Ask a Shiter

[drum]

Might be coming into a Golf mk5 2.0 tdi, it won’t start, not had a proper look at it yet. Before I brave eBay with the bits is there anything anyone is after? Wings are rusty before you ask. Obviously.

I need the fuel cooler and tailgate lock actuator if you're breaking the golf.

 

 

What year? The wings maybe covered by VW anti perforation warranty.

  

 

Is this a thing?

 

Wife's is a 57 plate and the paint is falling off the wheel arches.

[sierraman]

Yeah they have this stuff in the inner wings a bit like Oasis, water gets trapped in it then toys the wings out. They are rusty but the drivers side isn’t too bad it’s just a scab.

 

Waiting on the owner getting back to me on it, if I hear anything I’ll let you know. Failing that he has said if I want anything prior to it going to the breakers I could take it so even if I don’t have it I can take the bits you are after.

[SiC]

Is this a thing?

 

Wife's is a 57 plate and the paint is falling off the wheel arches.

A bunch of criteria applies but yes. Essentially needs to be original paint on the wing (they do check) and no deep scratches/scuffs. I can't remember the time length but I think it's 12 years, so you will have to get in quick if so.

 

I nearly had ours done but I sold it before I got it done. Hendry had his done by VW too.

 

Only catch is that they will only paint the panel the original factory colour and won't blend it in. If you want it blended in you have to pay a bit extra.

[loserone]

My brother's had new wings when older than 12 years, but they wouldn't touch the rusty sills even at 9 years..

 

Thankfully it's been weighed in now.

[M'coli]

Where's the best place to get a refurbished or new Citroën ZX rear beam from?

[angle]

Christ what's happened to those lights over the last year. They never used to be missed up! Fingers crossed it's just the bulb and not the Xenon Ballast. If it is the ballast then Yate car breakers may still have that facelift Initalie there still.

 

I wonder if the bulb out is because water has got into the ballast. I believe the ballast lives on the bottom of the headlight unit and prone to getting water in.

 

I'd be tempted to take the light out to investigate. Then at least it can be put in an airing cupboard to dry out a bit.

'I know, I'll switch the bulbs round, work out if it's the bulb that's gone or the ballast, 20 minutes'

 

'Hmm, it's pretty wet'

 

'F*cking retaining clips'

 

'F*CKING RETAINING CLIPS'

 

Ping!

 

*rattle of clip falling into engine bay*

 

AAAAAAHHHHHHHH

 

It's now dark, I've found the clip but can't work out how it goes back on trying to look at it backwards using my cameraphone, so I've thrown the various bits of trim I've removed at the rabbit hutch and I'm sulking.

[sierraman]

If there’s one word that boils my fucking piss it’s ‘retaining Clips’.

[Scruffy Bodger]

Where's the best place to get a refurbished or new Citroën ZX rear beam from?

 

You can get yours re-furbed if it's not too far gone. Finding a ZX one off the shelf will probably be very difficult now. Beams off other cars will fit but the Zx's are set up differently to 306's etc, they run zero toe in.

There's a chap on 306OC that does re-builds and uses decent stuff, can't remember his name off hand though sorry.

[The Moog]

Place in Burnley does them. I got them to replace a 405 one. The choice was free postage or free fitting. I elected for the latter and they cursed me as every bolt was rusted through.

 

I can't find details at moment but will have a look to see if I can.

[M'coli]

It'll have to be free postage, I'm not hooning overt' Pennines in a car with no MOT and no rear suspension movement!

 

I don't have the time, space, nor facilities to re-furbish it myself, so a replacement it is. Time is of the essence - the 106's MOT is up on the 4th of September and there's no guarantee that it will pass, mainly because of the rear beam, corrosion, and the oil leak between the block and the head at the timing belt end.

[steveo3002]

mk1 focus...do the brakes blled like normal with easy bleed etc ?? no need for computers and stuff?

[mrbenn]

mk1 focus...do the brakes blled like normal with easy bleed etc ?? no need for computers and stuff?

 

Yep, bleed as normal.

 

Bear in mind the brakes and clutch share a reservoir so defo don't let it go below minimum as the clutch can apparently be a bit of an arse to bleed.

[sierraman]

mk1 focus...do the brakes blled like normal with easy bleed etc ?? no need for computers and stuff?

Yes, unless the ABS unit has run dry IIRC.

[castros_bro]

Where's the best place to get a refurbished or new Citroën ZX rear beam from?

 

Easy to get them this place will do you a complete one unless you want the kit to replace the worn bits yourself (25% chance of success). Changing the beam is relatively straight forward if the nuts/bolts don't bugger up, I changed one in a public car park in Camberley with only the occasional rude comments from a parking attendant.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REAR-BEAM-AXLE-CITROEN-XSARA-ZX-PEUGEOT-306-SHAFTS-BEARINGS-BRAND-NEW/291246299212?hash=item43cfa1d84c:g:lbMAAOxyni9TGGzV

 

 

And

 

http://abaxles.co.uk/en/about/

[sierraman]

There’s a silver (same as mine you know) Mondeo in the drive of a bungalow near my house, it’s sat there for at least 5 years, possibly more. Be really handy for spares for mine. Should I knock on the door?

 

Not quite sure how to position it though?

[M'coli]

Easy to get them this place will do you a complete one unless you want the kit to replace the worn bits yourself (25% chance of success). Changing the beam is relatively straight forward if the nuts/bolts don't bugger up, I changed one in a public car park in Camberley with only the occasional rude comments from a parking attendant.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REAR-BEAM-AXLE-CITROEN-XSARA-ZX-PEUGEOT-306-SHAFTS-BEARINGS-BRAND-NEW/291246299212?hash=item43cfa1d84c:g:lbMAAOxyni9TGGzV

 

 

And

 

http://abaxles.co.uk/en/about/

Knowing how far up its own arse Camberley can be, that's quite possibly the best bit of "get it up youse" spannering I've heard this year!

[warren t claim]

Do modern cars still have characteristics based on their country of origin? For example, do French cars still have soft seats and suspension?

[Guest Hooli]

French cars are still shit yes.

German cars are complicated and once they break cost a fortune to fix.

[Snipes]

Do modern cars still have characteristics based on their country of origin? For example, do French cars still have soft seats and suspension?

Hard to say when a Nissan is made up of old Renault bits by a factory in India.....

[castros_bro]

I'm looking to make up some large diameter pipes to replace those which run to and from an intercooler which is annoyingly hidden somewhere under the headlamp, behind the inner wing and behind the bumper.  I have some thin aluminium source material  but will need to cut parts and solder to make the pipework. 

 

 

Can anyone recommend an aluminium soldering product ?

 

 

This is my source material.

 

[steveo3002]

they demo these on coke cans

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Aluminium-Welding-Brazing-Soldering-Low-Temp-Durafix-Easyweld-UK-Rods-Brush/220865171345?var=520050315498&hash=item336c970f91:m:m9tRJRt5ezMHJFj1EVS-vCA

[davehedgehog31]

I'm looking at a car, it's showing as not taxed. 

 

The tax is showing as expired on the 27th of June, it's not SORN. Just wondering how tax would have been canceled during a month? I'd have thought if you canceled it you'd either need to declare the car SORN, or cancel it effective from the 1st of the following month?

 

Apologies if I've missed something glaringly obvious.

[Tickman]

I'm looking at a car, it's showing as not taxed. 

 

The tax is showing as expired on the 27th of June, it's not SORN. Just wondering how tax would have been canceled during a month? I'd have thought if you canceled it you'd either need to declare the car SORN, or cancel it effective from the 1st of the following month?

 

Apologies if I've missed something glaringly obvious.

Change of owner is one way to get a mid month expired date.

[davehedgehog31]

Change of owner is one way to get a mid month expired date.

Good thought, I don't think thats the case though. The check I ran shows current owner at circa 3 years.

 

Only thing that might make a difference is that the road tax is a flat £20 annual rate, can't be paid over six months but I'd still have thought that would run from 1st of the current month. 

[sierraman]

Help req folks, Astra H 1.7 diesel, dense grey smoke and it’s in limp home mode. Any pointers to what could be up with it?

[sierraman]

It’s also getting fucking hot apparently. Thinking could be the EGR blocked, it’s only used for knocking about round the houses. As we know diesels just love that.

[kirton]

Peugeot Boxer battery +ve battery terminal on my camper.

I have problems with this, apart from it being tucked right up against the bulkhead with a circuit board attached to the clamp; damn near impossible to see what you are doing in there. Someone posted that the circuit board has high capacity fusible links so I suppose I should get spares just in case;  the real issue is that I can't get the clamp to hold tight on the terminal; I keep on tightening up the 10mm nut which works for a while.  The clamp has slipped off about four times, fortunately only when parked - just needs to be pushed down to regain contact but this obviously isn't good. 

What is the solution that will get me a securely clamped terminal?  appropriate language is of no use as swmbo is usually there when the clamp slips and we have a total electrical failure.

[Richard]

Quick and dirty solution is to wrap a bit of Coke can around the post.

[kirton]

the curent fix is a piece of 2x2 wedged in;  I'm not proud of it

[twosmoke300]

If it’s getting hot then it’s most likely a split small coolant hose on a 1.7 Diesel astra