[W126 Coupe] Oil leaks, locusts, tar and blown fuses. Merry Christmas
mbcoupes@mbcoupes.com
mbcoupes@mbcoupes.com
Mon, 10 Jan 2005 14:51:07 +1000
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To: mbcoupes@mbcoupes.com
Subject: Oil leaks, locusts, tar and blown fuses. Merry Christmas
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From: Ken.England@ipaustralia.gov.au
Date: Mon, 10 Jan 2005 14:51:07 +1000
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OK folks just returned from a 3500km driveabout. That's a bit over 2000
miles.
First day out I began running into thin swarms of locusts. Luckily the
swarms were not
big but one lasted a minute or two. Locals were driving about with
flyscreen and nylon
mesh tied over their air inlets. There are still a few dead ones in the
air cleaner and they'll
stay there until I remember to hook up the vacuum cleaner.
Then the 8A fuse protecting the instrument panel blew. As beforehand, it
only blows just
after I start the car and the weather and engine are both hot. After
changing it about three
times I finally drove 200km without benefit of speedo or tacho.
Did you know that the odometer (mileometer) doesn't work if the fuse has
blown? Anyway
pulled in for the night and in the cooler air the next morning replaced
the fuse, started the
engine and the new fuse held OK, and has continued OK until the present.
A few days later the blower fuse (25 A) for the air-con gave up as I drove
through some pretty
sticky weather, over 35C and with the typical seaside humidity of
somewhere in the 90% range.
About 10 minutes from home so it was not such a big problem. Inspection
showed the plastic
body of the fuse had softened but the fuse had not blown. There is a
scorch mark on the card
inside the fuse box lid. It was there before though probably fainter.
Replaced the fuse and
everything is OK.
In the 4+ years I've owned the SEC these are the only two fuses to have
blown more than once.
Most of the others have not blown at all According to the card inside
the fuse box both protect
some aspect of the idle speed control and I'm guessing that there is some
problem there, though
the control seems to work OK when the fuses are whole. Alternatively
there may be a slight
overvoltage when the battery is hot and has max voltage. Anyone got a
better idea?
Two days later I ran over some newly laid road. Temperature was in the
35C-40C range and little
bits of tarry stone flew everywhere. Tar over the paint to add to the
squashed locust on the front.
But a rainstorm got rid of some of the locust later. Stone found it's way
between the front disk and
the backing plate giving a healthy scraping sound which was only audible
at low speed.
18 people sat down for Christmas lunch. ham, turkey, prawns
(shrimp/scampi) and oysters. Spent
a fair bit of the afternoon in the backyard swimming pool. Suffer, you
lot with frozen door locks and
semi-solid coolants.
A few days later the engine sprung an oil leak. It seems to be on the
front of the right hand bank
but not the filler cap or cam/tappet cover. Messy, but not dangerous as
over the next 1600km I
had to add over a litre of 15W-30 oil, say 3 pints, which is about twice
what I would have expected.
Small amount of oil spray on the air inlet tube, none over the tappet
cover or air cleaner housing,
lots on the oil filter cover and the flat piece of panel behind the RH
headlamp. Anyone seen this
before?
Oh, and a stone has broken the RH headlamp.
Drove into town on Thursday night about 8 through a guantlet of speed
traps. Town hosts the annual
Summernats - hot rod and street car festival in the first week of January.
Festival finished last night
and four attendees were booked for over 160 kph between here and Sydney,
yesterday afternoon.
One guy got hit for 206kph. These blokes will walk past a Maserati without
a glance and spend
minutes gawping at the chrome under the engine cover of a Ford. Takes all
kinds.
Happy New Year.
Ken England
380SEC manufactured February 1983 (RH drive)
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<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">OK folks just returned from a 3500km driveabout. That's a bit over 2000 miles.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">First day out I began running into thin swarms of locusts. Luckily the swarms were not </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">big but one lasted a minute or two. Locals were driving about with flyscreen and nylon</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">mesh tied over their air inlets. There are still a few dead ones in the air cleaner and they'll</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">stay there until I remember to hook up the vacuum cleaner. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Then the 8A fuse protecting the instrument panel blew. As beforehand, it only blows just </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">after I start the car and the weather and engine are both hot. After changing it about three </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">times I finally drove 200km without benefit of speedo or tacho. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Did you know that the odometer (mileometer) doesn't work if the fuse has blown? Anyway </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">pulled in for the night and in the cooler air the next morning replaced the fuse, started the </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">engine and the new fuse held OK, and has continued OK until the present. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">A few days later the blower fuse (25 A) for the air-con gave up as I drove through some pretty </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">sticky weather, over 35C and with the typical seaside humidity of somewhere in the 90% range. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">About 10 minutes from home so it was not such a big problem. Inspection showed the plastic </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">body of the fuse had softened but the fuse had not blown. There is a scorch mark on the card </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">inside the fuse box lid. It was there before though probably fainter. Replaced the fuse and </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">everything is OK.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">In the 4+ years I've owned the SEC these are the only two fuses to have blown more than once. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Most of the others have not blown at all According to the card inside the fuse box both protect </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">some aspect of the idle speed control and I'm guessing that there is some problem there, though </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">the control seems to work OK when the fuses are whole. Alternatively there may be a slight </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">overvoltage when the battery is hot and has max voltage. Anyone got a better idea?</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Two days later I ran over some newly laid road. Temperature was in the 35C-40C range and little</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">bits of tarry stone flew everywhere. Tar over the paint to add to the squashed locust on the front. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">But a rainstorm got rid of some of the locust later. Stone found it's way between the front disk and </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">the backing plate giving a healthy scraping sound which was only audible at low speed.</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"> </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">18 people sat down for Christmas lunch. ham, turkey, prawns (shrimp/scampi) and oysters. Spent</font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">a fair bit of the afternoon in the backyard swimming pool. Suffer, you lot with frozen door locks and </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">semi-solid coolants. </font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">A few days later the engine sprung an oil leak. It seems to be on the front of the right hand bank </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">but not the filler cap or cam/tappet cover. Messy, but not dangerous as over the next 1600km I </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">had to add over a litre of 15W-30 oil, say 3 pints, which is about twice what I would have expected. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Small amount of oil spray on the air inlet tube, none over the tappet cover or air cleaner housing, </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">lots on the oil filter cover and the flat piece of panel behind the RH headlamp. Anyone seen this </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">before?</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Oh, and a stone has broken the RH headlamp.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Drove into town on Thursday night about 8 through a guantlet of speed traps. Town hosts the annual </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Summernats - hot rod and street car festival in the first week of January. Festival finished last night </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">and four attendees were booked for over 160 kph between here and Sydney, yesterday afternoon. </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">One guy got hit for 206kph. These blokes will walk past a Maserati without a glance and spend </font>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">minutes gawping at the chrome under the engine cover of a Ford. Takes all kinds.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">Happy New Year.</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif"> Ken England</font>
<br>
<br><font size=2 face="sans-serif">380SEC manufactured February 1983 (RH drive)<br>
<br>
</font>
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