Life on the edge - the Diary of a C5

[Hell Razor5543]

Otterchops, it is knowing what is the best implement to threaten something with. For you is is the BIG hammer (although there would be occasions when he HAS to use one on a particularly recalcitrant item), and for the laptops it could be the blowtorch.

[Xantianut]

Hello, Friends!

Ah, Phooey!! Numerous Naughty Words. In French. And German!!

I thought I'd found a way to get rid of that cheapo NACA starter he gave me last year. Talk about built down to a price!!! Anyway, i just loosened the connection to my big, powerful battery ever so slightly and waited for corrosion to do her work. This week, my starter would not turn. At all! IPad tells me the Old Fool has been looking at starter motors but I wish she/d tell me exactly what he was looking at. Not NEW starters but how to fix one!

I fought him. I fought him as much as I could, hoping against hope that a box containing a new starter would appear but to no avail. After moving my air filter, fuel filter and air intake from my intercooler he could get his tools in without any worries to remove my starter, clean the contacts, smear with dielectric grease and reassemble.

When reassembling I thought I'd better be a Good Girl.

I am now running well and ready to take my Greyhounds to a little show tomorrow.

Love

Otterchops.

And her Very Greasy Daddy!!

[bobins]

You better be careful with your starter motor Otters, or he'll get his starting handle out - and you don't want to think about where he'll put that

[Xantianut]

hadn't thought of that, Bobins.

I know his big hammer can hurt!!!

Otterchops.

[Xantianut]

Hello, Friends!

Papa went purple this week and that is very impressive. The "thieving little scrotes" have been getting inventive and have helped themselves to the bolts under my wheel arches that hold my bumper on. Papa has tried goooooooglig but only comes up with the plastic clips that are frankly not what I need. Oh, and the Old Fool LOST two of the torx bolts at thee top of my grille.

Has anyone got a Part Number or the type of thread? Needless to say, he's gott no idea. If he can't hit it with a hammer.....

Gotta fly - here comes the Old Fool now!

Love

Otterchops.

[Xantianut]

Ay up!

I am a part time mechanic and tutor at a training centre mainly for kids with learning difficulties. We also have a couple of groups of NACRO kids doing a Modern Apprenticeship. Fifi is being maintained in the perfect place. Its the old Sunbeam Factory.

Fifi is my daily transport and about to begin a major tidy-up. A deal for leather seats has been struck with one of my fellow forumites (saving pocket money!) and body repair will begin once we have a slot. Numerous dents need sorting with touching up of the paint as well. Plus repainting the black trim. Plenty to keep me busy, then.

We've been repairing a head gasket on a 306 GTI, a head rebuild on a Renault Megane and I've just spent the best part of two days removing the thermostat housing from a 2006 Ford Fiesta! At least the replacement part is cheap - £16 ex-Fleabay. Plus we have a 306 converrtible which belongs to a student and is a long term project. After this, a Daewoo Matiz for a pair of wheel bearings and front brakes then it will be adopted by one of our staff members.

[Xantianut]

Otterchops, it is knowing what is the best implement to threaten something with. For you is is the BIG hammer (although there would be occasions when he HAS to use one on a particularly recalcitrant item), and for the laptops it could be the blowtorch.

[Xantianut]

Salut mes amis!!!

I have an Aircon leak from the pipe that goes from my aircon compressor to the evaporator. Papa can find pipes for a Mk2 but would they fit? He's worried that it may be too hot for my dogs.....

[Hell Razor5543]

If you cannot find a suitable replacement can you remove it? If you can, maybe Pirtek could repair it.

[Xantianut]

Worth a try. See if I can get a replacement though.

[Xantianut]

Hello Friends!

Long time no speak!

Papa had my air con checked and the "leak" was where he'd spilled some screen wash concentrate! How I laughed!!! All I needed was a regas! That's repaid him for the vile fluorescent gunk he bought.

Recently my heater blower has been surging and then it stopped working altogether. After reading about it on here, Papa bought a new unit and a new connector, just in case. The old connector was in fine condition so he did not need to burn my wiring with his powerful soldering iron. It was an "interesting" job. Whoever did it last clearly was not a fan of Customer States What? He always says not to screw the next guy because the next guy may be you! Some fool had overtightened the self tapping screw so hard it stripped the plastic thread in my heater box. Even worse, it was the top one which he could not see! My dashboard has a blue tinge to it with all his swearing! Once he'd got the googats screw out, it was easy except for the fact that he was upside down in my drivers' footwell to do it. Now he's creaky at the best of times but last Saturday he fell flat on his back when a greyhound (not one of mine) pulled him over. Seems his bottom is not as well padded as he thought it was!

Still, my fan is repaired so my aircon is now working properly again!

Bye for now.

Love

Otterchops!

[Xantianut]

Hello, Friends!!

Long time no see.

I have been a Good Girl, reliable and powerful as always although my big turbo was being a little slow in kicking in until Papa bought me a new dipstick for my oil. This has a rubber seal but has made everything much better. Papa even smiles when he stamps on my go pedal! I also have new oil, new coolant, new oil and fuel filters and (praise be!!!!) an oil drain plug that some has not mullered with Mole Grips! All he needs is a 21mm spanner and my oil drains like it should.

I have got a split CV boot on my right hand side but Papa has a nice new joint and has promised me the tool to fit it with. It has been very exciting, watching all this big boxes arriving with bits for me. The dipstick came in one that was bigger than one with oil, air, fuel AND pollen filter in! Oh nearly forgot, he changed the pollen filter as well. He likes my air conditioning. Luxury or what???

I also have had a problem with my heater fan and Papa worked out the problem on here. He fitted the resistor pack and all is now well. The job did not go as he planned. Not only was he working upside down in my driver's footwell but Mr Bodger had visited. The top screw had been overtightened and had stripped it's threads! His language was "interesting." My resistor pack is now held in with just the lower bolt. No point in putting one in a thread less hole!! He struggled enough getting that errr naughty bolt out and it was Not On. I think he even said Oh Dear, How Tiresome.....

Anyway, gotta go. Papa is bedding my greyhounds down for the night then he'll read me my night night story.

He's a good Papa.

Love

Otterchops.

[CitroJim]

Magic

[Xantianut]

Hello, Friends!

I think I may be In Disgrace.

We tried to take our Hounds to Bridgnorth twice but my left hand brake kept seizing on. Daddy walloped it with his BIG hamme nd got us home both times and had. Feeling session or 2 but to no avail. The calliper is googats and his hips are as seized as the calliper!

He managed to get my sporty alloy wheel back on but I only have one pad on the near side so no motoring for me. iPad tells me he has ordered another calliper which no doubt will be another cheapo Chinese thingy. Like the one that has seized. However iPad also tells me he's bee looking at Bigg Red for refurb brakes. Are they any good? They're all over the magazines that iPad reads to me as bedtime stories.

I may be In Disgrace but at least I am all 4 wheels. Some cars have to sit on a stand minus a wheel while parts are delivered.

Gotta go.

Love

Otterchops.

[Hell Razor5543]

Hi, Otterchops,

Bigg Red has a good reputation (Zel is considering using them to sort out the callipers for his Vauxhall Cavalier project), so getting refurbished callipers from them should be fine.