Cars where performing a task that's normally a total pain in the arse is actually a piece of piss.

[Sigmund Fraud]

I must nominate the humble Peugeot 206 1.4 as the easiest car to replace the cambelt on - access is excellent, and there's no need for extensive dismantling or special tools.

[twosmoke300]

1 hour ago, GrumpiusMaximus said:

Oil filter and fuel filter on a VW PD lump.  The oil filter is at the top.  Just unscrew the plastic cap, replace the cap seal and the other seal, pull out old paper element, replace with new and replace the cap.

Likewise the fuel filter just consists of removing a clamp screw and a couple of clips on the fuel lines, then pulling out the filter.  Put in new filter (priming optional) and replace fuel lines.

Each job is about 3 minutes if you’re doing it at a leisurely pace…

Changing the intercooler hose to the EGR is easy too.  A couple of clips.  Less than 5 minutes and it’s right at the top left-hand side of the engine bay.  Which is convenient when the metal lugs wear out and it pops off on the M23…

In the other side of the equation, changing the cabin filter on a MK2 Focus.  If you know, you know.

Then they make the a4/ pisswet front suspension set up 

[sierraman]

On 24/08/2024 at 21:15, warren t claim said:

 

Dedication's what you need.

Fucking bonnet wasn’t bolted on! 

[Tenmil Socket]

18 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said:

Then they make the a4/ pisswet front suspension set up 

My A4 during the last few weeks has begun to make a creak/knock noise from the front near side suspension area. Is it a problematic set-up?

[CaptainBoom]

Can I nominate a clutch change on a Saab 900 Classic?  (I've only done an NA, not a turbo model)

• Remove front hinged bonnet (two bolts) and lift from hinges (bonnet will stay put when unbolted, so can be done single handedly)
• Remove plastic clutch cover (three bolts and stretch it over clutch assembly)
• Press and hold clutch pedal down with broom stick wedged onto back of drivers seat
• Insert bucket handle/old-style HT lead/correct spacer tool between fingers of pressure plate and outside of the housing
• Unbolt slave cylinder
• Remove inspection cap and oil impeller, with the thread that's left, pop in an M8 bolt (one of the clutch retaining bolts is just perfect)
• Lever primary shaft out
• Unbolt pressure plate from flywheel
• Pressure plate, friction plate, release bearing and slave cylinder all come out in a glorious sandwich.
• Reassemble with new components, hold slave cylinder and release bearing down with stout cable ties and pop back in the space
• Insert primary shaft (fnaar) jiggle it and the friction plate will centre itself (no need for a broom handle with tape around it)
• Bolt clutch back on to flywheel (remembering that one of the bolts is on the end of the primary shaft
• Complete the rest of the reassembly

Honestly, I'm the product of the pairing of two village idiots and I still did it in two hours. 

[Asimo]

Clutch job on a Triumph 1300 / 1500 (FWD) is similar but because the clutch is at the cabin end of the engine there is a little hatch behind the dash where you get access to the plate on the primary drive through which you withdraw the little quill shaft to the clutch plate.

[Sigmund Fraud]

1 hour ago, Tenmil Socket said:

My A4 during the last few weeks has begun to make a creak/knock noise from the front near side suspension area. Is it a problematic set-up?

Not problematic, just a bit* complicated :

I count 10 ball joints and 14 bushes, all of which can/will need replacement !

[somewhatfoolish]

18 minutes ago, Asimo said:

Clutch job on a Triumph 1300 / 1500 (FWD) is similar but because the clutch is at the cabin end of the engine there is a little hatch behind the dash where you get access to the plate on the primary drive through which you withdraw the little quill shaft to the clutch plate.

Does that mean you can change the clutch in the pissing rain without getting wet?

[catsinthewelder]

In a BL car? 🤣🤣

[Asimo]

1 hour ago, somewhatfoolish said:

Does that mean you can change the clutch in the pissing rain without getting wet?

If you have a good, big garage then yes.

Not even a gynaecologist could do the whole job from the driver’s seat!

At least on the Triumph,  it’s front-hinged bonnet is not in the way of a clutch-job, unlike the SaaB.

[grogee]

5 hours ago, Sigmund Fraud said:

I must nominate the humble Peugeot 206 1.4 as the easiest car to replace the cambelt on - access is excellent, and there's no need for extensive dismantling or special tools.

O series Maestro/Montego is easier but that's probably not a surprise. You're supposed to use a tension gauge to get the tension right but nobody in the history of mankind has ever bothered with that. 

The workaround is to use your 'thatsaboutright-ometer' 

[Sigmund Fraud]

6 minutes ago, grogee said:

O series Maestro/Montego is easier but that's probably not a surprise. You're supposed to use a tension gauge to get the tension right but nobody in the history of mankind has ever bothered with that. 

The workaround is to use your 'thatsaboutright-ometer' 

Ah, yes, the mythical SEEM tool, shrouded in mystery and lore :

[JMotor]

Heater matrix on a 2013 Seat Leon. 

Roughly three hours start to finish. Easiest one I've ever done.

Same job on a Peugeot 306 is three hours to find that you've not undone all the screws on the dashboard. 

Cambelt on my Altezza was a surprisingly straightforward job too.   

[twosmoke300]

1 hour ago, JMotor said:

Heater matrix on a 2013 Seat Leon. 

Roughly three hours start to finish. Easiest one I've ever done.

Same job on a Peugeot 306 is three hours to find that you've not undone all the screws on the dashboard. 

Cambelt on my Altezza was a surprisingly straightforward job too.   

Yeh they ain’t bad - was it blocked ? Stupid silica gel tea bag in the tank burst ?

[JMotor]

31 minutes ago, twosmoke300 said:

Yeh they ain’t bad - was it blocked ? Stupid silica gel tea bag in the tank burst ?

That's what I suspected at first. The matrix was blocked, but no silica bag in the tank and no "mit silikate" written on it either.

I wonder if it was just silted up with shite. 

Those couplings on the pipes were a little annoying.

[twosmoke300]

16 minutes ago, JMotor said:

That's what I suspected at first. The matrix was blocked, but no silica bag in the tank and no "mit silikate" written on it either.

I wonder if it was just silted up with shite. 

Those couplings on the pipes were a little annoying.

Wonder if it had one in the past and someone swapped the tank already ?

[JMotor]

Very possible.

Just a surprise for them to block and cause the car to barf coolant. I see you can get a matrix with larger vanes on eBay.

[Stinkwheel]

On 26/08/2024 at 09:26, Jenson Velcro said:

Never done it, but a mate says removing the engine on an original Beetle is really easy

Not the first time you do one it isnt, bloody faff. After that they are OK, but still not as easy as air cooled citroens