Ask a Shiter

[Snipes]

I had them on a mk2 golf; bought a set of 4 brand new for my E30 wheels. That was 15 years ago though.

[Crusty Sills]

I'm planning on putting electronic ignition on the Beetle, in all honesty is there a big difference between Petronix and Accuspark kits?

Accuspark half the price of Petronix but is it worth the extra $$?

[wuvvum]

Tracking question:  I fitted a new offside track rod end to the MGF for its MOT, obviously epically failed at getting the new one in the same place on the rod as the old one had been, and now the steering wheel is on the piss to the left when the car is going straight ahead. 

 

My brain is telling me that this means I've got too much toe-out on the OSF wheel, but have I got this right?  Or could it be some weird thing with the F's electric PAS redefining what "straight" is for some reason?

[Guest Hooli]

I'd go with your idea of too much toe out on the right. Straight ahead should be in the middle of the steering movement so I can't see a system being designed to allow that to change.

[PhilA]

Stick on a VV carb from an Escort.

 

My mate's 84 Escort had you pulling the choke and pushing the pedal so much to start it you might as well have been playing the Wurlitzer organ at Blackpool.

 

Stop yes, start no

 

Phil

[scdan4]

Help please.

 

the drivers door lock latch on the volvo has fucked right up and is in desperate need of replacement.

 

volvo want over 200 quid and a couple of weeks. FRO.

 

except - I can't find one in a scrapper anywhere. Rang round loads.

 

Lakes volvo promised one... and promised one... and promised one........

 

And i'm still looking.

 

phase 1 v70 drivers door lock. Anyone got any bright ideas? the door lonly latches one time in 5 and it's getting real old real quick.

[tooSavvy]

Help please.

 

the drivers door lock latch on the volvo has fucked right up and is in desperate need of replacement.

 

volvo want over 200 quid and a couple of weeks. FRO.

 

except - I can't find one in a scrapper anywhere. Rang round loads.

 

Lakes volvo promised one... and promised one... and promised one........

 

And i'm still looking.

 

phase 1 v70 drivers door lock. Anyone got any bright ideas? the door lonly latches one time in 5 and it's getting real old real quick.

 

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18902

 

TS

[Tickman]

Tracking question:  I fitted a new offside track rod end to the MGF for its MOT, obviously epically failed at getting the new one in the same place on the rod as the old one had been, and now the steering wheel is on the piss to the left when the car is going straight ahead. 

 

My brain is telling me that this means I've got too much toe-out on the OSF wheel, but have I got this right?  Or could it be some weird thing with the F's electric PAS redefining what "straight" is for some reason?

I agree with your brain!

I would just loosen the lock nut and turn it in half a turn at a time until your happy. You need to be shortening the rod.

I have one of the Track rite gauges and it is so easy to use I wish I bought one years ago.

[scdan4]

https://www.matthewsvolvosite.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=18902

 

TS

 

Not the problem sadly. thats the door not locking or unlocking. their doors however latch when you shut them and stay shut. My ambiguous language, sorry.

 

Mine doesn't latch when you swing the door shut occasionally/quite a lot. You then have to bang the lock area a bit (more in hope than expectation) and then try slamming it shut again a few times. Sometimes cycling the lock/unlick on the drivers door will help, sometimes not. Then it will be ok for a bit. it's also shat the mechanism that the end of the door key barrel drives, and the key fob blip no longer works so we had been using this to lock/unlock.

 

The fact that i can't seem to find one in a breakers kinda indicates to me that they all do that. which is nice.

[DSdriver]

In my experience, doors failing to close properly and sometimes partially opening when driving over a bump is due to a lack of actual metal in the floorpan/sills.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Anyone know hos oil pressure gauges work?

 

The Frontera one was all over the place, oil changed settled it down but now it's shooting back up again. It's got a small leak on the top of the engine but it isn't low on oil.

[Guest Hooli]

Take the switch out the block N see if it's clean. It's just a spring loaded diaphragm or something like that inside, but as it's fed by a small hole it's easy for them to get blocked due to dirty old oil.

[nacho man]

Picking my car up from the painters friday. Will i be able to wash it/ wax it etc straight away? Its had the front end done to make minty fresh. Will it pick up stonechips easier etc for a while? whats the best way to protect it, look after it???

[AlabamaShrimp]

Take the switch out the block N see if it's clean. It's just a spring loaded diaphragm or something like that inside, but as it's fed by a small hole it's easy for them to get blocked due to dirty old oil.

Thank you, I will locate and clean. Never had a car with one before so know sod all about em.

[maxpower]

Anyone know which insurance company is best for a jap import?...tried conventional companies but they don't have the model of the car i want on their list?

[Snipes]

Anyone know which insurance company is best for a jap import?...tried conventional companies but they don't have the model of the car i want on their list?

 

Go to WHSmiths and have a naughty leaf through the back of Japanese Performance or whatever. 

[Guest Hooli]

Thank you, I will locate and clean. Never had a car with one before so know sod all about em.

 

The ones I've seen look the same as the oil pressure switch for the warning light.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Gents, what is the AS opinion on the VAG 1400 TDi ? I know it's the amputee brother of the 1900 TDi, but is it anywhere as strong/economical ? Any common faults ?

[M'coli]

Gents, what is the AS opinion on the VAG 1400 TDi ? I know it's the amputee brother of the 1900 TDi, but is it anywhere as strong/economical ? Any common faults ?

^^^ Aye, it's attached to something from the VAG group...

[Sigmund Fraud]

VAG SHITE 

[The Moog]

Chatting to a friend tonight who said she has a 1974 Capri 2000gt - 1 owner to sell for father in law.

 

Any idea of how much it may be worth?

[DeeJay]

Squillions.

[Matt]

Some wiring questions...

 

Anyone know what this kind of connection is called, if they are available for purchase or if there are better options available? This is out of a Suzuki Swift wiring loom but I could actually do with something that puts two or three wires into one. A Y shaped crimp connector would be great but I can't actually find something like that.

 

 

Is there any reliable way to work out the gauge of a wire? I've got loads kicking around from various sources from VW audio wiring, Suzuki wiring loom to stuff removed from dead appliances (iron, vacuum cleaner etc).

[Dippy]

Its an uninsulated butt connector with too many wires shaggeg into it

[egg]

What was the last car officially sold in the UK which did not have any onboard computer/ECU?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Chatting to a friend tonight who said she has a 1974 Capri 2000gt - 1 owner to sell for father in law.

Any idea of how much it may be worth?

These are quite rare because they were a bit of an oddity, when the Mk1 facelift came along in 73 the 1600 Kent engine was replaced by the Pinto. Naturally the 1600GT got a twin choke and a few extra horses.

The logical thing to do with the V4 would obviously to bin it and drop the 2.0 Pinto into the 2000GT- Ford didn't , fuck knows why.

2000GT Pintos didn't appear ( in the UK at least) until the Mk2.

As a Ford licker in my youth I once created my ideal Capri a Facelift 1600GT with a 2.0 Pinto and the twin headlights from a GXL- I loved it, as did whoever nicked it!

 

As to value , may I refer you to DeeJay's accurate assessment - the V4ness might make it more or less desirable- you're welcome.

[Matt]

too many wires shaggeg into it

 

Special Suzuki build quality.

[Bfg]

Some wiring questions...

 

Anyone know what this kind of connection is called, if they are available for purchase or if there are better options available? This is out of a Suzuki Swift wiring loom but I could actually do with something that puts two or three wires into one. A Y shaped crimp connector would be great but I can't actually find something like that.

 

 

Is there any reliable way to work out the gauge of a wire? I've got loads kicking around from various sources from VW audio wiring, Suzuki wiring loom to stuff removed from dead appliances (iron, vacuum cleaner etc).

 

As long as the wiring isn't directly exposed to the elements I'd suggest by far the easiest is to use a screw block connector, aka 'cheese block', aka 'chocolate block' (..as they used to be made in brown Bakelite), aka 'terminal block' or 'terminal strip' - see < here >.  They come in different sizes, and are dirt cheap.  I often use them on my bikes (within the electrical box, so out of the weather).  They are handy if for example wires may sometime need to be feed back through a grommet, when the connectors are physically too big.

 

On my Sunbeam motorcycles ; the wires to the rear mudguard lamp are such a situation. Rather than have a connector block outside in the wet ..it's better to a screw-block connector inside the bike's electrical box. When necessary those wires then very easily pull through the small grommet.    

 

Of course most screw block connectors also have a through hole inbetween the connectors, and are otherwise shaped that zip ties can be used. I have also used a wrap of velcro around them - either way these blocks can easily be securely fastened to the vehicle.

 

I prefer to pre-solder (tin) the wire ends, as this gives the screws something solid to clamp onto, and I then usually fill the screw block connector with Vaseline (I have a syringe full of the stuff specifically for the purpose) ..to keep moisture out.   In my experience - they are very reliable connections..

 

no soldering iron ? ..then try < this >.

 

 

Wire gauge might be reliably assessed by the fuse rating on your vehicle and seeing what size wires go to that fuse.

 

As a guide though :

  9/0.30 = 0.65mm²,   5.75A - cable OD 2.3mm:  Side/tail lamps, indicators etc.

 

14/0.30 = 1.0mm²,   8.75A. cable OD 2.6mm: Side/tail lamps, indicators, fog lamps, general wiring.

 

28/0.30 = 2.0mm²,  17.5A - cable OD 3.3mm: Head lamps, wipers, screen heaters, petrol pumps, etc.

 

44/0.30 = 3.0mm²,  27.5A - cable OD 3.7mm: Charging circuits, main feeds.

 

65/0.30 = 4.5mm²,   35A - cable OD 5.0mm: Heavy duty charge circuits, alternator feeds.

 

Cable descriptions are known by the number / size of cable strands, and/or the cross-sectional area of the wire conductor (all the strands together).  For example 14 / 0.30 refers to 14 strands of 0.30mm diameter cable giving a total cable conductor area of 1.0mm².   Cable OD (outside diameter) is of course an approximation ..depending on how thick the plastic insulator is from any supplier.   Fuse rating is for continuous (as most auto fuses are rated), where their surge loading (for short periods of time) will be more. 

 

Hope that's helpful

Bfg  

[Guest Hooli]

If you use a chocy block then make sure it's supported. The weight of it swinging around on the wires will snap them after a while. My average when wiring stereos like that was 18months before problems.

[twosmoke300]

If you use a chocolate block make sure that the rope you use to hang yourself out of shame is strong enough !