Loss of car tinkering mojo confessions.

[Agila]

Basically like an AA/counseling meeting. Put what you need to do and what to but can't be arsed.

Might make some of us feel less shite that others are the same.

 

[Agila]

Rear suspension work, bushings on a lexus rx350. Twat of a job and not looking forward to it.

Merc c class, oil change and osf abs sensor. Should be easy be can't be arsed to move the plastic wheelarch trim. Also need to clean and re seal the rear wheels as slight air leak.

[Carl1981]

My XJ40 won’t run properly when hot, it’s fine at tick over but has no power under load. When it inevitably conks out it won’t then restart until properly cold again.
 

With some help from cleverer people than me! It’s now suspected to be air or vacuum leak on the intake side after the MAF unit. To get to this diagnosis (over the last 18 months 🫣) I’ve played my very best game at parts cannon! changed all sorts… plugs and leads, cap and arm, CPS, MAF unit, relays for fuelling, fuel filter, coil etc…

always the same results, car starts and runs beautifully, test it up to temperature and all seems well until it cuts out and it’s a pain to get back to the storage unit. At least the MOT has run out so I can’t take it too far from the unit (about 40ft to the public road , still a heavy fucker to push though 😂).

There is one more part to change to verify that the intake manifold gasket is the root cause, this is a very involved job I understand (I’ll probably get it tested with a smoke machine thing before I commit). But first my last round for the parts cannon, the engine temperature sensor for the ECU, a common fail, I’ve replaced once in my ownership with new OE part, but it’s worth doing again for £15 and 10 minutes work…

I’m really struggling for motivation though, because I know that when I change this last part I’ve got nothing else to change then except the intake gasket, which I really, really don’t want to do…

[fatharris]

Herman has been sat on the driveway for months, just needing a battery and a hole in the exhaust welding up for the MOT.

I'm just struggling with enthusiasm at the moment, especially when most of the work is fixing issues that crop up on the fleet that's actually running.

The Laguna has been dismantled in the garage for about a month now and will be there for at least another month until this broken arm heals properly.

The Mazda? That's MOTd and insured but hasn't turned a wheel since May because it hasn't got a battery - that's literally all it needs too.

[IronStar]

I need to replace the washer pump and polish headlights on 307CC. I CBA to borrow a polisher or buy a machine and a cutting compound for months now, and I dread trying to replace the washer pump as arch liner needs to go down, and I’m not looking forward to fighting with 20y/o trim clips.

159 has been driven around with next to no handbrake for ages now. I’m not touching that with 6ft pole, and I really don’t want to be left without it for ages if I farm that job out to a garage, if someone even wants to accept it as it involves dismantling half the car. Speaking of dismantling, I have Bose system for it that’s sitting in the box for ages as it also requires dismantling to feed the cable from the head unit to the amp in the trunk.

Not even getting started on the sitting forever projects. 

[sierraman]

Trailing arm bushes. I can’t stand suspension work even though it’s ultimately satisfying once it’s done and the clanking is gone. 

[JMotor]

I've finally got around to a project car I've wanted to do for years.

But have no interest in doing the welding on it. Even though it's not too bad access wise, have new panels and will be fairly straightforward to do.

It can be a big mojo killer is when your faced with large chunks of rotten metal to sort out.

 

[grogee]

125cc Motorbike. 

It came in bits. I've got a Haynes manual and a load of parts. All the fixings are shoved into a plastic tub, unmarked. 

So far I've checked the engine over, seems fine, no scoring or wear problems I can see. (It's still on my workbench). Fitted new gaskets. 

Cleaned out carb and fitted new seals and gaskets. 

I've cleaned up the front forks and re-oiled them. 

Changed ignition switch so that I now have a key. 

Next up I need to work out how to fit back drum brake, fit engine and try and work out where all the cables and wires go. 

Hope that the rear wheel bearings and rear suspension bushes are OK. 

Then bleed front brake. Add a battery and hope it starts. 

Added jeopardy: moving house in a few weeks. Bike will be a lot easier to move if it's in one piece. 

Monday and Tuesday I decided were too hot to do anything. So I've lost yet more days procrastinating. 

If anyone motorbike-minded wants to come and give me a hand, I'd pay top dollar/cake/tea/car mechanicing in return. 

[bunglebus]

I've really lost my motivation to do any of it to be honest, part of the problem was I had a ridiculously busy period of work and got really far behind with loads of things at home and car jobs, so I think I've burnt myself out over the last few months trying to catch up with it all.

I've even farmed out a few jobs to garages as I was just dreading doing them, and I despise other people fixing my cars as without fail in the past they've damaged things, left a mess or done wheels up to 600 LBS/FT.

The other problem is I work much better when there's someone else there to bounce ideas off of, even if they're not actually doing any spanner twirling, but I just don't really have anyone. I can go and do bits in my mate's garage but all my tools, parts etc are at home so that's not ideal either.

Got the rear brake pipes replaced on my Passat for the MoT and Lupo is going in tomorrow for a sump reseal and front exhaust repair, all jobs I could do but I get the fear about immobilising the car if things go wrong 

[grogee]

3 hours ago, fatharris said:

broken arm

Shit I missed this, I'm sure you've detailed on another thread. You ok? Presumably can't work... Bummer. Get well soon FH

 

[reb]

I haven't really touched a spanner in nearly two years.

I'm going to ease myself into seeing a car task to completion by fitting the tint kit.

I'm really looking forward to refreshing the suspension, it's a big job but I've done it before on an 850 so am fairly confident I can get it done easily enough. Can probably get it done in a day or two, especially if I have a helper.

[mercedade]

Fix the A/C on the MINI. Had some great advice from people on here, and some very kind parts donation. But still can't/won't.

Got other things to be doing that I don't want to do either, but I know it's mostly lying on the ground with fiddly bits and I just can't face it.

[Urko]

My Discovery hasn't been washed for months and is like a pigsty inside.  I can't even be arsed to take it to the car wash.

It is getting to be a bastard to start too ans I can't even be bothered to book it in for the LR specialists charlatans to play parts bingo at my expense.

(currently have a good excuse due to moving and not have a garage to any car stuff for now)

[Tickman]

All the welding has been done for about 4 years, just need to start cleaning it up and protecting it with some paint but any excuse I can find is implemented. I have also been quite busy with life stuff.

[Urko]

BTW this car tinkering is a paradox, innit?

I torture myself getting started with any job, torture myself getting on with the fucker, but in the end I think it has immense benefits for mental health.

[Rust Collector]

I’ll write a longer post later about the wider fleet (I’ve somewhat lost my mojo for even writing things up lately), but my most recent downfall was starting work on the XM.

Despite a brief period of being alright, it now needs more (potentially time consuming and expensive) work again.

The amount of disappointment it has brought me is immeasurable, and what’s worse is that I’m so far invested into it in terms of time and money that the only option I’ve found I can deal with now is to keep the bastard thing and hope that one day it becomes a good* car.

It will be moving to one side, and I will spend some time working on the (hopefully) more enjoyable projects in the near future.

In the meantime, I’ve enjoyed some downtime over the last week or so, and I’m now clearing out my shed and garage with an intention of having them more organised - it’s meant to be something of a clean slate I guess, to make working on the next project easier and more enjoyable. I let the place turn into a shit tip over the last few months, and it doesn’t help with keeping a positive headspace.

[Bren]

I bought a s/hand hi torque starter motor for the SD1  a few months ago. Still not fitted it.

I changed the oil on the mondeo the other week only because it was well overdue. It also had rear tyres because they were getting close to the legal limit.

Other than this I cannot be arsed. Not used my bike this summer - either dont have time or cannot be arsed getting it out of the garage. I applied for another role in my job which requires maths - I left school 36 years ago and maths was not my best subject - I wish I hadn't applied now.

I have been thinking about getting rid of everything.

[Vantman]

My recently purchased Nissan Pao has an electric fabric type folding sunroof which needs sorting to open correctly. I have no inclination to attempt to fix it and neither has the ten or more garages that i have contacted. It will probably remain closed!

[mk2_craig]

I've had the Renner 19 for four years now, the replacement track rod for the same length of time less say a couple of weeks, and I still haven't got round to fitting it.

[Datsuncog]

I need to change the oil and filter on the Corolla. And the cambelt.

I've been putting it off for two years.

I even invested in a battery operated pump to suck the old gloop out, and avoid having to piss about with ramps and sump washers.

And I still cannot find the wherewithal to even do that much.

Maybe tomorrow, if the rain stays off. But I've been telling myself that for a long time, now.

 

When I bought the car two years ago, I asked the owner if the cambelt had been changed.

Oh yes! It was changed quite recently, he assured me.

I should have pressed for details. A leaf through the service records revealed that it had indeed been changed - in 2010.

Ah.

The fun of one-family-owned-from-new cars in their twilight years.

Cambelt roulette for two years now.

I have a fresh belt, and it's not a massively complex job at all on these engines, but I have a doomy feeling about starting it.

 

It's as well it doesn't get used much.

[Popsicle]

I had it all planned out this year, so many vehicle and house jobs were going to get smashed out the park, for health reasons I've even taken a break from working this year, the reality is the complete opposite though.

Couriering Caddy - Sort the rusty wheel arches, repaint the bumpers, rear wishbone bushes, cambelts due, horns packed up, new horn been sat in a box for months waiting to be fitted.

Shogun - Never gonna pass another MOT with the rusty rear arches and sill ends.

Qashqai - What I thought was a wheel bearing noise turns out to be a noisy gearbox.

Beetle floppy top - Needs some drop links, track rod ends and wishbones.

Swift - Exhaust blowing, think the back box has failed, noisy around the pulleys, think its the AC pump.

The list of house jobs is really starting to back up too, I need to pull my finger out and either crack on (unlikely) or have a laugh at how much the trades want (can't afford it).

[captain_70s]

I've managed to get very little done this summer. Miserable weather hasn't helped but I've definitely lost motivation. I think a lot of it is that driving in this day and age is just generally unpleasant so the "reward" of driving the cars after repairs isn't much of a reward.

I did spend 6hrs organising the garage last weekend so I actually have some hope of being able to do some work.

The Volvo is overdue a service, has squealing rear brakes, pulls badly to the left, has a blowing exhaust, has a drive train vibration I suspect is the prop, leaks water into the cabin massively, rad hoses a bawhair from exploding and the radio is shit. I have purchased a large amount of parts required but it doesn't fit in the garage, so works are weather dependent. 

Acclaim needs lots of welding. I have steel, a welder, a folder and a vice but I lack arsedness.

Dolomite needs a water pump, radiator and timing chain, but the repeated failures and shit repo parts are draining my enthusiasm as I'm doing the same jobs every 500 miles.

I tend to get home from work, immediately fall asleep in my chair, wake up for dinner and then fall asleep again...

[IronStar]

Group help idea - we all tackle one small job we have, and post it back here as an encouragement for the others suffering the same? 

[sutty2006]

I need to change the rear trailing arm bushes on my Discovery 2. 
 

I bought the parts 6 months ago. 
 

i really don’t want to have to drop the axle down and fuck about with it, then bring the arms to work to press in new bushes. 
 

I want to buy the trailing arms second hand cheap and replace those bushes, so I can swap them over. I’m too tight to spend lots of money on a scrap pair. 
 

I was given arms for free, powder coated but no bushes. It’s a shame they’re fronts. 🤦‍♂️ 

[egg]

4 hours ago, Urko said:

I torture myself getting started with any job, torture myself getting on with the fucker, but in the end I think it has immense benefits for mental health.

And I think it's actually more torture to have this nagging thing in your head. Adult life is essentially having a list of jobs in your mind that you should have done.

[reb]

17 minutes ago, egg said:

 Adult life is essentially having a list of jobs in your mind that you should have done.

Oh, so it's not just me? Thank goodness for that.

[Popsicle]

You know what, after reading all this while eating a cheese and pickle sandwich with a cuppa I actually felt a tinge of get up and go (or guilt 😀). Found the horn for the caddy and looked out the window and its just started pissing it down, oh well I tried, back to reading the internet again.....

[Bren]

7 minutes ago, Popsicle said:

You know what, after reading all this while eating a cheese and pickle sandwich with a cuppa I actually felt a tinge of get up and go (or guilt 😀). Found the horn for the caddy and looked out the window and its just started pissing it down, oh well I tried, back to reading the internet again.....

Get up and go? Send some this way.....

[Popsicle]

5 minutes ago, Bren said:

Get up and go? Send some this way.....

I'm going up to Liverpool tomorrow, I'll drop some off on my way if I can find anymore mate.

[EyesWeldedShut]

Passenger door handle on the Sprog's Bini - only opens from the inside.
Parts have been here for months but I just don't want to slice my hands up getting the old one off - done other jobs on other cars but this one is just 'meh'  

(MoT at Christmas so I guess there's a target to be aimed at)