Blatting around Pendle

I am slowly finding a good set of roads to take the car on around Pendle.  Not main roads as they are too busy, not B roads as the car bottoms out.  On top of the that there are some great views to be had if you hit the road at 6.30am.  I do think we are enjoying a very unusual summer / year.  Only once have I been prevented from going out for a blat.  Certainly getting my money's worth out of it this year.

Parked up on Pendle Road just outside Downham.

Parked up on Pendle Road just outside Downham.

Near Newchurch in Pendle.

A lovely day for blatting.

Prop Shaft Grease ???

I decided to jack the car up today and take the torque wrench to all the bolts now I have covered nearly 1500 miles.  Rear Wheel hubs were spot on as were most other bolts.  However the exhaust side engine mount bolts (3 No.) needed 1/4 turn each, the gearbox to chassis needed 1/4 turn and the long diff bolt needed 1/4 turn.

Whilst under the car I noticed a black line of something where the prop joint is.  I had coated the tunnel in Dinitrol before installing the prop so the brown stuff is just dinitrol.  Should I be concerned about the black line?  It does look like grease and certainly lines up with the prop joint.  Is the joint losing grease and should I be worried?

Propshaft with line of what appears like grease on the inside of the tunnel which is itself coated with dinitrol.

Solenoid / Starter Motor Connections

It seems a few of us struggle to know which wires go where, myself included so here is a picture of my connections now that I am up and running.

Right Hand Connector has the red from the battery, two browns from the loom and a cable with heat shrink.  The Left hand connector has a solid cable to the starter and does not need touching.  The Middle Bottom connector has two white/red wires from the loom.

Another picture although not that clear.  There's not a lot of room in there.

Forest of Bowland Blat II

Got up at 6.30 to get out to beat the traffic (cyclists), had a fabulous two hour drive around Waddington, Newton, Chipping, Longbridge and Haslingdon.  Kids were just getting up when I got home.  Gotta love summer and sevens.

I have never been one for sat navs, always preffered to read a map the night before and trust my memory.  Call it age, blame the seven, I don't know, but even the basic Nuvi 2497 is a godsend in a Caterham.  Draw the map on the computer, download it and off you go.  Effortless and if you speed past a turning it sorts you out.

Can't remember where I parked but it must have been near Dunsop Bridge.  A lovely drive and the heater was very welcome given I set off in shorts and a t-shirt.

Cadir Idris - July 2014

Having walked up Cadir Idris a few years ago and seen nothing due to the weather it seemed ideal to take the Caterham down for a long weekend and have another go.

We set off early on Friday and used the motorways for 50-60 miles before heading through Mold, Denbigh, Llansannan, Llanfair TH, Llangernew, Llanwrst, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Dolgellau and Tal y Llyn.  We stayed at Dolffanog Fach in the Caroll room and cannot recommend it enough.  The place is just perfect, luxury all the way with fantastic hosts in Carl and Sara.  Parking for the Caterham is also perfect and with the Caroll room you can keep an eye on your loved one.

Had a clear walk up Cadir Idris on Saturday before heading home on Sunday via Dolgellau, Porthmadog, Cricceth, Abersoch, Cricceth, Beddgelert, Betws y Coed, Llanwrst, Llangernew, Llansanan, Denbigh, Mold and then the motorways.

We had to use the roof for half the journey there and home and to be honest I found it fine.  A little noisier than without or is it just a slightly different kind of noise.  The wiper fuse kept blowing but it seems it may just be too small at 7.5A and it needs a 15A fuse.

As I learn more about the car, the clonks worry me less and less but the vibration / resonance does get a little bit annoying.  It seems to be at it's worst at 3750 on my car, I suspect other cars are different.  The easy remedy is to blitz through it, but the wife's not keen on that approach.

The car parked up at Dolffanog Fach.  The finish sauna behind.

Parked up in Dolgellau.  Three times we have stopped there for a look around and three times we have been disappointed.  I think we are done with the place now.

Parked up outside the Gelert shop in Beddgelert.

Heading up Cadir Idris

About 1/3 of the way up.

Heading back down.

The roof going on at the Black Lion in Llanfiar TH

Wifey taking snaps on route.  An intelligent go pro if you like.

Roof on but no wipers.