Ask a Shiter

[mitsisigma01]

I've got a 1.8t in an A6 where the temperature gauge and oil temp or oil pressure gauge don't work and they also seem to be in a right shitboxes of a place to get to so my enthusiasm has departed. One day I will get it back on the road ....

[somewhatfoolish]

Mineral oils are pretty much the product of cracking crude (won't go into detail on what cracking is, as my brain hurts and so will the average human's after taking that info in) and the various distillates from it include lubricants, fuels, tar and light weight hydrocarbon compounds.

 

Synthetic oils are still mineral based lubricants except they have been tweaked in a laboratory with additives such as detergents or other chemicals that drag fine metal or unburnt hydrocarbon particles out of the oil system to the filter much easier than a plain mineral oil, therefore the crap gets dragged away from the oil easier and the lubricating properties of synthetic last longer - which is why we now have 10k or higher oil change intervals as opposed to the 1500-3000 of years gone by. The other additives help with low viscosity for extremely cold starts and penetrating the much smaller tolerances modern engines are built to.

 

You can run semi- or fully- synthetic in an older vehicle, but there is the risk of it dislodging a load of crud that builds up and blocking an oilway or fine lubrication channel unless you perform several oil flushes first or change the oil & filter very frequently (2k ish) until it comes out the sump quite clean again. If you've just rebuilt an engine, then you can run quite safely on synthetic from the start, if you can get the correct viscosity.

You're confusing the difference between synth and mineral and the function of detergent(practically ubiquitous these days, it's hard to buy lube oil with no detergent without ordering it from specialists, certainly not available in the average motor factor); the main practical feature of synth is that it keeps its viscosity rating for longer allowing longer service intervals(the additive package is also increased to cope with the extra time in the sump.). It's the detergent which causes havoc by loosening accumulated grot, putting it into an older engine which has been run with non-detergent oil, or an engine which has been run for a gazillion miles without a service and has a sump filled with tar, or something from the 1980s which has congenital 'black death'.

[Lacquer Peel]

It's a 1.8 20v na lump.

 

Everything online is banging on about turbos:(

 

I should strip it down and see, but as the only working car it needs to be in one piece until the part has arrived and is ready to be fitted.

I'll give you a hand with the thermostat, free on Wednesday and Sunday. I have small hands for my size and wasn't fazed by doing a SAAB 9000 'stat twice, a pig of a job.

[castros_bro]

A MOT welding question....  rot within 300mm of mounting needs to be plated with a continuous weld  but if the plating extends beyond 300mm does that part need to be continuous weld or can it just have short welds with gaps? ?  

[320touring]

I'll give you a hand with the thermostat, free on Wednesday and Sunday. I have small hands for my size and wasn't fazed by doing a SAAB 9000 'stat twice, a pig of a job.

Cheers for the offer of help - need to see if I can get it ordered up ok first.

[Vantman]

Would a 1997 Citroen ZX have green blood or conventional suspension please?

[Richard]

Conventional.

[cros]

Anyone know what this Lucas rear light unit was off of?

Its a similar shape to that used on a Bug Bond or Hunter Hillman, but not quite the same. The lens is in one piece and the one that covers the single filament lamp (I take this to be the indicator) is red suggesting the the car might have been a USA version. 10 5/8ths inches x 3 and one half. Imperial measurements are so much simpler than those nasty metric ones.

[AMC Rebel]

Commer van - I remember these - for some reason GPO fiited these and a separate rubber mounted round indicator higher up.

[catsinthewelder]

A MOT welding question.... rot within 300mm of mounting needs to be plated with a continuous weld but if the plating extends beyond 300mm does that part need to be continuous weld or can it just have short welds with gaps? ?

I think all welding that the tester can see has to be either factory spec (spot-weld) or continuous seam.

[cros]

Commer van - I remember these - for some reason GPO fiited these and a separate rubber mounted round indicator higher up.

Now you mention it I do remember some having high up indicators, can't find a pic of one though. It seems to have a nasty case of chequer plate though.

[gm]

Which of our members is it that does the pool ball gear nobs on eBay ? The 107 is needing one and I'd rather send the business his way

[The Moog]

Which of our members is it that does the pool ball gear nobs on eBay ? The 107 is needing one and I'd rather send the business his way

Jakebullet

[gm]

Cheers, I shall get in touch.

[sierraman]

Given that Mk1/2 Mondeos are attracting the old skool ford idiots with more money than sense, before I bale the Mk2 I’ve got in it’s got a completely rust free filler surround. There isn’t a repair panel for these, reckon it’s worth 2 minutes with the grinder to cut the fucker off if it’s likely someone restoring one will want it?

[mercrocker]

It's not going to eat much keeping it is it?   Reckon it's well worth it......Wish I had kept all my old bits of Mk3 Zodiac cut-outs longer than I did.

[leanycan]

Any shiters near Stockport? Trying to arrange a viewing on a car near there and it is impossible for me to get up this week with any modicum of daylight left due to my working hours. Would anyone be able to assist. I'd quite happily owe a favour back  

[3VOM]

Any shiters near Stockport? Trying to arrange a viewing on a car near there and it is impossible for me to get up this week with any modicum of daylight left due to my working hours. Would anyone be able to assist. I'd quite happily owe a favour back

Where exactly is it within Stockport, there's a few of us around the area?

[leanycan]

Where exactly is it within Stockport, there's a few of us around the area?

Near bosden farm dental practice and the harvester according to google maps.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AMC Rebel]

It's not going to eat much keeping it is it? Reckon it's well worth it......Wish I had kept all my old bits of Mk3 Zodiac cut-outs longer than I did.

Agreed - see also any trim pieces and undamaged bumpers, power steering and aircon hoses etc

 

Also rear parcel shelf if fewer than 20 6x9 cut outs in it

[DodgeRover]

Given that Mk1/2 Mondeos are attracting the old skool ford idiots with more money than sense, before I bale the Mk2 I’ve got in it’s got a completely rust free filler surround. There isn’t a repair panel for these, reckon it’s worth 2 minutes with the grinder to cut the fucker off if it’s likely someone restoring one will want it?

Has it got a 2.0 Zetec?

[sierraman]

No. 1.8

[Austin of England]

Given that Mk1/2 Mondeos are attracting the old skool ford idiots with more money than sense, before I bale the Mk2 I’ve got in it’s got a completely rust free filler surround. There isn’t a repair panel for these, reckon it’s worth 2 minutes with the grinder to cut the fucker off if it’s likely someone restoring one will want it?

Are you breaking it? I could do with the power steering pipework / cooler that is under the radiator, mine are a bit crusty and damp, also due to brute force and ignorance I managed to break one of the front sub frame mounting bolts, I was seeing how tough they would be to remove before the impending clutch change, I managed to undo 3 of them but No4 wasn't playing ball

[sierraman]

I’ve got one, dry as well. £20 delivered to you sir?

 

I can try taking a subframe bolt out for you. I’ll check tomorrow.

[SierraMikeHotel]

Am I insane for considering a cheap E39 530D auto? Members of the Facebook group will know the one I mean.

[New POD]

What would cause this to happen? Apologies for the Facebook link.

 

https://www.facebook.com/stsdrivingschool/videos/246831696033890/

A mate of mine was passing ( in the opposite direction ) a truck owned by Leigh Environmental and the air compressor for the brakes suddenly left the truck and arrived right in front of his mk1 Astra.

 

The Astra ended up stuck on top of the compressor further along the road.

 

The sump and front suspension and exhaust suffered damage as did the front valance and bumper.

 

Really they should mount this stuff in a cage.

[AMC Rebel]

Any X350 Jag beards? (I think we have a couple).

 

I have a sort of rubbery creaking sound from the front offside suspension every time I go over a speed bump.  There are about 43 billion bushes in the suspension and they are all made of chocolate BUT it just passed an MOT with the noise so - I am suspecting the actual air spring/damper unit. 

 

My reasoning is that a bush that was so bad it was noisy would have been picked up on the MOT.

 

It will be an expensive swap if it's not that though, even second hand.  If I take to a Jag place they will no doubt advise renewal of everything, but I am really doing bangernomics on this.

[artdjones]

It can be difficult to find play in multiple bushes.Maybe get someone to bounce the suspension while you look to see where the noise is coming from.Or spray WD40 over each bush in turn and see if the noise goes away.

[artdjones]

Just looked at a pic of X350 front suspension.It would be quite easy to miss a bit of play in a bush.Or maybe it's making noise without play.

[AMC Rebel]

Thanks - they are a bit complex looking.