MiketheBike

John, can't you just take the cover off and see if its all operating smoothly? I think just taking the cover off the gearbox gives you acess to the busbar etc? Mick

You guys are such a bunch of snobs....haven't you heard that orangy-red puke is the new green? I gotta say though...it DOES beat that ferret hands down....the 432 is, I suspect, irretrievable?

TheBigRedLimoCompany replied: Nice to see some positive vetting going on before letting the general public loose in it.

I just emailed "the big red limo company" to see if its actually them thats selling :evil:

Is it a lift/jack?

I am waiting for Marcus Glenn to get back to, they are closed until Monday, with prices for the long and short intermediates, the two elbows and the casting that goes against the hull. I did think of using exhaust heat wrap, wrapped around the intermediates and snugged up against the castings, using the stainless tie-wraps for the heat wrap...I am guessing it would resolve most of the blowing but I am not sure how resistant it is the wear...but at only £10 for 5metres (1 inch wide) it may be worth a shot just to see how it goes? At least it would not be a solid joint.

I was in the same situation, and eventually went for it. What a hoot...but I fear it may become an addiction...I still keep thinking about a Saracen or Pig but my wife would not be happy. As for a Ferret....do it man...you'll be grinning every time you take it out. A 4 ton go-kart!!! I am not the most mechanically minded, and I am bumbling through with help from the guys on here. Its mostly real basic stuff, and nothing is hidden away like newer cars. The parts aren't hugely expensive and are available from a few sources.

John, Sounds like having a solid joint is not good....I am doing a few miles. maybe I have another option: 700F Xtra Copper RTV Silicone Sealant Sounds like it stays flexible, and can cope with temps up to 390c. Other option is these I guess: or something like: http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Universal-Exhaust-Repair-Flex-small-medium-large_W0QQitemZ160157615183QQihZ006QQcategoryZ9886QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD1VQQcmdZViewItem Chris, yes, the pipes are really loose, and do not come anywhere near sealing when hot. I wonder if its the short pipes or the Y and elbow that is worn? It may be that a elbow and tubes may be the way to go and keep it original. Maybe I will see what Marcus Glenn charges...he seems to have them in stock. Mick

On a ferret, there is a y-piece that joins to an elbow attached to the hull via a short length of pipe. This short length of pipe is loose, and the exhaust is blowing badly. I think this may be part of the cause of my backfiring on over-run (I read another post about that on this forum). I tried sealing it with clear RTV sealant (which is Ok up to 250C), but this very quickly (like 10 minutes after warming up) dried, cracked and fell out. What would you use to seal these joints? I assume they have to move a small amount, so would need to remain flexible, but also be resistant to the exhaust pressure? Thanks, Mick

The roof of a mobile latrine, or cover for the pan?

Well, if its not off a Pig, itr must be something to do with a latrine...I dread to think what that hole is for!

I guess they are not made for intergalactic mileages and are transported to the field as such. I wonder if the newer offerings are more robust?

hahahaha... bloody excellent! I just had "In convoy with the Essex Lads 2" on, ramped the sound up and nearly blew my speakers....my wife just came in and said "what the hell are you doing now". Stonkin' :-D :-D

Chris/John....oil can is much better, thanks. Its kinda relaxing laying there filling them up

The engine sounds like one of the major costs (money and time)....and now after seeing you guys around the arena in Beltring its not just a bit of fun, it could be very expensive! I suppose the other thing is that you won't be doing 10K miles a year in a tracked AFV so its maybe not a major issue....but is that the same issue with the B60/B80 engines...or are wheeled armour a completely different beast when it comes to engine life? Like someone said in another post about the Finnish auction...if you start worrying about the cost, don't do it!

Reading this month's CMV, there is an article about "Where have all the Shermans gone". In it, there is reference to average engine mileages. Is that true....you are looking at between 1000 and 2500 miles for tank engines? At that point, do they need a total overhaul (cylinders etc), or are they totally shot? That came as a huige surprise to me. What sort of mileages do you guys get from your tracked vehicles, and are all armour similar in that the engines are stressed so hard that they do not last huge mileages? Mick

Thanks John, yes, when I re-assembled the bevel box I used normal clear silicon to seal the plate...mistake! Its turned to snot, so will have to take apart and use Universal blue....you would think I would know better after my fuel pump and filler shenannigans!!

Thanks Chris...I would sooner have a tired thumb than getting rid of the taste of EP90.

How do you guys fill your bevel boxes? Looking in the filler/level plug hole, the shaft running to the tracta joint is really close to the hole? When I try to fill/top up I get a lot of blow back and was wonedring if the oil was actually getting down into the bevel box, and am never 100% sure if I have reached the correct level. Is it a case of just taking my time? Should I heat the oil up to make it flow better? I am using a bit of 10mm copper pipe on the end of my oil syringe as the hose on that is a tight fit in the hole and causes even more blow-back. Mick

Lee, I think you are right (in fact you most liley are), I remember having the chat with him, and I said it was 3.5ton, there or thereabouts (as it does not have the turret etc). The plus side is that it covers my normal car also, I guess, but Roadsure is dead cheap though...I did not realise they were that cheap....maybe next year! Mick

Mick - firstname Kearney - surname I come from a long line of Mick's...in fact I am the first generation in my family who is not really a Mick...being born in the UK. I actually meant to have a nickname of "mikethebike"...thats what I use everywhere else, but messed up my registration and was too lazy to change it. And no....that has no relation to my sexual prowess....I used to be a keen bike racer (the pedal variety) and still try to get out whenever I can. Mick

I have my Ferret covered by the AA, they approached me in a carpark and asked if I wanted to join. To be honest, I now carry most bits that should at least get me home...the AA would be a last resort, or at the very least an extra pair of hands if I need them :-D If you come in under 4 ton they will cover you. Mick

Lee, is that a public liability thing? Does normal MV insurance cover military shows? Mick

Richard, Do you know the parts list manual number, and where I could get one? I see what you mean. Mine has "British Made" on it, and some of the bolts are metric, whereas the ones holding it to the engine are imperial!!! As an aside, would you know where I could get new jets, in particular the idling jets? I just replaced the carb using the carb from my new engine, and it seems to have made a big difference. The idling jets appear at some point to have been screwd in too hard, or have just worn (they are not a smooth point, they have a notched appearance). Thanks, Mick

Clive, just out of interest, where did you get that info from. I have looked through my Rolls Royce manual, and trawled the internet, and cannot find anything like that detail? Mick