Quick (boring) car update

[kingandy]

Have been telling people that Raj Honda (Is it sensible to name cars? It's just a bit of fun really, but it does then make it that much harder to lose or sell them) may need a new distributor, since every car I've had thus far has and I was experiencing the familiar sensation of cylinders (important car part) failing to fire (important thing for them to do). Having looked under the bonnet, I can say that it was in fact due to one of the sparkplug sucker thingies not being connected properly. Shoved it firmly back on, and he now works fine.

Raj vibrates at around 60-70mph. I think this is due to aerodynamics, and resonant frequencies. (He does it at that speed no matter what gear you're in, or even if you're coasting, so it's not a problem with 5th gear as I at first feared.) It's not much of a problem, but I'm a bit worried that he might shake himself apart. The thought occurs that this may be what shook the sparkplug lead loose.

I'll let you know.

Comments

[samharber.livejournal.com]

Get the tracking done (£20ish) and the wheels balanced (another £15ish). That should sort out most of the vibration problems.

vibrocars

[icklejo]

Indeed every car that I've had that vibrated, also seemed to do it at between 60-70mph, try driving at about 72/3 and it normally quietens a bit, not that I'm condoning speeding or anything. As Sam said, try the tracking and the weel balance, any remaining judders I wouldn't worry too much about, it's only if things start making clunking as opposed to rattling noises that you have to worry.

This is of course the reason I ended up doing a tonne in my first mini. It used to judder at 60-70, so you'd slow down and it would stop. However, if you speeded up it stopped too, so one day it stopped juddering and thought that was ok because I must have slowed down. However when I looked down at the speedo, I was in fact doing 100, (it was down a very big hill on the M62). At which point I decided I didn't want to die and slowed down to 60 again.

Re: vibrocars

[pkgem.livejournal.com]

Bloody hell! You mini reach 100mph!!! Wow. Mind you it was a Copper wasn't it? My ickle mini was a City E (for "economical", you know). I sometimes reached 80mph (downhill with the wind behind me) and I felt that was speedy and death-defying in what was essentially a tin matchbox on wheels. *sigh* - miss my mini sometimes - but I feel safer these days.

Anyhoo, Andy - I agree with Sam and Jo. Try getting your tracking and wheel balancing done. My mini also vibrated (at about 50mph if I recall so I drive at maxed out 60/70mph, unless prevailing winds aided) - I think its something that cars do with age. Felix doesn't vibrate. Although sometimes I fear he may topple sideways if a stiff gust of wind hits him when up on a high bridge or on top the M62...

no, my ooooooold mini

[icklejo]

It was my first mini, Bob, he was Y reg Mini Mayfair so very old, but he worked, mostly. My current one (which lives on my mum's drive much to her displeasure until I can afford to insure it) hasn't ever gone that fast, maybe it's cos I'm 7 years older and get scared more easily.