:: Diary - October 2005 ::

:: Saturday October 1, 2005 ::

TVR car Club meeting today! This will be the first since the TVR / Saab interface thingy in July.

Go out to wash car in preparation, then realise that I don't have a wash bucket or sponge, having booted both up the driveway. We're going manky then!

Not a fantastic turnout, because some of the members are away on the Great North Run - but still a good blether. Good blatt there and even better blatt back - although that exhaust blow is getting on my nerves. Never mind, still a good day out!

The front of the car seems a tiny bit bouncy - I think I'll stiffen up the front dampers by a notch.

:: Saturday October 8, 2005 ::

Decided to inspect the exhaust blow. Inspection was made easier when the gun gum and bandage disintegrated into my hand so I could see it without craning my neck under the car. This inspection confirms that the repair may not be doing all it should to contain passing exhaust gasses.

A trip to Halfords for their premier exhaust repair kit - this is the final attempt before I resign myself to having to take the exhaust (and possibly the whole engine) to bits. The kit is good - a two-part metalised putty that you knead together and apply over the crack, and a self-amalgamating sticky film that you wrap over that.

It does seem to work better than the other cheaper repair, but time will tell.

Note - I did check most diligently this time before starting the car to check the exhaust repair!!

:: Sunday October 23, 2005 ::

Been on holiday for a week, so the poor wee car has been all neglected awww.....

Still started first turn of the key, no problem. That's ma baby! I then noticed the strong damp smell, and also the fine collection of fungal spores in the passenger footwell. A wee poke with ma finger showed that the carpet is sodden. I dive out of the car before my tears make the drivers side footwell just as bad.

Lift out the passenger carpet which is soaking, and leaves about a centimetre deep puddle of water behind. Oh joy... Soak up the water with a sponge and then several newspapers till it's almost touch dry. This takes a fair while, you understand.

I lift out the fusebox cover etc but it's dry behind. The carpet below the door edge seems to be wet though so I suspect a door seal. Could also be the windscreen I suppose.

Process of elimination required. I cover the door seal, door trim and carpet underneath with talcum powder - any water running in will then leave a mark, see? I also put newspapers in the footwell so that any drips from above will show up.

All I need to do now is remember to check it often so that I pick up the first signs of water ingress before the whole sodden lot gets sodden again.

:: Monday October 24, 2005 ::

Piddling rain all nght - no that's an understatement it's been lashing down, so let's check the car interior first thing.

Good news - none of the talcum powder is wet so there's not a drop of water getting past the door sills.

Bad news - the newspapers on the floor are soaking so there's water getting in somewhere!

Best guess is the windscreen. This guess is confirmed by the drop of water off the sunvisor that smacks the back of my head. Ah...

I put the seat back and stick a bucket under the drips, to keep the floor dry.

:: Wednesday October 26, 2005 ::

Bucket bone dry.

Floor half an inch deep in water. I don't think my drip-catching is quite right. I remember when I got the car, water was pissing past the windscreen seal and then running around to the top of the dash - that would (or could) explain the absence of drips.

:: Saturday October 29, 2005 ::

Bale the water out of the floor again, and wash all the talc off.

I then spent nearly two hours on my knees with a 1500 watt hairdryer drying all the carpets out, after mopping up most of the mess with newspaper. The floor mat is also dried out in the house but I'll leave it out for now until I cure the leak.

I had the edge of the screen sealed with black tape, but somebody suggested that plasti-dip stuff, and I tried that. It doesn't seem to work. I peel the plastidip off and reseal the edge with tape. Very therapeutic.

I then decide to have a roof-off hoon around for an hour or so just to clear the musty honk from the interior (caused as much by my antics with the hairdryer as anything else). Superb.