Slacker_Sam.

Fuck that black bB on D windows is so sweet.

I approve of this thread.

I'll try. Failing that I'll be in Janes bB or stealing the Torino again.

No pictures this time. Total disaster. I bought a new thermostat and installed it. The local radiator guy kindly re-did the leaky radiator again.

The disaster happened when i plumbed it all up. Started it up, bled as much air out as i could.....Still getting boiling hot. Cant see any circulation happening in the radiator. No flow if you pull the top hose off and run the motor. I think the water pump may have lost its blades, as in they have rotted off.

And the heater tap is doing wees all over the carpet.

Lada Life.

My favorite part of her argument was "you (the manager) shouldn't be working here offering advice and selling people oil if you do not know what you are doing." Its times that that you really have to hold your tongue. I wanted to say that by her logic that she shouldn't be driving a car because she cant operate it correctly or follow simple instructions displayed on the dash board...such as "stop no oil pressure" in big letters.

Disclaimer: This is not a dig at female drivers. We have equally thick male drivers come in as well.

Similar story when I had my Old blue Triumph 2000, An old chap came up to me at PaknSave and proceeded to tell me that my suspension is bent and, using his hands, he showed me that my rear wheels are "Like this /--\."

I simply replied "yes I know, its supposed to be like that." He looked at me perplexed.  I just did the old awkward grin/leave me alone look and drove away.

Haha I'm not sure how they have done half of them up. I cant get to the heater ones to undo them. Some kind of Russian contortionist is required I think.

Ever had that feeling where you know you shouldn't have started messing with something? I thought I'd give the cooling system a birthday as it looks all rusty and shitty inside and its running at just over half way on the temp gauge. climbing to 3/4 when under heavy load. Hotter than I would like.

Then i pulled the fan assembly off the radiator. Lots of lovely black water came out.

So I sent the radiator off to Motueka Radiators to have a good clean up. I thought I better locate the thermostat and see if that is part of the issue....couldn't find it.....Surely its not in that weird canister with hoses coming off it. Oh wait yes it is because Soviet Russia!

I cleaned all the shit out, tested it, and it seems to open at about 88-90 degrees. So I'll roll with that for now. Bit hotter than I'd like though.

And all the hose clamps are single use only! Similar design to CV boot clamps. Almost like you were never meant to take it apart.

mmmm gunky

Radiator came back all clean and like new...or so I thought

So I cleaned up the engine bay, smashed it all back together and filled it with coolant as quickly as possible to attend this months Nelson meet in Takaka.

Total disaster!!!! Jane and I made it 3/4 up the Takaka hill and noticed the temp gauge creeping up again. Then I noticed a green substance leaking onto my left foot from the heater core. Uh oh... So we pulled over, popped the bonnet and there was green water everywhere. Dobbie at the Radiator shop must have had one to many doobies that day and forgot to re solder the inlet pipe onto the radiator properly! So that was our trip over. We coasted back down the hill, topped up the water at the bottom and went home.

Out with the radiator again. Ugh. Lada life.

So much Repco hate. Makes me almost ashamed to work there.... Almost.

A customer was after a breather for his air compressor. I couldn't get spare parts for this particular compressor (cheap Chinese thing) So I rang another Repco branch that was showing one of the same compressor on warranty claim. I asked "can I please steal the little rectangular breather from the compressor unit." and gave the guy a pretty detailed description of what it looked like and where it was located on the unit. So he says "yep no worries i'll send it down." Next day a package shows up with the fucking air filter element off the compressor and to top it off its ROUND, pretty big and in the opposite place to where I told him........Nice work idiot.

And thats the type of people that give the place a bad rep.

Motueka Repco. Branch 104.

After working at the local Repco for the last 8+ years I have a fair few public interaction stories. I largely deal with the trade these days but I find my self on the retail counter from time to time and shit like this happens:

Them: "I think I need some oil because my red oil light is on" at this point my brain is internally exploding.

I reply "How long has it been on for?"

Them: "Its been flickering on and off for about a week, but it came on all the time just down the road" - Fuck me sideways.

Regardless I sell them a bottle of oil and tell them to put it in outside & the oil light is NOT GOOD. They walk out of the shop, hop in the car, start it up (rattle rattle tick tick) and drive away.....

another one is:

Customer: "Id like some brake pads for a 93 Corolla"

Me: "Sweet, is it outside so I can grab some details?"

Customer: "No they are all the same mate" - They are not all the fucking same!!! I proceed to tell him I need more info. He was a cock so I just randomly select some random corolla pads and sent him on his way....He was back later enraged that I had given him the wrong pads "but sir they are for a 93 Corolla."

Unfortunately Repco employs anyone, and generally the retail people know nothing about cars and have no interest in cars. I get rather frustrated at times when I hear someone with a modified car talking to one of our retail staff. I try get out there to help when i can in that instance.

With the Celica I get "sweet starion bro." or "look at that AE86"

And the Avenger would get countless "Nice Escort" compliments.

I almost made it to the top of the Hill. Almost!! Green water started hemorrhaging out of everywhere so I made the wise choice to turn around and coast back before I landed myself in a world of hurt. Lada life.

Ive got a manual. I'll have a look and see. It'd be a real pain if it was worn out. after all its only done 60,000ks.

I tried swearing at it in English and Russian.

I'll take the tensioner out and see if its shagged. timing chain seems to be tight though.

That is odd. There Is another white one that gets around.

with the valve clearances I guess I'll just set them at the book settings and see what happens. As they are currently a bit tight.

So this evening I decided to try and combat the rattly tappets and/or the rattly timing chain. So I followed the instructions in the owners manual and did the timing chain (manually adjusted tensioner). I then tackled the valve clearances. The book says 0.15mm Cold. But my ones were all tight at 0.10mm. If i loosen them off they'll be even more noisy?? So Im not quite sure what to do there...It got very cold outside so I called it a night.

Shitty engine pic

With the Rocker cover removed. Weird camshaft housing makes checking clearances a pain in the ass!

Has anyone had much to do with these Lada Motors? Are they naturally just a bit rattly in the valve train?

That's all for tonight.

What add was this? I dont believe this one was advertised for sale. I had to track it down and persuade the owners to sell up.

I see a substantial amount of low in this cars future.

Two centre caps for the wheels perhaps?

I approve of this. I have been practicing my Russian accent.

Discuss here if you wish.

They even had Dumpys

A German once told me a joke "Why do the English like warm beer? Because they all have lucas Fridges."

But anyway I pulled all the bulbs out cleaned the sockets, swore at it a few times, put some electrical grease on the bulbs, poked around in the boot, cleaned up the earths, checked the connector behind the grille, tested it and it was still on the piss.

Then I slammed the boot shut in disgust with the lights going and they all started working properly.....I don't even know.

No doubt they will be on the piss again tomorrow.