon that modern glow plugs in a modern engine that will probably start (eventually) in most conditions without their use, will last longer than in old IDI applications
The opposite, in my experience. My '01Y Octavia SDi needed new glowplugs after its first couple of sub-zero temperature morning starts - and even then it wasn't parked overnight long enough for the engine to get properly cold.
It was a minicab and was started probably 30-40 times every day, the vast majority of starts without seeming to "engage" the glowplugs. In fact I can only remember the glowplug light staying on for longer than the 1-second bulb test cycle on 4 or 5 occasions in well over 200k miles.
I've had other diesel cars too, on those the interior and instrument lights brightened perceptibly when the glowplugs were deactivated some 10-15 seconds after the engine had started - this never occurred with the Skoda.
EDIT:
>>being energised for anything up to 3 minutes after the engine has started
That could be why then!
tinyurl.com/ydmf5oh
Would you use any of them?
Pat Read more
I love gadgets. The more the better.
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/in_depth/business/2009/carmake...m
BBC seemed to have gathered all their Motoring related business news onto one page - including the SAAB takeover article - which is how I found it. Maybe worth bookmarking for those with an interest in the business. Read more
Good discovery!
As this is my first winter riding the Street Triple R I did not realise how cold your hands get (especially the finger tips). I don't want to fit bar warmers but can any of you experienced and seasoned riders recommend a good pair of gloves or liners that will keep my hands a warm and not break the bank.
Thanks Read more
These are the ones I got, but looks like out of stock at the moment.
(shame, as they were considerably cheaper than other places).
www.bikermart.co.uk/proddetail.asp?prod=OF695
I have a glow of satisfaction at the moment because, as a result of my request, the council are cutting back hedges locally where they were encroaching on the tarmac. Up to then the hedges were only kept under control by vehicles brushing against them. The rest of the street have been whinging about the hedges for ages but none of them could be bothered to report the situation. Read more
"No. I got out my gardening equipment and did the job myself. "
What just like that?
You mean you didn't undertake a health and safety audit and undergo a gardening equipment safety course?
People like you need counselling:-)
...amongst other things
www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/jan/23/cctv-sky-police-...s
Not exactly sure how this would work, but you soon might need to check the skies before you decide to cut somebody up...if you're into that kind of thing... Read more
oooooooooooooooooooooooppppppppppppppppppppppppssssssssssss
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/merseyside/8517726.stm
Hi, we bought a 2.2 CDTi a few months ago, apparently it was the Sales managers company car , and had low mileage. We have two issues with the Climate Control.
Firstly it takes 30mins minimum of driving before the car starts to heat up. Secondly even with the Climate control at MAX (28degrees) running for 40mins the car gets warm, but no more. We have tested the temperature within the car by using household digital thermometers, and cannot get them to read any more than 20 degrees. We ran with two units in parallel so that we had a benchmark to verify that they were both giving the same reading.
It has been back to the local dealer twice but they are telling us that the cause is due to the engine being so efficient that it takes a while to heat !! as if we believe that Bull !!
At a cost of 24K we are seriously not impressed with Honda ownership so far.
We have requested they provide detailed specification output for the Climate control, but they told us Honda don't have any.
We e-mailed Honda 8 days ago requesting the same information, and are still waiting to hear from them - Customer service ?? - we are not impressed.
Anyone else had to deal with Honda direct? what's your experiance.
Any one else got an Accord that suffers from similar problems? according to the dealer they are all the same !
The car has also been in to the 'dealers' (note the correct spelling!) to have the tracking checked, as the 'Toe' was apparently out causing a pull to the left. Cost £80 just for the privilage of being informed it was caused by driver damage.
There is also a very minor issue with the clutch pedal making a creaking noise - we have waited for 3 weeks now for 1 of the 9 parts required to repair it - at least this is being done under warrenty - assuming it does actually resolve the problem.
Read more
We have some little infra red temp measuring devices in the workshop, but you could probably judge by hand. The heater hoses should be too hot to comfortably grip.
I bought this car as a very cheap little runaround after the demise of my Peugeot van but the fuel and temp guages dont register anything. It might be coincidence that they are both not working but I wonder if there is a known fault, maybe behind the dash. (The two guages are side by side). Other than that, for a 22 year old car that cost just £250 with tax and test it is pretty damn good! Read more
I just purchased a lovely 1987 Sunny yesterday evening. The ONLY thing wrong is that the temp/fuel gauges aren't working. The seller showed me a small electrical part in the engine bay that he thought was faulty. I'm glad I read this forum before wasting my time on that! Now to look out for this 'regulator'...unless someone has a spare ;-)
Looks like the new BMW 5 series model is to be known as the "F10" (previous ones were E series, eg. E90, E39, etc. )
www.bmwblog.com/2009/11/24/official-photos-2011-bm.../
www.bmwblog.com/2009/11/29/f10-5-series-vs-f01-7-s.../
www.bmwblog.com/2009/11/24/new-high-res-stunning-p.../
Read more
It does, doesn't it! In that particular view I think a Bangle creation would look over-fussy.
Browse
I have a hobby knife that I bought in the early 1970's when still at school back in my home town.
It still does duty as my regular letter opener.
I have to be very careful when I use it, mind. Not because it has a blade, but because it sometimes starts me off thinking about how times have changed since I bought it. Dangerous activity, that.
Its funny how you start off on that line of thought. Sometimes a memory brings a smile, but other times .... other times.....