Ask a Shiter

[AlabamaShrimp]

Does Ford Fiesta mk1 used normal dot 4 brake fluid ? Haynes say " to Ford specifications only "

Yes. Worked OK in mine.

[Ghosty]

Should a distributor have play in the rotor shaft, or do I need a new one?

[Guest Hooli]

Should a distributor have play in the rotor shaft, or do I need a new one?

 

Define play, you'll be able to rotate it a bit because of the linkage to the bobweights but it shouldn't move side to side.

[Ghosty]

Yeah it's cam driven, and there's a fair bit of lateral play in the shaft.

Not looking forward to finding a replacement F series dizzy that isn't shagged.

Define play, you'll be able to rotate it a bit because of the linkage to the bobweights but it shouldn't move side to side.

[dave21478]

Dont go changing stuff like distributers until you get it running first. 

[Ghosty]

Have to, coil/igniter is fucked, hence the non starting, and it's inside the dizzy. The head on the screw holding the rotor on is mullered - you need to remove the rotor to get to the coil which is under it and a plastic cover.

Hence why I've found play in the distributor shaft.

I'm putting the same distributor back in but with new coil, rotor, cap and leads.

[clayts450]

RE 156s, I would avoid the JTS and get a diesel, they are great engines and really not bad to drive.

 

However rust. Rust rust rust. Mine was a cheapy bought with no MOT but failed muchly for the lack of sills and floors.

 

The whole underneath of the thing was like the titanic, lots of peeling underseal and more rust underneath.

 

Either they painted it with saltwater before the underseal, or the underseal wasn't much cop.

 

Have you considered a 147 or GT? Same underneath but may rust less, at least my wife's 55 plate 147 seems very unrusty.

 

GTs are also getting temptingly cheap for moderately fucked ones and look GR12 to me.

 

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F202281022839

 

I've been reading that if the 156 goes anywhere it's the floorpan, but apparently it's limited to the earlier models only ? I'm after an estate and my ears have pricked (missus) at mention of a 156 Sportswagon (yes I know it's not an estate in the true sense of the word)

[oldcars]

Something clutch related has broke on the 75. You can get it in gear when engine is off. Might get it fixed, but needs other stuff so before i waste ££££ i want to get it looked over. I can start it with clutch in and in second, can i drive it a short distance like this, or am i best to get recovered?

[DodgeRover]

Something clutch related has broke on the 75. You can get it in gear when engine is off. Might get it fixed, but needs other stuff so before i waste ££££ i want to get it looked over. I can start it with clutch in and in second, can i drive it a short distance like this, or am i best to get recovered?

How far is a short distance, queues, traffic lights and hill starts could well be your undoing, if it's a quiet run on back roads with no junctions I would but stick a big sign on the back otherwise somebody is bound to get arsy. Plus it's going to stress engine mounts, battery and starter...

[Mike D]

Any A series botherers on here?

 

Further to my news 24 post, the mini was running fine yesterday and this morning, however half way into my journey to work the clutch pedal went rock hard and now wont actuate the clutch. I've been and had a look at lunch, all pivots seem intact, I can move the slave cyl in and it tries to actuate the clutch arm, but it seems to be something inside the clutch cover that is preventing it from moving. I cant operate the arm any more than the slave tries to with a bar. Also, the slave seems to be creeping outwards a bit now.

 

Engine is a 1430, straight cut box, remote change, pre verto clutch

 

Sounds like a big orange taxi home, clutch release bearing or diaphragm issue? or dodgy slave?

 

Cheers Shiters!

[sierraman]

Something clutch related has broke on the 75. You can get it in gear when engine is off. Might get it fixed, but needs other stuff so before i waste ££££ i want to get it looked over. I can start it with clutch in and in second, can i drive it a short distance like this, or am i best to get recovered?

If it needs other stuff doing I'd think twice about getting a clutch fitted. There's loads of cheap 75's about at the moment.

[oldcars]

How far is a short distance, queues, traffic lights and hill starts could well be your undoing, if it's a quiet run on back roads with no junctions I would but stick a big sign on the back otherwise somebody is bound to get arsy. Plus it's going to stress engine mounts, battery and starter...

Your not wrong, the drivers in this area get arsy at the best of times. Its about 5 miles couple of junctions and two roundabouts.

[oldcars]

If it needs other stuff doing I'd think twice about getting a clutch fitted. There's loads of cheap 75's about at the moment.

Yep, my thinking as well really. It is clean and i have spent a lot of time on it, but i really need to not pour ££££ into it.

[cros]

The 205 exhaust started blowing last week. This wasn't unexpected as amongst the spares that came with the car was a cataclysmic converter, and Im guessing the previous owner only bought it cos he knew the existing one was about buggered.

This is my first dealing with such devices, so I was shocked that the new one looked to be made from baking foil and fitted horribly. Worse still, it lacked the original ones internal divider, so, like me, the gas-flow is a little upset.

After a bit of torture it's back together, (with new lambda, came in the kit) but perhaps someone with experience of the modern world can tell me how many weeks I'm likely to have before the thing is dragging along the ground.

I'm unclear as to whether I could replace this miserable device with a piece of straight pipe and still get it through an MOT, (car is just pre Aug 92) perhaps someone can advise?

[Talbot]

cataclysmic converter

 

 

That made me properly LOL.  Not heard that one before.

 

IIRC, if the car is pre-Aug-92, then you can shove a straight pipe on it with no questions asked.

[jakebullet]

Suggest me up for wheels / tyres for land rover 88" ?

 

I have a set of LWB wheels (5.5" wide?), and a set of disco 1 steel wheels (wider?). My daily disco 2 has 235/70/16 AT's that are looking a bit tired but still have plenty of tread. Can / should I bung these on the series and buy new AT's for disco 2?

 

I used to run 205/16 shonky remoulds, but I'm too old for ditch finding now.

[Guest Hooli]

The 205 exhaust started blowing last week. This wasn't unexpected as amongst the spares that came with the car was a cataclysmic converter, and Im guessing the previous owner only bought it cos he knew the existing one was about buggered.

This is my first dealing with such devices, so I was shocked that the new one looked to be made from baking foil and fitted horribly. Worse still, it lacked the original ones internal divider, so, like me, the gas-flow is a little upset.

After a bit of torture it's back together, (with new lambda, came in the kit) but perhaps someone with experience of the modern world can tell me how many weeks I'm likely to have before the thing is dragging along the ground.

I'm unclear as to whether I could replace this miserable device with a piece of straight pipe and still get it through an MOT, (car is just pre Aug 92) perhaps someone can advise?IMG_20180504_142543.jpg

If memory serves pre March 93 doesn't need a cat at all.

 

But I'd Google for the MOT manual (I can't recall the link) and check as they've tightened up on removal of such things over the years.

 

Sent from my SM-G900F using Tapatalk

[twosmoke300]

1991 I believe is the cut off

[Landy Mann]

I run factory fit Avon Rangefinders on the 110, http://www.avon-tyres.co.uk/node/3249 . Most land Rover owners aren't fans but they stop, go and don't seem to get stuck. I guess they may increase the gearing on an SWB. As for handling ect... I get far more body roll from the suspension then the tyres also it's' a land rover... I did look at Mitchelin XZL's but they are very pricey.

 

Suggest me up for wheels / tyres for land rover 88" ?

 

I have a set of LWB wheels (5.5" wide?), and a set of disco 1 steel wheels (wider?). My daily disco 2 has 235/70/16 AT's that are looking a bit tired but still have plenty of tread. Can / should I bung these on the series and buy new AT's for disco 2?

 

I used to run 205/16 shonky remoulds, but I'm too old for ditch finding now.

[Petrolize]

Does anyone know a cheap way of getting a bonnet delivered from one end of the country to another?

Tried Shiply and paisley freight, but both quoting over £120. Alternatively, do we recon a bonnet would fit in a Audi A6 saloon?

[Craig the Princess]

Does anyone know a cheap way of getting a bonnet delivered from one end of the country to another?

Tried Shiply and paisley freight, but both quoting over £120. Alternatively, do we recon a bonnet would fit in a Audi A6 saloon?

Depends on the bonnet. We've had two Allegro bonnets in the back seat area (with the back seat removed and piled on top) of an Allegro saloon.

[Christine]

Depends on the bonnet. We've had two Allegro bonnets in the back seat area (with the back seat removed and piled on top) of an Allegro saloon.

Diesel hatchback version?

[Petrolize]

It’s a Rover 600 bonnet. Some kind of courier would be preferable though !

[Talbot]

It’s a Rover 600 bonnet. Some kind of courier would be preferable though !

If you can attach it to a pallette, it's about £70 to send anywhere in the UK.

[Rave]

My brother has a 2007 Ford C-Max 2.0 Auto, and the auto box is shifting really jerkily. It's been like it a while apparently, but yesterday when we were driving over to a mountain bike group ride together it flashed up "Transmission Failure" on the digital dash display.

 

To cut a long story short the original gearbox shat itself a couple of years after he bought it, apparently due to a known fault with them (it's a Ford 4F27E). He had a replacement fitted by a specialist at a cost of over a grand, which apparently had uprated bits in it to cure the original weakness. I had thought that the new box was only about 20-30,000 miles old, but he says in fact it was a lot longer ago than I remembered it and it's done nearer 60,000 miles.

 

So I'm thinking a fluid change is probably overdue. Googling reveals a guy who's done it to a Mazda 6; he went to the bother of removing the sump and changing the filter. Trouble is my bro was planning a trip to Wales at the weekend for more MTB-ing and so we're a bit short of time. I'm wondering if I could stick my Pela in the filler hole and suck the old oil out, and put a load of new fluid in? Clearly a complete change with a new filter, cleaning all the shit out of the sump etc. would be better, but a slapdash job might improve things in the short term till he can get the job done properly?

 

When we drove home the transmission warning message was gone, but the engine management light came on. I'm going to stick my cheapo bluetooth OBD reader on it later today just to see what that's about, is it likely to tell me what's upsetting the transmission at the same time- I've used Torque on my Android phone for OBD reading up till now but could try something else?

[Mr A Lawrence]

we needed a bonnet on the wife's mgf so got in touch with mgfntfspares in glossop which was a day out road trip.

 

took me spanners and changed the bonnet there and left him the old one, bought some other bits while we were there and drove home.

 

way cheaper than risking it with a courier and a good day out too.

 

if thats an option then do that.

[DodgeRover]

My brother has a 2007 Ford C-Max 2.0 Auto, and the auto box is shifting really jerkily. It's been like it a while apparently, but yesterday when we were driving over to a mountain bike group ride together it flashed up "Transmission Failure" on the digital dash display.

 

To cut a long story short the original gearbox shat itself a couple of years after he bought it, apparently due to a known fault with them (it's a Ford 4F27E). He had a replacement fitted by a specialist at a cost of over a grand, which apparently had uprated bits in it to cure the original weakness. I had thought that the new box was only about 20-30,000 miles old, but he says in fact it was a lot longer ago than I remembered it and it's done nearer 60,000 miles.

 

So I'm thinking a fluid change is probably overdue. Googling reveals a guy who's done it to a Mazda 6; he went to the bother of removing the sump and changing the filter. Trouble is my bro was planning a trip to Wales at the weekend for more MTB-ing and so we're a bit short of time. I'm wondering if I could stick my Pela in the filler hole and suck the old oil out, and put a load of new fluid in? Clearly a complete change with a new filter, cleaning all the shit out of the sump etc. would be better, but a slapdash job might improve things in the short term till he can get the job done properly?

 

When we drove home the transmission warning message was gone, but the engine management light came on. I'm going to stick my cheapo bluetooth OBD reader on it later today just to see what that's about, is it likely to tell me what's upsetting the transmission at the same time- I've used Torque on my Android phone for OBD reading up till now but could try something else?

Is there any fluid left in the box? What you suggest would be better than nothing - is there a critical fluid you need to use for that particular box?

[Rave]

Is there any fluid left in the box? What you suggest would be better than nothing - is there a critical fluid you need to use for that particular box?

 

I've not checked, I'm off to have a look at it in a minute. It could be low but as an ignoramus I thought it would be unusual for an autobox to lose fluid?

 

What fluid to use was going to be my next question. As usual there's conflicting advice; some say Mercon V, I found a ford PDF that says Mercon LV; I then read that that PDF is known to be incorrect. This stuff looks like it ought to do the job:

 

https://www.granvilleoil.com/prodInfo?pID=390

 

The wikipedia page for the box says to use a type of Mazda oil:

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_4F27E_transmission

[gm]

Does anyone know a cheap way of getting a bonnet delivered from one end of the country to another?

Tried Shiply and paisley freight, but both quoting over £120. Alternatively, do we recon a bonnet would fit in a Audi A6 saloon?

What you need is a small impractical two seater

 

[sierraman]

Doubt the cheap OBD reader will read and clear transmission faults. You might need Forscan for that.