Every man's problems......

Over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays of 2002/3 I went to bed one night and woke up the next day a different person, it’s as simple as that.  The week before I had had a little job done – a bit like laser surgery or a bridge fitted to my teeth…………. something like that…………..no big deal I was told over and over, nothing to worry about, you’ll be good as new in no time, different people said.

Roll forward 12 years.  In the lead up to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays of 2014/2015 things were as mad as a bag of frogs on Ecstasy, customer after customer looking to get sorted, even though a lot of them were told don’t put me under pressure Christmas week.  One day I left home on top of the world and came home the same day having being to a different planet and Christ did I feel alien!  Sure I knew by the short breath, back ache, head ache……it is  only the flu, 2 Lemsips and the hot whiskey mix 3 times and by the time I had got a few hours in the cot sure I’d be  good as new, no big deal I told myself over and over.  I went to bed thinking tomorrow I’ll be the finest………….

Tomorrow came and I felt like a comet had hit me when  I was  in melt down mode  while feeling alien, doctors/pills/more pills /and 3 or 4 stomachs of  projectile vomiting and even more pills later I now feel like I’m coming back into land again on my own planet……. Planet Keith, and pretty soon I’ll be back on top of my world again.  (Turns out my temperature had skyrocketed to the point if it hadn’t been caught I was on the verge of sepsis)

It’s being 12 years now since the 2002/2003 Christmas/New Year break and it has taken the 2014/2015 holiday break and a silly little lung infection/virus to knock a few things into place. About  the holiday break 12 years ago, the little job that I just had done was the removal of 70% of the biggest aquist newrooma (sic)  (Editor’s Note:  Acoustic neuroma -brain tumour) ever found in Ireland, the going to bed one person and waking up another was 3 major strokes in 6 days with death all around me.  Waking up  and finding out I had lost the use of my entire left side, walking/driving independent living were now all a thing of the past or so I was told over and over.

 The few things that have fallen into place have left the following carved in my mind:

1     1.  I’m a lot more able in a lot of ways than a lot of people out there – the blind, the homeless, the elderly and the ill
2.     I see laziness everywhere in brilliant people I know, who could be playing a part in changing the world for others worse off than them
3.    Most people  go down at night  taking it for granted they will rise the following morning the same person and life will go on as all they  have always known it. One day they may wake up to a new world where they become very ill, blind or homeless………….. it’s as simple as that
4.    I know better than most we all have our own lives to live and that every man’s problems are the worst in the world to themselves.  
5.    I now know that there is nothing in this world that cannot be helped in some way no matter how bad things seem. 

For me the worst problem in the world is knowing nobody has to be homeless, and that blindness and ill health can be helped or at least slowed down.  I’m not a lazy person, brilliant maybe, but not lazy, and this year, 2015, I’m going to do all in my power to help.  

Airbags and brain injuries

Its not the name of a band, its a very real situation, that's developing and getting bigger all the time.  The reality is fake airbags are now a very common item, being used in the repair of damaged vehicles and returning to the road all over the world.

There are already documented issues in Ireland where drivers of vehicles have died following an accident and the surgeons who worked on them have blamed the lack of a functioning airbag causing the driver to smash his face off the steering wheel resulting in brain injuries.  People need to take on board the importance of buying their replacement airbags from a genuine traceable source.  The most reliable statement I can offer is if it seems too good to be true it probably is.  If airbags are offered to you as a mechanic or end-customer at extremely low prices chances are they are fake or have been modified to 'trick' the airbag system in your car to believe they will function in the event of a crash - they won't.  Keep away from anyone using the word resistors when talking about fixing your airbag system.  Resistors simply bypass the airbag system circuitry and your airbag will not 'blow' if you are in a crash. 

Your airbag system is not just your airbag - this includes your seatbelts, which are your first line of defence.  There is a mini-explosion in a ratchet when you are in a crash, causing your seatbelt to pull in tight pinning you to the seat.  Your airbag then stops you bashing your face off the steering wheel.  Neither of these will work if the circuitry is incomplete or bypassed (think of Christmas tree lights and how one loose bulb stops the whole set working).  Seatbelts that are not functioning properly will cut you in two like a piece of cheesewire.

For more information and a professional service contact us at info@airbagsireland.com .  You can visit us at our website www.airbagsireland.com

I know what I'm talking about - I've had a brain injury (from a brain tumour) and have had 4 brain haemorrhages, all from falls to the ground,  and I've been in the airbags business for 20 years. 

www.airbagsireland.com

Keith McGahon - Miracle Man

I was born and reared in Dundalk town, the son of a long-standing Fine Gael TD.  An engineer by trade I went out on my own in business in the early 90’s , and ran a successful motor factor business, importing airbags from around the world and retailing them here in Ireland to the crash repair industry.  I was living the fast life, riding and racing motorbikes, travelling world-wide buying stock, partying and living it up. I remember overtaking a lorry at speed on my motorbike one night, and thinking to myself if I ever went under one of them I would surely end up in a wheelchair, disabled for life.  A 40 ft 30 tonne monster.   Little did I know that a silly little brain tumour would nearly wipe me out in the blink of an eye. 

My workload got heavier in the late 90’s, so heavy that when I started getting ever increasing headaches I was more interested in the instant relief that painkillers gave me.  After two and a half years of taking prescribed painkillers from my then-GP, I collapsed in November 2002, and was rapidly diagnosed as having a large Acoustic Neuroma (brain tumour).  In many ways I was relieved to know it was a brain tumour because I was starting to feel like a hypochondriac with my many visits to the doctor.  70% of my tumour was removed in Beaumont Hospital Christmas week of 2002. I got home 6 days later on Christmas Eve.  Having felt weak and tired I put it down to having spent almost a month in bed awaiting the tumour removal.  But unfortunately on Christmas Day I collapsed, and a couple of days later on my re-admittance to Beaumont it was discovered I had had a massive stroke.  In the subsequent 6 days while being treated for an infection in my incision, I had a further two more major strokes.  The result of the strokes was the complete loss of use of my left arm, and majority of my left leg.  The  tumour also left me deaf in my left ear, and the trauma of the strokes it is believed caused the loss of  25% of my hearing in my right ear (thank God for small mercies when my girlfriend, Frances, is giving me a hard time……Ho! Ho! Ho! …..no she’s not Santy, but she is quite good to me!)  After a 3 month wait I went into the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Dun Laoghaire on the 18^th March 2003.  I had been told that I would never walk or drive again.  But over the next 6 months I learned to walk again, although my dancing days were over.  I can now walk more like a wardrobe, but who cares! I left Dun Laoghaire Hospital on July the 4^th 2003, still not fully walking but nonetheless – freedom!

I spent the next few months under the instruction of the Hospital living with my mother, before on a check up I begged them to take me back – I could no longer do it! (Just kidding Mum!!)  It was then agreed I had made a good enough recovery to be deemed fit to live alone. 

I went back to work part-time for myself, and mainstream living kicked in once again.  My troubles were far from over, as over the next 6 months I experienced some serious painful times, before it was discovered that the blood supply to both my hips had been killed off by the large amount of steroids pumped into my body to reduce the size of the tumour – a condition called avascular necrosis.  The pain got worse as my right hip deteriorated, but once again I continued on dealing with the pain in the best way I could, sometimes forgetting about it completely. 

Unfortunately in August of 2007, my hip locked coming down a flight of stairs, causing me to lose my step and I fell to the bottom, fracturing my skull and having 3 brain haemorrhages – 2 external, and 1 internal.  I got over this fast, and was back on my feet in a flash.  (Unfortunately – again!) in March 2008 as I walked down the street there was a loud crack and I collapsed on the footpath.  I at first thought I had stood on a twig, but was to find out after spending a good hour screaming like a maniac in pain, that my left upper leg bone structure had shattered – again related to the overload of steroids keeping my tumour under control in 2002.  After one month in hospital and the total rebuild of my upper left leg with titanium rods and plates, I then went to spend a month in a nursing home, by choice, as my home was not suitable to return to, and my parents were too elderly to care for me. While my sisters and brothers were very supportive, they had their own lives and families to take care of.  It was a learning experience that I’ve never gathered so much from.  All around me were old people in various states of mental and physical decay.  Believe it or not, it was only then did I become grateful for how lucky I really was, in many ways.

The summer of 2008 was good until a joy-rider knocked me down breaking two ribs and causing me to have a further brain haemorrhage the following evening – my 4^th in 12 months.  I met my now-girlfriend the day before and she came to see me in hospital while I was recovering, and it was then I realised she was a very good person, and more or less what I needed to keep going. 

In early December of 2008 after a 4 year wait I had my right hip replaced in the Mater Private Hospital.  This had been my greatest demon since my downfall in 2002.  January 2009 kicked off with a bang and I was all brand new. 

Looking back on my experiences over the last few years I realise now I have swam oceans and climbed mountains in my recovery.  Though I am still waiting for my first state-sponsored physiotherapy session, or occupational therapy, I am very grateful to all of those who have helped me – the doctors and nurses, and my family, who I think still struggle more than I do to understand the impact of my disability.  Now 37, my business more or less wiped out by my illness and the shrinking Irish economy, I understand there is only one way and that is forward.  I have to stay focused and strong.  I am planning maybe on returning to college, or starting another business – who knows………the way I see it the day I fell ill, I was down South in Cork City, had I been up North I could have won the lottery.  One thing I understand now more than ever is Shit Happens, life is short and we must ride it hard. Every man’s problems are the worst in the world to himself, no matter how trivial.  I’d like to say to any other sufferers of Acquired Brain Injuries your greatest cure is acceptance and belief in yourself.  These days laughter is the fuel I run on (ask Frances who has to listen to me rattling off jokes at 4 o’clock in the morning!).  I’m now extremely driven, fearless and of the belief there is nothing I cannot do with perseverance, and nothing that can take me down now. Maybe one day I’ll write a book……………

Keith McGahon 2009

Update:  2013.  Mum passed away in February 2012, after a tough battle with emphysema - from someone like me who has had to cling to life, don't go down that road.  I'm now 41 and going strong.  Having fractured a vertebra and dislocated my shoulder in June 2011, when my van ran me over (I kid you not) I found out the Avascular Necrosis had spread. In October 2011 I had my left shoulder replaced, and the following April my right shoulder.  That’s me done for the moment although I will need to have all the major joints done again at some point in the future.  Local rags have tagged me the miracle man - I don't see myself that way, I just think of myself as a regular joe.  All’s good.

http://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/news/miracle-man-26933752.html

Renault Megane Subframe Bushings

A subframe front or rear basically holds the car's running gear (suspension, shock absorber and springs) or struts (combined shock absorber and spring) and the car's drivetrain (drive shaft and hub). A hub or stub axle as it is known by some people is the part of the car the wheels are mounted to via a  drive flange.  A wishbone, also know as a bottom arm, keeps the hub in place and attached to the sub frame.

With the help of ball joints, inner and outer tie/track rod ends (which are another form of ball joint but attached to the steering system) allow the suspension and drivetrain to move in a controlled manner. The sub frame must never move at any time in order to keep the geometry of the front of the vehicle locked safely in place and the timing of all these steering and suspension components correct that they will never crash into one another and/or hit the body of the vehicle thus  keeping us safe on the roads as we travel from A to B, amongst other cars/vans/jeeps, trucks and motorbikes, never mind people and buildings.

The Renault Megane - all models, 3,4 and 5 door - Scenic and Grand Scenic from 2003 onwards to the new model just released, have two large bushes which locate the front subframe on the car.  These bushes are pressed into the subframe behind the steering rack and accurately locate the subframe in place stopping any form of movement caused by vibration, knocks or bangs in every day use.
These bushes break down with old age or high use causing movement and  MOT/NCT test failure.  You can't buy these bushes from Renault alone, instead you must buy a complete subframe which has the two bushes in it for £400+ .

Until recently this was the only means of purchasing these bushings, but replacement bushings are now available through Commonsense Car Parts Ltd (www.commonsensecarparts.com)

Local Mechanic vs Giant Manufacturers

Most vehicle manufacturers have been building cars, vans, trucks for up to one hundred years now - Ford from the early 1900s, Mercedes, BMW, Fiat and most of the other makes for 60/70/80 years.  In that time they have become smart, wise even, to what is prone to breaking down, what is prone to wear fast, and what is vital to keep the car moving.  They are also fully aware that maintenance is the key to keeping our vehicles on the road efficiently.

 Most people do not realise that cars like human beings, animals, food, everything in the world are constantly evolving.  The manufacturers have picked up on this and are constantly trying to adapt their products, produce them more efficiently.  All the time, to keep up with this, the manufacturers of petroleum, gas, petrol, diesel, motion lotion - call it what you will - are also working hard to keep their products more efficient, more environmentally friendly, cost-efficient, cost-effective to produce, and in doing so they must all work together very closely, in particular in areas where oil is a vital ingredient to keep an engine, gearbox, differential/back axle all in tiptop condition.  In the last 20 years semi synthetic and fully synthetic oils have come on the market. A lot of people have no idea what these are as they may have no interest.  As long as their car takes them from a to b, that’s all that matters.

Now it’s a different story for the many people who never service their cars. Others only service their cars maybe once a year. One particular engine – the DV6 1.6 engine found in all Peugeots and Citroens from 98 to present (it’s also available in most 1.6 diesel Fords, Mazdas and Volvos since 2004 forwards) is supposed to be serviced every 3500 to 5000 miles with the correct oil, not just any diesel engine oil.  And a lot of the time a genuine oil filter from the manufacturer Ford or Peugeot or Citroen should be used.  When a turbo is been changed on these vehicles there is a strict code of conduct that needs to be followed in order to add to the longevity of the turbo.  Cleaning of this engine entirely, including the hydraulic buckets attached the tappets and nearly every area accessible to oil needs to be cleaned thoroughly.  Peugeot, which is the manufacturer of this DV6 engine, say a 5 hour deep clean is needed, along with replacement with new parts of the oil feed and oil return pipes, including new banjo bolts and sump gauze.  If these conditions are not followed strictly the new turbo will not last long. Again the manufacturer of this engine knows this and advises that the troubleshooting and servicing of these vehicles is carried out by the network of main dealers they have throughout the country.  This work for their own people in their dealerships is a revenue creator for all involved, making life harder for the small-time mechanic. 

Modern cars are evolving all the time, with more and more electronic sensors everywhere that pick up faults within the cars system, and control modules that maintain the use of many components throughout the vehicle – ABS system, airbag system, electric windows, air-conditioning etc.  These main dealers, or network of agents attached to the manufacturers, have this software equipment knowledge and experience of finding these faults and eliminating them.  Smaller local mechanics may not have the equipment, knowledge or money to bring themselves up to speed with every manufacturer’s capabilities.  Then there is also the care of these vehicles’ suspension and drivetrain components, of which there are a great many in every vehicle.

Peugeot again have their own suspension system on both sides at the front of every car in their 407 model range from 2002 onwards. This unique system, made up of an aluminium upright (known as a hub carrier) held between a top and bottom wishbone, has a bushing at the very bottom, just where it meets the bottom wishbone which is prone for breaking down quite fast.  You could not buy this bush from Peugeot on its own - instead you must buy the complete hub carrier at €360+/£300+.  Only recently a company in Northern Ireland, called KCar Manufacturing, began to make a much a cheaper and stronger replacement for the 407 bush, without the need to buy the hub carrier.  This bush is now available to order exclusively from Commonsense Car Parts (www.commonsensecarparts.com) at €50+ VAT each.  A whole range of other replacement components can be found on our website. 

www.commonsensecarparts.com

Reconditioned vs Remanufactured - what's the difference?

What’s the difference between a reconditioned turbo and a remanufactured turbo?

Reconditioning involves fixing up your own turbo i.e. it is a repair job. This concentrates on fixing the problem with your turbo, only the faulty part is removed, and you get back an old turbo with the fault fixed. This is usually done by a mechanic or some other mechanically minded person, and in a workshop/garage environment. The main problem with this is that it is still an old turbo, with the potential to experience many more age-related problems. Reconditioning simply extends the useful life of your turbo, rather than giving it a whole new life. As well as this, seals have to be broken and replaced as part of the job, and the non-sterile environment could compromise the future efficiency of your turbo.

Remanufacturing means a turbo has been returned to a remanufacturing plant, fully broken down into its component parts and each part is then cleaned and inspected. If the housing is intact it will be used again, if not it will be replaced. The same then goes for each individual component- if it is in perfect condition it will be used again, if not, it will be replaced. This is done in a sterile engineering environment,

When you buy a remanufactured turbo, you are buying a product that is as close to a new turbo as it can be. It is done on an exchange basis – your own turbo is then sent back to the manufacturing plant so the components can be used to remanufacture a turbo for the next customer. In that way you get a good as new turbo for much less than the cost of a brand new one.

When you buy your turbo from Commonsense Car Parts Limited you are buying a turbo remanufactured to ISO9001 standards with a 12 month manufacturer’s warranty. Visit us at http://www.commonsensecarparts.com/ to request a quote. The same high standard and minimum 12 month warranty applies to all remanufactured car parts we supply – including steering racks, steering pumps, steering columns, brake callipers, alternators, starters, fuel pumps.

Don't d v 8 from these instructions when fitting your DV6 Turbo

Turbo Part No. 753420-4, 49173-07502/07503/07504/07505/ 07506/07507

Engine codes: 1.6HDI DV6TED4/ DV6UTED Ford, Citroen, Peugeot, Mazda and others

To those in the motor trade, the mechanical repair field, main dealer suppliers and end users (Joe Soaps): this DV6 engine is a bit of a diva - if you don't treat her right she simply won't perform.  She's highly sensitive and demands only the finest oil (5W/30), regular pampering (servicing every 3500 to 5000 miles), and will be quick to throw a tantrum if she feels in any way mistreated.  Our diva demands a specialised diet- none of your fast food (cheap or inferior oil) - she wants to keep in the best of condition, and poor quality oil and failure to service the engine regularly will result in a build up of carbon (best described as 'killer sludge') and she will be so unhappy she won't think twice about taking  the turbo, EGR valve or oil pump out of commission, at a mighty price to you.  (And don't even think of starving her of oil (letting oil levels go low) - if your engine is starved she will simply destroy all around her)

Once the damage is done, and the killer sludge has invaded your engine, its almost impossible to eradicate it.  Once in it can hide in the smallest crevices, darkest deepest oil galleries, from the hydraulic tablets in the head to the oil lift  pipe found in the sump - nowhere is safe.  This can cause ongoing problems as even if you replace a component such as a turbo or EGR valve with a high quality replacement, it will be prone to picking up traces of the killer sludge from the engine and its life expectancy will be reduced. 

It is extremely important that you read the fitting instructions supplied by us before fitting your turbo. Failure to do so will result in premature failure and you will be declined in the event of a warranty claim.

The PSA 1.6HDi, DV6TED4 engine is a highly sophisticated low emission, high power diesel unit. It is used in many different applications; Citroen, Ford, Mazda, Mini, Peugeot and Volvo.

Due to the engine being clean and powerful, it is designed to operate at high temperatures, which demands the very best lubricants. These lubricants must be maintained in peak condition and PSA have fitted an in-line oil filter to the turbo and an integral oil cooler/oil filter to this engine to ensure this.

Reports in the field indicate that if the engine has been operated with the oil level below normal limits, this may potentially cause a high concentration of carbon in the oil. This may then lead to blockage of the in-line filter, oil cooler and main oil filter, which will eventually bring on premature turbo failure. The vacuum pump may also suffer from this same type of contamination.

However, due to its high operating speeds (230,000 revs per minute) the turbo will usually be the first to show signs of damage. This can happen from 30,000 miles onwards if the oil level and correct oil change intervals/procedure have not been adhered to.

Experience to date suggests that the carbon build up in this application is particularly difficult to remove.

To try to eliminate the potential for further turbo failure, the following MUST be undertaken by the garage, in addition to the normal recommended turbo fitting instructions:

　

1) Remove the engine sump and check oil pump pick up strainer, oil pump, and all oil galleries for carbon contamination
2)If heavy carbon deposits are identified fit new oil pump, oil pump pick up strainer and clean all oil galleries.

3)Fit a new oil feed pipe, oil feed connectors and oil drainpipes and hoses.

　

4)Remove the gauze filter that is in the new banjo bolt that secures pipe to block.

5)Remove oil cooler and oil filter assembly and clean thoroughly.

6)Remove intercooler, pipes and hoses remove residual oil.

7)Remove the vacuum pump and check for debris/carbon deposits and clean/replace as necessary.

8)Remove the Rocker Cover/Cam Box clean all carbon and sludge deposits from the cover, breather( where fitted) and associated valve gear.

9)Check the Particulate Filter and Cat are not blocked, replace if found to be heavily contaminated with oil from the failed turbo.

10)Clean the Exhaust Gas Re-circulation Valve, induction manifold and all associated pipe work and ensure that the E.G.R. is functioning correctly.　

11)A fully synthetic LOW SAPS 5w/30 oil must to be used.

12)Change engine oil after 200 miles and then every 3/ 5000 miles.

13)Ensure that the particulate filter is regenerated frequently and is not blocked. At least one 50 mile continuous journey every month.

14)Check the fuel injector gaskets are not damaged, replace as necessary.

15)Where turbo oil feed pipe bolts to engine block, blow through engine block to clear debris from the failed turbo and any carbon/sludge preferably using a cleaner before the oil pump is refitted.

16)Leave the oil feed pipe detached at the turbo end, crank the engine over without firing until clean oil is flowing from the pipe. It is convenient to catch the oil in a plastic bag or container. When clean oil is flowing connect the pipe to the turbo.

17)Check oil flow:

a) Fit turbo, leave oil return pipe disconnected.

b) Attach an extended oil return pipe and feed into a container.

c) Start engine, idle for 60 seconds and switch off engine.

d) Oil delivery should show at least 0.3 litres of oil.

e) Repeat test to confirm flow is correct.

f) Ensure during the test the engine is not run below minimum oil level

g) Change oil and filter after 20 miles and then after 200 miles as in step 12)

In some instances even after carrying out these instructions not all of the carbon/ sludge deposits will have been removed resulting in further turbo failure. In these instances the turbo will NOT be covered by the warranty as the failure is not due to a faulty component but failure due to external factors.

In life most of us know there are no guarantees - give yourself the best chance of your turbo surviving by following each and every one of the steps above and double checking to make sure all these steps have been followed.  Cutting corners or skipping steps with such a sensitive piece of equipment is just not worth the risk.  Your warranty is only as good as your fitting of the turbo allows it to be.

Footnote: The only 100% cure to prevent premature turbo failure is to fit a new engine.

We sell this turbo with a 12 month warranty but it's a warranty for parts and workmanship, and doesn't cover damage or failure caused by your failure to follow the fitting instructions and have your vehicle regularly serviced. 

Commonsense Car Parts