Ask a Shiter

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

However, an indicated 56mph is not the same as an actual 56mph. Probably needs to go to an indicated 57.5mph or some such for optimum economy

FAIL. You'd better economy still at 50mph than 56 as long as the engine wasn't labouring (v. unlikely), and better economy again at 45mph. Don't try it on a motorway though.

 

Right...thinking about it, it was quite daft of me to assume that the max economy could be had at anything much above idle! Guess it could be much nearer 56mph with the newfangled 6- and 7-speed boxes.

 

 

hence why, whenever I do it, I keep getting SLOWLY overtaken by lorry drivers needing to grind every last second out of their working day.

It's quite hard work overtaking in a truck, so unless you're absolutely at miser level try and do 60, then it's you overtaking them instead of them having to pass you.

 

Thing is, you'll always get a few of them who manage to trick it to do a couple of miles more than 56, 60 or whatever you've chosen (particularly coaches- or do they have a different limit from lorries?), so you end up forgetting about it all and doing 75.

[AnthonyG]

What do you do when private messages refuse to move from the Outbox? I have several replies to people about handbooks, but the messages won't go to 'sent'?

[Wilko220]

What do you do when private messages refuse to move from the Outbox? I have several replies to people about handbooks, but the messages won't go to 'sent'?

 

I think that means the intended recipient hasn't read it yet.

[Tayne]

Wilko is correct.

[AnthonyG]

I see - 'Alles Klar' as they say in Germany, although they may not spell it like that .

[Shep Shepherd]

Saw this late model typ 44 Audi 100 (one of my favourite German cars ever, apart from the ur quattro) in the contractors' car park at work today. Supplied by the nearest Volkswagen-Audi dealer to where I grew up (Hollis Motors), no less:

 

 

Anyway, I spotted that the car had the sticker which almost every Volkswagen and Audi I used to see in the late 1980s and early 1990s seemed to have on its boot:

 

 

Does anyone know what/who the sticker pertains to, as I have been wanting to know since around 1988 or so. I imagine it must have some sort of VAG significance, as I've not seen it on anything else, apart from the odd SEAT...

[AnthonyG]

You sure it's not just a stylised 'HM' for Hollis Motors?

 

I've never seen on it on anything, VW or not.

[Shep Shepherd]

You sure it's not just a stylised 'HM' for Hollis Motors?

 

I've never seen on it on anything, VW or not.

 

Looking at it closer, I rather think it is

 

Thanks for seeing me right after so long; I always though it said 'Hia', and that it was the name of an obscure VW-Audi accessory supplier or something

[barefoot]

Once again I got over 40 mpg from the Scirocco and walking back to the car noticed that the exhaust was a sooty black.

I remember that this is/was supposed to be a sign of an over-rich mixture but its doing 40.54 m's to the g.

(This figure is a proper fill to fill at the same garage & same petrol pump over 394 miles).

Looking around the rest of the day, I haven't seen a single pipe that's the old fashioned desirable shade of grey/brown.

Does petrol have different additives that make it burn differently from the old petrol?

Or am I missing something & running way too rich & should be getting in excess of 50 mpg?

[M'coli]

It doesn't contain the lead that turned things brown in the old days.

[outlaw118]

Hmm, this one has been in my head for a week.....

 

Coming along the A12 (or A13, can't remember) the other night, noticed a helicopter overhead. Very shortly after, blue lights in the near distance in the mirror.

Old bill, chasing a couple of blokes in a Beemer 520i, (so not fast then!).

I had ample opportunity to try and anchor up in front of him, or put the bumper in and try and spin him, and be branded "Local Hero" on the next series of Police Stop Crash Interceptors. But I didn't.

Obviously some damage would be sustained to The Moose, so my question is, Who pays for that? My insurance 'coz I deliberately damaged it? Da Polis? BMW man's insurance?

Just wondered in case the opportunity arises again!!

[warren t claim]

A quickie. Will a late model Peugeot 306 interior fit in a pre facelift model?

[The Moog]

where would I get hold of a scaffold pole to undo a hub nut? Looked on bay but they ££ for something I will use once or twice.

[warren t claim]

where would I get hold of a scaffold pole to undo a hub nut? Looked on bay but they ££ for something I will use once or twice.

Building site.

 

Seriously, if the car is drivable then many carpet shops use them to move rolls of carpet. Ask nicely!

[The Moog]

Cool cheers. Did think of asking any passing rioter but I guess they would have uses for them..

[catsinthewelder]

My big tube is some steel pipe I found at the scrapyard. Was charged about a pound and that included cutting it off the end of the 20' section it was on

[Wilko220]

Thanks to Rootes_Arrow1725, I now have the correct steering wheel for my recently acquired poshed-up Hunter. Despite never having swapped a steering wheel before, I can't imagine fitting it will be too much trouble.

 

However, the problem I have is removing the horrible modern steering wheel which has been fitted to the car, and appears to be riveted on in six places.

 

So, my stupid question... Any idea how I get the bastard things undone? Presumably I'll need some kind of special tool? Not sure if some type of allen key would work. And is it likely to have caused any damage in its wake that will result in problems fitting an original back on?

 

The picture below is the best one I have to hand at the moment, but I can get a close-up later if it helps. Not sure how standard these are. Cheers guys!

 

[M'coli]

I think that the centre cap should be able to be prised out with something, then the nut can be accessed.

[Wilko220]

I think that the centre cap should be able to be prised out with something, then the nut can be accessed.

 

Ah. That sounds nice and simple! Seems I chose the right thread for the question anyway

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Not sure if some type of allen key would work. And is it likely to have caused any damage in its wake that will result in problems fitting an original back on?

 

Can't really see from the picture, but these hideous wheels usually have a ring of hex screws (allen) holding them onto the aftermarket boss. The aftermarket boss is just bolted onto the column like the original steering wheel was.

[Wilko220]

Right - that makes more sense from what it looks like. I'll dig out by box of random allen keys and see if I can find one that fits!

Thanks.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

When coasting, the engine idles at around 1300rpm until the car slows down to about 8mph, when it reverts to the normal idle of about 800. If a high gear is selected during coasting, the engine responds and adjusts the revs to the correct level (e.g. 25mph in 4th is below the 'coasting idle'). This happens both on LPG and petrol, so I'm thinking it can't be a fault with both ECUs (unless the LPG ECU gets some kind of flawed information from the petrol ECU).

 

Assuming that hammering a smaller socket over the idle control valve doesn't work, can you think of a possible cause and/or remedy?

[Cavcraft]

LPG has it's own ECU?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

LPG has it's own ECU?

 

Most of them do- it's only the really old and/or really cheap conversions that use carb jobs. However, I think that the LPG ECU doesn't have many sensors and mostly depends on information fed to it by the petrol one.

[Albert Ross]

Sounds fairly normal Luxo.... the engine is after all running the auto box, PAS, aircon, etc, as well as making everything else like the alternator work. I presume you've tried coasting it in neutral to see if that changes it? If it does, there is no fault....... It would appear to be programmed that way to keep the engine running.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Sounds fairly normal Luxo.... the engine is after all running the auto box, PAS, aircon, etc, as well as making everything else like the alternator work. I presume you've tried coasting it in neutral to see if that changes it? If it does, there is no fault....... It would appear to be programmed that way to keep the engine running.

 

It's a manual box, so the coasting is in neutral. Interestingly, turning the aircon off didn't seem to make any difference to the revs.

[Albert Ross]

Ah. There's me thinking you had a slushbox. It'll be the Idle Air Control Valve on the inlet manifold, or maybe an air leak on the inlet side.....

[Father Ted]

I have searched, but cant find the link someone posted to the very nearly but not quite serk plate font maker.

 

Can anyone help a spack like me find the link?

[cms206]

Thing is, you'll always get a few of them who manage to trick it to do a couple of miles more than 56, 60 or whatever you've chosen (particularly coaches- or do they have a different limit from lorries?), so you end up forgetting about it all and doing 75.

 

 

Coaches are limited to 100km/h, or about 62.5mph. Unless they were built or certified for use before a certain date, then they can legally do 112km/h or 70mph. IIRC.

[mattblack]

Wilco, loosen the nut but don't take it off completely before you try to pull the wheel off the splines... going to A+E to have a steering wheel removed from your face may prove embarrasing.