Barely bike related

I like my Delica. It's quite capable off-road. I can transport bikes, tow a trailer, load it up with all sorts of crap. Can also chuck a mattress in the back for a comfortable bed if I'm away overnight.

Here's a pic from a few days ago. Bloody dirt bikes ... I've still got the bruises from a couple of unplanned dismounts on slippery muddy tracks. Was like riding on grease.
 

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Geez !  I'm glad over looked a Jetta Diesel with a broken cam belt and kissed the valves.

Not saying a VW 4 Cyl diesel is not a Barrel of Monkeys when running properly ;o)

Really liked my Dad's straight 5 Cyl VW Diesel in his 84 GTL Volvo 4 Dr Sedan, 4 spd manual w/OD and 3:90 Posi.
Not much for acceleration but the torque was amazing.
 
Modern turbo diesels accelerate very quickly - 3rd gear in the Scout is a hoot for overtaking. Loaded with holiday gear, four people and a heavy camper trailer, the torque is just awesome. Coming from a shitbox Camry (badged Holden Apollo Executive), a total waste of a good 16-valve twin cam motor by fitting a carby to it, I was in heaven.

The Apollo was awesomly gutless - like having to shift the auto back to 3rd on slight inclines the Hume fwy at 110kph if there were bicycles on the roof and a mild headwind. Fuck I hated it!
 
Just thought I would provide the resolution for the van issue

In the end we had changed one injector, all of the injector oil seals and o-rings, the cam, the starter motor which had been fried when the starting problem commenced and the part that cured the non-starting problem, the high pressure fuel pump

They had tried a replacement HP pump that showed good pressure but they tried a second complete new unit to make sure that wasn't a problem - hey presto the van started and has been sorted

All told the bill was 2 grand but it now back to full performance and no smoke, all set for another 175k miles
 
Two thousand quid!! I paid less than three for my whole bloody van. Expensive to get work done these days. Whenever I curse the stinking thing as I struggle away underneath it I remind myself just how many months of work I would have to do to pay a workshop instead of the days work it takes me. There aren't many motorbikes I detest working on as much as cars, in fact I generally enjoy bike work.
 
Tippie said:
There aren't many motorbikes I detest working on as much as cars, in fact I generally enjoy bike work.
Click to expand...

Ditto. I hate working on cars. I still do all my own maintenance though, unless it's something like dropping a gearbox out. I don't have a garage hoist and I reckon I'm getting too old to be grovelling around in the dirt underneath cars.
 
I have a 20yr old F150..use it to to launch and retrieve my boat and  continue helping with my house building project.
Saved a fortune over the years  doing myself plus ignoring duff diagnostic advice from dealers. That's ok but would be nicer if I was rich enough not to have to care.
Seven bikes in the shed. No one else to blame.. 8)
 
I rest my case re it not being a completely worn out motor, Your Honour. Just didn't make sense to me that it would run fine and then suddenly be worn out.

Totally agree re working on cars - hate it, but save thousands when I can. Have had to fork out for major stuff requiring a hoist, but never paid for a service in the 8 1/2 years I've owned it. And I get to choose my own oil - Mobil 1 these days - immediately noticed a quieter motor and even getting closer to oil change time it remains so.

I used to crawl under the HR and the old 145 Volvo, pulling out motors and gearboxes on shitty ramps - not as poor as I used to be and certainly not as young!! A fully equipped car workshop would change my mind.
 
I can add to the "race van" stories.
My business partner for years ran a Mazda B1600 ute - with a warm 2litre, a 5-speed, Konis and wide Michelins on steel spokes...
We went all over NZ in that thing with bikes aboard and a trailer load too.

More than once, he took a bike to a local circuit where it was a mixed car and bike day, parked the bike and raced the ute...

I was told by a wide-eyed car racer that it was faster than the MGB's and almost as quick as the MGC's.

What always put me off it was the drum brakes - with AM4 linings they grabbed like hell cold.
 
I also gave up working on my cars many years ago. A right pain in the backside.
I do however when I take a car to the garage, explain what in my opinion needs to be done. It at least convinces the garage owner that he can't talk bullshit with me.

Paul
 
I do the same Paul, with my Mercedes, but I do everything on my Discovery (because its worth jack shit) and my Chevvy (because I love it) when my Merc gores in, I leave on the passenger a copy of a magazine, such as the MIET news (institute of engineers and technicians) maybe one from Mi.diagE (instate of diagnostic engineers) or a Laverda crankcase bottom with just the gearbox laid in strapped to the floor hooks, and few spare gears in plastic bag, a few MOD (ministry of defence) anti terrorism things borrowed from my son David does a lot as well, one of the best things is a two foot vernier in its wooden case, its all kidology, one bloke even said to me one time what is that in the back? it was four con rod kits for a TZ700 !!! I said it was lifting eyes for a Chieftain tank

CLEM
 
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