bloody cars

[Dave B]

My head gasket has gone on my car

Wifes brake caliper has stuck so needs new pads and caliper

My head gasket went after overheating due to leaky radiator

So gonna pick up new rad..head bolts..head gasket..rocker cover gasket..rear brake calipers and pads tomorrow from brother in laws gaff in royston

Even at trade it's gonna cost me over £150

Gotta still fit work in there also

Good job i have a free day thursday (well i do now as i just moved some work about)

Gonna do what i can tomorrow once sorted wifes car and use thursday to catch up if needed..hopefully won't need to but at least i have that option and sort my car sunday

Pain in the arris

 

[boarcity]

its a focus isnt it? be sure to have the head skimmed the alloy often sinks when they get hot. iv done that head job manytimes back when i was on the spanners not an easy one skin yer knuckles

theres usually roadworthy focuss goin cheap on FB selling pages mite be cheaper to jus throw away and get another

 

[Adams0211]

That's bad luck mate. Hope you get it sorted and you're back on the road soon.

When my van was off the road for a week last summer I contacted my customers to let them know the situation and they were all fine.

Hopefully yours will be fine too but give me a shout if anyone gets shitty with you and I'll go and clean them for you.

Sent from my iPhone using Window Cleaning Forums mobile app

 

[Damo]

Come into work with me /emoticons/tongue.png

I have just ordered you your very own special pole now /emoticons/biggrin.png

 

[Dave B]

its a focus isnt it? be sure to have the head skimmed the alloy often sinks when they get hot. iv done that head job manytimes back when i was on the spanners not an easy one skin yer knuckles
theres usually roadworthy focuss goin cheap on FB selling pages mite be cheaper to jus throw away and get another

It's an astra 2l 8v

Piece of pi55 to do the head gasket

Especially seeing as i am taking the rad out anyway

Doubt it will need skimming so just emery paper and get every trace of the old stuff off and jobs a good un

Just went out in it and it has started smoking too as the gasket is obviously getting worse so not driving it to royston now

I will work tomorrow and let him bring the bits home with him

Come into work with me /emoticons/tongue.png
I have just ordered you your very own special pole now /emoticons/biggrin.png

Extreme 35??

 

[Dave B]

Thanks for the offer @Adams0211

 

[Damo]

Close slx 22 lol So i will in fact own a dirty slx now :rofl::rofl:

Bummer about it being the head though. That's unlucky man /emoticons/sad.png

 

[Dave B]

Should be ok till Saturday afternoon when i can take it apart and finish it sunday if i have to

 

[Dave B]

You own an slx /emoticons/tongue.png

 

[Dave B]

So my car is off the road

Won't hold any water now as blowing straight through the gasket

Just messaged my custys to say i won't be round

Gotta strip everything now ready for my brother in law to drop the bits off tonight and put it all back together tomorrow

Not a problem as this is my quiet week i have every 2 months due to bad planning with a whole area of 2 monthly cleans that were done last month so will get caught up anyway

Nightmare

 

[Dave B]

Just need to clean everything up ready for new gasket tomorrow

I reckon I'll be working by about 1pm tomorrow

View attachment 6368

 

[Damo]

Should get my van back before 5 and £550 lighter in my wallet. YAY

Posted from my iPhone

 

[Dave B]

How much is that job in a garage nowadays @ boarcity?

 

[boarcity]

How much is that job in a garage nowadays @ boarcity?

its ten years since i did that job so im well out of touch now

the goin rate back then for a small garage was 150 cash for that job / 600 main dealer

 

[Dave B]

So going by nowadays prices parts they would rip you off about 150 quid then labour at over £60 an hour

Don't know the book times for gasket and radiator but surely a few hours

Must have saved myself a few hundred botes today i reckon

 

[boarcity]

So going by nowadays prices parts they would rip you off about 150 quid then labour at over £60 an hourDon't know the book times for gasket and radiator but surely a few hours

Must have saved myself a few hundred botes today i reckon

seem to remember a gasket kit [pattern] was 40 notes-ish and job took 3 hours providing no studs broke . that sort of job could go one of 2 ways,dead easy or youd find head corroded [run round to get 2nd hand head ] swallowin up much of job profit cos if you now charged 300 instead of 150 youd be left with the car cos they hadnt the dosh . i recall doin a mondeo head job took the guy 2 yrs to clear the bill, by that time he was in debt with new suspension arms etc HAPPY DAYS!

 

[Dave B]

All the bolts came out easy but i remember doing it on a cvh escort and 1 snapped flush with the block

The usual trick of heating and then wd40 to shock it and break the seal then using hammer and punch didn't work

Then i used an easy out (those reverse threaded things where you drill the bolt and thread it in to remove it) which snapped when i tried to turn it

Then was stuck with a snapped bolt with a hardened steel piece stuck in the middle

Ended up making a jig and drilling the whole bolt out then re tapping the thread

They can be a right nightmare

 

[boarcity]

All the bolts came out easy but i remember doing it on a cvh escort and 1 snapped flush with the blockThe usual trick of heating and then wd40 to shock it and break the seal then using hammer and punch didn't work

Then i used an easy out (those reverse threaded things where you drill the bolt and thread it in to remove it) which snapped when i tried to turn it

Then was stuck with a snapped bolt with a hardened steel piece stuck in the middle

Ended up making a jig and drilling the whole bolt out then re tapping the thread

They can be a right nightmare

thats so right . usually i upped my quotes to cover the unfore-seen problems. by 100%,lol . this "extra" also covered those guys who never quite paid off their debts [mr.mondeo]

i bleve he was payin me monthly for ages ,years,a nice guy wi 5adult kids still at home but never quite got off the hook cos his car was old n saggy .

 

[Dave B]

My mate has his own garage and a customer never paid his bill

He is now the proud owner of a nice sporty smart car (left hooker which lowers the value)

Customer avoided phone calls and letters etc for so long the car is now officially his

 

[Green Pro Clean Ltd]

My mate has his own garage and a customer never paid his billHe is now the proud owner of a nice sporty smart car (left hooker which lowers the value)

Customer avoided phone calls and letters etc for so long the car is now officially his

Only if you mate has followed procedure and sued through the courts, won the case and had bailiffs enforce the taking of the vehicle to ensure it is done so legally.

 

[Dave B]

It's all in writing

The customer was informed in writing it would be used to cover costs and the original bill of a couple grand and it was done legally

He has now had a log book issued in his name by the dvla

The car was never picked up from the garage by the customer

We reckon he just left it as the bill was high