What have you done to your car today?

Started the refurbishment of my old steering wheel in prep for sale at some point. Think I might try and wrap the silver trim parts in 3M brushed aluminium to protect and match an alu interior.

Really enjoyed the process the first time with the MSport wheel, so thought I’d try it again on a standard wheel :lol:

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Got an M54 vanos seal refresh down to 3 hours, even battling an exhaust bolt plug that must have been super-glued into place.
The car has 149k on the clock and judging by the brittle nature of the seals I'm pretty sure they were originals.
Rest the adaptations and even a quick 5 mile blast is showing a great improvement!
Just a wheel alignment needed and 'Project Cheapskate' can find a new home.
 
Special Kay said:
Barty I'm very envious of your steering wheel, its very very nice :thumbsup:
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Thanks! Really happy to have stumbled across one. Always liked the Individual wheels, but rare as hens teeth…

[ref]Zulu4[/ref], no dice; wouldn’t be able to reach those all-important drive thru windows :wink:
 
Did have a talk with a front caliper starting to stick (pushed piston back and forth a few times to free and lube the seal). I will have to do a proper overall of the front brakes but I need the car right now so hope this will do the trick for a little while :(

On that note, what would people recommend? New calipers or rebuild? I am on the fence as even if I get new ones I'll have to paint them anyway and still have to source new hoses alongside...
 
axelleveau said:
Did have a talk with a front caliper starting to stick (pushed piston back and forth a few times to free and lube the seal). I will have to do a proper overall of the front brakes but I need the car right now so hope this will do the trick for a little while :(

On that note, what would people recommend? New calipers or rebuild? I am on the fence as even if I get new ones I'll have to paint them anyway and still have to source new hoses alongside...
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I thought about it a long time and although it seems easy to do the rebuild myself, I in the end opted for just changing for Pagid refurb ones as this was easier and quicker. I did the R/H front first as it was jammed, cost me £67.00 from Euro Car Parts. Now at Halfords only £31 something. Bought one for the L/H front and will do at my leisure.
 
MikeyH said:
I thought about it a long time and although it seems easy to do the rebuild myself, I in the end opted for just changing for Pagid refurb ones as this was easier and quicker. I did the R/H front first as it was jammed, cost me £67.00 from Euro Car Parts. Now at Halfords only £31 something. Bought one for the L/H front and will do at my leisure.
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Oh I will check ECP but looks like a pair of new Ridex is sub £100 from Autodoc as well (not sure if yours fit 325mm discs?), guess I better paint over a fresh caliper after a light sanding than fight crusty old ones with a wire wheel... :|

Edit: Checked and ECP remanufactured Pagid are twice the price of Ridex from Autodoc. Halfords does not have any option. Bigger brakes, bigger money :headbang:
 
I've just checked for a 3.0 coupe and my wife's Ford Focus, I see what you mean. :headbang: 2.2s are still £31.56 for the fronts. How odd! :? At those higher prices I might have given it a go at doing it myself.
 
axelleveau said:
Halfords does not have any option.
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Odd. If I put my old coupe reg into Halfords it comes up with Pagid fronts for £51.36 and Pagid rears for £35.04. I think I’d prefer Pagid to Ridex, but only because Ridex always seems to be cheapest option for everything on AUTODOC and generally you get what you pay for.
If you want stick with OEM, you will need ATEs which will cost you rather more.

Refurb is another option, but before you do anything else pull out and clean the slider pins just to make sure it is actually the piston that is sticking,
 
Popped into Cotswold Cheltenham to look at the classics and pickup a new OEM gear knob. Came home to find the genuine 3.0i kidneys I bought of FB marketplace (for just £10!) had arrived. Fitted those and gave the car a wash! Cleaned the standard 2.5i grills and applied trim dressing.

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Zedebee said:
Odd. If I put my old coupe reg into Halfords it comes up with Pagid fronts for £51.36 and Pagid rears for £35.04. I think I’d prefer Pagid to Ridex, but only because Ridex always seems to be cheapest option for everything on AUTODOC and generally you get what you pay for.
If you want stick with OEM, you will need ATEs which will cost you rather more.

Refurb is another option, but before you do anything else pull out and clean the slider pins just to make sure it is actually the piston that is sticking,
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Well, I realised I was dumb and was only looking at the cost for Left+Right as a set. Autodoc has each side individually for £31.5 including the 39% off today so I bite the bullet and ordered each side as well as a set of F+R Wezmoto stainless lines from Ebay (that was planned anyway for both safety and aesthetic and I'm afraid the lines are rusted in the caliper). If in a rush I will fit one caliper as is and do the painting later or if time allows I will hold on and paint from new :driving:
 
Replaced whole accellerator pedal and brake pedal rubber .
 

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Fought my way 60 miles through the sleet and snow, to RBM. Car having X8R vanos kit, service, coolant flush, brake fluid changed, cracked spring and various little leaks sorted.

Can’t wait to get it back!
 
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