Plans for today (2024)

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TastyReuben said:
Maybe he got this one:

View attachment 109318

That means, “Your car is broken. Go back home and make a pot of tea.” :wink:
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No. We have one of those as well (and I've known him to drive with it on because "after 10 minutes or so it goes out" :banghead: , but that wasn't the one. And I've dipped the oil and its half way on the dip stick.

This one is amber, and has a wavy line underneath it. Like this, but it is next to the symbol for engine oil pressure. This one with the wavy line appears to reference engine oil levels in the actual engine itself, but I'll check with the handbook for the exact wording because it was obscure and having both of those symbols leaves me scratching my head... I don't quite understand what the actual difference is in terms of what's going on in the engine.

Screenshot_20240120_122145_Opera.jpg


The other one looks like an air filter symbol like this....

Screenshot_20240120_122708_Opera.jpg

However, the air filter is totally fine. It's brand new and looks it. And I can't see it detect any blockages and the engine runs fine, no issues with trying to stall or fumes from unburnt fuel etc.

So my best guess is that it all leads to an alternator fault light which is technically called the battery is discharging light and is a square red light next to the battery charge dial...

The reason engine was overheating is that I either still have a leak elsewhere (connection pipes perhaps) or the mechanic who filled the reservoir fell for the same 'trick' I did initially when I checked the fluid levels and went with the strain on the reservoir... I did that on Tuesday. But yesterday, it was still oddly enough showing the same level, so I actually took the lid off and got the steps out (don't laugh too loudly please) and peered into the reservoir and find that that level is just a stain on the reservoir from 2½ decades of radiator fluid... it isn't actually where the fluid was, which was below minimum, well below it. I had to siphon off a small sample of fluid from the radiator to check what colour coolant is in use. Unfortunately is a yellow one and we've only got the blue formula and you don't mix formulae... so I've topped it up with rain water for the moment, so I could test the engine and also see if I lose any more fluid from the radiator over the next day or two.

I suspect that either the alternator has failed or, the engine overheating again has simply tripped a whole load of random warning lights that won't clear until it visits a garage again. The battery levels are down on their usual level. It's an 18v battery, but it's showing around the 13-14v level at the moment. It's usually up around 16v or so.

Oh well... I expect that's the original alternator as well. Everything else is.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
No. We have one of those as well (and I've known him to drive with it on because "after 10 minutes or so it goes out" :banghead: , but that wasn't the one. And I've dipped the oil and its half way on the dip stick.

This one is amber, and has a wavy line underneath it. Like this, but it is next to the symbol for engine oil pressure. This one with the wavy line appears to reference engine oil levels in the actual engine itself, but I'll check with the handbook for the exact wording because it was obscure and having both of those symbols leaves me scratching my head... I don't quite understand what the actual difference is in terms of what's going on in the engine.

View attachment 109338

The other one looks like an air filter symbol like this....

View attachment 109346

However, the air filter is totally fine. It's brand new and looks it. And I can't see it detect any blockages and the engine runs fine, no issues with trying to stall or fumes from unburnt fuel etc.

So my best guess is that it all leads to an alternator fault light which is technically called the battery is discharging light and is a square red light next to the battery charge dial...

The reason engine was overheating is that I either still have a leak elsewhere (connection pipes perhaps) or the mechanic who filled the reservoir fell for the same 'trick' I did initially when I checked the fluid levels and went with the strain on the reservoir... I did that on Tuesday. But yesterday, it was still oddly enough showing the same level, so I actually took the lid off and got the steps out (don't laugh too loudly please) and peered into the reservoir and find that that level is just a stain on the reservoir from 2½ decades of radiator fluid... it isn't actually where the fluid was, which was below minimum, well below it. I had to siphon off a small sample of fluid from the radiator to check what colour coolant is in use. Unfortunately is a yellow one and we've only got the blue formula and you don't mix formulae... so I've topped it up with rain water for the moment, so I could test the engine and also see if I lose any more fluid from the radiator over the next day or two.

I suspect that either the alternator has failed or, the engine overheating again has simply tripped a whole load of random warning lights that won't clear until it visits a garage again. The battery levels are down on their usual level. It's an 18v battery, but it's showing around the 13-14v level at the moment. It's usually up around 16v or so.

Oh well... I expect that's the original alternator as well. Everything else is.
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The oil can with the wavy lines is low oil level. My Audi doesn't even have a dipstick. I check the oil with the car's computer screen in the center of the dash. How often do you change your oil and oil filter? Do you use full-synthetic or something else?

An oil pressure light could be related to low oil level, or an indication of a mechanical issue, like a worn oil pump.

The overheating issue could be a leak, or it could also be a mechanical issue, such as a worn water pump. The blue anti-freeze could be Penthosin, but that is only used in European cars, most prominently BMW brands (includes MINI). If it has not been done in years, you may want to have the cooling system flushed and refilled with a new 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water.

Do you've an auto parts store anywhere near you out there in the boonies? They will run a scan on your engine computer that will show fault codes for free... at least they will, here. That's the first ting I do when my cars are showing any lights, or acting up.
 
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Not much planned, although I may run to HEB later today when it will be a sunny and balmy 37F/3C. :laugh: The store will be packed, being a Saturday. I'd be in and out a lot faster if I went to Kroger. There won't be a lot of customers in there. But, I need some things I can't get in Kroger -- at least not the same items of equal quality to HEB.

I hope maybe Vernplum can get his new challenge ingredient up before I go to HEB.

Not much else I need to do today.

CD
 
Plans are go tab and draw out cash..got $576 trifecta on Wellington cup yesterday.
Shop for few items for family dinner tonight. Sons not coming as hes doing a brisket session with bbq group here. $160 he wants to learn smokie etc.
Make a salad and scrape new potatoes.
Cook bbq for us.
Lazy night.

Russ
 
caseydog said:
The oil can with the wavy lines is low oil level. My Audi doesn't even have a dipstick. I check the oil with the car's computer screen in the center of the dash. How often do you change your oil and oil filter? Do you use full-synthetic or something else
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But the dip stick shows oil and clean oil because it's only done 120km since both the oil and the air filter were replaced.

The vehicle had a full service whilst the radiator was replaced because I asked them to check for engine damage. Oil (10W40 not synthetic) had to be replaced because it vaporised and burnt in the original overheating issue before Christmas when it tried to catch fire.

If it has not been done in years, you may want to have the cooling system flushed and refilled with a new 50/50 mix of anti-freeze and water.
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The coolant isn't a problem. I know how much rain water I added. Remember rain water here is very pure. We drink it and live off it unfiltered and it doesn't scale up the kettle at all. I also didn't refill to maximum so that concentrated coolant can be added to get back to a roughly correct mixture. Again it's only been in the vehicle for 120km.

Landcruisers are known for a range of dashboard lights coming on and staying on if the alternator has an issue. Often the lights on have nothing to do with the fault as I have found out trying to establish the differences between the 2 oil warning lights.

I literally only got the vehicle back last Saturday (after the radiator failure and attempted fire where the engine oil vaporised and started to smoke out of the oil filter cap) and had done 1 trip in her.
 
SatNavSaysStraightOn said:
But the dip stick shows oil and clean oil because it's only done 120km since both the oil and the air filter were replaced.

The vehicle had a full service whilst the radiator was replaced because I asked them to check for engine damage. Oil (10W40 not synthetic) had to be replaced because it vaporised and burnt in the original overheating issue before Christmas when it tried to catch fire.


The coolant isn't a problem. I know how much rain water I added. Remember rain water here is very pure. We drink it and live off it unfiltered and it doesn't scale up the kettle at all. I also didn't refill to maximum so that concentrated coolant can be added to get back to a roughly correct mixture. Again it's only been in the vehicle for 120km.

Landcruisers are known for a range of dashboard lights coming on and staying on if the alternator has an issue. Often the lights on have nothing to do with the fault as I have found out trying to establish the differences between the 2 oil warning lights.

I literally only got the vehicle back last Saturday (after the radiator failure and attempted fire where the engine oil vaporised and started to smoke out of the oil filter cap) and had done 1 trip in her.
Click to expand...

About two years ago, my MINI had an intermittent overheating problem. It turned out to be a thermostat that would not open sometimes. Not always, just sometimes. That made it really hard to diagnose. The technician took the car home with him two nights before it overheated, and he figured out what was happening.

CD
 
We have a storm coming with up to 80mile an hour winds and widespread power cuts predicted starting around 6pm.
I think I’m going to have to cancel today’s lunch because we can’t be the reason the boys try to drive home in it this evening.

Spent some time preparing this lunch, was looking for to it a lot.
A bit miserable now 😔
 
Just got back from grocery shopping so the plan is to clean out Rolo, cats tray and bins then lock the doors, apparently we are due some very strong winds later.
 
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