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Sabtu, 25 Desember 2010

New Palio Style Sport 1.6 My dream come true car delivered

Dear Puggers,


My heart is emotion packed to tell you all that my "Dream Come True" Palio Style Sport 1.6 has been delivered to me on Friday (17-12-2010). When the dhamaka offer was in progress (may be 6-8 months back) I went to the showroom and saw the price was sooooo low and my mind was willing to buy 1.6 sport. But my financial commitment was tight and I was so disappointed for not able to book the car at that time.



But after my financial situation was at ease in the month of OCT and I came to know that only one palio style sport 1.6 was available through Mr. Thyagarajan from channai ambattur.



Mr. Thagarajan, thanks a lot for the information. And also thanks for the forum because of which I am having the car today.



But it was a rough argument with the sales guy in the showroom for the accessories at concorde motors mysore road bangalore. Still the following items are pending to be given to me:-



1. Owner's Manual (They told they will have to import it from chennai showroom from which car was transported to bangalore)
2. Mud flaps (will give on monday)
3. There was no speakers in the car (in e-broucher says the 1.6 sports has 4-speakers)
4. Steering bit hard (they told they have rectified during PDI, but it still exist)
5. Rear window lock button jammed (elctrician not available at the time of delivery, they told me to come on monday)


Ok anyway I am 95% happy and I wish these probs will get rectified soon.
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Minggu, 19 Desember 2010

Inboard Boat parts Wanted =AeroJet/Fagole


Doesn't anybody have any spare parts to sell? or a Boat with a AeroJet/Fagol setup in it?? I have most of one. I have a BUNCH of cams and an Aerojet block. I don't know what the cams are out of, though.

I know of a complete unit in Portland, OR. Crank may be broken as it will not turn a full revolution but it has a spare Crosley engine from a forklift. Last time I talked to the owner and asked for a price, never got one but he likes to barter. This is the inboard unit not a VIP.

Hi, just bought a inboard Crosley motor. I want the crank but the rest is available if any of it would help. Not up to speed on AeroJet/Fagol This one must have been set up for racing as has a special hand made pan with water cooling, crankcase without a oil filler.. Rest seem to be standard Crosley. 

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Selasa, 14 Desember 2010

Group Lotus Buys Into Renault F1 Team - Cars to be Black/Gold

And Fernandes' Team Lotus signed an agreement several month's ago w/Renault Engines for engines, gearboxes & hydraulics. Should be fun!! Morale - Don't get in Bahar's path!! He may go down in flames, but it will be an incredible conflagration.

Lotus Links Up With Renault F1 for 2011 Season Dec 8, 7:39 AM (ET) 
Email this Story By STUART CONDIE




LONDON (AP) - Group Lotus has linked up with Renault for next year's Formula One championship, raising the possibility of two teams racing under the famous name in 2011.



Lotus reappeared in F1 in 2010 after a 16-year absence with Group Lotus licensing the name to Tony Fernandes' Lotus Racing, but Renault said Wednesday that the new seven-season agreement to create Lotus Renault GP "marks the complete return of the Lotus manufacturer to the sport."



Group Lotus will own and run the team with Luxembourg-based Genii Capital, which has completed the purchase of Renault's stake in the team. Renault will continue to supply the engines and technical support.



"We're well aware that there has been a lot of controversy around the usage of our brand in F1 and I'm delighted to be able to formally clarify our position once and for all," Group Lotus Chief Executive Dany Bahar said. "We are Lotus and we are back."



Renault, which finished fifth in the 2010 constructors' championship with Robert Kubica and Vitaly Petrov on board, will race in the traditional black-and-gold Lotus livery until the end of the 2017 season.



"We will continue to enjoy a strong relationship with Renault over the coming seasons," Renault F1 chairman Gerard Lopez said.



But Fernandes, the Malaysian businessman who runs the AirAsia airline and tried to buy the English Premier League soccer club West Ham this year, is pursuing a case through London's High Court to keep the right to use the name. Fernandes responded to the new agreement on Twitter: "Never felt better about our future and Team Lotus. Looks like (they're) trying to hijak our black and gold idea."



Fernandes plans to rebrand Lotus Racing, which failed to score a point in 2010, as Team Lotus for next season after buying the name from David Hunt, who had owned it since the original team's financial collapse in 1994.



The team even announced its own black-and-gold color scheme at last month's season-ending Abu Dhabi Grand Prix. But Malaysian state-owned car maker Proton, which owns Group Lotus, contends that its right to the name takes precedence.



Lotus was formed in 1952 and went on to win 79 F1 races and seven constructors' titles between 1958 and 1994 - when the team collapsed amid financial problems.


"we are Lotus and we are back" quite a statement considering it wasn't the car company who was in F1. The man amazes me. I guess he believes if he repeats the misstatement of facts/lie enough, then people will believe it. I hope Fernandes' day in court comes soon to stop the nonsense. Group Lotus should have bought back the name legally from David Hunt while they had the opportunity if they intended to enter F1 -but they didn't.
Err, if using autosport to market known, addictive carcinogens to the masses is outlawed, and you now deliberately paint your new car to look like a giant cigarette package, what happens?


At any rate, if I've understood the various machinations, sub-plots, license agreements, etc., here's my 2011 F1 spotters guide.



Lotus Renault GP Team Team Lotus Malaysian business owned by Malaysian businessman Renault engine Renault black and gold colour black and gold 5th in 2010 (Renault) F1 experience? 1 year - no points
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Sabtu, 04 Desember 2010

Problems with strangely

Experts, 

I'm facing two problems with my Stile - its 3.5 years old, and has 25K kms on it.

1) The odometer is behaving strangely for the past 3-4 months. While driving, the needle suddenly goes to 0, and after a few meters, it goes back to the correct speed. Initially it was doing it intermittently, now its behaving like this more frequently, and its taking more time to start working again. When i checked it at BU Bhandari workshop in Pune, the advisor (his name is Javed) told me that the cluster needs to be changed, and it costs around Rs 17K. Anyone else faced this problem?
2) I gave it for a general check-up after 25K, and they rotated the tyres, balanced the wheels. Now, while driving above 40kms/hr, i hear a constant noise from the wheels, a noise when something is rotating, as if there is something obstructing the wheels. When i showed it back to Javed, he tells me that there is a problem with the original Good Year tyres on the car, and that it needs replacement. The tyres are in good shape, and have good threads. Should I replace the tyres?
  

My 19 months young stile 1.1/9200KM only - has the 2nd problem you mention - but when speed reaches over 60, appears less "noisey" I hope the solution of Javed proves "wrong" - !!! will be taking my car end of this month to Concorde Hosur Road all the best.



I am a fellow Stile owner with 52k in 2years... Well on the speedo query I guess a local workshop may be a safe bet. On tires I guess its the age of the rubber that's making noise. You are that you have just done about 25k in 3.5years, so therefore the tires would have dried out and would become a lot harder. I am somewhat facing the same issue in my AVEO which has just done about 22k in 4.5 years. 


i have not faced the first problem but yes the second one was haunting me about a month back. I had shown that to the BUB and Ms. ujjawala had told me that it is due to the tyre and not the wheel bearing. Then I took minty to a local mechanic he put the blame on the bearings, then went to pandit auto and met rahul / babar, he took a test drive and told me that it is about the tyre. I told him that i will be going on a long trip and he told me not to worrry about it. then as per his advice i got my tyre changed from front to rear at darshan tyres, kothrud. amazingly the tyre noise has reduced by 90% and had no issue in almost 1400 km running in 5 days on our trip. you can also try the same and also the term of hardning of the rubber is also used by the tyre changing person at darshan. harshadpalio slx minty white 20190+ running smooth and great(tomorrow going to the birthplace).


Welcome to the failed-odometer club. Wonder if one day there will be a class action lawsuite on Fiat for providing faulty odometers on stiles. :D  I have came across a lot of 1.6 stiles (post 2007) with failed odo/speedos after my car's odo went dead. Btw, regarding the tyres problem, do u mean the sound was not there before servicing and appeared after servicing? Am asking because this same Javed guy serviced my car at BUB and I had found him to be suspicious.

He had done couple of costly services which I hadnt asked him to do (WA/WB, some radiator job) and there were couple of spurious charges in the final invoice that he wasnt able to explain clearly. Secondly, on the pretext of installing camber bolt he made me leave the car there overnight, and next day ~8am in the morning he told me to pickup the car. I had this strange chuk-chuk sound from the tyres, as if some bulge on the tyres was hitting ground. But even after camber bolts the sound remained and later on I noticed the bridgestone tyres on the rear were replaced with good-year assurance!

So ultimately even after servicing worth 7k both my problems - dead odometer and chuk chuk sound remained. I was a newbie to cars then (I still am, just a bit better) and I had baught the car about a month ago that time; so I put it all down to my lack of knowledge and overtrust. 'Akkalkhaate jamaa' as they call it in marathi.

I later on took the car to Darhsan tyres on FC road. Got him to check the problem, changed couple of tyres on his recommendations, and the sound was gone. The culprit was a minute wear on the tyre, which I could have neither spotted nor suspected. Maybe u can take ur car to some tyre expert and get the tyres examined.
Good luck with the speedo/odo problem.

Also, if the tyres are rotated, the tyre surface is not exactly the same on all the tyres after prolonged usage. Hence, the tyres will not give you a smooth drive because some parts of the tyre are exposed more than others after the rotation.

After using the tyres in the newly rotated position for about a 1000 kms, the tyres should wear out evenly in their new position & the drive should be smoother.
This has been my personal experience after I rotated the tyres for the first time & Dr. Sunil had given the above advice.
Never have your wheel alignment done at BUB, they screw it up big time. Secondly, regarding the odometer problem. I am having the same problem & showed my car to a local garage which is FIAT specialist. The mechanic put his head under the bonnet & simply asked me if I also get intermittent jerks when I am driving. I replied in affirmative to this & he said that this is due to the kilometer sensor going kaput. Need to replace this under warranty now once I have the time for it.
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Minggu, 28 November 2010

Tip O' the hat +

Went to President Dave's place today to pick up my new Super Sport top. Dave set aside what he was working on to go over installation of the top in detail. What a gracious gentleman. We are truely blessed to
have him as our leader.

I hope you didn't drive a Crosley to his house, he is known to steal hubcaps!

We are definitely blessed...In fact, he's dang near fine enough to have been a Southern boy! (Dave, are you sure you wern't born down here in Memphis?)
Thanks for the compliments, however, As I always say, it is a 2 way street. You can't have a good relationship with a bad person. I find that most of the people who hand out compliments are really the ones who deserve them. I have the priveledge of dealing with the finest group of auto enthusiasts in the world. I thank the Good Lord every day for the opportunity to do so. Now if Barry and Bill will just park their cars in secluded areas at Wauseon......

No I never lived in the South....Born on the West Coast on Coronado Island in San Deigo. Grew up in rural Lancaster County , Pa. in the Amish country. Like most Crosley people, very friendly and very frugal. I was actually a very shy person until my sophmore year in high school when one of my teachers took me aside and told me that I had a great voice and the ability to pursuade people using it. That little bit of a comment changed my life. Never underestimate the power of a positive comment to a person!!! It may change them forever!!!



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Senin, 22 November 2010

Cleaning the inside of the motor ??

Well, the Plastigage shows all rod and mains to be well within range. I've taken the oil pump apart and sanded the plate. (I may opt out for a new pump or rebuilt, just want to be sure I have a good one ). The oil pan had a small hole in it, it's been welded up.Just curious, is there something I can pour in the top of the motor to hout any junk and out the bottom ? Kerosene maybe or something ? Or something I can spray around the bottom end to make sure any little pieces of crap are run out ? Some spray cleaner of some sort ? I'd just like to do some housekeeping in there before putting the pan back on. You can us Brakleen the chlorinated, non flamable type.

I'm not the one you should take as "the preacher (as in "my word is gospel")" but if you do wash out the motor, be sure to prelube it before you start it. Rig up some kind of pressure feed to get oil into all the passages and bearings before you turn it over. You could pump oil up the pump output gallery as long as the pan's off. I modified an old dead pressure-pot type paint gun with a hose on the nozzle and use it to feed oil up the pump output gallery. You could even use a hypodermic type transmission filler (http://www.badenscarpages.ca/e36-transmission-differential-fluid-change/).

Better safe than sorry!

I use engine assembly grease on all bearimgs, and put some in the pump gears so it will suck up the oil right away. Crank the engine with the coil wire off till it gets oil pressure, then start it.


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Rabu, 17 November 2010

Autocop for MJD?

I have been running my MJD on manual key so far because I read there were issues with keyless entry or autocop security system with Palio's electricals. Has anyone been using those successfully without any problems'? which brand works best? And if available approx cost please.

I have been using the Autocop security system for my both 1.2 and 1.3. It is working fine. But fit the equipment only in FIAT ASC to get the warranty. In any FIAT ASC the cost of the equipment is Rs.2000/- more thancompare to the same Autocop's model in outside market. Autocop is authorized by FIAT.

During May 2009 when I purchased Palio 1.1 stile slx from Concorde Motors Prabhadevi Bombay - I was told ANY additions/including keyless entry, etc fitted will lead to electrical warranty being unavailable ! I faintly remember the elec.warranty is ONE YEAR? What is the total cost of autocop fitout by Fiat ASC? You provided 2K as the difference in disfavor of Fiat ASC as compared to outside fitters

DON'T DO IT!
If at all you wish to install autocop, first remove the security system provided by FIAT (mechanical+electrical+electronic) Then install autocop or whatever security system deemed feasible. I would like to know in what ways the electricals/mechanicals of an MJD different from the 1.1? for the 1.1 which i owned for 3 years, there was absolutely no issues with the autocop which was installed by the dealer as a freebie! right now, my MJD also does not have any autocop installed, so i am also interested to know more about what might go wrong(if at all) and any one who had such experience, please share them with all of us here.

I never knew that there could be complications by installing a keyless entry. I always thought you just install it like any other car. Can some one detail the pro's and cons as well as what brands go well and what procedures to follow while installing one. Whats the brand of keyless entry that Fiat provides that doesnt null the warranty? and how much does ti cost.

Mine is 1.2 Nv Sport 2004 and had the auto-cop installed from day 1 from TVS dealer Bangalore, just to compliment the stock security system with a remote. If I remember correct, it costed me around Rs 3000. Never had a problem until almost 1.5 year of non-use it gave up. And I finally disconnected (DIY) when the alarm went off at random times.

There is no override or bypass done. So with or without the auto-cop (remote), the Palio's system still functioning. If Auto-cop is for security system, then such a thing is not requried. But if you want the convenience of remote, you could select something of basic feature and save $$$ for yourself. And most importantly, do this fitting only at FASS, who is trained enough to understand the sophistications.

Some facts towards the security systems for FIAT Vehicles.

1) If the vehicle by defaut have the full key lock kit (which means that if you lock the driver side door automatically all the doors are locked), fixing the "Thirdparty" kit easily. This type of "Thirdparty" kits are called "HalfKits". Price also half compare to the full kits. Simply says the "ELX", "SLX", "SDX" versions are easily adopt this kits compare to other vehicle variants(EL, ELPS etc).

2) Autocop is authorized by FIAT. If you fit the autocop in any FIAT ASC, the electrical lines and other warranty terms does not void.

3) Autocop is manufactured the security system in two aspects. One is completely issued for  FIAT ASC centres. Another is completely used in outside market. Both the variants are differ based on the procedure. The 2K price difference lies down here.
           
I am using the Autocop 9970 system with 100% satisfaction. It has Immbolizer, Altrasonic sensors, ICE sensors and it has 14 different tones for alerts. One year back it was Rs.5400/. I had fitted this in TAFE Access Limited.  No ISSUES. VERY HAPPY ABOUT ITS PERFORMANCE.Mine is 1.2 Nv Sport 2004 and had the auto-cop installed from day 1 from TVS  dealer Bangalore, just to compliment the stock security system with a remote. If  I remember correct, it costed me around Rs 3000. Never had a problem until almost 1.5 year of non-use it gave up. And I finally disconnected (DIY) when the alarm went off at random times.

There is no override or bypass done. So with or without the auto-cop (remote),  the Palio's system still functioning. If Auto-cop is for security system, then such a thing is not requried. But if  you want the convenience of remote, you could select something of basic feature and save $$$ for yourself. And most importantly, do this fitting only at FASS, who is trained enough to understand the sophistications.
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Minggu, 14 November 2010

new M100 owner

I recently purchased a Norfolk mustard 1991 Lotus Elan SE. It arrived by trunk Friday night. So far I am thrilled with the car but I have one minor problem. It appears the dashboard light is out, so at night I cannot see any instruments. Does anyone know how to replace the bulb? I looked in the owner's manual but it says "entrust this task to the dealer". 

Where do M100 owners hang out? Is there an M100 list similar to the TurboEsprit list?

I'm also planning to change my insurance since State Farm wants over $100/month to add the Elan to my existing policy. I have obtained quotes from Hagarty and Heacock for insuring all 3 of my Lotus cars for an entire year for about what SF wants to insure the Elan for 6 months. I would appreciate opinions on the relative merits of these two companies and any other insurers who specialize in sports cars. Does anyone know how many yellow Elan M100s exist in the USA?

I believe only about 300 were brought into the USA and yellow and BRG seem to be the most rare colors. Now I have to get busy building a larger garage.

I have owned 5 or 6 of the M100s. Great car and really much undeservedly maligned. The car is just fantastic with one drawback. The front brakes. But more on that later. The top of the dash has an access panel and comes right out. I have never replaced a dash bulb, but I don't think it should be hard. There is a Lotus M100 list called www.lotuselancentral.com<http://www.lotuselancentral.com/> Lots of stuff on there, but the average Elan owner is not as mechanic savvy as most older Lotus owners are.
 
I use Hagarty and they are great. I insure my early Elan and Caterham with them. Now the front brakes. Do you yourself a favor and put a big brake kit on  them. I can give you the name of a guy in the UK that sells a very nice kit.  About $800. Worth every penny and transforms the car. The front brakes are just terrible. I would love to meet the guy that approved that setup and ask him what the hell he was thinking. None of my cars would ever lock the brakes up and at times they are downright dangerous.

The only reason I sold my car/cars was because of the brakes. Back in 2000 or so there was no kit. Had there been a kit, I would still have a M100. Watch for gas tank leaks. They leak at the top where it cracks. Be careful of the rear spindles. They are unobtainable as are fenders, windshields and bumpers.

There is a great and easy way to get about 50 more HP. There is a waste gate arm that actuates the waste gate. You need to put a sleeved turnbuckle on it after reducing the length by about ¾ of and inch. The ¾ of an inch gets you into the ball park of about .7 or .8 boost, but you need to fine tune it with the turnbuckle. Engine will take the extra HP no problem. The guys at Lotus way back when that car came out told me that it was designed with the turnbuckle (in fact the lotus manual shows it being a turnbuckle) and you can go to .9 bar on the boost. Motor will shut down anything over that so there is no risk. If you need more clarification, let me know off list.

The most rare Elans are black. Then the Yellow, Silver and Blue as I recall. Most were the Red, Official line is that they imported 600, but I think the number is actually 450 or so. If you need any help with the car, let me know. Enjoy the car. It is a great Lotus.


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Rabu, 27 Oktober 2010

1989 Dodge Ram Van - As start for 4x4 conversion?

Hi guys need some quick advice, I have a chance to buy a 89 ram van cheap. I would be buying with intent to convert to 4x4. Would also like to possibly engine swap to a disel engine at some point. Anyone out there have experiance with this van, or knowledge that would help me decide before purchase would be appreciated. I have done a lot of research but its all been chevy based, so have no idea the conversion ease for the dodge.

I started a 90 conversion years ago, had Dyna Track build a Dodge Dana 60front and rears, both with ARB air lockers. Never got the front axle in before heart transplant, so had to give up on it,, dratzz. The Dodge overdrive tranny, turned out to be a pc of junk, and when it died, had A1Racing transmissions build be a 727, with all the whistles and bells to also,, include, buying the extra low planetaries 1st and 2nd gear. In order to "fool" the engine code, as it didnt have the real fuel injection, I took the relays out of the 518 and used them to tell the computer(ha,ha) it had locked up in gear. Worked perfectly. I first tried to use the divorced 205 as it was easy to find, but no matter what I did to the mid shaft, I could not get the unbalance out, as it had to be too short. S0,, dumped that and found a married 205, which was pricey, but solved all the problems.
I was building the truck to leave for Alaska, and went overboard on everything as I wanted as few as problems as I could set myself up for,,, I figured the two main expenses would be food and gas, so also, put a Gear Vendors on the back of the 205. I made all the special mounts in order to put it into the Van, and it worked really good, never got to installing the front 60.
 
IF I where to do it all over again,, I would have used the Chevy front 60, as it has larger spline front axles, and the locking hubs are easy to get. The Dodge front 60 was a full time unit, and the only front hubs I could get where the less strong Mile Marker hubs. The pumpkin is on the same side as the Dodge and both 8 lug anyways.
 
Also, I found the rear Dodge 60 not as strong as the Chevy 18 bolt, and should have used it, as I grenaded the Dodge 60 with the ARB in it, even if only every driven in 2whl drive.
 
I JUST HAPPEN TO HAVE THE TRANNY ON CRAIG'S LIST RIGHT NOW,, for asteal,,, with the G/V unit I had over $5,500 in the trannies, including the G/V. I sold the front 60 (brand new) as well as the G/V unit. I am asking $750 for both the trannies as of right now, the 205 needing only the rear snout put back on, and believe I may still have it laying around.  

I have a friend also selling a front Chevy 60, rear 18 will ask him what he wants and if he still has them if you are seriously interested???????? 
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Senin, 25 Oktober 2010

New Lotus Elan Manual available

While cleaning out my parts I find I have a new in the package Lotus Elan owners manual. Lotus PN D100T0324J Any takers here before it goes to Ebay.

Which model (S1? S2?, etc>.) car and how much are you asking for it?

Since the part number is x100xxxxx it's for an M100 Elan. (1991 if it's a US car) Make offer for the book ??
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Sabtu, 23 Oktober 2010

Lotus Press release

Following on the announcement of the new model range, Lotus has also given us a preview of a news release to go out next year in April:

News just in........

There was bad news for Lotus today as Lotus declared that only Lotus could use the Lotus name and that Lotus would be taking steps to prevent Lotus from calling itself Lotus.

'Lotus is not going to let Lotus trade off the Lotus name that Lotus has built up,' said Lotus spokesman Alan Lotus. 'Lotus had an agreement with Lotus but Lotus has not honoured the terms of the Lotus agreement,' Lotus continued. 'For that reason Lotus shall no longer be permitting Lotus to use the Lotus-registered Lotus name of Lotus.'

Lotus was quick to respond to Lotus's action, claiming that Lotus had agreed with Lotus, the division of Lotus that has rights to the Lotus name, and that Lotus could not prevent Lotus from using Lotus unless Lotus expressly said this to Lotus.

'Lotus will take every step to prevent Lotus from removing the Lotus name from Lotus,' said Christopher Lotus, spokesman for Lotus-appointed solicitors, Lotus, Lotus & Lotus. 'Let me assure you that Lotus is not going to simply refrain from calling itself Lotus just because Lotus says so. That would be Lotus… sorry, I mean, ridiculous.'
(not my work, forwarded with permission)


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Rabu, 13 Oktober 2010

FIAT Linea Dynamic Petrol 1.4

I have been a recent entrant to the group – joined in mid-September, thanks to Bhushan Bhai, when I sold my Palio 1.2EL, after 7 and a half years. Though I have commented on a few posts, I have been more of an observer. In fact I got one of my colleagues at Tata Sky, Mukund Sharma, to join the group – he is the guy with the 1.9D Palio which had a starting problem due electrical issue just a few days back. However, the reason for this post is because I thought of sharing with you my experience in purchasing my current toy, the Linea Dynamic Petrol 1.4 (Foxtrot Azure).



Having test driven the Verna Transform, Aveo, Fiesta (Limited Edition), Linea, Dezire and SX4, I decided on the Linea on a cost to features ratio – though looks and feel of both the interior and exterior also played a vital role. Having decided on the Linea I played two different dealers one against the other and extracted a very good deal from Galaxy Motors, Mulund, Mumbai. I booked the car on Sept 10 and requested delivery on Sunday Oct 10 – though the delivery period was 20 days, I added a few more to address superstitious believes. In this 1 month period the sales team was put through a severe tormenting time due to my fastidious nature. I kept fighting with them for discounts on audio system, reverse sensors and leather seat covers – not to mention the FOC material I needed them to provide. They addressed each and every query and argument with a smile and took extra pains to ensure all my queries were addressed.

They even requested me to visit their showroom a day earlier just to spend time with their support staff just to understand all the controls available in the car. I actually did take them up on their offer and visited their showroom on Oct 8 for the demo. And then D-day arrived and as promised with all documentation completed, the keys were handed over to me on 10/10/10 @ 10:10am – just as I had requested. Things couldn't have happened better.

This experience of mine, I am sure, will give confidence to one and all. It certainly was a very sweet experience. I doubt the Tata-Fiat marriage is on the rocks – on the contrary, I feel it is a winning one. And I can quite confidently say it is dealerships like these that will take the story forward – and I have dealt with the likes of Fortune, Powai (before they shifted this July), Anuroop, Malad in Mumbai and Mohan Motors, in Calcutta before they lost the dealership, and have never really felt comfortable.

Did you get your registration number also 1010 ? :) 
Good to see positive (more than that actually) reviews on the Fiat-Tata JV
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Senin, 11 Oktober 2010

I want upgrade better tires

have not got hold yet of alloys still in a puzzle of size and what gain i will get after upgrading the to 175 R14/65 in performance. I had been to Madhu's enterprises (Shantinagar, Bangalore) yesterday as me too planning on tyre upgrade. 98PCD Alloys were available at 14" from SSW, but only one design (black and silver) which actually looked nice. It was quoted at 4k per alloy.



Michellin xm1+ 14" 175/60 (or 65 forgot exactly) were 4000 per piece and 185/65 were 4150 per piece. Is ssw a good brand. Have heard abt it, but is it as good as say a Lenso? Any thoughts please?

in case you want to go for a 15" alloys, pls go in for a low profile tyre. this will ensure that there is no scraping. i have driven a Palio GTX with 15" alloys for a month and generally did not find a problem. Handling and ride were good. however, when you hit a pot hole(Which is very common), at a decent speed, there is a chance that the tyre will touch the wheel arch and damage the tyre itself as well as damage teh wheel arch. i had seen several tyre cuts. i have Seen Raveendra's car with 15" alloys and low profile tyres. Looks super sexy. ensure that the overall wheel dimensions dont change with a higher profile tyres on a 15".


it will be expensive to roll back, as it involves Tyres and rims, in case you have to roll back to 14", you have to write off the investment, since getting a buyer for 15" 98 PCD's is remote for a used alloy and tyres.
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Minggu, 10 Oktober 2010

How to put tranny top on ??

Can anyone give a short dissertation on how to install a top on a tranny ? Can't seem to figure out where the gears need to be and where the forks need to be to make it all work ?

I dunno what the proper sequence is, but I put every thing in neutral. Slid the gears to center of their travel with the shifter in center (neutral or 'nothin' fir southerners) I don't know what to say about the shifter if you've never driven standard shift. LOL

Spin the rear wheels to insure you've found "nothin'. Rear wheels both turn forward at the same time. I installed one bolt to hold the box top and went through the gears. If you can find neutral and the rear wheels spin your lookin' good. 



I also said an 'Our Father'. It worked for me, but HE said the bolt should have been coarse thread..................p

It would help me if anyone who has a Service Manual could look at the cutaway view of the tranny and tell me if the trans is in Neutral ... or ? I think it's in neutral but can't be sure.

It really doesn't matter where the forks are, just so the front fork goes into the front gear slot, and the rear fork goes into the rear gear slot. As you are putting on the cover shine a flashlite into the one side of the trans as you bend down and watch to see that the forks go into the gears. The stick a bolt into the cover and test the shift.

Well, that makes sense. Thanks Barry. I have 3 trannies, 2 of which someone has popped the top to check them out or ?? Both look in good repair. The 3rd is from a drill press and I think it's the best of the 3 but has no speedo hole cut in it. It has not been opened but has a "short" shifter so even if I use it I have to pop the top to change tops. Hopefully one of the other two will serve me well.
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Kamis, 07 Oktober 2010

A/C GET ON WITHIOUT SWITCHING IT

What a coincidence!!


My AC Fan has also started to play up for the past few days. When the ignition is turned on the fan starts off at full speed sometimes. Otherwise, it remains silent, but starts off now and then.



This problem has spread to the audio system.It starts off by itself. It also changes tracks by itself.



So I keep the control panel removed. Now, suddenly a humming sound started off in the car porch. I traced it to the car. I now disconnect the battery every time I park the car. I called up Concorde, they say I will have to leave the car there for a couple of days.


Maybe u got to wait and see till your car completely transforms itself into Megatron or Optimus Prime. Been watching the TRANSFORMERS the other day on TV :-) The symptoms u described look like straight out of the movie. Maybe that's why we feel that our Palios are Tank-like!!

The majority of the Puggers refer to their cars as 'my beauty', 'my darling' etc. So hopefully it should transform into something really sexy. At least the ac fan is giving me 'blow jobs' right now to music from the self controlled stereo.
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Cooper Tyres put to test--Baptism by fire

For more clarity, simple language and ease of understanding, I am repeating my earlier post on putting to test the new Cooper tyres.

Start: "Earlier post, I had mentioned about fitting Cooper tyres. Y'day, the tyres were put to the worst possible torture session, starting at 4 am and ending at 6 pm. And the test was passed with flying colours!!

Had planned on a day trip to the jungles around Hosur/ Krishnagiri area. Started at 4 am and within a few minutes it started pouring. Being on the highway, could check the handling abilities at high speed and braking in wet conditions. Felt great control. As we progressed into the jungles, and thanks to a red bus, one side wheels had to go off the road and soft, wet mud made it lose traction. A bit of forward and reverse movement and keeping the handle straight brought the car back on the road and things went smooth. Drove through the jungles to Hoggenakal falls, saw the crowd there and decided to return back. Took a different jungle route, enjoyed some breathtaking virgin forests, untouched by man and had to cross a stream with upto one foot water four times. Had an exhilarating experience and the tyres did amazingly well. There was no noise, the steering was soft, it took on the rough and off road very well and was effortless.

In my earlier post titled "New Tyres", had mentioned the reason for buying Cooper over other brands. Anyway, repeating again, because of the fair amount of off road and jungle travel I do, I was more concerned with the strength of the sidewalls than noise, high speed control, etc. On advice from Raveendra bhai, had narrowed down to Pirelli but was on the verge of finalizing Bridgestone Potenza when I got a chance to physically compare Michelin, Pirelli (used tyre), Bridgestone and Yokos along with Cooper at the tyre shop. The sidewall strength of Cooper seemed to be the best and the thread pattern was also good. So, decided on Cooper. Also, there was a 3 year unconditional replacement guarantee on pro-rota basis.

I upsized to 185/70/R13 on the stock metal rims from 165/80/R13. Got more rubber with perhaps a tad bit drop in height.

How much did you pay per tyre so we all can know. 3 year unconditional replacement guarantee on pro-rota basis - this looks too good. Can you eloborate this I can understand manufacturing defect etc but what do you mean pro-rata basis?

Happy to know you are the first amongst us to go for Cooper Tyres. I suggest keep updating this thread after you clock some 2000 / 5000 kms to know how the thread wear happens.Are these hard / soft compound tyres?
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Minggu, 03 Oktober 2010

Identifying all my crankcases?

I recently acquired Dale Tholen's "Thundermug" H modified racecar and a boatload of spares. I have 8 crankcases, 7 blocks and three cranks, one of which I know is a "good" steel one - it rings like a bell. Problem - how do I tell if any of my crankcases are the good "strapped/military" versions? I have two sets of main bearing caps (not installed onto any of the crancases, however) that either have been machined flat to match the steel caps or are factory-produced flat versions - I don't know which. Three of the crankcases have the "extra" rear oil seal boss molded into the end and one of them has a very thick front crank seal area. Three of them have huge oil passage holes for the main bearings, all of which appear to be factory. All the webs look to be the same thicknesses. Some of the oil galleries have either been drilled or are factory-drilled. Are there any specific characteristics that I can look for that will identify the "good" crankcases?

I am delighted to hear that the Thunder Mug is in good hands. I will not attempt to identify the crankcases but will leave that to an expert such as Barry Seele. I will add from personal experience that you MUST get the crankcase line bored with the main caps in the places that they will actually be installed. My experience has been that Crosley crankcases are often quite out of whack which causes all manner of problems. Another thing to check is the bottom flange of the lock. A light cut on a milling machine will ensure that it is really flat. You might also check to see if the block has been milled previously as this can affect the compression especially if you are going to use special pistons which is a very good idea. Look carefully for cracks between the intake and exhaust valve seats.

If the main caps are not on, then the cases are all but junk. I have not found anybody that has a line boring machine that goes small enough for the Crosley. I have plenty of military cases, and a few heavy Fageol cases.

There is a guy near Redding CA that line bores Crosley cases on a regular basis. I will get his address and post it as soon as I can. You quoted me $2850 using my crank and crankcase. How much would using one of your crankcases add to the price? I have a camshaft that's got pretty tall and sharp lobes, it might be able to be used. What about using the Aerojet block? Is the Fageol better and bigger? What HP will the Fageol be

making if you build it for power AND longevity?
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Selasa, 28 September 2010

Fiat Official Reply - Dhamaka Offer

Hi All,

I am Harshad from Trivandrum. I'd had a booked Palio SDX 1.3 during the dhamaka offer (Booking date - 30 June 2010).

This has been quite a frustrating experience as every time the dealer commits for a delivery and then backs out. Last month, he confirmd that there will be 5 palios reaching September end, which never came along.
Today I called up the Fiat call center number from their website and they unworriedly informed that Palios are no longer going to be produced. This has been by far my worst experiences.. someting which is just not acceptable from a global company.

I wanted to check with you guys


1) Has anybody has availed discount of Punto from Fiat as a goodwill gesture?
2) Is there any use of going to consumer courts to sue Fiat?


No use. Just as them for a discount but even that will be small. Looks like they decided the are stopping production and then issue an advert for the remaining cars which I'm sure are snapped by those having people working there.

As an alternative you can get used ones from 08 or even 09, just keep a look out.

thank your lucky stars...... just take your booking money back and buy any other car.. imagine people who already have one and running pillar to post for service and spares!! you are a lucky man.. come on..



i had palio form dhamaka offer and to my experience is very bad since then i had some issues with the car which are still pending it has been three months my complains are still pending, despite communication with top officials with the help of PUG its not complete yet fiat has taken 3 months to provide steering wheel and its still on its way yet not reached me, and so many other things if i write it will take one whole day. And SPARES AVAILABILITY WILL BE MAJOR ISSUE NOW, SAY SERVICE WE CAN MANAGE FROM OTHER GARAGES BUT WHO WILL PROVIDE SPAREES AS FIAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH IT THEY WORK LIKE KING """ WE DONT HAVE IN STOCK,,,, PRODUCTION HAS STOPPED BL;A BLAA """"""""""ARE THE ANSWERS AND WVERONE KNOWS ABOUT TATA A**

Thank you guys for your replies.. I guess that is end of Fiat story for me. You guys are missing something here. The palio variants going out of  production is a 1 year old story. Everybody knew it or had a whiff of  it. FIAT themselves were not encouraging bookings. So, REALISTICALLY, The 'dhamaka offer' was a clearance sale, Pioneered by our very own PUG members and extended nation wide. All those who booked under the scheme knew fully well that FIAT has 'step motherly  treatment' towards Palios and are not very interested. Everybody knows this. There are issues with service, spares and what not. Yet you undertook the risk of purchasing the car that is at its fag end of production, for it seemed 'value for money' and you had reasons of your own.


Now every SALE be it clothing or electronics comes with fine print like " no warranty, no exchange". We pick up stuff knowing the risk fully well.. same goes here....!


Pravin, there is no point is crying. You knew fully well that the Palios are being stopped and service is shaky. There are threads on  this forum about the same. Yet you decided to book the same and go ahead. The problem then is in your backyard and now u will have to learn to live with it, else u should have gone in for some other car or picked up a Punto, where the service spares etc is better. why the dying Palio..? Just because it came at a throw away price..!. That to me would be an absolutely silly decision.



I bought my 1.6 stile in Jan 2009 with a discount knowing fully well about the consequences. The 1.6 was being stopped and I knew spares would be a bigger problem, because it already was a big problem. Infact spares for the 1.6 are even more rare than the multijet. And i pity the 1.9D owners. Thats even worse..!



Atleast you have the swift DDIS and the TATA VISTA engines, Punto diesel etc for company and engine spares can be procured. So, i dont know what this 'I cant get spares talk is all about'. You guys are definitely in a better position. if you are talking about Cosmetic spares like, bumpers, steering wheel, a/c vents, headlamp units etc etc they are anyways difficult to procure for any of the old Palios. The stile models have some in stock. You should have probably checked and considered these things in the beginning before purchase and if they were not up to your standard then moved on to another model or another brand. I and some of us here in Mumbai have made an effort to develop a great rapport with the service center guys , so that i dont face any difficulty. Now these guys are friends and they take care of my car well. Spares - thanks to PUG for putting KAVA on the map, good spares can be got with not too much difficulty.



My suggestion, Try other service centers and see if they have stock. If they do, then work it out with your dealer or since your car is under warranty, u can get it done there. Alot of it also is also dealer lethargy. Im not aware of your back story. But on the contrary other people who have purchased the same SDX even some early 2009 models seem to be happy with their purchase. So, call it your bad luck. You all knew what was coming. Lets get REAL here..!



Harshad, you may be lucky ( for not owning a Lemon..!) or unlucky ( for not being able to own a great car..! with added baggage..!) depending on how you view it. But I would suggest, you take your money and move 
on. If you still want to put you money on a troubled product then do so at your own risk and don't complain. Go to the consumer court for what..? We all own palios old and new and figure out ways between ourselves to keep her up on the road in great shape, cos we love our cars dearly.
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Senin, 27 September 2010

I need help on a CD convertible

Could I prevail on some of you convertible(CD)owners to take and send me via email some close up pics of how the wood side pieces are on the car ? What I need to see is how they are in relationship to the metal edges and drip rails. Also any pics of how the front top attaching "anchors" work ? If you have one restored that fine and even an unrestored one would work too as long as it has the wood pieces still on it.

Making new wood sides is not a problem for me but I just need to wrap my mind around how they look when attached (up close). All the convertible pics I have found on the website are not close enough to get a good idea.


I know the CC tops snapped across the front edge but the CDs used some sort of screw in latches ?????

I'll get/post some pics in the next couple of days. The wood on my 'vert is probably original. there is a metal piece at the front of the top where it attaches above the windshield. it screws into the windshield frame with large anchor bolts.
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Minggu, 26 September 2010

The mysterious ECU lamp!

If the ECU lamp stays on, that means there is some fault logged, and its due to an intolerant sensor. But if it goes away it means the misbehaving sensor has become 'alright'. As i read in Fiat forum, the intermittent light is mostly caused by the RPM sensor/Sending unit.



BTW, how does the ECU light looks like in the SLX? Is it an orange engine symbol? I don't have it in my ELX and never seen in GTX/Petra. If you are in Bangalore and still having the ECU light on, I can help in trying to find out the fault code using the diagnostic software. (if time/space permits :) )


The ECU warning lamp in Palio Stile is red (Like the battery / Parling brake / Oil warning signals) and has an elongated shape.  



Guys.. this is strange. I have never seen any ECU lamp on my Palio GTX 2002 model. Not even during starting. Car runs fine, no problems at all. Should I get it checked or leave it like that? 
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Sabtu, 25 September 2010

Crosley Collection For Sale - MO - $650

I posted to fast and didn't see the ful list. Here is what Bill Bicknell has for sale.

I have been an automotive literature and memorabilia collector for over 50 years and have decided it is time to liquidate most of my collection. The Crosley portion is just a small part of the collection. If you are interested in other makes, please let me know. I will sell various package deals, but I am not interested in selling one item at a time.

I have a variety of automotive and non-automotive Crosley items to be sold as a package deal. A description is as follows:

Automotive:
1.Frame with front and rear axle and pedal assemblies, cable brakes
2.Frame with front springs, rear bumper and spare tire holder
3.Bumper (1950-51?)
4.Tin block (block only)
5.Literature:
 
a.Three 8-1/2X11 glossy photos (maybe factory?), two of engine, one of Powell Crosley holding engine
b.Braje catalog dated 1981 (repro?)
c.Speed equipment – several copies of early speed catalogs showing Crosley items
d.Hot Shot brochure
e.Several of the common post-war literature items
f.Parts list – original black cover with raised red embossed letters
g.Crosley Data Book (binder only, no info inside), measures about 5"X6"
h.Ink stamp that says "Crosley Motors"
i.Newsletters - various

Non-Automotive:
1.Ten household radios, two are clock-radios (40's - 50's vintage)
2.Radio-phonograph (40's - 50's vintage), wood case has been recently refinished
3.Dinner plate advertising Crosley automatic dishwasher
4.Literature:
 
a.Radio Service Manual – 1943
b.Shelvador refrigerator manual – 1946-47
c.Shelvador instruction manuals, two different ones (40's or 50's)
d.Crosley Electric Range manual
e.Crosley TV diagrams manual

Price: $650 all
Shipping: No shipping, all items must be picked up.

If you are interested in other non-Crosley package deals, ask about the following:
 
1.Tucker, Muntz, Heathkit, Industrial Engines, Boats, Car Magazines mostly 50's (over 300), Stamp Collection
2.Other – do you have specific requests?

Bill Bicknell
11875 Stoney Ridge Ct.
Rolla, MO 65401
Home/office: 573-364-8586

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Kamis, 23 September 2010

Hagley car show


Pete and I were honored to be included in the feature class (compact cars) at the Hagley Museum (DE) car show on Sunday, and had our 1951 super wagon on display; parked next to Jean Cassidy with her original 1941 coupe.  Naturally both cars were smaller than the compacts, but they were a big hit and got lots of attention.  We spoke with spectators that remembered seeing a HotShot and a FOR there several years ago. 
It's still not too late to get your Crosley out of the garage and to a car show this year!  Pete and I have shows scheduled through the beginning of Nov.  People love seeing them and hearing about them.

I am surprised they remembered given the fine assortment of cars they get there. That was My Hotshot and Merle Tiger's FOR and that was probably 4 years ago!!!
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Selasa, 21 September 2010

Palio Stile 1.6 Starting Problem

did you try out a spare RPM sensor at your local mechanic? Not sure if that can be the culprit? Palio Adventure 1.6L/100BHP, 2002, 83k km, Silver Frost Siena ELX 1.6L/100BHP, 2003, 59k km, Tangerine Mist

  

I have a Palio Stile 1.6 Sport - year 2007 model. I have been unable to start the car inspite of repeated intervals at cranking the engine. The electrician did a check up and says there is nothing wrong with the battery, starter motor, fuse or any other electrical component. A mechanic has pointed to the Fuel pump failure as a possible cause of starting  failure.


Question  - is there a way of checking if the fuel pump is working fine or does it have to be removed from under the rear seat and sent for inspection  or  calibration. Any pointers would help - as i am stuck with the car parked in my garage.
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Senin, 20 September 2010

Wipers not coming back to their resting place - My exp

Friday morning I suddenly noticed this behavior - had never happened before. The wipers wouldn't come to their position. The speed was same on all 3 settings.

Got the wiper motor assembly replaced today noon. It was covered in warranty. The cost on the bill is ~2850. So with labor it would account to something between 3-4K.

The entire assembly has to be changed - there cannot be any repairs. The assembly for Stile is different from Palio.

I think during monsoons they have many issues with wiper motors, so they have them stocked up. I got my work done quickly as the vehicle was in warranty period. If it had been extended warranty, then it would take 3-4 days to get the claim approved from the insurer company. This company is located somewhere in Gurgaon and the 'extended warranty representative' at the ASS will check your service records and study your case and then send an email to this insurer company. When a confirmation is received, the ASS will replace the part for free.


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Sabtu, 18 September 2010

DeLaSalle Charter High School Builds 300MPG Electric Car

A new electric car can get more than 300 miles per gallon. That's three, zero, zero. But this car wasn't created by forward-thinking manufacturers in Japan, Detroit or Germany. It's the brainchild of
students from DeLaSalle Education Center, a high school in Kansas City, Mo. for students who need an alternative to the traditional system.

DeLaSalle Charter High School Builds 300MPG Electric Car Video, Photo and Story <http://www.panacea-usa.org/>

what good an electric car,if it cannot help a father to sell the icy cool dessert?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5UXEZITJ-E :D just kidding.

on a more serious note,I think the project itself will be very inspirational to kids all around the globe on what they can contribute for the environment and society despite them being just... school students. but the drawback of this type of project is that,obviously it need a lot of cash...or at least thats what the images says.

Which reminds me....my uncle have several unit of old washing machine in his workshop...hmmmmm

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Jumat, 17 September 2010

Broken crank

I got the engine out and dropped the pan, no broken crank. Got too looking and discovered that the flywheel was loose. The bolts were finger loose and the pins had backed out. Glad there was no broken crank!

Lucky. ;You may want to loctite those bolts.

I already did.
That's great news Barry! Is that Stonys engine?

No it belongs to John Boylan, from Louisville, KY He was at the nationals this year, the black rat rod looking one.
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Rabu, 08 September 2010

SUPERSPORTS TOPS NOW AVAILABLE

I have been working with a local guy to make tops for Crosleys. I got the first prototype today made of blue vinyl which we fit onto my SS and it fit well. The prototype is available for sale at 200.00 (no snaps, bows or tools). For everyone who is waiting for a complete correct top, I am taking orders. The top will be in the correct black Hartzcloth with red trim identical to the one on my SS. It will include side curtains with black zippers and the top bow support straps. It will NOT include top bows, snaps or tools to install. The cost will be 650.00 plus shipping if I get orders for one or 2, and 550.00 each plus shipping if I get orders for 3 or more. The next thing available will be Hotshot tops followed by Farm O Road. I will also be doing prewar convertable coupe in the near future. Please contact me at tmkldwwj@yahoo.com to order. Payment will be required on completion of top and prior to shipment.

That sounds most fair according to what I've spent for tops and curtains.
I'm not familiar with the SS side curtains. Do they have metal frames or depend on the top and windshield for support?..............

They use the top for support but they do have a semi rigid piece accross the front that serves as a seal and gives a little support. I am making a couple of dollars to cover my expenses but no real profit on the cost. I really don't want to be in the "top business" but it seems there is a need. As soon as I set it up, I am going to turn it over to a permanant vendor.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Senin, 06 September 2010

Finally.....Finally and Finally my search is over

Hi All,


Wanted to share my happiness with all of you. I was obsessed with old generation Palio's for many reasons and was looking for a used one since start of this year. Came very close to few deals but missed it coz of competition:)  (though feeling good now).
 
During May'10(Dhamaka Season for few Virtual for me:( ) i and my friend booked Palio SDX'10 model and from then on started counting days to enjoy my Palio until mid of August when finally FIAT management called off the Dhamaka offer.

Though i was badly frustrated by FIAT management my longing to own a Palio did not reduce. so my search started again till last week....

Finally last week i bought a black colour single owned June 2008 SDX clocked 34800kms from Prerana Used car division in lag bagh road,bangalore for 3.4Lakhs.(Felt happy the way previous owner maintained it)
Our family badly needed a vehicle and since i could not afford a new punto or figo i had to go for a used Palio against the parents wishes. This is my first ownership and am ignorant about cars, but i could defientely feel the power and stability which it rendered during the test drive so immedietely closed the deal.

Me and my parents had to go for Chennai trip last weekend and my parents half heartedely accepted my proposal of going in car to chennai(340kms from bangalore). But on the way back Palio impressed my parents too when effortlessly cruising over 100KMPH. I had a fun time riding it while coming back yesterday as on the way to chennai we hired a driver since it was a night journey. As i told this is my first car so being a amateur driver i could not win many a competitions against Swift's,FIGO's and I10's on highway(many of you might know the road between Bangalore and chennai is really good but toll part of it.....lets forget it)

Few points worth discussing:

1)Engine power even at low and over 2500 RPMs is really enjoyable(credits goes to FIAT and previuos owner for maintaining it well)

2)Mileage for 850KMs trip was 18+kmpl with 100% AC ON including 50-100km of bumper to bumper traffic in chennai.

3)Though stability is great while doing a S-Type overtake at 100KMPH i was not so confident,i think wheel alignment has to be done.

4)There is a irritating vibration sound coming from rear door from glass this started coming when i filled my tyre pressure to 32psi.

5)Clutch is really hard my left leg is paining.

6)Driver seating position is not all that great(i am 5"8') and i got some lower back pain and neck pain from my yesterdays trip back from chennai.

7)Gear shifting is tough especially 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd (and getting accustomed to the FIAT type reverse gear now)

8)need to do sunfilming for rear right hand side window and CR70 for front glass.

9)AC is ok but during long distance travel, if i switch off AC after continuous use for about a hour and keeping fan on within 5 minutes i feel suffocated, dont know if it is because of chennai-bangalore route.

10)There is slight rubbing needs to be done on bonnet as previous owner said cement water dropped on bonnet for the whole night

11)Complete cleaning interior/exterior needs to be done, will it help if i do 3M treatment.
 
The vehicle is due for service at 36000kms(i clocked around 1000KMS in three days :S so it is now at 35900) and am planning to go to Prerana Old Madras road,bangalore. Any pointers for issues or contact person.


Congratulations on the acquisition. We are sailing in the same boat, bought mine - May 2008 Black SDX,  had done 27,000 this April.

Family travelled from Pune to Kolhapur , Goa, Konkan coast n back .... the honeymoon with FIAT has just begun & believe me it will not end...The sorry n  chaotic traffic in Pune does not bother me anymore... Your concerns which I can answer...


Point No 5 & 6 - I had exactly similar problems...sever lower back pain stiffness even for city runs. After some trial & errors getting the clutch checked with BUB & a friend, removed the seat cover, stuffed Hitlon [the spungy material thats used to protect PCs etc "in the cavity of the seat only, not the complete surface" & then a 32mm/ density foam sheet on top covering the full surface. Now I have a decent height & probably the angle with which the foot presses the pedal has changed as even I am 5'8" too. 

I guess its worth a try if it works for you, the investment is just 250-300 bubks. No issues since then even on long drives.



Point No 7 - The gears are "mukhann" but the root problem I feel is in point 5 & 6, bcos of the leg/back pain. 
In Fiat one needs to Floor the Pedal completely & the gears shift smoothly. Point No 8 - I too do feel irritated when the dashboard gets heated up & throws hot air on my face inspite of such a fantastic a/c.


But living in Pune traffic, have not had the courage to do the front glass filming ..... people w/o headlights on their bikes / cycles jut out anytime ..... not sure of how much it affects the visibility...



Point No 9 - Check the Manual, there are 2 options , A/c air-intake Open & to close it off. One needs to allow fresh air intake, especially on long rides.
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Minggu, 05 September 2010

Body parts

I am trying to find someone who makes frame around the front window for
Ford Econoline model 1987. I am rebuilding my Econoline

Try : http://www.showcars-bodyparts.com/fordvan.html
Keep On Vannin',
BlueThunder
BlueThunder@ThundersGarage.com


Ford E250 Sportsmobile 4x4 Van
Visit my Internet 4x4 Van Shop:
www.ThundersGarage.com
~ Your Virtual 4x4 VAN Experience ~
Ive delt with show cars and they ripped me off for the mounting kit for a gull wing door I paid for up front .

I have two rear doors from my 79 Ford. This van has never saw snow; I installed a fiberglass gullwing and don`t need the stock ones anymore. Unfortunatly I`m in South Bend, Indiana .

Take up to 3 photos, list all the info about them and I will put it in my "Parts 4 Sale" area...
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Jumat, 03 September 2010

Paint Question

I have a local paint shop shooting the jeep. He does not like the paint to begin with because he has never heard of Gillispie. He feels that it is not a "professional product" for automotive use, more an industrial coating for stationary equipment and the like and is concerned that I will not be happy with the result. He cannot however get a matching color/finish with the PPG products that he shoots. I spoke with GCI in Texas and they said any alkyd enamel hardner will work but that the addition of hardner will only make the paint more glossy, will not contribute to a higher durability, and will just make it dry faster. They said just don't use any hardner if I have sufficient drying time. The painter is going to shoot my YJ as the last vehicle of the day and leave it in the spray booth overnight to dry. 

I am having ppg paint mixed for my jeep with a flattener added. It will be very flat however it is a pain to match as the flattening agent dramatically changes the final color. It is also 3x the cost of gillespe but more durable. You also need to use a good epoxy primer-again more expensive. I have used Gillespe before with good results but it is very soft paint.

Your painter is right. I used the paint because I wanted the color to be correct. The paint chips and fades easily. Contact the puget sound military vehicle club( on the website). One of the members mentioned a paint supplier in Bremerton, Washington that has military paint chips and can match military colors. Just a thought.

I have a local paint shop shooting the jeep. He does not like the paint to begin with because he has never heard of Gillispie. He feels that it is not a "professional product" for automotive use, more an industrial coating for stationary equipment and the like and is concerned that I will not be happy with the result. He cannot however get a matching color/finish with the PPG products that he shoots. I spoke with GCI in Texas and they said any alkyd enamel hardner will work but that the addition of hardner will only make the paint more glossy, will not contribute to a higher durability, and will just make it dry faster. They said just don't use any hardner if I have sufficient drying time. The painter is going to shoot my YJ as the last vehicle of the day and leave it in the spray booth overnight to dry. Thanks for the answers.


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Kamis, 02 September 2010

throttle

Anyone know why the throttle handle pushes out when I press on gas ? How to cure?


at the "pedal" end of the throttle cable, there's a cable stop (a nipple with a lock screw). This cable stop should be behind the pedal, attached to the throttle inner cable where it comes through the tip of the gas pedal. The pedal should allow the cable to slide through the pedal tip on acceleration via the gas pedal.


So there are four possible reasons why the throttle handle is pushing out:-



1. The throttle inner cable stop is in front of the pedal instead of behind:
2. The throttle inner cable stop is stuck to the pedal:
3. The throttle inner cable is stuck in the pedal tip (it should slide freely):
4. The throttle inner cable is kinked and is being trapped in the pedal tip.


Let us know what you find...........


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Selasa, 31 Agustus 2010

wipers not coming back to their resting place

Need your help to know what could be the reason for this before I visit the service station.

 
The wipers blades are not coming back to their usual resting place after choosing the neutral position. On sunday, I did a long drive to Mysore and encountered some heavy rains. It all worked fine then. On Monday, i got the car washed and went out in the evening. As it was still drizzling, I used the wipers. But, to my horror, the wipers are not coming back to their usual resting place. 



Has happened in my earlier M800 and was due to worn rubber. If you havent changed the blades in the past year, consider Bosch one--been using them for abt 8 months and are excellent. But a bit surprised coz fiat has a much powerful motor and should work quite well. Probably, worth your while checking the connections too. Rarely, overzealous cleaning can cause a bit of a bend/ twisting of the blades causing it to malfunction--could have happened as a result of the wash.


I had this problem one day with my Petra. The wipers work but would not return to the resting position. I started a reboot that evening. Connected the battery cable only the next day and the wipers returned to their normal position. The only other possibility is when the earth wire from the wiper motor gest disconnected. If this happens the"Auot rest" function does not work.

My palio has same issue. I showed it to service center last year and they do not  have any solution. I also observed that after long use, 1st and 2nd has same  speed. If you stop the car for 5/10 mins it works fine again. Since, i could not  find the solution, i decided to live with it.

Your Intermittent speed is not working. It is bcoz of the circuit fitted on the wiper motor.For that u have to change a whole wiper motor assembly.Sometimes it is caused due to moisture on the circuit.It is covered under extended warranty so you can just check it out.

I have been living with this problem for an year. I was told that the entire motor assembly needs to be changed, and it will cost me about 4-5k. I have now got adjusted to this problem.
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Sabtu, 28 Agustus 2010

crosley military engine

I've got my hands on a military engine. I hope someone can tell me what it might have been used for and what the hp is.
It has a spacer plate between the block, and the crankcase to lower compression ratio, so it could run low grades of gasoline. It is 21 hp, and was probably used on a generator. That is the best engine to use to build a high performance engine.
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Kamis, 26 Agustus 2010

Eagerly waiting for my Palio Stile SLX

I've booked a Palio Stile SLX in the Dhamaka offer, and am eagerly waiting for the delivery of the car. I'm sure there are a few more guys on the list who too booked the cars in this offer. So, I thought I would like to share a mail I've got from the dealer, Prerana Motors, near HSR Layout. The mail I got is copy 'n pasted below, and my response further below. I hope this will cool any frayed nerves out there.


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Dear Mr Kiran,

Greetings from Preranamotors.

We thank you all for your support in the Fait cars & apologize for the delayed supply.


We have got the information that the Palio manufacturing is still getting delayed due to some parts issues & are getting the components imported. As per the latest information only 46 units are going to be released all over india on the basis of bookings across the country. The balance numbers will be coming in the month of October.



As a matter of goodwill we are proposing for the following two options for Prerana Motors customers.



1) We will refund 49000/- to all customers who want to retain the bookings till october. Rs 1000/- will be kept towards booking & we will collect the balance after confirmation of billing.


2) We will offer 40000/- discount on available Punto Euro 3 vehicles if the customer is interested to buy Punto ( Petrol or Diesel) We feel sorry for the inconvience & appreciate your support in getting the cars delivered at the earliest.



Please call me for any clarification or you can mail me your concerns which will be forwared to Fiat motors & addressed with due respect & concern.


Thanks & regards,
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My response:
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Dear Mr. Ashok,


Thanks for the intimation regarding the delay in the delivery schedule of  Palio. As you already know, I've booked a Palio Stile SLX (Petrol), Black color.



I would like to know if my car is among the 46 units that are going to be released in the month of September. If you can confirm this, I need to plan my course of action accordingly, like selling my existing car.



If my car is not in the lot of 46 mentioned above, I would like to avail your goodwill offer and retain my booking by taking a refund of Rs. 49,000/- and keeping a Rs. 1,000/- towards the booking for my Palio Stile SLX.



So, either way, a commitment on a delivery date range is very important to me, and I'm hoping to hear from you soon with the confirmation.



I appreciate both Prerana Motors and Fiat for the honest and transparent approach in this regard, and am looking forward for a long term relationship
with both.
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