Nerd car job of the week

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Burnerman

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Yes friends, its fitting a pollen filter to the new shape Focus......
Inside the car, peel back the passenger side carpet.
Undo the Meccano bracket that holds the fuse box in place (2 nuts), and undo the two dzus clips that hold the front of the fuse box up.
Enjoy the tangle of coloured spaghetti that tumbles down and pray that nowt comes adrift.
Undo 3 x 7mm screws that hold the plastic flap over the filter, (limbo ones back over the door sill to do this) and pull the filter element clear. Turn on the blower fan full and experience the debris that ends up in your eyes as the air ducts empty :eek:
Attempt to install the new filter, but it won't go in because the wires are in the way...it helps if you compress it, accordion style.
Put the fuse box assembly back in place and pray everything still works.
As you are on your knees anyway......give thanks.
Worst one of all time!!
John :D
 
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Burnerman said:
Yes friends, its fitting a pollen filter to the new shape Focus......
Inside the car, peel back the passenger side carpet.
Undo the Meccano bracket that holds the fuse box in place (2 nuts), and undo the two dzus clips that hold the front of the fuse box up.
Enjoy the tangle of coloured spaghetti that tumbles down and pray that nowt comes adrift.
Undo 3 x 7mm screws that hold the plastic flap over the filter, (limbo ones back over the door sill to do this) and pull the filter element clear. Turn on the blower fan full and experience the debris that ends up in your eyes as the air ducts empty :eek:
Attempt to install the new filter, but it won't go in because the wires are in the way...it helps if you compress it, accordion style.
Put the fuse box assembly back in place and pray everything still works.
As you are on your knees anyway......give thanks.
Worst one of all time!!
John :D
Click to expand...
Similar to BMW E34 a real pain!
 
I did it on my wife's old Alfa 156 once - similar to what you describe. I can only hope that on a LHD car (as originally designed) it's a bit less of an "afterthought")! The original factory filter was one-piece, but it's physically impossible to get it out in-situ without destroying it, so the replacement ones (even the genuine ones) come in three separate bits!
 
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I have to do mine soon. Haynes description makes it look difficult, you can bet it's far worse than their description. :LOL:
 
As the Focus is a car destined for the fleet markets, its of great benefit for the servicing to be easy and quick....they got it wrong with this one!
John :)
 
Burnerman said:
As the Focus is a car destined for the fleet markets, its of great benefit for the servicing to be easy and quick....they got it wrong with this one!
John :)
Click to expand...

Yeah, at work I often don`t bother, if there is air coming out of the vents the filter is good in my opinion :p
 
Try changing head/side/indicator bulbs in the NSF of a Mk4 Golf - the recommended method is to remove the front bumper and remove the headlight to change bulbs. :eek: (Though removing the front bumper is cinch)

If you have long slim fingers and dont mind scuffing the back of your hand you can just about replace the bulbs the normal way by squeezing your hand between the battery box and the back of the headlight.
 
The petrol Focus fuel filter is a swine too - tucked high up at the back of the tank, secured by a rusty screw with a damaged head.....great :eek:
John :)
 
I think the most awkward job I have ever had to do is the plastic clutch clip on a Citroen Xantia! Ever done one Burnerman?
 
Can't say I've had the pleasure....is that on the clutch pedal, similar to the self adjusting nightmare that Ford used to use - the plastic ratchet that snapped?
John :)
 
That's a lovely job John. The pin that fits the the cable end to the pedal is the wrong way round so you can't get it out, you have to cut the head off with one hand while lying upside down on the floor.

Peter
 
I'm dreading having to change or even top up the brake fluid on my Alhambra. I can't see how the top of the reservoir can even be unscrewed, at least not by anyone with normal hands and once it is off I thing I'm going to have to use a syringe to get the fluid in.
 
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