What have you done to your car today?

wingman · 15 Apr 2018 at 12:27

Found ants, again.

Bought the car in September 2017 and found ants over it. Winter came, ants disappeared, but now the weather is nice again, they've suddenly returned. Crawling all over the bodywork and I've now found one inside the car too. I'm guessing they've been hibernating.

Any one here had an issue with black ants? If so, best way to get rid of them? Car is regularly cleaned, parked in various spaces at home and at work, nothing is left in the car overnight etc.

Armageus · 15 Apr 2018 at 12:43

Any dried leaves or other detrius under the bonnet e.g
scuttle area?

Need to work out where they are coming from first

Diagro · 15 Apr 2018 at 13:15

That's odd, an ant infestation.
I would be worried that they have built a nest inside the car somewhere. Check anywhere that is soft they they could burrow into.

Get some ant killer spray, set it off in the car whilst you have the air on recirculation. That will nuke any inside, just make sure to air it out before you drive.

Get some ant powder and blow it all over the edging, the engine bay and under the car. Leave that on for a day or two then wash it off.

That's all what I would do in that situation.

You sure there isn't an active ants nest near you car at home? They may like the paintwork and want to hug it or something.

Ants only really go somewhere enmass when there is food. Do you use a sweet smelling wax?

wingman · 15 Apr 2018 at 14:01

Diagro said:
That's odd, an ant infestation.
I would be worried that they have built a nest inside the car somewhere. Check anywhere that is soft they they could burrow into.

Get some ant killer spray, set it off in the car whilst you have the air on recirculation. That will nuke any inside, just make sure to air it out before you drive.

Get some ant powder and blow it all over the edging, the engine bay and under the car. Leave that on for a day or two then wash it off.

That's all what I would do in that situation.

You sure there isn't an active ants nest near you car at home? They may like the paintwork and want to hug it or something.

Ants only really go somewhere enmass when there is food. Do you use a sweet smelling wax?

Thanks for the reply.

I never use any interior scents or anything like that, always keep it clean and simple.

I'm going to head out to Wilko and grab some ant killer and hopefully that will do the trick.

If there's food somewhere on the car, it's not from my doing, and I can't find it if there is. I'll have another dig around.

They are usually on the bonnet and on the boot, oddly enough. I've only found one or two inside, also.

Armageus said:
Any dried leaves or other detrius under the bonnet e.g
scuttle area?

Need to work out where they are coming from first

Will give it another look over now, appreciate the reply.

JRS · 15 Apr 2018 at 14:16

I woke up pa's Land Rover 2a after it had sat for a week with him being on holiday. Runs like a dream - which is to say the carb tune has gone from 'fat and happy' to 'waaaaaaaaay too rich' with the change in weather since I last spent time tuning on it. A rebuilt single barrel Zenith is still waiting to go on to replace the utterly inappropriate progressive twin-choke Weber DCD, soon as I can be bothered!

grudas · 15 Apr 2018 at 14:59

Frozennova said:
You can do the oil cooler hoses from above or through the wheel arch (It's a huge ballache but less so than removing all of the above)

Not a chance with my hands, tried the wheel arch can't even reach the hose, through the top I could just about touch it with my finger haha. Had to go ahead and remove it all, got to the hose and it has a small split. All I can say is what a pita of a job!! The manifold nuts at the bottom are silly.. replacing all the clamps with jubilee type while I'm there too as there's no space to remove the pinch ones. And of course I lost one of the 3 spacers on the fuel rail!!

Oh well.

Frozennova · 15 Apr 2018 at 15:19

grudas said:
Not a chance with my hands, tried the wheel arch can't even reach the hose, through the top I could just about touch it with my finger haha. Had to go ahead and remove it all, got to the hose and it has a small split. All I can say is what a pita of a job!! The manifold nuts at the bottom are silly.. replacing all the clamps with jubilee type while I'm there too as there's no space to remove the pinch ones. And of course I lost one of the 3 spacers on the fuel rail!!

Oh well.

Braver man than me, I've never even attempted to remove and inlet manifold with the engine in the car because of those bottom nuts .

Spacer will probably be hiding somewhere on the subframe somewhere it's usually where mine end up.

If not Autolink do them for about £6/7

grudas · 15 Apr 2018 at 15:46

Frozennova said:
Braver man than me, I've never even attempted to remove and inlet manifold with the engine in the car because of those bottom nuts .

Spacer will probably be hiding somewhere on the subframe somewhere it's usually where mine end up.

If not Autolink do them for about £6/7

Not much choice, don't have a way of removing the engine so this was the only way I could replace it or pay garage to do it but they'd bend me over for labour.

I bet it is, I've looked everywhere but I can't find it. I'm sure I'll find it as soon as the new one is here.

Frozennova · 15 Apr 2018 at 15:54

grudas said:
Not much choice, don't have a way of removing the engine so this was the only way I could replace it or pay garage to do it but they'd bend me over for labour.

I bet it is, I've looked everywhere but I can't find it. I'm sure I'll find it as soon as the new one is here.

Engine removal is a touch overkill too. To be fair the only time I'm yet to need to remove the inlet manifold was to swap it from my old to new engine

Raymond Lin · 15 Apr 2018 at 16:01

grudas said:
Well my coolant leaked out, worst hose to split has done so.. I'm in progress of removing the intake manifold, throttle body, fuel rail, injectors etc.. to get to it

Is this the Lexus?

grudas · 15 Apr 2018 at 16:20

Frozennova said:
Engine removal is a touch overkill too. To be fair the only time I'm yet to need to remove the inlet manifold was to swap it from my old to new engine

Aye! Hopefully this is the first and last time I got to do this job! Getting it back together will be interesting..

Raymond Lin said:
Is this the Lexus?

No, my MK1 mx5

Finglonga · 15 Apr 2018 at 16:50

The wifes BMW 1Series rear wiper stopped mid swipe, after checking the fuses and the relay (stupid location behind glove box) there were no blown. So took the plastic trim off the hatch, the wiper arm and removed the motor. When the panel was removed off the wiper gearbox I found it seized as water had leaked into it. Stripped it down cleaned it and packed it with grease. Connected the power and tried it......It's alive. Re fitted it and the wife is a happy bunny. See how long it lasts for now as it is a common problem.

Akagi · 15 Apr 2018 at 16:57

Zeed · 15 Apr 2018 at 17:58

Well as is said ran to Halsfords got an extention and started with plugs. God damn 2.5 hour job of undoing harnes and stuff in way ect.
Some ****** have not tightened one plug !!! When you unscrew plug with just fingers you know thats not right !!!
Just look at it damn.
Upgraded from platinum (god knows how old or maybe original ??) to full iridium.

If someone does not know how to screw plugs in properly so you cant mess thread up

Tight times

Getting Coil pack ina dnd out was not FUN my hands full of damage.

Anyhow I have NOT ****** up

Idle much better just had Protein shake break. Now install Strut strut brace back long bath and time 2 take Zee for a spin see how it is after weekend job

adam cool dude · 15 Apr 2018 at 18:03

Spent all day cleaning the inside of the Saab and gave both a wash only for it to start raining! At least the Saab no longer smells of Border Collie and the Celica is all tucked up!

Marvin · 15 Apr 2018 at 19:11

Went out for an early morning (ish) drive to the Ashdown Forest in Sussex. Really am loving this Elise now I've done so much work to it.

Camalot · 15 Apr 2018 at 19:32

Due a clean!

andicole0 · 15 Apr 2018 at 19:34

Today I sold my car as did my wife
Andi.

Cookeh · 15 Apr 2018 at 20:38

Zeed said:

That sounds very nice indeed.

Zeed · 15 Apr 2018 at 23:06

Cookeh said:
That sounds very nice indeed.

Its spot on. Not too loud. Went for spin check how it runs with new plugs and spacer.
Damn now its what i like. Throttle responce so much better. Guess all that **** inside was slowing it down a bit.
Fun run so 11mpg haha but ye cant wait till i sort stuff out and summer remap time. Since all sensible power mods are done now.