Zel's Fleet Blog - BX, Jag XJ-S, Sinclair C5, Mercedes 208D & 230TE, AC Model 70.

[Zelandeth]

One thing worth noting Van, before drilling anything out...get yourself some decent cobalt drill bits.

They're fluffing expensive, but go through stuff I've spent ages fighting with using a standard HSS bit like butter. I'd probably still be trying to get the first door apart if I'd not got them. One of those tools I'd put off getting for years, now kick myself for not just getting on with it.

I've got a bit of steel bar which has a few holes drilled through it, which is useful to stop the bit wandering too far. I do need to paint the blasted thing neon orange or something though as it disappears every time I put it down.

[Zelandeth]

Relatively busy today which meant little time for the cars, but did get some things done.

Front indicator lenses after a thorough clean have now been refitted. Output is much improved now they're not full of insect nests.

Turned my attention then to the non functional windscreen wiper. I'd already released the spindle from outside the car and the highly fiddly bracket inside the car. You would think that working in the footwell of a car with no pedals and a flat floor would be easier...no, it's just as horrible as always.

Quick meter test showed that power was indeed getting to the motor. While still standing on my head I figured out that I could just about slide it out of the bracket without unbolting that...which was necessary as the bolts to into non-captive nuts on the other side of the bulkhead...in such a location as to be really hard to get to. Sure enough it did slide out relatively easily, only showering minor amounts of rust from the dash frame in my face. Then I went and spoiled it by dropping the whole motor assembly on my head. Ow.

Cover off showed healthy brushes, but clear evidence of the motor having overheated at some point but still looked fine according to the meter. Poking it with power revealed that it did now run, however the gearbox was locking everything up at one point as the cable running to the spindle is seized in the outer channel. Spindle itself is locked up too.

I've left both of those things soaking in penetrating oil overnight. If they don't free up overnight I'll swap the motor out for the one in KP as I know that works.

While I was standing on my head under the dash I noticed a couple of things.

Oh look... I'd totally forgotten that I still need to sort the fuse box out...

There are going to be quite a few long term wiring changes but I'd like to get things hooked up properly and secure the fuse box in the interim though. It's now on the whiteboard so I can't forget it again.

The question of whether the dash needs to come out at some point so I can properly inspect and repair the wiring behind it has been answered.

That very crusty terminal strip holding together those brown wires with the white trace is in the main switched ignition feed if I remember rightly. I can also see a distinctly shoddy looking crimp terminal on the back of the ignition switch - which carries every milliamp pulled by everything aside from the head/tail lights. Especially in light of the "minimalist" approach to fusing, that wants properly sorting.

Also gives me a good opportunity to swap the dash out for a non-cracked one, as there's a stinking great crack in the top of the one in the car just now.

[van ordinaire]

One thing worth noting Van, before drilling anything out...get yourself some decent cobalt drill bits.

They're fluffing expensive, but go through stuff I've spent ages fighting with using a standard HSS bit like butter. I'd probably still be trying to get the first door apart if I'd not got them. One of those tools I'd put off getting for years, now kick myself for not just getting on with it.

I've got a bit of steel bar which has a few holes drilled through it, which is useful to stop the bit wandering too far. I do need to paint the blasted thing neon orange or something though as it disappears every time I put it down.

Thing that puts me off those bits is the way they're demonstrated at every car show I've been to for years now.

In any event, I think they may be overkill for 2 or 3 M6 screws.

I like the steel bar trick though, I think I've got a pre-drilled length of square rod (from a household door handle) that would be ideal. Thanks.

[Zelandeth]

Now you mention it, I wonder if that's what mine was originally...I've no idea as it came with a toolbox full of random stuff many years ago.

From my side I've now one less Invacar and a bunch of duplicate parts less here as KP is off to a new home.

Guy who has taken her on reckons he can get panels made through contacts he has, so is in a far better position to achieve success than I was.

[CitroJim]

Zel, what's the current news on your Activa? I see it's still parked near the Two Wrestlers... It's now become a very familiar sight on my early morning runs!

[Zelandeth]

They've just been snowed under, Jim.

This is usually a quiet time of year for them, but it's been utter carnage apparently. They had a job that took way longer than expected and tied up the main ramp for several days which didn't help.

Spoke to Steve on Thursday and mine is currently the last of the backlog of jobs and should be in the workshop on Monday, so all being well I should have it back around then.

[CitroJim]

Yes, problem with Steve is he has such a good local reputation everybody in the town wants him to fix their cars...

Roll on Monday - you must be really missing her...

[Zelandeth]

Yes, problem with Steve is he has such a good local reputation everybody in the town wants him to fix their cars...

Roll on Monday - you must be really missing her...

Missing the heated seats, that's for sure!

To be fair though, the Lada being used daily for the last couple of weeks has probably done her the world of good. Will just be making sure to give her a *very* thorough wash once the Activa is back to get rid of the salt.

While digging through the boxes of Invacar bits I came across something very important, which I knew was safely stashed somewhere.

Will get that returned to the rightful place tomorrow.

While hiding in the garage from the horrible weather (this having a garage thing is nice), I also got the wiper mechanism reassembled (after wasting an hour looking for the spindle retaining nut - in my pocket) and working perfectly.

Looks like the spindle seal has failed at some point allowing water to get wicked into the gearbox. I'll get the seal changed at some point, but for now I've drowned everything involved in grease. Given she lives in a garage now it's less of an issue than it would have been in the past.

[van ordinaire]

Even more impressed, as wipers to this day remain a complete mystery to me - which is why the red Cherokee still doesn't have a working rear one, the intermittent function on the C15 irritates me because its operation is - intermittent! & I'm more bemused than anything when the Xantia's rear wiper deigns to complete a couple of sweeps.

[xantia_v6]

The Xantia rear wiper has a delay timer (blue relay) located in the tailgate (at least it is there on the hatchback). This is the same type of relay that think your C15 has for the front wipers.

[van ordinaire]

I expected as much (but not the location) but only today was I able to observe the rear wiper for a sufficiently extended period for it to become obvious it does have a delay: its only setting - other than in conjunction with the washer (not good when reversing in heavy rain!). Nevertheless, seems to work reasonably well now, not sure why - but it IS slow!

[Zelandeth]

Busy couple of days so I've not had a chance to get into the garage.

Have just ordered some heater ducting Linky to eBay over here so should be able to get the missing bits on TP replaced and have a working heater. There are essentially five ducting runs - one linking the tap off points on both sides of the engine cowling, one between there and the heat exchanger, one from there to the heater box, then two from there into the cabin. Everything downstream of the heat exchanger is present and in decent condition, but I'm missing everything between the engine cowling and the heat exchanger. Hopefully this will tick another thing off the list.

Quite pleased that I've found modern ducting that looks pretty much identical to what's on the car already so it shouldn't be massively obvious. I did have a shot to see if I could convince some metal stuff I had to hand to work, but it's just too big and is never going to work.

In other news, have had a call this afternoon informing me that the MOT work on the Activa is now finished. Sadly a bit too late to get over there today to pick it up, but that will probably be the first thing on the to do list for tomorrow.

[CitroJim]

Pleased to hear the Activa is now done Zel... I shall miss not seeing it on my morning runs now!

[Zelandeth]

Depending whether I get a lift back over there this evening, you may well find the Lada there tomorrow morning...The buses had gone totally awry earlier for some reason so I just drove over and essentially switched cars. At least getting back for the other one doesn't have to be in business hours so is easier.

Having been driving the Lada daily for a couple of weeks it seriously feels like the clutch in the Activa isn't attached to anything it's so light...

At the request of another owner I went out this afternoon and drew up a highly* precise diagram of the heater duct routing for the Invacar.

* Not actually at all precise beyond a resolution of about 10cm...purely intended as a guideline.

Measurements all in centimetres as that's what the measuring tape I was using was marked in... I'd normally have used feet. Though buying the ducting is by the metre, so all works out. Looks like I'll need 1.1 metres for the bit that's currently missing, so having ordered two should work just fine to give me a bit of extra spare.

[Zelandeth]

I couldn't not share this video snapped of our idiot dog this evening.

He enjoys few things more than savagely destroying things made of cardboard (only when we tell him he can though), and he clearly had his eye on the circular one which had previously held a pizza base.

This is what happened...



It's interesting seeing the internal struggle between the German Shepherd "I want to work this out..." and the husky "if in doubt, flail at it."

Yes, I've made sure to save the second one for later as he clearly had far too much fun.

We got it back about an hour later, and I'll be finding bits of shredded cardboard for the rest of the weekend.

I should point out, he doesn't *eat* it, he just shreds it. No...atomises would be more accurate...and gives him such glee we just can't say no.