Ask a Shiter

[catsinthewelder]

I've found a small compressor at work that is supposed to be for airbrushes (a whole DT class worth).  We would like to use it to inflate tyres and maybe use some other air tools.

 

I took it to the local agricultural suppliers (tis a small town and there's nowhere else likely to know) who suggested screwing the tapered thread of the male adaptor they had in stock onto the non-tapered thread of the compressor (same Tpi etc).  "Don't overtighten it or it'll crack the casing and use plenty of PFTE tape" now this sounds fine to me but the boss is less than keen,  do any of you know where I can get a proper adaptor?   I've spent some time googling but I don't understand what I need.

[inconsistant]

Given that leaded petrol stopped being sold on forecourts in the UK in 2000, when are petrol stations going to stop calling the stuff they've been selling since 'unleaded' and just call it 'petrol'?

[garethj]

 do any of you know where I can get a proper adaptor?   I've spent some time googling but I don't understand what I need.

When I adapted my compressor to a vacuum pump the only way I could do it was go to a hydraulic fittings place and talk it through with the bloke behind the counter.  I took all the parts along so we could make sure it assembled on the spot.

 

It was more expensive than ebay but it's the only way if your knowledge of pipe threads is zero like mine.  You want a bloke who can look at the parts, suck on his pipe and get the adaptor from an unlabelled brown box covered in dust.  It's a very satisfying way to shop

[catsinthewelder]

Ah hydraulic fittings,  we have nearby a place proclaiming to be the only hydraulic fittings trade shop in the country so I'll give them a try.

 

Ta muchly

[Inspector Morose]

Although its more Birmingham than Ludlow, try James Lister and sons. They've got a place just outside oldbury that would have the very adaptor you want. Failing that, can you post a pic?

[Craig the Princess]

Thanks to KruJoe in one of the deleted scencs of this thread for advise on the Marina engine rebuild, I know the casings are on the same pistons but may have rotated 180 degress so I'll check that.

 

New problem is the the Rover Coupe failing the MoT miserably I'm trying to get my Cirteon AX going but French electrics are beyond me. The front right indicator and windscreen washer pump don't work, which may be related to the garage welding in that area I thought. However the other side front indicator failed, was then fixed by running a live wire into the connector, this was cleaned and the indicator worked for about 10 minutes but when I tried it again it failed again. The Haynes wiring diagram is way beyond me (what was wrong with putting the colour of the wire on the diagram?). I know some AX fans are on here, is this a common thing?

[warren t claim]

I'm in two minds whether to do a thread about all the shite I drove when I was a taxi driver. As it would be a long opening post I was wondering if you'd all be interested?

[dollywobbler]

Do you have pics to break it up a bit? Would no doubt be an interesting read.

[phil_lihp]

Thanks to KruJoe in one of the deleted scencs of this thread for advise on the Marina engine rebuild, I know the casings are on the same pistons but may have rotated 180 degress so I'll check that.

 

New problem is the the Rover Coupe failing the MoT miserably I'm trying to get my Cirteon AX going but French electrics are beyond me. The front right indicator and windscreen washer pump don't work, which may be related to the garage welding in that area I thought. However the other side front indicator failed, was then fixed by running a live wire into the connector, this was cleaned and the indicator worked for about 10 minutes but when I tried it again it failed again. The Haynes wiring diagram is way beyond me (what was wrong with putting the colour of the wire on the diagram?). I know some AX fans are on here, is this a common thing?

 

I have little expertise to help here but for what it's worth my old AX had a constant problem getting enough juice to the starter motor - for several months, when turning the key it was a 75% chance it would just 'clunk' or be completely silent as not enough current was being fed to the solenoid.  Lots of twists of the key would eventually start the car.  It spent a lot of time in the garage being investigated and a rebuilt solenoid and wiring were only temporary fixes.  It abruptly stopped doing it one day and never happened again.  I suspect a bad earth somewhere was the likely cause, could be your issue.  I do know the electrics on these seem quite poorly protected against the elements, it was prone to more issues when it was raining or had just been washed and I have a feeling a little bit of water could sometimes work its way into the fuse box.

[Lord Sterling]

A friend of mine has bought a car. Its a Category 'D' write-off. It has since been repaired but is still registered as a 'D'. Its a 2010 car so I assume the MOT will be due soon. He wants to know whether he needs to inform the insurance that the car is registered as a Category 'D' and what does he need to do when the MOT is due.

 

I remember being told that for a category D car you need to take it to some DVLA yard to have inspected then it can go for MOT?

 

Thanks.

[TimothyClaypole]

Assuming the link works, VR6 rather than V6 but I'd have another one tomorrow.

 

http://youtu.be/BFe8aeW6aHY

[Pillock]

A friend of mine has bought a car. Its a Category 'D' write-off. It has since been repaired but is still registered as a 'D'. Its a 2010 car so I assume the MOT will be due soon. He wants to know whether he needs to inform the insurance that the car is registered as a Category 'D' and what does he need to do when the MOT is due.

 

I remember being told that for a category D car you need to take it to some DVLA yard to have inspected then it can go for MOT?

 

Thanks.

 

I speak with experience from my Cat D Audi 90

 

You don't need a VIC check - that's only for Cat C. Take it for an MoT as usual, I just took it to my normal station and it ran through the computer as normal, nothing flagged up and no extra checks. Taxed it no problem. Just had the bit on the bottom of the V5 about it being previously written off.

 

I did tell the insurance company, they just sort of made an "oh" noise and didn't query it. I don't know if it raised the price, but it was still dirt cheap so if it did, it wasn't by much. I think they like to know just so they can offer you less money if it got written off again, ("Market value" is lower for a repaired write-off). I also assume they'd love the opportunity to not pay out at all if you didn't tell them.

 

Cat C is the one that's slightly more of a ballache - a VIC check at your cost just to make sure all the numbers tally is the big one.

[phil_lihp]

More out of curiosity than anything, as it's entirely out of my hands now, a friend of mine has a 1999 Focus 1.6 Zetec which has recently been 'rattling' with the rattle increasing/decreasing with engine speed.  She knows as much about cars as I know about Belgian politics so that was as good a description as I could get.  It was booked in for a service at a local garage but never got there as this morning it died on the way to the garage, apparently making horrible noises and producing smoke from under the bonnet.  The RAC diagnosed water pump failure and towed her to the garage where it now sits awaiting its turn.

 

It's not going to be cheap I guess but seeing as it sounds like it's been driven on local journeys with a disintegrating water pump for several days, what other damage could this have done?  Allegedly it didn't get hot which is something I suppose.

 

On the plus side, she's been loaned the most rusty, scabby and battered R-plate Ford Ka I've ever seen.  It's in matt yellow with pink flowers stuck on it and has a number of messy welding patches on its lower edges.  She's not impressed!

[Danblez]

.

[Junkman]

You would be surprised.

You can and will be held responsible for all damage caused by you violating the transport agreement.

This is not limited to monetary compensation either, if misconduct or negligence can be proven (and not removing fluids from an engine to be transported is wantonly negligent) you can be prosecuted.

[Bobthebeard]

You would be surprised.

You can and will be held responsible for all damage caused by you violating the transport agreement.

This is not limited to monetary compensation either, if misconduct or negligence can be proven (and not removing fluids from an engine to be transported is wantonly negligent) you can be prosecuted.

Even getting an engine on a pallet moved from A to B seems to be a minefield nowadays. Just a matter of time before the ' have you ever been the victim of a carelessly palleted engine move ' advertising campaign kicks in.

[cort16]

Does anyone know how I get on the autoshite Facebook page? I sent a request a while ago but it's not been authorised while the number of members has gone up. Have I been deemed an unsuitable oink?

[Cavcraft]

It's a load of bollocks anyhow mate, you're not missing anything.

 

 

 

Dan: where is said engine? Could a local 'shiter depollute it for you?

[Danblez]

A looooong way away from here, NE12 is all I know....

[The Moog]

Computer Question for you all. Laptop has died and new one will be few hundred quid. Got access to MIL steam driven PC but it hasnt got Office. I need to use office to update some accounting systems I implemented in Cambodia.

 

Open office etc wont do as I need it to work perfectly and in exactly the same way for the users in Cambodia otherwise it is a world of pain.

 

MS want a bum raping £120 for office. Any suggestions of a cheap way to get it?

[skattrd]

Student editions of office are generally much cheaper, not sure how you prove you're a student when buying it though.

If you get away with an old version then you could try ebay for legit boxed copy of 2003 or 2007. If the pc is old then 2003 would likely run better than a newer version.

 

Otherwise, torrents.

[tooSavvy]

... any one know what this did [until it popped]?

 

 

just lying on a desk, in a pub....

 

tooSavvy

[cobblers]

It's a Metal halide light bulb. Be careful, there's about 15 bar of pressurised gas inside it eager to explode glass into your eyeballs.

[The Moog]

Student editions of office are generally much cheaper, not sure how you prove you're a student when buying it though.

If you get away with an old version then you could try ebay for legit boxed copy of 2003 or 2007. If the pc is old then 2003 would likely run better than a newer version.

 

Otherwise, torrents.

That was the Student version!

 

Will have a look at ebay. MIL is funny about torrents as they cause the police to knock on your door because you are downloading dodgy images

[Mr Livered]

openoffice.org

[daveb47]

Use star office free for older version or $14.95 for latest,

http://www.staroffice.com/

 

Or i can help with msoffice,what version do you need.

[Grundig]

There is a few bits & bobs I've recorded on the box - how do I get the remote off her indoors so I can watch it ?? 

[catsinthewelder]

Lend her the car to go to her friends house round the corner then cycle round and disconnect the battery.

[KruJoe]

Which is the best forum for technical advice on my Honda-engined R8 216?

Thankyouplease.

[The Moog]

thanks for offer Dave by I think Pillock has managed to sort me out with a copy.