Car D.I.Y.

[CXRAndy]

Finally getting around to fitting the tow bar to the I40.

Bought a relay kit and pulled out the trim in the boot to find the wiring. I was hoping to find something I could connect to without additional connectors but sadly not.

I think I am going to sell my soul and use Scotch Lock splices unless anyone can recommend anything else?

Use a decent wire stripper to pull back the insulation, wrap new connection solder and use quality 3M insulation tape.

 

[Gunk]

Use a decent wire stripper to pull back the insulation, wrap new connection solder and use quality 3M insulation tape.

I’d use solder sticks and shrink wrap tubing - proper job, moisture won’t get in

 

[Fastpedaller]

This afternoon between light rain showers I fitted new discs and pads to our Ford Ka+ (same as Fiesta parts). Parts costs have increased a lot since the last ones I fitted. Ferodo pads and discs £62 (from Autodoc Germany) in 2019, today I used Borg & Beck pads and Blueprint (Bilstein) discs, total cost £124. I shudder to think how much the Ferodo parts are now, and how much a garage would charge for fitting! Took a rather leisurely 1.5 Hrs from opening the toolbox to closing it - also about double the time it took in 2019 ! More fiddling around cleaning this time.
On another 'failure' the aircon packed up a few weeks ago..... I checked all the fuses and relays, and found the compressor clutch wasn't activating (although I could force it), so (as advised by garage) it seemed to be into 'protection mode' due to low gas. They recharged it (£125) and it didn't seem to make much difference to the cold air, although it now activates. I suspect the compressor isn't ....err compressing, as the outlet pipe barely gets warm. Word is that the cost of tracking down leaks and any parts replacement is very costly, so it's time for opening the window

 

[mikeIow]

I think Wago connectors are more reliable nowadays….you can get inline ones, as well as multiple cables.

 

[gbb]

Been having a long term go (lazy, it takes me ages to progress things) at my alloys. I have a spare set and rubbed them down, used aluminium filler where corrosion was quite deep, primed and painted them. Just put another coat on...and tbh, it doesn't look great. Better, but there's like a rough surface to them (2 wheels i just did).
I'm beginning to hate diy, I want to do it but time, equipment, skill levels are where I seem to fall down.
Ah well...I can hope the lacquer smooths it out a bit.
Plus side is they do look better at a distance.

 

[screenman]

This afternoon between light rain showers I fitted new discs and pads to our Ford Ka+ (same as Fiesta parts). Parts costs have increased a lot since the last ones I fitted. Ferodo pads and discs £62 (from Autodoc Germany) in 2019, today I used Borg & Beck pads and Blueprint (Bilstein) discs, total cost £124. I shudder to think how much the Ferodo parts are now, and how much a garage would charge for fitting! Took a rather leisurely 1.5 Hrs from opening the toolbox to closing it - also about double the time it took in 2019 ! More fiddling around cleaning this time.
On another 'failure' the aircon packed up a few weeks ago..... I checked all the fuses and relays, and found the compressor clutch wasn't activating (although I could force it), so (as advised by garage) it seemed to be into 'protection mode' due to low gas. They recharged it (£125) and it didn't seem to make much difference to the cold air, although it now activates. I suspect the compressor isn't ....err compressing, as the outlet pipe barely gets warm. Word is that the cost of tracking down leaks and any parts replacement is very costly, so it's time for opening the window

They just recharged it without fixing the leak, that is so wrong.

 

[Adam4868]

Dpf is playing up on a vehicle I have...put some foam cleaner in it and took it for a blast but every 3 or 400 miles it keeps doing a forced Regen,high revs,engine hot,blows smoke out and stinks ! Pain in the arris...had a word with mate who's a mechanic to see if he can do away with it so to speak.Crap idea unless your up and down the motorway.

 

[CXRAndy]

Aircon compressors can have luminous dye put in the oil. This can be seen quite easily with correct lamp or use a gas sniffer

 

[CXRAndy]

Dpf is playing up on a vehicle I have...put some foam cleaner in it and took it for a blast but every 3 or 400 miles it keeps doing a forced Regen,high revs,engine hot,blows smoke out and stinks ! Pain in the arris...had a word with mate who's a mechanic to see if he can do away with it so to speak.Crap idea unless your up and down the motorway.

My mate had his Merc van go into limp mode. I did a diagnostic scan which pointed to a faulty boost pressure sensor. I also checked his DPF back pressure. It was fine with correct 6kpa at idle and 35kpa at 3k rpm.

He needs the vehicle daily, so I couldn't look at him further

He took it to a local garage to have the sensor located and checked. They told him they forced regeneration the vehicle. This clogged the DPF.

I told him to take it away and travel to Mercedes commercial dealer.

I checked the DPF again it now had 1000kpa at idle, plus the original fault.

They found chewed wiring from mice, cracked inlet manifold and will do a clean on his DPF.

I would look up O'Reilly mobile mechanic on YouTube. The vast majority of repair shops don't know how to check DPF problems let alone sensor faults

 

[Gunk]

Been having a long term go (lazy, it takes me ages to progress things) at my alloys. I have a spare set and rubbed them down, used aluminium filler where corrosion was quite deep, primed and painted them. Just put another coat on...and tbh, it doesn't look great. Better, but there's like a rough surface to them (2 wheels i just did).
I'm beginning to hate diy, I want to do it but time, equipment, skill levels are where I seem to fall down.
Ah well...I can hope the lacquer smooths it out a bit.
Plus side is they do look better at a distance.

Any photos??

 

[DRM]

I would look up O'Reilly mobile mechanic on YouTube. The vast majority of repair shops don't know how to check DPF problems let alone sensor faults

He really is redhot sorting DPF faults, thought the one were he found a Peugeot van needed a new drivers side mirror to cure no DPF re-gen fault was quite funny when he told the van's owner the findings, the owner thought his leg was being pulled vigorously, till it was pointed out the outside temp sensor in the mirror housing was missing, as the mirror had been replaced, Halfords had 3 goes, unsuccesfully, at sorting it, the temp sensor is vital as the software tells the van to do a DPF Re-Gen between a certain outside temperature range, no sensor=no re-gen.

 

[Drago]

I wouldn't trust Halfords to replace an air freshener.

 

[Fastpedaller]

They just recharged it without fixing the leak, that is so wrong.

They said they did a vacuum test (which it passed) before adding the refrigerant. I query whether that shows anything because any seals (eg o rings) will be moving in the opposite way in a vacuum compared to when they are pressurised (if you get my drift)

 

[Drago]

They have to do a vacuum anyway to purge any unwanted or atmospheric gases prior to refill.

 

[DRM]

I wouldn't trust Halfords to replace an air freshener.

We certainly can't trust them to build a new bike up correctly, as an aside last year my daughter came round, said we can't hang about as the cars booked in at Halfords, I've got a brake light out, she was told to cancel when it turned out fitting was £12, plus the price of a bulb, probably about £3 each, it took me 10 minutes, & £1.50 for 2 bulbs from the local car spares shop, leaving a spare in the glovebox!