SkinnedAussie

It's an old idea, but with a recycle twist. Before you go ahead with it, search for the numerous options on how to build a vertical garden. I did it as cheap as possible, just as a test, but now know where we have gone wrong, and what we did right.

One thing we did learn by doing it the way we did it was to leave the pallets as we got them. We removed every second plank as the gaps looked too small, but in hindsight, we should have left it as it was.

The bags are held in just by the weight of the potting mix. You can use ag-mesh to cover the pallet, but you'll also need a way to seal three ends so that when you stand it up, you don't lose the potting mix.

You can also plant the plants and leave the pallet laying down until the plants settle, then stand it up, but you'll need to wait about 2-3 weeks.

You can also buy modules that allow you to add as you go.

I don't know if Americans include gardens as DYI, but here's something I put together recently.

I put this together just before our winter set in, and let it settle. I just kept the water up to it.

Now that spring has arrived, things are looking good!

The pallets and chaff bags cost me nothing. The potting mix was A$6.95 per bag (x12) and we spent A$150 for the plants. We just now have to start filling in the gaps and we have a few places were we can get cuttings. Not everything will do; mostly plants that cascade.

Me, with the finished product, before we hibernated for winter.

Some better before and after shots.

Before winter.

After winter.

wow the dealer was charging 70 dollars to replace a cabin filter! thats crazy!

Not when most dealerships charge in excess of $40/hour! What was the breakdown of that charge? Part? Labour?

---------- Post added September-23rd-2011 at 02:08 PM ----------

so my head gasket is leaking, and the mechanic quoted me at 1700? that seems a little outrageous!

Not in this day and age. What type of vehicle do you have again?

How do you think the alternator recharges the battery if there isn't a connection between the two?

Using aluminum foil to cover electrical parts, what could go wrong there???

I want photos!

Mick, have you considered plastic bags secured with cable ties? I've ALWAYS found plastic bags to be waterproof, and when the job is done, a quick snip of the cable tie and all is safe.

Hang on, how can a faulty fuel sender unit cause the bowser handle to click off?

In fact, how can anything INSIDE the fuel tank cause the bowser handle to click off?

Just curious.

mistertim, next time you fill up, once you have the filler in the hole, change the angle that you hold it. Fuel nozzles have a sensor that once they get excessive splash-back, they will click off. I used to work at a servo, and was having to deal with this problem on a regular (daily) problem. We referred to it as a UIF - User Interface Fault.

Just move the filler to a different angle, and this should rectify the problem.

Here's something that ALL vehicles owners might be interested in.

Lemonaidcars.com - secret warranties watch

Maybe you could start leasing a new car every few years? That way, the chances of something going wrong with it are pretty slim.

Of course, nothing EVER goes wrong with a leased vehicle.

The new style bumpers have clips (moulded into the bumper) that slot into lugs (on the vehicle) and if you break a clip, you basically have to junk the bumper, unless you are prepared to 'red-neck' fix it by screwing the bumper on, and thus screwing into the body. Also, it's not a good look.

What may look like a $100 fix can quite conceivably end up being a $550 replacement.

Whether he was parked illegally or not, you backed into him, so you have to fix it.

Also, are there any national mechanic sites that rate reputable mechanics? You know, like rate your doctor, but rate your mechanic? I'm trying to find an honest mechanic in Colorado Springs because the people at the Ford Dealership here are ****ing bull**** monkey ass ****es.

Find a mechanic who uses his name as the business name - like Bill Smith Automotive, Ray Jones Mechanical Repairs, etc, (but preferably not Billy Bob's Truck Fixer Upperer) as not only do they have their business to consider, their own name is on the line.

I didn't get any help...:kickcan:

It's a bit difficult when we don't get all the facts, AND we don't have the vehicle in front of us to be able to carry out a full diagnostic check.

Those of us trying to help are only doing so by way of the info you give us.

'Hyuk, I gots me a truck that won't start. What's wrong?' Where do we start?

The more info we get, the better advise we can give. It also helps if it is your own vehicle, not someone else's who mentions the fault to you, then you post it here.

Friend to you - 'I clipped a kurb last night and it flattened a tire and bent the rim. When I got going again, I noticed a vibration from the front, and it was pulling to the left. What's wrong with my car?'

What gets posted - 'Steering wheel is not centred. What could be wrong?'.

See my point?

Another Q

when my car is stopped and running (like at a red light) every once in a while I feel a subtle lurch in the car. What's up with that?

If your car has an automatic transmission, it might be worth getting it serviced.

1997 acura CL

sometimes my brake lights work some times it doesnt. Is it the fuse or electric?

Neither. As already mentioned, it's more than likely the switch near the brake pedal, which would make it a mechanical fault. Hit the plunger with a shot of WD40, or the like, and see if that frees it up.

If not, see if there is any sort of adjustment - elongated holes in the mounting bracket, maybe? - that will move the switch closer (or further away, depending on how it's mounted) to the pedal arm.

Also the car has developed a whine past 30mph. Transmission is perfectly fine and shifting no problem. After 30mph the whine is produced by pressing on the gas ever so slightly and goes away when the accelerator is completely let off. Is this the bearings in the alternator?

Funnily enough, my car also develops a whine at a certain speed, but only when the missus is in the passenger seat.

Yeah I told him that's what I thought it was. I've only driven 3 manual cars- a ford f150, a chevy cobalt, and my honda civic. The civic was by far the lightest clutch among them. I just didn't know if a light feeling clutch could indicate problems if it's abnormal in this case.

It's not the clutch that's light, it's the pressure plate. The spring forks are different for every vehicle, and different again for what the vehicle is used for.

Passenger vehicles generally have a 'lighter' clutch than commercial vehicles.

If you ride the clutch pedal, expect it to get harder to change gears as the clutch plate wears out, and you could experience high engine revs on extreme cases as the clutch slips against the flywheel.

If you started with a heavy feeling clutch, and it gradually gets lighter, this could indicate the pressure plate is wearing out, or moreso, the pressure forks. This also makes it harder to change gears as the lower pressure within the plate doesn't allow the clutch to fully disengage, and thus, is still engaged as you attempt to change gears. A sure sign of this is the grinding noise as you try to change gears.

More often than not, donuts (circle work) are done in a clockwise direction. The more experienced drivers are ambidextrous. However, our (dirt track) speedways run in a counter clockwise direction.

Yes, I'm born and bred Aussie. Many years ago, I used to have a mild interest in the NFL, occasionally watching tapes of 49er's games which a mate had sent to him. It was one particularly wet summer's morning that I was holed up in a caravan when I happened to flick on the TV and the SB was on. Nothing much else was on, so sat and watched the Broncos take a 10 point lead over the Redskins. However, that 2nd quarter was what did it for me, and I've been a 'Skins fan ever since.

**EDIT - To finish the question, IMO, Aussie Rules is tougher in that you don't have the ability to sub on and off when the ball changes sides. Then again, we don't have 300+lbers slamming into us trying to kill us either. You really can't compare the toughest of Aussie Rules over the NFL as one is tougher than the other in certain aspects.

Ask Fred Flintstone. He never had a need for a steering wheel. Not sure why they even had one on his car?

And they had it on the wrong side of the car on top of that :pfft:

Not for us down here it isn't.

Next you'll be trying to tell us that Fred drove on the wrong side of the road as well!

Either truly breaks and you are driving nowhere,just a passenger to the scene of the crash

'Hello, 911'

'Yeah, I want to report a motor vehicle accident'.

'Where?'

'I don't know yet, but it could be at any moment. Can you hold the line?'

my brothers engine blew on his 1999 honda civic. estimated at $2000 to fix...I have a friend who would do it for a couple hundred but i am having a hard time finding an engine or even pricing. Any thoughts?

If you're looking at a replacement engine, go somewhere that will give you some sort of warranty. Fair enough you want to go as cheap as by getting a mate to do it, but will he cover any warranty issues? If it breaks down in the middle of nowhere, who would you prefer to chase after?

$2000 to fix? Is that to rebuild the existing engine? Surely, there's a Jap engine/parts importer somewhere close to you. They are everywhere here. If you are close to STERLING, VA, try:

http://www.japaneseengineimport.com/

See what these critters have in stock:

http://www.noyanusa.com/enginelist.html

I did have that possibility in mind - the timing isn't being advanced by vacuum as the engine is being revved under load.

To find it, grab a can of ether (Aerostart or whatever it may be called now) and spray in around where the vacuum hoses run. If it has a vacuum leak, the engine will rev higher than idle. Look around that area and see if you can find the dodgy hose.

Ok...so what does it mean when my Explorer makes a weird whistling/whining noise when I accelerate on cold mornings until it's been running for about 10 min? Feel free to PM.

Your Ford Exploder is whining? You must have the female edition.

If it is only doing those when cold, that would explain it. Once everything warms up and expands to regular size, things should be sweet.

What about 'The bolt got really tight, then suddenly it was loose again, and I couldn't tighten it again'.

I've heard that with home attempted head gasket replacements.

...and knowing how to not screw up more than is already broke:silly:

I always hated it when someone had to tow their vehicle into the shop and then say 'I thought I could fix it myself'. At least they had already resigned themselves to an hefty repair bill.

You might be able to find something part-time, or on weekends, if you really want to learn, but as I live in Australia, I can't even suggest where you start looking.

Someone closer might be more helpful. Like someone in the same country!