DerekS

I've just checked their website Pete and I was wrong, sorry, they're actually £2. Well worth it though.

Wilkinsons do a series of various cloths, "No More Chemicals", they're impregnated with silver if I remember rightly. You just need to dampen them to be effective and definitely work very well, just keep rinsing them out. The glass one is brilliant, cost is about £1:50, I carry one with us all the time, hate windscreens that aren't clean.

That's a handy selection, it could be a lifesaver when one of them goes flying...

I don't know about a mixed set but there is a link on that page to their shop, they do a variety of sizes.

Yes, they're on ebay Colin. Sorry, I don't know how to post a link to the item but the ebay item number is: 231839523234, 5mm Starlock washers from... wait for it... mohair-bear-making-supplies. I kid you not. I ordered 50 for £4.30 including postage on Sunday evening and they arrived on Tuesday morning, great service.

Evening all. Phil Willson wrote a very useful article in the March Courier about doing a refurb on original fitment reflective number plates; I have always believed that a car looks smarter if the plates and wheels are nice and tidy but didn't want to fit newer styled ones. I've followed his method and am very happy with the results and the car really does look better for it. I had to order a pack of Starlock washers for the numbers and letters and found a good supplier ( a teddy bear makers supplies outfit, believe it or not! ) on ebay, £4.30 for 50 delivered 1st class post. A worthwhile little project indeed, it cost around £15 all in. Every so often an article seems to jump off the pages and this, for me, was one of them. Thankyou, Phil, for a brilliant article, very informative and well written! Best regards, Derek.

Vaseline keeps getting a mention...

Don't ask what he has to play with but it can make a big bang???

I was starting to think that we'd been hacked...

Phew, nice to be able to access the forum again, was there a problem with the site yesterday evening/ this morning?

Evening all, some time ago I asked a question or two about an extra spacer washer that is shown on some parts lists, it fits the left-hand side front mounting stud, after the rubber disc and before the second washer and nut. It has the same dimensions as the rubber disc and it's part number is 134603, "special washer". It wasn't fitted to my car when I checked so I ordered one and have finally got round to having a play with it today. In short, I took a few measurements before and after and ended up taking it back off as it badly squeezed the ( poly ) disc and actually altered the side-to-side ride height of the car by half an inch, down on the left, up on the right. Obviously no good but I'm still wondering why it's shown on the diagrams. The question I now have, though, according to the manuals I have, you should be able to rotate the rubber lower discs by hand when the lock nuts are fully tightened. It doesn't sound like a very positive way of locating the diff, or am I thinking too much about it? As always, any comments would be appreciated!

I've just been underneath again greasing the u/js, there is actually a lump on the bottom of the diff casting that looks as though it should have a plug in it. Basically though, I'm not over confident how thick the casting is at that point; I suppose you only need enough for a few threads and not too big a diameter either but once you've drilled it there's no going back. I've also been having a play with the mystery extra diff mount spacer washer. I'll put a post up later, it'll help you get to sleep tonight...

My apologies to anyone who may have posted this method or idea before but I seem to remember one or two questions being asked about this in the past... I've been wanting to change the diff oil in my Spit 1500 for a long while and despite several attempts and there being no drain plug, haven't succeeded till today. I bought one of the cheap vacuum brake bleeding kits off ebay late last year and quickly realised that they were not as effective as promised due to air ingress at the bleed nipples. Basically, I've used the kit today, with a piece of 4mm diameter nylon pipe rescued from an old aerosol can to go in to the bottom of the diff through the filler plug hole. Ok, it was a bit of a fiddle getting the tubing past ​the gearing in to the bottom of the casing, but it is possible. Always aware, of course, that if anything gets jammed or "lost" inside then it's a bad moment. But, a bit of patience, (it does take time to draw diff oil through a small bore tube) and an old plastic measuring jug confirmed that I'd got out as much as possible. Why there isn't a drain plug on the diff is another question. The temptation to get the drill and taps out... I hope this will help someone. Derek.

Sorry for the late reply Doug, I live in Cumbria and did the deed by post, 6 photos ( both sides, front, back, under bonnet and interior ) and the form. With Angie's help, it wasn't a problem. Money well spent.

I just wanted to say thankyou to Angie, our Membership Secretary, for her help and kindness in arranging my TSSC Valuation Certificate, which has now been accepted by my insurers, Carole Nash, without any problems. It has certainly been an interesting exercise; something maybe we should all consider, given the recent and continuing rise in values of all our cars. Thankyou once again, Angie, it's very much appreciated! Derek.

I have an old Hillman Minx Series VI handbook, it says that 1 vernier division equals 4°. It says that it's to allow for variations in "liveliness between different fuels of the same grade".

Grease is the word, is the word that you heard Pete, it's got groove, it's got meaning. Supposedly.

Yes, I did replace the pump, under warranty. It was one of those occasions when I started believing that the original one must be ready for failure and I wished I'd left it well alone... Touch wood, the replacement replacement has been fine.

I don't know about your distributor but on my fuel pump there's a small "tell-tale" hole on the left/underside; it can be checked with a small mirror and a torch. I had a new pump start leaking from here and giving the impression that it was the gasket that had failed.

Thankyou Chris and Sue for the clarification; Colin hit the nail right on the head with his comment: "I'm sure it wasn't easy". Again, thankyou.

As an aside, I can't help thinking that this section is in the wrong position on the web page, being underneath "Downloads" it doesn't attract the attention that it would if it were in the "Member's Chat" area...

What??? Garth redundant??? I would have thought he was a central pillar to the club. The knowledge that he has, the easy, nothing-is-too much-trouble manner... he has helped me on numerous occasions; sorry, I have to ask, what has happened, is the club struggling? For the record, not everybody uses, or indeed likes, facebook or twitter. One further thought, should the members not have been consulted/involved on an individual basis? The first time EVER that I've annoyed about a club matter. Rant over, sorry.

It's about some newlyweds, She offered her honour, He honoured her offer And all weekend it was honour and offer. I'll get my coat.

Thanks Pete. Honour and offer, that's a lead-in to an old joke, isn't it?

Pete, if you see this, can you confirm... In one of Stu's posts he says that he is getting a "reasonable yellow" spark at the plugs, shouldn't it be blue-ish, or am I confusing this with the Colourtune spark? I'm wondering if it's a clue. ( I can't stand the thought of anybody losing heart) Thankyou.