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Showing posts from March, 2008

Head Gasket Grief

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Spent the weekend removing the head, it's been leaking oil front and rear from the gasket and made a right mess under the car. I have a cold and the lashing wind and rain on Saturday didn't help at all (yes it's in the garage, but the weather was coming in to get me). Getting those damn cam wheels off was bother too, I've needed a lot of help from Mrs B and a very big 24mm spanner. There has been much pain from rounded-off bolts and connections that have not been apart in 17 years. I was also disappointed to find the nuts securing the turbo had worked loose, that would have accounted for the slight blowing noise it had developed lately. Bit of threadlock on those next time, I think. I've got some fancy new headrest speakers to go in too, but that's a fun job so has to be left until the head is back on. It's like dessert, you have to eat all your veg before you can have it.

BLACK

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BLACK, like the oil coming out of my blown head gasket... BLACK like my TV screen since the lamp has blown... BLACK! BLACK! BLACK! BLACK!

Waving my fist at the sky...

Part of my fence has been blown away in the much anticipated storm. That led to the dog running amok in next-door's garden, only returning when he'd found a long-dead mouse to chew on. My bowels have been playing me up since yesterday, and made me abort 3 attempts to drive to work. The 5 has a pretty big oil leak from the head gasket. And on top of all this, I'm ugly.

Boost Junkie

I've gotten used to the power now... I want more. The forum folk said this would happen, and those internet nerds are always right, god bless 'em. First of all I need a Megasquirt PnP and LC-1 so I can get a decent tune with the current kit, and hopefully stop blowing so much super-unleaded into the atmosphere. That's only available in the USA though, and the VAT and import duty are going to hurt ... unless there's anyone in, say, Florida reading this who can help me out. You could bake them inside a cake perhaps?

Motoring Offences

The 5 is back in daily use now. I'm having trouble staying off the loud pedal, the punch through the gears is massive and highly addictive, and now I'm usually so full of endorphins I'm technically driving under the influence of drugs. This enormous pace has resulted in a few bits flying off though, including parts of a door mirror, the front number plate plinth, and the battery clamp. I did have an oil leak too, but for some reason that's stopped. Fuel consumption is quite reasonable though... compared to, say, a Boeing 747 or a space shuttle.