And I would drive 400 miles...
Discussion
...and I would drive 400 more. Next week probably, back "down the road" in sunshine hopefully.
I drove from Berkshire to Renfrewshire today in all manner of weathers and the car did not miss a beat. Ran quite cold though, just under 70 on the gauge, thermostat may need changed in Jan.
New tyres - Dunlop Sport Blue Response 205/60 front and Sport Maxx 225/55 on the rear - are so much better than the 10 year old T1Rs that were on it til last month. No hint of aquaplaning and only went sideways when asked.
Boot is wet on o/s lowest point, will maybe need to seal the strut fixing point and / or replace / reseat the seal (although all looks fine).
Have a Merry Christmas all, thank you for your help with my questions this year and in advance for many next.
I drove from Berkshire to Renfrewshire today in all manner of weathers and the car did not miss a beat. Ran quite cold though, just under 70 on the gauge, thermostat may need changed in Jan.
New tyres - Dunlop Sport Blue Response 205/60 front and Sport Maxx 225/55 on the rear - are so much better than the 10 year old T1Rs that were on it til last month. No hint of aquaplaning and only went sideways when asked.
Boot is wet on o/s lowest point, will maybe need to seal the strut fixing point and / or replace / reseat the seal (although all looks fine).
Have a Merry Christmas all, thank you for your help with my questions this year and in advance for many next.
Your profile suggests a 1993 Chimaera so will have the backlit rear number plate. The lamp holders behind the plate will likely be leaking if you have water in the boot. My 1996 car was leaking badly through here and I had to remove and reseal with silicon sealant. (The boot lip edge is raised so doesn't usually leak.)
The lights are (stupidly) mounted in the bottom of the aperture shining up instead of shining down on the later ones.
This time of year on the motorway, 70C is rarely exceeded even on a warmish day, so the thermostat is probably fine.
The lights are (stupidly) mounted in the bottom of the aperture shining up instead of shining down on the later ones.
This time of year on the motorway, 70C is rarely exceeded even on a warmish day, so the thermostat is probably fine.
I have always had this problem on my Chimaera. Heater never gets properly warm on long winter journeys. 10 minutes stuck in traffic helps, but only for a short while.
I will be working with Mat Smith to fix it this Spring. I suspect a clogged heater matrix, he doesn’t. And he has a habit of being right.
In the mean time I am considering blanking off part of the radiator for the winter. It’s how Mat kept his engine up to temperature when racing. Without fans behind the rad in his race car, blocking the airflow, the radiator was actually too efficient.
I will be working with Mat Smith to fix it this Spring. I suspect a clogged heater matrix, he doesn’t. And he has a habit of being right.
In the mean time I am considering blanking off part of the radiator for the winter. It’s how Mat kept his engine up to temperature when racing. Without fans behind the rad in his race car, blocking the airflow, the radiator was actually too efficient.
The temperature gauge pick up location, in the normal set up, doesn’t help with accurate readings. I noticed this when I connected up Rovergauge and discovered the temp was fine.
In terms of heating, if the heater is not hot and assuming the plastic on-to-off valve is working and set up properly then my money would be on an air lock. Also, check cold air getting into the foot well area. There are some holes in the inner seal area and also near the fresh air vents that are open channel to the front grill and surround.
In terms of heating, if the heater is not hot and assuming the plastic on-to-off valve is working and set up properly then my money would be on an air lock. Also, check cold air getting into the foot well area. There are some holes in the inner seal area and also near the fresh air vents that are open channel to the front grill and surround.
Cheers for the replies all, went for a drive today, some in traffic, and got temps up.
The leaks are bugging more at the moment. I tried to create the flats in the driver's door seal at either end of the kick plate by slitting the seal and putting in contact adhesive, but it didn't take. Two days of rain in West Scotland has the footwell the wettest it's ever been. I'll try again tomorrow.
The boot's another issue. I have a MK2 boot setup so the issue of leaking around numberplate lights as pointed out by Ian is probably not what's happening. It was very wet today in there on the side of the strut so I'll seal the strut-to-body fastener and see if it helps.
At least there's another two dry days forecast so more of this rather than wet interiors hopefully
The leaks are bugging more at the moment. I tried to create the flats in the driver's door seal at either end of the kick plate by slitting the seal and putting in contact adhesive, but it didn't take. Two days of rain in West Scotland has the footwell the wettest it's ever been. I'll try again tomorrow.
The boot's another issue. I have a MK2 boot setup so the issue of leaking around numberplate lights as pointed out by Ian is probably not what's happening. It was very wet today in there on the side of the strut so I'll seal the strut-to-body fastener and see if it helps.
At least there's another two dry days forecast so more of this rather than wet interiors hopefully
Classic Chim said:
QBee said:
He will be paying me royalties if he does.....I have copyright on sticking fingers to things with superglue. 
I must owe you a tonne of money then 
Classic Chim said:
For a quick fix try pinching a small hole out of your door rubbers again and adding some super glue, that might just help them stay pinched.
Don’t glue your finger to it though.
Enjoy your road trip
I shall try this and try to get the glue only on the seal, cheers.Don’t glue your finger to it though.
Enjoy your road trip
I will attempt Loch Lomond and some of the Trossachs tomorrow but don't think I'll get much further this trip. Possibly the North Coast 500 next year if the stars align.
superfly said:
beautiful pic!
Cheers, a mid-afternoon run just for the sake of it via Kilbirnie, Largs, Skelmorlie, Wemyss Bay, Inverkip and some other places in that neck of the woods. This was taken between Largs and Skelmorlie I think, looking over in the direction of Rothesay.Only one "moment" on the roads "over the top" between Port Glasgow and Kilbarchan where I saw a 90 degree right-hander very late for the speed and managed to lock up
Kept it straight, foot off the gas, hard right and away we went around the bend rather than through the decidedly unappealing w-beam barrier
Calmed down a bit after that and enjoyed the roads rather than try to break records - I haven't been on them in years and a freezing December dusk was probably not the time to get reacquainted at speed. First thing tomorrow though...
N7GTX said:
Looks similar to the view from Nardini's? Did you stop there?
The queue for coffee was out the door at Nardini's so we didn't stop. We had pulled up outside the Amusements so that my sis could jump into Costa for a coffee but they were heaving too - she remained in a state of Unamusement about this for the rest of the drive.
I’d take it very easy tomorrow - i’m over the other side of the Trossachs, it’s getting v cold and a good few degrees colder than near the coast. My chimaera is wrapped up in the garage this time of year but was sorely tempted to get it out to enjoy the clear skies today. Enjoy.
Edited by asd2001 on Wednesday 27th December 18:25
asd2001 said:
I’d take it very easy tomorrow - i’m over the other side of the Trossachs, it’s getting v cold and a good few degrees colder than near the coast. My chimaera is wrapped up in the garage this time of year but was sorely tempted to get it out to enjoy the clear skies today. Enjoy.
Cheers, will do, going to get a very early start so will be extra careful at that time.Edited by asd2001 on Wednesday 27th December 18:25
Well that was fun!
Erskine Bridge, up the west of Loch Lomond to Crianlarich (actually Tyndrum and the Green Welly Stop as I forgot to turn East at Crianlarich) then over the top and down the east to Callander and along the A81 back across through Port of Mentieth, Drymen, Balloch then Erskine Bridge and home. In three and three-quarter hours 
Highlights were travelling up to Tyndrum by accident (and trying to remember if the GWS sold fuel - thankfully it did) and driving through a winter wonderland to get there; a couple of nifty overtakes; the scenery. I forget how beautiful it gets only a wee bit north of Glasgow.
Lowlights were a blocked overtake and the state of the car now!
Couple of photos that in no way do justice to either the majesty of the scenery or the mankiness of the car:
Erskine Bridge, up the west of Loch Lomond to Crianlarich (actually Tyndrum and the Green Welly Stop as I forgot to turn East at Crianlarich
) then over the top and down the east to Callander and along the A81 back across through Port of Mentieth, Drymen, Balloch then Erskine Bridge and home. In three and three-quarter hours Highlights were travelling up to Tyndrum by accident (and trying to remember if the GWS sold fuel - thankfully it did) and driving through a winter wonderland to get there; a couple of nifty overtakes; the scenery. I forget how beautiful it gets only a wee bit north of Glasgow.
Lowlights were a blocked overtake and the state of the car now!
Couple of photos that in no way do justice to either the majesty of the scenery or the mankiness of the car:
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