Wots wrong with me van?

Its beyond a joke now, John, time to start raising your voice, but hopefully you're nearly there.
I never get annoyed with a mechanical fault, its to be expected. But the people you have to deal with and their attitude, is simply unbelievable.
 
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Peter.N. said:
I did better than that - I got the bits of ebay and fitted them myself. :D

Peter
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I've no experience with timing belts or anything in that area, so decided to leave to the experts. It's a bit of a pig of a job and if it goes wrong could be game over for the engine.

They had a real struggle getting the engine mount off, because it was over tightened. I'm glad someone else had the aggro, especially as I don't have a lift.

The Fiat main dealer prices were within a few pounds of the Ebay prices for timing kits from manufacturers like Gates. Probably made by the same people. I sleep better knowing that my belt and other bits are made by a reputable company. Though the water pump box did have Magnetti Marelli printed on it. :LOL:
 
I don't blame you. I have always repaired my own cars primarily because I ran a car long before I could really afford to do so and had to repair it myself. They were very simple in those days and I never thought I would be able to repair a common rail diesel but I've been running them for 4 years and have managed so far.

Peter
 
I just have to get my head around diesels and modern vehicle technology. Like you, I had a car before I could really afford it. Rusty old bangers, that I spent longer underneath than I ever did in the driving seat. Happy days!

I now have two vehicles - my Scudo van for work. If I lift the bonnet, I honestly don't know what half the things under are or their purpose.

My car that spends most time in a warm garage is an '86 Carlton (last of the old shape). I do all work on this, and it's a dream to work on - not that it ever needs much more than servicing. I like it because it's large, well laid out, conventional with well made German mechanics. Always preferred large, rear wheel drive saloons.

Must stop now, I'm going on a bit. :oops:
 
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I've completely lost touch with petrol engines, I have been running diesels for 30 years or more. My last petrol vehicle had a carburettor and distributer, I was going to say and a dynamo but that would be pushing it a bit.

Peter
 
My previous Carlton (1981 Chrome bumper model) had a carb, but with the last of the MK1 shapes that I have now, I've progressed to fuel injection. This one even has some kind of basic engine management box, but nothing OTT to make it need special skills or knowledge.

The van does the mileage, so a modern diesel is ideal. As for the car, I could run a Yank but it wouldn't matter, as it doesn't do the miles. Wouldn't be worth me having a diesel car unless it gets lot of use.
 
I used to have Vauxhalls years ago from the 'E' model Velox to the PA Cresta but I have run diesels primarily because I used to do about 30,000 miles a year when I was working so saved me a lot of money. Had mostly estates from the CX which was huge to more recently XMs also very large and now a C5. I was a TV engineer and used to buy Granada ex rental sets from all over the country so I needed something big and economical.

Peter
 
Hope you're luck changes but thats a school boy error moving a vehicle with the hub bolt/drive shaft out!
 
I have to agree with you there, Mr.K...... :p
Curiously enough, the near side wheel bearing is just fine!
I'm in a bit of a quandary with this one really.....one side of me says go ballistic, the other says that's just the way it is, and no one gets it right every time.
For sure, the mechanic guy is quite apologetic and dismayed, and has promised to make everything good. Personally I don't want his spanners near the van again.
Another things for certain......if he was arrogant and treated me like an imbecile, there would be a huge quantity of legal ordnance pointing his way!
John :)
 
Peter.N. said:
I used to have Vauxhalls years ago from the 'E' model Velox to the PA Cresta but I have run diesels primarily because I used to do about 30,000 miles a year when I was working so saved me a lot of money. Had mostly estates from the CX which was huge to more recently XMs also very large and now a C5. I was a TV engineer and used to buy Granada ex rental sets from all over the country so I needed something big and economical.

Peter
Click to expand...

PA Cresta :cool:

But the rust :eek:
 
The later ones were not so bad, the real rust bucket was the FA Victor and some of the FDs.

Peter
 
Have heard tales about PAs, where it had got so rusty that suddenly people couldn't open the rear doors due to shell sagging.

Like the victors, but especially the transatlantic styling of the Crestas, even the PC.



Sorry for the slight hijack on your thread, John.
 
There was a Cresta E dumped down by the cut near where I lived when I was a kid. I remember my dad saying how it was rusted out. 1962/63, so it wasn't even 10 years old. There was a Goggomobil there as well. . .

Back on topic. :) I reckon you've got it about right John. No point getting too worked up about it at this point, annoying though it is. Mistakes do get made, but I wouldn't want him working on my vehicle again either.
 
Yet another update......
Van has a new wheel bearing (£160) and the one that was extracted has huge damage, including a split on one of the inner tracks.......goodness knows why!
Driving home was uneventful, until I turned and braked at the same time.
Popping the O/S wheel off showed the brake caliper to be sliding in and out on its pins about 2mm......clearly there is some crap stuck between the hub and the disc or the hub itself is distorted.
I'll check this out in the morning, but this vehicle is jinxed at the moment :p
John :)
 
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