Ask a Shiter

[ashmicro]

I used to do a similar trick with my Samba when it had the 1360cc TU in it (on twin carbs). It had contact breaker ignition (i.e. points). The trick was to run the thing up to high revs while going downhill, and turn off the ignition, and let the gearbox turn the engine and mechanical fuel pump, When the ignition was turned back on I'd get a fair old "CRACK-BOOM!" and a decent flame.

 

This was all well and good until I blew a weld off the exhaust

 

And the "James Bond Smokescreen" stunt. We got a big rubber bulb thing, about the size of an orange, with about 8 feet of rubber pipe on it (it was part of a syphon kit for a tropical fish tank). Fill said bulb with Redex fuel additive, and run the rubber tube from the passenger footwell into the engine bay, under the air filter housing and secure with about 1/4" in to the top of the carb. So, if one was being tailgated, one asked the passenger to stamp on the rubber bulb and squirt the Redex into the carb. Epic smoke ensues, think turbo-era F1 cars letting go and you're about there.

[Rod/b]

I've seen the same done with a big syringe (it looked like the sort of thing they must use to put horses to sleep) full of old brake fluid and a bit of old tube tapped into a vacuum take off on an Escort cabriolet.

[504GL]

GR9 4 pissing off tailgaters

 

My 406 was great in that respect. Doing 30mph through a willage with an idiot tailgating me or with his highbeams or fogs on....... 5th gear, foot to the floor and an almighty cloud of diesel smoke would come out the back

[myglaren]

I did on occasion get flames coming out of the Imp exhaust when it was being pushed somewhat. Can't say I ever knew why though.

A friend told me a tale of a mate of his with a moggy. Used to do the aforementioned trick of turning off the ignition and letting the mechanical pump continue to shove fuel through the system, then turning the ignition back on to create a huge backfire.

 

He did it with my mate in the car one day. He said "I was really impressed and when we got out to see why the car was so noisy, the explosion had peeled open the silencer like a banana - completely ruined"

[CIH]

There's a fair amount of unburnt fuel in the exhaust gas because engines are quite inefficient, it a bit of a pollutant hence cats job being to burn it off. The Barrymobiles which display this phenomenon have most likely an ignition source at the tailpipe and probably pull out the choke or whatever the modern equivalent is, maybe have an air feed as well.

 

CATs don't burn fuel ? Infact unburnt fuel in the exhaust kills CATs.

[Des]

Excess unburnt fuel kills cats, like a missfire or wrong mixture, they're designed to cope with the normal levels from a modern engine, anyway, they're evil because they killed carbs.

When I was a lad, my younger brother had an 80cc bike which would do around 60mph, he used to complain of cars constantly overtaking him very slowly and dangerously, monkey'd with the engine to get it to 70mph, but this resulted in the dickheads then tailgating him. The cure was a Beetle washer bottle full of diesel, a washer pump wired in place of a missing indicator feeding the derv down a length of brake pipe with the end squashed into the exhaust downpipe, unbelievable smokescreen from the thing.

[Craig the Princess]

Does putting diesel 10/40 oil in a petrol engine do any harm? I was half asleep this morning when the oil light came on in my Rover 200 Coupé and stopped at the shell garage for oil (by the way £14.99 for a litre!) and put in 10/40 oil as recomended. IT wasn't until I threw the bottle away that I noticed it was diesel oil.

[Des]

Any harm will be insignificant compared to running with the oil light on. I believe diesel specific oil was to be avoided in the old days when it contained detergents, but these are replaced by polymers or something so the differences between diesel and petrol oils are lessened, and I'm sure I've seen oil that will suit either. In fact diesel oil is gaining favour with older petrol chod as certain additives are being dropped or replaced to suit modern stuff.

[Pete-M]

they're evil because they killed carbs.

 

Injection is the way forward. I pretty much gave up on carbs years ago, injection rocketh mightily and it's bloody simple.

[Cavcraft]

they're evil because they killed carbs.

 

Injection is the way forward. I pretty much gave up on carbs years ago, injection rocketh mightily and it's bloody simple.

 

/\

This.

 

Can't ever recall recall having any fuel related problems whatsoever with an injection engine. They tick-over, run and drive far better than a carb'd lump.

[pdg]

After many stupid comments I have two stupid towing related questions...

 

Is it still legal to use a home-made trailer these days? I thought I heard somewhere they need to be type approved / plated now (but maybe I dreamed it...) AND any clue as to whether towing a vehicle with an a-frame is legal in France or does it need to be on a trailer?

 

Thanks muchly.

[Father Ted]

those 12v ceramic heaters - are they any good or a load of shit?

[M'coli]

They're good enough to defrost the windscreen enough to mop the water off the screen and see where you're going until the heater starts to work. They're not brilliant, but they're not utter pish either.

[Father Ted]

Im thinking of one for the lads tent come October time - when were up at the caravan he sleeps outside in a tent. His choice, but I dont fancy a mains powered heater the thoughts of flammable Vango and one of those dont sit comfortably - its just to take the chill off, plus I can leave him with a 12v battery rather than have to bugger about running a mains lead out there.

[Rod/b]

Extra groundsheet, a decent sleeping mat and bag and pair of warm socks will see him right. And some advice to MAN UP, of course.

[pompei]

And make sure he doesn't take his BBQ in the tent even if it seems to have gone out - a woman died last week from carbon monoxide fumes.

[pompei]

The oft repeated comment GR8 4 Export - but how do you go about exporting an old shitter?

[Pillock]

You mean you just want it to leave the country and never return? Advertise it abroad would be the easiest way, and let someone else do the donkey work.

Or do you mean taking a car with you abroad? That depends entirely on the destination, such as Pete-M's struggles with the Czech rules.

[Pete-M]

Or do you mean taking a car with you abroad? That depends entirely on the destination, such as Pete-M's struggles with the Czech rules.

 

Indeed. Dead easy bringing them here, unless you're trying to drive the bloody thing from Czech - in which case it becomes a major red tape avoiding exercise.

 

If I could only find a 1939 Jag XJR in Flamenco Red to take there it'd be easy peasy as it's Hitlers legacy that's screwing me up. He made 'em move from driving on the correct side of the road to driving on the right (wrong) side. Therefore it's not impossible, but it's not easy to get RHD stuff on Czech plates. I've seen a few old RHD Jags there, but mainly old '60s S-types. Getting stuff on a V for veteran plate is easy - as long as the car is 'as made', i.e no modifications or upgrades. Can't fit an alternator if built with a dynamo, that kinda stuff.

 

I'm suspecting the easiest way to register the Escort and drive it would be to register it in Poland - that's insanely easy.

[Timewaster]

those 12v ceramic heaters - are they any good or a load of shit?

 

These things?

When I used to sell them, I had so many returned by idiots who expected space heater performance from plastic crap that plugs in the cigar lighter and cost £14.99

Eventually I started warning buyers to expect nothing more than "Hold your hand infront of your mouth and HUURRR". I never sold as many but the returns dropped off dramatically.

Just about warm enough to keep ice off the inside of a Land Rover windscreen. Not much else!

[pompei]

Re exporting:- I was just wondering how easy it would be to buy, say, an old Merc or people carrier etc and then flog it abroad presumably for some kind of worthwhile profit? Who is in the market for this stuff, or is it a case of "who you know?" Nod nod, wink wink

[Cavcraft]

I think it's a case of 'who you know'. The real money would be in finding someone you know/can trust in Nigeria and sending them container loads of old Merc/Bluebird/505 parts.

Plenty of people in Blighty will offer you money for the sort of chod Africa seems to love but obv. you're going to get far less here then you would by exporting yourself.

[Guest]

Can someone tell me what the fuck this plug is, and where I can get an adaptor for it? I have a caravan 3 pin to 240V domestic plug adaptor and it doesn't fit.

 

 

It's attached to an old Tamiya Ni-Cd charger I ended up with from a job lot. It appears to be for the Japanese market, judging from the Kanji on its bases and the fact it runs on 100V. Any ideas? If this works I suspect it'll be worth a few quid and therefore worth punting on the 'Bay.

[Cavcraft]

1996 Clio 1171cc: how easy (or not) is it to change the water pump on one of these please and is it a cambelt off jobbie? Cheers.

[warren t claim]

1996 Clio 1171cc: how easy (or not) is it to change the water pump on one of these please and is it a cambelt off jobbie? Cheers.

 

Is it the Gumtree one? He was asking £300 for it last time I looked.

[Cavcraft]

Very probably yes. No tax and if it's a cam belt and water pump job I doubt it's worth anywhere near the price to be honest.

[warren t claim]

Very probably yes. No tax and if it's a cam belt and water pump job I doubt it's worth anywhere near the price to be honest.

I was offered a similar Clio for £175 that was running spot on. Didn't want it for myself so I posted it on here and got no interest.

 

He's asking strong money for a non runner. £150 sound about right if you can fix it yourself.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I think it's a case of 'who you know'. The real money would be in finding someone you know/can trust in Nigeria and sending them container loads of old Merc/Bluebird/505 parts.

 

Correct. However, as we all know, Nigeria is a basket case of epic proportions, and I wouldn't bet on my container actually getting there. I reckon Kenya would be a bit safer, though I've been to Senegal and I'd say it looked like a seriously good bet...However, there are all sorts of funny red tape to go through...

[Cavcraft]

Oh well, looks like I've bought a 15 year old Renner s(h)ite unseen with a knackered water pump. What could possibly go wrong?

[catsinthewelder]

On the plus side Billy, bits should be cheap and they're nice to drive when they work. I passed my test in one