What's next at Lake View
- Thread starter Ethelred
- Start date
Back to Lake View today - by bicycle - to collect one of my reluctant Rovers.
It seems my cars were either jealous that they didn't get taken to Scotland or they didn't like the souvenirs that the Blue McFoo and I brought back for them.
Daffodil started up without any problem but started acting up in Leek, where I'd gone to get some petrol and something from the butcher on Derby Street. I know the symptoms and now I know it is a stuck float in one of the carburettors that causes this ill-temper in the car.
Tom was surprised to see Daffodil back on the forecourt - I told him he was right all along - the car is a complete cow and I would take Ethel back instead.
Ethel had other ideas - with or without a tartan steering wheel cover, she would not fire up - not even a click. Tom has already ascertained that this is almost certainly a failure of the ignition key unit - the series 2 cars are modern-ish in that they have four positions for the ignition key - 0 being OFF, I for accessories, II for ON and III for Ignition - take the key all the way to III and the engine should turn over and fire. Nothing at all - not even a click - it's not the solenoid, it isn't the starter motor either.
Tom freed off Daffodil's stuck carburettor and she got me home with no bother at all in the end.
It seems my cars were either jealous that they didn't get taken to Scotland or they didn't like the souvenirs that the Blue McFoo and I brought back for them.
Daffodil started up without any problem but started acting up in Leek, where I'd gone to get some petrol and something from the butcher on Derby Street. I know the symptoms and now I know it is a stuck float in one of the carburettors that causes this ill-temper in the car.
Tom was surprised to see Daffodil back on the forecourt - I told him he was right all along - the car is a complete cow and I would take Ethel back instead.
Ethel had other ideas - with or without a tartan steering wheel cover, she would not fire up - not even a click. Tom has already ascertained that this is almost certainly a failure of the ignition key unit - the series 2 cars are modern-ish in that they have four positions for the ignition key - 0 being OFF, I for accessories, II for ON and III for Ignition - take the key all the way to III and the engine should turn over and fire. Nothing at all - not even a click - it's not the solenoid, it isn't the starter motor either.
Tom freed off Daffodil's stuck carburettor and she got me home with no bother at all in the end.
Daffodil was Lake View's ambassador at the Didsbury Car Show today - Rovers were a bit thin on the ground so if Peter hadn't stepped in with Chris's car, I might have had to jump on the train to fetch Hildegarde.
I like the DIdsbury show - it is the most laid back car show of the ones I frequent - I've been there 3 years in a row now with a different car each time - it will be the Blue McFoo's turn next year - possibly as a tobacco leaf Blue McFoo if she gets resprayed.
Hildegarde is back at Lake View Garage for the 500 mile oil change, fitment of the new distributor and the expansion tank.
I went to The Swan, Whiston, Penkridge this evening for the monthly meeting of the Staffs and Shrops branch of the RSR and then headed across Staffs to Lake View via the A449. M6, A534.
I had to disturb Tom because The Blue McFoo had a bulb not working.
It was my lucky day - Tom had just unearthed a new old stock sealed beam earlier in the day.
The Blue McFoo has also just had an oil change after 3425 miles since the last oil change in May and feels better for it.
The Blue McFoo has actually done even more than that since May - it is nearer 4000 miles because this car also had a 500 mile oil change after the rebuilt engine was fitted - I went to the same inn in Scotland twice in quick succession after the new engine was fitted, returning to Lake View in between to have the oil change.
I went to The Swan, Whiston, Penkridge this evening for the monthly meeting of the Staffs and Shrops branch of the RSR and then headed across Staffs to Lake View via the A449. M6, A534.
I had to disturb Tom because The Blue McFoo had a bulb not working.
It was my lucky day - Tom had just unearthed a new old stock sealed beam earlier in the day.
The Blue McFoo has also just had an oil change after 3425 miles since the last oil change in May and feels better for it.
The Blue McFoo has actually done even more than that since May - it is nearer 4000 miles because this car also had a 500 mile oil change after the rebuilt engine was fitted - I went to the same inn in Scotland twice in quick succession after the new engine was fitted, returning to Lake View in between to have the oil change.
I needed to go to Lake View this afternoon to collect Hildegarde, who has had an expansion tank fitted, an oil change and some adjustments to her cooling system in the form of a replacement control system for the Kenlowe fan.
I changed my mind about 6 times as to how I would get from Manchester to Rushton Spencer - should I take Daffodil, the train, the bus or cycle there, or some combination thereof?
I decided to take the Blue McFoo because she's such a quiet, reliable unassuming car with a good stereo too.
All was well as we made excellent progress along the A523 in my native Macclesfield on the 70mph Silk Road when just as I eased off to approach a roundabout - the one by the MacDonalds near the Hurdsfield estate - there was a bizzarre series of misfires and then an almighty bang and the engine stopped dead.
The middle box on The Blue McFoo's exhaust has almost been turned inside out by the force of the blast.
Tom was mystified as to why the McFoo would fail to fire after an event like this but by process of substitution and elimination he soon ascertained that the amplifier associated with the distributor has failed - this caused the misfire and an accumulation of unburnt fuel in the exhaust system and the silencer exploded.
McFoo chose an excellent spot to break down because Mansfield Group, Green Flag's local agent, have their depot on the Hurdsfield estate so I was recovered within 20 minutes and was at Lake View much sooner than Tom was expecting.
The McFoo won't be out of commission for long - I need her - she's top dog right now.
She needs a new amp and of course a new exhaust pipe, which will set me back £500 or so - that was what I paid for Ethel's exhaust last year.
I need to retrofit hazards to the Blue McFoo - the series 1 cars don't have them but it is an easy retrofit.
On the way home, Hildegarde the Audi Slayer gave an Audi A4 3 chances to beat her off the lights on Chester Road in a 40 zone.
Each time, the Audi could only pass once I had finished my acceleration at 40.00mph. I ignored the driver at the 3rd set of lights when he asked if my car was a V8.
Hall of Shame
Hildegarde
Lillian
Blue McFoo
and even Ethel.
Ethel usually limps to Lake View, even if there is smoke coming out of the dipstick hole. This was a failed earthing strap.
I changed my mind about 6 times as to how I would get from Manchester to Rushton Spencer - should I take Daffodil, the train, the bus or cycle there, or some combination thereof?
I decided to take the Blue McFoo because she's such a quiet, reliable unassuming car with a good stereo too.
All was well as we made excellent progress along the A523 in my native Macclesfield on the 70mph Silk Road when just as I eased off to approach a roundabout - the one by the MacDonalds near the Hurdsfield estate - there was a bizzarre series of misfires and then an almighty bang and the engine stopped dead.
The middle box on The Blue McFoo's exhaust has almost been turned inside out by the force of the blast.
Tom was mystified as to why the McFoo would fail to fire after an event like this but by process of substitution and elimination he soon ascertained that the amplifier associated with the distributor has failed - this caused the misfire and an accumulation of unburnt fuel in the exhaust system and the silencer exploded.
McFoo chose an excellent spot to break down because Mansfield Group, Green Flag's local agent, have their depot on the Hurdsfield estate so I was recovered within 20 minutes and was at Lake View much sooner than Tom was expecting.
The McFoo won't be out of commission for long - I need her - she's top dog right now.
She needs a new amp and of course a new exhaust pipe, which will set me back £500 or so - that was what I paid for Ethel's exhaust last year.
I need to retrofit hazards to the Blue McFoo - the series 1 cars don't have them but it is an easy retrofit.
On the way home, Hildegarde the Audi Slayer gave an Audi A4 3 chances to beat her off the lights on Chester Road in a 40 zone.
Each time, the Audi could only pass once I had finished my acceleration at 40.00mph. I ignored the driver at the 3rd set of lights when he asked if my car was a V8.
Hall of Shame
Hildegarde
Lillian
Blue McFoo
and even Ethel.
Ethel usually limps to Lake View, even if there is smoke coming out of the dipstick hole. This was a failed earthing strap.
MOT season.
Apart from Hildegarde (May), the annual tests are towards the end of the year.
The Blue McFoo's MOT anniversary has come forward 1 month to September; I put the car in for test early because I was alarmed at the rapid deterioration with the brakes - sure enough there was a dangerous fail - first one I have seen on one of my own vehicles.
Ethel, pictured below in 2011, has her MOT up at the end of the year as it always has since 1992 and it was Daffodil's day at the test centre today.
I did basic numpty pre-checks - lights, wipers etc. and the pass wasn't a surprise; I knew the tyres and brakes are good and with the ££££ that have been spent on the car since the test on 15/8/2014 there would have been red faces at Lake View in the event of a fail.
We went there the long way round via the 40mph Bridgewater Way in 1st gear just to make sure we are keen for the examiner.
The sun shone on my car but it is lucky that part time gauges and irritating engine rattles aren't on the syllabus, eh Daffodil?
This car hates standing idle for any length of time - - like more than a week - call it an automotive insecurity complex - maybe it thinks it is going to be abandoned again.
Daffodil's recent odometer readings:
So the car travelled 70 miles in 15 months then 2270 miles in a year or thereabouts - some improvement there.
When I rang Tom to tell him the good news, he gave me some more good news - the Blue McFoo is back on the road.
The Blue McFoo has done considerably more than Daffodil's miles but Daffodil has only had one trip to Cumbria (November) compared to McFoo's 5 trips to Scotland in 2015.
Apart from Hildegarde (May), the annual tests are towards the end of the year.
The Blue McFoo's MOT anniversary has come forward 1 month to September; I put the car in for test early because I was alarmed at the rapid deterioration with the brakes - sure enough there was a dangerous fail - first one I have seen on one of my own vehicles.
Ethel, pictured below in 2011, has her MOT up at the end of the year as it always has since 1992 and it was Daffodil's day at the test centre today.
I did basic numpty pre-checks - lights, wipers etc. and the pass wasn't a surprise; I knew the tyres and brakes are good and with the ££££ that have been spent on the car since the test on 15/8/2014 there would have been red faces at Lake View in the event of a fail.
We went there the long way round via the 40mph Bridgewater Way in 1st gear just to make sure we are keen for the examiner.
The sun shone on my car but it is lucky that part time gauges and irritating engine rattles aren't on the syllabus, eh Daffodil?
This car hates standing idle for any length of time - - like more than a week - call it an automotive insecurity complex - maybe it thinks it is going to be abandoned again.
Daffodil's recent odometer readings:
- 11/8/2015 128880 (2270 miles)
15/8/2014 126610 (70 miles)
5/11/2012 126550
So the car travelled 70 miles in 15 months then 2270 miles in a year or thereabouts - some improvement there.
When I rang Tom to tell him the good news, he gave me some more good news - the Blue McFoo is back on the road.
The Blue McFoo has done considerably more than Daffodil's miles but Daffodil has only had one trip to Cumbria (November) compared to McFoo's 5 trips to Scotland in 2015.
On the 16th September, the Blue McFoo went in for MOT and fewer than a dozen words, repeated for each side of the car, caused the sky to fall in on Planet McFoo.
The fateful words are highlighted in bold in was turned out to be more of a litany than a fail sheet.
If the Blue McFoo was a Series 2 car with nice panels then it would be an ex-McFoo by now - I'd have chopped it up without mercy, the same as Chewbacca and the others.
Thankfully, because it is such a nice Blue McFoo, a series 1 car no less and the smoothest in the fleet, I dug deep and had the work done - earlier than expected, the car went for MOT on the 30th October and there were no advisories. I should think not an'all.
I haven't seen the photos yet but this car was as bad as Daffodil when she had her welding work done.
You can see from the odometer readings that this is a very well travelled car - the Blue McFoo, now banned from Scotland in the name of fairness, did almost 7000 miles last year - compared to much-improved Daffodil's 2200 miles or so.
The fateful words are highlighted in bold in was turned out to be more of a litany than a fail sheet.
If the Blue McFoo was a Series 2 car with nice panels then it would be an ex-McFoo by now - I'd have chopped it up without mercy, the same as Chewbacca and the others.
Thankfully, because it is such a nice Blue McFoo, a series 1 car no less and the smoothest in the fleet, I dug deep and had the work done - earlier than expected, the car went for MOT on the 30th October and there were no advisories. I should think not an'all.
I'm not feeling two grand now but the car will be in fine fettle for a good many years - Planet McFoo is back in orbit.
I haven't seen the photos yet but this car was as bad as Daffodil when she had her welding work done.
You can see from the odometer readings that this is a very well travelled car - the Blue McFoo, now banned from Scotland in the name of fairness, did almost 7000 miles last year - compared to much-improved Daffodil's 2200 miles or so.
Conrad D. Conelrad
Member
It's great to see Blue McFoo getting repaired.
Conrad D. Conelrad said:
Thanks. All four cars are now in what you might call 'rude good health' - Ethel had fun and games the weekend before last on a trip to Isle of Whithorn - she didn't skip a beat all the way to Machars but after a night spent on one of Great Britain's extremities, she was reluctant to start the next morning and had a very bad misfire.
A local mechanic in Whithorn spotted a huge crack in the distributor cap - he didn't have a spare one to hand but a good dose of WD40 was enough to improve the spark and in true Ethel style, we popped and banged all the way home yet with considerable ease.
Tom has now replaced the distributor cap and cleaned up the starter motor and when I fetched Ethel last night, I found that she's never been stronger or smoother. Annoyingly, I have noticed that the engine bay is covered in red dust where the radiator, newly re-cored in 2008, is rotting already.
Hildegarde had an epic 450 mile round trip from Manchester to Northumberland and back on Friday - we got caught out in a snow storm on the A66 and A685 and it was truly terrifying - it took me 9 hours to get back but at least the car didn't skip a beat. She shed a wiper blade on the outbound journey - the passenger one luckily and the driver seat has started slipping back again. That is all that is wrong with Hildegarde right now - she is down at Lake View at the moment.
The Blue McFoo is in excellent mechanical shape right now - the only issue is that one of the front brakes is sticking slightly, causing poor fuel economy. She needs new disks and pads.
Tom cleaned up a carburettor for Daffodil and replaced the one with the sticky float valve - he could offer no guarantees because he was swapping one old carburettor for another one - I'd just have to test it and see how it went.
Tom also mentioned that while he was doing the work, Daffodil's mysterious engine rattle was conspicuously absent. I replied that I was aware of that, but didn't mention it because he'd only say it would come back - I'd managed to shut it up before for 50 miles or so after taking her to the edge of Halifax along the A672 and doubling back along the A58 - the rattle ceased for 50 miles after that run but it came back.
Tom then went on to say that this means it is probably a dodgy cam follower, in spite of him replacing them all - this can happen sometimes where you get a bad follower in the replacement batch. It might well come back or maybe it will be a rare case of spontaneous healing but at least the engine won't need to come out after all.
Daffodil hasn't rattled since before I took her to Cumbria last month - she's shut right up and this 'new' carburettor is just magic - Daffodil is into Blue McFoo territory in terms of smoothness.
Between them, Ethel and Daffodil put a huge smile back on my face after my ordeal on the Pennines with Hildegarde - Ethel for just being a grumpy old moo, backfiring all the way to Lake View yet with such ease and Daffodil for giving me such a sweet, pleasant ride home. I took a hub cap down for Daffodil to replace the one I lost at Fool's Nook.
Baron von Marlon
Member
I love that top picture, just timeless.
I've not been very active on the internet lately but it is time for an update.
Daffodil and Hildegarde have permanently moved to the Isle of Man.
IMG_20170206_130513
They have new registration marks, DMN476L and MAN8 respectively.
Daffodil's new numberplate is of course a nod to the previous UK registration and Hildegarde's plate is, well, a nod to the fact that it is a one-off special - no prizes for guessing who this gear knob belongs to.
8ball
In order to be registered on the Island each car had to pass a one-off test - the test is generally reckoned to be much stricter than the UK MOT but it is a one-off, rather than an annual test. As long as they remain taxed, they won't need another test ever again.
Daffodil was the first to undergo the Manx test and I was landed with an expensive bill because they didn't like the rust on one of the doors - much to my annoyance, the garage tasked with getting the car through the test resprayed the repair with Rover 25 Racing Green - in the words of the Wizard of the Lake, who is sorely missed by the Manx exiles:
IMG_20160917_111251
IMG_20160922_103823
Even though Daffodil passed the test, she wasn't running right.
She made it to Scotland for the Christmas break - conking out every 50 miles or so and generally being a miserable old moo.
I left her at Lake View when I returned to the Island after the Christmas break and Tom made good on the badly botched carburettor rebuild, done locally on the Island by an auto electrician (!) and he found the mystery that had been troubling Daffodil all the while - some well-meaning numpty, presumably one of the previous owners or their mechanic, had seen fit to put a bung in the petrol tank breather pipe, causing the car to come to a halt as the pressure in the petrol tank dropped to create a vacuum effect.
On the Isle of Man at least, Daffodil is top dog and my preferred daily drive - she is such a sweet car and I am so glad I persevered.
After a holiday to Scotland during TT, Hildegarde had a much easier ride through the test - she still had to come back but the list of defects was much shorter:
A bald rear tyre (grrrr - I had just had the front two replaced), front pads worn, some goo on the engine that was mistaken for an oil leak - a steam clean all round the engine block fixed the 'leak'.
I left them an easy one - a wiper blade with no contact on the windscreeen but they missed that sitter.
The Blue McFoo has recently left the gang to pursue a solo career. After Daffodil's experience with the door panel, that left the Blue McFoo with nowhere to go. The McFoo is a solid, reliable car but her panels are awful - she would need a full respray or an awful botched job to get through the test.
The McFoo has been swapped for LBJ "Ladybird" 580K, an unmolested, highly original car with 29000 genuine miles, all but a thousand of which were in the 20th century - it did 1000 miles last week on a tour of South West Scotland - this car had been laid up for 35 years or so until it was recommissioned with the help of Lake View Garage last year.
Isle of Whithorn
I felt like I'd sold one of my children when the McFoo left and I'd have her back any time but Ladybird is the smoothest, most original car I have ever driven - she's far to nice for the likes of me. It's got all the dealer service stamps in the Passport and even the rear windscreen heater works.
Ladybird is at Lake View with an list of defects:
Ethel is on the Island and is going to Lake View very soon for the repeatedly delayed respray. We marked our 10th anniversary on the 7th March.
I saw her in the garage but I ignored her, preferring to check Daffodil's fluid levels instead.
By way of apology, I took Ethel for a trip to Peel - a favoured spot because of the gentle bends on the St Johns - Peel road - a wide road by Manx standards where a P6B which is on song can reach the magic ton-up or get some good overtaking moves in - maybe both
Daffodil and Hildegarde have permanently moved to the Isle of Man.
IMG_20170206_130513They have new registration marks, DMN476L and MAN8 respectively.
Daffodil's new numberplate is of course a nod to the previous UK registration and Hildegarde's plate is, well, a nod to the fact that it is a one-off special - no prizes for guessing who this gear knob belongs to.
8ball
In order to be registered on the Island each car had to pass a one-off test - the test is generally reckoned to be much stricter than the UK MOT but it is a one-off, rather than an annual test. As long as they remain taxed, they won't need another test ever again.
Daffodil was the first to undergo the Manx test and I was landed with an expensive bill because they didn't like the rust on one of the doors - much to my annoyance, the garage tasked with getting the car through the test resprayed the repair with Rover 25 Racing Green - in the words of the Wizard of the Lake, who is sorely missed by the Manx exiles:
IMG_20160917_111251IMG_20160922_103823Even though Daffodil passed the test, she wasn't running right.
She made it to Scotland for the Christmas break - conking out every 50 miles or so and generally being a miserable old moo.
I left her at Lake View when I returned to the Island after the Christmas break and Tom made good on the badly botched carburettor rebuild, done locally on the Island by an auto electrician (!) and he found the mystery that had been troubling Daffodil all the while - some well-meaning numpty, presumably one of the previous owners or their mechanic, had seen fit to put a bung in the petrol tank breather pipe, causing the car to come to a halt as the pressure in the petrol tank dropped to create a vacuum effect.
On the Isle of Man at least, Daffodil is top dog and my preferred daily drive - she is such a sweet car and I am so glad I persevered.
After a holiday to Scotland during TT, Hildegarde had a much easier ride through the test - she still had to come back but the list of defects was much shorter:
A bald rear tyre (grrrr - I had just had the front two replaced), front pads worn, some goo on the engine that was mistaken for an oil leak - a steam clean all round the engine block fixed the 'leak'.
I left them an easy one - a wiper blade with no contact on the windscreeen but they missed that sitter.
The Blue McFoo has recently left the gang to pursue a solo career. After Daffodil's experience with the door panel, that left the Blue McFoo with nowhere to go. The McFoo is a solid, reliable car but her panels are awful - she would need a full respray or an awful botched job to get through the test.
The McFoo has been swapped for LBJ "Ladybird" 580K, an unmolested, highly original car with 29000 genuine miles, all but a thousand of which were in the 20th century - it did 1000 miles last week on a tour of South West Scotland - this car had been laid up for 35 years or so until it was recommissioned with the help of Lake View Garage last year.
Isle of Whithorn
I felt like I'd sold one of my children when the McFoo left and I'd have her back any time but Ladybird is the smoothest, most original car I have ever driven - she's far to nice for the likes of me. It's got all the dealer service stamps in the Passport and even the rear windscreen heater works.
Ladybird is at Lake View with an list of defects:
Wiper squirt not working
Possible perforated exhaust manifold driver's side. Rapidly getting worse.
Kickdown not functioning
Smell of petrol (intermittent)
Nearside main beam out.
Car will not pass the test in isle of man with that hole in the wing
Please change oil and remove sump cover. The correct grade of oil has been ordered and is being shipped to Lake View.
Ethel is on the Island and is going to Lake View very soon for the repeatedly delayed respray. We marked our 10th anniversary on the 7th March.
I saw her in the garage but I ignored her, preferring to check Daffodil's fluid levels instead.
By way of apology, I took Ethel for a trip to Peel - a favoured spot because of the gentle bends on the St Johns - Peel road - a wide road by Manx standards where a P6B which is on song can reach the magic ton-up or get some good overtaking moves in - maybe both
TyroleanRover
Active Member
I have noticed this place (lake-view) before...
Is this you?
I like watching your POV-driving videos.
As they use too much and very aggresive salt to keep the roads ice-free here in Austria, i do not drive my P6 in winter. Watching your videos, helps me to "keep the feeling" over winter.
best regards
Simon
I like watching your POV-driving videos.
As they use too much and very aggresive salt to keep the roads ice-free here in Austria, i do not drive my P6 in winter. Watching your videos, helps me to "keep the feeling" over winter.
best regards
Simon
Riddler
Active Member
I use Lake View garage for all the work on my Rover 3500S too - Tom really is a wizard with these cars.
When I was last there I noticed this great picture on the wall, of the garage back in the early 60s when it had petrol pumps. Thought you might like to see it.
Just love pictures of old garage forecourts - in the days when they really had character.
When I was last there I noticed this great picture on the wall, of the garage back in the early 60s when it had petrol pumps. Thought you might like to see it.
Just love pictures of old garage forecourts - in the days when they really had character.
unstable load
Well-Known Member
So, while Roger the Bodger was busy rectifying this "unacceptable" patch of rust he didn't manage to even get all of it out in his rush to stuff up your paint work and lighten your pocket?? Or, is corrosion on the Isle so bad it started fizzing on the bit adjacent to the door shut after the repair?Daffodil was the first to undergo the Manx test and I was landed with an expensive bill because they didn't like the rust on one of the doors - much to my annoyance, the garage tasked with getting the car through the test resprayed the repair with Rover 25 Racing Green - in the words of the Wizard of the Lake, who is sorely missed by the Manx exiles: