The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)

[magpie215]

James_N said:

My shed is doing very sheddy things this week. Having a new kitchen fitted creates a lot of waste! But who needs a Volvo estate hey




MOT next week! Hopefully won't cause me too many problems. Even though its a shed in every sense of the word, I'm quite attached to it and mechanically, its been fantastic

I'm going to miss the ability to do this.....10 days left for the Grotrod.

[M1C]

Great to see these pics of sheds being used as sheds.

I have had massive amounts of stuff in the XPic when i had it, then the C3 Pic...and now the S-Max.

I particularly used to abuse the XPic as it was the most sheddy of them and could squeeze a vast amount in there.

[bodhi]

Must admit I'm very tempted to get back into shed ownership - we're moving house shortly to somewhere a bit further out of town, so will be looking for a general station/tip run/B&Q and other odd job car to keep the miles off my 1 Series. I'd be looking for a 5 door Japanese petrol hatchback, and I'm increasingly drawn to the FN model Honda Civic. I'm seeing a few 1.8's with over 100k on PH and the Trader - what are they like? Anything in particular to look out for?

[B'stard Child]

sgtbash said:

Replaced the thermostat on Insignia shed yesterday, for the first time since ownership I now have hot air it's a job I've been putting off but thought I would replace the coolant tank at the same time, and treat it to some proper coolant instead of water.. happy days!

They are a bi annual consumable item for GM cars - they always fail open (probably the preferred failure mode TBH)

The first signs are poor heating in the cabin and running at a slightly lower temp at M-Way speeds (combined with temp creeping up to normal in traffic)

Funny it seems Mercs are similar but just don't require to be changed so often

[anonymous-user]

Had use of the son's 14 plate Dacia last couple of days, it's decent enough but I prefer my old Peugeot TBH, I can't get on with the 3 cylinder engine I find these so unrefined and gruff, my daughters 14,000 mile C1 is the same, its like driving a 1970's diesel, no power, noisy and slow, pug in comparison is as smooth as a baby's backside.

[aaron_2000]

Injector bolts never arrived, eBay seller kept saying "They should arrive tomorrow" so I've opened a case with eBay. Absolute pisstake

[CinnamonFan]

Lord Cunnington Smythe said:

A bit if a shed quandary on the horizon. Knocking noise coming from the back of the car, everything checked, nothing found, I'm almost positive now that the little pug has succumbed to the dreaded back axle needing replacement which would cost more than I paid for the car, I'll find out next week when I can get it up in the air.

From scanning the usual places it's slim pickings in shed budget so I might have to up my normal cut off point of a grand, there is some pretty deplorable dross for absurd prices out there at the moment and virtually nothing that I fancy.

Replacement axles arent major money especially if you can DIY. I have used IM axles before for a 97 106 series 2 rallye. They take your old axle to refurb after they send you a fresh one.

Made an assumption its a 4 stud, but they have 3 stud also.

https://www.imaxle.co.uk/106-4stud-drum
£185 + £20 delivery.

[anonymous-user]

Many, MANY swears... sort of a failed repair, here.

A now working headunit - however no sound and all that it's doing is still popping and cracking - more so than that Kellogg cereal.

Amplifier needs to come out next, I think!


Despite the V70 testing my patience with the rattle and the still broken (but sort of fixed) headunit, I've treated it to a bit of protection for winter - a ceramic infused snowfoam (Auto Finesse Lavish), with a ceramic detailing spray (Angel Wax Enigma QED) over the top - nothing sticks to it now!

Edited by R50 BPS on Wednesday 20th October 22:19

[B'stard Child]

R50 BPS said:

Does your hoselock end attached to the Karcher have a stop valve in it - if I does I recommend removing it - just kink the hose to disconnect and re-connect when the water is on.............

They really don't like those stop valves

[anonymous-user]

B'stard Child said:

R50 BPS said:

Does your hoselock end attached to the Karcher have a stop valve in it - if I does I recommend removing it - just kink the hose to disconnect and re-connect when the water is on.............

They really don't like those stop valves

It doesn't - the first Karcher I had years ago packed up - that was the first question I was asked when buying it's replacement.

[B'stard Child]

R50 BPS said:

B'stard Child said:

R50 BPS said:

Does your hoselock end attached to the Karcher have a stop valve in it - if I does I recommend removing it - just kink the hose to disconnect and re-connect when the water is on.............

They really don't like those stop valves

It doesn't - the first Karcher I had years ago packed up - that was the first question I was asked when buying it's replacement.

All good then - having trashed one Karcher in under 12 mths and then had warrenty claim for replacement refused (Because Stop lock) I wanted to save someone else the same issue

[andrebar]

Lord Cunnington Smythe said:

Had use of the son's 14 plate Dacia last couple of days, it's decent enough but I prefer my old Peugeot TBH, I can't get on with the 3 cylinder engine I find these so unrefined and gruff, my daughters 14,000 mile C1 is the same, its like driving a 1970's diesel, no power, noisy and slow, pug in comparison is as smooth as a baby's backside.

My mum hated her 107 until she learned to drive it like she stole it. Now she can’t be persuaded to part with it

[Sheepshanks]

B'stard Child said:

All good then - having trashed one Karcher in under 12 mths and then had warrenty claim for replacement refused (Because Stop lock) I wanted to save someone else the same issue

What’s the issue with them? Used one (in fact two, as the hose has them at both ends) with mine for years.

[ryanchan]

R50 BPS said:

Many, MANY swears... sort of a failed repair, here.

A now working headunit - however no sound and all that it's doing is still popping and cracking - more so than that Kellogg cereal.

Amplifier needs to come out next, I think!


Despite the V70 testing my patience with the rattle and the still broken (but sort of fixed) headunit, I've treated it to a bit of protection for winter - a ceramic infused snowfoam (Auto Finesse Lavish), with a ceramic detailing spray (Angel Wax Enigma QED) over the top - nothing sticks to it now!

Edited by R50 BPS on Wednesday 20th October 22:19

Had the same with the HU850 in mine, took it apart and used a hairdryer on the internals.. Worked for a day and stopped again so gave up and just fitted the cheapest halfords Sony unit I could find!

[Jaguar steve]

Sheepshanks said:

B'stard Child said:

All good then - having trashed one Karcher in under 12 mths and then had warrenty claim for replacement refused (Because Stop lock) I wanted to save someone else the same issue

What’s the issue with them? Used one (in fact two, as the hose has them at both ends) with mine for years.

Karcher washers have nylon components inside the pump. Run one dry for any reason and you'll trash it in seconds.

I've had two Karchers last not much longer than the warranty with only light use and replaced the last one with a Nilfisk which is still going strong years later.

[2011dandd]

Brilliant thread.

I haven’t read the whole 500 pages yet but I’m definitely amongst like minded people.

I really enjoy driving old cheap cars with proven reliable engines. I’m not bothered what most of them look like. I’m a big fan of the in-direct injection diesels and I have dabbled with veg oil etc but not much difference in price (svo)

I’ve got lots of old motors but I’m after an old small run about probably from the 90s, just needs to take me to work and that’s it, 80 mile round trip. I want reliability coupled with economy,
My experience points towards an older pug or Citroen

What do you guys recommend for me to consider?

Cheers Folks

[B'stard Child]

Sheepshanks said:

B'stard Child said:

All good then - having trashed one Karcher in under 12 mths and then had warrenty claim for replacement refused (Because Stop lock) I wanted to save someone else the same issue

What’s the issue with them? Used one (in fact two, as the hose has them at both ends) with mine for years.

They can restrict the flow of water leading to machine damage

[Whataguy]

bodhi said:

I'm increasingly drawn to the FN model Honda Civic. I'm seeing a few 1.8's with over 100k on PH and the Trader - what are they like? Anything in particular to look out for?

Good engines , Honda kept selling them for years - it’s a basic engine and gets both reasonable mpg and performance (you need to use the Rev range to get the most of the performance. )

FN Civics have quite hard suspension and not brilliant rear visibility but are great reliable cars with good space.

Edited by Whataguy on Thursday 21st October 08:44

[M1C]

andrebar said:

Lord Cunnington Smythe said:

Had use of the son's 14 plate Dacia last couple of days, it's decent enough but I prefer my old Peugeot TBH, I can't get on with the 3 cylinder engine I find these so unrefined and gruff, my daughters 14,000 mile C1 is the same, its like driving a 1970's diesel, no power, noisy and slow, pug in comparison is as smooth as a baby's backside.

My mum hated her 107 until she learned to drive it like she stole it. Now she can’t be persuaded to part with it

Ditto.

SWMBO has a 2007 107, we've had it for 12 years now. It's been on or near it's last legs for a quite a while now but she won't part with it, she says it's part of the family.

Whenever i drive it....i think.....yes, yes it is So it's gonna get a spend to hopefully keep it going a bit more.

[anonymous-user]

ryanchan said:

R50 BPS said:

Many, MANY swears... sort of a failed repair, here.

A now working headunit - however no sound and all that it's doing is still popping and cracking - more so than that Kellogg cereal.

Amplifier needs to come out next, I think!


Despite the V70 testing my patience with the rattle and the still broken (but sort of fixed) headunit, I've treated it to a bit of protection for winter - a ceramic infused snowfoam (Auto Finesse Lavish), with a ceramic detailing spray (Angel Wax Enigma QED) over the top - nothing sticks to it now!

Edited by R50 BPS on Wednesday 20th October 22:19

Had the same with the HU850 in mine, took it apart and used a hairdryer on the internals.. Worked for a day and stopped again so gave up and just fitted the cheapest halfords Sony unit I could find!

Can you remember how you got around the wiring - the 850 only has the one connector, whereas the likes of the 650 has two.