My P38, 4.6 HSE has served me well since 2003, when I acquired it and its existing 72k miles. A few weeks ago, in attempt to stem rising oil consumption arising from the further 100k+ milesI have done since then, I decided to check valve stem oil seals and rocker cover oil seals. To get to the...

Six RR V8s plus a four year affair with a Lexus LS. Suppose I might be... But I have a one cylinder, 49cc 2-stroke van, so that shows I can stop any time I like!

After reading all the proposals for upgrading the sound system from the original Clarion, I recently followed the advice of one member here and simply phoned the Clarion service centre. For £100, I god a full refurb including new lcd panel, removal of the security code and a line in cable. The...

Well, I plumped for the one NOT showing the internals on the basis that the seller has good feedback and on the strength of a plan to give the seller grief if it is the wrong one and claim back on Paypal. I have found it to work in the past. I should say that over nearly eleven years with this...

Datatek, Many thanks. Had already decided NOT the bike this trip.

Thanks for the update on the weather. I agree about the BBC too - you'd scarcely believe that Europe existed if you listen to British news. I actually monitor Meteo France and French regional papers but thought a live view would be useful.

1 Realise I don't know how to identify the Mk 3 version. 2 How is the weather down there? I am driving down to Bergerac next weekend :-)

Datatek, Many thanks for that. In fact, it has been relatively little trouble, but I will be straight onto eBay in a minute. I am working through sorting out various minor irritations of which this is now top of the list. Cheers, Philip

Very late comment on this. I have this problem from time to time and it can be radio interference. It happened at Heathrow once, and after I was towed to the shelter of the A4 embankment out of line of sight of the radar, everything went back to behaving well. RAC man said he had seen it before...

Wammers, you are correct in theory. Sadly, on mine, the compressor started to work one day with my system empty and quickly started making a very strange noise. Oddly enough, it seized. I still don't know why this happened after the system had been empty for two years, but I still possess the...

I'd guess your aircon refigerant has all escaped, particularly as you are not getting cool air. Age rots the condenser unit. This is what happened to mine.

14 to 16 mpg around town and 18 to 20 mpg is about what I get too. I had five different Classics before this 4.6 and I reckon my current one is the least thirsty out of all the ones I have had. Worst was the twin carb 3.5 (2 door manual, no aircon, hardly any toys).

Did it a few weeks ago. It's not difficult, except that one of the fronts had glued itself in place, but after thirteen years, that's understandable. Solved it by sticking a woodscrew through the plastic endcap to "jack" it away from the metal. Very glad I did it - ride nicer ever since. Also...

My aircon costs about 2 mpg, or did when it was working. I guess that's around ten percent. If you want to disable it, undo the multiplug at the compressor - easier than finding the fuse? FOr the cost of the divorce, the new courtship and the retraining, you could buy a lot of unleaded...

I use James French and live in Oxford. If I were to move to Swindon, I'd still use them.