Practically Classics Forum

It's actually got another 22k to get to the big 200k, so loadsa life, all being well. Tis catching 'Tank' up though.....

I'm going to look at the front brakes tomo', all being well. Since the CV boots were done and new front discs & pads fitted my mpg has dropped........ and with supermarket stuff coming in at 1,64€ a litre

So wondering if the brakes are binding, maybe the calliper pistons needs a little clean up........ Can't think of anything else as idle valve has been cleaned, pcv bits replaced, dizzy, rotor, plugs and air filter all 'recent'.

The MPG on my focus was suffering a bit recently because of a bit of corrosion in a plug to one injector. it drove fine apart from between 3000-4200rpm where it stumbled a bit. 40mpg on the motorway down to 32. 1p worth of contact cleaner and all is well again. It might be worth your while checking. Or it could be all those dead bodies you have in your boot weighing you down.

Well a pleasant days tinkering. Calliper pistons were a bit 'cruddy'. I cleaned them up and let a bit of brake fluid soak its way in and re-fitted the pads . On spinning the wheels, it was difficult to say if they were binding.... I am not sure how freely they should spin what with the drive shafts and what have you . I did video before and after on one side, not uploaded it though..... I think it was a little free-er after.......

On flashing the engine up, the idle was a tad 'hunty' so, I decided to pull the idle valve again, the thing inside it that should move freely was a bit sluggish once again, so that had been cleaned up..... Again.

I pulled the plugs, they were a little sooty, not majorly, but showing signs of running a tad rich? Checked all of the vacuum hoses and all seem fine.

Oh, I sprayed a bit of contact cleaner into the injector plugs too, thanks

Went for a spin, but will have to wait and see if mpg improves, 24.4 is a bit grim!

PS: I didn't read the codes today, but did about 2 weeks ago on noticing the poor mpg. Using my home made 'flash code reader' it returned a 1-1-1, so no faults stored

Well, here are the 'before' and 'after' 'wheelspin' test folks

Not sure, though if I was giving it more welly on the 'after' Probably was to make my work feel as though it achieved

BEFORE


AFTER

Well, all the work seems to have paid off Just had a 10 day break to UK. Mansfield to be exact. Took the caravan, to visit family and attend an agility comp' where we sponsored some of the events:

Home-Honfleur
Honfleur-Calais (Ferry to Dover)
Dover-Bicester
Bicester-Mansfield
Lots & Lots of running around on visits
Manfield-Maistone
Maidstone-Dover (Ferry to Calais)
Calais-Honfleur
Honfleur-Home

Zeb 'purred' all the way, well he may of 'growled' in 3rd whilst tugging up Le Pont du Normandie



1600 miles in all, most of it towing & mileometer tripped over 180,000 on the way home yesterday:

Paul240480 wrote:
1600 miles in all, most of it towing & mileometer tripped over 180,000 on the way home yesterday:

So just about finished running it in then

A mini update: needed 2 front tyres. Those mid price Roadstones had done 25-30k and still were legal. My local place reckoned those are not available in France. The best they could do was 260€ for two, Pirelli I think .
I decided to ask Mr Google. I found www.oponeo.fr (they have a .co.uk too). I picked up 2 Kumho tyres for 150€ and had them fitted for another 30€. Better tyres for less.
Then the battery began to signs of getting tired. Again Mr Google found www.batterymegastore.fr (who also have a .co.uk) and I picked up an Alphaline for 80€ delivered.
Apart from those wear amd tear items Zeb just keeps going. No major plans at present.

So going slightly off topic once again................ you may recall back on page 6 of this 'Bloggy' I wrote about my having busted stupidly my Grandads old Elora ratchet. Well since then I have been searching for advice on how to repair it. I couldnt find a supplier of repair kits. One company wanted mt to send my ratchet in for repair, but could'nt guarantee finding a suitable kit, due to its age.

Anyhow I found myself on this forum: http://garagejournal.com/forum/ and I started a thread about my busted rachet! http://garagejournal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=130434

I bought a younger ratchet via ebay from The Vintage Tool company, but it was not compatible as a doner.... However one chap on the above forum gave me contact info for Elora in Germany. I emailed and asked if they could supply repair kits.... The result was post it to us & we will fix it FREE OF CHARGE . Obvoiuslt I had to pay postage to get it there £10 ish.

Received the fixed ratchet back today, not even a bill for the return postage!

A big thumbs up to Elora!
And finally, my repaired ratchet:


Chuffed? You bet I am

Well, Zeb is off on 'his' travels once again. As I type he is on the ferry from Caen-Portsmouth. Swmbo and daughter left this about 0800hrs today. M.Google said 3&1/2 hours, by 1050hrs they were in Carrefour (shopping ) at Ouistreham about 5 mins from the Ferry terminal Once they get to Pompey, Zeb will munch the miles to Coventry.

MPG is still a tad on the low side. Getting around 24.5 on the running around & only about 26 on a 'good run', should be more like 27-30...
So I ordered a part & today received:


Engine Temp' Sensor.
I've gone for this as the plugs are getting a little 'sooted up' - working along the lines of 'Engine temp sensor dead ECU thinks engine is cold so send in more fuel which causes rich running and sooty plugs'
I've not got any fault codes with my home made flash code reader, but am not sure which 'port' in the socket would give a temp sensor fault code So for the sake of £20 & with Zeb being 18yrs old I guess the sensor is due to fail (if it hasnt already).
If no joy, may go even more mad and try the crank position sensor - though if this fails I think engine starting issues arise & Zeb fires on the nose every time.

Zeb is back in France Hacking his way from Caen to home as I type:

Meanwhile, daughter Cheryl sent me this



Taken on Portsdown Hill above Portsmouth, where they stopped to munch Kentucky, before boarding the ferry last night. This is where we used to live, from there you walk down the grassed parkland and onto the top dead end of 'our' road.