Ask a Shiter

[Jon]

Mrs_Jon arrived home tonight with a very unhappy sounding 205. I'm certain it's related to the fabled 'rear beam' and it so happened that I was busy in the garage at the time picking the very last few saveable bits off our spares 205 at the time. It's a 1.6GTi and ours is a 1.9GTi, so there's differences at least in the braking set-up (1.6 - drums and single rear brake line with splitter, 1.9 discs and duals) but does anyone have any experience of dropping the whole assembly (suspension, brakes etc.) and/or doing a disc to drums swap? Disc nipples are FUBAR, hence the swap, which will allow me to get the original bits overhauled in good time. Currently 4 roadworthy cars and only one is working!

 

The only thing left on the spares car is the rear suspension/brake/beam assembly and two spare wheels (I was wheeling it around the driveway with my Dad today, like it was a massive wheelbarrow) and I'll be tipping it on its side for better access tomorrow but any 'how-to' advice would be much appreciated.

[beko1987]

Since a Meriva A is a corsa c in drag, would this:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/160962067725?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

 

fit? It seems better value than 2x rods and ends at £30 a pop, plus possibly gaitors when for that little bit extra I can sort the whole fucking thing out and job done. Any special tools needed? Anyone ever spannered a spazz wagon meriva?

[tooSavvy]

Oops - the S.W. reference again

 

TS

[DSdriver]

Something that I have wondered about for a while...

 

If I buy a car that is on a cherished* numberplate is it possible to transfer it back to its original numberplate if that is known or would it just end up on a different age related plate?

When I sold my mum's car we transfered the cherished to my DS. Divla gave the Toyota it's original number back which was well handy as the original dealer plates were on the shelf in the garage. I expect it depends on when the fancy plate was put on - before or after computers became the norm.

[Bobthebeard]

Stupid question here, but what is a Porsche 944 with no MOT and borked sills worth? It is a 1984 version. All sound generally, good interior and functioning electrical goodies. 130K. Good bodywork, good paint etc. Engine all good and starts on the button. No mechanical issues etc.

is £950 unrealistic?

Ta.

[cort16]

The best thing to do is to stick it out there and see what happens. 950 doesn't seem too cheap if you know what I mean? There are mot and taxed ones on ebay for around 1400-1500 quid and solid ones with some not that complex mechanical issues for just under a grand.  I'd be tempted to ebay it starting at 500 quid with no reserve.

[cort16]

I've been farting around with the carbs on the sd1 trying to get it run right. i was blaming it on the stepper system on the carbs, which I'd been told was disconnected but it turns out this is connected (it won't run with it unplugged) it was the fuel cut off solenoids that weren't hooked up, which Ibelieve should make bugger all difference to normal running.

Anyway the car runs fine on idle and on gentle throttle but when you open the throttle quickly it won't pick up and runs like shit. if I take the damper pistons out the carbs and suppress the needle coming up with my fingers it runs great on full throttle. My question is does it sound like the damper pistons aren't doing their job? My understandng is these are there to stop the needle coming up to fast and putting too much fuel into the system, which is why they have oil in it. They have oil (engine oil) in them and If I run it with the pistons in but not screwed down they lift to the same level.

 

Is there anything obvious I'm missing? Should they have an exact amount of oil in them and exact type of oil?

 

Da carbs

 

carbs by cort16, on Flickr

[eddyramrod]

When was the current Transit introduced?  What's the earliest plate I'm likely to see one on?  (Private plates excluded obviously)

Also, what would be the youngest I'll see on the outgoing model?

[NorfolkNWeigh]

When was the current Transit introduced?  What's the earliest plate I'm likely to see one on?  (Private plates excluded obviously)

Also, what would be the youngest I'll see on the outgoing model?

The current shape Transit has been around since the beginning of last year,so the earliest should be on a 62 plate.

I say should,the chances are you might see a special edition one with Yellow flashing lights a towbar and the special 'Block paving mural' on anything from a W onwards.

[saucedoctor]

The rule I was told for SU's was ordinary multigrade up to the bottom thread (for the plunger.) There is SU Carb Oil, which used to be a LOT cheaper, and came in half-litre bottles!

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carburettor-damper-oil-BDR125-/171199984001?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27dc507181

 

Sometimes the slides can get mucky and stick - I used to use Autosol on 'em.

[catsinthewelder]

I was going to say that I've only seen the new model in SWB flavour which means that the 2000ish onwards shape is still current for the bigger ones.  But having checked Fords website the new one is the Transit Custom and the other one is still running in all sizes.  According to Wiki a new one that will also be sold in the US is on the horizon.

 

They made a big deal about it being a new van when the more upright headlights arrived in 2006 but essentially we've had 3 basic bodyshells (in lots of sizes) since it was launched in 1965.

[cort16]

The rule I was told for SU's was ordinary multigrade up to the bottom thread (for the plunger.) There is SU Carb Oil, which used to be a LOT cheaper, and came in half-litre bottles!

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Carburettor-damper-oil-BDR125-/171199984001?pt=UK_CarsParts_Vehicles_CarParts_SM&hash=item27dc507181

 

interesting as there's nowhere near that amount of oil in them.

[saucedoctor]

^ Well, there was another school of thought that said just shy of the bottom thread but I don't imagine it'd make that much difference. I always used the up to the bottom thread rule on anything I was working on or owned, and had no issues.

[Noel Tidybeard]

Inspired by said ad (I would if it wasn't a gold 440 in Leamington etc etc) - what was the largest production engine to be run with CVT? I always assumed it was limited to small cars of 1.3l or less, but apparently not. Is there a limit on the amount of torque or power that CVT can be made to work with?

leyland were running lorries with cvt 80's/90's- they found one with 160 bhp performed as well if not better than same truck running 180 with manual gearbox!!

[barefoot]

Stupid question here, but what is a Porsche 944 with no MOT and borked sills worth? It is a 1984 version. All sound generally, good interior and functioning electrical goodies. 130K. Good bodywork, good paint etc. Engine all good and starts on the button. No mechanical issues etc.

is £950 unrealistic?

Ta.

Google ph sportscars, Paul will tell you what its worth. Not very much I suspect

[Jim Bergerac]

MKIV Transits started on the W reg, I think. Facelifts were 56 on.

[MrDuke]

Fendt do a 7.1 litre turbo diesel vario with 396 hp and 1550 nm of torque !

 

 

I would literally do anything, at all, in return for a newish Mustang with one of those installed.

[The Moog]

What gets rid of diesel smell on clothes?

In my haste yesterday to be a good bf i bunged my clothes straight in washing machine. Which is amazing apart from i had been fixing diesel filter. And my missus clothes were already in there. And now smell.. Bugger

[pompei]

Sorry if this has been covered before ...

 

I get a static electric shock off my Saab door every time I get out.  Is there anything I can do to stop this?  I doubt that fixing rubber strips or old bath plug chains to the rear will help...

[cobblers]

Keep a bucket of water in the passenger footwell and pour this over yourself before getting out of the car

[KruJoe]

.. very unhappy 205 rear suspension beam ...

 

Will is just on with rebuilding his 205 beam, he may have some info for you Jon, I'll bring his attention to your predicament.

[Richard]

Sorry if this has been covered before ...

 

I get a static electric shock off my Saab door every time I get out.  Is there anything I can do to stop this?  I doubt that fixing rubber strips or old bath plug chains to the rear will help...

 

Grip the door frame tightly as you step out.You still feel the discharge slightly but it seems to be the spark jumping that gives you the jolt.

[anonymous user]

In case it gets missed from the ebay tat thread, I keep seeing some quite interesting tat from France listed with no French documents, but to be imported to England as part of the sale. Apart from the fun/risk of buying unseen, from a few photographs and possibly subjective description, to say nothing of the whether it would even turn up at all, how much of a pain would it be to register something like this over here?

 

Would you need to MOT it first and how long would you get to do that (before this new fining you because they can business comes into play); most of what interests me is 1950s stuff which I suppose would be MOT exempt, but with no paperwork how would I be able to prove that it was?

[panhard65]

In case it gets missed from the ebay tat thread, I keep seeing some quite interesting tat from France listed with no French documents, but to be imported to England as part of the sale. Apart from the fun/risk of buying unseen, from a few photographs and possibly subjective description, to say nothing of the whether it would even turn up at all, how much of a pain would it be to register something like this over here?

 

Would you need to MOT it first and how long would you get to do that (before this new fining you because they can business comes into play); most of what interests me is 1950s stuff which I suppose would be MOT exempt, but with no paperwork how would I be able to prove that it was?

I would be a bit careful they are worth bugger all in France without paperwork as it is a world of pain to get over there. Here it isn't too bad through the owners club but might be tricky with anything obscure like a Panhard or Simca. The clubs do charge for this though and some are just unhelpful even if you are a member. (I am still waiting for a reply from the Hotchkiss club about my spare chassis). It would still have to be notified to the tax man even without paperwork but the importer should do that for you as it is his responsibility. If he is VAT registered it is a very simple process. The Juvaquatre that he has for sale has very little value over here as it is a Renault. They are just worth bugger all for some reason unlike citroen's or even Peugeots of the same era

[Station]

As will said tractors use cvt.

 

It's not an old DAF or a truck, I thought it had general automatic box until someone pointed it out to me a month after I bought it.

I thought auto is a nice touch i a car like this, and I'm a bit of a convert. Next workhorse will be an auto diesel (this would've been perfect had it been a diesel).

[Asimo]

2002 "Rover 45 2.0 V6 Connoisseur 4dr Step Auto"

What sort of auto is this? I will lose interest immediately if it is not a proper torque converter / epicyclic job.

 

See next post: interest departed.

[red5]

It's a Cvt type. pants in my experience.

[saucedoctor]

It's a ZF VT1 box.

[catsinthewelder]

Right chaps, help me look like I know what I'm doing.

 

We have 2 LDV Convoy minibuses at work that went on a long trip out today,  the T reg (transit 2.5TD engined) one flicked on it's EML light and wouldn't go much above 10mph for several miles causing an enormous tailback.

 

The driver got fed up after a bit and tried switching it off then starting it back up and success the light went out and it's back to it's normal self.  Any idea whats the matter with it?  We're not going to spend much as it's a scruffy old rustbucket and we're already playing cambelt roulette with it.

[wackywacerwill]

We had one of those Convoy buses at work with the same lump and though I can't remember the symptoms now do remember we had to replace the ecu which apparently a common fault as they get damp where they sit on the bulkhead. The dealer solution was to fit a new one still in the placy bag to protect it