wilkingj
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 03:10 PM |
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Whaaaaaa Booooo Hoooo Hooooo :-(
I'm feeling really sad . Just watched the new owner drive off in my (sorry... HIS) Viento.
I think I need to get my Flying Partner from the cupboard later tonight. Mr Famous Grouse, and I can have a serious chat about old times.
I know I am going to miss the Viento, and will probably never have another.
The money is going to get me a Camper (Transit type). But I will still try to get to the shows and camp in the camper! Where there's a will
theres a way.
As per standing orders on the forum, there is a short Video of its departure.
LINKY
I did take the chap out and show him how it corners, and how they break away quickly. What with the Quick Rack, and a V8, I dont want him coming a
cropper, let alone him damaging the Viento, or himself. He had not drive a rear wheel drive, let alone a kit car. So I am concerned for him. On a plus
side he is a biker, so he has that awareness on his side.
I'm definately feeling sad...
If anyone sees him about down in Kent (canterbury area) , give him a wave from me.
Now... wheres my mate Mr Grouse
PS... I have decided to find all my Matchless G3LS parts and re-assemble them for my next project.
It was stripped down about 12 years ago and the parts are somewhere in the garage!
Although its not a kit car, I will not be leaving the forum. There are too many decent types on here and I would really miss them as well. That would
be too much to cope with!
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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Ivan
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 03:16 PM |
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I can only imagine how you would feel - can't even even think of one day selling my Cobra after 23 years never mind after 6 - feel for you mate.
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jase380
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 03:19 PM |
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Sad day mate, felt the same when my Indy went..... I soon got over it though when it pissed it down from may through to october !!
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AndyW
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 03:29 PM |
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Sad day Geoff!
I feel for you so I dug this out the cupboard to join in!!
[Edited on 28/10/12 by AndyW]
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Daddylonglegs
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 03:56 PM |
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Sad day indeed!
Mind if I join in with the consoling? I'm over in Dehli on work for the week and I always take a bottle of Whyte & (for medicinal purposes
of course - kills the bugs)
It looks like the Midget is winning at the moment......
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 05:55 PM |
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Sad day, I might join you in a glass or two
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wilkingj
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 06:36 PM |
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It just got worse. The chap has rung to say that there is a coolant leak at the Rad end of the car, and that the fans arent running, and the brake
light is not working.
He thinks they are related. I am not so sure. I think the brake light is possibly a sticky switch. Someone on here had just that problem a while back,
but I cant remember who. It hasnt been used much (300 miles since Sept last year) and that could be the cause. This is simple to test, and told him
how to check. I think the way Luego tell us to put the switch in a vertical position is a bad idea. As it is possible to get an air bubble in the
switch which is difficult to get out, and could cause it to stick, or it could be just plain lack of use. Although its easy to confirm, as its just a
case of pulling off the wires to the switch and shorting out to test. Lets face it a switch is just a controlled short circuit!
More worrying is the coolant issue, and the fans. The fans were definately working last time I fired it up a couple of days ago. As they came on when
I warmed it all up in the garage.
Now whether, one or both the fans or the Revtec thermostatic switch, or the relay that drives the fans has failed is another thing. I suspect that the
overheating is due to the fans not coming on. Although I would not expect it to leak at the rad end. Its just a blanking cap in the top of the rad. I
would expect it to raise the pressure cap at the expansion tank end.
Of course it is possible that a stone has hit the radiator, or some other leak has occured. I dont know as I am not there and cannot see whats
happened.
I feel quite bad about this as I know it was all running fine, last time I went out in it. Indeed it ran fine when we took it out for a quick spin to
the local petrol station this afternoon before he took it away.
Any suggestions or good ideas are most welcome.
EDIT:
I just took a look at the video of him leaving mine. The brake lights didnt come on at the end of the road, some 60+ miles before the coolant problem.
Therefore I think its reasonable to assume that the two issues are independant.
[Edited on 29/10/2012 by wilkingj]
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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richard thomas
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 06:52 PM |
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Get him to pull the connectors off the brake swith and clean the terminals/WD40 - mine has suffered from this a couple of times, switch is in a bad
place for corrosion from road salt....? In fact, just removing and reconnecting usually works....
If there is a leak and the coolant is low, could the temp sensors be 'dry', and hence not kick in the fans?
[Edited on 28/10/12 by richard thomas]
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wilkingj
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 07:09 PM |
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Agreed on the brake switch. I am positive its what it is and is a very minor issue. Its also poor positioning info from Luego.
The coolant level was fine as I checked it this morning, along with the oil level, and the tyre pressures.
I would not let a stranger take my car away, if I was not happy with it.
Its been a really reliable car, except for the Hazard switch after the downpour at Newark a few years ago.
I did give the car a once over earlier in the week as I know it had not been out for a long run since August, and even then has only amassed 300 miles
this year (actually since Sept last year, as it didnt go anywhere in the winter). It started as normal, I ran it up to temp, the fans came on, and
went off as expected. I was quite happy with it, until he rung this evening. Normally it doesnt miss a beat.
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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rusty nuts
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 08:48 PM |
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Had to change my brake light switch last year due to the brake lights not coming on except when very high pressure was applied to the pedal,it had
been fine since the car was built, it seems to be a common problem . Did a search on here IIRC trying to find a switch with a lower operating pressure
without success , ended up using a VW beetle or type 2 switch
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kenton
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| posted on 28/10/12 at 09:27 PM |
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The brake pressure switch went on mine (ive done 20K+ miles) i picked one up from CBS. As the car is now in kent why dont you point the new owner i
our direction
http://www.southernkitcars.com/forum/index.php
I would be happy to help as would other members.
Kenton
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rgrs
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| posted on 29/10/12 at 08:47 AM |
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If he wants me to have a look i can. Doesn't sound like anything too major.
u2u me if you want my number.
Regards Roger
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mcerd1
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| posted on 29/10/12 at 10:17 AM |
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doesn't sound too bad, so hopefuly it'll all be sorted soon
I've heard of lots of issues with brake pressure switches - thats why I'm not going to fit one, I'll fit a switch on the pedal
instead (just like my old tin-tops) that way at least if/when it stops working you don't need to blead the brakes again 
quote:
Originally posted by wilkingjIf anyone sees him about down in Kent (canterbury area) , give him a wave from me.
I'll be
down there next weekend, but I don't think the GF would apreciate me looking for/at cars (she hates driving at the best of times....)
ps- you lot are getting desperate if your drinking that p$$$ water 
[Edited on 29/10/2012 by mcerd1]
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mcerd1
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| posted on 29/10/12 at 10:23 AM |
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oh and good luck with the Matchless, my dad's been working on his for 45 years !
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wilkingj
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| posted on 29/10/12 at 10:49 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by mcerd1
doesn't sound too bad, so hopefuly it'll all be sorted soon
ps- you lot are getting desperate if your drinking that p$$$ water
[Edited on 29/10/2012 by mcerd1]
Ah... I'm saving my limited edition Bunnahabhain (1997 Bottle No 191 of 1235) for greater celebrations. The Grouse is for commiserations, and
sad days. Its horses for courses. ie Right tool for the job
 
Bunnahabhain 1997
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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wilkingj
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| posted on 29/10/12 at 11:17 AM |
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quote:
Originally posted by kenton
The brake pressure switch went on mine (ive done 20K+ miles) i picked one up from CBS. As the car is now in kent why dont you point the new owner i
our direction
http://www.southernkitcars.com/forum/index.php
I would be happy to help as would other members.
Kenton
I have urged him to join LCB, but have also emailed him the SCC site info.
Perhaps he will join both.
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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wilkingj
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| posted on 29/10/12 at 08:58 PM |
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Update:
Just had a phone call from Richard. The Brake switch is confirmed as stuck, sticking or just plain faulty. The lights work OK when the switch is
shrted out. So its a cheap and easy fix for the brake lights.
Nose cone to come off later in the week and look for the leak. It appears it was fairly low level leak, but never the less a leak that should not be
there.
Also I think we have fixed the other fault that he only mentioned tonight. The Horn doesnt work.
Well thats right if you press the horn nutton on the light stalk. The Viento horn is wired to the steeringwheel press button
So I think thats just down to operator error. Easily done, I never even gave it a thought that the horn was on the wheel switch not the satalk
switch. I suppose I should have mentioned it.
I'll keep you posted.
[Edited on 29/10/2012 by wilkingj]
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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SCAR
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 08:10 AM |
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So, just the type of things you come to expect with kit car ownership then. I think kit car newbies often dont understand what they are buying in to,
I hope the repair and maintenance calls you get dont exhuast your patience.
A friend of mine sold an old Triumph Gentry, the buyer drove it home and called him 11 months later to complain that the engine was smoking! (before
someone says it, no it didnt take him 11 months to get home).
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wilkingj
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| posted on 30/10/12 at 09:03 AM |
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The guy works on his car, and motorbike, and he sounds fairly clued up. I do understand he does'nt know the in's and out's of a kit
car. No Haynes book of lies to consult. Every Viento will be silghtly different. Its almost certainly small things, but I dont mind helping out,
with info etc.
I text'd him this morning re the brake switch. Just to say he only needs to bleed the front brakes. Its a twin master cylinder set up. He may
not have realised that, and hopefully it wil save him a little bit of work. Its things like that which you only find about when touy start working on
it.
I have urged him to join us here, as he would learn a lot, and meet up with other local people with kit cars. Its having access to that knowlege, and
people, along with the feeling you are not alone with your problem. Thats what counts and makes kit car ownership more of a joy than a contest with
the unknown.
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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wilkingj
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| posted on 7/11/12 at 12:04 AM |
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Have heard from Richard again.
Looks like the water leak was a small crack in the solder around the pressure cap housing on top of the rad.
I recon that area flexes a little bit with the heat and pressure, which may have caused the crack to appear.
I think careful attention with a blowlamp and some solder will cure that.
This happened before 3 or 4 years ago.
Might be worth checking if you have the Luego Radiator for the Viento.
1. The point of a journey is not to arrive.
2. Never take life seriously. Nobody gets out alive anyway.
Best Regards
Geoff
http://www.v8viento.co.uk
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