Novice car maintenance

[Lacquer Peel]

Poverty is a good way to learn about fixing things. It wasn't too long ago when I was scared of tackling brake consumables, now I will tackle anything within my reach.

Going to buy an engine support brace soon to help me change the van's flywheel which has developed the shakes, it's just nuts and bolts, WCPGW?

[sierraman]

Its just a bolt off bolt on job right? Wcpgw!

[oldcars]

Good on here. Like my wife, wears her good clothes when doing manky jobs 

[Jim Bell]

Mrs WW has taken her car to a car wash once since taking ownership. It's full of shoes, empty bottles sweet wrappers and hair pins.

If servicing was left up to her, and I mean even having to drive it to a garage, it wouldnt get serviced. Ever.

[Parky]

I always tend to start something when incorrectly attired, and then end up with new "working" clothes. Some of which had been worn to the office that very day! More mechanics need three piece suits I think.

 

But back in topic, Mrs P does sweet funny Adams to her car. Not even air in the tyres. She got a puncture once and had to get the AA out as I wasn't home. She has no idea where the screen wash goes, or oil, or why the clutch makes a funny smell after she has slipped it all the way up a hill. Or why there is now a howling sound when the clutch is let out......

[mercrocker]

In theory, Mrs Rocker should be well up for some of this. 

 

Her professionally taught cake-icing skills, I am sure, would enable her to wob up a door or wing to a good enough finish to just need primer. 

 

She also used to solder PCBs for a living - get up under that dash, then, love.

 

What she does with a knackered old Toyota sewing machine leads me to believe her to be well capable of stripping and rebuilding an SU. 

 

Finally she has a fuck-ton more patience than I will ever possess.

 

In practice, though, I have only known her to actually put petrol in a car on the one occasion......

[burraston2006]

I think this may be the right topic but apologies if it's not! Got a Peugeot with horrendous lacquer peel on the roof. Basically looks like the whole roof needs doing ( will try to get piccies up at some point when  if the weather clears up). Is there some dark arts magic to repair or just say fxxk it and get some rattle cans of lacquer from Halfrauds? 

[matt79]

Cover it with vinyl, not enough cars have vinyl roofs nowdays .

[Parky]

What colour is it? Use white vinyl for "wow white roof it's a Peugeot Cooper" compliments

[TRW]

I think this may be the right topic but apologies if it's not! Got a Peugeot with horrendous lacquer peel on the roof. Basically looks like the whole roof needs doing ( will try to get piccies up at some point when  if the weather clears up). Is there some dark arts magic to repair or just say fxxk it and get some rattle cans of lacquer from Halfrauds? 

 

Ask Mrs TRW to have a go at it.

 

Sorry if that's not the answer you were looking for.

[burraston2006]

It's black. If I used a cream/beige roof then I could pretend it's a Guiness company car!!

[robinmasters]

My wife's response to any suggestion she even looks at an oily part of the car is 'Why keep a dog and bark yourself?'.

[inconsistant]

I did an evening college course with my friend who wanted to learn more about cars.

 

 

When I got the 924 I was a beginner and really wanted to do an evening course but could only find (in South London) proper ones that lead to Mechanic qualifications and were hundreds of quids and ran for a couple of years.

 

So I just waited for Head Gasket Failure and did distance learning via the owners club forum.

[spartacus]

The current Mrs Spart is really keen to learn, she's got the strength to undo stuff, the memory to remember what I tell her and asks all the right questions, she's just short on time. Ideal really!

[TRW]

Wait until tomorrow, It will blow your mind! C1 & MG ZR repair in one go...........

Stay off the road!

[Junkman]

The Junkwoman grew up on a farm in Nova Scotia, which is near the North Pole, but without its amenities.

So she knows how to mend a Combine and and a Ferguson.

However, for some inexplicable reason, she doesn't know what antifreeze is, or why one occasionally has to check the coolant level.

 

Imagine how far she is away from the upper echelons of Rover P6 V8 ownership, what with it being more bonkers than anything sane.

[TRW]

I'm teaching my Mrs to weld on my MiL laws C1

WCPGW?

 

Apart from teaching her how to change a lower arm and TRE on a Rover 25/ZR

Pictures tomorrow* 

For Macdroitwich FNU

* when my garage is being put out by South Wales Fire Service.

[Junkman]

I once had an understanding with a stroppy gingerhead, green eyes, freckles, the lot, who welded new sills to her crumbly Fiat 124 Spyder, baby poo in colour.

But she was grade A deranged in every other aspect.

[TRW]

I once had an understanding with a stroppy gingerhead, green eyes, freckles, the lot, who welded new sills to her crumbly Fiat 124 Spyder, baby poo in colour.

But she was grade A deranged in every other aspect.

 

Don't tell me that!

 

[Junkman]

I'm telling you.

[mat_the_cat]

stroppy gingerhead

 

Are there any other kind?

[Mally]

My wife used to assist when needed.

She knew if it wouldn't turn over you tapped the battery terminals lightly, if that didn't work hammered the starter motor.

One day the A60 van caught fire, petrol pipe loose sprayed on manifold.

She put the fire out with an extinguisher closed the bonnet and carried on with petrol still spraying.

[DodgyBastard]

 

Mrs foad occasionally likes to help out with the cars. Yesterday we swapped out a strut on the c15, changed the rear shocks on the 190e and fitted new fuel hose to the Carlton.

 

 

She is also pretty good at removing tyres with the tyre machine, she is usually up for helping out with anything as long as it doesn't involve lying underneath a car getting filthy. That's usually my job...

[TRW]

Pre workshop update

 

"I think it needs a new clutch too"

WHAT!? I only put a clutch in it 15K ago. I hope for your sake it only needs adjusting.

If my MiL has killed this clutch, my picture will be in the local paper under the headline

HE WILL KILL AGAIN.

[PhilA]

The Mrs used to drive for a living, and through experience determined that being able to get in at a moment's notice after doing it yesterday and driving 1000+ miles fully laden was not a job for a snotter so her attitude has been keep it serviced with oil and tyres until it's a few years old then get rid (usually with about 250-350k on the clock), by which time most consumer grade vehicles are knackered anyway.

 

Any serious maintenance had hitherto been taken care of by getting a new vehicle.

 

So far I've managed to pressure her into bleeding brakes but that was met with a tirade of complaint.

 

She will, however, follow instruction when required in order to get something fixed and isn't scared of doing so.. changing wheels on 4 ton vehicles doesn't phase her.

 

Mixed bag.

 

 

Phil

[TRW]

 

 

 

No MG content today as there wasn't time.  Went well, and all work done was by herself, just following basic instructions when she got stuck lol

[New POD]

My wife's response to any suggestion she even looks at an oily part of the car is 'Why keep a dog and bark yourself?'.

 

And your response when "women's" tasks like cooking cleaning and washing up are mentioned ?