One downside with being a mod that I have noticed so far is that I still see deleted threads. Someone posted 19 threads in Chinese in the .net P38 forum. I reported the first couple but couldn't be bothered to report them all and, after only 23 hours, they all disappeared. After being upgraded to mod status they have re-appeared for me but with a line through the titles and a note to say they were deleted by RRTH. So I get to see stuff even after it has been deleted (although I do seem to have the option to undelete it too).

I suspect they would recommend what was available at the time. It's probably also why the recommendation for anti-freeze on a GEMS is Ethylene Glycol but for a Thor is OAT, OAT wasn't around when the GEMS came out. Same goes for the alternator, the alternator on an early (95-96) P38 has the voltage regulator set at 13.8V but later ones are at 14.3V. Older batteries didn't like being charged at too high a voltage whereas the later batteries with a higher Calcium content, can take it

It's no better, it's still mostly inhabited by new members that don't have a clue and/or ask stupid questions. I go on there to poach a few UK based newbies over to here and help the odd one that asks a sensible question and are unlikely to get a sensible answer.

A few weeks ago there were a number of posts started in the wrong forum, so I reported them but knowing that not a lot seemed to be being done about them, replied telling the poster they'd posted in the wrong forum. That got me a PM from RRTH telling me that rather than replying I should report them. I pointed out that I was reporting them but it seemed like naff all was being done anyway and that posts from new members used to be held to make sure they weren't spam or posted in the wrong place. His reply was:

The new owners do not believe in holding new member's posts for moderation. I have pointing out how many posts are in the wrong place and they just don't grasp how serious the issue is.
We used to hold the first three posts. Then no posts were being held. Then even "Lifetime" and "founders" were having their posts held up.
Say. I have an idea. Would you be willing to be a moderator? As active as you are and your vast experience, It'd be great for you to be able to move all the erroneous posts you see.
Myself and at least one of the other moderators are being bumped to double security log-ins with extended account accesses.

I replied to him with this:

It also made me think again about your very kind, and very unexpected, suggestion of becoming a moderator. As mentioned, I'm already a mod on two forums and ordinarily would agree immediately. However, as someone that was banned for life by the 'owners' under my more commonly used username (Gilbertd), have been one of the most vocal in my criticism of the castration, sorry upgrading, of this site and was jointly responsible for setting up an alternative, UK based, forum, it almost feels like I'd be working for the enemy.

So he requested that I was upgraded anyway......

You've noticed then. When RRTH sent me a PM suggesting that I should become a mod (after I'd complained that it took over a day for spam to be deleted) I replied that it might not be appropriate that someone that had previously been banned for life and had been one of the most vocal in my criticism of the new site should be a mod. He replied saying he had put a request in for me to be upgraded. It's taken them 2 weeks to do it, moderation is the most confusing process I've ever seen but I can now edit and delete posts. Time for the fun to start......

It's thinner when cold, equivalent to an SAE 10 grade oil but stays thicker when hot (equivalent to an SAE 60 grade). At colder temperatures a 10W-60 will be the same viscosity as a 10W-30 but will stay thicker when it warms up. LR recommend 10W-60 for ambient temperatures between -20 and +55 degrees C so easily good enough for what we get in Europe. Ray a V8 Dev told me that the 10W-40 I had been using was too thin for an old technology engine designed in the days when multigrade oil was 20W-50, and suggested 10W-50 or 10W-60 so I went for the thicker one as I tend to drive for hours at a time in high temperatures.

I've been contacted by an owner in Australia who intends creating a website with all of the old stuff that is no longer on RR.net and wanted to know if I would be interested in updating it. So it will be available again in a while and probably quicker than originally planned due to lockdowns in most countries.

I only ever buy it when it's on one of their deals although my local factors (currently shut) does it at £49.99 as their everyday price. I change the oil, filter and spark plugs every 10k miles but running on LPG means the oil stays clean anyway. ECP also have 10W-60 Mobil 1 at the moment at around the same price but for 5 litres rather than 4 but as I've run on the Castrol stuff since the engine went back together I'm not inclined to change it now.

Yes, been using nothing but since the engine went in to V8 Dev to be rebuilt (at their recommendation). 105,000 miles since and it still as smooth as it was when it went in.

It would appear that the prize goes to Brian. Disconnected one end of the steering damper, wound it lock to lock a couple of times and no noise. Sprayed the damper with white grease, worked it from end to end a few times, reconnected it, tried it again and still no noise. So to be absolutely sure I need to drive it a bit but it has at least reduced it.

I haven't but it shouldn't be too difficult to disconnect it to check, although it does sound to be coming from the steering box. I'm also considering changing the fluid which may flush out some dirt that could be in there. Just got to order some Dex 3 from ECP to do that.

Just noticed. That DVD player has video and audio in on the front panel but it appears to show AV in 1 and 2 (top left by the power button). Does this mean there is an additional AV input on the back? If there is that would make plugging a digital decoder in very simple. Only problems would be getting the aerial to it and arranging for the remote to work. Highly unlikely the original remote would operate it and not sure where it could be mounted so the IR sensor can see the signal from a remote.

Having got the Ascot sorted and road legal, one little thing that is a bit puzzling is the steering. Apart from the fact that it feels a bit more vague than mine at straight ahead, which is probably a combination of top and bottom ball joints and the pretty dodgy tyres that are on it, it's got a sort of moaning, groaning noise when turning from lock to lock. Power steering is working fine, it all feels smooth, power steering fluid is up to the max mark, it just makes a noise. Anyone got any ideas why?

Blimey, that's well crammed in. Had an email saying the Digital decoder will be here on Saturday (so I suspect although the eBay listing said it was in London it's probably actually coming from China) and had a call from H&H so as soon as I've got it we can see if we can get it to work with his spare system on the bench.

Not today but over the last couple of days I continued on the Ascot. Replaced the core plugs as two were leaking (the two that were easiest to get to, the ones that are a right pain were fine - doh!) so it now keeps all the coolant where it's supposed to be. Then decided that if I was going to keep it as a standby, it should really be legal. Phoned my usual MoT tester to find they were shut so tried my second choice. He was open and yes, could do it. Took it down there via the local LPG filling station as I had no idea how much gas it had left in it. He was impressed and it passed with only a couple of advisories. The boot on one of the lower ball joints was split and from the way it drives I suspect both upper and lower ball joints need changing anyway, and about the only metal brake pipe on the whole car that hasn't been changed for copper nickel is a bit rusty. That's it. We did find a few amusing relics from the bodgers who looked after it for the previous owner. I'd already noticed that a couple of brake pipes coming off the ABS modulator had been replaced but the original steel ones still left in place just disconnected. The same was found underneath where the old ones are still there, just chopped off and not doing anything.

Today I got really desperate and used some vinyl cleaner on the dash and plastic interior bits on mine. This cleaning lark will never catch on......

That might have a lot to do with it.......

Not got poly bushes in it by any chance have you? Like Gordon, I'd go for the Shitpart ones as original Boge are no longer available, cheap, with a warranty and easy to replace when you have to take them off to replace them under warranty.

I know you've spent hours polishing it but what have you done to the suspension? Bushes, ball joints, shocks, etc?

Originals were Boge. Has it suddenly got worse or has it always been like this?

Yes, 13 pin but with only 12 used.

Are they Allen headed bolts on the heads? Stretch bolts or just standard torque them up to the required setting?