RETIRED BUT
NOT FORGOTTEN!
21/10/08
Arranged for Ste J and
Big Stan (Ste's dad and retired diesel fitter) to come over
and try to get the car started this morning. Ste reckons
Stan might be a bit more cultured in his approach to
solving the starting problem. I think he is jealous of my
selection of hammers! Anyway, at about 9 am I decide to go
out and wiggle some stuff around under the bonnet, namely a
device I am later informed is a starter solenoid. To my
surprise after a little wiggle of this odd looking
component I try to turn it over and, 'Hey presto' it
started. They were both most impressed but came over anyway
and had a cup of tea and a poke around under the bonnet!
Ste and Stan arranged to take the car to Stan's old
workplace to give it a good service next Saturday.
FULL STRAIGHT JACKET
REQUIRED
22/10/08
Guess what? Bloody
thing wouldn't start again. Jukesy thinks he's got some
kind of connection with the car. he thinks it doesn't start
because she misses him; I think he's going off his nut.
More surprisingly I have agreed to sit next to this
would-be nut job for three weeks while we travel to Africa
- I'm having second thoughts about the whole idea!
MMMHHHHHHHHHhhhh!
I GOT A BRAN' NEW
COMBINE HARVESTER!
24/10/08
Ste J and Tim came
round after work to change the glow plugs which we are sure
will solve the problem. It transpires that Ste has bought
the wrong type of plugs, so Tim and I go to get some - when
we take the old ones and show the guy in the auto spares
shop, he laughs and says, "Where did you get them from, a
tractor?" and the other sales person retorts, "Looks more
like they are from a cement mixer!" Tim and I are perplexed
and look like exactly what we are - a couple of fools who
think they can blag their way to Africa in a clapped out
motor. The chap behind the counter makes a call to some
industrial/HGV specialist place and tells us we can have
the plugs at 10 am in the morning. We leave scratching our
heads! Surprisingly enough, we refit the old plugs and the
bloody thing starts! I am beginning to think like Ste J -
the car must be female, she's so temperamental!
WHAT IS McGILL
DOING?
25/10/08
Called at Mr McGill's
today to try to get the car working so that I could do a
service on it. Guess what? The car started (don't know what
McGill is doing with it - amateur!). Anyway, managed to get
the car over a pit - thanks to my dad's connections.
Changed oil and filter. Topped up gearbox oil, diff oil and
steering box oil. Replaced the glow plugs, and changed the
water with anti-freeze solution. Also, relocated stop
solenoid to try and get it working again and added some new
exhaust rubbers. Car now fully serviced and ready to go -
sort of. Could really do with a good set of tyres. I then
delivered the car back to Mr McGill's and assured him of
trouble free motoring.
HE'S DONE IT
AGAIN!
26/10/08
Spoke to Mr McGill
today and guess what? The car won't start!
I AM A GENIUS,
POSSIBLY!
31/10/08
Tim and I met at Ste
Mc's this evening to try and get the car started. I think
we have diagnosed the problem. Well, I say 'we', but I
actually mean 'me'. The thinking is that the car won't
start because the glow plugs are not heating up. It must be
this as it turns over and there is fuel getting to the
engine. Due the weather and Mr Mc's facilities - he has
none, nor any tools, unless you need a hammer - oh, he has
got a collection of hammers - we decide to get the car back
to my place. Tim and I arrange to meet at Mr Mc's early in
the morning to tow the car back to mine.
AM I A GENIUS, OR ARE
THEY JUST STUPID?
01/11/08
Collected car from Mr
Hammer Time's and towed it back to mine with Deansy. Mr
Hammer Time laid in bed during this process - not even a
hot cup of tea offered. Tested glow plugs - working fine.
Tested electrical feed from relay to glow plugs - nothing.
Relay obviously kaput! rewired glow plugs directly from
battery via a switch on the centre console - GET IN THERE!
Car fires up and running smooth as ever - Thanks to ME, oh
and Deansy a bit! Hope Mr Hammer Time doesn't break it
again!
ITS ABOUT
TIME!
08/11/08
I was starting to worry
that the credit crunch might stop us raising any money for
the Butterwick and, while that wouldn't stop us doing the
trip, it would be really disappointing. So I was very happy
today to get not one but two sizeable donations - from
Zeiss and the Rotary Club of Billingham. While we still
have a way to go to reach our target, it is a great boost!
DON'T TIE ME TO THOSE
SAND LADDERS!
09/11/08
I went to Ste Mc's
today for a cuppa and to put the Zeiss stickers on the car
(we're still waiting for the Rotary sticker). He proudly
produced some handmade Sand Ladders which will be
invaluable in the Sahara. A friend of a friend of his made
them for us (which has saved us some money) and all he asks
in return is a link to his website on our site - no
problem! Ste then tells me that the guy doesn't usually
make Sand Ladders (I mean, there can't be that much of a
demand for them on Teesside!) No, he makes bespoke bondage
equipment!!! I suppose its whatever floats your boat - the
guy has done us a great favour - and is going to make us a
roof rack as well - so check out the Supporters page for a
link to his site (over 18's only!)
JOIN THE END OF THE
COUP!
13/11/08
There's been a rumour
going round that the trip might be off - we started it!
There has been a coup in Mauritania and it might be a bit
dodgy to travel through, so we had to have a serious think
about our plans. After a bit of research we've realised
that the main problems for foreigners have been in the east
of the country and we are travelling down the west coast.
So, we are still going. And dont think "Famous Last Words!"
It will be fine!
FOLLOW THE YELLOW BRICK
ROAD!
20/11/08
We all met tonight to
make some plans, particularly around the route and the
equipment we need. It was McGill's job to plan the route
(you can check out our itinerary page to see the lack of
route planning for yourself - he just pinched it from the
official site!) McGill explained to me and Jukesy that we
have a compass and we just head South! He then implied that
its probably signposted! Like we will get to Plymouth and
there will be a sign pointing to the Gambia! So, we are
just going to follow the yellow brick road and when we
reach the t-junction we'll turn left and be in Banjul!
DON'T LIGHT THE
FUSE!
26/11/08
I set fire to the car
today! You might remember that Jukesy thought he was a
genius when he bypassed the glow plug timer relay and wired
a switch straight to them from the battery. So, to start
the car you flick the switch, wait ten seconds for the
plugs to warm up, start the car, and flick the switch off!
But this morning I forgot to switch it off and I took the
kids into school. When I came back the car was full of
smoke from the burning wire cladding! I then had to rewire
the switch to start the car again. That genie-arse should have wired a fuse into the
circuit!
IF YOU WANT A JOB DOING
RIGHT, DON'T GIVE IT TO MCGILL
26/11/08
Just so you know, when
I was bypassing the relay I sent McGill to the local car
parts shop to buy an inline fuse to wire into the circuit!
He was gone for ages, and came back empty-handed! He said
he didn't know what sort of fuse to buy! So that's why he
was able to set fire to the car today! I should have sent
him for a hammer instead - he would have managed a task
like that!
THAT'S A LOT OF WEIGHT
TO BE CARRYING!
10/12/08
Took the car for a new
set of tyres today. Although two of the original tyres were
not too bad, I am a little concerned about the extra weight
that Deansy is carrying. So the additional weight and the
unforgiving roads in Africa meant that a new set of tyres
was a must! Deansy and his 6 pack - my arse!
IS IT SUPPOSED TO
GURGLE!
10/12/08
Used the car for work
last night. During the journey to work (I say journey, what
I mean is the 3 mile run that takes 7 minutes) the
electrics were failing - switching on and off all the way
to work. The car kept running but all the lights,
instrument panel, radio, heater etc. kept randomly breaking
down. Started the car in the morning ok, but the heater
wouldn't blow warm air to defrost the window. During the
return journey I could hear a gurgling noise under the
dash. By the time I got home there was a lot of steam
coming from under the bonnet. Had a look under the bonnet
and discovered there was no fan belt! I hate to admit it,
but I think the car is missing McGill. Time to get the
spanners out again! Banjul? We will be lucky to get out of
the Boro at this rate!
CHEEKY
NOWT!
10/12/08
Jukesy is cheeky nowt!
I'm not fat ... I'm cuddly! And the six pack is coming!
