:: Diary - February 2006 ::

:: Friday, February 3, 2006 ::

I decide to check the exhaust filler stuff I put on last weekend. It seems to have set really hard, and looks pretty good as well, so hopefully this will sort it. The instructions say that it hardens with heat, after air-drying for a couple of days, and I would rather do that before I drive it to the paintshop tomorrow. I start it up and it sounds terrible - and when I open the bonnet I find out why - I left the spark plug lead off. What a muppet. So even when I reconnect it, it's still misfiring a bit - obviously slightly flooded in that one cylinder. I don't want to rev it to clear it in case that blows the filler out so I leave it idling to harden the filler. By the time the engine is warm it sounds a lot better - still a wee bit chuffy though.

:: Saturday, February 4, 2006 ::

Take the car to the paintshop. By the time I get there the exhaust sounds a lot better, although I think there may be another slight leak in the downpipe to centre box joint underneath. I'll have a look at that when I get it back. It's better than it was though - just hope it lasts!

I realise that I'd also better service it before I use it in the summer.

:: Sunday, February 11, 2006 ::

Phoned the garage rental man - he says that the wee garage won't be ready till 26 March, but there is space in the big shed for now. That'll do me!

:: Friday, February 17, 2006 ::

I found an interesting article in "Classic Cars for Sale" magazine, about "Buying an S" (available for download here) - a good guide for anybody thinking about one.

:: Saturday, February 18, 2006 ::

The car is ready for collection!

It's a nice crisp day so I have a celebratory drive, taking 50 miles to come home about 4 miles. Absolutely superb!

I do notice that the car is really damp inside, and I'm not sure why. It sits outside at the house so maybe it's just taken a while to have an effect.

I also notice that the exhaust is still blowing, and a quick crawl under and a grope round the downpipes confirms that both joints are blowing slightly, as I suspected before it went into the paintshop.

:: Sunday, February 19, 2006 ::

A slight hint of snow, so I decide to take the car along to the rented garage. Once safely esconsed, I pay the man a years rent (after warning him that there may be weeks when I don't visit, especially in winter, and weeks in the summer when the car won't be there - I am paying in advance so that he keeps the space I have paid for.

The wee garage isn't ready yet (previous tenants have to clear out various horsy tackle) so I put the car in his big shed.

I then spend an hour resealing the exhaust joints with the stuff I used to repair the manifolds. This is luxury this, working in the dry on a flat floor, out of the wind.

If I had taken a wider selection of tools, I might still be there - I only left because I ran out of things to do with the tools and bits that I had with me.

:: Saturday, February 25, 2006 ::

A day in the nice warm (well not as cold as outside) garage!

Task 1 - the crankshaft oil seal. After taking the car to bits last time to find I had been sold the wrong part, I again dismamtle the crankshaft pulley with a variety of pullers etc. Ignoring the "book" method (which says remove the pulley and then remove the harmonic balance weight separately), I horse on the biggest gear puller I can find, and remove the lot in a oner. That sounds a lot easier than it was - centralising the gear puller was not easy.

Remove the old seal, press the new one in and reassemble. Job's a good un.

I then faff about fitting one of the wires for the rustproof gadget thing, but I need to get the car a lot higher to get the other wire to the back. The axle stands are at home. I have realised the problem with working away from the house - I have to remember to take everything I am going to need because locking up to come back for it is a pain in the wossname. It'll be better when I get my own bit in a couple of weeks.

So instead I flit about a bit cleaning the engine up - not seriously clean, just get most of the muck off.

Then I try to adjust the door hinge. Remove the door trim, loosen the hinges, adjust the door and then retighten the hinge. It's exactly the same as it was before I started. I must be missing something. A life, probably.

:: Sunday, February 26, 2006 ::

I buy all the bits I need for a service - plugs, oil and filter. The fuel filter isn't that old and most of the other stuff gets maintained as we go. Total service cost £35.50.

I then spend ages working out the service schedule so that I can be sure to take all the tools I need. I am off on Friday so I'll do it then.