The "Today I did something to my car" thread

sean1141

Owen wrote: »

My reverse camera arrived from Shanghai today, the Double DIN headunit I put into the e46 had a reverse camera input, and even though the car has PDC, I figured what the hell. Came in at around 18 euro to the door. Replaces one of the numberplatelights with half a light and the camera. The new light is powered by a pair of twin LEDs. Was going to fit it today, but then the thunder and lightning kicked in - screw that!!

Owen wrote: »

And done! Was tough to get the new wires to go through the rubber trunking on the boot hinge, but plenty of lube (Thats what she said) got it through. Didn't quite fit into the boot handle either, so out with the dremel to modify both the handle and the camera. Impressed with it and the guide lines on screen, but it also gives a reverse signal to the navigation so it can know when you're doing a U turn and update the screen accordingly.



Will stick up a photo of the handle with the camera peeking out later on too.

Looking good Owen. have the same headunit myself. Going to get one for the mondeo. Is the cable long enough to reach the headunit if you run it along the bottoms of the doors??

dgt

Ah its not going to be a commercial, can't be done to a saloon!

Tore out the rear seats as it STANK!!! :eek:

Front seats chewed to bits, they're going too

Centre console needs replacing too!

Then there's the mechanical side... :pac:

166man

dgt wrote: »

Ah its not going to be a commercial, can't be done to a saloon!

Tore out the rear seats as it STANK!!! :eek:

Front seats chewed to bits, they're going too

Centre console needs replacing too!

Then there's the mechanical side... :pac:

I really hope you didn't pay more than 50 quid for that yoke dgt!

colm_mcm

have you ever put car seats (the covers) in the washing machine DGT. I've done it a good few times, it really transforms dirty ones.

rebel.ranter

Removed the rear wheels from the e36 to clean down the inner arches. Also did a de-tar under there too. While I was at it I did an Iron Cleanse, de-tar & wheel seal to the rear wheels too. I'm really liking these Iron Cleanse /Iron X type products. It turns purple when it reacts with iron filings/metal fall-out. See it reacting on inside of wheel below:

MetzgerMeister

^ I got that Iron Cleanse but have yet to use it. Did you wash the wheel before using it?

One thing I will say....it fooken STINKS!!! :eek:

dgt

166man wrote: »

I really hope you didn't pay more than 50 quid for that yoke dgt!

Add 300 to that figure and that's what it cost me it's NCT'd till August mind you! cheap as chips :pac:

colm_mcm wrote: »

have you ever put car seats (the covers) in the washing machine DGT. I've done it a good few times, it really transforms dirty ones.

I had an incident with my Punto where I pressure washed the seats and left them to dry. Came out spotless

These seats however have dog hair and are chewed to pieces in places!

It's a habit of mine, I try to change the interior of my daily drivers, ever since I saw the seats from my old silver Bravo... :eek:

A full interior is £50 from our local scrap man

the merchant

Today I removed the DICE Silverline duo from the e39 and replaced it with a DICE Mediabridge. Now I have full Bluetooth capabilities with the original radio, can make and take calls, and even use SIri using the MFSW. I also ran the microphone up to where the original one was in the roof lining.

Very impressed.

rebel.ranter

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

^ I got that Iron Cleanse but have yet to use it. Did you wash the wheel before using it?

One thing I will say....it fooken STINKS!!! :eek:

Iron X smells far worse! Iron X also seems to kick in quicker (turn purple quicker), but Iron Cleanse seems to cling better to the wheel for longer. I power hosed down the wheels before applying the Iron Cleanse, they were not that dirty beforehand. I agitated the Iron Cleanse with a cleaning brush & left it to sit for a while.mthen I power hosed it off, then I did a de-tar with Tar-X (which is crapmfrom my previous experience). Then I cleaned the wheel followed by a drying then an application of Poor Boys Wheel Sealant.

MetzgerMeister

Good to see that you cleaned it first because I'm afraid of having the wheel being totally clean and the Iron Cleanse having no effect but I see it does.

The same company make Tar Cleanse which is supposed to be very good. Can be got from detailingshed.com.

challengemaster

It'd be like a clay bar MM, it may look clean but there's still iron deposits built up from brake dust that you can't see - The purple makes it obvious though!

delly

So today I sorted the CD stuck in the multichanger, it was the most annoying of fixes, meaning without knowing how. They say that if you disconnect the power it can sort it, but it was not to be. So, out she came, took off the front cover and had a good look, then hooked it back up. Just like that it was reading all the disks. I've discarded the one that was the problem, just in case.





The next thing was to be a 5 minute job, but as you know, they never are. The small bit of plastic for the rear window button had broke, so I picked up one on eBay, an in theory off and on fix. However once I put it on I found that one of the nubs that holds it in place was broken, meaning the button would work, but was loose on one side. Something that would get to me over time.



So, had to use a bit ingenuity. I dunno if its clear from the pic below, but I drilled through the remainder of the nub, with the intention of putting 4mm of a bit of a needle, then glueing it. The bit was so small however, that it wouldn't stick. So, I then cut the end off a cocktail stick, and its wedge end fitted perfectly, along with a load of superglue. I'm not sure if it will last, but it feels solid while using, so here's hoping.

MetzgerMeister

This evening I did some paint correction on the boot lid:

This is a picture of the rear pillar as I didn't take any of the boot lid beforehand. This is to illustrate what the paint on the boot was like with regard to swirl marks:



Bootlid:

MetzgerMeister

challengemaster wrote: »

It'd be like a clay bar MM, it may look clean but there's still iron deposits built up from brake dust that you can't see - The purple makes it obvious though!

Yep, I thought as much. Have you used it before?

challengemaster

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Yep, I thought as much. Have you used it before?

Nope, looking forward to seeing what happens when I try some though, even very easy detergents like AG Engine bay cleaner aren't doing wonders for the corrosion on my rear wheel

Seen plenty of threads about it's use though. Also very nice correction, can't believe you found swirls on your car

MetzgerMeister

challengemaster wrote: »

Nope, looking forward to seeing what happens when I try some though, even very easy detergents like AG Engine bay cleaner aren't doing wonders for the corrosion on my rear wheel

Seen plenty of threads about it's use though. Also very nice correction, can't believe you found swirls on your car

I don't know if it'll make the corrosion worse. I'll try find out for ya.

There's swirls all over my car lad! It's had 2 owners before me

challengemaster

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

I don't know if it'll make the corrosion worse. I'll try find out for ya.

There's swirls all over my car lad! It's had 2 owners before me

Cheers, be good to get the DA back at mine and see how it comes up

I'll probably tackle the rear suspension tomorrow, can't do the front til I get back to conzys - but the rear done will at least keep me from going sideways over every little bump

challengemaster

New shock assemblies ready to go

Owen

sean1141 wrote: »

Looking good Owen. have the same headunit myself. Going to get one for the mondeo. Is the cable long enough to reach the headunit if you run it along the bottoms of the doors??

It's 5 metres, so you'd want to measure up correctly. I'd barely enough cable to get there, but as it's only a phono connection and a single wire you run yourself for the reverse signal input to the headunit, you can extend them easily.

colm_mcm

Went into halfords there, bought a few bits

Meguiars Smooth surface clay kit
Meguiars Hot Rims (dunno if it's as hot as wonder wheels)
Meguiars Ultimate compound


Dammit:eek:

Drummerboy08

colm_mcm wrote: »

Went into halfords there, bought a few bits

Meguiars Smooth surface clay kit
Meguiars Hot Rims (dunno if it's as hot as wonder wheels)
Meguiars Ultimate compound


Dammit:eek:

I was planning the same this weekend, but ended up leaving the Golf in the yard and took a Volvo S60 R-Design for the weekend.

Kinda regretting it now

rebel.ranter

Been at the e36 (3 Series Convertible) again this morning:

- Bled the brakes
- Power washed & de-tarred (as best as I could) under all the underside of car
- degreased & power washed the complete underside of the car
- Treated the leather with Gliptone Liquid Leather
- Replaced the tonneau edge trims
- Gave it a coat of Aqua wax
- Cleaned & sealed wheels inside & out
- Cleaned down all trim insude & out & glass

Was really happy with the amount of crap that came off the underside of the car, especialy around the gearbox, the selector seal is gone (again), I replaced it tem years ago, time to go again :rolleyes:. You know you have the car too long when you're on your second run of changing things, I changed the tonneau trim ten years ago too!

Sealey Pressure Bleeder kit out again:


Conections at the reservoir:


Set up at the bleed nipple end (always good to put a bit of copper grease on the hub where it makes contact with the wheel):


Closer up shot:




Another:


The old fluid:


Replacing the tonneau trim (thanks Joe Doe for sorting expanding rivets)






It's keeping me busy for a ar that gets driven about 15 miles a week!

MetzgerMeister

I'm correcting the car again today, it's hugely addictive

Finished off the boot lid this morning, now I'm doing the rear A pillar and the part between the doors and roof.

Coming along nicely

rebel.ranter

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

I'm correcting the car again today, it's hugely addictive
Finished off the boot lid this morning, now I'm doing the rear A pillar and the part between the doors and roof.
Coming along nicely

What machine are you using MM?

MetzgerMeister

rebel.ranter wrote: »

What machine are you using MM?

It's a Kestrel DAS-6 that we all got in the group buy

L-M

Gave the car a coat of AG high def wax there yesterday. Looks very good, will see how it lasts.

Beside it's big brother,

MetzgerMeister

Did you give it a full paint correction?

L-M

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Did you give it a full paint correction?

Me arse! i'm gonna do it over the course of the next few months, need to finish off filling in stone chips etc. and i'll flatten them back with the polish then. The brother was polishing his car so i literally gave it a sunshine line coat.

dgt

Got bits for my derv bus :pac:

Including the rubber door surround

More bits to get...



£90 for all that

challengemaster

The results of today:



Some fúcking hardship trying to find an 18mm spanner or socket for the damn bolts holding up the shock.

Also had 3 valves on the tyres changed, turns out whatever twat fitted them used....wait for it...

valves from lawnmower tyres.