DIY Car Maintenance with function over finesse!!

[CitroJim]

No on my drive!!

It's getting too wintery and salty to take our cherished cars out now Ryan

[Stickyfinger]

One man Brake bleeding....

Clear bottle with the tube in via the cap to the bottom (we all know this "trick"), .........BUT....with a magnet taped to the bottle to keep it High (attached to the wing) and prevent spillage.....

(The fluid was only 2 years old !!)

[mickthemaverick]

One man Brake bleeding....

Clear bottle with the tube in via the cap to the bottom (we all know this "trick"), .........BUT....with a magnet taped to the bottle to keep it High (attached to the wing) and prevent spillage.....



(The fluid was only 2 years old !!)

I tried that on my Reliant Rialto but the bottle kept falling down!

[CitroJim]

(The fluid was only 2 years old !!)

Scary how quickly that looks to have deteriorated I know it was only just over two years old as I was the person who did the full fluid change. It was a full one too.

I tried that on my Reliant Rialto but the bottle kept falling down!

Mine's a one-way valve into an old peanut butter jar

Also, for the initial bleed/flush I have a vacuum bleeder. Trouble with it is that it draws air in via the nipple threads so after pulling a load of fluid through you then need to finish off in the traditional way.

[Stickyfinger]

One man Brake bleeding....

Clear bottle with the tube in via the cap to the bottom (we all know this "trick"), .........BUT....with a magnet taped to the bottle to keep it High (attached to the wing) and prevent spillage.....



(The fluid was only 2 years old !!)

I tried that on my Reliant Rialto but the bottle kept falling down!

Sucker !.....

you need a sucker

[MattBLancs]

(The fluid was only 2 years old !!)

Scary how quickly that looks to have deteriorated I know it was only just over two years old as I was the person who did the full fluid change. It was a full one too.

I tried that on my Reliant Rialto but the bottle kept falling down!

Mine's a one-way valve into an old peanut butter jar

Also, for the initial bleed/flush I have a vacuum bleeder. Trouble with it is that it draws air in via the nipple threads so after pulling a load of fluid through you then need to finish off in the traditional way.

Bit of PTFE tape on the nipple threads?

[Steve Walsh]

I always put PTFE on the nipple threads, It stops air being pulled in and also helps to stop nipple seizing in

[mickthemaverick]

I always put PTFE on the nipple threads, It stops air being pulled in and also helps to stop nipple seizing in

I tried that as a young man but the wife didn't like it!!

[mickthemaverick]

So having sorted my bedroom radiator, as reported here, I set about doing the MX3 radiator flush and refill.

I was going to put the car on the ramps but having found a new drainage container I only needed to raise the car an inch so I settled for the trolley jack under the front crossmember and then an axle stand:

MTMO

With the wheels still on the ground and no need to go under the car I am happy working like that.

Once in position I was able to undo the drain plug which is very conveniently located on the front of the rad through the grill

MTMO

The liquid that came out was exceptionally thick with gooey rusty crud which I believe was generated when I had the leak in the old radiator and was the main reason for doing this flush.

The overflow reservoir was dark brown and horrible so it was removed thoroughly cleaned, involving the adaptation of some domestic items:

MTMO

which allowed me to get right into the crevices and clean it properly. As I had it out to clean I took the opportunity to mark the full and low lines with a permanent marker which makes it much easier to read and then refitted it.

MTMO

Much better!

Having prepped it I flushed the system with tap water and then filled it with de-ionised water and the cleaner I have used with success in the past:

MTMO

The car is now sitting on the drive with the engine running, very smoothly I must say, while the cleaner does its work. It has been going for an hour and I will leave it another half hour before draining it and refilling with my new coolant. Already the heater is performing much better with positively hot air blasting into the cabin which will have the secondary effect of drying out the recent bad weather seepage, every ones a winner!!

[CitroJim]

Excellent It's been quite a heating/cooling system day for you today Mick!

Were the heater hoses OK?

[mickthemaverick]

I have just finished clearing up and come back in to sit down. There was so much muck in the system I had to do two cleaning runs, each taking 90 minutes and then 3 rinses by running the engine for ten mins with clean water and then finally after the third rinse I was happy with the draining water being almost clear and so I filled with coolant and ticked off the job. The heater is blowing very hot and the hoses are all in good condition, including the heater ones which I was a bit concerned about. So hopefully with the new battery, new cover and new coolant, all should be good for the winter!!

[CitroJim]

Magic! That's a top result Mick

[MattBLancs]

Nice progress, it's sort of satisfying when you set to doing a job and find both
- that it really did need doing (urgh, rusty crud!)
- that there's a tangible improvement (ta da, toasty heater!

[Rp0thejester]

Is that a toothbrush that has been heated and bent 90degrees and attached to a wooden spoon? Or am I seeing things

[mickthemaverick]

No you are not Ryan, That's exactly what it is!! Works very well too