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

[Hell Razor5543]

Well done.

[CitroJim]

She has an MOT!

Excellent

[Xantianut]

Hello, Tango!

Well done you!

Otterchops

[Xantianut]

I see Tango made PC's Facebook album!!!!

[Zelandeth]

So we did, shame Sam Glover wasn't there (as far as I'm aware anyway) as I'm sure he would have approved. Along with probably trying to buy the Yugo 55 van that was there and for sale mind you...

Edit: Managed to forget to include a couple of photos!





Opened the luggage compartment halfway through the day, and that seemed to draw about half the people on the feed to come and look for some reason! Guess opening from the side is a bit odd...Will keep that in mind for the next show.

[Zelandeth]

Yesterday afternoon the 107 actually got a bit of attention for a change. I *finally* got around to getting the side stripes put on - they've only been sitting on the shelf now for...about three years. I reckon they suit the character of the car quite well.

[daviemck2006]

I like that. I was going to get white, as ours has white mirrors and the same wheels as yours. However I haven't been in it for 3 weeks now, and I'm not spending money on a car in not using.

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[Zelandeth]

I think either red or white were optional on the Sport XS trim (along with ones running over the bonnet/roof) which was essentially replaced by the Verve when the 2009 facelifted cars were introduced.

Red with black detailing is somewhat of a trademark for me though wherever I can get away with it though so the red stripes were an obvious choice for me!

[daviemck2006]

My previous 107 was an 09 facelift urbanlite in red and it got black 15" alloys and black sidestripes, so red and black works. If I do take the 107 back in the future, as it is black with white mirrors and white trim inside it will get white stripes, and perhaps white wheels.

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[Zelandeth]

Pretty sure that we couldn't have come up with a more contrasting pair of cars chromatically speaking to park next to each other if we tried!

Tango on display at the Briskoda Summer Festival earlier today.



Somewhat surprisingly was the only Estelle there, one other heavily modified (and immaculate) Rapid with what I think was a Rover K series engine in the back, a 1970 Octavia that parked next to me and a trio of Favorits were really the only older cars there.

Did generate a fair bit of attention though!

[Zelandeth]

So much for my plan to look at the Xantia this afternoon.

Skoda has developed a gremlin. She will not idle. Pulls fine under load and revs cleanly but stutters then cuts out as soon as you come off the throttle. Keeping the revs up a bit with the throttle is met with a lot of erratic misfires.

First thought was crud in the carb - pulled it off and there definitely was crud in there. Fair bit of sediment in the float bowl and what was flushed out of some of the passages didn't smell look or feel like petrol.

No difference.

Checked the points, gap had closed up a bit so was duly adjusted to 0.45mm. No change. I do confess to not having checked the timing though don't see why it would have changed or affect running this drastically without also affecting things notably when you floor it.

Will get the plug testers out tomorrow to hopefully confirm if the spark is dropping out (dodgy condenser?) or if we are looking at a fuelling issue I've just not resolved yet - I do have a spare carb I can substitute if it comes to that, though it is untested.

Not really many things it can be on this car!

Thoughts?

[elma]

Have you got yucky fuel Zel? If your finding scum in the carb so soon after a rebuild it figures.

[Zelandeth]

I thought that, but she's run perfectly for 90+ miles since the last fill up before this happened so I would have expected problems to surface sooner really. Also odd the way that the car goes just fine - it's only idling that seems affected.

Edit: Definitely a fuelling issue. Had the HT testers on and we've got a very healthy supply to the plugs.

Will go grab a can of fuel in a bit and try running it from that to further investigate the possibility of contaminated fuel.

Edit to the edit: 99% certain that I do indeed have a duff batch of fuel. Whipped the carb off and stuck my spare one on (actually the original one from the car - I run the one from my 130 usually as the slightly larger jets help prevent issues with pinking with modern fuels) and it was exactly the same. Odds on exactly the same fuelling issue being present on two carbs? Pretty darn slim I'd say.

Stuck some more fuel in and it's definitely better - idling now even though not too happy about it. Thankfully it's a pretty small tank so if I do need to drain it I won't be too much out of pocket!

Won't be getting fuel from the Texaco on the H5 again then...

Question does spring to mind though is how I would go about draining it...I then end up with several gallons of highly flammable but useless petrol...where do I get shot of it?

[Zelandeth]

Picked up a little present for the fleet today...



Came complete with all the necessary test leads and documentation (including service data for all cars I'd likely be using it with).

Sadly I don't have the companion unit with allows this to show exhaust CO levels, though obviously once I find out the exact details of that I'll keep my eyes open for one.

Despite having been partly exposed to the elements for quite some time (last electrical test was done in 1999) the innards actually looked to be in astonishingly good order with no obvious signs of water damage. It's now safely tucked in a corner of the garage and will be properly investigated tomorrow I think.

For those playing along at home, date codes on the electronics inside all seem to suggest a late 1982 build date.

Also, yes, it did fit in the back of the Saab (albeit with the boom with the tester sockets detached of course).

[Zelandeth]

Skoda update: drained somewhere around 15 litres of fuel out the tank (leaving it just above the red on the gauge), and went and filled up with super unleaded at a slightly less dodgy filling station. Mysteriously the running issue almost immediately vanished. Would say that's pretty conclusive proof that my deductive process eventually to dodgy fuel was correct.

Need to recheck the valve clearances though as she's clattering like an 80s Fiesta...probably forgot to take up the slack when I adjusted one...

On the plus side, I won't need to buy fuel for the mower for years!