Woo, i feel like a man :D

Phil W

Phil W

Phil W

Soldato
Joined
19 Oct 2002
Posts
9,974
Location
Jupiter
Usually with anything car related, and mechanical, i'll happily pay someone to do work for me.

Today i remove my starter motor as it was sticking.

I got under the car and thought "hell, i'll get someone else to do this" then thought i'd give it a bash myself. Got 1 bolt undone successfully, then realised the other was hidden in a tight spot, oh crap.

After 15mins of fiddling i thought i'd try from the top, and the bolt was actually sat in the bell-housing, doh!

Anyway, a 17mm, 19mm, 13mm and 10mm bolt later, and the starter is off. I'll be damned if i'm going to clean it, put it back on and then it not work again, so i'm off to motormania now to exhange mine in for a new one :D

Phil
 
You only get to feel like a man when it is working again. Untilg then, there is still a chance of ending up feeling a total wally.
 
I Love working on cars tbh, its wonderfull spending a freezing november day on your back under a dirty oily car:p

Seriously, i have done a thing car related since I had the ST, this why i spend loads of time cleaning it!

I yearn for the days i used a to have a heap of crap that i used to spend every weekend working on!
 
You're only a real man when you've done a complete engine rebuild and you fire it up for the first time realising the small box of springs, washers, bolts and bits you mysteriously had left over were never really needed in the first place :D
 
I like working on my car when it's a nice warm day. I seriously enjoyed fitting my suspension, working from 10 o'clock in the morning right through to 7-8pm in the evening.

I hate working on my car when the weather is crap and I can count the hours of daylight on one hand! Got to change the front and rear pads on mine in a couple of weeks, but apart from that, it's behaving itself and fingers crossed I won't have to tinker until next year.
 
I just see it in the logical manner of if the bolt comes out of somewhere it has to go back in somewhere :)

But yes, i think every man should enjoy working on their own car, i changed the oil and filter in mine yesterday, that was fun. Also have done quite a few tasks since i've had the car and its always good fun, if a little frustrating, and always good when you finish and it all works again :)
 
I keep having urges to check the valve clearances on my CTR. I have the tools and skills to use them. Hell, there's even a step by step guide on CTR forums that make it look as easy as changing a wheel. I just don't have the confidence, or the strength of mind to put up with an eternity of SWMBO saying 'told you so'. :p

Good luck!
 
I have also done a fair few jobs on my car now the self satisfaction is great

So far I have:

Removed Gear Linkage return spring + replace - very fiddly
Fitted new airbox
Changed spark plugs
Fitted HU


A few little start jobs but well worth it
 
Whenever I try and do a car job, I:

Spend twice as much as labour would have cost on tools.
Take an entire day to do it.
Muck up something else in the process.
End up with very cut hands.

All these doesn't stop me trying!
 
I'm planning on doing as much work on my car as i can as i want to learn about cars etc. I'm going to get a Haynes manual from ebay and get a set of basic tools.

There are just a couple of things i need to do as of yet:

Replace front disks + pads £35 for parts
Install a sub and amp in boot
repair some stone chips, going to get a kit and give it a go

The only problem with where i live is i don't have a drive as there is no drop curb in place. This means i have to work on the car on the street and keep moving for pedestrians and cars. The only way id be able to do it is get up really early on a sunday which isn't ideal :(.
 
On thursday (my only day off) I took the MR2 for its final drive, before set about removing the engine ready for a complete rebuild

This is the first engine/box i've removed and it was satisfying to have the engine on the floor with just 4 hours work

ill be looking forward to next thursday :P
 
doofer said:
You're only a real man when you've done a complete engine rebuild and you fire it up for the first time realising the small box of springs, washers, bolts and bits you mysteriously had left over were never really needed in the first place :D
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Lol, Leon did that when he replaced my turbo gasket on the 200SX
Me - "What are these for?", holding out a hand of bolts.
Leon - "Oh.. err.. Nothing important".
Nothing's fallen off so far ;)

I can change my oil (have done on the past 5 cars I've had) and air/fuel filters. I've also changed spark plugs, although Leon did them for me the other day and I've learnt how to do brake pads. My biggest problem with anything mechanical? Brute strengh. Bah!
 
Well she started after a jump start as the battery was flat, the old starter was permanently engaged, and thats what was causing it to not turn the car over, and drain the battery flat as it was always out.

So the new one jumped and great, i parked the car on the drive, went to it about 30mins later to put it in the garage and the ignition barrel snapped, so i replaced it with a spare one i had and she's good as new one, but i got so fed up of her she's for sale :)
 
Phil W said:
Well she started after a jump start as the battery was flat, the old starter was permanently engaged, and thats what was causing it to not turn the car over, and drain the battery flat as it was always out.

So the new one jumped and great, i parked the car on the drive, went to it about 30mins later to put it in the garage and the ignition barrel snapped, so i replaced it with a spare one i had and she's good as new one, but i got so fed up of her she's for sale :)
Click to expand...

This the Astra you've done lots of things with and only recently bought? Or am I thinking of a different Phil?

InvG
 
InvaderGIR said:
This the Astra you've done lots of things with and only recently bought? Or am I thinking of a different Phil?

InvG
Click to expand...

Bought it in February.

Was planning to sell it after Xmas, but i'd rather it go now if it will sell, if not i'll garage it over xmas, put frssh tax & mot on it and sell it then :)

Had a couple of guys interested, lots of offers for swaps too but no cars that i want/like/need!
 
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