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

[Zelandeth]

A few weeks...okay, probably more than a few given what's been going on lately, my Sinclair C5 developed a gremlin in the electrical system which was causing intermittent loss of all electrical power. I was pretty sure that the culprit was the battery connector/key switch assembly as this was famous for being temperamental even when it was new - and my C5 definitely isn't new, and has clearly lived a busy and hard life.

My solution was to simply cut it out and replace it with a couple of quick connect battery connectors. I'll go back in and actually re-wire the thing from the battery to the control box because the connection to the positive terminal is a bit short, and I reckon the wires are really flimsy for what they're doing anyway. I'll also stick an isolator switch in the boot so I still have a way to switch things on/off without having to physically disconnect the battery.

This has at least allowed me to take it out for a test run and pretty much confirm that this was the cause of the fault - it's also demonstrated to me that there must have been a high impedance connection in there for ages though - I literally have about twice as much torque available from the motor now than I am used to, not a bad thing!

...Need to re-adjust the rear brake though as it became abruptly apparent when out today that I basically didn't have any brakes! Not ideal when you've got a hyper-active husky attached to you dragging you down the road dangerously close to exceeding the posted speed limit! Will sort that tomorrow.

[CitroJim]

Can you be nicked for speeding in a Sinclair C5 Zel? I've wondered the same thing when riding my bike as I can get perilously close to breaking speed limits on that....

[BenC5HDi]

You cannot. You can be prosecuted for cycling in a furious manner though..

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[CitroJim]

You cannot. You can be prosecuted for cycling in a furious manner though..

How's that defined? When making the internationally recognised sign of the onanist to stupid drivers perhaps?

[Zelandeth]

I've been give a telling off by a policeman for speeding on my bike before! Apparently was doing 36mph when I entered Rothirnorman's 30 limit many years back (before I had a speedo on the bike) as there's a looooong downhill stretch before you hit the village so you can get a good speed up, though I think they were more amused than serious.

[CitroJim]

Lovely... I find 36mph on a bike quite terrifying... I once rode down a very steep hill on my epic trip from London to Milton Keynes and was approaching 40mph when I saw the bottom of the hill ended in an abrupt T junction... Thank goodness for disc brakes!!!

[RichardW]

I've seen the high side of 50 on a bike - well I use 'see' advisedly as at those sorts of speeds, your eyeballs are vibrating so much in your head that you can barely see! I also fell off while doing nearly 50 - coming down Snake Pass and as I came round a corner the wind picked the front wheel up and pushed me off the road. I was lucky that there was a bit of grass at the edge of the road, and the only injury I suffered was the thistle spines in my knee that I rolled through!! There was a crash barrier about 10yds further on - that would really have hurt!!

[Xantianut]

Many moons ago I was given a Raleigh Team Replica bike and rode it home, I had to, no room in the car for it!!! My father was following me in the car and, on the level, I hit 46mph! That road was so bad the last time I went down it, I would not,do,46 in Otterchops! On a bike? You'd end up in the river.......

[BenC5HDi]

I've only ever hit 37mph, briefly on a bike and I concur with Jim. Terrifying!

150mph (indicated) on my old Honda Fireblade - not at all frightening. Perception is a weird trick of the mind!

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[Zelandeth]

Today I learned something. Get a complete itinerary from those who have planned a route before you leave! The idiot I am I went and agreed to drive folks wherever they wanted before dropping them at the airport.

What I didn't realise until we were about 2/3rds of the way there was that this trip involved driving on the London side of the M25. This is something that I Do Not Do.

Yep...that rule is very much still in my rule book and I won't be making that mistake again...horrible place to drive. Not only are at least half the drivers completely insane, but it also contains some of the most convoluted bits of road design I have ever come across - and I spent a good period of time involved in road design!

Oh...and on the way down there the rear silencer on the Xantia parted company with the rest of the system (the stub has sheared off the box) which meant I spent the whole day with an awful rattle at exactly 1500rpm. It's astonishing how much time you spend around that part of the rev band...

Surprised how loud the exhaust isn't without the back box attached...also very conspicuous is that the car feels more lively with the resulting reduction in back pressure, turbo lag in particular is far less...hmm...do I sense some creative experimentation incoming...

Will need to pick up either some ramps or axle stands now (not sure how I've avoided it so far!) so I can get under there safely and remove the old box and take a good look at the state of the rest of the system before I decide on an off-the-shelf or creative replacement.

[BenC5HDi]

I drove my Activa around for a week or so with no back box, there wasn't much difference in noise either. You'll find that if you pull the silencer off, you can tie a piece of wire around the end of the exhaust and conveniently tie it up easily, where it won't bang on anything

[Zelandeth]

Turbocharged cars generally do seem to be pretty muffled - not like when the equivalent box did the same thing on the Saab, resulting in it doing a passable impression of a WW2 fighter plane - though it did sound epic on the overrun...a lot of engine braking was used that day.

It will be getting a straight bit of pipe stuffed in place of the box at least short term simply because I've got more important things to deal with right now, getting the Saab ready for its MOT for one.

[CitroJim]

I well agree about the M25 Zel, I try to avid all motorways at all costs but especially avoid the M25..

I broke my own rule at the weekend and used the M5 and M4 for a bit. I only just got away with it!

[BenC5HDi]

M25 is easy, just stick in the two inner lanes, dodge in and out the trucks, and treat the other lanes like they don't exist. Everyone seems to stick in the outer two lanes as they clearly believe they are the "fast" lanes, often leaving the other two much emptier and calmer. I've become one of those annoying undertaking people, just trundle up the inside 2 lanes at 60-65 and pass all the traffic in the outer lanes.

[CitroJim]

M25 is easy, just stick in the two inner lanes, dodge in and out the trucks, and treat the other lanes like they don't exist. Everyone seems to stick in the outer two lanes as they clearly believe they are the "fast" lanes, often leaving the other two much emptier and calmer. I've become one of those annoying undertaking people, just trundle up the inside 2 lanes at 60-65 and pass all the traffic in the outer lanes.

I concur fully, always found this the best method of traversing any motorway...