Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

GvidoR · 20-06-2015 08:57PM

Replaced front bumper on Punto. Whoever had put this silver one on, must have just reached into a tub of bolts and used the first one they came across. To take it off, I had to use 8mm socket, 10mm socket, T35 socket, allen key and a philips screwdriver. I'm not joking.

Before (it looks better in the picture than in real life, it has a nasty mark on the left side)

During

After

Picked up this bumper for €15.

GvidoR · 20-06-2015 09:50PM

I apologize for the large amount of Punto pictures, but...

I picked up these hub caps. They're not in the best condition, but I got all four of them for €5 and they are original Fiat ones. Wheel bolts hold them in place so there's no need to worry about them falling off without the use of nasty cable ties.

Before:

It looks so much better, imo.

166man · 20-06-2015 10:33PM

Get a gold coloured bonnet and give the whole thing a clean and a polish and it'd actually look really well! Hubcaps have made a huge difference.

20-06-2015 11:59PM

Noticed a knocking during the week, so I jacked up the car today and had a look - drop links needed replacement. No biggie, went to motor factors and swapped out the right one fine. Couldn't get a bolt off the left one and ended up rounding the holding nut, so then tried cutting it and couldn't find a small enough hacksaw. For an easy job it was definitely trying my patience!

wotzgoingon · 21-06-2015 12:14AM

Dónal wrote: »

Noticed a knocking during the week, so I jacked up the car today and had a look - drop links needed replacement. No biggie, went to motor factors and swapped out the right one fine. Couldn't get a bolt off the left one and ended up rounding the holding nut, so then tried cutting it and couldn't find a small enough hacksaw. For an easy job it was definitely trying my patience!

Did you try with a normal size hack saw blade(just the blade) it will take longer to cut but will do the job.

21-06-2015 12:17AM

wotzgoingon wrote: »

Did you try with a normal size hack saw blade(just the blade) it will take longer to cut but will do the job.

Going to get a small hacksaw tomorrow to sort it out.

dr.fuzzenstein · 21-06-2015 02:34AM

Dónal wrote: »

Noticed a knocking during the week, so I jacked up the car today and had a look - drop links needed replacement. No biggie, went to motor factors and swapped out the right one fine. Couldn't get a bolt off the left one and ended up rounding the holding nut, so then tried cutting it and couldn't find a small enough hacksaw. For an easy job it was definitely trying my patience!

Any DIY job will always cost twice as much and take three times as long, but only if you're very, very lucky. If a nut rounds or breaks off, time and cost could easily quadruple.

YbFocus · 21-06-2015 09:12AM

So this was my full day yesterday!
All done but changing out all the bushings have shown me the trailing arms are moving slightly. 2 new front shocks, track rod ends and trail arm bushes next weekend then!

Edit: Just noticed something snook into a pic. Name the engine on the left for one million dollars

21-06-2015 01:13PM

Success. They needed to be replaced, but of course the knocking remains - will need more investigation.

GvidoR · 21-06-2015 02:37PM

Removed those terrible window tints. They had cracks and creases. The one on the back didn't even cover the whole window, and they were too dark as well, imo.

You can scroll up a bit to see a before pic.

Ta-dah!

CianRyan · 21-06-2015 02:42PM

YB, knowing you it's an SR20.

YbFocus · 21-06-2015 03:26PM

CianRyan wrote: »

YB, knowing you it's an SR20.

One million dollars to Cian

GvidoR · 21-06-2015 03:40PM

I hope you will share some of that with me, Cian. I'll take you for a spin in the Punto. :pac:

Noccy_Mondy · 21-06-2015 04:08PM

GvidoR wrote:

Removed those terrible window tints. They had cracks and creases. The one on the back didn't even cover the whole window, and they were too dark as well, imo.

Was there a sticky residue left on the window after? My arms fell off trying to get the residue off the golf I was cleaning.

GvidoR · 21-06-2015 04:23PM

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

Was there a sticky residue left on the window after? My arms fell off trying to get the residue off the golf I was cleaning.

The tint is in 2 layers and apparently you need to get it up to 30-40 degrees to remove them both at once. I tried heating it up with a hair dryer but only the top layer came off, I was very frustrated at that point, but then I lifted up one corner, grabbed a heavy duty wet wipe and was surprised how easily the bottom layer came off. So I just ripped the top layer off and without any heat, rubbed the bottom layer off with the wet wipes and then cleaned the windows with glass cleaner. They're perfectly clean now and they are not sticky at all.

Noccy_Mondy · 21-06-2015 05:03PM

You got out handy enough so. Some fool done a disastrous job taking off the tint, leaving the windows all sticky. I had to use petrol and a rag to get it off.

GvidoR · 21-06-2015 05:06PM

Noccy_Mondy wrote: »

You got out handy enough so. Some fool done a disastrous job taking off the tint, leaving the windows all sticky. I had to use petrol and a rag to get it off.

That's terrible, but it must have felt great at the end. Also the petrol must have left a nice scent.

lafors · 25-06-2015 10:57AM

Just ordered up a dension 500s BT with the dension avr and a dvb-t unit to replace my non working analog one for the 645. Should get it all early next week....this will be interesting!!

cletus · 26-06-2015 08:18PM

Three weeks ago a guy did the thing in the first picture to my car.

In the last three days some other guys did the thing in the second picture to my car.

I haven't done anything to my car

26-06-2015 08:25PM

cletus wrote: »

Three weeks ago a guy did the thing in the first picture to my car.

In the last three days some other guys did the thing in the second picture to my car.

I haven't done anything to my car

Thats a great job. I'm assuming you're in Limerick judging by your sig. Who did the work for you if you don't mind me asking?

cletus · 26-06-2015 08:40PM

Snotaul Goodman wrote: »

Thats a great job. I'm assuming you're in Limerick judging by your sig. Who did the work for you if you don't mind me asking?

Haven't lived in Limerick in about eight years, however the sig still stands. The work was done in Fitzpatricks garage in Kildare town. They did a good job in fairness

26-06-2015 08:53PM

cletus wrote: »

Haven't lived in Limerick in about eight years, however the sig still stands. The work was done in Fitzpatricks garage in Kildare town. They did a good job in fairness

Great result.

TrailerBob · 26-06-2015 10:27PM

cletus wrote: »

Three weeks ago a guy did the thing in the first picture to my car.

In the last three days some other guys did the thing in the second picture to my car.

I haven't done anything to my car

So you didn't manage to swindle hubcaps out of them then:D

cletus · 26-06-2015 10:55PM

TrailerBob wrote: »

So you didn't manage to swindle hubcaps out of them then:D

No, what with the ****ers not being willing to commit insurance fraud

GvidoR · 27-06-2015 02:26PM

I put my nice 170w (each) Pioneer door speakers in the Punto. The ones I replaced them with look very much alike but those other ones seem very cheap compared to the Pioneers.

NN1 · 30-06-2015 07:28PM

GvidoR wrote: »

I put my nice 170w (each) Pioneer door speakers in the Punto. The ones I replaced them with look very much alike but those other ones seem very cheap compared to the Pioneers.

Have they made much of a difference to the volume or quality of the sound?
Mind if I ask how much you paid for them?
I'm looking for something cheap-ish that are better than my crappy factory ones

GvidoR · 30-06-2015 07:30PM

NN1 wrote: »

Have they made much of a difference to the volume or quality of the sound?
Mind if I ask how much you paid for them?
I'm looking for something cheap-ish that are better than my crappy factory ones

They're definitely better, but those weren't OEM speakers. They had been replaced at some stage before. I have had this Pioneer speakers for a while. They have moved from one car to another.

YbFocus · 01-07-2015 10:05PM

Today I learned the valuable lesson of buying the proper tool for the job.
Instead of 6 hours of beating out the trailing arm bushings I bought the removal tool for the E36/E46 and done both in 40mins!

I was replacing them with Poly bushes from Powerflex so it was even more straight forward

The following is the tool set to remove the bushing. All i needed was a 19 and wind in the threads. It had no choice but to come out then!

Here is the tool wound to a point where the bushing was about to come out. The bushing is now totally inside the cup area.

Here's the bushing removed, well worn and due a change!

Finally, the polybush in place.
These come in two halves so need a quick tap in either side and then put a metal sleeve through them.
They have a lifetime warranty!
It's about 150% the cost of standard bushings, so I'm doing all the E36 heavy wear points with these!

On a final note, anyone with an E36 or E46 is welcome to this tool. It's a total godsend altogether

toastedpickles · 01-07-2015 10:10PM

Your pictures are broken

YbFocus · 01-07-2015 10:24PM

toastedpickles wrote: »

Your pictures are broken

Feck it I can see them?
I done it my normal way using boards?

Today I did something to my car (volume 2)

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