Ask a Shiter

[TagoraSX]

I've just put the reg of my Ro80 into the doovla website.

 

Does this mean the car was only on the road for 3 years?

 

The vehicle details for URA 447M are:

 

Date of Liability 01 08 1976

Date of First Registration 08 10 1973

Year of Manufacture 1973

Cylinder Capacity (cc) 1999cc

CO2 Emissions Not Available

Fuel Type PETROL

Export Marker N

Vehicle Status Unlicensed

Vehicle Colour BLUE

Vehicle Type Approval Not Available

[Pete-M]

Appears so.

 

That will be when the Ro80 was going through it's Laguna II 2.2 DCi phase.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Is there a difference between anti-roll bar bushes and track control arm bushes, or are they the same thing?

[scaryoldcortina]

Yes. No.

[Albert Ross]

Is there a difference between anti-roll bar bushes and track control arm bushes, or are they the same thing?

 

Could you not just hammer a smaller description over it?

 

Basically, it all depends on the EXACT type of suspension fitted, and to which type of car. On a Sierra, the ARB bush goes through the TCA. However, times have moved on (or backwards in the case of VAG) and things are different, Although, if you ask for a tie rod at a Vauxhall dealers, you get a steering arm, at Ford, you get a control arm.... Specificity matters here!

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I suppose my Granny Scorpio will have the same set-up as the Sierra. In which case they will be the same, or maybe not?

[alf892]

after all the granny is surely just a sierra with a bigger car hammered over it?

[scaryoldcortina]

Depends if it's a granada scorpio or a bugeye scorpio. Bugeye cars have mondeo-like front suspension.

 

Maybe it would be easier if you tell us what the problem is?

[ashmicro]

Corsa 1.0, year 2000. Runs like a bag of shite until warmed up, then is OK. Oil and water are OK, 3 sparks present. I'm thinking stuck 'stat? Also the EML is on, but it won't talk to my OBDII reader.

 

Thanks all.

[Bobthebeard]

Corsa 1.0, year 2000. Runs like a bag of shite.

 

Hmmmm...... Really?

[Cavcraft]

Corsa 1.0, year 2000. Runs like a bag of shite until warmed up, then is OK. Oil and water are OK, 3 sparks present. I'm thinking stuck 'stat? Also the EML is on, but it won't talk to my OBDII reader.

 

Thanks all.

 

How good/consistant is the spark, not a dodgy coil pack per chance?

[ashmicro]

Spark is good, Cav, nice and strong. Gonna lob a new coolant temp sender into it tomorrow, and have a wee look at the EGR. Oh, and the owner described a "wee chip out of the metal bit on the top of the engine"

 

This:

 

 

Whacking great hole in the cam cover!

[Wilko220]

If you know what you're doing (which I don't really), is it possible to inspect a cam belt and tell how worn it is or whether it needs replacing?

Reason for asking is that I cannot find out whether my 75 (which has only done 60k but is now 12 years old) has ever had its belts changed. Local garage (Rover specialists) tell me there is no way of knowing by looking at them and that if I'm not sure and want to play it safe, I should have the job done. Obviously it's a big job on one of these though - they're quoting £600...

 

Any thoughts?

[Albert Ross]

Without the locking tools on a V6 (which I assume you have) you run the high risk of cracking the ends off the camshafts. Best of luck.

[Guest]

Wilko 220 - garage is spot on. No way to tell. They just go. They don't fray then go pop. The fact the writing is worn off the smooth side doesn't mean a thing, that side invariably runs across a tensioner wearing the script off/

Personally unless I have done it myself the belt hasn't been done regardless of promises or little stickers on the cambelt - get it done and you have assurance and the 'clock' for it needing doing reset.

[Albert Ross]

How's he going to crack the ends of the camshaft in the course of a "belt inspection"?

I doubt he wants to change them himself.

Well, that's not particularly clear. The mention of £600 would have me running...... It's just a warning to basically say, don't try this at home folks...!

[Wilko220]

Thanks guys.

No, I don't intend to try it myself but I will be getting a few other quotes I think!

[scaryoldcortina]

While we are on about timing belts, I think it's worth mentioning that most belt "failures" turn out to be a faulty tensioner, or water pump, or lack of servicing ruining a cam bearing rather than the belt itself giving up through old age. Problem is that you can't really check most of these without removing the belt, and the belt is the cheap bit that isn't worth the risk to reuse....

[willswitchengage]

 

Wot is the police car in the background here?

[cort16]

It's a Ford LTD I think

 

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Depends if it's a granada scorpio or a bugeye scorpio. Bugeye cars have mondeo-like front suspension.

Maybe it would be easier if you tell us what the problem is?

 

I have an MoT advisory for anti-roll bar bushes, which also cause a slight screeching noise when going through speedbumps, so they'll have to be renewed. Eventhough they'll likely be left to my local mechanics as I can't be arsed to creep below the car and grease random (wrong) bits, the motor factors they use tend to be pathetic in terms of both price and availability, so I'd like to know exactly what parts I need- i.e. whether I can order TCA bushes from evilbay. And also whether the 'anti-roll bar bush kit' (or 'TCA bush kit') refers to one or both of the buggers.

 

It's a mk3 Granada.

[outlaw118]

edited as really stupid....

[vulgalour]

I know turning a car from a regular car into a pick-up requires beavers, but what about a kit car? I was thinking today about how much more useful to me the Maestro would be if it had a pick-up bed and only two seats and, with it being registered as a kit car, whether or not the same stringent rules about changing it apply as if it were a regular Maestro? Obviously, it'll look appalling if I do it and it's unlikely I ever will, but curiosity has the better of me.

[Wilko220]

I was thinking today about how much more useful to me the Maestro would be if it had a pick-up bed and only two seats

 

Couldn't you just sell it and buy an interesting pick-up? You know a conversion would be a disaster, and just imagine how much fun* you could have with a Moskvitch or Caro or something...

[garycox]

Just get a Maestro van...

[willswitchengage]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Rover-Maestro ... 337f1dbd50

[vulgalour]

I'm not actually going to do it, I was just curious about how it would work with a kit car as opposed to a regular car. I've seen Maestro vans turned into pick-ups and they look stupid, in fact, just about as stupid as chopping the Ledbury up would look.

 

I suppose I could be persuaded to swap for the right vehicle, now you make me think about it rationally.

[wuvvum]

Brake question.

 

For the last few weeks, the brakes on the LDV have been playing up, as in the fronts have been sticking on. I don't think it's a caliper issue, as when they do stick on both sides are equally bad. It seems to happen mainly when I drive at speed (anything above about 50) for any length of time - I can pull away from a standstill with all the brakes perfectly free, get up to speed and then a couple of miles later the fronts start grabbing on (without my having touched the brake pedal) and gradually get worse and worse until the van won't pull fifth gear any more. Once the van's stopped they seem to gradually release themselves (takes several minutes though) and driving slowly (town speeds) they don't seem to play up noticeably.

 

Other thing I'd noticed is that the brake pedal doesn't always return fully on its own - I didn't spot this until I happened to notice the brake lights were staying on. Hooking a foot under the pedal and pulling it back up solves that problem, but even with the pedal all the way up, the binding on at speed thing still happens. I've also noticed there's little or no free travel on the brake pedal.

 

Anyone have any ideas as to what might be going on?

[Morgan84]

First port of call would be to see if the front callipers are in good order,and the pads not corroded in the housings,and also see if the calliper pistons squeeze back without too much force needed.Check the flexible hoses as well in case they are swelling up inside. It's either something binding,or master cylinder playing games,but I would check all 4 corners first

[meshking]

howe manmy parascvetals to kil

 

1. not funny

 

2. liver failure is even less funny

 

I quite agree, but it is a genuine stupid question at least.