Picture(s) of the day....

Unread post by **mickthemaverick** » 24 May 2025, 22:10

A couple of disturbing pics which might help someone out!!

Due to a huge traffic jam approaching the Netherlands - Germany border we ducked into a service area in the Netherlands half a mile from the border checks. I filled the tank with Shell V-Power as usual which I thought was pricey at 2.409 Euros per litre:

: The Netherlands receipt

After emerging from the filling station into the front of the queue for the border checkpoint we were waved through, a bit irritating having spent 45 minutes in the queue!! However the Dutch filling station had not fulfilled my passenger's desire for some lunch so about 4 miles into Germany we pulled off the motorway into an industrial estate with a McD's suitable for some refreshment, nugget meals!! As we left the site we passed another Shell Station and I noticed the price of V-Power there was 191.9 Euros. I was a trifle annoyed!! I had paid 50 cents a litre more just 4 miles up the road!!

: MTMO

That meant the fill up of 39.5 litres had cost me virtually 20 euros more than it need have!!! Grrrrrrrr!!! So the moral is don't buy fuel in the Netherlands if you can avoid it!!

Unread post by **MattBLancs** » 25 May 2025, 08:35

I thought I'd stumbled across the world's shortest timing belt...

: eBay advert in amongst Facebook scrolling

But it turns out it's

Spoiler: show: an alternator coupling sleeve belt, whatever that is!?!

Unread post by **MattBLancs** » 25 May 2025, 08:41

MattBLancs wrote: 25 May 2025, 08:35 , whatever that is!?!

https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/ ... nator.html

Flexible coupling sleeve and freewheel pulley for the alternator and air conditioning compressor found on Transporter T5 2.5 TDI Engines

Ah, so AC compressor and Alternator are linked by this rubber coupling. The website seems to show an odd toothed "half pulley" which I presume has a matching opposite number on the end of the AC compressor.

Seems an odd pairing - normally AC compressor has a big pulley (with electromagnetic clutch) - close to 1:1 with crankshaft pulley. Whereas the alternator a small pulley, roughly half (so twice the speed)

Wonder which of the two has to make do with traveling faster/slower than usual??

Gibbo2286 · Unread post by **Gibbo2286** » 25 May 2025, 11:14

MattBLancs wrote: 25 May 2025, 08:41
MattBLancs wrote: 25 May 2025, 08:35 , whatever that is!?!
https://www.darksidedevelopments.co.uk/ ... nator.html
Flexible coupling sleeve and freewheel pulley for the alternator and air conditioning compressor found on Transporter T5 2.5 TDI Engines
Ah, so AC compressor and Alternator are linked by this rubber coupling. The website seems to show an odd toothed "half pulley" which I presume has a matching opposite number on the end of the AC compressor.

Seems an odd pairing - normally AC compressor has a big pulley (with electromagnetic clutch) - close to 1:1 with crankshaft pulley. Whereas the alternator a small pulley, roughly half (so twice the speed)

Wonder which of the two has to make do with traveling faster/slower than usual??

Not linked Matt they're both driven by the same type of 'belt' in the picture but separately.

Unread post by **MattBLancs** » 25 May 2025, 18:33

Thanks Gibbo, didn't think to look for a good video. That explains it all well. Actually, missing one key aspect buried deep in a VW group engineer somewhere - why!?

If it provides some damping, it can only be a tiny extent (in effect only the little length of tooth between each half sprocket - which one would have thought is pretty stiff! But the damping must be insufficient, given it also needs a freewheel pulley too! Speaking of which, I've heard of these on alternators but not an AC compressor till now. Very odd!

And a new and interesting failure mode thrown in to the mix too! I'm sure there's good reason behind it but it seems rather daft from my uninformed viewpoint!

Anyway,

I'll not clog up Picture of the Day any further, so back on topic here's a two part Picture of the Day!

Unread post by **MattBLancs** » 25 May 2025, 18:37

And part 2, just about the oddest thing I've ever seen in a car

Sorry, camera phone picture by Sarah as we followed this along. Not sure if it's clear enough to make it out.

Spoiler: show

go on have a guess

Spoiler: show

no, you'll never guess

Spoiler: show: yes, it really is a bird of prey, complete with the little "cap" thing they put on them. Stood on the parcel shelf.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 25 May 2025, 19:19

I've read about that but forgotten it until seeing your picture.

Unread post by **myglaren** » 25 May 2025, 20:14

Been on a pilgrimage

: Pilgrim

10th anniversary of wife's death, went to Whitby where we lived when we first met. We used to get up at 5 a.m. and walk to the clifftop near the abbey and watch the sun rise from the sea.
When she was cremated we scattered her ashes over the cliff.
Today we went and threw flowers over the cliff at the same spot.

Picture by DIL. Chucking-over place.

: Ellie

Japanese granddaughter in the graveyard where Bram Stoker wrote 'Dracula'

: Whalebones

Youngest son and about-to-be wife before the famous whalebones, from the time Whitby was a whaling town. These are actually replacements supplied by Canada.

: Cook

Captain Cook keeping a watchful eye on the abbey and town.

: Piers

Piers

Obligatory view of the harbour mouth.

: Sqrrllss

Tame squirrels in Pannet Park. Just waiting to be fed, with seagulls in the background waiting to pounce.

After all the walking and ascending/descending the 199 steps (no photo) I'm ready for bed

Happy to find that the camera fault wasn't the camera but the battery charger.

Unread post by **mickthemaverick** » 25 May 2025, 21:02

No pictures to show today as I have been confined to barracks with the Monaco GP followed by the last day of the Premier League and my team's chances of qualifying for next season's Champions League, which they did!! However I did have cause to make myself a coffee and I have to say I am impressed with the choices of hot beverage available to me here!!

: Coffee Machine

: Instant alternatives

: Teas part 1

: Teas part 2

I settled for an instant Gold Original

Unread post by **CitroJim** » 26 May 2025, 05:35

That's very comprehensive Mick

I'd be very happy with a selection like that....

Gibbo2286 · Unread post by **Gibbo2286** » 26 May 2025, 09:38

MattBLancs wrote: 25 May 2025, 18:33 Thanks Gibbo, didn't think to look for a good video. That explains it all well. Actually, missing one key aspect buried deep in a VW group engineer somewhere - why!?

If it provides some damping, it can only be a tiny extent (in effect only the little length of tooth between each half sprocket - which one would have thought is pretty stiff! But the damping must be insufficient, given it also needs a freewheel pulley too! Speaking of which, I've heard of these on alternators but not an AC compressor till now. Very odd!

And a new and interesting failure mode thrown in to the mix too! I'm sure there's good reason behind it but it seems rather daft from my uninformed viewpoint!

Anyway, I'll not clog up Picture of the Day any further, so back on topic here's a two part Picture of the Day!

I think the rubber coupling is probably the equivalent of a fuse designed to fail in case of seizure of the pump.