OV9

Orange Cola wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2019 10:01 pm

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:47 am

Carlos wrote: ↑Sat Sep 21, 2019 9:33 am When I wasn't using it regularly I'd have to use the trickle charger for the same reason. They like a tiptop battery.

Think I’ll get a solar trickle charger.

I’d be interested to know what you go for and if it’ll work through the 12v socket with the panel left in the windscreen. The Mustang doesn’t get used every day and over the winter it will go out even less, something convenient like a solar charger I can leave in the window would be great!

I’ve gone for an AA branded one that plugs into the OBD port because the cig lighter would need rewiring to stay live with the ignition switched off. £20 off Amazon.

Boring stuff done on the Porsche:

New Bosch Aerotwin wipers
New nearside headlight bulb. The headlight mechanism is awesome: turn bolt to release headlight, whole unit slides out, change bulb, slide back in, lock mechanism and done. Took longer to get the bulb out of the packet than it did to change it

Can't beat a system designed with ease of maintenance in mind.

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:44 am Boring stuff done on the Porsche:

New Bosch Aerotwin wipers
New nearside headlight bulb. The headlight mechanism is awesome: turn bolt to release headlight, whole unit slides out, change bulb, slide back in, lock mechanism and done. Took longer to get the bulb out of the packet than it did to change it

Its a good system isn't it. There's also a toggle on the back of the lights to allow you to flick it from RHD to LHD if you take it on a road trip. Something to do on the boring Chunnel crossing

Nice.

Loved the headlights on the Disco 3/4 for similar pop in/out design. Sliders sometimes need encouragement with pliers, but otherwise this guy makes it look more fiddly than it is....

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Mon Sep 30, 2019 10:44 am Boring stuff done on the Porsche:

New Bosch Aerotwin wipers
New nearside headlight bulb. The headlight mechanism is awesome: turn bolt to release headlight, whole unit slides out, change bulb, slide back in, lock mechanism and done. Took longer to get the bulb out of the packet than it did to change it

The easiest way to change a bulb on the R26 was to remove the front bumper and then remove the headlight. the other option was to jack it up remove the wheel then fumble through the wheel arch scratching several layers off your skin.

the easiest ones ive seen were on my Edition 30. remove cover from the back of the light. Screw out bulb holder. Pull bulb out of connector.

The easiest way to change a bulb on the clio is to scrap the car.

The Mk3 Mondeo and Mk1 Ford Kuga had an awesome system. The headlight unit was held in by two large metal prongs' that you just pulled out with your fingers, then the whole headlight slides out. Easiest headlight bulbs I've ever changed.

The Ferrari has a plate bolted into the front wheel arch, remove this and then grab a young child, dislocate his or her fingers, put superglue on said fingers, wait until superglue sets whilst they have a death grip on rear of bulb mount, twist and then change bulb, push back in and wait for enough skin to detach from child’s fingers so you can re-fit the plate without an awful squealing noise whilst driving..

Rear ones are even worse and usually involves breaking the light’s mount...

The BM has an access hatch in the wheelarch liner. I tried using it once, and never again. It's not too difficult to pop the rear light cover off, unplug bulb, push the metal spring clip to one side and remove.

Hardest bit is getting the metal spring clip back in.

Simon wrote: ↑Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:48 am The Mk3 Mondeo and Mk1 Ford Kuga had an awesome system. The headlight unit was held in by two large metal prongs' that you just pulled out with your fingers, then the whole headlight slides out. Easiest headlight bulbs I've ever changed.

Puma was only slightly more complicated - undo a couple of Torx head bolts, then twist a knob and boop, headlamp pops out as an entire unit.

Bulb change - assuming you have a torx bit to hand - was doable in about 2 mins, both sides.

Useful when it's pissing down and a bulb has popped on the A1M

E46 seems needlessly complicated - most of the bolts are accessible, with the exception of one that lives about ten inches down behind the slam panel, needing an extension bar to reach. I got to that stage, couldn't find an extension bar (think my bro has borrowed it) and just gave up.

(not a blown bulb, just a bit misty internally)

Bulbs on the RS4 is a bumper-off job. Shocking design.

Beany wrote: ↑Mon Sep 30, 2019 2:40 pm

Simon wrote: ↑Mon Sep 30, 2019 11:48 am The Mk3 Mondeo and Mk1 Ford Kuga had an awesome system. The headlight unit was held in by two large metal prongs' that you just pulled out with your fingers, then the whole headlight slides out. Easiest headlight bulbs I've ever changed.

Puma was only slightly more complicated - undo a couple of Torx head bolts, then twist a knob and boop, headlamp pops out as an entire unit.

Bulb change - assuming you have a torx bit to hand - was doable in about 2 mins, both sides.

Useful when it's pissing down and a bulb has popped on the A1M

E46 seems needlessly complicated - most of the bolts are accessible, with the exception of one that lives about ten inches down behind the slam panel, needing an extension bar to reach. I got to that stage, couldn't find an extension bar (think my bro has borrowed it) and just gave up.

(not a blown bulb, just a bit misty internally)

I think, at this stage, you should just move in with your brother as he seems to have most of your shit anyway!

Oh, forgot the C4, which is doable without removing the headlights/front end, but good christ your hands will regret it.

Blind installation with extremely strong retention clips + not enough space for gloves = badly scraped hands and bloody knuckles.

Passenger side was the worst IIRC.

Ian - yeah, I really need to get him to come over with the jack and a few of his tools. He works in the trade so he doesn't scrimp when it comes to buying decent, pro-grade stuff.

Need to make a list of things to do first though!

Alfa Romeo require a blood sacrifice to change a bulb.

The Smart car is a bumper off job too at this point I can remove it in about 2 minutes, and keep the relevant torx screwdrivers in the car.

My Fiesta ST’s were a pain, they came with candles from the factory so it was a must to swap the bulbs. Front headlamps ‘clipped’ into place, it felt like you had to put enough force into them to break the clip to remove and refit the lamps. If you caught it wrong and didn’t immediately stop pulling once the clip released then you’d crack the bumper because Ford designed a lip to sit around the headlamp unit

The rears were awful too, you have to pull out the boot carpet and unscrew a hard plastic thumb screw, blind, which had been put on by machine so Popeyes forearms were required. Dropping the hard plastic thumb screw meant it fell in between the two skins of the body shell and gave you a permanent rattle from the back of the car and it would cost you a whole new unit at £300 to replace the screw (it would flap around on the harness without the screw in place).

Got a couple of warning lights today. Driving my youngest to football the ABS and PSM Off warning lights popped on about halfway there, after about 15 miles of driving. On the way back, they’d gone off when I restarted, only to pop back on, again after about 15 miles of driving.

I checked my tyre pressures to see if a soft tyre was confusing the sensors but they were all fine, so it’s probably a wheel sensor gone dodgy, but it’s also possible it’s a MAF issue. I need to do a code read to find out for sure.

And now my indicator switch is broken. I have to hold it on when turning right and it won’t self-cancel when turning left. It always felt a bit dodgy. £200 for a new one. I’m looking for used ones on eBay but apparently original ones all fail but new ones don’t as they’re a new design.

NotoriousREV wrote: ↑Wed Oct 23, 2019 4:22 pm And now my indicator switch is broken. I have to hold it on when turning right and it won’t self-cancel when turning left. It always felt a bit dodgy. £200 for a new one. I’m looking for used ones on eBay but apparently original ones all fail but new ones don’t as they’re a new design.

Probably a good indication that you should buy new, unless it there's an indication that the eBay ones are the newer design.