EV are the future because you can't retrofit electric drive to existing cars. There's no profit (and no tax) in extending the life of existing vehicles. The reduction of pollution always involves the sale of new vehicles. Euro 1-6 is a study in planned obsolescence. Forgive my cynicism but I can't imagine anything less likely to make it as a government policy than "No, keep the car you have. We'll reduce the emmissions by 20% by giving Simon £1500"
Quite apart from the fact that there are very few LPG fitters I'd trust with my vehicle.
What would I give to know the real reason that manufacturers gave up on factory fitted LPG. I'm pretty sure they saw that legitimising LPG only ate into their potential for sales of NEW! CLEAN! cars. The fact that most of them were diesel and were more filthy then the petrol cars they replaced just proves that it's a cynical exercise in flogging shit to the sheeple.
I think eventually there will be a division between electric cars in the cities and hybrids in rural areas. How that will affect the second hand market will be interesting to see...
As for LPG, it won't be going away as a fuel - it just won't necessarily be available from garage forecourts. You might end up with a big orange cylinder in the boot!
well, just so this isn't a complete love in :)
In the Morat Mansion there are only two cars (we're down from the peak of four on the road) and despite saying that we shouldn't have two similar vehicles we've ended up with the P38 and a Jeep Cherokee (XJ, 97). While the P38 is definitely the more prestigious and comfortable car there's something reassuring about the Jeep.
It's rugged, it's nearly a ton lighter than the P38 and it has a straight six engine of renowned longevity. The suspension is crude with coils at the front and leafs at the back but it works. It's bouncy, but it works. For the type of driving I do most of which is twisty B roads and the occasional single carriageway A road, the Jeep is ideally suited. The steering is quicker than the P38 and it doesn't roll nearly as much. They both ride ruts and potholes well, but somehow you don't mind as much when the Jeep rattles interior trim. Also, the P38 often gets caught out round corners when you've been dawdling behind a cyclist or tractor then overtake and hit a curve before the EAS has switched to low mode.
Offroad, I don't know. I haven't tried the P38 at a proper offroad site. I do know the Jeep surprised me with how capable it was in stock form. LSD at the back, locked centre diff and away she went in low range. I think you'd have to get into the details of break over and approach angles before you could call it, although extra weight will always count against a vehicle in bad mud.
The whole thing is that bit smaller than the P38 which makes it easier to fit down narrow lanes but it still has a decent boot. Rear leg room is pretty pants, I'll admit.
On a dual carriageway, the P38 wins every time. It's quieter and very comfortable. The Jeep uses less gas but if you're hauling the whole family, dogs and luggage the P38 makes a lot more sense with the bigger capacity. Another plus for the P38 is having a wheel well. The Jeep has to have a custom petrol tank so the ultimate range is reduced compared to the P38 with LPG plus a full petrol tank.
On the engines, there's much to recommend each one. I personally love a straight six. Having owned many BMWs with I6 engines I appreciate the practicality, the ease of maintenance and the fact that there's only one cylinder head. A V8 has that special magic in the exhaust note, and I just can't rule that out! The Jeep 4.0 is hilariously old and has an iron block and iron head, 7 main bearings and pushrod/rocker valve gear. You really couldn't design a tougher engine. The Rover V8 is familiar to all here of course, and is also a classic engine. It also has fantastic parts/rebuild support which is reassuring but also a bit more necessary!
So is the P38 the best Range Rover? yes, I think so - although if you gave me a V10 L405 I wouldn't argue ;)
Are there alternatives? maybe :)
This is really terrible news :(
I haven't been on the site recently due to moving house. I was hoping to hear good news about OB as I thought he was a really great guy. Gentle, amusing and kind. I will always wear braces when doing car maintenance, in his honour.
Rest In Peace, Mark.
Lpgc wrote:
Morat wrote:
started leaking from the reservoir after a week.
Look on the bright side Miles, still better than if the noise was coming from the engine's bottom end lol!
Tried these http://acdoflancashire.co.uk/ ?
Maybe the Chinese merged the Yank PAS pump design with a Merc PAS pump design.. leaking reservoirs is a common Merc problem. Dunno why firms like Merc design their own bits such as PAS pumps only to make a less reliable part than well proven generic stuff that would've probably cost them less than their own design.
I think the issue is that the Chinese produced their own Jeep Cherokees after Euro-whatever killed the 4.0 in 2001 along with the rover v8, lampredi twin cam and other classics. I'm guessing that they have a decent parts supply from local manufacturers but there are detail differences.
The good news is that the bottom end is fine :) The issue is that the engine doesn't run on petrol or LPG properly when warm (fine when cold) but if I disconnect petrol injector #2 it runs on 5 on petrol and perfectly well on gas at all temps. So for now it runs on 5 until switchover and then it's all fine. I've no idea what to do about it, but you might be getting a visit! :)
Despite cleaning some of the more obvious engine grounds with a wire brush and switch cleaner before re-attaching them without much effect I'm still clinging to the theory that it's an earth issue. The radio develops a nice crackle which appears to be engine speed related and the gearbox can get sulky on a hot day. That's definitely electrical as it changes fine when you use the gear lever.
I bought a power steering pump for my jeep from chryslerparts.co.uk via ebay.
The confirmation email was in something Slavic and the tracking came all the way from China via every one horse town in between. The pump arrived with Chinese on the cap to tell me how to check the levels, needed custom hose bodges to fit and started leaking from the reservoir after a week.
Buy cheap buy twice
I should be old enough by now....
The 30th anniversary is a bit Marmite. If you like green it's ideal with green paint, leather and wheels.
I'd love one but I wouldn't expect to pay a huge amount.
A couple of nice looking ones went on the bay for about 15k last year. I'm not sure if they sold for that.
Even I put them back in the right order. Labelling is the best option of course but even just looking at the wires is enough to get them back in properly.
I think it's almost time for another Miles/Litre on LPG thread :)
I think I just need an armoured grill, headlights and windscreen. Bloody Pheasants!!
I've got a new grill to fit.
Are any of them armoured? :)
hah, a week off just means you're working on your own list!
They are definitely the way ahead but I wish there was a tablet out there that was a millimetre smaller so it would line up with the bottom of the clock.
The one that is helpfully labelled as a motorway sign :crazy:
Hubba hubba!! :D
Lpgc wrote:
One thing that narks me - When in a shop paying at the til if they ask you for any or all of postcode, phone number, name, business name, email address. Tell them you don't want to give them the info and they sometimes act like you've insulted them or as though you're the exception and must be paranoid. If I'm under a car and hear my phone beep it's annoying to get out to check it just to read that summers here so I might be interested in Halfords sale on pushbike helmets or MachineMart's 20% off patio log burners.
Halfords are particularly bad for it, but that'll have to change. They can only insist on the information that is necessary for carrying out the contract (ie the sale of the goods) and they have to explain why they capture the information and what they use it for. If it isn't necessary for the contract then you can just say "no". In future. If it works as intended. Under GDPR you have the absolute right to refuse processing of your personal information for marketing purposes, so if Halfords store all this stuff and market to you they could eventually end up with a pretty stiff fine.
Gilbertd, one of the main changes under GDPR is the right to deletion of your personal information so you were bang on :)
Were Lucas ever any good?
I'm certainly in no rush to replace the DSP setup in The Duchess. When it fails, it'll probably all get ripped out in favour of an android headunit/nav system. Until then, it's quite cool.
Another neat touch from Simon was installing the filler with the lugs vertical so the nozzle is parallel to the bumper when filling. This reduces the strain on the hose and makes it easier to fill from either side.