Domus

On the way back from Cadwell last Sunday my car developed a squeal under acceleration. As most of the journey was Motorway the noise just blended into the general mayhem of the M62 late at night. Being unwell for a couple of days today was the first time to investigate. Bonnet and nose off, a visual check found nothing amiss, however, on tick over a definite squeal/whirring noise from front of engine could be heard. Blipping the throttle was painful to the ears. The old screwdriver to eardrum trick focused in on the drive belt tensioner. Belt removed all sounded normal. The pulley spun easily and smoothly by hand but had a lot of lateral movement. It was removed and almost fell off the spindle. The sealed bearing is fine but it's fit on the spindle is a complete joke. I refitted it and made sure it was torqued down to "FT" this has clamped it down. It is quiet for now but thinking cap is on.

Yes and no. I had climate control in the Audi and left it on all the time as I had it set at 20 degrees. Normal air con, as in the Golf, I switch on at least once a week for at least 10 minutes just to lubricate the seals. The gas contains a lubricant and needs pumping round on a regular basis.

Mr & Mrs Richards on a day out perhaps? Perfect day for it

One here please

Domus, extend your pad life by swapping outer to inner half way through Good point, I intend stripping fronts next service ie 12 months. I used to do this when I had EBC discs before, the dimples and grooves become packed with dust, as do the grooves in the pads. Proper servicing, main dealers don't even remove wheels on a service, never mind stripping and cleaning brakes. Edited by - Domus on 30 Jul 2012 21:19:11

Check the inside pads, harder to see and they sometimes wear faster than the outside pads. Changed my MX-5 pads last week, the insides were only half the thickness of the outer ones.

So assuming 35 mpg, a tank will last 259 miles, I'll carry on re filling at 200 miles which should allow for a little "progress making" now and again.

Sigma 150 S3. When needle is hard left I can never get more than 28 litres in, as the odometer is inaccurate I have a bike speedo I reset at each fill up and fill up around 200 miles. Last week I came back from France. Filled up in Honfleur then chickened out on the M6 Toll at 220 miles. Managed to squeeze in 27 and a bit litres. Question, can you use the last 5 litres in a Sigma tank? Has anyone ran the tank dry? If so how much did you squeeze in?

I assume you mean .3mm A gap of 3mm is surely too big.

Had to get mine to .5mm. Jack it up, ignition on, turn the wheel and the sensor should flash. The teeth on mine are not all equal and so the sensor can't read them all. This means the odometer reads under and the needle flickers a little. After guessing how many miles I had done before filling the tank (fuel gauge is woeful) I fitted a bike speedo. Much more accurate. Have fun. Edited by - Domus on 19 Jul 2012 21:59:44

Me, Le Havre to Portsmouth on Friday night got in at 9.30 in filthy weather. Road closed to Andover (Premier Inn) so long detour along very dark roads in the rain. (guess who didn't remove the dipping mask on headlights) Caught inlets of heavy showers all week,got our last soaking just after the Pont Normandy, so put on the half hood and made for home on Saturday morning. Sat on the M6 for half an hour in the sunshine, thought about removing hood just before a deluge around Lymm. Brolly came in very handy several times after Le Mans, never had rain like that in France. Roll on summer.

Guilty as charged nine of us. LADS to the classic. Shocking weather all the way.

Either a circlip or a spiralox, make sure it is a snug fit in the housing. If not a few centre pops and a smear of Loctite should make sure the bearing moves, not the outer.

Are EBC Kevlar standard? 'Cos mine say Ferrodo.

Oil can and strong

Open up the holes on the pedal box, I used a taper reamer. It gives more clearance for the screws, which I changed for button head Allen screws. Much easier to remove and re fit. Edited by - Domus on 31 May 2012 11:46:20

Have you got it under or over the seat? I have Sabelts and I sit on the strap.

Sean will be your new best friend for several weeks, you will call him almost on a daily basis. Enjoy the build, feel free to ask anything on here. Good luck Edited by - Domus on 28 May 2012 22:35:18

Ooooo what have I won? Glad to help

Adjust pedal stop to give a longer stroke. Worked on my build.

Several 7s in a lay by on the outskirts of Skipton. I was the eejit honking and waving from my MX-5. Later in the day a solo 7 was spotted in Ilkley, a quick wave was all i managed.

Update - Still a small puddle of coolant on the garage floor, radiator still dry but a weep from the tee piece under the inlet manifold. I had replaced the plastic tee with a copper one but I felt at the time it was not a tight enough fit in the silicone hose. Whilst Googling for a brass barbed Tee I came across Tefen who make the original plastic Tee. This grade of plastic Tee is only rated to 90 deg C. As the fan kicks in at around 100 it is no wonder they deform. Anyway, I bought a brass item from here I bought one 5/8 and one 5/16 All Tees are now in brass.

I cut the cable ties that hold the ariel to the ignition barrel, it now loops down a little so all I do is touch the fob to the cable.

Stopped off for Betty's on the way back from birthday trip to Durham. Black Polo parked up and out got.....Alan Bennet, very flamboyant in full length overcoat and long orange scarf.

Had a go at repairing mine the other week, drove the car in anger this weekend down to South Wales for a LADS weekend. (very nice too) 380 miles later, radiator dry on the outside no pink/white residue anywhere. I don't think there is anything wrong with the idea of a plastic tank on an aluminium matrix, it is just a matter of sealing it correctly. This service may be available shortly in The Busted Knuckle Garage 😬 Watch this space 😬