GBS Factory Runout

Not updated my blog for about 3 months, so here's an update on whats been happening with the Zero...

Did a 500 mile Day trip with my son Alex from home to Wales to see family then back home the same day for supper ! She performed fantastic, no problems at all and returned a fuel consumption of 38.5 mpg.

Then a GBS Factory run out. We all met at Donington Park at 10am and had a good drive through the countryside for 95 miles before ending up at a pub for a spot of food. A great day out with good company.

In between these, lots of little trips all over the place, also to a local classic/sports car meet every other Wednesday at a local pub, average attendance about 200 cars in the evening.

Now for some photos....

Enjoying every minute !

Day 2 of essential work... Overheating issues.

Now that the wife is happy she has somewhere to put her coffee on cold day run outs, I turn my focus to my overheating issues ?

Long story, but I'll condense it down... The Zero overheats for no apparent reason ? It can go for a few hundred miles and no problems, then a short 10 mile journey and she overheats, sometimes spitting coolant out from the expansion bottle all over the floor, or the temperature gauge reaches 110 degrees before the fan kicks in ?

I now carry a 2 litre bottle of water with me to top up when necessary.

So last week, after talking to countless friends, other Zero owners, and the factory I have identified 4 possible issues...

1) Got the plumbing of the expansion bottle the wrong way round ? Well in earlier blogs I had found I had plumbed it in wrong, but that is not an issue now.

2) No hole in the thermostat plate, took a look and there is one there.

3) Pressure cap not sealing properly... well the one that I got was a sample pressure cap from a supply company that GBS where looking at to supply them with caps when they ran out of stock ? Could this be the problem ? So I removed the cap and with a file "faced" off the top of the thermostat housing for a better seal a few months ago. Having returned to GBS last week, for the sake of a few pounds I purchased another cap, which they have been using now for 18 months and have had no reported issues. Fingers crossed.

4) Broken bracket on the water rail. For some unknown reason the bracket has snapped off the side of the water rail, leaving it floating in the air with just the hoses holding it in place. While at GBS I got a replacement one of these as well.

So all replaced and topped up with water.

Guess what... STILL OVERHEATING !  .... GGGRRRRRR.

 Put the Zero back in the garage and locked the door !

Next day 1am 

Woke up with a thought ! (wife not happy) anyway, it has just accrued to me that every time I topped up the coolant level over the passed year its just been with water, and have I diluted the antifreeze properties to the point that its not cooling efficiently ?

At the auto factors at 8am... Antifreeze purchased.

Time to drain the system, in order to reach the lowest point I've got to take the nose cone off, while doing this found another problem... The radiator fan fell off !

It is only held in place buy clipping into the radiator, but is this the reason for overheating ? anyway, a minute later its clipped back in.

Took the bottom coolant hose off the radiator and drained off. Basically the colour was clear, hardly a sign of antifreeze, just water. Hose fitted back on and topped up with 50/50 antifreeze/water.

Got the Zero warmed up, got to 98 degrees and the fan kicks in, cools it to about 95 degrees. It continues to do this for 4 cycles. Fingers crossed its seems to behaving its self !

Going to let it cool down and check for air locks, and repeat up to temperature again.

Oh the fun of owning a kitcar !

I now carry a bottle of 50/50 antifreeze/water in the car after this. Will update if it's a cure or back to the drawing board.


Back to the drawing board

Well spoke to GBS about the issue, because its frustrating not knowing the answer ?

Basically got to try different things one thing at a time to try and eliminate possible problems, so first, go for a run and get it up to temperature, then see when the gauge reads overheating (above 98) if the voltmeter also rises, to see if there is a problem with the rectifier in the alternator ?

Well got the temperature over 100 on the gauge; and the voltmeter is a steady 14v, and when driving remains  at 14v. Sat idling and voltmeter drops to 13.5v. At no point did volts go over 14.2v.

OK, so in the video below, I have found what could be another issue, while sat idling, watching the temperature rise, I turned off the side lights and saw the temperature gauge drop 10 degrees, also the oil pressure gauge did something similar ?

Will have a think about this... will update soon, hopefully with a solution !

OK found the problem.... Its a ground issue, found the offending connection under the dash on the passenger side. Looks like the rivnut is loose ? Simple repair though ?

Essential upgrade

Been a while since I have updated my Zero build blog, been a bit busy enjoying driving it ! and had other projects and jobs to do. See my other blog page,,,

http://bills-2nd-arcade-machine.blogspot.co.uk/2015/04/upright-design.html    Some 20 odd posts !

So back to the Zero and an essential upgrade ...

It has been mentioned on several occasions that the Zero is lacking a "Cup holder" especially when going through a Costa Coffee drive thru ? So just for the wife, Alison, one has been fitted.

A neat folding one ...

Happy days !

GBS Factory Runout - March 2015

Woke up to a cold and slightly frosty morning, had to move 2 cars to get the Zero out so that soon warmed me up ! Quick check of the fluids, tyre pressure, and a visual all round inspection and we're ready to go. Today's passenger ... my Son Alex.

Arrived at the GBS factory just before 10am, and within minutes the car park was nearly full !

After tea and coffee we all set off for just over a 100 mile run through local country roads. Ruth and John from GBS where at several different locations along the route taking photos, many thanks to them for some excellent action shots.

A fantastic day out, good weather, good roads, and good friends ! Looking forward to the next one.

Frosty Drive to GBS for Mince Pies

Sliding towards a mince pie


GBS have for the last few weeks advertised that they have a bit of an open day on December 13th with tea/coffee and mince pies. Always up for a drive over to the factory to meet up with the GBS team and other owners; but the weather has had a change the last two weeks from dry days to strong winds, rain, temperatures in the minus figures and a couple of days beforehand... sleet ? But the Sun was shining early in the morning with a blanket of heavy frost.

Warmed up the Zero in the garage before heading out, Alex was the passenger for today, but also the nominated Christmas card deliverer. On route we decided to drop off some cards to friends. Main roads where frost free but a little damp, however the side roads with little traffic where a bit icy, even in single figures on the speedo the Zero was more happy to go sideways, than forward ! This was an excellent lesson for Alex on how to steer into a slide ? Good fun !

After about an hour of driving (sliding) we arrived at GBS, Coffee and Mince pies went down well.

As usual I forgot my Camera, but thanks to Ruth @ GBS who took a few photos.

 Thank you GBS for the hospitality.

Now to get all that salt off the car !

Day trip to South Wales

The Zero has been running very well lately except for one issue... It keeps dumping coolant from the expansion bottle ? I have been following a thread on the GBS Zero owner club about this particular issue and it looks like I may have an air-lock within the coolant system ? So the main man in the workshop @ GBS gave me the procedure on bleeding the Zero/Zetec system. This did take a total of 3 days due to the fact you have to let the coolant cool overnight and re check the level before topping up and getting back up to operating temperature before cooling again. A total of 1.5 litres of coolant was added ! All I need now is a good test run.

So Autumn is nearly over, the trees have just lost their leaves and now the roads are getting a bit slippery and seem to take ages to dry out after the night time chill. Watched the weather forecast at the weekend and it looks like we may have a dry patch about mid week ? So too plan a road trip to my Uncles house in South Wales a 470 miles round trip, plus as he has never seen the Zero I would plan another 30 ish miles for a bit of a blast round the country lanes ! This would test the cooling system and if the bleed procedure has worked.

4;20 am and I leave the house en-route to South Wales, trying to beat the traffic at the most congested parts of the trip. Frost on the windscreens of the other cars at home so I would imagine -1 or -2 at the start. A stop half way for a quick splash & dash, and a top up of fuel so I make it to South Wales without stopping again. Of all things I'm spotted filling up fuel by an old school friend at 6;00 am in the morning 130 miles from home !

8;20 am Arrived safely at my Uncles House. Temperature on the gauge never went above 85 degrees throughout the trip down... very pleased with that as it usually runs anywhere between 95 and 100.

After a bit of breakfast time to take my Uncle out for a spin...

A good spin out... He loved every moment !

14;00 pm Time to make a move back home once again wanted to miss the rush hour traffic, plus didn't fancy too much cold air driving once the sun goes down ?

18:55 pm arrived home... finally

Technical summery...

498 total miles
62 litres of fuel used
Miles per gallon 36 approx
Temperature while moving max 85 degrees on the gauge
Max temperature while standing still on the M42 for 5 minutes just under 100 degrees on the gauge.
Weather... Crisp and Dry all day, however very cold before sun up and after sun down.

So fingers crossed I am hoping the coolant issue may be sorted, just keeping my eye on it as time and miles go on.

Condition of the driver...

Bottom half ... COLD
Top half ... reasonably warm
My bad elbow... seized up !
My legs... Stiff (even 2 days after)
My mind... pretty good after a total of 10 hours behind the wheel

GBS October Factory Run Out 2014

The back end of the summer in the UK has been glorious, in fact according to the news report its been the driest September since records began ? So the GBS factory has organised a "Run Out" in the Zero's,
A total of 14 Zero's turned up at the factory early Sunday morning, all polished up ready for the run which would take us on some local country roads for some 70 miles to a pub for Sunday lunch and a stop half way for refreshments. GBS factory Zero at the front leading the way, and another at the rear just in case we got split up.

Parked up at the factory while tea and coffee was served inside.

More Zero's turning up at the factory.

Ready for the off... Alison all wrapped up !

Leaving the factory...

See you at the next stop !...

Travelling through Newark 

A Long line of Zero's... I'm in the line somewhere ?

Enjoying the Bends...

Final destination... The Plough at Cropwell Butler, Nottinghamshire.

Back home just before dusk, shattered but smiles all round !

Many thanks to the GBS team for taking photographs along the way, and also to all the Zero owners and passengers for making a great day out.