Well. It's official. My mate's cursed.

"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
12/07/2016 at 19:11 • Filed to: None

The story begins a year ago, when after a year of solid service his daily driver Peugeot 406 Coupe HDi decided that it didn’t need a clutch release bearing anymore (or at least one that spins). Horrible metallic graunching noise and the clutch stops functioning.

So, he set about changing the clutch (and a host of other bits and pieces), and started driving his 106 GTi while that was WIP. Then, he picks up a really nice RX-8 and drives that.

With the coupe finally buttoned up (took a while, engine-out job) he had his choice of cars to drive! Then, we noticed that there was diesel pooling around the injectors. Problem. No matter, still have the RX-8 and the 106 as backup.

However, after 8 months of stellar service, the RX-8 chooses this moment to develop an ignition fault (likely caused dodgy quality parts or a mistake in installation as a fair amount of ignition stuff had just been changed). In this time, the MoT on the 106 had also run out, so we stuck some insurance on the MG F and he started driving that while the others were being fixed.

However, after about a week of driving that. This happens:

Now, while this sounds pretty awesome at full chat, we find the culprit. The threads holding the O2 sensor into the manifold had decided they’d had enough of life and disintegrated.

At this point, we’d pretty much persuaded each other that he should get an MX-5. Like a cross between the RX-8 and the GTi, should be a really nice sweet-spot between RWD and lightweight tin can :)

So, behold! The latest addition to our stable:

Lasted all of 2 days.

Picked it up Saturday, and on the Tuesday evening started to make a horrible gearboxy noise. Sort of like a release bearing on its way out, but nastier. From playing around with the clutch trying to make it do the noise we’ve deduced that it might well be the input shaft bearing or something in the gearbox (gets worse as you lift off the clutch, and only

It’s currently on axle stands in the garage with various bits unbolted ready to swap the clutch and have a peek at the gearbox...

See. Cursed.

DISCUSSION (7)

jimz > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
12/07/2016 at 19:13

that’s the risk with buying performance-geared cars. you never really know how the previous owner(s) treated them.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > jimz
12/07/2016 at 19:45

Agreed, although this is phenomenally bad luck.

For instance, I’d driven the MG F for 6 months before him, and it chose this moment to divest itself of the O2 sensor.

Given the trend of ever-reducing time periods between his cars working and breaking down I feel like he sohuld buy a project car next!

davedave1111 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
12/09/2016 at 07:33

Oh dear. I was just popping in to see what was going on in the world of Oppo these days, wondering if I should let you know I’m seriously thinking of selling the Camry - tax and insurance are up in Jan, time for a change. Sounds like your friend desperately needs some late eighties Toyota in his life :)

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > davedave1111
12/09/2016 at 11:18

Hah :) I think if there’s anyone who could instantly break an 80s Toyota it would be him. He’s definitely cursed.

We got the ‘box out of the MX-5 though. Spigot bearing had disintegrated to an impressive degree!

He’s used the opportunity to get a lightweight flywheel though so silver linings and all...

davedave1111 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
12/11/2016 at 08:17

Heh, that would be an achievement. Seriously.

I changed the thermostat the other day, dropped it down the side of the engine bay, had to take half the front of the car off to get it out. It’s so well built - not a single rusty screw/bolt, even the 30yo plastic trim clips came off and went back fine.

I was only half-joking about the Camry. (It amused me that I came here to see if anyone was interested in buying it, and found this post...) I am seriously considering selling in the next few weeks, so if you know anyone who would be interested, point them in my direction.

BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires > davedave1111
12/12/2016 at 05:24

I’ll have a think :) sadly I think you’ve just missed a bit of a car-buying spree from my family, but I’ll cast the net a bit wider and see if anyone’s looking for one :)

Bloody impressive that nothing’s knackered at that age. My Alfa solves the issue of rusty bolts and destroyed trim clips by shedding half of them as you drive along ;)

Sounds like a multiple curseword moment when you dropped the thermostat though ;)

davedave1111 > BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires
12/14/2016 at 13:34

It’s seriously impressive build quality on them - just a shame about the rust-proofing.

I did a lot of swearing when I dropped the thermostat, and even more when after I’d got it out and put everything back together my wife said ‘Oh, I could probably have reached that’...