What Have You Done to Your Cougar Today?

Sorted out my boot tidy, getting rid of all the rubbish that had accumulated. Rationalised and reorganised the tools I carry.

Replaced my 3-way 12V power adapter, since my last one burned out (lesson learned; don't run a tyre inflator through it). New one is really slick and has USB and also a battery monitor.

Took a wire brush to the NSF sill and discovered MOT-fail-level penetrating rust on the inner side. Cleaned it all up and sprayed it liberally with weld-through primer. Spent a few minutes wondering whether I still have any good karma left with Paul after all his hard work on the offside. Hedged my bets and searched eBay for a welder. :cry:
 
Not a Cougar, I'm afraid, so quite happy to delete if requested. Today I put das Audi through it's Gibraltarian MOT and wow, they certainly do things 'differently' here...

The first 'check' was Mr MOT looking at the headlights (as in physically at them, without them even switched on), then at what side of the car the steering wheel was on, noting the lack of beam deflection stickers and sucking on his teeth disapprovingly. Having been forewarned of this by colleagues, I told him they were LHD headlights, at which point his mood visibly brightened but he got his beam-measuring box out just to be sure. All fine, big 'thumbs up' and a cheesy grin from Mr MOT. He then walked to back of the car and noted that I had some red lights there; another thumbs up.

Next up was some kind of shock absorber test, consisting of the car being driven one axle at a time onto some vibrating floor plates and observed. No meter reading or any other kind of measurement, just a Mk1 calibrated eyeball as if to say "Yes, each of those wheels is connected to some suspension".

Brakes next and the car was driven onto powered rollers and the brakes applied, giving a digital readout like you would expect to see in the UK. Mr MOT looked positively astonished at the readings, turning to me with two thumbs up and proclaiming "Very good!".

A cursory beep of the horn and... that was it! No emissions test, no test of any lights other than dipped beam and tail, no seatbelt function, no underbody checks, no tyre tread depth measurement. I swear he spent longer figuring out where the lever was to move the driver's seat forward than he did testing the car, that'll be £51.50 please and we'll see you in two years. Oh, did I forget to mention that Gib MOTs last two years? This place is barking!
 
Horrible isn't it Chris, at least you're getting it sorted buddy

Not sure. If she needs to die? *sigh* So be it. There's only so much welding that I can ask people to do.

Tiger gets fixed because I love her and wanted to rescue her; Trufflehound and Paul really did incredible things for her. But if she has to die, so be it.

I'll garage her and buy somethng else from T's VAG portfolio. And then maybe I'll eventually fix my pretty car.
 
the mega fuse is on the power lead from the battery to the alternator, it is in a little box roughly located where the EGR valve connected to the UIM

Thanks Procomm, I had a vague recollection of another inline fuse somewhere, so this is as always from yourself and the forum good advice. I'll check it out.
Cheers mate.
 
Not sure. If she needs to die? *sigh* So be it. There's only so much welding that I can ask people to do.

Tiger gets fixed because I love her and wanted to rescue her; Trufflehound and Paul really did incredible things for her. But if she has to die, so be it.

I'll garage her and buy somethng else from T's VAG portfolio. And then maybe I'll eventually fix my pretty car.

What hope is there if the likes of even Tiger being taken off the road?! I hope you can keep hold of her. Sincerely.

It wasn't today, but on Tuesday Rana went from running wonderfully to sounding very off. After a horrible journey home, I decided that she needed to go into a garage rather than look at her myself. I simply need her fixed as she's my daily.

The symptoms are new to me. The engine was shake, the tone of the engine lower, smell of fuel and bounced off the anti-spam at times after throttle. My fear (optimistally) is that an injector wasn't firing or something. The early injector clips are so ******* stupid I'm surprised the bloke who thought of them managed to form enough words to pass an interview. By my own hand, they're cable tied in. She has been running fine, but no longer. Perhaps one of them snapped with the heat. The garage bloke seemed to ask all the questions consistent with a head gasket crack, but I dont think that's the case. He said he'll fetch me a quote but nothing after 2 days (I told him I have a 2nd car so am in no rush).

Bummer.

Still. Nothing like turning up to a new job in a rally car. First impressions bait.
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