The Car Thread

[Hohum]

I can't answer those questions this evening I'm afraid, but on the short drive back home (distance of about 2-3 miles) I didn't notice any problems changing gear. I will check the gearstick movement in the morning though, thanks.

[vanpeebles]

Check your brake fluid level too and keep an eye out for any warning lights.

[Hohum]

Brake fluid is one of the first things I'll be checking - a quick google earlier suggested that it could also be that based on the lack of colour and oily nature. Fairly sure it isn't engine oil as that would be brown/black, but will be going through everything regardless.

[charlesr]

Is it a diesel? If so, don't drive it on the road. Diesel fuel is dangerous to cyclists and bikers (and cars if it's a large slick).

[Hohum]

Nope, not a diesel. I don't do many long distance runs so the extra fuel economy wouldn't benefit me, plus I prefer to avoid the [potentially expensive] hassle of particulate filters on modern cars.

[Yakumo]

I was bet today that I couldn't drift my car at 20KPH (12.4MPH) So off to the park next to my home we went. I did the drift, a wide drift I admit but a drift none the less. I'm now a nice 10'000 yen up. Don't you just love the so called "know it alls" of the world !(^o^)!

It does look like a wide turn from the video but if you check out the position of the front wheels you'll see it's not a turn.

Checkout the video here. http://www.segagagadomain.com/subaru-20kphdrift.htm

[abigsmurf]

He probably should've added the conditions "on dry tarmac"

[Yakumo]

He probably should've added the conditions "on dry tarmac"

yes, too true but he didn't. That's why I took him up on his bet. On dry tarmac in my car you need to be doing at least 35mph to get the backend out to a decent angle.

[charlesr]

Can't you just pull out of a junction giving it some caveman beans and get the back end coming round? Or does spinning round on the spot not count as a drift?

[Hohum]

Well I looked under the bonnet this morning... checked oil level, brake fluid level, power steering fluid level, coolant level - all fine (brake fluid in particular was still at MAX mark). Gear movement seemed to be fine aswell. Drove it to the garage who will check it over and get back to me later, but my guess at the moment would be a fuel leak somewhere. We'll see.

[Shez]

what car is it hohum?

[Yakumo]

@Hohum - My car was leaking a few months back which turned out to be transmission fluid yet all was fine when driving the car. Apparently it leaked because it was dirty and needed changing or so the mechanic said. It could also be anti-freeze that's leaking, that has an oily texture to it plus can be a variety of colours such as red, green, brown, orange or gold.

Can't you just pull out of a junction giving it some caveman beans and get the back end coming round? Or does spinning round on the spot not count as a drift?

Hmm, not technically unless I'm miss-understanding what a drift is. To me a drift is to take an apex and slide the car around it with the frond end always facing in the correct direction while the back swings round. Finishing off with the car continuing in the right direction without any nasty swerving.

I know a guy who works in my wife's place that does donuts of public roads. He's been fined more times than I can remember but still does it because he's got more money than sense. He's bloody 48 as well!!

[Hohum]

what car is it hohum?

Peugeot 206 (2002).

@Hohum - My car was leaking a few months back which turned out to be transmission fluid yet all was fine when driving the car. Apparently it leaked because it was dirty and needed changing or so the mechanic said. It could also be anti-freeze that's leaking, that has an oily texture to it plus can be a variety of colours such as red, green, brown, orange or gold.

Could be, but the stuff that is leaking doesn't seem to have any particular colour to it (bar the rainbow effect you can see on oily substances). Besides that, when I moved the car this morning, the road surface underneath/around my car had this fluid all over it... yet by the time I got back from the garage about 40 mins later, it had pretty much all evaporated and not left any trace that I could see. Still, shall wait to hear back.

[charlesr]

Hmm, not technically unless I'm miss-understanding what a drift is. To me a drift is to take an apex and slide the car around it with the frond end always facing in the correct direction while the back swings round. Finishing off with the car continuing in the right direction without any nasty swerving.

Yeah, so pull out of T-junction, dumping clutch so that all 4 wheels spin up and at the same time turning the wheel hard. The back end comes round faster than the front end is turning, so you are aiming at the kerb. Once it has started, engage opposite lock to ensure it goes down the road instead of into a ditch....

Easier in the rain. I tried it in the snow and it just turned round on the spot with me facing back into the junction (I got it right the next time).

It's sort of like a quarter of a donut I suppose. If there's opposite lock involved I think it counts as drifting.

[Yakumo]

Hmm, I'll give that a try in the park tomorrow if it's raining again. Don't want to do it if the ground is dry becausae all the stones in the grit wil scratch my car to death. Can't try it on any roads around here either due to living in a city. Maybe a trip to the mountains is in order again