Ask a Shiter

[DodgeRover]

Here's one for the assembled crowd..

 

At motorway speeds (60mph+), the steering on the Merc feels a bit 'vague and twitchy'

 

No obvious thinks/bangs etc from balljoints, could it be the steering box needing adjusted?

Try a touch lower on the tyre pressures

[Pillock]

In front of myself here, but I see a problem.

Have a 75 on Classic insurance, 3000 miles a year, must have use of another car.

My other car, wife's motability, will be going back.

Thus I have no 'other car' and 3000 miles will not be sufficient,

I'm answering my own question here, but obviously I need to contact my insurer, and expect my premium to rise from £200 to £1000+ as I have no NCB.

There is a possibility I can get some sort of NCB entitlement from the Motability insurers, we will see.

I do have a bus pass, my next door neighbour has kindly explained what I do with it, as I've not been on a bus for 30 years.

 

https://www.motability.co.uk/about-the-scheme/personal-independence-payment/unsuccessful-reassessment/staying-mobile/running-your-new-car/insurance/

 

 

 

When leasing a car through the Motability Scheme you do not accrue a personal no-claims bonus. However, for the majority of customers, RSA Mobility (RSAM) provide a letter that you can send to your new insurer. Many insurers accept this as proof of your claims history.

To request a copy of this claims history letter for yourself or a named driver please contact RSAM by emailOpens email client or by calling 0300 037 3737 .

[320touring]

Try a touch lower on the tyre pressures

Noted cheers, will check

[Broadsword]

Anyone here had experience with a Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ? Looking at one (2004) in 2.7 CRD flavour. Buyer's guides suggest heater control flaps can be problematic. Other than that, nothing massively worrying on the list. I don't know much about 4x4 vehicles but I did read on a buyer's guide that cars with mix-matched sets of tyres are best left alone due to likely damage to the transfer case.

[DodgeRover]

Anyone here had experience with a Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ? Looking at one (2004) in 2.7 CRD flavour. Buyer's guides suggest heater control flaps can be problematic. Other than that, nothing massively worrying on the list. I don't know much about 4x4 vehicles but I did read on a buyer's guide that cars with mix-matched sets of tyres are best left alone due to likely damage to the transfer case.

Wiring burns out to the heater fan. Ones with a proper ie V8 engine go well.

[95 quid Peugeot]

Anyone know the score on driving a double decker bus home from a purchase. My friend is looking at one for additional accommodation on a project. I fancy driving it back for her.

Specifically license criteria

[Guest Hooli]

If it's over 30 years old & you passed before '97 I think it's ok. Ask CMS or someone, it's been discussed on another thread currently.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/29113-multinational-people-movers-feat-decker-dave-and-the-jolly-green-giants/

[95 quid Peugeot]

^^^^^^

thanks for that

[DodgeRover]

Remember to sort out recovery in case of FTP or exploding tyre before shifting it, the costs of getting a HGV towed are horrendous.

[loserone]

Could the boxer engine out of one of these be used in a 2CV? Would it make sense to?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2017-BMW-i3-BREAKING-Gearbox-Seats-Doors-Wheels-Lights-Bonnet-Mirrors-Tailgate/253981937467

[Lacquer Peel]

Could the boxer engine out of one of these be used in a 2CV? Would it make sense to?

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2017-BMW-i3-BREAKING-Gearbox-Seats-Doors-Wheels-Lights-Bonnet-Mirrors-Tailgate/253981937467

It's already been done, sort of.

 

https://youtu.be/hAocmae9vyE

[loserone]

God I'd love a go in one of those.  That car is kinda why I asked.

 

I think that's actually a revvy BMW motorbike engine though, I believe the REX engine isn't quite the same and is designed for more torque.

 

* internet speculation on something I don't understand disclaimer.

[andy18s]

Can anyone recommend a decent autobox recon company in the UK

This Explorer is still calling out to me as it suits the Mrs needs perfectly,even the heated seats still work well

I've made a dirt cheap offer on it and have a sneaking suspicion it'll be accepted

It's the 5r55s 5pd as fitted to an 04 4.0 v6 Ford Explorer.....

Cheers

[dozeydustman]

Can anyone recommend a decent autobox recon company in the UK

This Explorer is still calling out to me as it suits the Mrs needs perfectly,even the heated seats still work well

I've made a dirt cheap offer on it and have a sneaking suspicion it'll be accepted

It's the 5r55s 5pd as fitted to an 04 4.0 v6 Ford Explorer.....

Cheers

 

 

Where you based? 

 

These did a lovely job on Scimitar No2's Ford C3 https://www.dartfordtransmissions.co.uk

[wuvvum]

What are the consequences of mixing OAT and non-OAT antifreeze?  It's getting to the time of year when I need to make sure the fleet is sufficiently antifrozen, but I've acquired a few since last winter and don't know for certain what type of antifreeze they are running - the coolant is a generic "murky" colour.

 

I'm not going to do a full coolant swap as don't have the time and energy to go chasing airlocks.  It says on the bottles not to mix antifreeze types, but I'm not sure if it's just an arse-covering thing or whether it's actually likely to result in the imminent demise of nuns and / or kittens.

[Raff]

There's that Prestone stuff that claims to be compatible with any type of antifreeze in any engine. I see it in supermarkets.

[TataBobu]

Where do people in other countries think Fords come from?

The ones I've owned were probably all made in Ghent or Valencia, yet I don't really think of them as foreign cars. Perversely, a Sunderland-built Micra would be.

Does a Frenchman think his Ford is French, Belgian, Spanish - what?

 

I don't know about french people, but for me Ford is German. Suzuki is Hungarian, Hyundai is either Turkish or Slovakian (even if the two I've owned and the one I own now were made in Korea), Renault is French or Turkish. But Dacia is Romanian, even the Morrocan made ones are also Romanian 

 

[...] giving permission for them to access the insurers database to confirm this (no idea why as I thought they could do that anyway). [...]

 

GDPR, innit m8?

[sierraman]

What are the consequences of mixing OAT and non-OAT antifreeze? It's getting to the time of year when I need to make sure the fleet is sufficiently antifrozen, but I've acquired a few since last winter and don't know for certain what type of antifreeze they are running - the coolant is a generic "murky" colour.

 

I'm not going to do a full coolant swap as don't have the time and energy to go chasing airlocks. It says on the bottles not to mix antifreeze types, but I'm not sure if it's just an arse-covering thing or whether it's actually likely to result in the imminent demise of nuns and / or kittens.

Chucking the old blue glycol stuff in fucks the seals eventually. If it’s an old snotter though it’s better than no antifreeze.

[The Moog]

Doesnt mixing the coolant turn it to jelly hence not doing it.   If unsure you can use the prestone stuff mentioned above as it mixes with everything. 

[clayts450]

Doesnt mixing the coolant turn it to jelly hence not doing it.  

 

This.

 

Huge no-no.

[Mally]

https://www.holtsauto.com/prestone/products/coolant-antifreeze-ready-use/

[shedenvy]

Right gang, how do I get out of this predicament?

 

Problem:

X-type rear tyres wearing on insides - suspected cause was front lower control arms worn.

Went to change during lunch hour.  Held on by two bolts M10 possibly, they thread into a nut welded on to the steel frame of the wheel knuckle.

Here is the offending arm and two bolts:

The outer bolt sheared off leaving the arm still attached - the bolt has sheared approximately half way through the bore of the arm.

 

So, i've immobilised the car in the works car park 44 miles from home.  New bolt wont be here until Saturday.  I can borrow a works van for another couple of nights.  My reaction plan thus far has been to throw the Multipla in for an MOT today so if it goes proper tits up I have options.

 

Advice please:

How do I remove the sheared off portion of the bolt from the nut welded to the knuckle.  Remember its stuck inside the arm also.  The other side of the bolt is not accessible.  I was thinking i could grind through the spot welds holding the nut to the knuckle there-by releasing the nut/bolt assembly - withdrawing the arm and bolting back up with a new bolt and substitute nut.  Did I mention it's in the works car park so no access to power - will a  battery drill with a crappy grinding stone wheel for dremmels get through a tack weld?  I might be able to get hold of a Burr bit like this:

Or do I try to remove the knuckle & arm together and try to fix this on the bench.

Or do I give in and send a garage to come & pick it up?  I haven't paid a garage to do work for 5 years (apart from MOTs and Tyres).

 

I'll try to get a pic of the nut in situe later.

 

Any suggestions welcome - even 'scrap it'!

 

 

 

 

[shedenvy]

Here's a better pic:

The welded nut is next to the bolt for the bottom of the shock.

[shedenvy]

This is the bugger.

 

1st bit of good news is that the Multipla passed it's MOT with no advisories!

 

Still got to work out a way home so I can leave the Jag at work looking sorry for itself.

[Stanky]

Disclaimer, this is not an 'all moderns are shit' post.

 

Why don't car manufacturers put air cooled engines in any cars (not bikes, note) any more? Why has liquid cooling 'won'?

 

I'm thinking that the 2CV was the last mass produced car with an air cooled engine and they built them up to 1990. They had simplicity, adequate performance considering displacement and fuel economy on their side. The engine also had relatively little development as far as i was aware.

 

In the interested of weight reduction and fuel economy as a byproduct why isn't there any options for air cooled engines in any post 1990 cars when its still relatively common (isn;t it?) on bikes?

 

Also, are there any mass produced, high performance air cooled engines fitted to road cars? i.e. not bike engined radicals or similar.

 

I was thinking of this while driving home yesterday, there must be a good reason for it, but i don't know what that reason is.

[Tickman]

Shedenvy, doing the work on a bench is always going to be much easier but how much hassle is removing whatever it is attached to.

 

I would guess a battery drill would eventually get it off, if access is quite good an angle grinder would be my weapon of choice and getting a battery powered on would still be cheaper than getting a garage involved, maybe...

 

Good luck

[Stanky]

Shedenvy - How viable would it be for you to get a compressor and air saw on it? I suspect it'd be easier to get the blade of a reciprocating saw in there compared to the bulk of a disc cutter?

 

Also less danger of accidentally hacking through something  you shouldn't with a reciprocating saw vs a disc cutter in a confined space?

 

I reckon it is viable to cut through the weld and then pull out the other end of the sheared bolt, but its going to be a bugger to get in there.

 

Worst case, and it will be grim, but you'd be able to cut it loose with a hacksaw eventually. would take a little while though I suspect. is it just spot welded, or is it welded all the way around the nut?

 

EDIT - another idea thats occurred to me, might you be able to cut a groove in the exposed end of the sheared off bolt end and use a screwdriver or something similar in an impact gun to screw the bolt stub out, leaving the welded in nut intact?

[shedenvy]

Hi Tickman,

 

Thanks, yes I agree, i'll see how the battery drill and grindy bits go before resorting to getting the whole assembly off.  Though I think that is likely the only option.

Before anyone else states it, yes I am a twat for not using penetrating fluid - I have a can of PlusGas right here!

[Jazoli]

Disclaimer, this is not an 'all moderns are shit' post.

 

Why don't car manufacturers put air cooled engines in any cars (not bikes, note) any more? Why has liquid cooling 'won'?

 

I'm thinking that the 2CV was the last mass produced car with an air cooled engine and they built them up to 1990. They had simplicity, adequate performance considering displacement and fuel economy on their side. The engine also had relatively little development as far as i was aware.

 

In the interested of weight reduction and fuel economy as a byproduct why isn't there any options for air cooled engines in any post 1990 cars when its still relatively common (isn;t it?) on bikes?

 

Also, are there any mass produced, high performance air cooled engines fitted to road cars? i.e. not bike engined radicals or similar.

 

I was thinking of this while driving home yesterday, there must be a good reason for it, but i don't know what that reason is.

 

Porsche 911's were air cooled up until 1998 so your 2CV is a few years out, and I'd say they were mass produced cars, the 993 Turbo was certainly high performance.

 

An air cooled engine of a specific size will be less efficient than the equivalent water cooled engine, and a lot less green and noisier to boot, so its only natural that air cooled engines have gone, I remember the heaters in air cooled beetles and vans being absolute garbage too.

 

worth a read https://www.carthrottle.com/post/air-cooling-why-its-a-thing-of-the-past/

[castros_bro]

Disclaimer, this is not an 'all moderns are shit' post.

 

Why don't car manufacturers put air cooled engines in any cars (not bikes, note) any more? Why has liquid cooling 'won'?

 

I'm thinking that the 2CV was the last mass produced car with an air cooled engine and they built them up to 1990. They had simplicity, adequate performance considering displacement and fuel economy on their side. The engine also had relatively little development as far as i was aware.

 

In the interested of weight reduction and fuel economy as a byproduct why isn't there any options for air cooled engines in any post 1990 cars when its still relatively common (isn;t it?) on bikes?

 

Also, are there any mass produced, high performance air cooled engines fitted to road cars? i.e. not bike engined radicals or similar.

 

I was thinking of this while driving home yesterday, there must be a good reason for it, but i don't know what that reason is.

 

Thermodynamics and engine temp  sensors + control.   Aircooled need a thermal mass and large area of fins to get rid of the waste heat so near the finless cylinder area is hotter and fins in the air stream are cooler so all over inefficient at keeping a constant uniform temp. . Liquid cooling lets an engine reach operating temp rapidly and keeps the working parts in a temperature band for the sake of efficiency. Fewer bike engines are now air cooled as it's difficult to get them through the emission specs, lower efficiency 50cc two strokes are still aircooled but even these are getting rare and even the souped up ones are now liquid cooled due to the need for a temp control or they will seize from overheating.