Jobs on car you gave up on...

[jp_lcr]

I've just given up for the first time working on Clio. I'm definitely no mechanic but managed to refresh all suspension and brakes on drive, really enjoyed working on car but a small job in the rain this morning (dry when I started) have thrown towel in.

It was pre cat lambda, 2 days of WD40, proper socket to remove and that &#%^#^ will not shift. Its so annoying as so simple.

So what job has defeated you, anything easier than that to make me feel better. Or should I just accept I'm a muppet and pay the pros 🤣

 

[jameswrx]

Cut the wire, heat the boss and use a proper 6 sided deep socket on it (smash top off sensor if your socket won’t fit). Or cut plug off (if it won’t fit through) and put a decent spanner on it and heat the boss.

Those sockets with a split are a waste of time if they’re really stuck. Key is heat and regular socket or spanner.

If I’m replacing them at work I just go straight for my snap on 6 sided, deep impact and cut the sensor wire flush. Very rarely have an issue removing them.

 

[Mr Squashie]

After changing a caliper on my Clio yesterday, I popped down to Halfords to buy a headlight bulb for my girlfriend's Mazda 6. Got home and opened the bonnet, took one look and closed the bonnet again.

 

[botfch]

I've just given up for the first time working on Clio. I'm definitely no mechanic but managed to refresh all suspension and brakes on drive, really enjoyed working on car but a small job in the rain this morning (dry when I started) have thrown towel in.

It was pre cat lambda, 2 days of WD40, proper socket to remove and that &#%^#^ will not shift. Its so annoying as so simple.

So what job has defeated you, anything easier than that to make me feel better. Or should I just accept I'm a muppet and pay the pros 🤣

Take it for a drive and get the exhaust nice and hot first and it will come loose.

 

[Bankrupt_drunk]

I gave up trying to separate the ball joints from the hub. I broke two ball joint separators and wasted a lot of sweat, tears and bad language before giving up and calling a professional.

 

[Clio_fool]

I gave up after swapping the gearbox and the c**t wouldn't start. It's not even fully back together but I'm pissed off with it so f**k it😡.

As it sits right now. It's been broke since March.

 

[jp_lcr]

I gave up after swapping the gearbox and the c**t wouldn't start. It's not even fully back together but I'm pissed off with it so f**k it😡.
View attachment 1554172
As it sits right now. It's been broke since March.

I can see this being me one day, looking out the window swearing at it and doing something else instead!

 

[Clio.lee]

I gave up after swapping the gearbox and the c**t wouldn't start. It's not even fully back together but I'm pissed off with it so f**k it😡.
View attachment 1554172
As it sits right now. It's been broke since March.

Earth steady

 

[Amos91]

I've just given up for the first time working on Clio. I'm definitely no mechanic but managed to refresh all suspension and brakes on drive, really enjoyed working on car but a small job in the rain this morning (dry when I started) have thrown towel in.

It was pre cat lambda, 2 days of WD40, proper socket to remove and that &#%^#^ will not shift. Its so annoying as so simple.

So what job has defeated you, anything easier than that to make me feel better. Or should I just accept I'm a muppet and pay the pros 🤣

Ring spanner, you will be able to squeeze the wiring connector through it. Hit the spanner with a hammer.
Job done.

 

[Coops Mk1]

Erm I can't even begin.....

 

[Krarl]

Gearbox went in my car, got my mate to refurb the box and put an LSD in there, we swapped the box. 6 months later the clutch started slipping. I drove it for another 4 months slipping. Got round to putting a new clutch in it. Got sent the wrong slave cylinder so had to reuse the old one, it popped within 15 miles of driving do I parked it for another 6 months🤣

The gearbox is 70kg on its own, plus removing 2 subframes to get the c**t out is just a royal pain in the dick

 

[jenic]

Saw the thread title and immediately thought lambda sensor on my Trophy 😂

It was on axle stands, my knuckles basically disappeared, I just told the garage to do it in the end and he charged me about a tenner.

It had failed an MOT and I took it home to do it myself, no way would I do that now. One thing about getting older is I'm way more willing to pay someone else to do something.

 

[Louis]

Welding up this b*****d. Currently left on my mums driveway until I have space and motivation to sort it out 😂😭

 

[Mr Underhill]

I’ve tackle every job on my 182 except 2.

1. When the car wouldn’t crank one evening. Ran a diagnostic which led me to believe it was immobiliser ring. Spent 2 whole weekends swapping every part from my other 182 to no avail. Teddy came out and I put car up for sale. Luckily I got a tip from another forum member which pointed me in a different direction. Found the cause (faulty aftermarket fuse) and it’s been perfect since.

2. When I decided to change the starter motor. Looked at how tight it was, how tricky the heat shield looked to refit and thought fook that. Gave it to the spanner monkeys at work. He actually broke the terminals off the first starter, then fitted another one then realised he’d forgot to fit the heat shield. 3rd time he got it right but he managed to blow the fuse going from the battery to the starter loom. That’s how I ended up fitting an aftermarket fuse, which caused the 1st problem above.

Apparently he was throwing his spanner’s around saying he doesn’t get paid enough to work on this s**t 😂

Stuff like engine or gearbox rebuilds I just bring in the pros.

 

[Louis]

I’ve tackle every job on my 182 except 2.

1. When the car wouldn’t crank one evening. Ran a diagnostic which led me to believe it was immobiliser ring. Spent 2 whole weekends swapping every part from my other 182 to no avail. Teddy came out and I put car up for sale. Luckily I got a tip from another forum member which pointed me in a different direction. Found the cause (faulty aftermarket fuse) and it’s been perfect since.

2. When I decided to change the starter motor. Looked at how tight it was, how tricky the heat shield looked to refit and thought fook that. Gave it to the spanner monkeys at work. He actually broke the terminals off the first starter, then fitted another one then realised he’d forgot to fit the heat shield. 3rd time he got it right but he managed to blow the fuse going from the battery to the starter loom. That’s how I ended up fitting an aftermarket fuse, which caused the 1st problem above.

Apparently he was throwing his spanner’s around saying he doesn’t get paid enough to work on this s**t 😂

Stuff like engine or gearbox rebuilds I just bring in the pros.

You can fit the heatshield once the starters in 👀

 

[Mr Underhill]

You can fit the heatshield once the starters in 👀

I’d remind him of that but he’s never really spoken to me since 😂

 

[Andi-B]

I have an oil burner 1.5 Dci Mark 3 Laguna sat on my drive since the beginning of July, Head gasket failure. I haven't even attempted to strip the engine as I couldn't be bothered buying the tools to strip it. Ended up buying another car instead.

 

[Clio_fool]

I’ve tackle every job on my 182 except 2.

1. When the car wouldn’t crank one evening. Ran a diagnostic which led me to believe it was immobiliser ring. Spent 2 whole weekends swapping every part from my other 182 to no avail. Teddy came out and I put car up for sale. Luckily I got a tip from another forum member which pointed me in a different direction. Found the cause (faulty aftermarket fuse) and it’s been perfect since.

2. When I decided to change the starter motor. Looked at how tight it was, how tricky the heat shield looked to refit and thought fook that. Gave it to the spanner monkeys at work. He actually broke the terminals off the first starter, then fitted another one then realised he’d forgot to fit the heat shield. 3rd time he got it right but he managed to blow the fuse going from the battery to the starter loom. That’s how I ended up fitting an aftermarket fuse, which caused the 1st problem above.

Apparently he was throwing his spanner’s around saying he doesn’t get paid enough to work on this s**t 😂

Stuff like engine or gearbox rebuilds I just bring in the pros.

My starter might be dead. I might follow Andy's example and just buy another car😂.

 

[R3k1355]

I also gave up on the pre-cat lambda, just took the new sensor down with me at MOT time and had them fit it there.

 

[Short Norman]

205 gti (first one), bought with suspected head gasket failure. Tried fixing it myself, got fed up so broke the car for spares (there was lots of other things wrong with the car too) ended up making more than double what i paid for it by breaking it.

205 gti (third one), did a track day and bottom end bearings went. Fitted some new ones and I couldn't get the sump to seal properly. Ended up taking the engine out and getting someone else to rebuild the bottom end properly, inc sealing the sump

 

[McGherkin]

I can do everything up to and including pulling the engine etc, but I can’t paint, my welding is best done underwater and to be honest, these days I frankly don’t have the time to be pulling an engine out in my garage.

 

[Big Toe]

I only enjoy it in fair weather. I usually give up if I look out the window and it looks cold and/or wet

 

[DomP182]

You can fit the heatshield once the starters in 👀

Yeah you can, I've never found the starter that difficult to get out either.

 

[jp_lcr]

I was not expecting it but car went through MOT with flying colours no advisories. I had the lambda sensor in glovebox ready for "it's failed emissions pal" but nope all clear, all I did in the end was unplug it and plug it back in when the fecker wouldn't come off?

 

[Sash]

Gearbox went in my car, got my mate to refurb the box and put an LSD in there, we swapped the box. 6 months later the clutch started slipping. I drove it for another 4 months slipping. Got round to putting a new clutch in it. Got sent the wrong slave cylinder so had to reuse the old one, it popped within 15 miles of driving do I parked it for another 6 months🤣

The gearbox is 70kg on its own, plus removing 2 subframes to get the c**t out is just a royal pain in the dick

View attachment 1554233View attachment 1554234

They’re not 70kg surely… I can lift mine off the floor a few inches and move it fairly easily & I'm weak girl 🤣

 

[Krarl]

They’re not 70kg surely… I can lift mine off the floor a few inches and move it fairly easily & I'm weak girl 🤣

Aye 70kg

Lay on the floor and press it off your chest. You'll soon feel it 😂

Or carry it down the drive. Had to carry 3 of mine down my drive to the van and I was absolutely fooked afterwards 😂

 

[Sash]

Aye 70kg

Lay on the floor and press it off your chest. You'll soon feel it 😂

Or carry it down the drive. Had to carry 3 of mine down my drive to the van and I was absolutely fooked afterwards 😂

I’m gonna weigh mine when I next see it… 🤣

 

[Djw John]

Yeah I didn't believe him either. Then I tried to lift it out the car like I do with JC5 boxes. Quickly decided to change tactic to save dying 😂😂

 

[Donny_Dog]

Intercooler bracket designing. Putting there means moving the battery. Thinking it's basically one step forward two back, every time. I think I'd measured the gap wrong.
so I stormed off.
In April.

I'm near the end as well. Not sure why I got a monk on really. But I've just lost interest since.

This time next year rodders. We'll have a roadworthy Saxo and revive the Max-Power era.

 

[jp_lcr]

Do it, love a Saxo! My first car, always dreamed of building an S1600 rally car rep.

 

[HaveaCuppa]

I nearly walked away when replacing the heater matrix in the Clio. What an arse of a job that is. Had to take half an hour out to calm down after trapping my fingers behind the crash bar a few times.

On my daily MK1 TT, the front springs snapped. I Started it, and then gave up. Everything was rusted to f**k and I tried to split the front shock with the correct tool to pull them off but they weren’t having it. Chucked it down to the local specialist who also complained👌

 

[R3k1355]

On my daily MK1 TT, the front springs snapped. I Started it, and then gave up. Everything was rusted to f**k and I tried to split the front shock with the correct tool to pull them off but they weren’t having it. Chucked it down to the local specialist who also complained👌

At that age just replace entire built strut with a new one, saves a ton of time and ultimately performs better anyway.

f**k trying to get a crusty top mount bolt undone while compressing a shagged, rusty spring.

 

[HaveaCuppa]

At that age just replace entire built strut with a new one, saves a ton of time and ultimately performs better anyway.

f**k trying to get a crusty top mount bolt undone while compressing a shagged, rusty spring.

Yeah, lesson learned there.
I went down and dropped off new shocks for the chap at the garage who did exactly that and replaced everything.
Most bolts had to be persuaded out with heat.

Par for the course when the car is ran in all weathers up here.

 

[R3k1355]

What suspension did you decide to replace it with? IIRC there (was) a few stock options available?

 

[JamesBryan]

Aye 70kg

Lay on the floor and press it off your chest. You'll soon feel it 😂

Or carry it down the drive. Had to carry 3 of mine down my drive to the van and I was absolutely fooked afterwards 😂

I’m gonna weigh mine when I next see it… 🤣

Yeah I didn't believe him either. Then I tried to lift it out the car like I do with JC5 boxes. Quickly decided to change tactic to save dying 😂😂

What box is it in the Megane 175?

Is it a PK4?

Most PK4's are around 55kg.

 

[HaveaCuppa]

What suspension did you decide to replace it with? IIRC there (was) a few stock options available?

There was next to nothing available at the time (just before Xmas).
The standard stuff was eye wateringly expensive and on back order without a hint of a restock date. I looked at Koni/Bilstein B6/B8’s and they were all on back order for the foreseeable future.

I went with ST springs and shocks in the end. They seem to be the budget range from KW and for what I paid, I can’t complain at all. They ride really well and didn’t break the bank.

 

[Krarl]

What box is it in the Megane 175?

Is it a PK4?

Most PK4's are around 55kg.

PK4 013

And theyre deffo 65kg without brackets or the shifter mechanism on🤣 70kg if youre rushing and leave s**t attached🤪

 

[ixell]

My 3rd brake light I’ve had the car for eight years and I’m sure it never worked so I took the spoiler off and cleaned up the pin connections and it still didn’t bloody work so I gave up
I now need to buy a multimeter to see if there is power. I would go and buy a new light but the car is a 172 Cup and can’t find one, saying that I saw one on e bay used for £190 made money

 

[ixell]

So any of of nice people have a brake light please message me ✅

 

[Clio_fool]

Gave up trying to get the starter off after trying to get a lt the bolts with every spanner and socket I have and then my back giving up again. f**k being old. f**k French cars. f**k fuckety f**k 😡😡😂.