Davy

I'm not sure if this is qualified to go into the AutoLanka Funniest Moments thread...

Great. Take it with you when you're hunting for the new cable and buy the exact match.

Do you notice this happening at a particular speed (Ex: when you touch 40)? If this is occasional and if you’re certain that it’s not one of the issues below, then you might have to get the speed o' meter repaired. One place that I can point you towards is to check the plug hole (at the back of the speed o’ meter) to which the cable plugs in. You must have noticed that both the ends of the speed o’ meter cable are square shaped. With time, the plug hole in the speed o meter wears out and widens, allowing the cable to slip (quivering speed o’ meter needle). The plug hole also has to be square shaped, if it’s worn out and appears to be round; the issue is most probably that. This is a common issue with the A72's age. The other reason is what I faced which was buying a longer cable. The L300 and the A72 comes with the exact cable ends but the L300 cable is a few inches longer (and I bought it ). The additional length of the cable result in it having to be laid out in such a way that the cable goes through some sharp bends before reaching the speed o’ meter. This results in additional friction within the cable (at the bends) and the needle starts to quiver at certain (mostly low) speeds. So you’ve got to have the same replacement cable.

Do you have the original one with you? At least the cable casing? Try Panchikawatta. I had to replace my speed o' meter cable as well and I bought it from Ja-Ela (Dunst@n @uto Traders) many years ago.

Got to ask, are you writing a book on fuel consumption? All I ever see is you popping old threads (on a weekly basis) and asking about fuel consumption figures of various cars.

Luckily for me my first few times were with my dad and he knew how to get around the place quite well. Taught me a thing or two about the area and probably saved me from running into such a situation. I guess the most important thing to keep in mind is to not let these kudda fellows get in your way; just stick to the reputed shops and get the job done by them. Plus if your requirement can be satisfied without you having to take the car there, then don't.

Good one!

DM News Report

This is a well-known thing so it’s partially your fault for letting some random stranger enter into your car. I wouldn’t be surprised if you notice in a few days that some of the accessories in your car are missing, because most of the buggers who rivet the badges for you are the same ones who steal them.

Axela powered by TRD. (Spotted at Nugegoda)

Hip Hip... "HURE"!

Well it could be a lose connection or even a faulty relay that only triggers when a little nudge is given. Again this whole fan control unit is just an assumption, and I just remembered that you changed this entire unit a few months back (right?), so you might want to pay some attention to this as well. When the whole weird thing happens, stop the car and while the engine is still running, pop the hood and check to see if you can locate the source. When you replace the drive belts, make sure you give a spin to the alternator and compressor to see if the bearings are worn out/creating additional friction like The Don said. That's a very valid point. lol I’m touched! Things get a lot easy when a friend’s got the same kind of car, remember how you helped me with the AC regulators and radiator?

Machang, This whistling sound... when you said that it comes from the AC, did you mean you could hear it from inside the car or from the AC compressor (engine bay)? I experienced a whistling sound from my car stereo some time ago, the sound increased parallel to the rpm, and at night, the brightness of all the lights go dim/bright according to the RPM. The culprit was the rectifier circuit in the alternator. In my case also my electrician told me that everything was fine, but I insisted that he remove and check the alternator. It was only after the alternator was removed the burnt rectifier was located. Another thing that I can point you towards is the AC fan control unit. The CS comes with an AC fan controller unit that has 2 fan connectors. It's near the fan that is closest to the battery (black box with a heat sink facing towards the front of the car) I have a feeling that one or both the fans or the control unit itself is at fault here. If the whistling sound comes from the engine bay, it could be from one of these fan motors. The control unit controls the speed of the fans as well (dual speed) and in ordinary situations the fans turn on the lower speed whereas if the engine gets a little warm (like when going uphill to Kandy), the control unit sets the fan to turn in a much higher speed (causing a whistle maybe?). My 2 cents. Please follow up on what others have said as well. Focus on the small things first (like the drive belts for example) and let's see if we can isolate the issue.

+1. I couldn't have explained it any better.

lol. I seriously don't remember this happening... Anyway, glad something good came out of the incident! Peace!

Some coolants can be used without being diluted while others need to be. Follow the instructions on the can, if the can says 50 - 50, then that's the way the manufacturer intended it to be used. The service center guys didn't dilute with water probably because of their ignorance or because they wanted to dump an entire 4L can of coolant on you.

Wish you a very happy birthday mate!

whoops! at you?? I rarely blast it on anyone... did you swerve towards me or something?

I guess the brand you're talking about is Stebel. It's made in italy and I bought a snail type ("bella") horn from Darley Road in 2009 and it's holding up pretty well. Easy to install, relay and everything is included in the package. Cost me only 1800 back in the day. If you install them correctly, the chances of water getting into them is very low. More information on their website [Link]. You can even listen to how the horns sound like.

When I had my 12 sri Lancer (and when I had a whole lot of time at hand), I used to do number plates on my own. They came out pretty OK I guess because even my friends came to me to get theirs done. If you're up to it, you can buy stickers + plastic number plates from Jeev@ Pl@stics at Darley road. The process does take a couple of hours but I think anyone with patience should be able to manage it. Plus it will only cost you about 300 bucks.

+1 for gunmetal grey.

One of the worst ones I've seen I must say, I felt like my brain froze during the minute I tried to decipher this.

Ah yes, I know the club you're talking about (I hope we're talking about the same one) and I personally know one of the gentlemen running the courses. They actually do bring down parts from abroad, but I thought the parts were specific to the models they build. I should talk to them for what it's worth. Thanks again Peri! Will keep you posted on the outcome.

Translation: "Dump your wife along with your garbage"

Hmm... That’s unfortunate. I’ve got a truck and some copters that need spares and I really could use a hobby shop right now. I guess the only option is eBay then.