Ask a Shiter

[sierraman]

By the same context a lot of independent outfits are cowboys. I think Halfords etc gets its reputation from Kwik Fit etc of the popular image of a greasy looking teenager giving the customer a load of bull shit in the hope of upselling. In Kwik Fit are they actually properly qualified Mechanics or are they tyre fitters?

[Supernaut]

Halfords, of course! There's one nearby. I may see about booking it in ASAP. See if they can do something about the exhaust leak too, or is that a bit ambitious?

 

Bloody ECP quality* back box just won't quite seal properly onto the middle section.

 

 

EDIT: Fuck it. Booked in for 10am this Saturday, with a note asking them to have a wee look at the exhaust leak while they're at it.

[castros_bro]

Rover 25 in turbo diesel flavour looming out of the dawn's pale glow covered in the first frost of winter refused to start. 

 

How much a pain is it to swap all 4 glow plugs assuming their threads were dipped in coppraslip when fitted last?  Is it a lunchtime job or a day off job?   HBOL ordered but not arrived yet.

[sierraman]

Depends on access, should be as easy as doing some plugs. Unless they snap.

[scaryoldcortina]

Access is the issue, no1 glowplug is obscured by the pump and an absolute arse to change.

[Richard]

My experience of glowplugs is that you don't notice when one fails but when a second one goes it's like having a Ford in the 70s.

[Richard]

The one off Wellington Road does, is that your local?

[stephen01]

TITAN SSYN F ECO DT5W-30 - I'm assuming this is a fully synthetic oil, National tyres are doing a oil and filter for my Honda for 45 quid (10% off) as the Honda takes 6 litres and a new filter is 8 quid this seems like a bargain..  

[cort1977]

Even my MoT man reckons they're reasonable and there aren't many modern machines he's got a decent word for.

 

Wife's uncle in Ireland has had one for about 10 years, uses it for all sorts, dragging horse boxes, trailers full of blocks, etc.   It looks knackered but every time I go over there it's still chugging away so think they are pretty tough if you get a good one.   Panel gaps is just US build quality.

[Snipes]

By the same context a lot of independent outfits are cowboys. I think Halfords etc gets its reputation from Kwik Fit etc of the popular image of a greasy looking teenager giving the customer a load of bull shit in the hope of upselling. In Kwik Fit are they actually properly qualified Mechanics or are they tyre fitters?

Depends on the specific circumstances. I worked there years ago and the centre had 3 career k/f blokes, 3 ex-main dealer career mechs and me. That was a good place to work actually.

 

K/f actually have a very decent training programme with a specialist training centre in Derby. I was sent there a couple of times, still on full pay and put up in a local travelodge (or whatever it was).

Can't say from experience but I'd expect any large franchised garage to be no better or worse.

 

What is a rip-off is being quoted £80-per HALFhour for a plumber to fix a leak only to call them back the next day because your bathroom still has a leak!

[M'coli]

TITAN SSYN F ECO DT5W-30 - I'm assuming this is a fully synthetic oil, National tyres are doing a oil and filter for my Honda for 45 quid (10% off) as the Honda takes 6 litres and a new filter is 8 quid this seems like a bargain..  

 

 

SSYN implies semi-synthetic to me.

 

Ben

Full synth: https://lmgtfy.com/?q=TITAN+SSYN+F+ECO+DT5W-30

[stephen01]

Full synth: https://lmgtfy.com/?q=TITAN+SSYN+F+ECO+DT5W-30

 

​after a little research I've found this website, with who you can set up a trade account so I'm sure National tyres have one with them and hey presto pop in  your details and you can get a price for oil and filter, which is coming back at 45 quid for the  Titan stuff (£35 for the cheapest option) so even the cheapest deal they do I have to ask myself is it worth DIY to save £15:00? hey £15 quid is £15 but time is a premium for me at the moment so off to the garage it goes..

 

 

oh and yeah fully synth

[sierraman]

Swapped my rear pads today, noticed on the back of the inner pad was a bit greasy, the caliper seal was weeping. Doesn't seem to be leaking out much in service as there's no trace on the exterior of the caliper. Anyway I'm going to swap it. Question is would one from the breakers be worth a punt?

[steveo3002]

depends if you can pick n choose and find a clean low milage caliper vs one thats been sat there a year in the rain  

[sierraman]

ECP are wanting £70 so I figured a used one might be a shout. Depends what the breakers are wanting really I guess doesn't it. Changed the pads and the seal has a bit of a weep. Not a lot though but it wants swapping.

[The Moog]

Try Amazon for car parts. I got two callipers for £9

[sierraman]

They're a popular item on Mondeos. Because they are fucking shit. Every single Mondeo I've had has had trouble with the back brakes. By the time they'd got round to making the one I'm working on they'd been at it 12 years. Still couldn't get it right.

 

On a positive note it gave me time to inspect the brake pipes which look to have been replaced, those that hadn't I gave a coat of Shutz. Looks to have had the rear shockers and springs replaced recently so that's all good news. The brakes now feel a lot more positive, which isn't surprising given the old pads were on the minimum. The discs were fine so left them. Checked again after it's had some use and there's no brake fluid that's escaping from round the caliper, pedal feels fine so I'll get it replaced in a few weeks to be on the safe side. The caliper that's on looked a recent replacement, the cut outs on it don't look the same as the Ford it just generally felt a bit cheap, the dust seal also didn't look the best fit either. Before you ask I did remove the master cylinder cap...

 

Priced up a Pagid replacement at £70 so for what it's worth I'll swap it for that.

[rainagain]

My experience of glowplugs is that you don't notice when one fails but when a second one goes it's like having a Ford in the 70s.

Yep my 206 DW8 was like this, all of a sudden it was a bugger to start. Get meter out two dead glowplugs.

[rainagain]

ECP are wanting £70 so I figured a used one might be a shout. Depends what the breakers are wanting really I guess doesn't it. Changed the pads and the seal has a bit of a weep. Not a lot though but it wants swapping.

Grab one from ebay and a seal kit. Fit the seal kit to the ebay one at leisure then swap when you get the chance.

[sierraman]

I think the problem with a lot of the EBay ones is the plating on the piston comes off and fucks the seal up. Take your point though might get a scrapyard genuine caliper and strip it down. Again depends what the breakers want for a caliper. It's it's £25 for a caliper, £15 for a kit, then by the time I've messed about the Pagid one has a 2 year warranty on it for £30 more. I'll see after Xmas...

[rainagain]

I was looking on ebay for one for my Volvo, £15 delivered

[Bfg]

.

Chrysler Voyager 2.5 diesel  (c.2004) 

 

Cam Belt  replacement is due.

 

Mechanic at the local garage says its a big job and requires special tools.  He doesn't want to do it. 

Anyone have experience of changing these ?

 

Can anyone in the Ipswich, Suffolk area recommend someone to do it ?

 

Thanks, Pete.

[dave21478]

Autodata says slightly over 3 hours to do. It lists some special locking tools, but they sound like pins so could probably be done with drill bits or bolts or the like. 

 

The method doesnt sound too onerous, but its just the procedure...doesnt say if access is difficult or not.

[Supernaut]

To tayne, not the kittybrewster one but they have an auto centre on its own next to Morrison's off mounthooly

[Asimo]

What cars have hydraulic power steering with an electrically driven pump?

Just need to know as I am looking for a cheap electric hydraulic pump for a project.

[Jim Bell]

Anyone know of a method of getting a spare key cut and coded for an E46 without a trip to the dealers. The lad that usually cuts and codes keys for me says emphatically that BMWS ARE IMPOSSIBLE AND YOU HAVE TO GO TO THE DEALERS AND YOURE LOOKING AT £295.

[fraser.innes.3]

.

Chrysler Voyager 2.5 diesel (c.2004)

 

Cam Belt replacement is due.

 

Mechanic at the local garage says its a big job and requires special tools. He doesn't want to do it.

Anyone have experience of changing these ?

 

Can anyone in the Ipswich, Suffolk area recommend someone to do it ?

 

Thanks, Pete.

I've got the tools as they are the same as the 2.8. Fuckin bitch of a job. Especially if you want to do the water pump at the same time.

 

Sent from my EVA-L09 using Tapatalk

[Bfg]

^ Thanks gents ..I appreciate your advice and offer.

 

..your (the above) description of the job confirms that of my mechanic.  I hoped there might be a trick of the trade to make things easier than he implied.

 

I don't want to do the job myself because the way things are going just recently - it'll end up costing me more than my buying another car,  if you know what I mean.  There seems to be a megga drain hole in my bank account, that some I thought I knew better have filled up from.   Conversely, I barely trust in Lady Luck right now for the thing not to bust on me.!  Tomorrow I have 250 miles round trip down via the M25 but I can't avoid that unless I shell out even more dosh..  I'll just have to take it steady.

 

Again Thanks. Bfg

[scaryoldcortina]

What cars have hydraulic power steering with an electrically driven pump?

Just need to know as I am looking for a cheap electric hydraulic pump for a project.

Skoda fabia is probably the easiest to find in a scrapyard.

[drum]

My bargain Santa Fe is turning out be not so much of a bargain.

The non-releasing clutch that I hoped was master cylinder related has been diagnosed by local car doctor as a fubared DMF.

Apparently this might also explain its missing a cylinder symptom.

 

I had put this down to a combination of it running out of fuel when I bought it and too many short journeys causing its arteries to become furred up.

 

Today's stupid question is "Can buggered dmf cause rough running?"