I suspect Olivia doesn't like to be all fixed (my first car the Mini had the same problem years ago).
Just yesterday we replaced a hub gasket that had disintegrated to the point where we couldn't actually find much of it when removed! There's no more oil spatters on the rim, no leaks on the hub - the engine's going well, the brakes work, all's right with the world!
Or so one would think...
I had a bit of a day planned today - traipsing around greater Cape Town collecting over a ton (literally) of various e-waste items and running one errand on the way in.
The errand happened to be in the same spot where Olivia had a melt-down a few weeks back. As I turned into that road, I was thinking "here's where Olivia broke down"...and whaddayaknow, all hell broke loose.
First indication of trouble was that fourth gear suddenly started to sound like it had run dry - and I couldn't get it out of gear. Made it around the corner on a green light with no oncoming traffic, but suddenly third and fourth just didn't exist. It was like trying to change gears into a brick - no gap to be had! First and second worked without a hitch.
I stopped as soon as I could, got out and checked clutch fluid. All fine. Third and fourth were miraculously back - until I drove off. Then they were gone again. I stopped in a field next to a nearby petrol & service station, and went in search of EP-90 - just in case for some reason the gearbox and/or transmission had run dry. A bit of a search and a card-swipe later, I hauled out my meagre emergency tool box, made do with a shifting spanner, climbed under the truck (on top of a thorny plant, a clump of dry grass and half of Cape Town's sand) and checked the levels. All good - gave them a top-up squirt just in case.
And went gingerly off again. 2km down the road, third and fourth were gone again - I pulled over just as Favourite Man phoned. He told me to "get thee to Roverland" - a couple of km's away - and beg for help and/or fixing. Suddenly third and fourth were back - hallelujah - so off I went holding thumbs things would stay that way. He phoned back to give some hints and tips as to what might be wrong - selector springs might be worn/gone, something could be broken, there may be air or dirt in the system... the list of possibilities wasn't terribly short!
Olivia behaved perfectly all the way to Roverland, where I hauled a very nice gentleman out of the workshop to see what was up. He fiddled with the gearstick, took her for a quick dash down the road, and informed me (thankfully) that there was nothing wrong with the gearbox. However, the gearstick is wobbling a bit - he reckons the selector needs tightening and oiling up. What probably happened was that it didn't quite go out of gear, so wouldn't go into any others. Or a spot of dirt got in the way. Will be attending to those matters as soon as I can manage, but at least now I know what the problem is, and that it isn't going to gigantically deplete financial resources to fix.
Nevertheless, Olivia behaved herself for the remainder of the day, hauling a trailer tipping nearly a ton and loaded down inside with more stuff, all the way home against a bit of a stiff breeze.
Let's hope she decides not to scare us again anytime soon with any new tricks!
Showing posts with label learning curves. Show all posts
Showing posts with label learning curves. Show all posts
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Monday, February 07, 2011
Carbed up
Olivia's been giving a few rather serious problems lately. She started jerking occasionally a week ago, and it simply went downhill from there.
I did a once-over early in the week, but couldn't see anything wrong.
Thursday was the final straw. She wouldn't go with any power in a straight line without excessive revving, and that caused jerks and jumps to the point where she'd randomly stall. I made it through most of a day driving around, some of it with a trailer full of computer screens for recycling, and a 4m pole plus wireless antenna plus double 4m ladder strapped to the roofrack. But on my final leg home, dragging the roof goodies and an empty trailer, she stalled completely and utterly. On a blind corner under a bridge... just as a surprise hurricane storm started!
It was mere miracle that no-one hit into the back of me, and an absolute life-saver that a good samaritan and his assistant stopped in their Kia bakkie to tow me off the road to the shoulder. At which point the hurricane/storm struck in earnest. Gigantic gusts of wind were soon joined by stinging hail and rain, and we were completely drenched in seconds. The gentleman asked if I could get the truck going again - when I couldn't and he heard I was trying to get him just around the corner, he hauled out a tow bar and chains, hooked me up with great difficulty, and off we went.
Back home, once I'd stripped off soaked jeans, shirt and takkies and let the rain subside, we got the truck into the yard. Early next morning, with great difficulty she was started on full choke and I drove her gingerly down to our nearest Landy mechanic.
His expert eye revealed the shaft on the carburetor was worn and wiggling, drawing in too much air randomly, burning the points (with a cutoff rotor that does things when over-revved) and showing up as running lean on the back three plugs. He filed off the points to give a decent new surface, sent me off to find the spare carb that had come with Olivia's current engine, and drop it off for examination.
This morning I had a call that it looked good - when could I come in? Well, this afternoon was it!
With a little hard work, the replacement carb was put in, and proved to be tuned to perfection on firing it up. The points are still good, she sounds like a new beast! Goes brilliantly too. The jerk and misfire is gone.
There's been one other issue though... for months now the engine's been squealing around the water-pump area. We've been frantically trying to source a replacement, but they don't come cheap or easily available.
Today the Landy expert grabbed his oil can as soon as I started the engine, dropped a drop or two on the fanbelt.. and that expensive headache noise disappeared! :-) Yup, it was the fanbelt, not the water pump.
This evening Favourite Man educated me as to the application of good old Sunlight Soap in a block to the inside of a fan belt. Olivia is now running quiet and non-squeaky, growling her "V8" engine growl. An absolute pleasure to drive.
Brilliant!
Of course, this is a Land Rover. Our work is never done. I'm now on the lookout for a new brake fluid container - Olivia's has been perished and cracking for years, held together with duct tape that today started to give way. It's got a new layer now - but won't last forever.
Then there's the apparent leak on the back hub seal that needs looking at. A drip on the gearbox / transfer box of more oil than is normal. And the heater system to reconnect before winter strikes.
When you own a Landy there's never a shortage of things to keep you busy!
I did a once-over early in the week, but couldn't see anything wrong.
Thursday was the final straw. She wouldn't go with any power in a straight line without excessive revving, and that caused jerks and jumps to the point where she'd randomly stall. I made it through most of a day driving around, some of it with a trailer full of computer screens for recycling, and a 4m pole plus wireless antenna plus double 4m ladder strapped to the roofrack. But on my final leg home, dragging the roof goodies and an empty trailer, she stalled completely and utterly. On a blind corner under a bridge... just as a surprise hurricane storm started!
It was mere miracle that no-one hit into the back of me, and an absolute life-saver that a good samaritan and his assistant stopped in their Kia bakkie to tow me off the road to the shoulder. At which point the hurricane/storm struck in earnest. Gigantic gusts of wind were soon joined by stinging hail and rain, and we were completely drenched in seconds. The gentleman asked if I could get the truck going again - when I couldn't and he heard I was trying to get him just around the corner, he hauled out a tow bar and chains, hooked me up with great difficulty, and off we went.
Back home, once I'd stripped off soaked jeans, shirt and takkies and let the rain subside, we got the truck into the yard. Early next morning, with great difficulty she was started on full choke and I drove her gingerly down to our nearest Landy mechanic.
His expert eye revealed the shaft on the carburetor was worn and wiggling, drawing in too much air randomly, burning the points (with a cutoff rotor that does things when over-revved) and showing up as running lean on the back three plugs. He filed off the points to give a decent new surface, sent me off to find the spare carb that had come with Olivia's current engine, and drop it off for examination.
This morning I had a call that it looked good - when could I come in? Well, this afternoon was it!
With a little hard work, the replacement carb was put in, and proved to be tuned to perfection on firing it up. The points are still good, she sounds like a new beast! Goes brilliantly too. The jerk and misfire is gone.
There's been one other issue though... for months now the engine's been squealing around the water-pump area. We've been frantically trying to source a replacement, but they don't come cheap or easily available.
Today the Landy expert grabbed his oil can as soon as I started the engine, dropped a drop or two on the fanbelt.. and that expensive headache noise disappeared! :-) Yup, it was the fanbelt, not the water pump.
This evening Favourite Man educated me as to the application of good old Sunlight Soap in a block to the inside of a fan belt. Olivia is now running quiet and non-squeaky, growling her "V8" engine growl. An absolute pleasure to drive.
Brilliant!
Of course, this is a Land Rover. Our work is never done. I'm now on the lookout for a new brake fluid container - Olivia's has been perished and cracking for years, held together with duct tape that today started to give way. It's got a new layer now - but won't last forever.
Then there's the apparent leak on the back hub seal that needs looking at. A drip on the gearbox / transfer box of more oil than is normal. And the heater system to reconnect before winter strikes.
When you own a Landy there's never a shortage of things to keep you busy!
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Zap
They say those who refuse to learn from history will be destined to repeat it...
Today I did so - and also came close to making history!
You see, I almost set Olivia on fire.
Post-engine-swap, we discovered Olivia's big spare back battery (truck size) was kaput, and it's come out leaving a battery box with insulated terminals lying loose, ready to pop in a new one. While we were at it, we took out the bits that hold the battery in place and had them re- sandblasted and galvanized, as they were looking a bit grotty.
Now truck batteries are pricey, and thus far we simply haven't been able to afford a replacement. So we've been travelling and doing all our electrics off the front main battery while those insulated terminals lie quietly in the back battery box.
Today Favourite Man and I had a bit of a tour of Cape Town planned for business purposes. We got through a good few appointments before we had to load up Olivia with old computers. One of which I put in the battery box so nothing else would fall in and short things out..*
5km down the road Olivia suddenly started jerking, something smelt like burning electrics, and then we started seeing smoke...! Panic stations, everyone out. Favourite Man grabbed the keys and headed for the fire extinguisher at the back - and then shouted "the fire's here!". At the same time I was heading toward the bonnet, next in line for the keys to unlock it, shouting "the fire's here!"
Yup, that computer had positioned itself perfectly on top of the terminals, shorting out the live one onto the bodywork and metal computer case - causing a chain reaction all the way up to the engine bay, where one terminal of the battery was peacefully starting to smoke...
Oh crap. In a word.
Everything checked and disconnected, computer REMOVED from battery box by Favourite Man, attempt at re-insulation without insulation tape (now inserted into vehicle for any future needs), and I gingerly turned the key. She started. Sjoe. We limped to our appointment a few hundred metres away, then made an executive decision to cancel the rest of the day's stuff and head home. Carefully.
On the way Favourite Man did some MacGyver stuff with a plastic Coke bottle to keep the live terminal off the metal of the truck, removed appropriate relays, and admonished me properly.
We were very lucky this time. No fire engines or insurance claims were involved. We may, however, need to replace the battery as it doesn't seem to be holding charge like it did earlier today.
And history repeating itself?
See here, here and here. One would think I'd learn my lesson hey!
---
* Disclaimer. Just because I can. I honestly thought those wires at the back were dead, insulated beyond doing anything like this. I'd seen things fall across terminals before when the back battery was in and uncovered, leading to sparks and horrible stuff, and in my inifinte wisdom had thought putting something IN the box would prevent anything else FALLING in. Needless to say, the sooner I get a plank or other cover over there for the short-term the better...
Today I did so - and also came close to making history!
You see, I almost set Olivia on fire.
Post-engine-swap, we discovered Olivia's big spare back battery (truck size) was kaput, and it's come out leaving a battery box with insulated terminals lying loose, ready to pop in a new one. While we were at it, we took out the bits that hold the battery in place and had them re- sandblasted and galvanized, as they were looking a bit grotty.
Now truck batteries are pricey, and thus far we simply haven't been able to afford a replacement. So we've been travelling and doing all our electrics off the front main battery while those insulated terminals lie quietly in the back battery box.
Today Favourite Man and I had a bit of a tour of Cape Town planned for business purposes. We got through a good few appointments before we had to load up Olivia with old computers. One of which I put in the battery box so nothing else would fall in and short things out..*
5km down the road Olivia suddenly started jerking, something smelt like burning electrics, and then we started seeing smoke...! Panic stations, everyone out. Favourite Man grabbed the keys and headed for the fire extinguisher at the back - and then shouted "the fire's here!". At the same time I was heading toward the bonnet, next in line for the keys to unlock it, shouting "the fire's here!"
Yup, that computer had positioned itself perfectly on top of the terminals, shorting out the live one onto the bodywork and metal computer case - causing a chain reaction all the way up to the engine bay, where one terminal of the battery was peacefully starting to smoke...
Oh crap. In a word.
Everything checked and disconnected, computer REMOVED from battery box by Favourite Man, attempt at re-insulation without insulation tape (now inserted into vehicle for any future needs), and I gingerly turned the key. She started. Sjoe. We limped to our appointment a few hundred metres away, then made an executive decision to cancel the rest of the day's stuff and head home. Carefully.
On the way Favourite Man did some MacGyver stuff with a plastic Coke bottle to keep the live terminal off the metal of the truck, removed appropriate relays, and admonished me properly.
We were very lucky this time. No fire engines or insurance claims were involved. We may, however, need to replace the battery as it doesn't seem to be holding charge like it did earlier today.
And history repeating itself?
See here, here and here. One would think I'd learn my lesson hey!
---
* Disclaimer. Just because I can. I honestly thought those wires at the back were dead, insulated beyond doing anything like this. I'd seen things fall across terminals before when the back battery was in and uncovered, leading to sparks and horrible stuff, and in my inifinte wisdom had thought putting something IN the box would prevent anything else FALLING in. Needless to say, the sooner I get a plank or other cover over there for the short-term the better...
Friday, August 14, 2009
On again, off again
And it's back to off again. Off the road, that is.
I spent most of this past week "replacing the head gasket" - which, oddly enough, was in very good condition still. Gave the innards a good clean, put it all back together according to the manual - and then the trouble started.
First, both batteries decided they didn't have anough vooma to start her. So we tow-started. Or attempted to. Favourite Man finally got her going, only to have a stream of oil pour out the back of the engine. Back to the yard, tighten the banjo bolt, try again. Worse! And an extra leak at the front of the head too...
What came out wasn't the nice clean oil I put in - but some horrible mucky stuff that was still circulating the system. She left a huge trail of it all around our complex, which I still need to take a few truckloads of engine cleaner to...
.JPG)
And she sounded as if all hell was breaking loose in the engine bay.
There is nothing to it. It seems that cleaning up her head got rid of the soot that was holding the head together, and it's warped. So I spent the latter part of the week taking it all apart again. The head goes off to an engineer in the new week.
And Olivia, with only half an engine left under her bonnet, gets to stand once more until it's sorted out.
While she's stationery, I'll be checking a few other things as recommended by the experts. I don't know how long this is going to take, it just has to be sorted out properly.
Eish.
Seriously considering buying a horse, putting it in the engine bay, attaching a carrot to the bumper and going for one-horse-power mode...
I spent most of this past week "replacing the head gasket" - which, oddly enough, was in very good condition still. Gave the innards a good clean, put it all back together according to the manual - and then the trouble started.
First, both batteries decided they didn't have anough vooma to start her. So we tow-started. Or attempted to. Favourite Man finally got her going, only to have a stream of oil pour out the back of the engine. Back to the yard, tighten the banjo bolt, try again. Worse! And an extra leak at the front of the head too...
What came out wasn't the nice clean oil I put in - but some horrible mucky stuff that was still circulating the system. She left a huge trail of it all around our complex, which I still need to take a few truckloads of engine cleaner to...
.JPG)
And she sounded as if all hell was breaking loose in the engine bay.
There is nothing to it. It seems that cleaning up her head got rid of the soot that was holding the head together, and it's warped. So I spent the latter part of the week taking it all apart again. The head goes off to an engineer in the new week.
And Olivia, with only half an engine left under her bonnet, gets to stand once more until it's sorted out.
While she's stationery, I'll be checking a few other things as recommended by the experts. I don't know how long this is going to take, it just has to be sorted out properly.
Eish.
Seriously considering buying a horse, putting it in the engine bay, attaching a carrot to the bumper and going for one-horse-power mode...
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Hybrid
It's been an absolute age since I updated this blog, but Olivia's been very busy. She's the workhorse that makes it up mountains to sort out high sites, the loader of e-waste, and transporter of large things like ladders.
All this with a sick mind. Or rather a problem with her head - gasket. She's taken to drinking oil along with her horrific petrol habit, then spewing oil and water out when she starts in a huge patch behind her exhaust pipe. The water level drops dramatically in a short trip, steam pours from the exhaust at times, and the oil filler cap has a nice coating of mayo. All indicators that there's a gasket replacement coming up as soon as I have a few days free to do so.
.JPG)
It's a measure of her ability to keep going that she's still trundling up the mountain and to Cape Town and around town. Granted, not smoothly, but going still.
Today she nearly had a major mishap. It rained overnight and was still drizzling when Favourite Man and I headed up the slopes once more. With her big mud-ready G90s, awesome torque and a steady slow speed, we were going well. Until we hit a dangerous corner with the middle of the road washed out. The soil on that mountain is clay - and her rear end started sliding out toward a very steep slope straight down. I managed to wrestle her back just in time. Coming down was even worse - we slid and slipped sideways and forward, way too close to the edge for anyone's comfort. And by the time we reached the bottom the gears in low ratio were sounding terrible. Favourite Man drove her later, but promptly turned back when the gears in high started sounding just as bad. Tomorrow sees me under her adding greases and oils liberally all over. All that dust has made things squeak and groan.
And then there's the hybrid thing.
Olivia has two batteries - an engine bay one to keep the essentials of forward motion going, and a large one (original to my ownership of her) as secondary for the peripherals. Well Olivia has decided that she'd rather be a hybrid. The front battery is now far from optimal, wears down in a day or two and doesn't recharge - she now does what some really fancy cars do, and gets plugged in to the C-Tek charger at night to feed off electricity! Meaning we can at least start her on one of the batteries come morning.
And then there's the electric gate that opened randomly and smashed two of the rear lights and surrounding protective cage as I was reversing...
The poor girl really needs a few weeks at the spa getting all her issues seen to. Unfortunately I don't have a few weeks to spare, but I'm determined to sort them out one by one. Starting tomorrow morning with the oily, greasy things and moving on from there.
Truth be told, I'm looking forward to getting down and dirty again - as long as I don't get rained on.
PS There's a new Landy Mag going around online... yours truly is now an e-editor! :-)
All this with a sick mind. Or rather a problem with her head - gasket. She's taken to drinking oil along with her horrific petrol habit, then spewing oil and water out when she starts in a huge patch behind her exhaust pipe. The water level drops dramatically in a short trip, steam pours from the exhaust at times, and the oil filler cap has a nice coating of mayo. All indicators that there's a gasket replacement coming up as soon as I have a few days free to do so.
.JPG)
It's a measure of her ability to keep going that she's still trundling up the mountain and to Cape Town and around town. Granted, not smoothly, but going still.
Today she nearly had a major mishap. It rained overnight and was still drizzling when Favourite Man and I headed up the slopes once more. With her big mud-ready G90s, awesome torque and a steady slow speed, we were going well. Until we hit a dangerous corner with the middle of the road washed out. The soil on that mountain is clay - and her rear end started sliding out toward a very steep slope straight down. I managed to wrestle her back just in time. Coming down was even worse - we slid and slipped sideways and forward, way too close to the edge for anyone's comfort. And by the time we reached the bottom the gears in low ratio were sounding terrible. Favourite Man drove her later, but promptly turned back when the gears in high started sounding just as bad. Tomorrow sees me under her adding greases and oils liberally all over. All that dust has made things squeak and groan.
And then there's the hybrid thing.
Olivia has two batteries - an engine bay one to keep the essentials of forward motion going, and a large one (original to my ownership of her) as secondary for the peripherals. Well Olivia has decided that she'd rather be a hybrid. The front battery is now far from optimal, wears down in a day or two and doesn't recharge - she now does what some really fancy cars do, and gets plugged in to the C-Tek charger at night to feed off electricity! Meaning we can at least start her on one of the batteries come morning.
And then there's the electric gate that opened randomly and smashed two of the rear lights and surrounding protective cage as I was reversing...
The poor girl really needs a few weeks at the spa getting all her issues seen to. Unfortunately I don't have a few weeks to spare, but I'm determined to sort them out one by one. Starting tomorrow morning with the oily, greasy things and moving on from there.
Truth be told, I'm looking forward to getting down and dirty again - as long as I don't get rained on.
PS There's a new Landy Mag going around online... yours truly is now an e-editor! :-)
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Getting there
After Olivia's minor altercation with a lamppost thanks to horrific driving on the part of an old tannie who crossed her path (literally), the red-tape battle began. There was not a whole lot of real damage - not a single light broke in the accident - yet insurance wanted to write her off, stating that repair costs far exceeded the value of the vehicle. Well Favourite Man was able to cut that bill in half or more by speaking to the right people and getting the correct info on exactly how much it will cost to repair what needs it. And insurance has agreed not to write Olivia off.
Sjoe. After all the hard work we've put into that beast, it's a very big relief.
Now the repair work starts. Another learning curve, another little while off the road.
But we're getting there.
Sjoe. After all the hard work we've put into that beast, it's a very big relief.
Now the repair work starts. Another learning curve, another little while off the road.
But we're getting there.
Wednesday, October 01, 2008
Friday, September 19, 2008
Eish
I know I'm the eternal optimist, but sometimes I take it way too far.
Like the last post here about Olivia's wonderful fuel consumption. I've been down that road before, and should have known better. The chick is a serious heavy drinker and no amount of rehab is going to cure that it seems!
The wonderful fuel consumption led to a sudden dying - yup, tank empty, fuel gauge sticking. And then it happened again, when we thought we had a quarter tank. Fortunately it was just outside the gate and my very strong Favourite Man pushed all 2 tons of Landy (and extra one ton of chick in driver's seat) through the gate and into the parking lot.
Thus it was that we started to travel with R50 of petrol in a jerrycan behind the seat.
Last weekend it was time to attack the carb again, so I hauled it out, sorted out any gasket renewals, checked float levels and o-rings, put it back in - and then the beast refused to start. All day. Meantime Favourite Man had been fiddling in the dash with wiring, fixing stuff there and rewiring the heater to the back battery, then tackling the distributor to check points gaps. When Olivia got snarky about starting, both of us dived in to check our work!
Unfortunately it ended up to be my fault - I'd over-filled the dash pot and there was too much pressure for the moving parts of the carb to lift and let fuel in. Once fixed, she started right away.
But the thing with carbs is that once they're out, then in - they need tuning. And after a week of fiddling with mix and idle speed I suspect I still don't have it right. First she was running so rich that I used up R140 worth of fuel to go 50km. And ran out as she went up the last steep hill (see "always carry jerrycan with R50 worth behind driver's seat"). Then the mix was so weak she had no power. But the fuel consumption was better. So I set it richer again. And then decided it was too rich - set it down, and she wouldn't start.
Eish. Eish indeed.
Fortunately it appears Favourite Man may have found an Expert who knows about such things. We're trying to organize a meet-up so that, once and for all, I learn how to work with the Zenith Stromberg carb. And get Olivia running spot-on.
Before I have to threaten her with a heart transplant again...
Like the last post here about Olivia's wonderful fuel consumption. I've been down that road before, and should have known better. The chick is a serious heavy drinker and no amount of rehab is going to cure that it seems!
The wonderful fuel consumption led to a sudden dying - yup, tank empty, fuel gauge sticking. And then it happened again, when we thought we had a quarter tank. Fortunately it was just outside the gate and my very strong Favourite Man pushed all 2 tons of Landy (and extra one ton of chick in driver's seat) through the gate and into the parking lot.
Thus it was that we started to travel with R50 of petrol in a jerrycan behind the seat.
Last weekend it was time to attack the carb again, so I hauled it out, sorted out any gasket renewals, checked float levels and o-rings, put it back in - and then the beast refused to start. All day. Meantime Favourite Man had been fiddling in the dash with wiring, fixing stuff there and rewiring the heater to the back battery, then tackling the distributor to check points gaps. When Olivia got snarky about starting, both of us dived in to check our work!
Unfortunately it ended up to be my fault - I'd over-filled the dash pot and there was too much pressure for the moving parts of the carb to lift and let fuel in. Once fixed, she started right away.
But the thing with carbs is that once they're out, then in - they need tuning. And after a week of fiddling with mix and idle speed I suspect I still don't have it right. First she was running so rich that I used up R140 worth of fuel to go 50km. And ran out as she went up the last steep hill (see "always carry jerrycan with R50 worth behind driver's seat"). Then the mix was so weak she had no power. But the fuel consumption was better. So I set it richer again. And then decided it was too rich - set it down, and she wouldn't start.
Eish. Eish indeed.
Fortunately it appears Favourite Man may have found an Expert who knows about such things. We're trying to organize a meet-up so that, once and for all, I learn how to work with the Zenith Stromberg carb. And get Olivia running spot-on.
Before I have to threaten her with a heart transplant again...
Monday, September 01, 2008
Another milestone
Two years ago Olivia arrived on my doorstep! Wow... it's been indescribable. I've learnt huge amounts, conquered hills (literally and figuratively), and gained courage to "go beyond".
Yet I still keep hitting new milestones, learning new things.
Yesterday was another. It was the first time I've driven Olivia with something attached to her tow hitch! We had a quick run into Cape Town planned to pick up a load of stuff out of someone's garage, and Favourite Man decided it was high time I learnt what trailer management was all about.
Did I feel it behind me? You betcha. Especially battling a head-wind at the tail end of the worst storm in 7 years. But hey, I drive a Land Rover, and it's got a good deal of power provided you keep it slow and steady. We hit Cape Town in a skitter of hail, worked trailer and truck into the loading area, filled 'er up then headed home again - with a tail wind this time. Brief detour along Sea Point to get spattered by sea-foam blown in on the storm front - we missed the worst of it.
All in all this trailer lesson wasn't half bad. OK, it wasn't loaded up too much - in fact most of the goods fitted into Olivia's back, with only one heavy box in the trailer. But I was pleasantly surprised that I managed turns etc with relative ease.
One more notch on the belt this morning. Millions more to go.
Yet I still keep hitting new milestones, learning new things.
Yesterday was another. It was the first time I've driven Olivia with something attached to her tow hitch! We had a quick run into Cape Town planned to pick up a load of stuff out of someone's garage, and Favourite Man decided it was high time I learnt what trailer management was all about.
Did I feel it behind me? You betcha. Especially battling a head-wind at the tail end of the worst storm in 7 years. But hey, I drive a Land Rover, and it's got a good deal of power provided you keep it slow and steady. We hit Cape Town in a skitter of hail, worked trailer and truck into the loading area, filled 'er up then headed home again - with a tail wind this time. Brief detour along Sea Point to get spattered by sea-foam blown in on the storm front - we missed the worst of it.
All in all this trailer lesson wasn't half bad. OK, it wasn't loaded up too much - in fact most of the goods fitted into Olivia's back, with only one heavy box in the trailer. But I was pleasantly surprised that I managed turns etc with relative ease.
One more notch on the belt this morning. Millions more to go.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
Would you like Wipers with that?
Winter in the Cape is characterized by cold, rain and traffic jams. The Capetonians turn into idiot drivers as soon as a few drops fall from the sky.
On Monday I had a run in Olivia through to one of our e-waste processors, loaded down with the insides of monitors. In the rain. Over horrific roads. And back through Stellenbosch rush hour.
Being the Cape, and specifically the winelands, folk are generally laid back and slow moving. Factor in the post-school pick-ups, the end-of-day uni students and the general office worker / manual labourer traffic - it turns into chaos.
So there I was pottering along in Olivia through 5pm traffic. It's cold, it's raining - and by law you need your lights on in this weather. Except, if I put O's lights on, I can't do anything else! Her battery isn't holding a charge too well. Add a heater to the load (yes, this is a Series III with a heater thanks to her previous owner, along with Favourite Man's fan restoration and ducting) and the voltage drops to the point where her tracking unit starts sending "low battery warning" SMSs! Add wipers... well, same effect. (Add in the dodgy brakes and who needs gym when you're playing in a one-man band to keep everything ticking over while struggling through the gear changes)
Here's how you do it then. When you're idling at a red light, the lights are on. When you pull away, you give a few brief swipes of the wipers as you accelerate to see where you're going, then put them off. Once you've gathered speed, you hope the wind resistance will clear the screen, then hit the heater switch to defrost your hands and feet until the next red light - where everything except the lights goes off again.
Olivia is going to need a battery transplant very soon...
On Monday I had a run in Olivia through to one of our e-waste processors, loaded down with the insides of monitors. In the rain. Over horrific roads. And back through Stellenbosch rush hour.
Being the Cape, and specifically the winelands, folk are generally laid back and slow moving. Factor in the post-school pick-ups, the end-of-day uni students and the general office worker / manual labourer traffic - it turns into chaos.
So there I was pottering along in Olivia through 5pm traffic. It's cold, it's raining - and by law you need your lights on in this weather. Except, if I put O's lights on, I can't do anything else! Her battery isn't holding a charge too well. Add a heater to the load (yes, this is a Series III with a heater thanks to her previous owner, along with Favourite Man's fan restoration and ducting) and the voltage drops to the point where her tracking unit starts sending "low battery warning" SMSs! Add wipers... well, same effect. (Add in the dodgy brakes and who needs gym when you're playing in a one-man band to keep everything ticking over while struggling through the gear changes)
Here's how you do it then. When you're idling at a red light, the lights are on. When you pull away, you give a few brief swipes of the wipers as you accelerate to see where you're going, then put them off. Once you've gathered speed, you hope the wind resistance will clear the screen, then hit the heater switch to defrost your hands and feet until the next red light - where everything except the lights goes off again.
Olivia is going to need a battery transplant very soon...
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Blur
Winter in the Cape is a wet one. The general trend is a drifting rain for days - or a couple of hard-hitting cold fronts that rattle the doors and pound the windows.
Today it's a bit of both. And I drove Olivia to work.
She reminded me she loves me by pouring the contents of the gutter down my jacket as soon as I opened the driver's door, then continued to do so with a steady dripping stream as I got all my work goodies inside her. Fortunately my pants soaked up what had hit the seat.
Bar a brief struggle with the fuel pump she started first time, which she's been doing lately - lovely. No more half-hour struggle!
Hit the lights, hit the wipers, hit reverse... hmmm.. something's missing. It's been a while since I drove Olivia in the wet - have I forgotten where the wiper switch is?
Well I fiddled them all, and yup - no wipers. Not even the hint of a reaction from anything mechanical. And no other choice than to simply drive.
I'll say this much - it's not easy driving down a wet road where the markings disappear under streetlight reflection, with oncoming commuter's lights shining in your face! It's even worse when there's rain pounding the windscreen. At the best of times I tend to clear the screen of the merest water while driving. This morning's commute was... well, interesting.
Fortunately Olivia is slow and I could hug the road edge, judging how far over I was by what I could see next to me. Equally fortunate was the gale force wind I drove into, which whisked a good deal of the water away. And also fortunate was the fact that the sun's starting to come up earlier, and it wasn't pitch-black dark.
Fun times, people - fun times.
Tonight Favourite Man gets to check out what's going on behind the dash. Or in the fuse box. Or with the wiper motor. Whether the rain's put paid to a connection, or if it's just Olivia being obstinate.
Whatever the issue is, life with a Landy's never boring.
Today it's a bit of both. And I drove Olivia to work.
She reminded me she loves me by pouring the contents of the gutter down my jacket as soon as I opened the driver's door, then continued to do so with a steady dripping stream as I got all my work goodies inside her. Fortunately my pants soaked up what had hit the seat.
Bar a brief struggle with the fuel pump she started first time, which she's been doing lately - lovely. No more half-hour struggle!
Hit the lights, hit the wipers, hit reverse... hmmm.. something's missing. It's been a while since I drove Olivia in the wet - have I forgotten where the wiper switch is?
Well I fiddled them all, and yup - no wipers. Not even the hint of a reaction from anything mechanical. And no other choice than to simply drive.
I'll say this much - it's not easy driving down a wet road where the markings disappear under streetlight reflection, with oncoming commuter's lights shining in your face! It's even worse when there's rain pounding the windscreen. At the best of times I tend to clear the screen of the merest water while driving. This morning's commute was... well, interesting.
Fortunately Olivia is slow and I could hug the road edge, judging how far over I was by what I could see next to me. Equally fortunate was the gale force wind I drove into, which whisked a good deal of the water away. And also fortunate was the fact that the sun's starting to come up earlier, and it wasn't pitch-black dark.
Fun times, people - fun times.
Tonight Favourite Man gets to check out what's going on behind the dash. Or in the fuse box. Or with the wiper motor. Whether the rain's put paid to a connection, or if it's just Olivia being obstinate.
Whatever the issue is, life with a Landy's never boring.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
The quest for a signal
Olivia recently acquired a WorldSpace satellite/digital radio, which Favourite Man fitted expertly last weekend.
During Olivia's rennovation, we'd hooked the unit up to the newly-installed wiring to check that it worked, and picked up reception loud and clear. This time around we've struggled to get more than a bar or two, no matter where we place the antenna.
Now there are many theories as to why this is. They range from incorrect installation (basically impossible - it was done properly) to being on the edge of the "satellite footprint" to mere interference from everything else flying around the radio/wireless/satellite channels. The amount of aerials and antennas that have been sprouting everywhere lately is horrific.
The quest for a signal will continue though. That WorldSpace thing is a very handy device.
During Olivia's rennovation, we'd hooked the unit up to the newly-installed wiring to check that it worked, and picked up reception loud and clear. This time around we've struggled to get more than a bar or two, no matter where we place the antenna.
Now there are many theories as to why this is. They range from incorrect installation (basically impossible - it was done properly) to being on the edge of the "satellite footprint" to mere interference from everything else flying around the radio/wireless/satellite channels. The amount of aerials and antennas that have been sprouting everywhere lately is horrific.
The quest for a signal will continue though. That WorldSpace thing is a very handy device.
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
All Revved Up
Olivia's been doing weird stuff recently. I'll be just beginning the commute when her revvs will suddenly increase and get stuck there - scary-high with engine screaming. It doesn't happen often, but...
This morning it couldn't have come at a worse time. My side windows were misted up in icy morning darkness, the windscreen wasn't much better, I was approaching a traffic circle, and had cars front and back hemming me in. Suddenly the revvs were hugely high again - instead of merely idling along I was now speeding. Trying to sort that out, not hit the car in front of me and turn around the circle... I didn't see the motorbike coming around the circle next to me!
A split-second later and we would have collided, but fortunately we didn't.
And the revvs problem?
Well I suspect the choke.
It only happens when driving with the choke out - which is a normal occurrence on an early-morning commute. It feels as if the accelerator is sticking - but I think it may actually be the choke cable.
So here goes with a bit of cable-following/fixing very shortly!
This morning it couldn't have come at a worse time. My side windows were misted up in icy morning darkness, the windscreen wasn't much better, I was approaching a traffic circle, and had cars front and back hemming me in. Suddenly the revvs were hugely high again - instead of merely idling along I was now speeding. Trying to sort that out, not hit the car in front of me and turn around the circle... I didn't see the motorbike coming around the circle next to me!
A split-second later and we would have collided, but fortunately we didn't.
And the revvs problem?
Well I suspect the choke.
It only happens when driving with the choke out - which is a normal occurrence on an early-morning commute. It feels as if the accelerator is sticking - but I think it may actually be the choke cable.
So here goes with a bit of cable-following/fixing very shortly!
Sunday, July 13, 2008
Safe & Secure
You may remember a while back we had a bit of a "Surprise" when Olivia's bonnet flew open while travelling.
Well, Favourite Man - being handy and all that - made Olivia a pair of hood sticks to make sure that doesn't happen again. We fitted them a while ago and they've worked most excellently.
As you can see, they're strong and metal and stick up through the bonnet - held closed with an R-clip.
A few weeks ago we moved Olivia from her outside parking to the in-yard one, and noticed that some idiot had nicked the R-clips! This is Africa - these things happen. If it's not tied down and secured it disappears. Unfortunately.
So shortly thereafter I took a trip to our local locksmith. Olivia's bonnet is now VERY secure....
Well, Favourite Man - being handy and all that - made Olivia a pair of hood sticks to make sure that doesn't happen again. We fitted them a while ago and they've worked most excellently.
As you can see, they're strong and metal and stick up through the bonnet - held closed with an R-clip.
A few weeks ago we moved Olivia from her outside parking to the in-yard one, and noticed that some idiot had nicked the R-clips! This is Africa - these things happen. If it's not tied down and secured it disappears. Unfortunately.
So shortly thereafter I took a trip to our local locksmith. Olivia's bonnet is now VERY secure....
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Oily
You know you drive a Land Rover when you travel with a 5 litre container of engine oil behind the driver's seat... (not to mention 5 ammo boxes of assorted tools, parts, recovery gear and manuals)
In recent weeks Favourite Man has been panicked by Olivia's oil consumption. She was emptying out the supply at an awful rate, leaving the dipstick levels way too low after a simple day's driving.
Last week we decided to try something. We bought a bottle of Prolong and chucked it in to the oil. I've driven her a bit since then, and so far so good.
The oil level this morning hadn't dropped, and she's still running pretty well. Fuel consumption seems to be OK too!
Let's hope this is a long-term solution....
In recent weeks Favourite Man has been panicked by Olivia's oil consumption. She was emptying out the supply at an awful rate, leaving the dipstick levels way too low after a simple day's driving.
Last week we decided to try something. We bought a bottle of Prolong and chucked it in to the oil. I've driven her a bit since then, and so far so good.
The oil level this morning hadn't dropped, and she's still running pretty well. Fuel consumption seems to be OK too!
Let's hope this is a long-term solution....
Friday, April 25, 2008
Up and Down
Olivia is pretty impressive for a 31 year old truck.
This morning early we had to do a quick dash up a mountain (all in a day's work) in heavy mist before work. Last time I handed over the steering wheel to Favourite Man as soon as we hit the dirt. This time I went up the easier bit until the first very steep slope before exiting the driver's seat. And Olivia just kept going and going and going.
OK, maybe I approached some of the ruts at the wrong angle. We "got air" once as the back tyres spun briefly. But she does make it look easy sometimes. She may be slow and ponderous, but the engine does pull nicely.
Perhaps soon I'll even get up the confidence in her capabilities to try the Scary Hill all on my own. I may ask Favourite Man to step outside and well away though, just in case I don't get it right and we roll.... Wouldn't want him tossed around!
(We did have a bit of a scare at the top of the worst hill when she popped out of 4-wheel drive briefly. Eish. That plus temperamental brakes is not a good thing.)
Heading back down we passed a Forward Control on its way up. Landies definitely rule that lump of rock.
This morning early we had to do a quick dash up a mountain (all in a day's work) in heavy mist before work. Last time I handed over the steering wheel to Favourite Man as soon as we hit the dirt. This time I went up the easier bit until the first very steep slope before exiting the driver's seat. And Olivia just kept going and going and going.
OK, maybe I approached some of the ruts at the wrong angle. We "got air" once as the back tyres spun briefly. But she does make it look easy sometimes. She may be slow and ponderous, but the engine does pull nicely.
Perhaps soon I'll even get up the confidence in her capabilities to try the Scary Hill all on my own. I may ask Favourite Man to step outside and well away though, just in case I don't get it right and we roll.... Wouldn't want him tossed around!
(We did have a bit of a scare at the top of the worst hill when she popped out of 4-wheel drive briefly. Eish. That plus temperamental brakes is not a good thing.)
Heading back down we passed a Forward Control on its way up. Landies definitely rule that lump of rock.
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Diesel-Petrol
A few months ago I gave Olivia an oil change. By mistake I put oil meant for diesel engines in her, instead of the petrol engine oil. Total and utter blonde day! But, as it was a rather large financial investment's worth of oil, we thought we'd go with it and see what happened.
Meantime, a thread on the Land Rover UK Forums mentioned diesel oil and petrol engines, so of course my virtual ears pricked up and I kept an eye on it. All sorts of fascinating info came out.
For one thing, diesel oil has scrubbers and cleaners in. You'd think this would be a very good thing - but perhaps not in an old Series engine. You see, sometimes a build-up of stuff helps protect the engine components (not a HUGE build-up, mind) - and scrubbing it off changes the entire way the engine functions. You start with a low compression engine, add a cleaning oil - and the compression may plummet further! You might also risk exposing problems that had been happily non-problematic under the gunge, or loosen up stuff that could damage the engine when it starts to circulate.
I've noticed the oil has gotten blacker quicker - so there is some cleaning going on in there. Also seems to need topping up regularly, but that's par for the course on a Landy. If it's not dripping oil, you don't have any.
I know these old engines are built to run on just about anything. They're made tough to deal with tough conditions, but they do still need love and attention, a careful eye to make sure they're functioning optimally. Choosing the right oil for the job is part of that.
Olivia has been going OK, as Olivia generally does. I haven't picked up any really big issues with a different oil going through her system. But I won't be diesel-oiling her petrol engine again, just in case. I'd much rather give her optimal ingredients to handle the roads she travels than take a chance.
Meantime, a thread on the Land Rover UK Forums mentioned diesel oil and petrol engines, so of course my virtual ears pricked up and I kept an eye on it. All sorts of fascinating info came out.
For one thing, diesel oil has scrubbers and cleaners in. You'd think this would be a very good thing - but perhaps not in an old Series engine. You see, sometimes a build-up of stuff helps protect the engine components (not a HUGE build-up, mind) - and scrubbing it off changes the entire way the engine functions. You start with a low compression engine, add a cleaning oil - and the compression may plummet further! You might also risk exposing problems that had been happily non-problematic under the gunge, or loosen up stuff that could damage the engine when it starts to circulate.
I've noticed the oil has gotten blacker quicker - so there is some cleaning going on in there. Also seems to need topping up regularly, but that's par for the course on a Landy. If it's not dripping oil, you don't have any.
I know these old engines are built to run on just about anything. They're made tough to deal with tough conditions, but they do still need love and attention, a careful eye to make sure they're functioning optimally. Choosing the right oil for the job is part of that.
Olivia has been going OK, as Olivia generally does. I haven't picked up any really big issues with a different oil going through her system. But I won't be diesel-oiling her petrol engine again, just in case. I'd much rather give her optimal ingredients to handle the roads she travels than take a chance.
Monday, April 21, 2008
Friday, April 18, 2008
A Woman's Place
I know the facts, but now and then I'm still gobsmacked that in this day and age women are still shunted to the side of the campfire.
Take the manly world of 4x4 ownership, for instance. OK - I'm not your average Land Rover driving woman. For one thing, I drive a difficult bitch of a beast that is constantly threatening mutiny. For another, I don't particularly mind getting my hands dirty or my head around her issues.
Which is why I had greasy short nails and ingrained muck for a couple of months recently. And why I hardly ever wear fancy clothes when driving my Landy - you never know when you might need to get into the engine or under the chassis to check something out, which is basically impossible when you're in satin and high heels.
I'm not an expert - I'm far from an expert - but experience has taught me a thing or two about Series Landys (with Favourite Man's help, and the advice of some other very wise folk online and offline). And I'm still learning.
But now and then a situation comes along where I do know a thing or two, having been there, done that. Where I'm in a position to give a spot of advice, having found the easiest and most effective way of doing something.
Yet as a woman I'm in the minority. I'm not meant to know things. I'm probably supposed to be "barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen", making the salads - not braaing the proverbial meat.
Time and time again I've found that sharing my knowledge leads to it simply being ignored. I can give long and detailed explanations, spout forth on the whys and wherefores of what someone else needs to know - but it's brushed away as the men get their word in, and their opinions get acknowledged.
Most times I simply shrug it off as "that's the way things are". I'm used to it. I'm accustomed to being ignored. But every so often it simply gets to me. And then I go blog. :-)
Take the manly world of 4x4 ownership, for instance. OK - I'm not your average Land Rover driving woman. For one thing, I drive a difficult bitch of a beast that is constantly threatening mutiny. For another, I don't particularly mind getting my hands dirty or my head around her issues.
Which is why I had greasy short nails and ingrained muck for a couple of months recently. And why I hardly ever wear fancy clothes when driving my Landy - you never know when you might need to get into the engine or under the chassis to check something out, which is basically impossible when you're in satin and high heels.
I'm not an expert - I'm far from an expert - but experience has taught me a thing or two about Series Landys (with Favourite Man's help, and the advice of some other very wise folk online and offline). And I'm still learning.
But now and then a situation comes along where I do know a thing or two, having been there, done that. Where I'm in a position to give a spot of advice, having found the easiest and most effective way of doing something.
Yet as a woman I'm in the minority. I'm not meant to know things. I'm probably supposed to be "barefoot and pregnant in the kitchen", making the salads - not braaing the proverbial meat.
Time and time again I've found that sharing my knowledge leads to it simply being ignored. I can give long and detailed explanations, spout forth on the whys and wherefores of what someone else needs to know - but it's brushed away as the men get their word in, and their opinions get acknowledged.
Most times I simply shrug it off as "that's the way things are". I'm used to it. I'm accustomed to being ignored. But every so often it simply gets to me. And then I go blog. :-)
Tuesday, April 01, 2008
Surprise!
Every now and then Olivia likes to surprise us. Just to check that we're paying attention, you know.
On Saturday evening we toddled off to Gordons Bay along the N2 in the face of a stiff wind. When suddenly the bonnet flew up! Big fright all round, and a quick pull-over to close it, then a slow drive to a safe side road to fix it. Good thing the toolbox always goes with us.
The bonnet closure is a pretty simple device. It's a pointed bolt that screws into a nut located on the other side of a lip of metal - the spring goes between nut and end of the bolt, and the point of the bolt goes down into the bodywork. Nothing overly fancy about it.
But the nut had ripped through its hole under pressure from the prevailing gale, leaving the closing mechanism down in the bodywork! Sjoe.
Well we managed to get it back in and tightened - at least Favourite Man did, at the expense of his palm which had to push the pointy bit of the bolt with force up into the bonnet again. Back home he put on an extra washer between nut and metal lip to keep it on the right side of the bonnet, and included a bit of Locktite so it won't come loose again.
We lost one of the rubber bushes that surround the bonnet hinge in the process, but I'm glad it wasn't any worse. It could have been a complete and utter disaster.
We're awake now Olivia - you don't have to try that again.
On Saturday evening we toddled off to Gordons Bay along the N2 in the face of a stiff wind. When suddenly the bonnet flew up! Big fright all round, and a quick pull-over to close it, then a slow drive to a safe side road to fix it. Good thing the toolbox always goes with us.
The bonnet closure is a pretty simple device. It's a pointed bolt that screws into a nut located on the other side of a lip of metal - the spring goes between nut and end of the bolt, and the point of the bolt goes down into the bodywork. Nothing overly fancy about it.
But the nut had ripped through its hole under pressure from the prevailing gale, leaving the closing mechanism down in the bodywork! Sjoe.
Well we managed to get it back in and tightened - at least Favourite Man did, at the expense of his palm which had to push the pointy bit of the bolt with force up into the bonnet again. Back home he put on an extra washer between nut and metal lip to keep it on the right side of the bonnet, and included a bit of Locktite so it won't come loose again.
We lost one of the rubber bushes that surround the bonnet hinge in the process, but I'm glad it wasn't any worse. It could have been a complete and utter disaster.
We're awake now Olivia - you don't have to try that again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)