Top car DIY tip
Discussion
Accelebrate said:
After removing an old slave cylinder be sure to drain it before testing how well it actuates, or at least point it into a container. They make a surprisingly effectively brake fluid water pistol! Brake fluid splattered from bonnet to boot. Led to some speedy rinsing down.
Similarly carburettors with accelerator pumps, even after having run them 'dry' (run the engine until it stopped), make a very good petrol squirter that can shoot a jet of petrol around 7-8ft across your workshop...Vitorio said:
Brum_Brum said:
When investigating a nasty rattle from the bell housing of a MK2 Escort, check it’s not just the dipstick rattling on the bulkhead before dropping the engine and box and fitting a new clutch kit....
The right rear brake on my daily keeps squeeking at low speeds. Ive so far replaced discs/pads and a wheel bearing, next suspicion is a sticking caliper, but ive got to draw the line somewhere 
Nik da Greek said:
If you have to remove the front wheel from a bike which only has a sidestand, don't use a milkcrate under the sump, then a jack to lift the front wheel up. The weight transferring from the front wheel to the milk crate will exceed its design parameters, causing it to collapse like silly putty in a furnace. If you have begun this endeavour in a narrow modern garage, in all probability this will result in the entire weight of the bike settling rapidly sideways, squashing your head against the garage wall and trapping you there for hours until your long-suffering wife wonders why you've been so long and comes to investigate. It'll probably take a strong neighbour or two to lift the bike off your head. Once they finish pissing themselves laughing
How many stories on this thread deserve a #askmehowIknow suffix
One of the best.How many stories on this thread deserve a #askmehowIknow suffix
Great thread.
I did almost exactly that - except I did put the shoes & drum on, but forgot to locate the shoes on the cylinder - so it didn't fully pop out, it just leaked like a goodun.
Managed to get me 20 miles from home before I ran out of fluid. On a 1978 Mini - which had single circuit brakes and no fluid level warning lights - so I only found out I had no brakes at all coming to the end of a 60mph straight.
We all survived - managed to drive it back home on the handbrake & gears. Not sure if I would do that these days though, roads are a lot busier.
Managed to get me 20 miles from home before I ran out of fluid. On a 1978 Mini - which had single circuit brakes and no fluid level warning lights - so I only found out I had no brakes at all coming to the end of a 60mph straight.
We all survived - managed to drive it back home on the handbrake & gears. Not sure if I would do that these days though, roads are a lot busier.
HazzaCrawf said:
After replacing a wheel cylinder on drum brakes, it is always a good idea to put the drum back on prior to bleeding the brakes. This avoids knackering your brand new wheel cylinder and pissing brake fluid everywhere. Ask me how I know
Some of these are pure gold!
When reversing out of the garage (especially when looking in the rear view mirror only), make sure you have closed the car doors or, if unwilling to do so, at least make sure the width of the car with said open doors is smaller than the garage door frame aperture width.
Also, upon establishing that you have a brake fluid leak in the Austrian Alps, do not proceed to the nearest mechanic relying on engine braking only, changing gears up / down numerous times along the way, without checking first if the clutch system perhaps doesn't share the same brake fluid hydraulic system. Fortunately this one ended up fine.
When reversing out of the garage (especially when looking in the rear view mirror only), make sure you have closed the car doors or, if unwilling to do so, at least make sure the width of the car with said open doors is smaller than the garage door frame aperture width.
Also, upon establishing that you have a brake fluid leak in the Austrian Alps, do not proceed to the nearest mechanic relying on engine braking only, changing gears up / down numerous times along the way, without checking first if the clutch system perhaps doesn't share the same brake fluid hydraulic system. Fortunately this one ended up fine.
Edited by menoy on Saturday 14th April 11:20
menoy said:
When reversing out of the garage (especially when looking in the rear view mirror only), make sure you have closed the car doors or, if unwilling to do so, at least make sure the width of the car with said open doors is smaller than the garage door frame aperture width.
Aye. Mate of mine did exactly this when he had a New-Year's day hangover. He wrote his wife's car off - a three-day-old Polo - in the process. It had been her Christmas present...When doing an overdue oil change on your wife’s financed 2 year old Abarth 500 on the street outside your house, do ensure that the oil filter o-ring seal is properly seated.
The clean up only took 3 hours, a bed sheet, two kitchen rolls, a large bottle of Fairy and a fall of rain (amazingly, in that order) to gloss over. The good luck gods must have been watching because it turns out that the exact amount left in the 5L of oil I bought was enough to leave the oil level just so. And the clattering top end I only noticed after all this turns out to be totally normal after the oil has had a chance to drain down according to all the owners forums. And all the black residue got pumped out onto the ground along with the 2 litres or so of oil that escaped so that now the oil is like clear honey.
She’s been using it all week and we just drove 150 miles across Ireland without fault. It seems to be just fine.
I think I have used up all my good karma in one go.
The clean up only took 3 hours, a bed sheet, two kitchen rolls, a large bottle of Fairy and a fall of rain (amazingly, in that order) to gloss over. The good luck gods must have been watching because it turns out that the exact amount left in the 5L of oil I bought was enough to leave the oil level just so. And the clattering top end I only noticed after all this turns out to be totally normal after the oil has had a chance to drain down according to all the owners forums. And all the black residue got pumped out onto the ground along with the 2 litres or so of oil that escaped so that now the oil is like clear honey.
She’s been using it all week and we just drove 150 miles across Ireland without fault. It seems to be just fine.
I think I have used up all my good karma in one go.
Edited by dhog4n on Saturday 14th April 21:46
Edited by dhog4n on Saturday 14th April 22:01
swisstoni said:
Do not be tempted to Hot Rod your angle grinder!
Even though you have run out of the small disks and only have big disks left to finish one last bit of metal cutting.
The unfamiliar amount of torque may make the tool rear up and make a fair attempt at slicing your sternum.
Yes. These are lethal when you do thatEven though you have run out of the small disks and only have big disks left to finish one last bit of metal cutting.
The unfamiliar amount of torque may make the tool rear up and make a fair attempt at slicing your sternum.
swisstoni said:
Do not be tempted to Hot Rod your angle grinder!
Even though you have run out of the small disks and only have big disks left to finish one last bit of metal cutting.
The unfamiliar amount of torque may make the tool rear up and make a fair attempt at slicing your sternum.
Though I have got an actual helpful tip on that front, even if that isn't the spirit of the thread: A 9" disc, once worn down to the point of uselessness on the big grinder, fits nicely on a 4.5" machine.Even though you have run out of the small disks and only have big disks left to finish one last bit of metal cutting.
The unfamiliar amount of torque may make the tool rear up and make a fair attempt at slicing your sternum.
Plate spinner said:
Never let the battery go flat on a 986 Porsche Boxster. Ever.
The key will open the door to let you in. But the battery is in the boot, which needs the electrics to open. So to get to it you’ll have to take the whole mechanism apart along with most of the drivers side door sill.
Madness, utter madness.
On a 987 the is a contact in the fuse ox to connect jump leads to activate the Fron trunk to gain accessThe key will open the door to let you in. But the battery is in the boot, which needs the electrics to open. So to get to it you’ll have to take the whole mechanism apart along with most of the drivers side door sill.
Madness, utter madness.
When adjusting your coilovers do it with a proper jack and not a widow-maker because 'you only need to make a small adjustment'
Said haste may result in car rolling off the jack and pinning the arm you were adjusting the coilover with between the tyre and rear bumper, leaving you to attempt to jack the car back up with one hand, by yourself
Said haste may result in car rolling off the jack and pinning the arm you were adjusting the coilover with between the tyre and rear bumper, leaving you to attempt to jack the car back up with one hand, by yourself
The one man ramp method
Don't assume you can push a car off a ramp whilst pushing outside against the B pillar, yank the hand brake up and stop the car in time before it hits the garage wall and door.
Turns out I'm not Usain Bolt, my immaculate Golf GTI would never be immaculate again and my parents weren't best pleased that the garage door no longer closed.
Don't assume you can push a car off a ramp whilst pushing outside against the B pillar, yank the hand brake up and stop the car in time before it hits the garage wall and door.
Turns out I'm not Usain Bolt, my immaculate Golf GTI would never be immaculate again and my parents weren't best pleased that the garage door no longer closed.
Edited by bassett on Monday 16th April 21:39
Top tips (to quote the saintly Edd):
If you smell fuel in the cockpit don't leave it for a week or so before investigating, otherwise the entire rear end of your TVR Vixen might become the fuel tank following a rusty tank leaking, with a water(petrol)line a smidge below all the wiring for the rear lamps. Very nearly collected on the "fire" portion of the insurance.
Never, ever, ever believe a word written in any Haynes manual.
Buy a set of Poundland spanners and cut them in half for those apparently, according to the Haynes Manual, easy to reach nuts.
If you smell fuel in the cockpit don't leave it for a week or so before investigating, otherwise the entire rear end of your TVR Vixen might become the fuel tank following a rusty tank leaking, with a water(petrol)line a smidge below all the wiring for the rear lamps. Very nearly collected on the "fire" portion of the insurance.
Never, ever, ever believe a word written in any Haynes manual.
Buy a set of Poundland spanners and cut them in half for those apparently, according to the Haynes Manual, easy to reach nuts.
When changing timing belt on Lexus is200, make sure that you put a big flat metal circle washer type of thing which serves as dust guard back on the crank sprocket before assembling everything back.
I've changed timing belt - drained all coolant, removed radiator, removed all 3 external belts, removed crankshaft pulley (hardest part!), plastic trim bits etc., to get to the belt and water pump etc. Put everything back together. A week later i find that metal washer in the engine bay... well I didnt know that I knew that many swear words. So off goes all of the above again, including messing with coolant etc., all belts, pulleys, radiator, covers.... just to put back that tiny metal thing, then put everything together, fill up coolant, make sure no air bubbles, tighten all 3 belts, put the bottom cover back on, drive for a bit, realise that belts still squeaking, remove cover, put more tension on the belts etc... 4-5 hours of my life after work wasted.
I've changed timing belt - drained all coolant, removed radiator, removed all 3 external belts, removed crankshaft pulley (hardest part!), plastic trim bits etc., to get to the belt and water pump etc. Put everything back together. A week later i find that metal washer in the engine bay... well I didnt know that I knew that many swear words. So off goes all of the above again, including messing with coolant etc., all belts, pulleys, radiator, covers.... just to put back that tiny metal thing, then put everything together, fill up coolant, make sure no air bubbles, tighten all 3 belts, put the bottom cover back on, drive for a bit, realise that belts still squeaking, remove cover, put more tension on the belts etc... 4-5 hours of my life after work wasted.
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