Ask a Shiter

[320touring]

  On 27/10/2018 at 01:22, Eddie Honda said:

I should check the dates on mine c.2012 I bought 3 Michelins from Longstone.

 

Wouldn't have thought tyres at full retail would be out of code.

Where it says DOT2013 Next to the xzx, that means date of manufacture 2013. £109 for a 5 year old tyre..

 

[Eddie Honda]

Pah, that's nothing. I've a Volvo with 30 year-old Michelins. Great* in the wet.

[Tetleysmooth]

Let's see if I can get an answer here.

My car is a 2003 Volvo C70 2.0 GT auto.

I want to change the thermostat, but most of these advertised are like this:

 

 

What I'd like to know is can the two halves be split and a stat be fitted normally, without buying the whole unit, which is eye wateringly expensive.

 

 

[DodgeRover]

  On 26/10/2018 at 23:11, 320touring said:

Looks like a tyre failure on the GSA tonight. Low speed, passenger rear.

 

Spare has now been fitted by my brother (he loved the lack of requirement for a jack).

 

He was not keen on trying this

https://youtu.be/4HK2nTRvm_s

 

I'm awaiting info when light, and will need to source tyres.

 

I believe they are 145r14, originally Michelins. Can still get the xzx for £120 a corner, but appear to be old stock..

 

Anyone any suggestions for reasonably priced alternatives that may have been made this century?

Camac or Bridgestone look to be about £55 new the bridgestones are an 80 series so it would be best to go for a pair although the difference between 80 & 82 is minimal.

[Eddie Honda]

^^^ yeah, but they aren't 15"...

 

It's a GSA and not a DAF

[AMC Rebel]

  On 28/10/2018 at 20:25, Tetleysmooth said:

Let's see if I can get an answer here.

My car is a 2003 Volvo C70 2.0 GT auto.

I want to change the thermostat, but most of these advertised are like this:

 

C70 thermostat.jpg

 

What I'd like to know is can the two halves be split and a stat be fitted normally, without buying the whole unit, which is eye wateringly expensive.

 

 

According to this bloke and the comments on his vid - yes (and indeed no).  He seems to have bought the whole part but just swapped the stat - which I know kind of defeats the object in terms of what you wanted - but there are some clues in the comments,  Fast forward to about 1.26 for the money shots.

 

[w00dy]

My indicator relay in my Espace was clicking like it was trying to send morse code signals back to France and meaning that when it did the indicators weren't working. I replaced it and it seemed better, but still no joy. Between about 2200 and 3500 rpm it buzzes constantly and you can't indicate. I have the electrical nous of a caveman so anyone with any ideas of what to look at or check would be a great help. Otherwise if you see an old Espace set ablaze it's because I can't take it any more.

[bramz7]

You'd think I know the answer to this....

 

I took out an insurance policy a few months ago (July) and now no longer need it. It's all paid as it was never a monthly payment policy. If I cancel it, do I get a proportionate refund? 

 

Reason for cancelling is they're a bit pricey plus my other insurers are the ones who allow about a billion swaps without any flags so ideal for me.

[Guest Hooli]

  On 29/10/2018 at 10:19, bramz7 said:

You'd think I know the answer to this....

 

I took out an insurance policy a few months ago (July) and now no longer need it. It's all paid as it was never a monthly payment policy. If I cancel it, do I get a proportionate refund? 

 

Reason for cancelling is they're a bit pricey plus my other insurers are the ones who allow about a billion swaps without any flags so ideal for me.

 

 

Read the policy terms it'll be in there. Often they include the paraphrased comments of if you've had this 9 months we'll pay back 6, if you've had it 6 months then go swivel.

[The Moog]

You should do minus any admin fee - it will be in your policy documents somewhere about the cost. 

[Tickman]

  On 29/10/2018 at 10:19, bramz7 said:

You'd think I know the answer to this....

 

I took out an insurance policy a few months ago (July) and now no longer need it. It's all paid as it was never a monthly payment policy. If I cancel it, do I get a proportionate refund? 

 

Reason for cancelling is they're a bit pricey plus my other insurers are the ones who allow about a billion swaps without any flags so ideal for me.

 

Depends on the company usually.

The best way I got out of one was asking to change the vehicle to something they don't insure, it was Direct Line and I asked to put the Morris Minor as the car, they don't insure cars that old so it was their 'fault' they couldn't continue the policy so full pro rata refund

[Jazoli]

  On 29/10/2018 at 10:46, Tickman said:

Depends on the company usually.

The best way I got out of one was asking to change the vehicle to something they don't insure, it was Direct Line and I asked to put the Morris Minor as the car, they don't insure cars that old so it was their 'fault' they couldn't continue the policy so full pro rata refund

 

Yup that's the way to do it, changing to a (hypothetical) van usually does the trick.

[fairkens]

Only the passengere half of my mk2 mondeo's heated screen works, assume its a fuse issue, does any one know which fuse it is, or maybe have a HBOL they'd be willing to part with?

[sierraman]

I’ve a Haynes manual I’ll have a look in it later for you.

[bunglebus]

  On 26/10/2018 at 06:04, Snipes said:

Wouldn't shenanigans from the rear lights be a moody PCB? Did you measure voltage at the plug or the lamp sockets?

 

At the wiring to the plug. No volts. Apparently there's some crazy french notion of the no. plate lamps being wired in series with the tail lamps - but they work, as do the front and OSR lamps.

[Guest Hooli]

  On 29/10/2018 at 11:37, fairkens said:

Only the passengere half of my mk2 mondeo's heated screen works, assume its a fuse issue, does any one know which fuse it is, or maybe have a HBOL they'd be willing to part with?

 

Or a relay, each side was often entirely separate due to the power consumption.

[fairkens]

  On 29/10/2018 at 11:45, sierraman said:

I’ve a Haynes manual I’ll have a look in it later for you.

Thank you!

[fairkens]

  On 29/10/2018 at 12:45, Hooli said:

Or a relay, each side was often entirely separate due to the power consumption.

Noted, thanks

[sierraman]

I’ve probably got a spare relay for one.

[Broadsword]

Calling Citroen Xantia owners. I have a non-functioning outside temperature sensor. This should be fixable by way of changing the sensor. I'm led to believe it is found on the underside of on the wing mirrors. I can't find anything on either of mine. Does anyone know where this sensor is on the car or better still have a photo of it's location?

[Tamworthbay]

  On 29/10/2018 at 17:50, Broadsword said:

Calling Citroen Xantia owners. I have a non-functioning outside temperature sensor. This should be fixable by way of changing the sensor. I'm led to believe it is found on the underside of on the wing mirrors. I can't find anything on either of mine. Does anyone know where this sensor is on the car or better still have a photo of it's location?

I changed the mirrors on mine but can’t remember any sensors. It was 15 or more years ago so could be wrong but can’t remember anything there.

[davehedgehog31]

  On 29/10/2018 at 10:19, bramz7 said:

You'd think I know the answer to this....

 

I took out an insurance policy a few months ago (July) and now no longer need it. It's all paid as it was never a monthly payment policy. If I cancel it, do I get a proportionate refund?

 

Reason for cancelling is they're a bit pricey plus my other insurers are the ones who allow about a billion swaps without any flags so ideal for me.

You'll probably get SFA.

 

I suggest buying a new chod for the policy.

[artdjones]

  On 29/10/2018 at 17:50, Broadsword said:

Calling Citroen Xantia owners. I have a non-functioning outside temperature sensor. This should be fixable by way of changing the sensor. I'm led to believe it is found on the underside of on the wing mirrors. I can't find anything on either of mine. Does anyone know where this sensor is on the car or better still have a photo of it's location?

On the S2 it sticks partly out of a very small hole underneath the left hand mirror.

[Broadsword]

  On 29/10/2018 at 18:32, artdjones said:

On the S2 it sticks partly out of a very small hole underneath the left hand mirror.

Ah, in that case someone has removed mine completely. There is an empty hole on the underside of both mirrors.

[Tamworthbay]

Any plumbers on here? I need to add a couple of radiators. My plan is to T piece into existing feed then go in rad 1, out to rad 2 then back to return via another T piece. Any problems doing it this way? Any better ways to do it? Can I use normal household pressure rated plastic fittings? (I have a load of JG speedwell ones and pipe to match).

[DodgeRover]

You need separate returns or turning down rad 1 with a TRV for example will restrict the flow to rad2.

 

How old is the current system? It could be either a single pipe with bypasses system or flow and returns.

 

Plastic fittings beware of imperial pipe - they will 100% slip off 3/4" (not quite 22mm), don't forget the inserts into the poly pipe.

[Tamworthbay]

  On 29/10/2018 at 20:03, DodgeRover said:

You need separate returns or turning down rad 1 with a TRV for example will restrict the flow to rad2.

How old is the current system? It could be either a single pipe with bypasses system or flow and returns.

Plastic fittings beware of imperial pipe - they will 100% slip off 3/4" (not quite 22mm), don't forget the inserts into the poly pipe.

Thanks for that, system was upgraded about fifteen years ago, no idea of age but house is mid 70s so I presume they would be metric. So if I take a T from the feed, further split it to feed each rad, then collect both back together and feed pinto return that should work ok? Pretty sure it has flow and return due to layout. I have worked with plastic a few times now and due to a brain fade moment had the joys of what happens when you forget the little insert, it resulted in a horrendous (15 years later -hilarious) attempt by me to hold back mains pressure water with my thumb while my wife frantically tried to turn off the isolator.

[sierraman]

Mondeo heated screen relay...

[Louise2cv]

Hi all.

 

You may have seen elsewhere the Suzuki (2011 Alto) is playing up a touch, the horn has been very weak, like a clown car for some months now.

 

The other day I was messing about with the kids and beeping at them and it went silent.

 

Today having discovered it's located in a stupid and seemingly inaccessible place, I gently* prodded* it carefully* in a calm* and unstressed* adult* manner. Thankfully this grown up* feminine* touch technique* has got the comedy clown horn going again but really I need to make it sound like a horn other road users might actually hear.

 

So my question is, has anyone played with one of these Altos? It looks to me like I have to get the front panel off, surely that can't be right?

 

I can't get to it from underneath because by the look of it even if I get the under trays off there seems to be a bit of frame running directly below. All I can see at mount to the bodywork is the threaded end of a bolt, which suggests to me I need to take the bumper off!?!

 

Have I really really got to remove the wheel arch liner? Bumper?

 

Any guesses? I have tried Google and YouTube but there's nothing relevant.

[cobblers]

The mrs has just bought a car , NI registered with a "MRZ 29xx" plate. We're in Chesterfield and she's keen not to look like she's got a personal plate on the car.

If we "sell" the plate, will the car get a normal 67 plate?