The Joy of Running an Old Shed (Vol 2)

[bearman68]

Pieman68 said:

Any ideas on a coolant leak? Am losing fluid but doesn't appear to be constant loss while standing so suggests it is when the engine is running - could it be a split pipe or water pump possibly?

It's also getting a service and some drop links this week

It's a 2007 1.4 16v Ibiza - a relative pup compared to some of you guys as it's only on 104k miles

Bottom of the radiator will be rotten.

[anonymous-user]

magpie215 said:

stickleback123 said:

Shed disaster here, the power steering has died on my 04 130k Focus. No leaks, belt is fine, no funny noises, so I think it's getting scrapped.

I was contemplating a clutch and tyres for it, so this is a lesson in not spending needlessly on ropey old heaps.

Not worth banging a pump on off a scrapper??

It's been parked up out of the way for a bit, I'll have a look at it when I get time. It's a pretty grotty car so the £250 scrap value is looking pretty tempting if I'm honest. The replacement (£1400) has been pressed into service



92 sooty horses and 60 sooty miles per gallon. It's got a touchscreen and everything, like a car from the future.

[p4cks]

I'll be soon leaving shedding life behind, replacing this perfectly useable and rather lovely petrol Leon behind for a 2015 CLA

[anonymous-user]

stickleback123 said:

It's been parked up out of the way for a bit, I'll have a look at it when I get time. It's a pretty grotty car so the £250 scrap value is looking pretty tempting if I'm honest. The replacement (£1400) has been pressed into service



92 sooty horses and 60 sooty miles per gallon. It's got a touchscreen and everything, like a car from the future.

I learned in one of those. Amazing that something modern like that can be had for shed money.

[anonymous-user]

JDB96 said:

I learned in one of those. Amazing that something modern like that can be had for shed money.

Full disclosure about the shed price, the BCA auction said "DMF requires attention" and Cat S TOTAL LOSS TOTAL LOSS TOTAL LOSS

It doesn't have a DMF and I've done 500 miles in it and it seems fine. Can't find any repairs at all to support a Cat S so unsure what that's about, but it could have been a lot worse when it turned up on the transporter....

[bearman68]

stickleback123 said:

Full disclosure about the shed price, the BCA auction said "DMF requires attention" and Cat S TOTAL LOSS TOTAL LOSS TOTAL LOSS

It doesn't have a DMF and I've done 500 miles in it and it seems fine. Can't find any repairs at all to support a Cat S so unsure what that's about, but it could have been a lot worse when it turned up on the transporter....

Has it been MOT'd since TOTAL LOSS? If not it needs to be, as this has made the MOT invalid.

[anonymous-user]

bearman68 said:

stickleback123 said:

Full disclosure about the shed price, the BCA auction said "DMF requires attention" and Cat S TOTAL LOSS TOTAL LOSS TOTAL LOSS

It doesn't have a DMF and I've done 500 miles in it and it seems fine. Can't find any repairs at all to support a Cat S so unsure what that's about, but it could have been a lot worse when it turned up on the transporter....

Has it been MOT'd since TOTAL LOSS? If not it needs to be, as this has made the MOT invalid.

I'm taking a guess that his car has been MOT'd since - looking at MOT history, I'd guess it happened some time between 2018 and 2019, and that the damage was to the rear owing to a snapped exhaust clamp and some bulbs... I'd like to think this theory is somewhere close to the truth and that the nickname "Detective Smith" given to me by former work colleagues still stands

[M1C]

littlebasher said:

B'stard Child said:

Dan29 said:

M1C said:

i currently have a 2008 Ford S-Max....and it's a great car

The only thing that puts me off an S-Max is I've heard they need expensive special tyres - is that true, in your experience?

I'd avoid the TDCI ones that have a wet belt - they can be a bit of a bork bus as my work colleague found out to his cost

Only the 1.8TD uses the wet belt.

And who wants the 1.8 in a S-Max

That's the one I've got. It goes absolutely fine to be honest, it's got similar/same torque to the 2.0, it's not slow.

Aware of the set up of the 1.8. As with any shed....there's an element of...will it last.

However as a car in use, it's a nice thing to drive and hides it's size well.

Not sure about the tyre question, I managed to get a set of matching spec alloys Inc tyres for £50, bargain. (Mine were badly pitted on the faces)

They don't come with a spare wheel though so I managed to source a space saver locally, used, for £15

Gives around 40mpg, 50+ on longer runs.

[bearman68]

The bigger problem is knowing if the belt is a wet one, or if it's a chain drive. I've taken the covers off (hard work), only to find it chain driven. That's a PITA.

[B'stard Child]

bearman68 said:

The bigger problem is knowing if the belt is a wet one, or if it's a chain drive. I've taken the covers off (hard work), only to find it chain driven. That's a PITA.

Just pull tge tensioner out - flat end = belt & round end = chain

[irish boy]

Fellow barge drivers (but not bearman as he hates german ) what do we make of an early w210?

I've been offered a 300 turbo diesel, its really lovely condition and has zero rust to speak of having lived most of its life at a holiday house on the continent.

I realise it will rust if being pressed into service but other than tin worm how are these as a shed in terms of everything else/gearboxes/electrics etc etc?

[M1C]

B'stard Child said:

bearman68 said:

The bigger problem is knowing if the belt is a wet one, or if it's a chain drive. I've taken the covers off (hard work), only to find it chain driven. That's a PITA.

Just pull tge tensioner out - flat end = belt & round end = chain

Yes.

They changed from a chain to a belt in late 07/early 08. Mine is registered 08 but could have been built earlier, so i questioned it. Apparenlty mine IS a chain (used the method above) so i just don't think about it now. It's shed territory, one must just...shed! It was a grand and i had the top belt done when i bought it as an extra measure.

[sgtbash]

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!

[jeeebus]

irish boy said:

Now that is a shed. Bravo.

Many thanks

Lord Cunnington Smythe said:

Truly magnificent

Why thank you

R50 BPS said:

I spy a 16v badge, meaning it has the rev happy 1.25 Zetec-S unit.... one of my favourite engines.

That's right. It is a great engine and does seem to love being revved. It even revs itself from time to time.

aaron_2000 said:

I'd love another. Would have to be a 3 door pre facelift with the plastic bumpers though

This one is a 1997 mk4 with the rounded front. No ABS, PAS, electric windows or anything. I'm surprised it has a rev counter

magpie215 said:

Great shed
...rocking those steelies sans trim.

I ran one for about 18 months.

I love the look - the first thing I did was take the hubcaps off

[M1C]

Agreed on the Fiesta and also the steelies. Somehow steelies are cool, IMO.

Also, great engine. Lovely lovely thing, that one in particular. The 1.4 has a bit more go but i's quite as sweet IMO.

[yellowbentines]

Have owned this one for 7 years now so thought I should post up



A March 2008 car with 97k miles, inherited from my Dad 7 years ago who owned it from 1yr old/2400 miles when it cost a paltry £9499.

Bodywork looks better than it is from a distance, all 4 arches are now crusty where they meet the sills, interior is quite presentable for the age given it's been used as a van for the last few years.

This year has seen it's highest expenditure, it usually owes me £200-£300 at most in annual parts/repairs (some years £45 as I've only MOT'd it), but it's recently had:

- Sept 2021 - £330 - full service (well overdue), MOT, a little welding to a sill (cosmetic), front discs and pads and an exhaust sleeve
- Oct 2021 - £170 - 2 x front tyres and new wiper blades (sold the 'main car and new car not due for 6 months, so pushed into daily service and splurged to make it winter ready)
- Today - £240 - it decided to give me some death rattle and it turned out the alternator pulley and fan-belt tensioner were shot

Hopefully that'll see it over winter, and we'll see what stage the bodywork is in next year - that's what'll kill it eventually I fear.

[bearman68]

B'stard Child said:

bearman68 said:

The bigger problem is knowing if the belt is a wet one, or if it's a chain drive. I've taken the covers off (hard work), only to find it chain driven. That's a PITA.

Just pull tge tensioner out - flat end = belt & round end = chain

Pull the tensioner out of the lower drive? Haven't thought about this. Nice one.

[B'stard Child]

bearman68 said:

B'stard Child said:

bearman68 said:

The bigger problem is knowing if the belt is a wet one, or if it's a chain drive. I've taken the covers off (hard work), only to find it chain driven. That's a PITA.

Just pull tge tensioner out - flat end = belt & round end = chain

Pull the tensioner out of the lower drive? Haven't thought about this. Nice one.

Happy to help - my colleague bought the chain conversion kit to replace the wet belt and it was an obvious difference (Having seen the buggered wet belt and tensioner whilst he was crying into his beer) unfortunately after he had the the engine rebuilt (replaced the cyl head, put all new bearings in it, converted wet belt to chain) the PAS Rack shat itself and he sold it to WBAC and went and lease hired a Skoda Fabia

[James_N]

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

[cmvtec]

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

Excellent shedding.

My crusty, rusty but trusty Golf is used the same way and is also due a test next week!