Not sure if readers overseas can access BBC I Player, If you can you should watch this documentary on the Oil Boom of the 1970`s and the transformation of the Cromarty Forth, the jobs created and the money that could be made. It must have also been an amazing and bit crazy time with folk getting so much money as can be seen with he footage of the Piggery - the local Pub....
Were just back from Bike packing around there and while I get the posts edited up watch this for entertainment...
The true story of when Oil was discovered in the North Sea and the Uk needed Oil Rigs fast to get the oil in 400 feet seas which had not been done before and many thought it would be impossible to build rigs of such a height to drill such a depth in the hostile North Sea. 5000 men and some hardy woman came from all over the world to the Cromarty Firth where the way of life was changed forever, earning 4 times the wage of anywhere else it was a boom town during those years of construction...
May is Maintenance month for the jeep with annual engine service which includes oil change , oil filter and fuel filter replacement and air filter cleaned, spark plugs, points and condenser replaced,
Today I checked and topped up the transmission oil in the front and rear axles, transfer box and gearbox. These take SAE 90 or 110 grade oil and is an easy job which is just a case of removing the filler/oil level plug and using a cheap £10 transfer pump screwed into a emptied screen wash 5 litre container half filled with SAE 110...
The plugs are square headed and not torqued tight but feel tight with the thread lock used. I bought a small tube of Permatex which is what USA Jeep mechanics seem to use. An adjustable is also easier to grip the plug square heads which are not exactly square after years of removal probably with the wrong size/or a metric spanner...
Starting on the front axle I soon had the top up plug unscrewed and topped it up only requiring 2 pumps of the transfer pump...
One pump too many resulted in a bit of oil wasted..
While it drained off to the level I dried and applied Permatex to the plug threads before reinserting it and only tightening it to `Spark Plug Tight` - that's hand tight then a wee nip up and job done...
Transfer pump pipe has a neat end with plastic tabs that catch on the casing threads reducing spillage...
Front axle done I repeated this procedure on the Transfer box, strangely though it was over full and oil came out when the filler plug was removed!, the Jeep is on level ground so how did this happen?, can oil leak from the gearbox into the transfer box?, I need to try find out...
Onto the rear axle next and it only took 2 pumps of oil which is hardly anything...
Gearbox next and it has a different oil level/filler sump plug with a large hex head...
It took the most topping up with 6 or 7 pumps until it was up to the level...
Then I greased all the grease points. Photo coping the manual then laminating these pages save on getting a fingerprint dirty manual - top tip there!
Lying on your side underneath you can slightly roll the Jeep back and forward with your feet on the tyres to access prop-shaft grease nipples...
If a grease nipple refuses to take grease clean it and use a sharp point to push in the tiny ball bearing and it should start to work...
Laminated maintenance manual pages...
Only thing I did not grease was the steering as you need a short grease gun or one with Flexi pipe to access track rod ends, I will do this soon at a friends house who has one, to be fair in a year of use nothing took more than two pumps of a grease gun to see grease coming out...
I also gave the leaf springs and shock bushes a spray with Lanoguard which lessened the squeaking when the Jeep hits bumps...
That evening I was out in the Jeep on a solo with G on nightshift and went to see friend and Jeep owner Chris who had a visit from some other Jeep enthusiasts and we all took a drive across to Abbey St Bathans for them to take some pictures and film - more on that soon...
I drove home as the sunset - I prefer to be home before dark as safer and less drama if any mechanicals etc... and it was a fun drive, what was not so fun was having a Roe Deer Buck run right out infant of me and it was a good test of the Jeep brakes that locked up controllably.. That Deer cheated death!...
I will change the engine oil and filters when the speedo clocks another 200 miles on the speedo and rounds it to 2000 miles since last oil change...
Here is a short film I made, song is ` The Black Mill Video tape` by Pye Corner Audio
The plan was straight forward enough, drive to the Knowes Farm ford on the river tyne, G would set off with her paddle board down the tyne into the tyne estuary, then around Spike island point and down Belhaven Bay to Seafield Bridge. I would follow here along the banks for some pics and film until the A198 bridge, then double back to the Ford and the van, drive to Belhaven and park at Seafield Bridge, then ride as fast as I could back through John Muir Park to Hedderwick sands where hopefully I would meet G along side to accompany back...
The water was shallow with little rain for a week so G had not fitted the longer centre fin underneath, she would have to land and fit it before getting out into the bay...
I left here at the bridge and was soon driving down to park up and return to meet somewhere at Hedderwick...
Waiting here for her to appear I kept busy taking some pics of the NATO Pug...
It was only a 4 meter high tide so there would be plenty sand for myself to ride, but for G out in the Bay she had to get off and walk twice unable to find the deeper twisting tyne water...
Another example of why you don't really want to go running on the beach or into water bare foot...
G was doing well and getting close enough to get some pics and film on my iPhone zoomed in...
She was no past Sandy Hirst Point across at Tyninghame...
G was now heading into the waves as the estuary enters the North Sea, I had to cut through the dunes on the indicated path at Spike Island as the point is roped off for nesting birds...
Clearing the estuary waves G came in ashore then landed for a breather before the last section down Belhaven beach...
Soon she was off again and I crawled along in 2nd gear as in no hurry and was enjoying the warm if hazy sunshine...
There was just enough water in the Biel Burn for G to paddle up to Seafield bridge...
Successful mission!, G paddled over 6 miles, the most travelled so far for her,
Here is film of the cycle side of it, Songs are `behold` by Joey Fehrenbach - a BOC interlude, then `Feels Like Home (Yellowsoul) by Phontaine
I live in East Lothian, S.E. Scotland.
I fill my time with my hobbies, interests and passions. Often cycling along the coast here. I ride steel bikes with big wheels, I like to enjoy all interests of the coast, Its scenery, wildlife, local history, with my other interests in art and music when out and about...
I was diagnosed with Relapsing remitting Multiple Sclerosis in August 2018, it`s early days but i plan to continue to live my life as i have and show that having a medical condition like MS does not mean you need to stop enjoying your life,
Please excuse the bad grammar, i am working on it!
