General: 70: Small Service

[malc-c]

Currently due to circumstances the car isn't clocking up that many miles each year, so I typically service the car on an annual basis. However due to illness the last oil and filter change was done on 15th May 2018, when the car had 155870 miles on the clock.

Now without going into too much detail, the illness causes me to get very anxious when doing things, and I normally have to run through things in my head several time until I'm confident to do it, and small things that go wrong seem to me as a major incident ! Anyway last weekend I ordered the parts, which arrived yesterday, picked up some Mobil super 1000 oil from Halfords this morning and as it was a nice day got the ramps out and begun servicing the car.

Changed the plugs on a one for one basis - tested and she fired up just fine, first task done. Next, swap out the air filter, done. Now drain the oil and change the filter. Managed to get the old oil into the old washing up bowl I use to collect it without it going all over the place and up my arm... Given that most of the journeys the car makes are short, often less than 20 miles the oil was in fairly good condition. It was dark, but still very viscous. New sump plug washer fitted and plug replaced. Old filter removed, again managing to catch the oil in the bowl and the new one fitted, having first oiled the seal with fresh oil. So far so good.

Then it was on to the part that was causing my anxiety, the fuel filter. I had never changed one in the 12 years I've owned the car, but having done 60K miles in that time though it was due for replacement. I had watched a few videos on youtube so had a rough idea what was involved. Reversed the car up on the ramps and placed it in 4th. Crawled under the car with 12mm socket fitted to the wrench, and the bowl ready to catch any fuel. Pressed the pressure valve in and wasn't expecting the fuel to come out at such force, so now my right arm is soaked in petrol.... The other thing I noticed was judging buy the condition of the mounting bolt, the existing filter was probably the original one fitted when the car came off the production line! - Anyway, after a bit of effort I freed the bracket and detached the old filter without spilling too much fuel, catching most in the bowl. The new filter was fitted in the bracket and the pipes attached, ignition turned on / off a few times to prime the filter under pressure and I checked for leaks. Pleased to say that no leaks were found and the car was started and allowed to warm up.

All that was left was to do a quick inspection under the car, making sure the gators and pipes were all in good order - and confirmed my suspicions as to where the exhaust blow was coming from (at the clamp which is a common issue with these cars), which will get sorted at my local tyre and exhaust centre tomorrow.

I know its not rocket science, and a lot of you guys tackle far more complex tasks on your cars, but for me working through a mental illness I feel quite proud that I got out of bed this morning and have achieved something positive.

As for parts - all items fitted were genuine Volvo obtained from Parts Monster. Prices were competitive, communications excellent (basically Stephen sent me a mail on Sunday night listing the parts I needed based on my registration number), and delivery was free and quick. I can recommend them, and will be using them again next year

[ITSv40]

Well done and all credit to you. Not only for tackling the jobs on the car, but sharing with us. We all have different capabilities and working facilities, but the important thing is 'to have a go' and to remember there is always support on the forum.

[Dippydog]

Congratulations on not only giving it a go-and succeeding-but for not letting your illness bar you from trying.I think your post could be quite inspirational not only to others suffering from the same/similar condition to yours but other impediments also,that things can still be achieved if there is the will to try.

[malc-c]

Originally Posted by ITSv40

Well done and all credit to you. Not only for tackling the jobs on the car, but sharing with us. We all have different capabilities and working facilities, but the important thing is 'to have a go' and to remember there is always support on the forum.

Thanks for the kind words....

3 year ago I had the confidence to tackle anything... several major high level stress inducing events happening all at the same time put me over the edge and I simply couldn't cope.... So sometimes the simple things like changing the oil on the car takes a lot to muster up the enthusiasm and motivation... very hard to explain, and hard for those who haven't been through chronic depression to understand... but talking and (in my case posting on the forum) helps.... The support on the forum is not just simply when someone answers a technical question.

[malc-c]

Originally Posted by Dippydog

Congratulations on not only giving it a go-and succeeding-but for not letting your illness bar you from trying.I think your post could be quite inspirational not only to others suffering from the same/similar condition to yours but other impediments also,that things can still be achieved if there is the will to try.

Thank you, that means a lot to me.

Things have been improving, but often it's still a day at a time, and I can't see myself ever regaining the full confidence I had in myself that I used to have. I'm also 58 in a few weeks time, and sometimes feel that I'm getting too old for crawling around under cars and laying on cold concrete... but I have a passion to keep the old car going, and at 21 years and having never failed an MOT, there is still a lot of life left in her which motivated me get those jobs done...

For any other members in the same boat, I hope that my (some what personal) post helps give you the confidence to do the same and tackle those regular small servicing jobs.

[Bob Meadows]

Hello Malcolm: ~ well done for making a real effort and succeeding – you obviously enjoy the car and have done so for many years. A cherished vehicle will have a real positive influence on your life so it is well worth hanging on to it in many respects--- 58 years of age! - forget the number—it means nothing if you stay well & fit- I know a lot of classic car owners way beyond that age who can put a lot of younger people to shame.
You do seem to approach the tasks in a methodical way without giving yourself too much anxiety; small steps will make big positive changes to your life.
Talking about your problem is to be admired- not at all easy for some.
Good luck for the future & Regards Bob.

[mrredwards]

Hi .Congratulations on completing your service.You are a youngster I have been interested in classic cars for 40 years .I am 74 and still crawl under cars to weld and repair them like you sometimes i think what am i doing.But i do enjoy it when it goes right..I have a allotment which is good for your well being .Dont give up you have an interest in you car thats good.Good luck with your health .Always look on the bright side of life.Regards Ron.

[tdidave]

I echo what all the others have said Malcolm. Good on you for keeping on going and not falling by the wayside as many do. You obviously have a strong constitution and plenty of spirit.

If its any consolation I think we all have times when our confidence takes a hammering if we are honest. Its how we overcome those situations that's the measure of us.

As for being old at 58.. I'm 69 this year, and although I may prevaricate a bit more than I used to, I always roll my sleeves up and get stuck in, and of course, after you've done that job on a stinker of a day.. that cuppa at the end of it is so richly deserved.

Well done again..

Dave..

[malc-c]

Thanks Bob and Ron...

I don't know you guys personally, but the warmth and well wishes you guys have give me is very humbling - thanks for the support

[malc-c]

Originally Posted by tdidave

I echo what all the others have said Malcolm. Good on you for keeping on going and not falling by the wayside as many do. You obviously have a strong constitution and plenty of spirit.

If its any consolation I think we all have times when our confidence takes a hammering if we are honest. Its how we overcome those situations that's the measure of us.

As for being old at 58.. I'm 69 this year, and although I may prevaricate a bit more than I used to, I always roll my sleeves up and get stuck in, and of course, after you've done that job on a stinker of a day.. that cuppa at the end of it is so richly deserved.

Well done again..

Dave..

Cheers Dave.

I know that there are people far worse off than me...but sometimes you can have money in the bank, be surrounded by family and friends, yet still feel so alone and worthless... but I'm still here, and as some of the others have said small steps at a time.

As the adverts say, "its good to talk" so....

In a nutshell my situation started just over eight years ago. In November 2012 I was made redundant from a job I loved. The HR manager had a personal hit list and managed to target those on the list even though the work was there... At Christmas my father was under the weather and despite my recommendation to go to A&E after a coughing bout in the car on the way home he insisted he was OK. A week later mother phones me saying he's having trouble breathing and we get an ambulance and he is taken in to hospital. Regretfully he died two weeks later...something I took hard as I felt I could have prevented it happening if I had ignored him and taken him to A&E that Christmas night... all this brought on a breakdown....

Two years on I managed to regain my confidence enough to secure full time employment in 2015. Then in 2017 I snapped my fibula and damaged all three tendons and the surrounding ligaments, and even after all this time, now walk with a limp and can't stand for long or walk too far. Having been signed off by the hospital with my leg in plaster for three months my unsympathetic employer terminated my employment weeks after the accident. I hadn't been there long enough (18 months) to take them to a tribunal, and to be honest wouldn't want to have gone back to work for them if I could.

At the same time my mother had gone down hill with dementia and after two long years of caring for her whilst she was still in the family home we had to find her a placement in a residential care home. So I had to sort that out and deal with the process of handing back the council house that she had been in for 60 years. The process was extremely upsetting... and pushed me over the edge once more.....

Medication and group therapy pulled me back from the dark places... and things were beginning to change so I could see that proverbial light at the end of that tunnel.... and then last November my mother suffered a huge stroke and passed away a few days later......

I have also kept snakes for over 30 years, and on the plus side, which coincided with my mother having the stoke, the clutch of eggs that had resulted from a breeding project started 6 years ago started to hatch and one was my dream snake and goal of the project, a pure white snake with blue eyes.... so this helped take the edge off the negative stuff that was happening at that time.

So there you have it... (it feels good getting this in the open, and sorry if it's taken this post way OT). Whilst most people can deal with these set backs (redundancy, bereavement etc) they normally happen as individual instances in life and we can deal with the stress they cause... but when they come along in threes (like busses) its a different matter...

Thanks for "listening" and the support... it's nice and most welcome