Oooh, Look at the pretty sparks!
Discussion
Just to share a moment with you all.
The Tuscan was running a bit lumpy and on previous occasions, maybe after a stall when cold, I've taken it for a mild blat to get the temp up, leave it to ponder for a while, then all is sweet again. Last week, I tried to do the same. A mild pootle along the A5, join the M1 at Lutterworth, up to J21 along the M69 and home again.
Half a mile into the M1 leg, just winding it up to 60/70 ish (no, really) Bash, Clatter, Flappy noise, like a dead dog wrapped around the propshaft and the prettiest yellow sparks coming from under the car. Whoops!
Onto the hard shoulder, I peep underneath to see the exhaust glowing a delicious shade of orange.
It seems that, as it was only firing on five pots, the unburnt fuel was igniting in the exhaust and had led to the demise of the cat, which had tried to escape out of the side of the casing - hence the yellow sparks.
The following morning, I used the AA to get the car to PPC in Melton Mowbray, but the young fella saw it as a challenge and insisting he have a go at getting it running.
He found two spark plugs were under water and water was also sitting in two other of the spark plug recesses (Is there a proper name for the deep hole that the plugs live in?) He dried it all out and we got it running on six so I could drive it over to Melton. Taking it easy, it sounded like an old motor boat.
The first question when I got there was "Have you left it standing in any rain?"
Just so happened, I'd evicted the car for the first time in it's life to varnish a new kitchen door. Water had got into the plug 'pits' during that week and thus caused the damage costing more than the cost of the door, the varnish, the posh handles and the bloody hinges with enough change to pay a chippy to do the work.
So, the moral of this tale is, if you're thinking of doing a little DIY, don't. There are professionals that will do it far cheaper than the consequences of your actions.
Merry Christmas one and all.
Pete
The Tuscan was running a bit lumpy and on previous occasions, maybe after a stall when cold, I've taken it for a mild blat to get the temp up, leave it to ponder for a while, then all is sweet again. Last week, I tried to do the same. A mild pootle along the A5, join the M1 at Lutterworth, up to J21 along the M69 and home again.
Half a mile into the M1 leg, just winding it up to 60/70 ish (no, really) Bash, Clatter, Flappy noise, like a dead dog wrapped around the propshaft and the prettiest yellow sparks coming from under the car. Whoops!
Onto the hard shoulder, I peep underneath to see the exhaust glowing a delicious shade of orange.
It seems that, as it was only firing on five pots, the unburnt fuel was igniting in the exhaust and had led to the demise of the cat, which had tried to escape out of the side of the casing - hence the yellow sparks.
The following morning, I used the AA to get the car to PPC in Melton Mowbray, but the young fella saw it as a challenge and insisting he have a go at getting it running.
He found two spark plugs were under water and water was also sitting in two other of the spark plug recesses (Is there a proper name for the deep hole that the plugs live in?) He dried it all out and we got it running on six so I could drive it over to Melton. Taking it easy, it sounded like an old motor boat.
The first question when I got there was "Have you left it standing in any rain?"
Just so happened, I'd evicted the car for the first time in it's life to varnish a new kitchen door. Water had got into the plug 'pits' during that week and thus caused the damage costing more than the cost of the door, the varnish, the posh handles and the bloody hinges with enough change to pay a chippy to do the work.
So, the moral of this tale is, if you're thinking of doing a little DIY, don't. There are professionals that will do it far cheaper than the consequences of your actions.
Merry Christmas one and all.
Pete
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