Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

Cass · 26-10-2022 12:14am

Had one of these today:

Doing the front shocks, top mounts, ARBs, and drop links on my Sister's Audi. Job should have taken max of two hours. Ended up being just over 8 because the poxxy pinch pins were so badly seized that they sheered both ends and required drilling out. Luckily it was only one side the other side came out using spacers and a lot of patience.

The actual shock/top mount replacement, drop links, and ARBs only took 35-40 minutes once I got the pinch bolts out.

Of course I started doing the job outside the garage thinking it would only be a couple of hours and it wasn't raining so what harm. Got soaked through to the kacks by 6pm.

Only saving grace was these bolts are notorious for seizing and having to be forcefully removed, plus Audi recommend changing them whenever this job is done, so I pre-ordered them just to be sure.

fancy pigeon · 26-10-2022 9:08pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119793519#Comment_119793519

Oh dear. Oh no! Please, do tell me how to tell the structural integrity without seeing where the metal has penetrated (snigger). Seeing is believing, right?

Cutting away the sill would reveal extra bits I may not have photographed; more-so rather the work I won't be revealing/sharing as it's a tad repetitive. Understanding that the final product may be unfinished in the photos, that's my fault for not being clear so I hold my hands up there. Now, I have to kind of put my money where my mouth is, don't I.... To the video below:

https://youtu.be/vX7l9vMbgA0

Knowing my luck though, this simple video won't be good enough. Not a bit of the patch (which I will be adding alterations to afterwards to make it similar to a drain/jacking point) bent/sheared away etc. Or maybe I faked the whole thing rising the car with the power of my mind like an old magician using hidden fishing line out of shot to raise his assistant. But I'll let the experts decide, what would I know...

Tell you what though, here's an invitation to put all those expert youtube videos watched to good use. I'm making this an invitation to come up and weld the other side for me, show me and the rest of us how better the pretty clean welds are on a rusty old 5 series where the end result is covered in shutz/stone chip, or put up some of your own masterpieces after a stress test. The choice is yours, amite

mk7r · 27-10-2022 12:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119797371#Comment_119797371

No need to be nasty about it, it's very clear from the photos provided that there is almost zero penetration, lots of porosity to the point it wouldn't even count as a continuous weld.

Jacking the car up proves nothing unfortunately as even an inch of ropey weld can easily support a tonne. It's the long term flexing of the chassis and the inevitable corrosion where the failure will be.

I don't have any problems welding it for you if you were to bring it to my garage...I am definitely not Mr perfect welder but I can weld, properly!

Bring it for the NCT in bare metal and get a pass and I'll publically apologize and crown you a welding god 😁

fancy pigeon · 27-10-2022 11:30am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119798323#Comment_119798323

I must apologise if I have come across as rude, for it was not meant to. But, what I will stand by and say if you're only seeing about 5% of what goes on, even when stated twice that the product is unfinished (and possibly, just maybe, altered since and in between for the better), then I really shouldn't have to say any more on the stuff that no one else can see and more so no one else should be talking about stuff when they haven't a clue about the full backstory or what goes on elsewhere. TLDR I don't always get the pics people want to see as I don't have much spare time when I'm tipping away at something. Makes sense doesn't it, well I hope it does!

I think I've wasted enough of my time and yours on this trivial exercise, but I am hopeful this will be the last of this. I am fearful of a last word style scenario has taken over, though

However, if I could take the car for you to weld or for you to come up and weld the rest I wouldn't think twice about it, as I have too much on my plate as is; seems the busier someone is we must squeeze the last bit of work out of them until they collapse. One man maintaining a fleet of vans and other peoples cars during the weekends and evenings while in a full time job on the road is almost slavery at this stage (hence the video last night, I was out fitting a transfer box onto a Hyundai, it's all about timing)

Do share with us all some welding undertaken by yourself. Rather than a jovial tongue in cheek remark I always try to learn from others both good and bad, rather than insult them 😉

BlakeS94 · 27-10-2022 11:39am

Bring back Local Car Mechanic I say, he'll put ye both in your place!

fancy pigeon · 27-10-2022 12:14pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119799480#Comment_119799480

Pah! An amateur is all he was!

You need power pants. Or Jesus. Or Cabb8ge.... 😉

zg3409 · 29-10-2022 3:25pm

Mk1 golf steering wheel wolfsberg model. These are about 500 euro used but this came with the car. The metal part did not seem to match the plastic horn press so a bit of guntering, creativity, swearing, multiple attempts, buying 7mm internal diameter washers from ebay, then it kept popping apart so I used ferrules to keep the plastic clips from closing and popping out. The horn now works and does not fly apart but it's quite different position and press distance than intended from factory.

I bought this mk1 golf from done deal. It was not intended as a project, more as a fully completed project from someone else. Fully nut and bolt restored, new exhaust, but after my vigorous test drive over a few speed humps probably a bit on the fast side the new exhaust separated. All sorted now and hopefully I won't fill these pages with repairs over the coming year. I am hoping it will be reliable with all new bushings and brakes and fuel tank and overhauled engine.

Titzon Toast · 29-10-2022 4:25pm

We're gonna need to see pics of the mk1 please.

Slideways · 30-10-2022 2:50am

The Skoda vRS has had a weeping sump since I got it. Tried to reseal a few times but think the plastic had warped.

Got a full steel pan and dumped the plastic in the bin.

Titzon Toast · 01-11-2022 8:54pm

Picked these up today, I've always wanted a set of BC coilovers.

They're in very good condition tbf, I'm gonna strip them in a couple of days to repaint the springs and grease up the threads.

Titzon Toast · 05-11-2022 4:57pm

Well, I did exactly what I said I wouldn't do and I lowered it too much. It's not ridiculous or anything but I need to raise it back up a bit front and back.

I repainted the springs and put lithium grease on all the threads and they tuned out very well even if I do say so myself.

https://i.imgur.com/G095obu.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/Y4GZR6b.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/LfkwqY3.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/Ehx9NOC.jpeg

https://i.imgur.com/6ML8iZ9.jpeg

passatman86 · 05-11-2022 7:36pm

@Titzon Toast perfect

PsychoPete · 05-11-2022 7:51pm

I'm running BC's on 3 of my cars and they have been flawless so far. I would recommend getting some coilover covers for them

Detritus70 · 05-11-2022 7:54pm

The joys of owning a Fiat part 2.

My initial hunch was right. The crankshaft oil seal was to blame. To change that, you have to remove the fan belt, fan belt pulley, cam belt, cam belt pulley, left motor mount ( which is a hoor of a job) and, of course, the seal itself.

To undo the crankshaft pulley nut, I had to build a tool. Impact did nothing. And I already found another coolant leak and a gearbox leak! The joys of owning a fcuking Fiat. Never again.

Titzon Toast · 05-11-2022 8:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119838246#Comment_119838246

What do they cover exactly?

Did you tinker with the preload and the adjusters on top? I just went with what BC recommend online.

PsychoPete · 05-11-2022 8:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119838455#Comment_119838455

They cover the spring and adjustors, it just stops them getting covered in dirt and shite from the roads. I'm running them on 3 starlets and left the preload alone, I just adjusted them by opening the bottom collar and twisting the whole lot. Didn't want to go messing with them too much

Titzon Toast · 05-11-2022 9:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119838518#Comment_119838518

That sounds like the right job alright. I'm gonna see if I can track down a set of them too.

Detritus70 · 06-11-2022 12:47pm

Today was scary. I had to remove the cam belt tensioner, put the cam belt aside (after marking it up) and remove the seal, which wasn't easy.

Putting it all back together was nerve shredding, because everything had moved, the cam and the crank were a few teeth out and (mini heart attack!) some of the markings had rubbed off. Luckily I I put three markings in every place instead of one and there was enough information retained to put it all back together perfectly (is it though? We will see first start).

The engine turns over by hand, let's see how she runs.

Detritus70 · 06-11-2022 6:44pm

Well, she runs and drives perfectly, so I did not make a dog's dinner of the cambelt.

The problem is, this car was neglected for many years, I reckon it's gone for about 80000 km without an oil change. I did several oil changes in quick succession and did two flushes. There was oil sludge the consistency of clay in the sump and around the cams.

Now what happens when oil isn't changed regularly? It turns into sludge. That means all the seals around crank and cams dry out, wear out and start leaking.

I've now noticed a drip of oil from the gearbox side of the sump, so I'm guessing that would be the clutch shaft seal. And I'm not equipped to do that. Absolutely no notion of putting myself through that. Unless you guys can tell me it's a totally easy job. 😁