DIY mechanics success stories
Discussion
Good on you! It IS very satisfying. I like the feeling that I've done a job that I would have had to pay someone else £400 to do.
I know my limits and I will send a car to a garage if I get butterflies in my stomach.
Probably my finest moment in terms of potential disaster if I got it wrong was doing the timing belt change on my GF's mx5.
I know my limits and I will send a car to a garage if I get butterflies in my stomach.
Probably my finest moment in terms of potential disaster if I got it wrong was doing the timing belt change on my GF's mx5.
Done a few smaller things like discs and pads and swopped an exhaust on my focus but my best was changing the radiator on a Suzuki Jimny.
I was selling it on behalf of the Mrs's grandfather. It was over heating and only half the radiator was warming up as it was all blocked up. So I changed it on drive and it was like a new car. He said he only wanted a grand for it as he thought it was dying. But after changing the radiator I got a grand and a half. He was well chuffed.
I was selling it on behalf of the Mrs's grandfather. It was over heating and only half the radiator was warming up as it was all blocked up. So I changed it on drive and it was like a new car. He said he only wanted a grand for it as he thought it was dying. But after changing the radiator I got a grand and a half. He was well chuffed.
About 20 years ago, I was running a Citroen BX, clutch needing changing and all the garages wanted a small fortune as they all said it was an engine out job. Not happy with the quotes, my dad got the tape measure out and reckoned we should be able to do it ourselves, but leaving the engine in. It was very close, down to mm's but we did it.
Had a good few days back in January with my dad, taking the engine out of his Alpine and dropping a new engine in.
Had a good few days back in January with my dad, taking the engine out of his Alpine and dropping a new engine in.
evoivboy said:
refurbed my brembos when i had the evo
from this
to this
[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/6xpTku6R.jpg[/ig]
[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/e4vfDLDN.jpg[/ig]
Good effort!from this
to this
[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/6xpTku6R.jpg[/ig]
[img]http://thumbsnap.com/sc/e4vfDLDN.jpg[/ig]
I'm going to be refurbing some new (But used) calipers for my car soon, any tips? Was thinking of just stripping then down as much as I can and wire brushing then using a de-ironiser to remove leftover rust then priming and spray painting?
Tiny budget means DIY is the only way! Good job I'm mechanically minded and don't mind doing it.
Did the clutch about three months ago and changed the centre section of the exhaust about a month ago. Car undoubtedly would have been scrapped if the clutch had been done at garage rates.
It amazes me when people pay someone to do everything, i find it almost unbelievable when I watch someone stand and watch their wiper blades being "fitted" at Halfords.
Give it a go and you'd be surprised how easy some things are.
Did the clutch about three months ago and changed the centre section of the exhaust about a month ago. Car undoubtedly would have been scrapped if the clutch had been done at garage rates.
It amazes me when people pay someone to do everything, i find it almost unbelievable when I watch someone stand and watch their wiper blades being "fitted" at Halfords.
Give it a go and you'd be surprised how easy some things are.
There's only one that really sticks in my mind.......
21 years ago I was running around in a 1.8 Nissan Silvia Turbo....my introduction to rear wheel drive. On the way to work one morning the battery light came on and barely a minute later the car died....a dead battery I thought. The local Nissan garage had other ideas though.."it's the alternator son, that'll be £350 fitted".....no chance, I'll get a 2nd hand one. Thankfully the garage had charged my battery so I managed to drive the car back to work and for some reason I decided to take a look underneath to see if I could see something broken or loose. Lo and behold there's a frayed wire barely connected to the alternator so 20 minutes later it's back in place and the alternator is doing its job once again. I was dead chuffed with myself
21 years ago I was running around in a 1.8 Nissan Silvia Turbo....my introduction to rear wheel drive. On the way to work one morning the battery light came on and barely a minute later the car died....a dead battery I thought. The local Nissan garage had other ideas though.."it's the alternator son, that'll be £350 fitted".....no chance, I'll get a 2nd hand one. Thankfully the garage had charged my battery so I managed to drive the car back to work and for some reason I decided to take a look underneath to see if I could see something broken or loose. Lo and behold there's a frayed wire barely connected to the alternator so 20 minutes later it's back in place and the alternator is doing its job once again. I was dead chuffed with myself
Done a few Landrover conversions taking out the 2.25litre 4 pot and dumping a V8 3.5 in making all new engine mounts and exhaust.
most recently converted my Range rover took out the V8 and put a Merc sprinter 6 pot tdi in it quite an interesting week or two but the difference is awsome. faster and far more MPG. averaging 38mpg and will leaves the neighbours Mondeo St180 in a cloud of diesel fumes. but the best result being it will run on straigh Veg oil saving Loads£££ in Tax to the robers in Westminster.
most recently converted my Range rover took out the V8 and put a Merc sprinter 6 pot tdi in it quite an interesting week or two but the difference is awsome. faster and far more MPG. averaging 38mpg and will leaves the neighbours Mondeo St180 in a cloud of diesel fumes. but the best result being it will run on straigh Veg oil saving Loads£££ in Tax to the robers in Westminster.
Noticed the exhaust manifolds had cracked on the noble. Thought I'd change them and do the service at the same time. Got a little anal on replacing heat shielding and gaskets. £3.5k later and it was back together all in a weekend. Would of been cheaper to get someone to do it but I know its right now
Ford wanted nearly £200 to do a major service on my mondeo.
Instead I drove to national tyres, and they did the oil and filter for about £30. On the way back home I dropped into my local motor factors, and bought spark plugs and filters, which cost something like £40. Got home and fitted the plugs and filters in about 30 minutes.
Major service done for about £70
Instead I drove to national tyres, and they did the oil and filter for about £30. On the way back home I dropped into my local motor factors, and bought spark plugs and filters, which cost something like £40. Got home and fitted the plugs and filters in about 30 minutes.
Major service done for about £70
You see it's threads like this that make me feel utterly incompetent! I was quite proud of myself the othe day when I worked out why the car door was making a horrible grating noise. 5 mins later, having tighter some nuts, silent doors again!
That's about as far as I go with mechanical stuff!
I'll get my coat.
That's about as far as I go with mechanical stuff!
I'll get my coat.
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff