Discussion
Disappointing Driveway CSI today.
My mobile phone Endoscope arrived but the website you need to download the software from is a virus riddled mess.
I have yet another puncture. That's four in a month. Two malicious, one A47 pothole and this one looks to be a screw I picked up from work.
Karma for doing the exhaust hanger and brake pads during my lunch break I guess.
Good news. My Audi visible from the Moon spec' brake light bulbs have arrived, fitted and ready to annoy people with my ability to do hill starts using the handbrake instead of dazzling other road users.
My mobile phone Endoscope arrived but the website you need to download the software from is a virus riddled mess.
I have yet another puncture. That's four in a month. Two malicious, one A47 pothole and this one looks to be a screw I picked up from work.
Karma for doing the exhaust hanger and brake pads during my lunch break I guess.
Good news. My Audi visible from the Moon spec' brake light bulbs have arrived, fitted and ready to annoy people with my ability to do hill starts using the handbrake instead of dazzling other road users.
A couple of historic Driveway CSI's
Today in 2016...
"The first Driveway CSI for my Bravo and the passenger sidelight bulb that needed replacing took half an hour. Induction pipe, sheer bolts holding broken brackets in place etc. The drivers side so they match (well so one wouldn't be brighter than the other at least) twenty three seconds".
Today in 2015...
"Sunday night I filled my Alfa GTV's washer bottle with "tap" water and today it was blocked with this snotty looking frog spawny slime.
Why I take bottled water to work part 2".
Today the passenger side track control arm on my Bravo was loose. I felt the car pulling to the left a little and a bit slack steering.
I checked my tyre pressures; all okay. I thought I had a slow puncture on the passenger side as it appears to be a recurring theme. A combination of summer compound road legal track day tyres, subzero temperatures and some of the worst roads in the UK must have vibrated the locking nut loose and the arm was in the end by three turns. Tight again and a dab of loctite to help prevent it from happening again.
Today in 2016...
"The first Driveway CSI for my Bravo and the passenger sidelight bulb that needed replacing took half an hour. Induction pipe, sheer bolts holding broken brackets in place etc. The drivers side so they match (well so one wouldn't be brighter than the other at least) twenty three seconds".
Today in 2015...
"Sunday night I filled my Alfa GTV's washer bottle with "tap" water and today it was blocked with this snotty looking frog spawny slime.
Why I take bottled water to work part 2".
Today the passenger side track control arm on my Bravo was loose. I felt the car pulling to the left a little and a bit slack steering.
I checked my tyre pressures; all okay. I thought I had a slow puncture on the passenger side as it appears to be a recurring theme. A combination of summer compound road legal track day tyres, subzero temperatures and some of the worst roads in the UK must have vibrated the locking nut loose and the arm was in the end by three turns. Tight again and a dab of loctite to help prevent it from happening again.
Stupid Driveway CSI today.
I've washed my Spider ready for a viewing later. Cleaned the wheels last. Went in for a coffee and when I tried to move her the rear brakes were stuck.
Went in to get the appropriate tool for freeing calipers but the pads were frozen to the discs.
Historic Driveway CSI from today in 2011
Cleaning the kiddie ball pit out that was to become the Guff Cinquecento.
I've washed my Spider ready for a viewing later. Cleaned the wheels last. Went in for a coffee and when I tried to move her the rear brakes were stuck.
Went in to get the appropriate tool for freeing calipers but the pads were frozen to the discs.
Historic Driveway CSI from today in 2011
Cleaning the kiddie ball pit out that was to become the Guff Cinquecento.
My Alfa Spider is now sold and waiting to be collected so this is in no way violating the forum rules about advertising on a blog or thread.
I did a Valentines promotional image...
...it was removed from a Fakebook page as the use of Botticelli's Cupid was reported as offensive. So a five hundred and fifty year old painting is offensive today? I'm glad I offend people now. It means I can tell them how stupid they are to their faces.
Covered his little chap with an extra heart and tried a well known mainstream vehicle advertising site. It was removed today and I was given a full refund because...
I did a Valentines promotional image...
...it was removed from a Fakebook page as the use of Botticelli's Cupid was reported as offensive. So a five hundred and fifty year old painting is offensive today? I'm glad I offend people now. It means I can tell them how stupid they are to their faces.
Covered his little chap with an extra heart and tried a well known mainstream vehicle advertising site. It was removed today and I was given a full refund because...
Sales Site Admin said:
This advert has been reported as misleading.
Reason/s as stated.
Love hearts do not come from the exhaust
Reason/s as stated.
Love hearts do not come from the exhaust
I am not naming and shaming the site due to forum rules but rest assured it was not Pistonheads. I was worried my Spider would be made shed of the week.
Bemusing Driveway CSI today.
I have my Fiat Coupe up on ramps to WD-40 the nuts and bolts to fit the new down pipe but it looks to be fine.
I can't feel it leaking and there are signs it isn't as old as I expected.
However none of the gaskets have ever been replaced including the manifold gasket where a crack has been previously welded.
I might just need a new exhaust to turbo, turbo to cat' gasket set or the manifold may be cracked again.
The oil leak I thought was due to the chav'd cam' cover and gasket not being replaced could be due to the filler around the hot oil feed to the sump from the turbo. Another bodge as the sump has no gasket either and what feels like tile silicone adhesive.
So as I have the old girl on ramps I may as well drain the sump, take it off, get it blasted, welded (to replace the filler) if possible or replaced with a new gasket. Take the manifold off, check for cracks repair or replace all with new gaskets, nuts and bolts.
I have my Fiat Coupe up on ramps to WD-40 the nuts and bolts to fit the new down pipe but it looks to be fine.
I can't feel it leaking and there are signs it isn't as old as I expected.
However none of the gaskets have ever been replaced including the manifold gasket where a crack has been previously welded.
I might just need a new exhaust to turbo, turbo to cat' gasket set or the manifold may be cracked again.
The oil leak I thought was due to the chav'd cam' cover and gasket not being replaced could be due to the filler around the hot oil feed to the sump from the turbo. Another bodge as the sump has no gasket either and what feels like tile silicone adhesive.
So as I have the old girl on ramps I may as well drain the sump, take it off, get it blasted, welded (to replace the filler) if possible or replaced with a new gasket. Take the manifold off, check for cracks repair or replace all with new gaskets, nuts and bolts.
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
I see that not many people reply a great deal to your CSI threads, so I thought I would just say that I love every post, thanks for sharing! Don't stop 
What he said!! I confess most of my driveway CSI is me finding stuff that I fixed in a rush, thinking it would last, and then having to fix it again, surprise surprise, it's broken again!Peanut Gallery said:
Ray Luxury-Yacht said:
I see that not many people reply a great deal to your CSI threads, so I thought I would just say that I love every post, thanks for sharing! Don't stop
What he said!! I confess most of my driveway CSI is me finding stuff that I fixed in a rush, thinking it would last, and then having to fix it again, surprise surprise, it's broken again!I don't mind it being a blog format. I'm used to my quiet little corner of the forum.
del mar said:
Whilst not the right thread we could add our own list of mistakes ?
My biggest mistake is always not to put the screwdriver / sharp pointy tool down when I move around to try and do something else.
The result being I catch the sharp pointy tool on the shiny paint work..
My biggest mistake is always not to put the screwdriver / sharp pointy tool down when I move around to try and do something else.
The result being I catch the sharp pointy tool on the shiny paint work..
If I had a Pound for every time I've done that. Worse is when you put it in your pocket and impale yourself when you crawl under the car for the screw you just dropped.
I was welding up a hole in the exhaust of my car the other day. The exhaust pipe is red rusty but such a pain to change and being that I have TIG and gas I really have no excuse.
Every time I do this and I do this once or twice a year I look at the proximity of the patch to the fuel tank and think I really shouldn't do this but can't be arsed to drain the tank in any meaningful way. Taking the exhaust off would kill it as its all red rusty on the joins
I convince myself that a tank full of petrol is safer than a tank with a few dregs in it mainly full of petrol fumes.
I really should bit the bullet and remove the exhaust, but its so easy to patch in situ
Every time I do this and I do this once or twice a year I look at the proximity of the patch to the fuel tank and think I really shouldn't do this but can't be arsed to drain the tank in any meaningful way. Taking the exhaust off would kill it as its all red rusty on the joins
I convince myself that a tank full of petrol is safer than a tank with a few dregs in it mainly full of petrol fumes.
I really should bit the bullet and remove the exhaust, but its so easy to patch in situ
In my defense today is Sunday for me and I had a load of non-car stuff to do.
In between I have been chasing around and trawling the internet to make sure a part I have for sale will fit the cars I think it will.
Eper, asked a few experts, Google'd; I even asked on my blog about the car.
I eventually realised I have the part in my shed and car on my driveway.
Yes the numbers are a match and yes I am an idiot.
In between I have been chasing around and trawling the internet to make sure a part I have for sale will fit the cars I think it will.
Eper, asked a few experts, Google'd; I even asked on my blog about the car.
I eventually realised I have the part in my shed and car on my driveway.
Yes the numbers are a match and yes I am an idiot.
del mar said:
Whilst not the right thread we could add our own list of mistakes ?
My biggest mistake is always not to put the screwdriver / sharp pointy tool down when I move around to try and do something else.
The result being I catch the sharp pointy tool on the shiny paint work..
OR start to use a screwdriver on a fastener and use far too much downward pressure on the tool....My biggest mistake is always not to put the screwdriver / sharp pointy tool down when I move around to try and do something else.
The result being I catch the sharp pointy tool on the shiny paint work..
I spent 500 quid at some point on a lovely new motorcycle helmet. I wanted to change the visor and adjust the mechanism when I got it home. It had two large plastic flat blade screws holding the mechanism on. One of which was a little bit tight. I put far too much force into the screwdriver. Of course it slipped from the fastener. Of course it put a massive gouge into the brand-new, 500 quid helmet.
Of course it gave me a bad day....I would have rather that the usual thing would have happened, and that the slipped tool had put a massive gouge into the flesh of my hand!
Ah well
Back to my roots today with a proper Driveway CSI.
I picked up this many shades of pink Schumacher Seicento.
Well pink and mud at least. On the way home last night (yes I bought it in the dark) the car kept dropping to three cylinders. I hate working on dirty cars so first a full on CSI cleaning session.
Before...
...bleaugh...
...after.
During a professional service a mechanic slopped oil over the alternator. This was a clue. Sure enough once on ramps I discovered the crank sensor and trigger wheel were covered in crap. WD-40 and a toothbrush later and I have a four cylinder Seicento.
Today's top tip.
When you have a door pod full of crap like this...
...never, ever; EVER! Stick your hand in there to clean it out. Remove the trim and let the crap fall on the floor. It's easier to sweep sharp things up than remove them from your fingers.
This time I found a drill bit, Stanley blade and a electricians screw driver. If you don't know the origins of the car you could find yourself impaled with less pleasant objects.
I picked up this many shades of pink Schumacher Seicento.
Well pink and mud at least. On the way home last night (yes I bought it in the dark) the car kept dropping to three cylinders. I hate working on dirty cars so first a full on CSI cleaning session.
Before...
...bleaugh...
...after.
During a professional service a mechanic slopped oil over the alternator. This was a clue. Sure enough once on ramps I discovered the crank sensor and trigger wheel were covered in crap. WD-40 and a toothbrush later and I have a four cylinder Seicento.
Today's top tip.
When you have a door pod full of crap like this...
...never, ever; EVER! Stick your hand in there to clean it out. Remove the trim and let the crap fall on the floor. It's easier to sweep sharp things up than remove them from your fingers.
This time I found a drill bit, Stanley blade and a electricians screw driver. If you don't know the origins of the car you could find yourself impaled with less pleasant objects.
Liquid Knight said:
Back to my roots today with a proper Driveway CSI.
I picked up this many shades of pink Schumacher Seicento.
Well pink and mud at least. On the way home last night (yes I bought it in the dark) the car kept dropping to three cylinders. I hate working on dirty cars so first a full on CSI cleaning session.
Before...
...bleaugh...
...after.
During a professional service a mechanic slopped oil over the alternator. This was a clue. Sure enough once on ramps I discovered the crank sensor and trigger wheel were covered in crap. WD-40 and a toothbrush later and I have a four cylinder Seicento.
Today's top tip.
When you have a door pod full of crap like this...
...never, ever; EVER! Stick your hand in there to clean it out. Remove the trim and let the crap fall on the floor. It's easier to sweep sharp things up than remove them from your fingers.
This time I found a drill bit, Stanley blade and a electricians screw driver. If you don't know the origins of the car you could find yourself impaled with less pleasant objects.
Great work, I must wash mine (Mini not teensy Fiat) this weekend! I picked up this many shades of pink Schumacher Seicento.
Well pink and mud at least. On the way home last night (yes I bought it in the dark) the car kept dropping to three cylinders. I hate working on dirty cars so first a full on CSI cleaning session.
Before...
...bleaugh...
...after.
During a professional service a mechanic slopped oil over the alternator. This was a clue. Sure enough once on ramps I discovered the crank sensor and trigger wheel were covered in crap. WD-40 and a toothbrush later and I have a four cylinder Seicento.
Today's top tip.
When you have a door pod full of crap like this...
...never, ever; EVER! Stick your hand in there to clean it out. Remove the trim and let the crap fall on the floor. It's easier to sweep sharp things up than remove them from your fingers.
This time I found a drill bit, Stanley blade and a electricians screw driver. If you don't know the origins of the car you could find yourself impaled with less pleasant objects.
Driveway CSI today has a catchy subtitle...
Schumacher in gender swap probe
Today I have addressed the issue of the non-functional speedometer on the Seicento Schumacher.
I knew it would be one of three things.
1/ The clocks, but as everything worked I eliminated that (well saved it for last at least).
2/ Mucky terminals or earths (a quick once around under the bonnet with some WD-40).
3/ The sender probe or drive.
3a/ The probe is the electrical part that is on all the time the car is moving so they can and do fail regularly.
3b/ The drive is made of plastic and spends its life immersed in oil. Sometimes if the wrong oil is used or it's allowed to run low the drive can become brittle, chewing the gears or snapping the shaft.
It was none of these. The probe was nearly new from the looks of it but whoever fitted it let the wires twist and two of the terminals inside were pulled apart.
My spare fourteen inch wheel Fiat speedo' drive probe was from a Punto and you guessed it the Seicento had a male terminal and the Punto had a female terminal. Connector block bodge as I'm low on time today and it was ready to fit.
Make sure you attach the probe sensor to the drive before retrofitting. That way the wires don't get twisted (photo 1).
Unless you like the taste of gearbox oil, put the front of the car on ramps and the back a little higher on a jack so it doesn't leak over you (photo 2).
Now the speedometer works (photo 3 taken with the front of the car on the jack and not on the road at all officer) I can give the bloody annoying road angel thing back.
Schumacher in gender swap probe
Today I have addressed the issue of the non-functional speedometer on the Seicento Schumacher.
I knew it would be one of three things.
1/ The clocks, but as everything worked I eliminated that (well saved it for last at least).
2/ Mucky terminals or earths (a quick once around under the bonnet with some WD-40).
3/ The sender probe or drive.
3a/ The probe is the electrical part that is on all the time the car is moving so they can and do fail regularly.
3b/ The drive is made of plastic and spends its life immersed in oil. Sometimes if the wrong oil is used or it's allowed to run low the drive can become brittle, chewing the gears or snapping the shaft.
It was none of these. The probe was nearly new from the looks of it but whoever fitted it let the wires twist and two of the terminals inside were pulled apart.
My spare fourteen inch wheel Fiat speedo' drive probe was from a Punto and you guessed it the Seicento had a male terminal and the Punto had a female terminal. Connector block bodge as I'm low on time today and it was ready to fit.
Make sure you attach the probe sensor to the drive before retrofitting. That way the wires don't get twisted (photo 1).
Unless you like the taste of gearbox oil, put the front of the car on ramps and the back a little higher on a jack so it doesn't leak over you (photo 2).
Now the speedometer works (photo 3 taken with the front of the car on the jack and not on the road at all officer) I can give the bloody annoying road angel thing back.
Frustrating Driveway CSI today.
Yesterday the plastic cup that connects the wiper linkage to the motor failed on the M6
I had to drive three miles without wipers in the rain to the next turn off and lay by, Cable tie for now until I can get a cup from another car.
Today the car had no indicators or hazard lights. The bulbs were all fine and working with the alarm, the stereo worked so it wasn't the live feed, no blown fuses so it had to be the flasher relay.
I replaced it with a new one and still nothing. I then replaced it with an old one from the deepest recess of my shed and it works perfectly.
Rule 136: Just because a part is new doesn't mean it works.
The most reliable modern car I have ever owned has had two issues in two days. My RX8's MOT is tomorrow. I think I'll take a Fire Extinguisher just in case.
Yesterday the plastic cup that connects the wiper linkage to the motor failed on the M6
I had to drive three miles without wipers in the rain to the next turn off and lay by, Cable tie for now until I can get a cup from another car.
Today the car had no indicators or hazard lights. The bulbs were all fine and working with the alarm, the stereo worked so it wasn't the live feed, no blown fuses so it had to be the flasher relay.
I replaced it with a new one and still nothing. I then replaced it with an old one from the deepest recess of my shed and it works perfectly.
Rule 136: Just because a part is new doesn't mean it works.
The most reliable modern car I have ever owned has had two issues in two days. My RX8's MOT is tomorrow. I think I'll take a Fire Extinguisher just in case.
Historical Driveway CSI from February 21st 2015
What a monumental faff that was. A couple of weeks ago the washer bottle froze on dads Skoda Fabia. I asked how much it would cost a garage to replace it and was quoted over £400
Now I know why.
The passenger wheel had to come off, the inner wheel arch liner and lower bumper trim panels. The passenger side headlight and fog light cover from the bumper to get to the two 10mm nuts inside the the inner wing. The battery earth strap had to be removed from the top of the strut to get the 10mm nut holding the top of the bottle in place. The bottle then had to be cut in half to remove it as it comes in two parts that are stuck together in the factory before the rest of the front end is assembled. Seven knuckle shredding hours later the car is back together and ready to go.
Turns out £400 to do the job is a bit of a bargain. Stupid modern cars!
What a monumental faff that was. A couple of weeks ago the washer bottle froze on dads Skoda Fabia. I asked how much it would cost a garage to replace it and was quoted over £400
Now I know why.
The passenger wheel had to come off, the inner wheel arch liner and lower bumper trim panels. The passenger side headlight and fog light cover from the bumper to get to the two 10mm nuts inside the the inner wing. The battery earth strap had to be removed from the top of the strut to get the 10mm nut holding the top of the bottle in place. The bottle then had to be cut in half to remove it as it comes in two parts that are stuck together in the factory before the rest of the front end is assembled. Seven knuckle shredding hours later the car is back together and ready to go.
Turns out £400 to do the job is a bit of a bargain. Stupid modern cars!
No Driveway CSI today.
MOT prep' the RX8 involved washing the car and polishing the headlights.
Most of the time I was sat in the car thinking this is the wrong tool for the job, sat in traffic, swerving to avoid pot holes o stuck behind a lower speed limited truck/tractor/bus/etc but for those moments I could let loose and give the car a half a dozen thousand rpm it came alive.
Had "fun" with a Mustang GT on the A605
I guess the RX8 is like a cat. Most of the time you wonder what's the point but then it starts chasing a laser pen and it all makes sense.
The MOT didn't happen as the testers wife fell ill and they didn't know how to reach me. So I had just as much fun driving home.
MOT prep' the RX8 involved washing the car and polishing the headlights.
Most of the time I was sat in the car thinking this is the wrong tool for the job, sat in traffic, swerving to avoid pot holes o stuck behind a lower speed limited truck/tractor/bus/etc but for those moments I could let loose and give the car a half a dozen thousand rpm it came alive.
Had "fun" with a Mustang GT on the A605
I guess the RX8 is like a cat. Most of the time you wonder what's the point but then it starts chasing a laser pen and it all makes sense.
The MOT didn't happen as the testers wife fell ill and they didn't know how to reach me. So I had just as much fun driving home.
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