Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

PsychoPete · 12-05-2021 12:54pm

CianRyan wrote: »

The amount of times I've done those jobs and some poor sod has been charged €120 and a free coffee is tragic.
I little effort goes a long way!

Sometimes customers could come into the workshop with a problem and if it was a job like that, I'd just do it in 5 minutes and just sent them in their way. The service manger would tell them we need the car for an hour and charge them an hours labour for the privilege

CianRyan · 12-05-2021 1:02pm

PsychoPete wrote: »

Sometimes customers could come into the workshop with a problem and if it was a job like that, I'd just do it in 5 minutes and just sent them in their way. The service manger would tell them we need the car for an hour and charge them an hours labour for the privilege

It's so bad, or the old half hour labour for putting air in their tyres. Ugh.

PsychoPete · 12-05-2021 1:05pm

CianRyan wrote: »

It's so bad, or the old half hour labour for putting air in their tyres. Ugh.

I hated seeing it, especially when it was regular customers

Toyotafanboi · 12-05-2021 10:58pm

PsychoPete wrote: »

Sometimes customers could come into the workshop with a problem and if it was a job like that, I'd just do it in 5 minutes and just sent them in their way. The service manger would tell them we need the car for an hour and charge them an hours labour for the privilege

Doing stuff for free wont pay your wages though. "It's a business, not a charity".

I'm all for doing odd jobs for good customers FOC but generally it's nice to see everything possible covered with a fair price. Charging for stuff gives it value to the customer too.

CR 7 · 13-05-2021 10:06am

I posted a few weeks ago about an intermittent issue with one of the rear indicators, and eventually found the issue was a pin on the bulb holder that was close to failure and eventually snapped off while I was trying to figure out the issue. You can just about see the difference below, the lower photos shows the pin sticking out to contact the side of the bulb, where it's missing on the first photo.

On to eBay and €25 and several weeks later a replacement set of wiring for the rear tail light arrived from the slow boat from Lithuania. From 15 to 17 Ford switched to using LED brake lights, before releasing the new fiesta model, and I couldn't source the wiring for that specific tail light from any breaker in Ireland. But I didn't need to do much driving in the meantime so I could wait.

2 minutes to take off the tail light, 5 minutes to get the wiring swapped and 2 minutes to refit and test that all is now working correctly again!

Cass · 13-05-2021 9:11pm

Changed the N/S mirror on the Titanium X Sport today. Whomever was at it before (obviously damaged and replaced) use a standard Mondeo wing mirror which only has electric movement function however the TXS should have power folding, electric, heated with puddle light wing mirrors.

Ford wanted €250 for it new but there is a great second market in the UK. Got one that was guaranteed and sent over, including customs/vat for €75. Fitted it today and the only issue with it was the backing cover. The one I bought was green, mine is black. Didn't care as I just assumed i'd change over the backing covers.

Not so.

Ford in their infinite wisdom decided those driving a TXS cannot buy cheaper parts so while the backing cover is the same shape the internal clips are not only different, but in the different locations within the backing cover meaning it will never fit the proper wing mirror. Could be down to the folding motor, etc. but i'm just blaming Ford for being awkward, because.............

So a 15 minute job turned into a two hour one as i sanded, primed and painted the cover from green to black.

It was not close to my best work, as my Grandfather would say "not bad a for a country job", and fitted it. Mirror folds, moves with switch, heats, lights up (puddle light) and does everything it should. Delighted.

I'll take the covers off both mirrors in the near future and do a proper job as all i had were spray cans, but i'll go at them again with the air line an spray gun with top coat + hardener when the time is there.

Also managed to bag an inner wheel arch liner as the rear left (n/s) had a piece tore out of it. Nobody would notice it bar me but i wanted it right.

joujoujou · 14-05-2021 9:36pm

Just small, visual thingy this time. Ms jou and myself recently discussed about yellow(ish) colour in her car's headlight clusters:

I ordered what's needed and mr postman brought the stuff today. Old vs new:

10 minutes later and the job's done:

wotzgoingon · 14-05-2021 9:52pm

Yellowish. The before looked mint. One of my headlights has faded really bad. On the inside too so no sanding will work. It was a bit faded even when I bought the car 4 years ago but has gotten pretty bad recently. The other side was replaced at some stage before I owned it so it's still in great condition.

colm_mcm · 14-05-2021 10:42pm

Scabby centre caps

Strip off the old metal overlays

Stick on Chinese replacements that look to be better made than the Skoda ones

fancy pigeon · 19-05-2021 9:32am

fancy pigeon wrote: »

I've ordered a replacement and I'm waiting patiently for it...

Well good news for me, I have the car up and running again

In it's broken state the car would only rev up to 2.5k rpm, idle at 1.5k and was fairly vague with the throttle input if you're wondering what happens when it fails completely. Normally you get a lumpy idle, lumpy running at a cruising rpm, poor throttle response on a cold startup. When it gets bad it sends the car into limp mode (which turning it off and on again will temporarily fix) and eventually in my case it threw an EML and was fairly spluttery. This last part happened approx half a mile from the garage! :rolleyes:

Here's some pictures of the failed ETM repair. I discovered afterwards the board inside had sh*t it's pants, conveniently when on my way to perform the repair. I'll remove the Sacer unit (contactless TPS) another time. I later smashed the old TPS to pieces

Continuing on, the (very) bad tempered me bought a Chinese rebuilt unit later that evening during an NCT retest, after sickening everyone's hole with my giving out about Magnetti Marelli. Then, a few days later, a nice fellow in the UK on arsebook offered me a recon Volvo unit and I bought it too!

They both arrived yesterday morning. Both with a contactless TPS

So I decided to fit the recon unit. Basic clean up with double TT. 10 minutes to remove the old unit, even with my... Custom pipework. You hear of morons removing the fan, working under the car and other f*ckholery not needed for this job

For a turbo car its:

Disconnect the battery
2 hose clamps for the turbo pipe
Lower air duct for the air box
2 Vacuum lines
4 10mm bolts
And if it's never been removed before, the clamp at the starter has to be removed for the cable to be freed

I'd also recommend 1/4 drive sockets as room is at a premium here

Plug in for the initialization process, not a single fault related to the ETM

Yes, that's my personal laptop. It's dual OS (Win 7 strictly for diag) and is also backed up with SPX (an official version, not cracked) if you're worried about Win 7 being a security breach :P

Put the whole lot back together and... Car isn't running right. Huge induction warble, turbo going bananas. Pull the whole lot off again. Dopey hole here had installed the unit on backwards!

Back on again the right way and all plumbed up. Went for a test drive. No sloppy acceleration! No lumpy idle! No dipping below 750 rpm! It's 100% fixed

Smiles the whole time and that's what matters at the back of it all :cool: now I can continue to address more issues on the car and buy a few extras for it

spiggotpaddy · 21-05-2021 4:51pm

@fancy pigeon

Your next order?

mk7r · 21-05-2021 5:25pm

fancy pigeon wrote: »

Plug in for the initialization process, not a single fault related to the ETM

Yes, that's my personal laptop. It's dual OS (Win 7 strictly for diag) and is also backed up with SPX (an official version, not cracked) if you're worried about Win 7 being a security breach :P

Put the whole lot back together and... Car isn't running right. Huge induction warble, turbo going bananas. Pull the whole lot off again. Dopey hole here had installed the unit on backwards!

Back on again the right way and all plumbed up. Went for a test drive. No sloppy acceleration! No lumpy idle! No dipping below 750 rpm! It's 100% fixed

Smiles the whole time and that's what matters at the back of it all :cool: now I can continue to address more issues on the car and buy a few extras for it

I have a no fault codes allowed in any module for my cars, that gives me serious anxiety :pac:

fancy pigeon · 21-05-2021 8:41pm

Don't worry lads I'm not in something French anymore, panic over

Speaking of, one less error thrown up this evening, replaced the relays and the rear left works, looks like I'll have to change the rear right lock when I get a chance

Also did some trickery with the dice unit while I had it out

wotzgoingon · 21-05-2021 8:58pm

mk7r wrote: »

I have a no fault codes allowed in any module for my cars, that gives me serious anxiety :pac:

I don't even know if my car has errors as it doesn't have such a system. Jap 90's car. I remember my BMW e39 had a few errors when hooked up to scan tool but it ran and drove perfect even with the errors so....

jumbone · 24-05-2021 10:30am

So I didn't do something to my car today but I want to...

I posted a thread the other day about my crappy wheelnuts and got no responses.

I just really need someone to tell me everything will be ok with the ones i've linked or recommend me a reputable supplier that selsl nuts without the OEM issue.

Any ideas?

jumbone wrote: »

I have a volvo c30 and 4 of my wheel nuts have lost their covers

They look like this (not my photo)

There is meant to be a thin metal cover pressed over these (part of the nut, you don't remove it when removing wheel)

Wheel is totally secure but looks crap especially since 4/5 are gone on one wheel (only the locknut is ok).

Given that I don't think anyone is about to nick my 10 year old stock alloys, I think it might be a good shout to get rid of the locknuts entirely which would leave me needing 8/20 nuts.

So obviously I now want to replace all 20 so they match and i don't risk damaging one when stuck on the side of the road

I was in a tyre centre the other day and they didn't stock wheel nuts, the fitter actually advised me to get them on eBay which surprised me a little!

I have found these:

www.ebay.co.uk/itm/363335956505

which state:

Seems like these are ideal and price is fine (I live in NI so no worries about shipping/tariffs) but I just have a slight apprehension about replacing all my wheel nuts with ones from eBay - having visions of all my wheels falling off as I go around a corner!

Can anyone reassure me that these will be fine or recommend a more reputable alternative?
OEM replacements (PN - 31200241) are about £4 each and obviously going to be susceptible to the same issue as the ones I have so a solid nut is preferred!

I'm sure that there is an equivalent ford part number as the c30 is a cousin of a focus, and i'm sure the ford aftermarket has come up with a well regarded alternative - I just cant seem to find it!

joujoujou · 24-05-2021 2:03pm

It's now second year I use ebay sourced nuts of the very same spec as you linked to (not the same seller though) and I'm still alive, no wheel lost, no nut loosened either.

Just buy and enjoy!

Alternatively, if second hand is an option, search scrapyards for older type Carina/Avensis domed and chromed nuts designated for steel rims. Very same spec, apart from outer size (they require 21mm socket).

Ubbquittious · 24-05-2021 8:49pm

Talk of an awkward kunt of a thing to get off. 2 impact sockets destroyed and a 11mm drill bit much shortened and tis still hanging on by a thread

mk7r · 24-05-2021 10:04pm

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Talk of an awkward kunt of a thing to get off. 2 impact sockets destroyed and a 11mm drill bit much shortened and tis still hanging on by a thread

Peugeot rear beam?

Ubbquittious · 24-05-2021 10:12pm

mk7r wrote: »

Peugeot rear beam?

Yep

mk7r · 24-05-2021 10:14pm

Ubbquittious wrote: »

Yep

Hope you have a new one to go on, second hand arent worth the time it takes to fit them

Ubbquittious · 24-05-2021 10:51pm

mk7r wrote: »

Hope you have a new one to go on, second hand arent worth the time it takes to fit them

I have feck all yet. Was going to get it refurbished but might buy one from Poland instead

mk7r · 24-05-2021 11:00pm

Ubbquittious wrote: »

I have feck all yet. Was going to get it refurbished but might buy one from Poland instead

JPRuth has them in stock in Kilkenny

colm_mcm · 25-05-2021 7:27pm

New badges today. Straightforward enough job once you measure the position of the old ones
Dental floss to take the old ones off
Tar and glue remover to soften the glue
Microfibre to unstick it

vintagevrs · 25-05-2021 11:40pm

I recently noticed absolutely nothing wrong with my brakes, they were working perfectly. So I set out to replace them :S

Before:

And now:

advertsfox · 26-05-2021 10:59am

Amazing difference. What's the cost like to do all 4 corners?

ILikeBoats · 26-05-2021 11:40am

Very cool vintage.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult?

vintagevrs · 26-05-2021 12:38pm

advertsfox wrote: »

Amazing difference. What's the cost like to do all 4 corners?

I only did the fronts, will prob leave the back alone after reading a lot about issues that over braking the rear can cause. The rears don't really do any work on this car to be honest

Cost wise, new brembo calipers, pads, st170 discs, adapters, spacers, fluid and various other small bits....I haven't actually added it up. I'd guess maybe 700 euro, if not a bit less.

ILikeBoats wrote: »

Very cool vintage.
On a scale of 1 to 10, how difficult?

Cheers. The tricky part was prob doing the homework on what exactly was needed. This is the first mk8 that has this set up so some learning along the way. The actual work is pretty straightforward for the most part. No different really to a brake change with OEM parts and fluid flush.

Cheensbo · 26-05-2021 12:38pm

Were the adaptors off the shelf or did you get them made up?

vintagevrs · 26-05-2021 12:41pm

Cheensbo wrote: »

Were the adaptors off the shelf or did you get them made up?

There's a fella in the UK that does them for the previous generation st, so bought them from him. £130.

Cheensbo · 26-05-2021 12:45pm

vintagevrs wrote: »

There's a fella in the UK that does them for the previous generation st, so bought them from him. £130.

Ah i see, trying to find somewhere in Ireland who will make a set, no joy so!

Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

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