by "duurtlang" (duurtlang)
Published 03/09/2017 at 09:51
by "duurtlang" (duurtlang)
Published 03/09/2017 at 09:51
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STARS: 0
I had 3 things I wanted to do. Change a coolant temp sensor, change headlight bulbs and touch up some paint. Basic stuff. I failed. Miserably. It hurts.
Being temporary unemployed I’m staying at my girlfriend for a while as we live 900 km/600 miles apart. I’ve got my car parked in her dimly lit underground parking garage and I had to use her tools. That’s where the problems started.
After prying the connector off I tried to find the right wrench. The sensor needed a size 20 wrench. She had size 8 up to 17. It’s too tight in there for big tools.
On to the headlights. The headlight lowbeam bulbs both still work but they’re at least 75k km of constant burning old and are dim. I’ve got a set of H7 Osram Nightbreaker spares which should be much brighter. I also have a set of those small bulbs (W5W) for the front parking lights or whatever they’re called in English. One of the old ones is actually burnt out. Anyway, I had to take half the car apart to even reach the bulbs. With limited tools in a poorly lit garage. I forgot how big a hassle it was as with 30k km a year I only need to change bulbs once every few years. I gave up so I can try again someplace more convenient.
The last thing was paint touch up. In my frustrated state I even messed that one up. Great.
Mechanic 101: use the right tools and don’t rush.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/09/2017 at 09:53, STARS: 0
I like that the Osram packaging blatantly says LASER when it’s obviously a halogen bulb. Good work, marketing team.
"jasmits" (jasmits)
03/09/2017 at 09:54, STARS: 2
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/09/2017 at 09:56, STARS: 1
Yesssssss. Knew I was forgetting something. Thank you.
"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
03/09/2017 at 09:56, STARS: 0
I also have a set of those small bulbs (W5W) for the front parking lights or whatever they’re called in English.
Sidelights, although the Americans may have some other word. They also insist on them being orange for reasons unknown.
Changing headlight bulbs on a small modern car is guaranteed to shorten your life.
"ESSSIX GmbH - Accountant/Wagon Thumper" (thedlo)
03/09/2017 at 09:57, STARS: 0
There’s a saying in spanish: lo que mal empieza, mal termina.
Which in english means: What you start bad, will end bad.
And cars are one of the most unforgiving things on the planet, mistakes mean time at the very least, and at the worst lots of money too.
"functionoverfashion" (functionoverfashion)
03/09/2017 at 10:01, STARS: 0
Haha, I had to change a headlight bulb on my parents’ Volvo last night. This takes me under a minute in my car. But they’re away and I’m borrowing the car, so, I thought I’d be nice.
I got halfway into it, airbox out, access to the bulb, and out of nowhere a rain squall comes through. At first I ignored the few drops, but then massive wind gusts came up and a brief total downpour. This is outside, unprotected, at night working with a headlamp, mind you.
I had to shuffle things around so I could get the hood mostly closed, then run inside until the line of rain passed. WTF.
"jasmits" (jasmits)
03/09/2017 at 10:02, STARS: 0
Sometimes even the easy stuff isn’t.
Like an oil change. I swear to god, every major auto manufacturer has an engineer specifically in charge of putting the oil filter in an obscure, hard to reach spot. Extra points if its placement makes it impossible to remove without spilling oil all over the place.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
03/09/2017 at 10:03, STARS: 0
They’re apparently filled with xenon gas, according to their website. The product name is engraved with a laser, the website also mentions.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
03/09/2017 at 10:09, STARS: 0
It’s a 2000 Peugeot 406 coupe (so a 20 year old design) with a huge hood/bonnet and a 4 cilinder engine. The LPG conversion system has lots of parts right behind the left hand side headlight though. That’s the main issue. I started with the more difficult side as I had expected this somewhat and didn’t want different type bulbs on one side compared to the other.
That little bulb is on the inside of my headlights by the way, near the center of the car I mean. They share a reflector with the high beams. Are those called side lights? That would be odd.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/09/2017 at 10:15, STARS: 0
Yes, that’s just about the definition of a halogen bulb.
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
03/09/2017 at 10:21, STARS: 1
I know. I like how they use a laser to engrave a product name, just to be able to call the product “laser” and brag about it on their website.
"benjrblant" (benjblant)
03/09/2017 at 10:25, STARS: 0
Ha, yes. I think most products are made with cooler and more expensive tools than the products are themselves.
"Cé hé sin" (michael-m-mouse)
03/09/2017 at 10:29, STARS: 0
Tradition. See this Austin Seven.
Little lights on the mudguards, literally on the side. They migrated inwards but kept the name.
The mudguards developed into flowing structures which extended into running boards so it was decided they looked like wings and are still called that even though their appearance has completely changed (but not in America where they’re fenders).
"AMGtech - now with more recalls!" (amgtech)
03/09/2017 at 10:32, STARS: 0
It happens to the best of us. Don’t let it get you down. Walk away for a while and try again once you’ve calmed down and leveled out. And before you try again I recommend getting 21mm and 22mm wrenches and/or sockets. I’ve never seen anything use 20mm, and most sets don’t even come with that size. However 21mm and 22mm are both very common. Just in case
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
03/09/2017 at 11:08, STARS: 0
Ugh. I dislike it when supposedly simple operations turn out to be really frustrating. Have you tried changing the wiper blades/arms on a 406 coupe? Not sure if it’s the same on LHD cars, but on my mate’s one the arm fouls on the bonnet before you can get the blade off so if memory serves me right you have to take the bonnet off...
Not sure about getting the arm itself thinking about it. Must ask him about that...
"duurtlang" (duurtlang)
03/09/2017 at 11:19, STARS: 0
Wiper blades are a problem as the arms don’t hinge up more than a few degrees. No need to take the bonnet off though, taking the arms off is easy. Still dhouldn’t be necessary.
"BiTurbo228 - Dr Frankenstein of Spitfires" (biturbo228)
03/09/2017 at 11:21, STARS: 0
Aha perhaps he’s telling porkies to make his car seem more intimidating to work on ;)
"DasWauto" (DasWauto)
03/09/2017 at 12:52, STARS: 0
On my Golf the wiper arms hit the hood as well if you try to lift them from their stationary position. To change the blades, I could however push the wiper stalk up after turning the car off and it would wipe them up to the top of the swept area and leave them there. As a bonus, this makes it easier to change both blades from the drivers side of the car.
There might be a similar feature on the Peugeot; even the French wouldn’t make you take off the hood to change the wipers.
"Amoore100" (amoore100)
03/15/2017 at 04:09, STARS: 0
I feel ya. This was us over President’s Weekend when the battery in the Ody let go suddenly (it was weird, the battery went bad after only one or two slow starts, usually there’s more warning than that...and it was actually bad, no “lights on” or anything)
