I don't have a tow bar, but I do suffer from tow bar envy even though if I did have a tow bar Id still have nothing to tow

You just push them in with the shoes fitted then put the drums on before you bleed them,no need for cable ties. It makes sure no air is trapped in the cylinder.

all of the above advice, plus when bleeding the brakes push the shoes in so the brake cylinder pistons are pushed in, refit drums then bleed brakes. Mine was same as yours with less travel second pump of brakes before I did that.

I've been past that before, as you say is the car genuine, also if the phone numbers on the advert different to acw it might not even be them. You ring them, they say it's not at the lot , send a deposit and we'll save it.

The average worker in halfords probably couldnt work out how to open the bonnet on a series - he'd spend half an hour looking for the bonnet release under the dash

The gasket must be rare, mine doesn't have one. Might explain why it drips oil every time it's tipped on its side a bit

All done and running nice and quietly, well as quiet as these get. Just got to take it for a gentle run, then re check head bolt torque and tappets, top up water if needed and it's back to normal. Unlike the garage which despite the clean and put tools back as they're used intention is now...

You lot will have the whole engine stripped down at this rate

no damage, just a little carbon which wiped off - probably because it started 2 minutes from home and i went straight back home so it hasnt been run for very long like it. checked its flat and no issues.

Strange thing though, before i start a job on the car i always have a look at you tube, on here etc to find any tips or hints or just to see the actual thing instead of just reading the manual. one of the videos I watched was this one and his gasket went in exactly the same place mine did...

The annoying thing is my torque wrench is nm but the workshop manual is lb ft so have to keep conversion chart handy

As promised a photo of the chuffing head gasket which has blown between cylinders 3 and 4 resulting in a lot of chuffing work.

It's a petrol engine so no injector worries, Torque wrench, what's that? Don't you just tighten it up till the breaker bar starts to bend?

Pics will come tomorrow

So head off and the winners of "name that chuffing noise" are all those that said head gasket. Blown between cylinders 3 and 4. Gasket kit should be here tomorrow and then another couple of evenings of reassembly

It's the trees in these modern times they just don't grow straight enough, probably something to do with climate change, you'll have to wait for Greta to fix it, then all the trees will straighten up, wood won't warp and you can drive your carbon free (as long as you ignore the impact of its...

If you open the door wearing only a pumpkin you'd soon be known as the weirdo

I think bah humbug works for Halloween as well, alternatively you could open the door to trick or treaters wearing just a pumpkin strapped in front of your todger and shout "buy your own sweets you little ****s"

You mean one of these? It would make a good bonnet mascot after as well😂

manifold came off tonight and whilst there was a small tear at cyl 4 exhaust that may have been where it was a bit stuck on the manifold there and to the head in the middle. It's due a coolant change any way so whilst I've got the manifold off and I'm draining it, it seems sensible to pull the...