Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

wotzgoingon

I seen a CCTV of a garage and the car fell on the two guys working on it from badly jacking the car up. It seemed to just slip and fall on them. Not straight away either.

If I was working in a garage I would lift the car myself rather than let an apprentice do it as at times they are inexperienced and it's your life on the line.

JohnBoy26

keano25 wrote: »

Broken rear spring changed on my F10 this morning.. Not a hard job but an awkward job lying on my back on the cold ground..

Anyone on here got lifts at their house? Will be building a garage soon and can't decide between a pit or lift..

Id have a 2 post lift everyday of the week over a pit. You have way more access to the bottom of the car and doing brakes, steering or suspension jobs is much easier with a lift.

job seeker

JohnBoy26 wrote: »

Id have a 2 post lift everyday of the week over a pit. You have way more access to the bottom of the car and doing brakes, steering or suspension jobs is much easier with a lift.

This.

Also,

My local mechanic had a pit the last 7 years. He got one of these lifts built into the floor, (so when it's not in use it's the same level as the floor of the shed.) as he built onto his garage. He reckons the lift is the best thing since sliced pan. He did say that it's slow to move up and down in the winter though. As the cold weather makes the oil thick. But that's don't make a difference, it's just slightly slower, than usual. He doesn't use the pit at all now..

Lekrub

Yesterday my 06 c200K wouldn't start, sluggish and had left interior light on. Since it was the original battery I said feck it I'll take the hit and get a new battery. Grand job, got it changed in 20mins.

But then..it still wouldn't start....Fast forward to call from a local indi - Stretched and jumped timing chain :eek: Cars gone . AND the chain was replaced before I bought it.

martyc5674

Lekrub wrote: »

Yesterday my 06 c200K wouldn't start, sluggish and had left interior light on. Since it was the original battery I said feck it I'll take the hit and get a new battery. Grand job, got it changed in 20mins.

But then..it still wouldn't start....Fast forward to call from a local indi - Stretched and jumped timing chain :eek: Cars gone . AND the chain was replaced before I bought it.

I hope you took the good battery back out of it....

Alanstrainor

Lekrub wrote: »

Yesterday my 06 c200K wouldn't start, sluggish and had left interior light on. Since it was the original battery I said feck it I'll take the hit and get a new battery. Grand job, got it changed in 20mins.

But then..it still wouldn't start....Fast forward to call from a local indi - Stretched and jumped timing chain :eek: Cars gone . AND the chain was replaced before I bought it.

Ah crap! Sorry to hear!

wotzgoingon

martyc5674 wrote: »

Lekrub wrote: »

Yesterday my 06 c200K wouldn't start, sluggish and had left interior light on. Since it was the original battery I said feck it I'll take the hit and get a new battery. Grand job, got it changed in 20mins.

But then..it still wouldn't start....Fast forward to call from a local indi - Stretched and jumped timing chain :eek: Cars gone . AND the chain was replaced before I bought it.

I hope you took the good battery back out of it....

I done that before and brought the battery back to where I bought it for a refund.

martyc5674

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Ah crap! Sorry to hear!

Yeah that’s what I meant to say!

Lekrub

Seems like the cams weren't changed and just the chain kit before.

Got the quote from the garge after my post, seems the damage has been somewhat contained.

I feel like an abused spouse who should know better but doesn't, but weighing up options, I'm considering to source a cheap kit compared to what I was quoted.

All in I think I would be at 1400 euro...Although the car is worth feck all, I feel like the devil you know is better than what I could get for €1400 as I've had no other problems and planned on driving it for another good few years. I like the amg kit, paintwork condition, heated leather, good bluetooth and 'kompressor'.

I saw this no name kit on done deal:

Surely the quality can't be that bad to go again within 3 years would it? Or would I be better just going for a €1200 whatever run about car? If that I'm getting that battery back to halfords!

Toyotafanboi

If you like the car and plan on keeping it another few years I'd get a brand name kit. Would you ever have full peace of mind otherwise?

Lekrub

Toyotafanboi wrote: »

If you like the car and plan on keeping it another few years I'd get a brand name kit. Would you ever have full peace of mind otherwise?

Yea you're right. After a bit of reading it seems the cheap kits can go within a year. No way I could deal with that worry.

From the Benz forums it seems the is a site m271.com & ZEDPerformance that sell kits that people have used and were happy with them. German branded decent kits.

Lekrub

Just for anyone who spots it, here is the damage to cam gears. You can see the teeth have been worn right down which caused the chain to slip. The chain had been changed before. Just to warn people this same engine was used in Mercs up to 2009 if you are looking at them.

pablo128

Are you going to go ahead with repairing it?

Lekrub

pablo128 wrote: »

Are you going to go ahead with repairing it?

Yea I did cos after looking at the alternatives it made more sense to me, to just go for it and fix it.

I got it for far below the market price a few years back so I guess it’s just evening out.

Plan on keeping it for years now. Or I until I win the lotto. Just can’t believe those OE sprockets are such crap.

So same for C class, E class, E90 or E60 etc up to 2010 really - doesn’t matter if the timing chain has been done, if the sprockets are worn you are not nothing.

jacksie66

This post has been deleted.

Toyotafanboi

Love it! It's so satisfying bringing a tired car back to life with jobs like those.

fancy pigeon

10 minutes spare last night, removed all the water that was in the car from rain, cleaned up the poles + applied some copper grease and gave the lights a quick once over:



I'll spend a bit more time on them another day

billybonkers

That 3m restoration kit works wonders

fancy pigeon

billybonkers wrote: »

That 3m restoration kit works wonders

It's not a 3m restoration kit, I use a much more ghetto substance

billybonkers

fancy pigeon wrote: »

It's not a 3m restoration kit, I use a much more ghetto substance

Bit of wet n dry :rolleyes:

fancy pigeon

billybonkers wrote: »

Bit of wet n dry :rolleyes:

No sandpaper was used on the headlights either

MetzgerMeister

Toothfeckenpaste!

fancy pigeon

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Toothfeckenpaste!

I've moved away from the tesco everyday value toothpaste, not that either

morritty

fancy pigeon wrote: »

I've moved away from the tesco everyday value toothpaste, not that either

Free organic body juice? :pac:

MetzgerMeister

fancy pigeon wrote: »

I've moved away from the tesco everyday value toothpaste, not that either

Autosol metalfeckenpolish?

fancy pigeon

MetzgerMeister wrote: »

Autosol metalfeckenpolish?

Close enough, magnesium + aluminum polish this time

Alanstrainor

Last week I convinced myself I had a coolant leak in the e46. This was the chain of events.

1. Sitting in traffic I notice a heat haze over the engine, I've seen this before when my rad failed and it was a tiny bit of coolant steaming.
2. Got home let car cool down fully and checked coolant. A little low, top up by 100mls or so. Hadn't checked my coolant level in a long time however, no way to know how long it had taken to get low.

So overly paranoid me thinks my rad has failed, or something of that nature. Today I took out the engine fan to get a clear view of the rad and entire cooling system. I can see or smell nothing. Turn on car and let it heat to full temp. Nothing. Rev it a little bit to see if that causes anything. Nothing.

Rad is clean, expansion tank clean, all visible hoses are clean. So I'm going to hold off on a more in depth review for now; and keep an eye on my levels closely. I'm not stupid enough to categorically say there's no leak, given it is a BMW we're talking about. But it's not worth the effort for now until I know more.

Fingers crossed lads.

James Bond Junior

Alanstrainor wrote: »

Last week I convinced myself I had a coolant leak in the e46. This was the chain of events.

1. Sitting in traffic I notice a heat haze over the engine, I've seen this before when my rad failed and it was a tiny bit of coolant steaming.
2. Got home let car cool down fully and checked coolant. A little low, top up by 100mls or so. Hadn't checked my coolant level in a long time however, no way to know how long it had taken to get low.

So overly paranoid me thinks my rad has failed, or something of that nature. Today I took out the engine fan to get a clear view of the rad and entire cooling system. I can see or smell nothing. Turn on car and let it heat to full temp. Nothing. Rev it a little bit to see if that causes anything. Nothing.

Rad is clean, expansion tank clean, all visible hoses are clean. So I'm going to hold off on a more in depth review for now; and keep an eye on my levels closely. I'm not stupid enough to categorically say there's no leak, given it is a BMW we're talking about. But it's not worth the effort for now until I know more.

Fingers crossed lads.

Have you thought about doing a cooling system overhaul? I have one penciled in for my jalopy.

Alanstrainor

James Bond Junior wrote: »

Have you thought about doing a cooling system overhaul? I have one penciled in for my jalopy.

Over the years I have replaced most of it already. Rad, expansion tank, upper and lower coolant hose, water pump. So I have most of it done in bits and bobs. If I find reason to strip it I will replace all old hoses now though, and probably do the water pump again.

Top Dog

So to be honest and up front, a buddy did most of the work. But I was involved and did some of the work so I'm claiming it's Today I did something to my car

After a few weeks of conflicting schedules I finally pinned the buddy down to a day and time to tackle some jobs on the car (and go over it from front to rear to identify any work needed). Thankfully the report after wasn't too bad - rear subframe bushes, exhaust flex pipe, clutch & flywheel kit, tyres & tracking. Considering the list for the last car I got him to do a report on I consider it a win - especially as I kinda knew about all the above. So clutch kit and bushes have been ordered, will be dispatched from the UK tomorrow, and hopefully here in time to get the work done next Saturday (fingers, toes & everything else crossed) Exhaust flex I'll sort myself when I'm changing the whole system for a twin exit.

So today we managed between us;
Tensioner and lower pulley kit fitted
Power steering belt replaced
Oil & filter done (8k miles but at least 7 months since last done)
Air filter changed (only 6k miles since last done, but figured for my records I'd have a full service done)
Fuel filter changed (again 6k miles, but as I'd run BG244 fuel system cleaner through it I wanted peace of mind that if it had cleared any gunk out that was caught in the filter, then I now have that filter removed)
Rear ABS sensor properly connected so I now have ABS and traction control again
Drivers door handle adjusted as it was 50:50 on opening the door
Microphone connected to headunit so I can now use the bluetooth for calls
GPS sensor connected just because (maps are well out of date, but by fitting it I won't lose it :pac: )

Took a bit longer than planned/expected - but then these things always do for some reason.



Oh and before anyone asks - there are 2 axle stands under her (one hidden behind the trolley jack and another over on the passenger side) :cool: