Project Tickman's stuff. MOT day for the Polo conclusion.

[sdkrc]

Great updates and makes for good reading. Fewer cars = fewer problems.

Just to play devil's advocate, maybe 50% of the messages I've sent on gumtree asking to buy crap from live ads have been met with 'sorry, this has sold'. 

[Supernaut]

4 minutes ago, sdkrc said:

Great updates and makes for good reading. Fewer cars = fewer problems.

Just to play devil's advocate, maybe 50% of the messages I've sent on gumtree asking to buy crap from live ads have been met with 'sorry, this has sold'. 

What annoys me even more are the shitwits who go to the effort of editing an ad to say SOLD.

Just delete it! It's one button and that's it gone!

[Jim Bell]

Eeeeeh, just because he's bought The Only Car You'll Ever Need (TM), he's selling all the rest!

Someone tie that Suzuki down!!

Well sold man. Good news from Gumtree is always great to hear. 

[Split_Pin]

Great news!

I dismantled, advertised and sold a a 7x7 foot trampoline in a day today, sadly that doesn't mean I have a new space in the fleet, unlike you who has 1 potentially 2!

[Tickman]

I had a count up on the number of motor vehicles I own last night and it didn't take long at all!

I have informed the TTT app admin that their service is not required at present

 

[320touring]

☹️

[Tickman]

27 minutes ago, 320touring said:

☹️

It is just a blip, normal service shall return and full subscription will be required

[The Moog]

I though it was one of those uninstallable apps that you couldn't get rid of....

[Split_Pin]

"What do you think you're doing...."

"Daisy, Daisy...."

Except spoken in a gruff square sausage accent.

[aldo135]

On 1/31/2021 at 12:17 PM, Tickman said:

It is just a blip, normal service shall return and full subscription will be required

Upgrade to the premium service for just £4.99 a month and get a free Fu’gutty branded face mask, not available in the shops

[Tickman]

15 hours ago, The Moog said:

I though it was one of those uninstallable apps that you couldn't get rid of....

I have been informed that my account is no longer valid as I no longer have a sufficient number of vehicles as per the terms and conditions section 3 subsection 4 paragraph two.

Devastated...

 

[320touring]

Try our free 2 week"back up to par" offer.

We can get you to 6 vehicles or your 7th one is free

 

 

[Tickman]

As the frozen wasteland has returned to almost normal it was time to pull my finger out and get something done.

First up Bailey hasn't had a service in a while. Air filter wasn't available but I checked and it is still looking fairly clean so can wait a bit.

So up in the air and take off the splash guard that hides the oil filter.

Drain tray ready and oil draining nicely.

Close up of my new Lidl light, well impressed with it.

Filter off and new one fitted and a filled back up with oil.

Next was the fuel filter, I don't think it had been changed before, ever.

A quick look on the internet shows it is located handily in the engine bay.

New one ready.

Fitted.

That was painless.

Next up was a bit of 850 attention, mainly fitting a towbar. I had investigated this a couple of weeks ago and the rear bumper support brackets were in a bit of a state.

Passenger's side I managed to get the bolt out that holds the bumper in place, the driver's side helpfully sheared the head off with 100mm of bolt still going through the bumper.

I watched some YouTube video where he bends the bumper round enough to get a grinder in to cut an access hole, there was no way I was fucking about like that so with two new brackets ordered and the bolt out of one side I broke the bottom off the bracket so the bumper could just drop down that side.

With all the rest of the fixings free it came off easily and left me with this.

The fucked bracket.

They both got removed and placed carefully* to one side.

Then there was fitting the actual heavy bit. This went on easily and with everything tightened up the bumper was put back on.

I had had enough by this point so tidied up enough and went home.

Rear mudguards and liners are yet to be refitted and a couple of bits of the towbar then the fun task of wiring it in!

Was good to be back doing stuff!

[Tickman]

I have a few* days holiday to use up before the end of the month so decided Tuesday Wednesday and Thursday off should be nice.

I plodded off to the workshop today to tidy up but bought some oil on the way. 

Volvo jacked up and oil dropped.

The oil filter was a Volvo one and didn't look too fucked so that is good.

It took the full 5 litres to fill up with room for a little more which I will get out of the boot of the GSR.

Next the fuel filter, no pictures of this as I was trying not to spill too much fuel over the place. Done and no leaks afterwards.

There is a slight stumble/misfire so a quick look at the plugs, Volvo ones present but they look like this.

They look fine*

Time to get some of them ordered.

[reb]

It's good to see this continuing to get the loving attention it deserves. I am slightly confused by the spark plugs, I'm sure I saw a new set floating about the car (a long time ago now admittedly) but they quite possibly ended up in the shed. Unlike usual where branded service items are found it's not an indication they're ancient, dad just liked fitting Volvo supplied items, a habit I have to admit I haven't inherited!

[Tickman]

1 hour ago, reb said:

Volvo supplied items, a habit I have to admit I haven't inherited!

They can be cheaper than elsewhere for quite a few things, always worth a call to see.

[Tickman]

Carrying on with my holidays this week I started on the brakes on the front of the GSR. 

I've discovered that I took zero pictures of this so just imagine two fucked discs with associated pads removed, everything cleaned up and new discs and pads fitted.

Then it was time for the handbrake. This doesn't like releasing all the time so I investigated that and thought it was this pivot point on the rear caliper.

After a quick message to the Scotoshite I was steered towards the idea that the cable could be at fault. Further looking confirmed this to be the case. Parts are readily available so £25 later and a new one is on its way which will go in next week hopefully.

Time for a swap over.

That is basically the whole fleet there with @stereotype's 205 as well!

Now back to the Volvo, I had fitted the bulk of the towbar but not the electrics so time to be brave and get that done. 

I plugged my trailer board in and started.

Working one wire at a time and using my power probe to test the wires in the car I eventually ended up with this.

While probing some of the wires I had found one that did the central locking, it looked the same as one of the light wires but obviously wasn't.

When I was done I shut the boot and then found the car locked with the only key in the ignition! Bollocks.

Nevermind, a fresh day produced the calm nature needed to open it. A bit of fishing later and I had this.

Done for the day I came home via Timpsons, a trip I had been planning for a while but never got round to.

Now I have two keys!

 

[Tickman]

Carrying on with the brakes on this.

Front brakes are done and good but the handbrake was binding on the passenger side so I bought this.

A 20 year old Japanese car never has issue with rusty bolts does it? Well not this one it appears. Both retaining bolts off.

This however was an issue.

This retaining pin was solid, nothing would shift it so out came the powerfile to do this.

At this point I managed to drift it out. 

Max upload limit reached, more coming.

[Tickman]

I managed to get the new cable in but obviously I'd ruined the retaining pin so needed to sort that out.

I raked through the bolt box and got started.

Left long so I could drill a 2mm hole through it.

With that done it was parted off and checked for fit.

That'll do.

Fitted.

All cleaned up and done.

It was fairly easy except the bloody rubber boot where it passes through to the car, that must need a knack that I don't have so it took over half an hour just for that alone!

 

Next on the list will be sorting the random abs light and service light on the 850 but I will need software for that first.

[gm]

Proper engineering going on there, I’m impressed 

[GeorgeB]

3 hours ago, Tickman said:

Fitted.

All cleaned up and done.

 

I hope you smothered it with grease after taking that picture?

[Tickman]

At the workshop checking over the Volvo again and found a slight* issue.

What it should look like.

Driver's side

Passenger side.

Fuck!

[hairnet]

big wire brush and tin of sticky itll be reet

 

[Split_Pin]

Is half of the bracket missing on the passenger side? At least a new one isn't ruinous. 

[Tickman]

2 hours ago, Split_Pin said:

Is half of the bracket missing on the passenger side? At least a new one isn't ruinous. 

Yep, all rotted away and what's left doesn't have much strength to it.

[The Moog]

Better to find out now rather than halfway down the motorway

[SiC]

At least the part is readily available and reasonably economical to buy. 

[Tickman]

Time to get on with fixing the fucked Volvo.

I had prepared the Mrs to come and collect me when I had lost the will to carry on.

Started with trepidation.

I started removing the old bolts. All three bracket mounting bolts came out easily, I didn't need to remove all the bolts to get the bracket off. 

Old and new brackets.

Look how fucked it was after a little investigation.

Suspension mounting bolt out and bracket installed, all mounting bolts went back in perfectly.

I had to replace a couple of bolts that hold stuff to the bracket.

Just over an hour from start to finish!

Much relief.

[Split_Pin]

Time for a celebratory beer or 3!

[Tickman]

Life has got in the way this year with work being mental busy which I know is a good position to be in.

The campervan I had left earlier this year and Richard's old 850, which on paper was the perfect forever car, also went after I realised that decent looking cars are not my thing as I'm too concerned to use it as I should!

I was left with a 'fleet' of two, the Minor and the GSR! This is the lowest in well over 10 years!

The extended fleet still includes @stereotypes 205 and a new arrival of a little blue Peugeot 107 from @davehedgehog31

His message about the 107 before purchase said it is a great little car, dent's, scratches etc. Only real issue is the exhaust is about to fall off. (It had previously had its life extended with a bit of weld)