Ask a Shiter

[bramz7]

I've never had the misfortune to touch a E46, so what's that orange thing in the middle?

Coolant level stick. Essentially it's attached to a float which then tells you what level it is at.

[Guest Hooli]

Coolant level stick. Essentially it's attached to a float which then tells you what level it is at.

 

Unusually intelligent idea, thanks.

[mrbenn]

20190124_091429.jpg

 

Is this what I fear it is?

 

I've done about 700 miles in a fortnight so it's not been lightly used.

Engine fan occasionally coming on as well, despite the temp gauge showing normal levels. It came on this morning but not on the way back....

 

 

Oil in the coolant isnt caused by winter/ short trips . Mayo on the oil filler maybe but not in the rad.

 

Sorry

 

 

Sorry, brain fart. I saw the coolant bottle but brain was thinking oil cap for some reason. Mayo was indeed on oil cap in bro's and colleagues E46, not in coolant.

[bramz7]

Fudge.

 

Well I've let the shiter who wanted it know. Looks like I'm going to be taking a massive hit on yet another car!

[wuvvum]

I grew up in Sunderland fella - you'd not be returning to a car. Old man had his SRi stolen from the gated back yard - with 4 of us in the house at the time. They even let the bloody dog back into the kitchen while stealing it!

Warmish water and don't even BLINK while it's running and open!

That's one of the advantages of living in the arse end of Norfolk.  When I had to take the Audi to the garage to get the tracking done on Monday morning I started the Toyota up at the same time, then left it running with the heaters on flat out while I took the Audi.  Came back 15 minutes later and it was all toasty, clear-screened and ready to go.  I never worried for a moment about it being nicked.

[AlabamaShrimp]

I've never had a car with squeaky suspension before.

 

The Frontera has started to do it on the front drivers side. Is is the spring or damper or something else?

[Tamworthbay]

20190124_091429.jpg

Is this what I fear it is?

I've done about 700 miles in a fortnight so it's not been lightly used.

Engine fan occasionally coming on as well, despite the temp gauge showing normal levels. It came on this morning but not on the way back....

Have you ever topped up the coolant or had the light come on? When I had it is used about a litre every 1000-1500 miles and did for 20k. I replaced the rad, valve thingy on engine, reservoir and loads of hoses but it never changed for better or worse. It always looked gunky when near empty but was always fine. Any sign of any shite under the cap? Also bear in mind these are notorious for saving a bit of mayonnaise in the dipstick tube to scare the shit out of new owners. They aren’t known for head gasket failure but I guess it can happen on any engine.

[bramz7]

The cap is fine. The oil cap has some coffee residue but it's been like that since I got it, and the oil level seems fine.

 

Like I say, temperature gauge is fine, it's not smelling funny at all.

 

Coolant light has not ever come on. I have had the oil level warning flash up but it's obviously got an issue with that as it is still fine in regards to oil level.

[Tamworthbay]

The cap is fine. The oil cap has some coffee residue but it's been like that since I got it, and the oil level seems fine.

Like I say, temperature gauge is fine, it's not smelling funny at all.

Coolant light has not ever come on. I have had the oil level warning flash up but it's obviously got an issue with that as it is still fine in regards to oil level.

The oil level sensor was always weird, it goes off at start then comes on for about twenty seconds and goes off again. I know the previous owner and he said it had done that since a new sensor was fitted several years ago. My guess is that the low coolant sensor has failed and the tank is just very empty. Top it up (it was running on blue glycol when I had it so guess it still will be) and I think it will be fine.

[Anthony]

Like I say, temperature gauge is fine, it's not smelling funny at all.

 

I might be wrong, but haven't E46's got temperature gauges that are heavily centre-weighted and don't move upwards above halfway until it's getting seriously hot?  I guess something like BR or RBJ would know for sure.

[Tamworthbay]

Most moderns do that, but the sorts of temperatures needed to boil one properly should still show up.

[wuvvum]

The Rover 75 had a diagnostic mode in the dash where you could get the milometer to display the exact coolant temp by pressing the trip button in a certain sequence.  I would imagine the E46 might have a similar facility as both similar age and BMW.

[sierraman]

I've never had a car with squeaky suspension before.

 

The Frontera has started to do it on the front drivers side. Is is the spring or damper or something else?

Possibly a dry bush. Spray them with some silicone spray, might stave the squeak off for a bit. Broken springs and dampers usually knock.

[AlabamaShrimp]

^^OK will do, thanks

[iainrcz]

Full story.

I own a Toyota. A very lightly rust proofed Toyota. It has some superficial rusting on some chassis and suspension bits.

 

Not having done much tinkering for quite a few years I'm probably behind the times.

 

I'm looking for something I can paint/spray on which will either convert it and seal it, or one for the converting and another I can spray on to protect it.

 

Can anyone recommend anything?

 

Last stuff I used was jenolite which I vaguely recall stinging like a bugger if you got it on you.

 

If you're still reading this well done, treat yourself to a cup of tea.

[mrbenn]

I'd probably wire brush the rust, use Vactan to treat, paint with zinc primer, top coat of your choice then put some Bilt Hamber over the top.

 

Or just take it to Krown where they'll spray the whole underside.

 

Other opinions available.

[sierraman]

Depends on if it’s an old banger and you want to stave off the problem for a few years or something more permanent.

 

To do it properly, I’d get it back to metal with a flap disc, though I realise it’s not always easy to do this, if you can’t get the grinder near it, use jenolite or preferably Loctite rust converter on it after you’ve got the loose stuff off. Follow the instructions to the letter and don’t do it in this weather. Let it dry out properly, then a couple of decent coats of stone chip, then when that’s cured, swat some Waxoyl over the top, ideally thinned down 20% with some spirits. Or even better, poured near into a tray and pasted on with a brush.

 

I’m sure you could spend a lot more on POR 15 etc but if you follow my instructions it should last for a considerable length of time. If it was a full on 1960’s E Type job then you could go a full chequebook job on it but it’s probably not relevant on a normal car.

[iainrcz]

It's my GT 86, I'm hoping to keep it a few years so would like it to not rot like a peach!

 

Why is it when you reply via your phone, and don't check it the sneaky little bastard makes up what it wants then you post it and look like an anus.

[sierraman]

Rustproofing is an ongoing thing, expect every year to check and if necessary top it up. In fact you’ll frequently find under the terms of a 12 year or whatever anti perforation warranty that it’s subject to regular checks.

 

Preparation is everything, whatever materials you choose. As is the weather, ideally you want it dry and warm.

[iainrcz]

I'll be doing quite a few jobs come the better weather. This will be one, thanks.

[tommytwo]

The ignition leads on my Rover 820 are the originals, 27 years old and the car has covered 150k miles. So I thought it would be a good idea to replace them. Found a set of Mafco leads on Ebay which claim to be OEM, and they were delivered today. As I have had dud components delivered before. I decided to test them for resistance and see how they compared with the old leads before fitting them.

 

I have a digital meter and an analog meter. The resistance of the new leads is infinite.No electrical signal gets through from one end of the lead to the other. All the leads, the king lead and the four plug leads are the same. They all read zero.

 

Am I missing something here? (Apart from a decent set of leads?)

[Guest Hooli]

The ignition leads on my Rover 820 are the originals, 27 years old and the car has covered 150k miles. So I thought it would be a good idea to replace them. Found a set of Mafco leads on Ebay which claim to be OEM, and they were delivered today. As I have had dud components delivered before. I decided to test them for resistance and see how they compared with the old leads before fitting them.

 

I have a digital meter and an analog meter. The resistance of the new leads is infinite.No electrical signal gets through from one end of the lead to the other. All the leads, the king lead and the four plug leads are the same. They all read zero.

 

Am I missing something here? (Apart from a decent set of leads?)

 

What do the original leads read?

 

I've never tried testing leads with a meter.

[Mally]

Just fit the King lead and see if it fires up.

If yes, which it will then fit the rest and leave them for 27 years.

[panhard65]

The ignition leads on my Rover 820 are the originals, 27 years old and the car has covered 150k miles. So I thought it would be a good idea to replace them. Found a set of Mafco leads on Ebay which claim to be OEM, and they were delivered today. As I have had dud components delivered before. I decided to test them for resistance and see how they compared with the old leads before fitting them.

 

I have a digital meter and an analog meter. The resistance of the new leads is infinite.No electrical signal gets through from one end of the lead to the other. All the leads, the king lead and the four plug leads are the same. They all read zero.

 

Am I missing something here? (Apart from a decent set of leads?)

If they read zero then they are fine if they read 1 then it is open circuit. Test you meter by touching the 2 probes together and it should then read zero, but with them apart it will read 1 or something like that.

[tommytwo]

My digital meter reads 1 when I do not touch the leads together. Touching the leads together, it reads 0.003 due to the resistance in the meter leads. Testing the ignition leads, it reads 1. So I reckon all the ignition leads are open circuit!

 

As for leaving it for another 27 years, I doubt that I will be here then. I will try just swapping the king lead before I send them back.

 

Thanks all.

[Squire_Dawson]

Are they carbon cored as opposed to copper?

[Talbot]

My digital meter reads 1 when I do not touch the leads together. Touching the leads together, it reads 0.003 due to the resistance in the meter leads. Testing the ignition leads, it reads 1. So I reckon all the ignition leads are open circuit!

What scale are you set on? Supressed leads can have resistances in the Mega-ohm range, which is not a problem as of course the ignition pulse may be many kV, but is uA, so the resistance of the leads can be high.

[volvoman]

How may posts do i need on Autoshite, before i can make a thread in the For Sale section?

I cant seem to find this answer anywhere else on the forum???

Cheers.

[Tickman]

How may posts do i need on Autoshite, before i can make a thread in the For Sale section?

I cant seem to find this answer anywhere else on the forum???

Cheers.

 

No specific number so go ahead

[The Moog]

There isn't a for sale forum. Car and car stuff goes here. Non car stuff in the open forum.

 

Both forums have a for sale thread.