What Have You Done to Your Cougar Today?

Stupidly did this to my driver side front alloy wheel today...to say I'm not a happy bunny is an understatement.... what makes it worse is that it could have been avoided if I was paying attention.. grrrrr..:cautious:.
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Today I disconnected the battery,
Removed the battery,
Removed the bellows and air box top,
Removed the air box,
Removed the air box support bracket,
Got out my mirror on the end of a telescopic stick,
Investigated the starter motor connections,
Got out the sockets and ratchet spanners,
Used the sockets and ratchet spanners to remove the starter motor support bracket,
Used the sockets to disconnect the starter motor electrical connections,
Used the sockets to remove the rear starter fixing bolt,
Used the ratchet spanners to remove the front starter motor fixing bracket,
Pulled and tugged with no result,
Used a hammer and socket extension to hit the end of the starter motor,
Lots of the above in different directions,
Tap flat screwdriver into the flange opening,
Release starter motor,
Twist and turn starter motor,
Curse ford,
Squeeze starter motor across top of gearbox underneath water pipes,
Curse ford,
Stretch aching back,
Curse ford,
Squeeze starter motor from beneath battery tray upwards through space where air box isn't,
Curse ford,
Stretch aching back more,
Place starter on floor next to new starter motor,
Take photograph of new and old on floor,
repeat above in reverse with new starter motor,
Stretch aching back more,
Curse ford,
Wipe blood off hands,
watch rugby,
Drink beer.
 
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It's just a bulb change mate. The annoying thing is that you've had the dial binnacle out to put these in and swapping the bulb is matter of seconds once the binnacle is in your hands.
 
Mako said:
Shame it sounds like you were working alone. It's actually easier to have someone underneath; rotate the starter by 180 degrees and lower it down past the 'box.



But you did the blood sacrifice, so all will be well.
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Bodes well for the future then, I've spilled my fair share whilst working on her. Yes Mako I was working alone, I know there's an excellent group ethic to these things here in the club but I actually prefer to work alone. Part of the challenge I suppose. I saw the gap at the rear of the gearbox and considered that route but decided to try the high road first. One reason is the car was on the floor and I thought it would avoid my having to elevate her.
Did the alty by myself in the past so this was a breeze compared to that.
The other irony is having ordered the replacement starter the one on the car behaved perfectly. Now stored until I get around to stripping the solenoid and giving it some TLC.

- - - Updated - - -

dandamano said:
These pair of cats found their way into my dials today :)

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Now that's a mod I do like. Well done sir keep up the good work.
 
Now i have sold the Audi the cougar will be my daily driver so new tyres were needed,managed to get a bit of a deal on 4 Avon tyres so today i went to get them fitted - 3 were no problem the 4th was a nightmare.
One of the turner nuts was chewed on the inside so the key was just turning , so the wheel could not be taken off. I had to bring the car home and drill the stud out which would not have been too bad if i didnt have about 50 blunt drill bits :cry:.
After 3 hours finally managed to get the wheel off without any damage - took it straight back to have tyre fitted and managed to get another wheel stud, luckily the old stud came out without having to take the hub off (y)
I must admit its been a ***** 24hrs
 
Automatic dashcam hidden feed

I have a dashcam since the car before Cougar Zetec.
In Cougar Zetec I had hidden the power wire, behind the passenger A-pillar trim, plugged into a twin accessory socket (also with hidden feed for sat-nav) behind the lighter socket, but which was still plugged into the lighter socket.
As such this was still unsatisfactory with the lighter socket permanently powered meaning the camera had to be unplugged when stationary.

Considering a neater solution for MV51, and after discovering in Zetec a cavity above the courtesy lamp I decided to fit a single accessory socket there, knowing it could get permanent 12v from the map lamp feed. This would also free up the lighter socket.

Earlier I asked if there was a switched feed in the vicinity (MV51 has the extra warning lights console there) and @FlamencoAssassin helpfully informed me that the sunroof loom socket is there; this shares fuse with the power windows which only operate with the key turned, the ideal switching for the camera.

So soldered the accessory socket (removed from a coiled extension lead) to the cut wires from the sunroof feed, pushed the camera's mini-USB power cable out between the headlining and windscreen, wound up the excess cable and stowed above the courtesy lamp.

Photos; 1 & 2: the dashcam fed direct from lighter socket, with cable draped over rearview mirror
3: with the lamp housing removed, warning lamp console hanging before unplugging, sunroof socket (green and black wires) just visible pegged to inner roof skin at right
4: accessory socket soldered on instead and
5: reassembled showing camera powered via key switched feed.
 

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Reactions: David`, WildV6 and FlamencoAssassin
There is an easier way in which to do this. There is a kit on the market that allows you to solder a spade connection (fuse blade) to the end after you cut off the 12v plug. This then plugs directly into a spare fuse locater which is only live once the ignition comes on. I have been looking at this myself, as I too use a dashcam in my car. However, because I 'm not good with electrics, I'm going to buy the kit and then have a mobile auto electrician come out and sort it for me.
I'll see if I can find the link to the kit. Well done for the work you have done on yours anyway, seems like it does much the same thing, just in a different way.

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...ghCMAM&usg=AFQjCNFkzu-t4Xi7ID2R1wRKYJpWHuY6xw


https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...CEgwBA&usg=AFQjCNG7yPscyPTvaJJiLT9ypDggSWjwtA
 
With the aide of pinouts supplied by Bosch, today I have managed to repair Gems ABS, turned out to be a dead wire running from ignition to pin 15 on the ABS module, ran a replacement length of wire and all working fine, took car for a test down a private road, jumped on brakes at 30, abs felt kicking in, job done (y)
 
Procomm said:
With the aide of pinouts supplied by Bosch, today I have managed to repair Gems ABS, turned out to be a dead wire running from ignition to pin 15 on the ABS module, ran a replacement length of wire and all working fine, took car for a test down a private road, jumped on brakes at 30, abs felt kicking in, job done (y)
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Good news Paul. (y)
 
Quicksilver said:
Good news Paul. (y)
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Certainly is mate, was looking at breaking the car if I couldn't fix it, just got wishbones and rear subby to swap now but that's going T be a MFSM jobbie then alignment, tracking and get the LPG kit fitted and I think Gem will be happy with it then, only other issue is a weird flickering lights issue which I will post up in a separate thread
 
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WildV6 said:
There is an easier way in which to do this. There is a kit on the market...

https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...ghCMAM&usg=AFQjCNFkzu-t4Xi7ID2R1wRKYJpWHuY6xw


https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&s...CEgwBA&usg=AFQjCNG7yPscyPTvaJJiLT9ypDggSWjwtA
Click to expand...
What I like about my method;
It utilises an existing wire that runs the "difficult" part of the path;
Whether a sunroof is or isn't fitted, you can still tap the feed (obviously a little more work if there is a sunroof);
Am using the original dashcam power adapter, no need to purchase a hardwire version of the same - indeed it allows to replace the dashcam with a different make/model.

It has been pointed out that the new socket is "protected" by the power windows/sunroof 40A fuse, I will adjust my setup to include a smaller value bullet fuse right before the socket to avoid the 40A blowing in the event of PSU fail or unintentional short.

...And today;
I removed the windscreen wiper/cabin filter panels (and cleaned them) whilst checking for the heated windscreen connection sockets - the excellent news is they are intact and the windscreen is connected, just need to sort the additional switch/relay/fuses.
 
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