What have you done to your RX-8 today????

[v-rex]

Yeah I think I remember reading that Dave. But if it's not a solar charger I'm not sure what else to do really.

Mine worked for around 2.5 years fine. In the end we worked out the issue when I put a new battery in and it was drained within a week. We got a multimeter and stuck it on the battery with the charger plugged in. Fine when it was face up. We could see it charging. However when I turned it over it started draining the battery.

So get the solar charger it will probably be ok, but also buy a multimeter and keep checking it periodically. That's my intended plan when I go and get of my a55 and go buy another solar charger. I did have some aspiration to open mine up, find the diode and replace, but it's been sitting in my drawer for months now and I'll probably just go buy another !!

[shroom]

Yeah I think I remember reading that Dave. But if it's not a solar charger I'm not sure what else to do really.

Mine worked for around 2.5 years fine. In the end we worked out the issue when I put a new battery in and it was drained within a week. We got a multimeter and stuck it on the battery with the charger plugged in. Fine when it was face up. We could see it charging. However when I turned it over it started draining the battery.

So get the solar charger it will probably be ok, but also buy a multimeter and keep checking it periodically. That's my intended plan when I go and get of my a55 and go buy another solar charger. I did have some aspiration to open mine up, find the diode and replace, but it's been sitting in my drawer for months now and I'll probably just go buy another !!

I have a solar panel for my caravan however built the kit myself buying a solar panel and then purchasing a controller which incorporates a LCD screen and manages the charging of your battery etc wasn't too expensive and probably more robust than a ready made cheap car charger etc just check what you need to charge your battery

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[Ollie]

Yeah I think I remember reading that Dave. But if it's not a solar charger I'm not sure what else to do really.

Mine worked for around 2.5 years fine. In the end we worked out the issue when I put a new battery in and it was drained within a week. We got a multimeter and stuck it on the battery with the charger plugged in. Fine when it was face up. We could see it charging. However when I turned it over it started draining the battery.

So get the solar charger it will probably be ok, but also buy a multimeter and keep checking it periodically. That's my intended plan when I go and get of my a55 and go buy another solar charger. I did have some aspiration to open mine up, find the diode and replace, but it's been sitting in my drawer for months now and I'll probably just go buy another !!

I have a solar panel for my caravan however built the kit myself buying a solar panel and then purchasing a controller which incorporates a LCD screen and manages the charging of your battery etc wasn't too expensive and probably more robust than a ready made cheap car charger etc just check what you need to charge your battery

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I presume all that's really needed is to out do the amount of drain and keep the battery topped up but not overdo it?

I'd be interested in making my own for the sake of convenience as well as fixability. Any chance you could direct me to what's needed?

[johnbb99]

Banggood do a neat little voltage display module - cheap as chips - which you could wire up with a press to make switch.
Or possibly more useful would be a good old-fashioned (mechanical) centre-zero ammeter.

[shroom]

Mine worked for around 2.5 years fine. In the end we worked out the issue when I put a new battery in and it was drained within a week. We got a multimeter and stuck it on the battery with the charger plugged in. Fine when it was face up. We could see it charging. However when I turned it over it started draining the battery.

So get the solar charger it will probably be ok, but also buy a multimeter and keep checking it periodically. That's my intended plan when I go and get of my a55 and go buy another solar charger. I did have some aspiration to open mine up, find the diode and replace, but it's been sitting in my drawer for months now and I'll probably just go buy another !!

I have a solar panel for my caravan however built the kit myself buying a solar panel and then purchasing a controller which incorporates a LCD screen and manages the charging of your battery etc wasn't too expensive and probably more robust than a ready made cheap car charger etc just check what you need to charge your battery

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

I presume all that's really needed is to out do the amount of drain and keep the battery topped up but not overdo it?

I'd be interested in making my own for the sake of convenience as well as fixability. Any chance you could direct me to what's needed?

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3133341839

This was a similar controller I used then searched for solar panel and found a reasonable wattage for what I needed

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk

[warpc0il]

Switch off the internal alarm and the drain is much lower than many cars.
See viewtopic.php?f=25&t=38133 for details
This is assuming that you haven't got any aftermarket electrical stuff (headunit, sub, BT, satnav, dashcam) fitted

[Ollie]

I've got a parrot system currently so I presume that means more drain. We can easily calculate how much stock drain is right?

[nightfire10]

Put the decat back on after mot and fitted yellow stuff front pads that I've had in the boot since Silverstone lol

Sent from my VOG-L29 using Tapatalk

[warpc0il]

@Yorindesarin

You could disconnect the negative battery terminal and fit a reasonably sensitive ammeter in series, between the battery terminal and the end of the cable. The meter would need cope with at least a couple of Amps for the test.

Lock the car as normal. The bonnet must be closed otherwise the alarm won't arm.
The current will spike as the locks operate and then drop to the normal drain for your car
Unlock and relock, this time pressing the fourth button on the key/fob immediately after locking, to disable the internal alarm sensors, this will then settle to the lower drain current.

Some people leave the battery disconnected while over-wintering and, while this should be fine in theory, there have been reports of some systems, particularly the power steering control uni,t throwing a wobbly after been left with no power for months. There's no technical explanation for this and it may just be coincidence but I wouldn't risk it.

You could identify which circuit your Parrot is being powered by and just pull that fuse, repeat the test and see what difference it makes.

[Ollie]

Alright cheers Dave Ill give it a look over the weekend and figure out whats what.

[ChrisHolmes]

In preparation for Dave coming to my rescue and fitting these tomorrow after a Caliper strip and clean and light skim of the discs I gave them all a clean and degrease this afternoon.
Collected the pad retaining spring from Racing Brake in LA whilst on holiday. Lucky timing as you cannot buy the damn things separately usually so they just gave it to me! I bought new seals just in case but the original ones are fine. Not bad after 10 or so years.
Old pads shown for comparison!

[Ollie]

Reattached my front number plate finally. Im tempted to get a proper mount made up for the location instead of the OEM holder thats now pretty dead.

Tried adjusting my handbrake will see what its like hopefully no binding just about to go get some food so shall see!

Need to wash it tomorrow its well over due and looks a very sad state right now! Inside is nice and clean and hoovered however. Refilled my 2 stroke bottles as well. Thinking of possible better ways of storing that too.

Oh and also tried cleaning the passenger window and half of the windscreen again to see if it's cleaned up any better or not. Didn't want to touch the drivers side just incase it ends up worse again.

Edit:

Windscreen and passengers side window still fog up.. But also clear really quickly compared to before.. So it's an improvement at least but it might be the stuff I'm trying to clean it with?

Handbrake doesn't bind and now holds on 3 clicks compared to the 6 or 7 that it was before. Success!

[MARKTHOMASBRAND]

Do yourself a favour & get some Autoglym Car Glass Polish

[Ollie]

Right as I edit my post I knew this would happen. I'll look into that!

[Honkytonk]

I bought some 250ml bottles like these. Fit perfectly in the rear cup holders.

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre ... 3820568164

[Ollie]

I currently keep mine in two freezers bags, in bottles similar to that. The annoying thing is that sometimes 2 stroke gets on the outside of the bottles/runs off the funnel when I put it back in the bag.. Just need to not have that happen really aha.

Also, wheres the best place to grab pollen filters? Had a look on ECP but they want 20 quid odd... Had a general google and found ones for 6 quid odd of varying dimensions with varying OEM numbers too..

[ChrisHolmes]

I use these, 100ml flip top and a bag to keep them in the passenger or drivers door pocket.

[exiled--viking]

In preparation for Dave coming to my rescue and fitting these tomorrow after a Caliper strip and clean and light skim of the discs I gave them all a clean and degrease this afternoon.
Collected the pad retaining spring from Racing Brake in LA whilst on holiday. Lucky timing as you cannot buy the damn things separately usually so they just gave it to me! I bought new seals just in case but the original ones are fine. Not bad after 10 or so years.
Old pads shown for comparison!

More like 13 years ago Chris I bought them when the car was Blue looking good

[ChrisHolmes]

They really do look like new, testament to your care of the car over the years Tony.

[exiled--viking]

In the end Chris I had to let it go I could no longer keep it up to speck your motor now and its looking good might catch up with you/club at some tap meet next year will look forward to see what up grades you've done

[Ollie]

Just drove back from Inverness with my friend after seeing the joker movie.. Got them back to their house noticed a CEL was on.. OBD2 in.. Catalytic performance low. Guess it really is time to knock the guts out this cheap OEM style cat that was put on before I owned the car.

[ChrisHolmes]

Question: Why is it that a simple task of bleeding the brakes can turn into a nightmare job?
Answer: When you thinking like a Muppett!
Scenario
Brakes hoses off the Calipers, ends sealed with rubber glove fingers taped up tightly.
Off on holiday etc: 8th Sept till yesterday so car not touched.
Pistons blown out with compressed air, all moved easily being SS are fine, seals too are fine.
Fitted Calipers yesterday with help from Dave2112 due to my back still playing up and we just couldn’t get the pedal to go hard. So gave up until today.
Back at it and still no firm pedal! Must be the MC seals so off to Stroud to cannibalise Daves old car only to find his was the early cylinder, gloom descended but as you will read later this actually saved me some unnecessary work.
Dave had run out if spare time so I lost my pedal pusher and 2nd mind to ponder the issue.
How to bleed the brakes single handed was solved by sticking a bolt up the pipe to seal it and then cutting the wall of the tube to make a simple one way valve.
First pedal pumping saw lots of fizzy milky fluid come out followed by clear fluid and then fizzy stuff again and bubbles!!
Level in the MC at the front was about 1cm so I thought that was OK, then I thought what if the outlet for the fluid is not flush with the base of the tank? So I filled the tank to the absolute brim of the neck and pumped the pedal fizz, bubbles, fizz and then clear fluid. Level had dropped to minimum so topped it up and bingo one hard pedal so job done.
Had Daves MC been right then that would have seen me remove that and swap it for mine for no benefit at all.
Now to service the back brakes.

[New Duke]

Getting the car ready at Bedford and it's just started to rain. At least I got to the garages fast.

[ChrisHolmes]

Have a good one, DSC is king!

[New Duke]

Thanks Chris. Yeah the track is pretty damp now so it'll be staying on.