The "Today I did something to my car" thread

_Kaiser_

Black_Knight wrote: »

Not 100% happy though. I only blame myself. No hair dryer makes it alot tougher. Ended up using a lighter to heat and manipulate the wrap around awkward corners.

That looks well from what I can see

Half-thinking of doing something similar to the A6 at some stage as some of the trim is a bit scratched from the previous owner. Don't know if I'd trust myself to do it properly though and I've no hairdryer/heat gun either!

Black_Knight

I was looking at doing all the centre console/gear surround in CF, but I seen someone had done it on their CC on a diff forum, and it just looked too much, too dull a colour all round.
The section I did was the only section that I never really liked, so for now, im happy. Ill give it a few weeks to sink in and go from there. Ya never know, I could end up ripping it all off and putting in some black gloss or something.

_Kaiser_

tossy wrote: »

Personally i wouldn't have the done the hazard light switch and to pieces each side - it's a little too much unbroken CF

Don't know.. if he'd left it as standard I think it would really have stood out - and not in a good way. Reckon he made the right choice myself.

Black_Knight

Kaiser2000 wrote: »

Don't know.. if he'd left it as standard I think it would really have stood out - and not in a good way. Reckon he made the right choice myself.

Ronnie Beck

Black_Knight wrote: »

Seen heat guns in lidl yesterday for 12/13 euro

Black_Knight

Christ. Lidl and Aldi, always have exactly what you want just when you need it!

DELIVERY!!
Just had 2 of these delivered to work.





Filthy, but that'll wash off. Shrink wrap is still protecting the chrome bits. Got them from a breakers up north.

Black_Knight

Out with the old and in with the new. Door sills installed. Not too tough a job, about an hours work but a big improvement.
Before:


After:


Drivers side has quite a bit of scuffing going on. I can only guess the breakers car was a garage demo that someone wrecked.


No idea what to do with the old ones. Ideas?

Supergurrier

What wrap is that (have a link to it)? Looks well

You did a great job from what i can see

Black_Knight

Supergurrier wrote: »

What wrap is that (have a link to it)? Looks well

You did a great job from what i can see

Its the images I didnt post that are the problem. Its lifting in some edges/corners where I should of used a heat gun. And I made a slight cut where I shouldnt have in the instrument cluster.
http://www.ebay.ie/itm/251146010288?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2649

Supergurrier

Thanks dude will keep an eye out in Galway for your car

Black_Knight

Supergurrier wrote: »

Thanks dude will keep an eye out in Galway for your car

Woops. Must update that. Moved to Dublin 2 years ago now. In Galway the odd time though, its hard to say good-bye.

Mar4ix

Did cylinder pressure test on my old toyota avensis, 1.8 petrol, 7A-FE . , in result, got nearly exact pressure in all cylinders, was using cheap pressure tester bought from ebay.

I pulled out all sparkplugs, disconnect both coilpacks, and disconnect petrol pump wiring under rear seat.

Results was nearly 14.5 bars.

Anyone have idea, is that ok ?

joujoujou

Mar4ix wrote: »

[...]
Results was nearly 14.5 bars.

Anyone have idea, is that ok ?

It's very good actually. Minimum for 7A-FE is 142 PSI (9.8 bar) with no more than 1 bar difference between cylinders.

Mar4ix

joujoujou wrote: »

It's very good actually. Minimum for 7A-FE is 142 PSI (9.8 bar) with no more than 1 bar difference between cylinders.

Thanks, i cant find info about pressures, any idea, what is suppose to be ?

i have suspicions, that catalytic converter is blocked ... bad mpg (10-12 l/100 km too bad for lean burn engine) , poor acceleration. decided check easier things first , i have timing belt with water pump replacement planned, and clutch. probably easier will be pull engine out, and inspect cat.

edit:
barely passed NCT emissions on high revs.
usually, when start car, exhaust fumes smell inside, and when accelerating it is kind jerking , also jerking when maintain constant speed.
Connected to techstream toyotas diagnostics, no any faults.

joujoujou

You don't have to pull an engine out to check cat - remove exhaust. And take a look at lambda as well.

Mar4ix

joujoujou wrote: »

You don't have to pull an engine out to check cat - remove exhaust. And take a look at lambda as well.

I was thinking, pull engine out for replacing timing belt and clutch in same time, shall be easier, as on drive way , it is pain in @rs get that gearbox on .
Dont know, what is best way.

joujoujou

Won't be easy anyway.

Mar4ix

that little problems was since i got car, and i replaced lambda, got Denso one, cost odd 170 GBP , original ones been manufactured by Denso also , as written on them - Denso for Toyota ...
problems still persist.

Ronnie Beck

Mar4ix wrote: »

that little problems was since i got car, and i replaced lambda, got Denso one, cost odd 170 GBP , original ones been manufactured by Denso also , as written on them - Denso for Toyota ...
problems still persist.

Failed emmisions on Lambda too high? Hole in the exhaust can cause it. You mentioned fumes in the cab too.

Mar4ix

Ronnie Beck wrote: »

Failed emmisions on Lambda too high? Hole in the exhaust can cause it. You mentioned fumes in the cab too.

emissions was near to fail on 2800 rpms , lambda is fine. fumes could be failing exhaust manifold gasket, due too high pressure over blocked exhaust / catalytic converter, also engine bay pretty much covered by carbon, unusual too much for petrol engine.

Mar4ix

done some work on my cars rusty wheels:

BEFORE:







AFTER BRUSH TREATMENT







AFTER CLEANING WITH SOME DEGREASER:










AND FEW LAYERS PAINTED.. GRADUALLY:


















Now drying in shed for another 24 hrs. painted with hammerite. rough work, but i wont spent more time and money on them.

toastedpickles

Today my car got a full service.

That is all
Pickles out

Tallon

Passed the aul NCT

transam

changed 4 ignition coils + spark plugs on my audi a3 sportback 1.6 fsi ... next thing will be tyres .....

renofan

Changed the rear wheel bearing hub on the driver's side on my Wife's Focus yesterday evening. Needless to say the old one was a right whoor to get off and when I put the new one in I wasn't confident the plug for the ABS sensor plugged into the new one right. And lo and behold I was right, the ABS light was on on the dash. So took the sensor out of the old one, had to contort myself to get it out of the new one as it was now fitted to the car, put in the old one, and the ABS light went out.

€95 for the bearing hub so not a bad result.

_Kaiser_

So got the A6 back this afternoon but all is still not well - although she's driving as normal again I'm still getting flashing glow plug light/constant engine management light. Came back just as I was leaving the office. In other words back to where we started last Friday

Interestingly the glow plug light disappears when you put it into D(rive) and comes back when you shift back to P(ark). The engine management light stays on constantly.

Got hold of a copy of VCDS there and ran a diag scan.. anyone know how to read these logs and what it means?

evolutionqy7

So I finally got my cabin filter and was quite disgusted what I saw. Looks as the previous owner never changed it. Went down and got a can of air con cleaner afterwards to kill the remainder of the smell

YouTookMyName

Cabin filters too.

Old ones were rank, the void was full of leaves too.

MetzgerMeister

Just because the new cabin filters are white doesn't mean that the ones you're removing are rank. A lot of cars come from the factory with activated carbon filters. The carbon helps to reduce bad smells in the air before the air enters the cabin.

There is usually an option of getting a replacement carbon filter but most people don't know this because you usually have to specify the carbon part of it and dealers usually just give out the normal ones and motor factors usually only stock the normal ones.

YouTookMyName

Fair point, but it's an 2002 avensis so i'd hope they weren't factory filters!

The bigger one was full of crap thats why i said it was rank.