So what have you done to your car today?

[Rangie]

Driven the RR to Devon today lovely run down + we have a smashing cottage for the week & even managed to get 34 mpg , plus it's father's today tomorrow so I know I'll be receiving some cider, it's a lovely life this retirement lark..👍

[countrywoman]

Quite a lot on the Austin, sorted the ABS "fault" . Works better with an earth wire on the pump motor! Checked all the suspension bolts, top up diff but cant get plug out of gearbox not that it lost any oil while out. Lots of other stuff done but have to make blanking plates for the air injection holes in n/s exhaust as it looks like my blanking grub screws failed.

[TheBoy]

On Saturday, Gixer and I did the lower front arms and the front pads and discs on her car.

10am to gone 6pm. FFS.

At curry house by 7pm, we deserved it.

[countrywoman]

Just ordered 2L of 2k paint for the Austin as weather looks good for next few days, eff me £130!!!!

[GastronomicKleptomaniac]

Stripped the family T25 engine after it failed to proceed.

Head gasket ist kaput .. good excuse to put in a bigger engine. I've been told to stay sensible as it isn't ours... Sadly a VR6 would need a bit too much work and a Subaru lump a bit spendy.

[Dave_G]

What have I done to my car today? Absolutely nothing.
Day before? Nothing. And so it goes on.

After 3 months of crawling underneath, on top, skinning knuckles, arms (face even!), lifting heavy objects, tightening to torques that are inhuman, I went out to 'pop' the lightweight fibreglass undertray back on, knelt on my cushion (my knees and concrete don't see eye to eye) and boing!!

Can't get up again. Fortunately I had enough strength in my arms to lever myself back up on the bumper and my toolbox.

Spent the last 5 days needing herself's help to get my ... well let's leave it there.

So humiliating, and frustrating. If I even could get in, I wouldn't drive it with the tray missing. That would be asking to return to square one.

So now it's ME making the clattering noise...!

[YZ250]

.........
After 3 months of crawling underneath, on top, skinning knuckles, arms (face even!), lifting heavy objects, tightening to torques that are inhuman, I went out to 'pop' the lightweight fibreglass undertray back on, knelt on my cushion (my knees and concrete don't see eye to eye) and boing!!
............

Wow, I couldn't believe that 3 months has passed by since you first posted about the clattering.    Scary how fast life is passing us by. I'm sure it didn't go that quick when I was working.     
All of your hard work has caught up with you Dave. Hope you're soon on the mend and until then, just take it steady.

[countrywoman]

I have the same trouble so have to take care, well I did some to the Austin today. Its insured and I got most of the remaining bits painted, only got 5 flies in the paint!!! Little bit to finish off tomorrow and then assembly time.

[Dave_G]

I wish you well CW. Back stuff is so unpredictably painful.

BTW. On a previous  topic (Grrrr) you asked if all pistons were coming up equal to the top of the bores. I did check but not sure I acknowledged your question/advice.

All were coming up to exactly 40 thou from the block face.

Apologies if that's considered 'off-topic' for here.

[Doctor Gollum]

Pushed a Volvo estate off the M25 between J10 and 11on the way to work.

A very helpful hgv driver blocked lanes 1 and 2 for me once he saw what I was trying to do.

[ronnyd]

Pushed a Volvo estate off the M25 between J10 and 11on the way to work.

A very helpful hgv driver blocked lanes 1 and 2 for me once he saw what I was trying to do.

Couldn't you have chosen anything a bit lighter? 

[Kevin Wood]

Drove it to Strasbourg. Driving on decently maintained roads with drivers who drive and are treated like adults it's an incredibly comfortable mile muncher.

[johnnydog]

Pushed a Volvo estate off the M25 between J10 and 11on the way to work.

A very helpful hgv driver blocked lanes 1 and 2 for me once he saw what I was trying to do.

Assuming this happened during the small hours from the time you posted, even with a hgv blocking lanes 1 and 2, it wasn't a particularly sensible thing to do without even the protection of the usual build up of traffic that forms an ideal road block during busier times.
Being killed doesn't warrant acts of questionable heroism - many families that have lost loved ones will vouch for that.
Motorways during quiet periods can be far more dangerous than at peak times....

[Doctor Gollum]

Pushed a Volvo estate off the M25 between J10 and 11on the way to work.

A very helpful hgv driver blocked lanes 1 and 2 for me once he saw what I was trying to do.

Couldn't you have chosen anything a bit lighter? 

It was an 850..And a level piece of road so it actually rolled pretty easily.

[Doctor Gollum]

Pushed a Volvo estate off the M25 between J10 and 11on the way to work.

A very helpful hgv driver blocked lanes 1 and 2 for me once he saw what I was trying to do.

Assuming this happened during the small hours from the time you posted, even with a hgv blocking lanes 1 and 2, it wasn't a particularly sensible thing to do without even the protection of the usual build up of traffic that forms an ideal road block during busier times.
Being killed doesn't warrant acts of questionable heroism - many families that have lost loved ones will vouch for that.
Motorways during quiet periods can be far more dangerous than at peak times....

Actually it was about 1245 on my way to work. And the whole thing took less than a minute. I only posted it because it was the most interesting thing that happened on my commute yesterday. But as you seem to want it justified, here goes...

I was using lane 1 to use J11 to keep moving because it was 4 lanes of stop start shit.

When it became clear that the reason for the traffic was said Volvo straddling lanes 1 and 2 forcing all but a handful of cars using J11 into lanes 3 and 4, I made a decision to act.

I stopped a ways up the hard shoulder, have a suitable Hi Viz winter coat from a previous job that I keep in the boot because you never know what you're going to run into driving around at all hours.

The hgv that stopped and repositioned for me was waiting to get from lane 2 into 3 and was switched on enough to use his initiative and he waited until we were safely on the hard shoulder before continuing.

The older woman driving the Volvo with, I presume her mother, followed instructions to the letter and without panic. The car moved easily enough and I did all the pushing with my legs sat against the tailgate.

The one oppstard in a camper who tried to drive round the back of the hgv on the hard shoulder got an earful of air horn and stopped as soon as he saw what was happening.

Once the car was on the hard shoulder, I checked that they had breakdown cover, strongly suggested they waited up the steps to the foot bridge they were next to and left, calling the police to update them as I went.

I didn't do it to be heroic or for any other benefit. The circumstances made it a calculated risk and it's not the first time I have done similar and I hope it won't be the last. Had it not been safe to stop, I wouldn't have and the number of times I haven't stopped far exceeds the number of times I have.

So if you were on the M25 heading clockwise from J10 at around 1 pm on Friday, you're welcome... If you weren't and your car broke down in that spot what would you want to happen? Similarly if you were stuck in the traffic, ask yourself what you could reasonably do in the circumstances.

IncidentallyI posted it a 9 pm where I am.