Ask a Shiter

[Dead_E23]

I had to send a couple of OBDII readers back before I got one that worked.   I found those made by Xtrons to be ok though - I've got one in each car and no problems with either.

[Jerzy Woking]

My Saab had a new clutch and slave cylinder fitted (by a Saab garage) 2000 miles ago. Since then clutch pedal feels normal, then every so often feels "slack" with about 2 inches of travel between in and out. Then it goes back to normal for a few pushes, then goes slack again. No fluid is disappearing, clutch itself works fine. Any ideas why it does this, or how I can fix it? Saab place reckons it's fine.

 

Also the EML was on AFTER I took it for a service to the same Saab specialist (wasn't on before I took it in) and they said it was the Lambda sensor, which has the wires cut, which sounds odd to me.

 

Few days ago I topped up with super unleaded, drove it to a mates house  parking on the steep driveway. On the way home, noticed the EML was off, and apart from when I switch on the ignition. Odd, but because Saab?

[Guest Hooli]

I recall ohdearme saying his Aero sometimes put the EML on due to the knock sensor  when running on normal fuel & that super fixed it.

[dozeydustman]

My Saab had a new clutch and slave cylinder fitted (by a Saab garage) 2000 miles ago. Since then clutch pedal feels normal, then every so often feels "slack" with about 2 inches of travel between in and out. Then it goes back to normal for a few pushes, then goes slack again. No fluid is disappearing, clutch itself works fine. Any ideas why it does this, or how I can fix it? Saab place reckons it's fine.

 

 

 

What model Saab? Some of them with the CSC have a little bleed tower poking out the top of the bell housing, as mine did. Had exactly those symptoms you describe in mine - there was an o-ring in that bleed tower that had failed. Took ages to find it by both myself and our friendly garage.

[Jerzy Woking]

Sorry-its a 2005 Aero HOT.

 

IT feels like there is air in the system, but there is no leak anywhere.

[dozeydustman]

5 or 6 speed 'box?

 

Probably worth checking all the hydraulics as a perished o-ring in the system still mayn't leak fluid.

Could also be a collapsing hose or failing master/slave cylinder seal.

 

Have you checked the pipe between the brake fluid reservoir and master cylinder? 

[Amishtat]

Calling our resident Volvo lickers.. I think the alternator on my facelift 740 2.0 has shit itself. Local yard has some 940s,is it the same unit?

[Jerzy Woking]

5 or 6 speed 'box?

 

Probably worth checking all the hydraulics as a perished o-ring in the system still mayn't leak fluid.

Could also be a collapsing hose or failing master/slave cylinder seal.

 

Have you checked the pipe between the brake fluid reservoir and master cylinder? 

 

 

Five speed. All hoses look and feel fine, as do all the pipes I've seen. I'll try bleeding the system using a big syringe at the weekend. It's really pissing me off with its inconsistent pedal action.

[dozeydustman]

Five speed. All hoses look and feel fine, as do all the pipes I've seen. I'll try bleeding the system using a big syringe at the weekend. It's really pissing me off with its inconsistent pedal action.

 

 

Back bleeding may help or even solve the problem, it was the only way I could get all the air from my ford cougar's clutch system. If it goes spongy or flabby feeling again in a short time there is definitely something amiss.

[Bobthebeard]

Battery question here...

The Honda Accord battery will go almost completely flat if the car is not used for three or maybe four days. Starts fine if used daily ish.

Checking for parasitic drain shows a 37mA drain (constant).

By my reckoning this shouldn't kill a battery in three days surely? The battery is unknown vintage as it came with the recently purchased car. The battery has been flat twice now to my knowledge.

Is the battery just weak?

Will a new battery cure the problem?

Update. Removed the old battery and it held a charge just fine. The car was going to be needed so bought a new battery anyway. So far so good. Guess it was just a weak/tired battery. Left the multimeter connected on the car to randomly check the voltage on the new battery once a day ( without starting the car) for three days and minimal loss. So despite the old battery holding a charge when disconnected it looks like it just doesn't have the reserve capacity and goes flat quite quickly. Started fine this morning with temperature at -1 so am happy. Honda do seem to spec batteries with not much in reserve though. 40 a/h on a 2.0 litre car.

[Guest Hooli]

Voltage doesn't show CCA available, as you've proved. Hence batteries need a drop test to confirm if they are working properly or not. Glad it's sorted anyway.

[Mrcento]

How do people with multiple vehicles get them all insured? (i'm aware of multi-car, fleet cover etc)

 

Everything i look at costs insane moneyz the second i even look at adding a 2nd car.

 

For example, my current daily is the Disco, it costs me about £260 for the year, if i wanted to add another one, no matter where i look or what type of insurance, they want £1500 for vehicle 2 on its own (and between 1-2000 for anything else i'd want to add). In other words, 3 shite mobiles = £3500 a year for insurance!

[Crispian_J_Hotson]

I have one on classic, one on commuting (which could go on classic too, if I could be arsed) I'm a named driver on the other one. I hardly drive any of them! 

[Tamworthbay]

My others are all on classic policies, about £60-100 a year each. Multi car ones are always stupid money when I look at them but some on here do well with them.

[adw1977]

Can anybody tell me which of these men is John Fallis and which is Maurice King?

 

The picture is from a Ford Corsair brochure and these three are presumably the lead designers named in the brochure. I'm pretty sure the man with glasses is chief stylist Roy Brown, who was temporarily exiled to Britain after designing the original Edsel!

 

https://flic.kr/p/2bGovDr

[mercrocker]

Not much help as you already know but that is definitely Roy Brown.....He did the Mk3 Zephyr over here, the Zodiac derivative was from a Frua suggestion.....

[wuvvum]

What would be causing the 1.9 TDI in my Audi 80 to idle like this?

 

VID_20181124_151122.mp4

 

It only does this at idle - raise the revs to 1,100 or so and it smooths right out. It's also sometimes slow to respond to the accelerator. It never cuts out though - it'll sit there chugging away to itself all day if you let it.

[dozeydustman]

What would be causing the 1.9 TDI in my Audi 80 to idle like this?

 

VID_20181124_151122.mp4

 

It only does this at idle - raise the revs to 1,100 or so and it smooths right out. It's also sometimes slow to respond to the accelerator. It never cuts out though - it'll sit there chugging away to itself all day if you let it.

 

 

When cold, hot or both? Cold start booster that raises the revs slightly could be playing up. Had a similar issue on my Felicia that idled like that until warm, £10 part from local motor factor sorted it.

[wuvvum]

Does it all the time, hot or cold.

[Asimo]

How do people with multiple vehicles get them all insured? (i'm aware of multi-car, fleet cover etc)

 

Everything i look at costs insane moneyz the second i even look at adding a 2nd car.

 

For example, my current daily is the Disco, it costs me about £260 for the year, if i wanted to add another one, no matter where i look or what type of insurance, they want £1500 for vehicle 2 on its own (and between 1-2000 for anything else i'd want to add). In other words, 3 shite mobiles = £3500 a year for insurance!

A proper insurance broker can " mirror", as they call it, your no-claims bonus onto a second policy. They might keep a bit quiet about it, hoping you will stump up the massive amount they first ask for, but it is a thing.

 

You won't be building up another no-claims bonus on that second policy but it will save you loads of money.

 

I insisted that I wasn't going to pay so much more for vehicle two and then magically, mirroring was suggested.

APlan in Cheltenham arranged it for me.

[Guest Hooli]

You can build up multiple NCDs if they are normal policies.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

A proper insurance broker can " mirror", as they call it, your no-claims bonus onto a second policy. They might keep a bit quiet about it, hoping you will stump up the massive amount they first ask for, but it is a thing.

You won't be building up another no-claims bonus on that second policy but it will save you loads of money.

I insisted that I wasn't going to pay so much more for vehicle two and then magically, mirroring was suggested.

APlan in Cheltenham arranged it for me.

Yes, it seems brokers have a lot of discretion when it comes to NCB.

When my V70 was written off on my Private Hire policy , I assumed as it didn't have a protected NCB I'd lose it all and said as much to the person at Aviva who sorted out my settlement figure. His words ere; " Speak to your broker, that's nothing to do with us"

Sure enough when chatting to my brokers, they gave me 4 years bonus !

[Lacquer Peel]

When cold, hot or both? Cold start booster that raises the revs slightly could be playing up. Had a similar issue on my Felicia that idled like that until warm, £10 part from local motor factor sorted it.

The Felicia diesel has a mechanical Lucas pump, the Audi a semi-electronic Bosch pump.

 

My Caddy TDI had a similar issue which was supposed to be something to do with the injection quantity adjuster, a mechanical device in the pump that you can adjust with a hammer I believe, it never got quite that chuggy though and the problem was intermittent.

[cros]

My son in law has just bought a 2001 1.0 Corsa and asked me to check it over for him. I know very little about these cars other than they seem to be the object of quite a lot of derision.

I changed the oil and replaced the rear tyres as they were the same age as the vehicle. (It's done 42000 miles).

Are these vehicles supposed to sound like two skelingtons copulating on a tin roof? It's not so bad once under way, but at tickover it sounds like a diesel.

[Jazoli]

Yes they all sound like that.

[Tamworthbay]

Mate at work is having intermittent issues with the ABS light coming on on his 06 Focus. My fault code reader (eBay special) shows no stored codes and it comes and goes apparently. My first thought is a dirty sensor so I have cleaned them all. I also noticed that the speedo twitches from 0 to 5-10mph when the car is cold and stationary. No idea if this is connected or just random weirdness. Any other suggestions?

[twosmoke300]

Give the clocks a thump when it’s misbehaving.

They use the clocks as a can gateway beteeen abs and the engine Ecu .

The clocks are prone to bad joints . Ecu testing or bba reman can repair them for about £150

[sierraman]

Best way of getting this crackle finish plastic stuff off? It’s peeling and soon it’ll look a fucker. Any tips on getting it off without damaging the paint underneath?

[Pillock]

It's a sticker usually, but one that'll have turned brittle. Get it warm and see if you can use some gorilla tape on top to peel it off.

 

Personally I'd be touching up the edges, it usually breaks into 1mm chunks and will take forever

[sierraman]

You are probably right. It’d be one of those jobs you wish you’d never started!

 

Next stupid question, seen pillar drills in ALDI for a piffling £50. I know I’d get the use from one plus £50 isn’t a colossal amount. Any experience of them? Was a toss up between that and the Guild one for £70. But the ALDI is 500W and the Guild is 350W?