Talking cars - blogging in 2013

[talkingcars]

Noticed today that there is something strange today - I filled the ZS with petrol on the 29th of December in Chichester at 118375, today I still have over half a tank of fuel and she's done 118524 - thats 149 miles - even stranger - I drove from Chicester to Horsham, down to Worthing and back, down to Goring to drop the car off, collected her and did about 10 miles locally, that's only 110miles! Draw your own conclution.

[petet16]

Somebody borrowed your car for 39 miles ?

[talkingcars]

I noticed the fuel thing as I drove to Halfords to change my 11.5 month old portable powerpack jump starter as the old one had a loose connection meaning one had to hold the jump lead into the power pack while starting the car - they changed it without question - I've now got the latest version with USB charger port and LED lights.

I also went to get some degreaser and some of the oil they had on offer, should have bought that sooner, it's all gone.

When I got home I got out the jet washer and the hose, put on my wellies and went out to blast the engine bay. One slight problem - jet washers don't like freezing when there is water inside - there was a nice spray from one of the seals and a dribble from the lance - had to use the hose, not quite as effective, spent nearly 2 hours and 3 buckets of suds washing her - still looks beautiful when she's clean, well from 10 feet she does, it'll be clay bar time again in the spring.

And oil leaks - had the car running the whole time I was washing her due to all the water I sprayed around the engine bay - no oil on the ground

I haven't forgotten about yesterdays police car - just saving it for later.

[talkingcars]

Originally Posted by petet16

Somebody borrowed your car for 39 miles ?

Yes, but who, and when, car has been here with me or at the garage!

[petet16]

The garage when they were looking for the oil leak maybe

[MickUK]

I live in chichester & lived near Horsham? That any help?!

[peterzs]

Well we had to have an extended test drive.....................................

[talkingcars]

The funny thing is the garage owner said that there was no charge as all they did was take the engine cover off. I also noticed when I picked the car up the gauges on the scangauge had been changed. He also said that if I was scrapping the car their apprentice would be interested.

I'm not worried, more amused.

[talkingcars]

Not driven the ZS since before it snowed so I was pleased it started today, was a bit slow to turn over but did fire up.

Originally Posted by thinking out loud

Both cam cover gaskets and rocker box gaskets are leaking.
To get to them you have to take the cambelt off.
If the cam belt is off you may as well replace the water pump and the thermostat.
And while you are at it you may as well do both head gaskets.

8 hours work plus parts comes in at about £800.

The cam belt alone is a 6 hour job which is due in 12 months but I was considering to risk it as the car has already done 120k, or do it myself.

I had the cover off myself today, and yeah, the gaskets seem to be weeping but I'm not convinced that they are the only problem. I still suspect the oil cooler is part of the problem, if you have the car ticking over for an hour there is no oil on the ground, drive hard for 20 minutes and when you stop there is a patch of oil a 1950's Truimph would be happy with.

I did look at the breathers, if you disconnect the ones that go to the engine side of the throttle she revs faster, is this correct, I guess so.

However where the set that go to the filter side of the throttle join the connector is broken (I may have broken this as I touched it but I don't think so) and there is quite a bit of oil around here. Inside the hose there is quite a bit of mayo and once the engine was up to tempreture the hose was producing steam!

[petet16]

The idle increasing when you disconnect the breathers is normal, could some of your oil leak be oil getting blown out of the broken connector, the steam is probably just warm air from the breather condensing