Ask a Shiter

[DodgeRover]

Check for correct grade and quantity of oil.

[Eddie Honda]

Quick query - does anyone know any UK stockists of Blue Creeper penetrating oil?

 

Does the blue make it go faster.

 

Any reason why generic sewing machine oil from the haberdashers won't cut it?

[clayts450]

GunGum bandages/paste - any good or a waste of spondulicks ?

 

Blow on the 214 just in front of the flexi - want to patch temporarily, in the knowledge I will need the whole front exhaust section replacing.

[Mally]

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!

 

I'd stick the broken bolt back in, tape it up and carefully drive it home.

I did not say this of course.

[sierraman]

I’ll tell you now you have no fucking chance of sawing through that. I’d say find someone with a battery grinder and cut it down the side of the bush across the bolt. Battery drills aren’t up to this sort of work, they’re alright for a bit of joinery or whatnot but hopeless at jobs like this.

[wuvvum]

Gun Gum paste is probably the best of the bunch - I owe several MOTs to its hole-bunging properties.  The bandages are OK and last reasonably well but they are a bit of a bugger to get to lay properly and create an airtight seal, especially on a bent bit of pipe (and especially if you are a hamfisted twat like me).

[DodgeRover]

It's apparently coming on when sitting in traffic, so no excessive G forces

Is it an auto? If so tell her to stick it in neutral rather than leave it in drive when in queues.

 

It's going to be either

Clogged filter

Wrong grade oil

Idle speed too low

Worn oil pump

Worn main bearings

[320touring]

Is it an auto? If so tell her to stick it in neutral rather than leave it in drive when in queues.

 

It's going to be either

Clogged filter

Wrong grade oil

Idle speed too low

Worn oil pump

Worn main bearings

5 speed manual - pretty much the list I'd arrived at:)

 

Cheers!

[DodgeRover]

5 speed manual - pretty much the list I'd arrived at:)

 

Cheers!

Actually add running too hot to the list as well, if oil and filter doesn't cure it I would be tempted to increase the idle speed by 50rpm or so till it stays out.

[Guest Hooli]

Or a dodgy oil pressure sensor. I've had them gunked up before on old cars & if you've recently had the sump off to clean sludge out there could be some floating around...

[Datsuncog]

Any reason why generic sewing machine oil from the haberdashers won't cut it?

 

Not sure of the precise reason, but we've been dousing the mechanism with the 'proper' Singer machine oil for a week now, and it still grabs when the pulley wheel's meant to be turning independently from the sewing arm shaft.

 

Some online snooping reveals that Blue Creeper is the lubrication product that professional machine restorers use, which apparently eliminates this known issue with Singer 15-K machines.

 

It's entirely possible that when new, the oil specified was whale oil distillate or something - and maybe modern machine oils just doesn't have the same properties? Except, apparently, this Blue Creeper stuff?

 

It's not essential, but I'd like to get the machine working as well as it can, for its age!

[320touring]

Actually add running too hot to the list as well, if oil and filter doesn't cure it I would be tempted to increase the idle speed by 50rpm or so till it stays out.

How do you do that on a 2002 Saab 9-5?

[DodgeRover]

Probably with a computer, there's got to be a parameter to tweak, or just convince it the a/c is turned on?

[Guest Hooli]

I can't recall if there is an ICV or it's just the throttle body. Could be worth cleaning it out if it does seem to idle low?

[320touring]

Probably with a computer, there's got to be a parameter to tweak, or just convince it the a/c is turned on?

Not even Gunna try that..

[320touring]

I can't recall if there is an ICV or it's just the throttle body. Could be worth cleaning it out if it does seem to idle low?

No comment re low idle has been mentioned. But the ICV may be something else to check.

 

They appear to have a fair few foibles..

[catsinthewelder]

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

 

Could you try a bolt extractor?  I've been wary of them for years on the basis that if you snap it in the hole it's harder than any known drill bit but my set saved my bacon recently with a frost damaged pressure washer.  Just make sure the bolt is as capable of turning as possible first.  On the basis that you are planning to cut the bolt off there is nothing to lose.

[somewhatfoolish]

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.

TBH if home isn't very far I'd drive it home like that with half of the bolt still there; keeping it under 30 and braking early will keep strain on it low. how much does a used arm cost? If  as google suggests they're cheap I'd chop it up to improve access to the remains of the bolt and weld a nut on it or similar, getting plenty of heat in the nut/bolt interface.

[JimH]

There seem to be a few people here know their chod BMWs.

 

Daily smoker is an 02 520i. This seems to run irritatingly reliably so I have no excuse to offload the bloody thing. Anyway. This morning - just as it is about to get taken for an MOT - it refuses to start. It was sitting at the back of the workshop for a few days. I'd had it in to change the tyres then ran it out, stopped it and left it parked until today. I go to it this morning and for all the world it was as if it was out of fuel - which it wasn't - turning over with the odd cylider firing. Leave it for a bit while I have brekkie and swear then return to it and more out of frustration than anything just crank the bloody thing in the hope that something changes. Eventually it slooowly starts to fire more cylinders and then decides it remembers what it was meant to do and runs just fine. It's about minus 2 up here at the moment. No errors showing if I plug the thingie into the thingie and no lights are on.

 

It did almost exactly the same about two years ago. Start it, move it a few feet, stop it and leave it be. Conditions were almost exactly the same and the behaviour was exactly the same.

 

Any ideas?

[cort16]

If it was cold it probably pumped a load of fuel into the cylinders , which maybe didn’t fully evaporate because of the cold . When you go to start it, it pumps more fuel in and effectively floods it. Eventually through cranking it clears and vroom.

That’s my theory anyway

[Tickman]

I'm with Cort on 'diagnosis' also if it did it two years ago and only just done it again then nothing wrong so just ignore

[mitsisigma01]

Quick query - does anyone know any UK stockists of Blue Creeper penetrating oil?

 

Bluecreeper.jpg

 

I'm trying to restore a treadle-powered Singer sewing machine (Model 15K, built in 1910) and am having some bother getting the pulley clutch mechanism to disengage smoothly - even when disconnected, the drive pulley still tends to turn the sewing arm shaft, creating drag when winding bobbins.

 

I'm reliably informed that Blue Creeper oil (or, better yet, Blue Creeper Sewing Machine Oil) is the solution on these particular machines, but it appears virtually unheard of outside the US. I've found one UK tool specialist that imports it, but they don't appear to do online sales.

 

http://www.orionforestry.co.uk/bluecreeper/

 

The US manufacturer does have an online shop, but their international shipping is ruinous.

 

So before going ahead and spending nearly the purchase price of the machine on a thimbleful of oil from the States, has anyone seen it on the shelves of their local motor factor or something stupid like that?

 

Ta!

Why not put out a shout for a local ESSEX shiter to pop into said forestry place and buy some and send it on to you ... just a thought !

Orion Forestry & Orion Heating

Takeley Business Centre,

Dunmow Road,

Takeley, Essex,

CM22 6SJ

[egg]

Has anyone ever used a 12v dehumidifer in their car, and has it worked? 

[hairymel]

Quick query - does anyone know any UK stockists of Blue Creeper penetrating oil?

 

 

 

http://www.orionforestry.co.uk/bluecreeper/

Why not put out a shout for a local ESSEX shiter to pop into said forestry place and buy some and send it on to you ... just a thought !

Orion Forestry & Orion Heating

Takeley Business Centre,

Dunmow Road,

Takeley, Essex,

CM22 6SJ

 

i am right near there @Datsuncog...

[mitsisigma01]

I was going to be going past myself enroute to Suffolk but those plans have gone titsup for now

[MikeR]

Has anyone ever used a 12v dehumidifer in their car, and has it worked? 

apparently they don't work at low temps , as you have to have the warm moist air connecting with a cold surface to cause the moisture to condense ..

 

in a cold car/van/house ....the air is cold , and so is the cold condensing surface so condensation don't form ..

 

probable better off using moisture crystals ?

[MikeR]

low profile wiper blades ,,, are they crap ....?

 

it seems the spring in them that holds the rubber blade ... pushes up against the wiper arm spring reducing pressure on the rubber to screen in the middle

 

and they judder and faff around ..

 

so I put  on a traditional frame type wiper and all is well !!!!

[Guest Hooli]

low profile wiper blades ,,, are they crap ....?

 

it seems the spring in them that holds the rubber blade ... pushes up against the wiper arm spring reducing pressure on the rubber to screen in the middle

 

and they judder and faff around ..

 

so I put  on a traditional frame type wiper and all is well !!!!

 

I expect it depends what the arm was designed for, as it'll be applying it's best leverage the wrong distance from the screen.

[clayts450]

apparently they don't work at low temps , as you have to have the warm moist air connecting with a cold surface to cause the moisture to condense ..

 

in a cold car/van/house ....the air is cold , and so is the cold condensing surface so condensation don't form ..

 

probable better off using moisture crystals ?

 

I've tried the crystals but they failed miserably on the Streetwise (Rovers seem to get misted up if a spider breathes when it gets anywhere close to 20 degrees C) so have resorted to the old, sit there like a twat for five minutes with the demister on full blast, and then crack the window a little.

 

Mind you, those crystals were from Poundland. Probably crushed Polo mints or something, for all the good they did.

[Cavcraft]

Packet of rice emptied into a sock works a treat for (the inside of) car windows.