Ask a Shiter

[MrDuke]

Anyone seen / heard of / know anything about these?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-NAKAMICHI-NA205-Single-DIN-Bluetooth-USB-AUX-IN-CD-Player-Stereo-Headunit-/252753211164?hash=item3ad943ef1c:g:c3UAAOSwNnRYlEHI

 

I know Nakamichi was certified Good Shit^TM back in the day, but somehow I can't see this £55 ebay special being quite up to their standards of old. But it looks like it'll do everything I want it to, and it isn't offensively garish like every other new head unit on sale. Thoughts?

 

 

Unfortunately, the Nakamichi brand name is no longer associated with Mr Nakamichi:

 

In 1998, it was acquired by Grande Holdings, a Chinese company based in Hong Kong. Grande Holdings included electronics companies Akai and Sansui. Niro Nakamichi left in 1998 to set up Mechanical Research Corporation.

 

I agree that it does look aesthetically pleasing though, and the Chinese can produce some fairly decent stuff if they try. Depends how much you're happy to risk, I guess.

[wuvvum]

Apparently, as soon as they start running away you should stuff a rag down the air intake to stifle them of oxygen. The problem is getting the cover off the engine quick enough. 

In a turbo diesel engine, there's a good chance said rag will also be sucked into the air intake and end up wrapped around the turbo vanes, which is less than ideal.

 

In a (manual gearboxed) vehicle the easiest thing to do is to bung it in top gear, stand on the brakes and come briskly off the clutch.  With a Junkman-o-Matic, it's either the rag or a CO₂  extinguisher emptied into the intake - although the chances of having one of those to hand outside of a commercial premises are admittedly rather slim.

[wuvvum]

Actually, just a thought: if all else fails, would opening the oil filler cap and tipping in fresh oil help at all?  It'd stop the engine from running out of oil and seizing up, but would pouring fresh, cold oil into the engine reduce the overall oil temp enough to stop it from vapourising?

[Dj_efk]

Maybe but if the next step is the scrapyard then it's probably worth doing it as a final roll of the dice.

Agree with this. Give the thing an Italian job with a fresh load of fuel and perhaps a fresh oil change and a bottle of something that has good reviews for this type of issue (not sure if redex is the best, I know it's the most famous). It sound so like one of those issues that might just get better and better with hard use.

[cort16]

Actually, just a thought: if all else fails, would opening the oil filler cap and tipping in fresh oil help at all? It'd stop the engine from running out of oil and seizing up, but would pouring fresh, cold oil into the engine reduce the overall oil temp enough to stop it from vapourising?

Would you really want to get that close to a Diesel engine doing an uncontrolled 8000 rpm?

[Guest Hooli]

The best thing to do with a run away diesel is run away & hide behind something solid. When the rods come out the block they'll be moving quite quickly. I saw a Landcruiser do it once when on it's side a a pay n play site, it made rather a lot of mess & took a lot of effort to extract from where it ended up.

[Frogchod]

1998 Saxo 1.4 auto.

Ok or run away ?

Autobox comments most welcome please.

[TataBobu]

Is it a 1.8? The oil control rings are goosed probably. Usually accompanied by dense blue smoke.

 

 

Is it a 2l zetec?

 

 

Sorry about the delayed response. It's the 2.0 Duratec. Never been given diesel in the 3 years my dad has it, and on Saturday it performed normally on a Newport - Bristol Airport and return journey. No (visible) smoke. Should I tell him to try another MOT station?  

[DodgeRover]

Ues

[sierraman]

Sorry about the delayed response. It's the 2.0 Duratec. Never been given diesel in the 3 years my dad has it, and on Saturday it performed normally on a Newport - Bristol Airport and return journey. No (visible) smoke. Should I tell him to try another MOT station?

2.0 less prone to the oil control ring fault. Mainly attracts the 1.8 for some reason. Does it use any oil at all? If it doesn’t I’d look elsewhere, if you are sticking a pint of oil in a week, obviously it’s going somewhere.

[phil_lihp]

Another diesel van question: since changing the oil last year on my Hiace, the oil pressure light has taken about 5-6 seconds to go out when started from cold but goes out instantly when it's hot.  My trusted mechanic said not to worry about it and it's been like it for the last year and 6000 miles, no untoward noises and it has consumed about a litre in the last year which doesn't seem outrageous for an 18 year old diesel with 153,000 miles on it.  My mechanic reckoned it was possible that the oil filter I used (a MANN one which I thought would be good quality, the same as I usually buy for cars I service) didn't have a non-return valve.  It's quite high up on the block, no idea if that could be the cause or not.  

 

It's a 2.4 non-turbo, I've used 10W40 in it.  The only other thing to add is that when I changed the oil I had a disaster, the sealing ring fell off the oil filter which I couldn't see and when first started it belched out several litres of oil in about 10 seconds before I noticed and turned it off but it made no horrible noises and still had oil in it.  It was re-filled, the filter was re-sealed and it hasn't leaked a drop since that I can see.

 

I'm about to change the oil again and curious as to whether I should get a different make of filter this time, I could get a genuine one from my local Toyota dealer although that seems a trifle excessive. Either that or should I be using a different grade of oil?

[cort1977]

Gen filters are still not that much so worth a try I guess. If you get a filter at Toyota surely they could tell you the correct grade at the parts counter even in these desperate times?

 

My question, any tips on fitting new carpet in a car? It should be easy and it's not, trying to get it smooth and tucked away neatly is unexpectedly hard.

[gordonbennet]

Hiace with the slow to extinguish oil light, i've been using Wix filters in the LC, of which i bought about ten cos end of line, and the oil light goes out instantly, somehow i can't see a Mann Filter having no non return valve.

 

Unless you diy oil changes i'd get your fiendly mechanic to have a poke nose at the oil pick up strainer, if necessary with an endoscope (on LC's with the 3.0 litre the pick up is directly above the drain plug so easy peasy), in case its full of carbon gunge restricting the flow.

[phil_lihp]

Thanks, I've never heard of Wix, I'll look for one.  Are Mann a bit crap then?  I thought they were a decent brand.  I do my own oil changes, will see if I can see the strainer through the drain plug when I do change it.

[gordonbennet]

Thanks, I've never heard of Wix, I'll look for one.  Are Mann a bit crap then?  I thought they were a decent brand.  I do my own oil changes, will see if I can see the strainer through the drain plug when I do change it.

No no, you misunderstand me, i mean Mann are good stuff and i can't imagine them making a filter for your van without a non return valve...hmm somehow that still doesn't read right...Mann make good filters.

 

I would have used Mann's on the Scooby, but when i got one the design of the facing meant it only went on less than two turns of thread, nope, binned that and i'm using K&N's on that car, again luckily a job lot came up on CP4L cheap so i snaffled all they had, about 4 IIRC.

[phil_lihp]

Ah, I see, I misread.  Well if nothing else is suitable I'll get another one, the last one seemed to be a bit suspect anyway given that the rubber seal fell off!

[DodgeRover]

Possibly an incorrect cross reference and the filter you were supplied whilst physically right doesn't have the non return valve?

Try a genuine one and see if it makes a difference unless they are mega money.

[Matt]

This might not be the perfect thread but I don't think it deserves it's own. Volvo 240, 740 or 940? Which is best? Which engine to go for? Any particular problems with any of them? (Other than the fact that 240's have gotten a bit expensive lately).

[twosmoke300]

Hi aces have two options for oil filters - a small one and a big one

[phil_lihp]

Hi aces have two options for oil filters - a small one and a big one

 

Interesting!  Probably came from ECP and looked the same as the old one but as suggested, doesn't mean it is right!

 

I'll see how much the dealer ones are, they were helpful last time I asked them for a part reference, can't hurt to ask and check the oil grade at the same time.

[3VOM]

This might not be the perfect thread but I don't think it deserves it's own. Volvo 240, 740 or 940? Which is best? Which engine to go for? Any particular problems with any of them? (Other than the fact that 240's have gotten a bit expensive lately).

It's more what do you want and which engine I think. (Starts argument with Ghosty).

https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/FAQSummary1.html

[Matt]

It's more what do you want and which engine I think. (Starts argument with Ghosty).

https://www.volvoclub.org.uk/faq/FAQSummary1.html

 

Comfort, more space*, reliability. An even balance between performance and fuel economy would be nice (hence manual). Looking on eBay 240's have gotten really a bit too pricey by the looks of it so I'm mainly looking for 740 vs 940.

 

*Relative to a Suzuki Swift so all models apply really.

[Tickman]

Last week I went to change the Alternator on Sonic My 1972 Triumph Toledo:

 

 

I purchased a replacement which seemed to be the correct item:

 

 

Then I took the old one off:

 

 

I certainly didn't take the old one off before checking the new one decided to practice removal of the alternator and it went swimmingly as did refitting the one I had just taken off.

 

 

I cannot find a replacement the same as I currently have on the car. Can anyone help a stupid person?

[gordonbennet]

Its probably a simple rewire and a suitable plug of course to make it work, but is there a competent sparky nearby who could rebuild the original alternator for you.

[twosmoke300]

Such shiny Chinese plastic !

[Guest Hooli]

This might not be the perfect thread but I don't think it deserves it's own. Volvo 240, 740 or 940? Which is best? Which engine to go for? Any particular problems with any of them? (Other than the fact that 240's have gotten a bit expensive lately).

 

240. I much preferred driving them & they don't have the stupid lower dash trim that gets in the way of your toes if you take anything over a size 4  shoe (mind you, I don't expect many 700/900s do anymore either).

[fordperv]

I was talking with mrs fp earlier and the conversation got onto headlamp lenses and how new cars are pants with their plastic lenses, but what was the last produced car that still had glass lenses?

[Eddie Honda]

...at which point the answer becomes Morgan or something.

 

[Dick Cheeseburger]

As far as mass produced cars go, mk4 Golf had glass headlights until its demise in 2004. Always struck me as being unusual.

[twosmoke300]

Saab 9-5 had them fairly late .