mike cooper
New member
Now this has to be a first. Mid December and the 993 has been tucked up in the garage having been cleaned and driven to dry our the brakes etc. Dust cover fitted, garage alarm set and doors securely locked. The reason for the wrapping up of said car was a five week trip to Australia and the Far East.
We arrived back the third week of January and the following weekend I went into the garage and not unsurprisingly found that the battery was very low. It had been getting tired for a few months prior to going away. I decided to leave it until the following weekend and fit a new battery. This was duly done and the car started first time. Prior to staring the car I depressed the clutch pedal and it seemed somewhat strange. It sort of jammed but then cleared. I didn't have too much cause for concern at the time. I selected 1st gear and drove out of the garage and commenced to ascend the hill from our house up to the main road. I left the car in 1st gear and gentle drove up the hill and on to the main road. It was then that the troubles started. Gear selection was almost impossible and thoughts of major mechanical failure flashed through the mind. The short drive was aborted and a swift phone call made to Steve Bull at Devizes who has maintained the car for the last four years of ownership. A number of possible causes were discussed but the bottom line was he'd need the car to look at it.
The car was dropped off at Steve's and initial early diognosis was that there was possible damage to the diaphram fingers (he had experienced this on a few occaisons over the years- finger had broken off). I was a bit bemused as 2 1/2 years ago we had fitted a new clutch and the car had only done around 8000 miles since.
The obvious next step was to remove the gearbox and confirm the diagnosis. This is where it gets beyond belief. I received a phone call from Steve who was in a state of shock and disbelief. As the gearbox was lifted away from the engine, Steve's head mechanic Christian was showered with approximately 1 kilogram of assorted peanuts. Yes you read correctly the first time F * * * ING PEANUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
The source was a large bag of bird feed peanuts stored in the garage and the culprits F * * * ING MICE!!!!!!!!!!!!
They had entered via the air cleaner inlet and the nuts and or mice had travelled down through the breather tube from the bottom of the air cleaner into where it vents the bell housing.
When I return home this evening I will be rampaging through the garage like a demented character from a Tom Sharpe novel, blasting everything that moves. The next door neighbours cat that gets fat on scraps and waddles from one feed to the next will also be on the hit list.
I have always been a fervent wild life supporter but this as now changed quite dramatically. I wish to embark on an episode of rodent genocide the likes of which have never been seen before. The clutch thrust bearing contained a nut mulch and is knackered and Steve thinks the pressure plate could have been stressed so with the box out it's another new clutch.
Bird Lovers beware of where you store your nuts. It can be a painful and expensive experience.
I am still hopping bloody mad but I trust this may induce a smile with one or two as we all get over the Christams Credit Card Blues.
We arrived back the third week of January and the following weekend I went into the garage and not unsurprisingly found that the battery was very low. It had been getting tired for a few months prior to going away. I decided to leave it until the following weekend and fit a new battery. This was duly done and the car started first time. Prior to staring the car I depressed the clutch pedal and it seemed somewhat strange. It sort of jammed but then cleared. I didn't have too much cause for concern at the time. I selected 1st gear and drove out of the garage and commenced to ascend the hill from our house up to the main road. I left the car in 1st gear and gentle drove up the hill and on to the main road. It was then that the troubles started. Gear selection was almost impossible and thoughts of major mechanical failure flashed through the mind. The short drive was aborted and a swift phone call made to Steve Bull at Devizes who has maintained the car for the last four years of ownership. A number of possible causes were discussed but the bottom line was he'd need the car to look at it.
The car was dropped off at Steve's and initial early diognosis was that there was possible damage to the diaphram fingers (he had experienced this on a few occaisons over the years- finger had broken off). I was a bit bemused as 2 1/2 years ago we had fitted a new clutch and the car had only done around 8000 miles since.
The obvious next step was to remove the gearbox and confirm the diagnosis. This is where it gets beyond belief. I received a phone call from Steve who was in a state of shock and disbelief. As the gearbox was lifted away from the engine, Steve's head mechanic Christian was showered with approximately 1 kilogram of assorted peanuts. Yes you read correctly the first time F * * * ING PEANUTS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
The source was a large bag of bird feed peanuts stored in the garage and the culprits F * * * ING MICE!!!!!!!!!!!!
They had entered via the air cleaner inlet and the nuts and or mice had travelled down through the breather tube from the bottom of the air cleaner into where it vents the bell housing.
When I return home this evening I will be rampaging through the garage like a demented character from a Tom Sharpe novel, blasting everything that moves. The next door neighbours cat that gets fat on scraps and waddles from one feed to the next will also be on the hit list.
I have always been a fervent wild life supporter but this as now changed quite dramatically. I wish to embark on an episode of rodent genocide the likes of which have never been seen before. The clutch thrust bearing contained a nut mulch and is knackered and Steve thinks the pressure plate could have been stressed so with the box out it's another new clutch.
Bird Lovers beware of where you store your nuts. It can be a painful and expensive experience.
I am still hopping bloody mad but I trust this may induce a smile with one or two as we all get over the Christams Credit Card Blues.
]
