Festive fettling and fiddling animus

[jonny69]

The thesaurus told me that animus was another word for plan. When I looked it up it actually means hostility and bile. I thought it looked a bit like anus at first glance, so, in case anyone sees 'fiddling anus' as they scroll through, I left it in the title.

 

Actual point of thread: what shitemonkeying have you got planned up for the Christmas break?

 

I think I've got a week off after Christmas. Three cars need attention.

-Anglia needs a rear brake seal replacing. Got a pair of NOS ones in the spares drawer and I don't foresee too many hassles doing this job.

-Ami needs yet another fuel pump. I'm going to plumb in a 6V electric pump inline this time. The new replacement mechanical pumps are seemingly shit and stop working quite quickly. Also need to lift it back up to stock height and get the CV boots back on. These are the old style ones and it's a complete bastard of a job. In the cold it's going to be really shit. Then it's up for sale.

-Insight needs a good clean and it's also going up for sale.

[mercrocker]

Too bloody cold for us Southern softies to muck about with things made out of heat-absorbing metal..... 

 

I started putting new brake lines in the Minor at the beginning of the month.   By starting I mean opening various plastic bags and finding slightly warmer things to play with that really don't need doing.    

 

The van is in a cold draughty tin agricultural shed but I have actually been up there and done some fettling.   I have run various accessories from fag lighter sockets trailed around the interior for about three years.   These really need wiring up correctly with fused socket feeds properly clipped in and shortened.   Also there are the usual stone chip and knocks to flat back and repaint but I will probably do that nearer the spring when the paint can dry fully.    

  

The Cowley needs some interior love and the driver's door window regulator replacing too.  

 

However, most of these jobs are "outside" and I am increasingly unable to bear the temperature these days other than going for a brisk walk!   I might manage a service on the Fiesta but in all likelihood that may wait until January.

 

Family Xmas bookings seem to be more than usual this year and I will therefore need some shed time.   Its warm in there so some die-cast fettling may take place to keep me occupied and, most importantly, Sane.  

[Asimo]

I (have been forced to take) 3 weeks off over Christmas, the only time of year I would rather be at work.

 

But I will fit a loud hooter to the van or to the Insight, if I can decide which needs it most.

 

I will run the Insight's drive battery through a couple of charge / discharge cycles to try and make it last a bit longer. (This is a good winter job because all I have to do is plug things in and occasionally check a voltmeter and the cold means it isn't neccessary to monitor the battery temperature whilst doing it)

 

I will try not to drive the van because of salt but if I do I will have to wash it which takes ages and will use up both mojo and daylight.

 

I will also try not to go near eBay whilst drinking at any point during the holiday. This will save me a lot of money if previous years are an indicator.

[Bobthebeard]

No festive fiddling for me. Apart from whatever is absolutely necessary. Too cold and damp for lying on the drive with thawing ice running down my neck. I hate cold and damp. Jobs on the cars are stacking up though. We are driving down to Wales for a three day break on Wednesday (Portmeirion) and taking the Rover 75. The previous issue with it burping coolant from the header tank has returned (air lock... Thought it was sorted) but may* just take some ready mixed OAT coolant and risk it.

I don't mind working on cars if the weather is cold, dry and sunny, but freezing and damp/foggy is a no go really.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

GF's Xmas present was me paying for her to join family in Dminican Republic for 10days. Munchkin is off for Xmas with the ex as it's the Germans' turn. So I have no excuse not to do 'something'.......

 

1.     I've got to have the Lada 2101 collected and I'll give it a once over before the controlle technic it needs........ god knows what that will lead to!

2.     SD1 - I've only gone and lost the bloody petrol tank! No sodding clue where it is....... so a spares/scrapper is now contacted so I can go pull one out of the collection he has....... really* looking forward to that!

3.     SAAB - service time, inspect brake pads etc... and general clean up. I think the bushes and droplinks need doing though - so may order them and get cracking.

4.     Going to take a look at a Shogun Mk1 V6 petrol 3000...... I have a stash of spares from my previous one - so it 'shouldn't be too much of a project and it has a new test on it.

5.     The masochist in me is also enquiring about a total clusterfuck on wheels - and hoping it is truelly beyond redemption to save me the misery!

 

Happy Holidays!!!!

[phil_lihp]

Fit some spark plugs to the sister's i10 while she's down visiting as I forgot to do them when I serviced it last month.  The Hiace needs an oil change which *should* be ultra-straightforward assuming the oil filter seal doesn't come off this time and cause another environmental disaster like last time.  Other than that, plenty of work to do inside the van tidying, cleaning and getting it ready for DVLA camper approval (i.e. fitting a table) which is at least sort-of-indoors.  Any other spannering is either being ignored or farmed out to those who know what they're doing.  I expect the mending mojo to return with the spring tides but until then, the less time spent lying on my driveway swearing at bits of car the better.

[seth]

Hoping to get a day or two in the dungeon next week on the Oxford.  I've been saving up some wiring jobs as they are quiet things to do and I don't think it'd be fair on the neighbours to be making a racket if tI'm there Monday/Tuesday.

[Squirrel2]

When I can sneak away from Christmas family commitments (all the junior Squirrels and partners and grandson Squirrels descend on Mrs Squirrel1 and I for their lunch) I will sneak away to the boatshite shed and play with my 101 or do some work on the latest boat project. There is no mains supply to the shed but it is amazing how many of these little LED floodlights will run on a 150W inverter supplied from a 12V battery.

Otherwise if too cold to fiddle with automotive stuff I will be working on a project tape recorder that is currently in bits on my bench. I have a new mains transformer to try and fit to the chassis as it has got an insulation fault that will trip the house ring-main RCD after being switched on for about an hour. So at the moment I only play with this one when Mrs Squirrel1 is out, otherwise I get a row when everything goes off....

[beko1987]

I've been told I can have a day at the weekend to do the brakes on both cars and investigate my lumpy idle. Fantastic. She hasn't said what day though, presumably the one which will be rainy...

[Jikovron]

Holiday time is mega precious to me as work absolutely dominates, so it leads to a paradoxical dilemma, do i spend the time doing car and house based jobs that work has displaced and thus feel like i have traded holiday time for mild anxiety abating task completion or do i allow a breather between the work and effectively keep tasks that have mounted in displacement thus perpetuating the dormant nature of progress.

 

Doing both seems to be practically mutually exclusive or chops the holiday into pieces that basically feel like time has dilated into nothing. 

 

The reality that will follow is to spend ages trying to mentally map out plans before maybe half arsed starting some mild fettling until a part/tool/special bolt is required off ebay which wont arrive till after i am back at work or some similar poetry level disappointment. 

 

coming to think of it i do have to free off the skoda wiper spindles as the posts are rotating in the scuttle holes so i probably will do that this instant before i literally forget

[dollywobbler]

Nippa needs an oil change. Hoping some Invacar engine goodies arrive before Christmas, so I can do some general servicing on the poor thing. Would also like to try and get the brakes working and see how borked the hydraulics really are. The lever firmed up the other day, so maybe I'll get lucky and just flush some new fluid in? I'll keep hoping...

[fordperv]

I've got some nice toys from mrs fp for my mk1 sierra for Christmas so I may have a play with those, i cant wait to unwrap them

[CreepingJesus]

Should put a new wiper relay in the 765, the existing one's a tad unpredictable. Also should have a poke about at the tank breathers, it takes ten litres then trips the pump. Several times over. Should really get a dizzy cap and rotor arm on it just in case. Tension up the alternator belt. Duck tape the sunroof.

Probably won't do any of this. The thought causes some animus.

[Dan_ZTT]

Hoping to shortly buy a shite-ish estate of some kind, ideally a passat from this very forum... if successful I will then be using my week off to try to sell my current daily which is a modern nonsense chrysler (lancia) delta and will then be surplus to requirements. Fingers crossed for no more snowchaos...

[forddeliveryboy]

Oil change on both Volvos beckons, the ATF also on the older one. Bit parky for anything else atm, but managed h/brake shoes last week.

 

What engine oil on a 2004 D5? Just not used to these fragile modern things.

[Squirrel2]

Oil change on both Volvos beckons, the ATF also on the older one. Bit parky for anything else atm, but managed h/brake shoes last week.

What engine oil on a 2004 D5? Just not used to these fragile modern things.

A fully synthetic A3/B3/B4 of 5w30 or 0w30 is what a pre-DPF D5 likes. The later DPF equipped ones need A5/B5 spec 'low ash' oil..

 

Further to what I posted earlier in this thread my holiday tinkering with stuff indoors may have been scuppered... Had a telephone call from one of the junior Squirrels - saying that his Land Rover 90 diff-lock selector is jammed and it's now making 'funny noises'. He's been ignoring an oil leak, by the sounds of it, so the transfer 'box is probably borked... again. He trashed the LT77 main box back in the summer and the transfer box was previously replaced a few years ago.

 

Squirrel2

[dieselassist]

overdue oil change/full(ish) service on the disco1 300tdi, as it'll be doing a lot of miles, half of which is 'long haul' trailer pulling over the 'Holidays'...including picking up its successor - the 07 Xtrail I havent bothered to pick up from my old mans in months, and a 'spares' xtrail saloon shell, early in the new year...some other spannering shite happening out in the cold, but all that is 'NUTHIN PERSONEL' even more mundane 'shizz'...

[eddyramrod]

Nothing.

 

I plan to drive Huggy when we need to go anywhere, but since I'm only off work Sunday/Monday/Tuesday we won't be going very far.  Apart from that I have no intention of doing anything to any of the fleet, at all.

 

Best laid plans, and all that...

[billyboy406v6]

Trying to get the v6 MOTed this week, the rear calipers are partially seized, its cold and wet and the mojo has gone missing !!

[Ghosty]

740 doesn’t want anything at the moment, I might get round to replacing the glovebox lock but that’s about it. I’m not messing with the sunroof at this time of year.

[Six-cylinder]

My plan is to replace the weeping core plug on my Jaguar E Type it is not an engine out job, but it is an inlet manifold off job, all in about a days work. The problem is the garage has been filled with junk from clearing my mothers house that should of gone to the tip but Mrs6C felt sorry for.

 

I have now moved the cars around in my storage to make room, so my BMW E30 325i that is sat on the open drive can be put away. Also our E46 330 Ci has to change storage as where it is has been sold.

 

The ongoing problem is my red Citroen CX that will not start in the old storage and has to be moved.

[bub2006]

Ive fixed the emv on the volvo. Low hold functions now all working. Dcd1979 did my selector rod adjustment. Carb seems to be behaving now.

[stuboy]

Missus complains that her headlights are not bright enough and seen how mine are whiter im now volunteered to replace hers, annoyingly her focus has the full undertray..

[red5]

Collect my (one of) other Fronteras from Lymm. When the recovery firm move it. 56 days....

 

Collect the shorty from Dave Dorsons hedge.

 

Realise that the 2.8's Mot expires tomorrow and it's my towcar to collect the towcar.

 

Collect the new (old) car of mystery.

 

Hmmm.

[Kiltox]

Expert* panel beating session on my van to try and make the drivers side straight enough to fit the black side mouldings is on the cards for sure

[Mally]

New roll cage on the Stock car, because 'rules'.

New panels all round, because old ones too small now.

Paint new panels and signwrite. Anyone want their Company on our car for a pittance.

Fit new Engine and clutch. £650 bargain! edit plus £50 for clutch.

Buy new Aerofoil £250, because old one squashed.

Buy 8 tyres £440 and fit with new tubes (free, Shaw Tyre and Exhaust )

Business as usual really.

[cros]

Bedford needs its doors now that new floor is about done. I'd like them hanging this year but they're a bit lacy. Not my favourite job but better than watching people eat too much.

[dome]

The S4 needs a few bits and pieces, was planning on putting it off til spring but it has an oil leak that's getting worse. Whether anything will happen over Christmas I don't know. Maybe an exploratory mission. I've got cam cover gaskets coming for it, they definitely need done.

 

MR2 needs driven to show up any other issues.

 

Locost may get a fettle, I've a new oil pressure sender to fit and some oil leaks to chase on it too. Common theme with my fleet, oil leaks...

[jonny69]

There was something else that needed doing, but I can't remember which car or what it was. Arse.

[RickRirai]

I like to be busy and much prefer tinkering around to watching telly so I got quite a full schedule over Christmas.

 

'98 Passat

>Change CV joints

>Fix front NS door centeral locking

>Fix rear OS door centeral locking

>Find out why some of the windows are rattling

>Change Oil

>Treat a big patch of rust on front OS door

 

'99 Polo

>Change timing belt and water pump

>Change electric window switch

>Treat some corrosion around rear NS sill

 

'89 XR3i

>Adjust handbrake

>Find out why battery not charging

 

I want to fix a twin cylinder compressor too that my neighour gave me and build a sandblasting cabinet. I've wanted one for ages but never had enough air. If I get the compressor running then I should have more than enough.

 

I want to get all the routine maintenance stuff out of the way over Christmas so I can restart a Land Rover project that I had to put to one side for a few months.