203 - Angry Neighbour! - Smoke issue

If the guy has got issues as you suggest, and even if you do fix the exhaust you feel something else will come up then use the old bait and switch approach. So the next time he approaches try something like this:

Neighbour: That exhaust of yours, you've gotta -

JG: Ah, glad you showed up. I'm a bit worried, wondering if you can help.

NB: Umm...

JG: I've seen cars parked on the street and blokes with binoculars just watching your house. Well sometimes there were women too. I went to ask them what they were up to but they just drove off...

NB: Ah, no...

JG: Probably just my imagination. Seemed a bit odd that's all...Sorry, you were saying?

NB: Your exhaust -

JG: Ah yes, its always going to have a bit of a puff on start up, the old ones are just like that. I did a bit of research mostly steam you know, moisture in the exhaust. Still only a fraction of the carcinogens of those bloody Volkswagens! Sure you haven't seen anyone acting suspiciously, I think there's something going on. Honestly this suburb is starting to creep me out. Keep your eye out, I want to get to the bottom of this... Have a good day. *

Glad to help where I can,

Exfrogger
(Social Scientist)

*Warning: On matters of mental health, finance, and matters of the heart take the advice of the author at you own peril. Please talk to a qualified mental health professional to see if this advice is right for you. That said, if you do give it a crack id love to know how it all ends...
 
"Nothing to do with pride, but, I just know, if I do end up moving the car, he will think his pesterance has achieved what he wanted and will look at something else to pester about, until again, he gets his way. This will be very problematic."

You are right on the money here - it is like dealing with 2yo tantrums ( I am a paediatrician ) Reward them with attention or give them what they want and you guarantee that they will continue

Good luck

Andrew
 
I suggest you borrow a Citroen GS for a while.
The smoke they produce on the first start of the day is truly astonishing. It is completely normal and a characteristic of the engine. You can't even see through the cloud of smoke for a minute or so. For the rest of the day they are fine.
After a few days of GS the neighbour will be glad to have the Peugeot return in its place.
 
The problems of crowded city life. When your 203 was new blocks were bigger and everyone worked on cars. Move a long way west into the distant country and you'll still find big blocks and cars that are being worked on. And car graveyards. But people are the same everywhere and you'll still find quarrelsome neighbours. Best to have a block big enough so your neighbour needs binoculars to see what you're up to.
 
With NSW conditional registration there can be at most 60 cold start ups per year, if that will give him any consolation. Not a problem if he is not at home when you start up, or warn him beforehand giving him the price of a coffee or beer at his local. None of this is very satisfactory.
You will probably have to drive to the nearest RMS workshop (or wherever) that does the testing... if the car is warm you will have no problem with the RMS/EPA?
 
I'm with Graham, start up and drive away promptly but gently. I never really used the choke much on any of my 403,404 or any 504s.
 
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James,
Where I live, it is illegal to leave a car running in the driveway or street for that matter.
Drive off on start up. You are wasting fuel and polluting the environment in more ways than one.
It is you that is being unreasonable - pretty sure that you would not be happy with a neighbor doing that to you.
John
 
Agree. Start the car and immediately drive off. Be subtle with the amount of choke, if any. The other suggestion of a flexible pipe out of the car pointing the other way isn't so silly either! The car's on club plates and you're not going to wear it out significantly by forgetting the "1950s" warm-up. Oils are better now, anyway

Your bad luck, but you can manage, I think

Good luck


JohnW said:
Excellent! :) I'd have thought the 203 boot would be large enough if you fold him up.

My advice, in line with robmac's thoughts (while not disagreeing with Andrew at all) would be that you should start the car and drive off promptly, so minimising the smoke duration adjacent to him. Both my old Renaults are a wee bit smoky on choke but not otherwise. Chokes are designed to give a rich mixture for starting cold, so smoke happens...

Most neighbour disputes (a common matter in the courts I gather) are about fences - you'd better make sure they are OK by the sound of it...
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JAJEA said:
James,
Where I live, it is illegal to leave a car running in the driveway or street for that matter.
Drive off on start up. You are wasting fuel and polluting the environment in more ways than one.
It is you that is being unreasonable - pretty sure that you would not be happy with a neighbor doing that to you.
John
Click to expand...

Does your council have "No Standing" signs? If they do, it must be because in other areas "standing" is permitted. "Standing" is the process of a driver being in charge of and in proper control of a vehicle stationary and with the engine running. If the engine is not running and the vehicle is stationary, the vehicle becomes becomes "parked".
 
I think that it’s just plain illegal to leave a car unsecured.

I’m sure it varies from state to state, from memory being more than 3 m away from your car without it being secured, that is locked, is an offence.
 
Exfrogger said:
I think that it’s just plain illegal to leave a car unsecured.

I’m sure it varies from state to state, from memory being more than 3 m away from your car without it being secured, that is locked, is an offence.
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Hadn't thought of that. It does remind me of the increasing incidence of cars in supermarket car parks with the engine running and AC on for kids sitting in said cars with e-games. Irritates me in every way, I must admit. Sorry for the digression.

Good there's general agreement: start it and drive away....
 
Exfrogger said:
I think that it’s just plain illegal to leave a car unsecured.

I’m sure it varies from state to state, from memory being more than 3 m away from your car without it being secured, that is locked, is an offence.
Click to expand...

Look again: "Standing" is the process of a driver being in charge of and in proper control of a vehicle that is stationary and with the engine running. The driver is in a stationary, running vehicle....................otherwise if the driver is not in the vehicle it is "Parked", with or without the engine running.
 
hey James
i will come this Saturday to visit you with my 203 and give him some noise and fumes of both.
really i think all the advise was given is good but as i know your situation and your yard the first thing u should do is always reverse your car all the way in ,and when u start the car the fumes will go to your back shed far away from his house.
iwill try catch with at the end of the week
ron
 
O yeah, when I drove a diesel 504 it was one of the smokiest cars I've ever seen. On start up it would completely fill the cul de sac where I lived but when warm it wasn't much better. I had wonderful supportive neighbours, the best ever and never had one complaint. The only thing worse was an old hilux diesel with buggered injectors. Maybe James should get one of those and the Fu(ktard next door would never complain about the 203 again.
 
Maybe try a process of elimination in fault finding as to why the car is running rich on start up. Which carby does it have? When did you last change plugs, leads, points, condenser, vacuum advance? What about cleaning the steel mesh filters in the crankcase ventilation system? Then there is the carby - what condition is it in? clean fuel filter? What about timing?

My 1972 2L petrol 504 starts with full choke then to half choke then to no choke then I drive off all in about 15 - 20 seconds. It is my daily driver so gets serviced every 5000kms.

I know how you feel about complaining neighbours - I live on a battle axe block with my driveway going passed my neighbours bedroom. The 504 has a 50mm exhaust with flow through mufflers, my landrover 300tdi has no mufflers and I have a KTM 450 exc which is registered so I sometimes take that for a run around the block to charge the battery between bush rides. So I know I am pushing my luck with noise.
 
Hey Pug 72, his 'smoke' is white. It's pure steam. Like wot comes out of his neighbour's arse.
 
luthier said:
O yeah, when I drove a diesel 504 it was one of the smokiest cars I've ever seen. On start up it would completely fill the cul de sac where I lived but when warm it wasn't much better. I had wonderful supportive neighbours, the best ever and never had one complaint. The only thing worse was an old hilux diesel with buggered injectors. Maybe James should get one of those and the Fu(ktard next door would never complain about the 203 again.
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To be fair to the 504 diesels, I had one in the 80's which, when I bought it, certainly smoked when cold as you describe, but it was overdue for an overhaul. I knew so little about diesels that I thought it must be a good one because it ran nice and quietly! The couple selling it had been careful to fully warm it up before I got anywhere near it, so that I didn't realise (until it was too late) that it blew clouds of white smoke when cold. Even when warmed up it was really gutless.

After a while it blew a head gasket, so I got Philip Heads (ACT) to overhaul the engine. After that it ran smoke free, and seemed to get better & better as it slowly ran in (after about 30,000km the fuel consumption was still improving). Power was much improved as well.

The big drawback was the cost of injectors. Can't remember what the injector service interval was, but it seemed to need new ones every time, and as I recall the cost was about $400 for parts and labour (in 1988/9).

Sorry about the thread hijack.

Alec
 
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Well that's fair on a 504diesel. They run like shit unless you spend a fortune on them but then they still run like shit. Sounds totally right.
 
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