Ask a Shiter

[Sloth in a bowl]

I'm selling a car for the first time via eBay. I've never actually sold a car before - only ever done trade ins / company cars or just plain kept them (which is why I find myself with 6...).

 

It's finally had a bid, the buyer seems to have good feedback, but hasn't asked any questions / to view the car - is this normal behaviour? Should I ask him if he wants anymore info / pics?

He was probably drunk when bidding and will be wondering on Saturday night why he is now the owner of a green Peugot. In reality if the car is cheap people will put in a low bid and worry about condition afterwards.

[Junkman]

What/where do you measure to find out which wheels will fit on a car?

PCD?

Dave.

PCD, hole in centre, backspacing, width, diameter, clearance for brakes and pipes, steering rods, wishbones, uprights, springs, struts, shockers, etc.

It must clear everything on full steering lock and springs fully deflected and rebound.

[Mr Lobster]

It's finally had a bid, the buyer seems to have good feedback, but hasn't asked any questions / to view the car - is this normal behaviour? Should I ask him if he wants anymore info / pics?

 

If his feedback is reasonably high and the feedback itself is decent enough then I wouldn't worry too much personally.

[Junkman]

It has always happened when I listed a car. Once a few people have bid in it, one will contact you and ask to see the car, but never show up.

It works the other way 'round, too.

I pride myself in never having bought a car off the internet, that I actually saw in the flesh beforehand.

Since I do it this way, I consider it normal behaviour.

[saucedoctor]

What/where do you measure to find out which wheels will fit on a car?

PCD?

Dave.

This may be of use also

 

http://www.wheelfitment.eu/

[willswitchengage]

***Massively off topic question***

 

On facebook...

 

How can I make photos I'm tagged in private, but allow posts that I'm tagged in visible on my timeline?

 

If you click the little gear and arrow next to "activity log" on your profile, timeline settings, the second section, "who can see posts you've been tagged in on your timeline". Playing with that switches everything I'm tagged in blanket on and off, I can't seem to find a way of being more specific with out editing every single picture of post I'm tagged in.

 

FFS when they tried to make it "simpler"

[MrDuke]

PCD, hole in centre, backspacing, width, diameter, clearance for brakes and pipes, steering rods, wishbones, uprights, springs, struts, shockers, etc.

It must clear everything on full steering lock and springs fully deflected and rebound.

 

If in doubt, go for plenty of offset and some wobble bolts, and do without full lock. I R SAFTY CONSHUS.

[Sudsprint]

That'll be the Sao Penza.

Thanks all for the replies. I can sleep easy now knowing that I am not barking.

[wackywacerwill]

Angle tightening, what's that all about then?

 

I'm just off to the factors to procure a head gasket and bolts for the lame Renault and the procedure seems to be to tighten to some torques, then angle tighten some more, back off again in sequence then re torque and angle the bad boys back down.

I can see the benefit of bedding down the head then backing off and doing the final clamp down, I can even see the benefit of using a torque wrench (though haven't bothered before). What's all this angle shenanigans, can't I just twiddle them down a bit more?

 

My torque wrench is a big old half inch bugger used for wheel nuts and generally doing/undoing things that be FT. I'm feeling to do things a bit proper here and borrow the wrench from work, should I get an angle whatsit from the factors too, use my lads school protractor or just lodge it all off and wing it?

 

Have no manual also and have brought up many different torque settings and angles too! PITA this doing things the right way.

 

Cars a mk1 Clio 1.9D on an L reg.

[mat_the_cat]

The point of the angle tightening is to take the bolts into stretch, and needs to be more precise than a torque figure (which can be influenced by crap on the threads, lube etc.) So long as all the bolts have identical heat treatment, once they've started to stretch they can't exert any more force so that way you know you have a uniform clamping pressure all over the head.

[willswitchengage]

The point of the angle tightening is to take the bolts into stretch, and needs to be more precise than a torque figure (which can be influenced by crap on the threads, lube etc.) So long as all the bolts have identical heat treatment, once they've started to stretch they can't exert any more force so that way you know you have a uniform clamping pressure all over the head.

 

Bit academic (as usual) but you'll probably also be work hardening the bolts. By making them slightly deform plastically (i.e. permanently) you increase the material's yield strength.

[mat_the_cat]

Splitting hairs I know, but I *thought* the idea wasn't to take them into the region of plastic deformation, just elastic? And that the reason you measure their length before reusing (if you have to) was to make sure they hadn't permanently stretched, or suffered from creep. Don't want to sound anal about it, but it does interest me a bit seeing as my background was metallurgy/heat treatment.

[alf892]

I never do the backing off bit but do let it rest between stages. You can get cheap angle gauge jobbie but with some you need someone to hold the outside.

 

I have also added the total angular bit up and then divided into 90 degree chunks.......easy to estimate if no gauge. Might be how the last bloke did it......

 

If you get stuck/have time I could bung mine in the post

[hairnet]

What/where do you measure to find out which wheels will fit on a car?

PCD?

Dave.

 

http://www.wheelfitment.eu/

[wackywacerwill]

Thanks, I get that now. Thanks for the offer of the loan alf892 but I should be able to source one local as kids I've worked with in the past have gone into the trade and purchased loads of tools, like they do.

 

New gasket is in the kitchen and even includes instructions which is nice since the net gives many different answers;

 

30Nm

80 degrees +-4

Leave for approx one cigarette

Loosen

25Nm

213 degrees +-7

 

Guess I'll get the gear and give it a bash.

[face]

Headlight lenses on the Puma are fairly dulled.

 

I have heard a hearty going-over with toothpaste is a possible method of re-brightening them.

 

Anybody tried this?

[alf892]

No but had excellent result with auto glym metal polish on daughter's Civic and they had gone practically opague.

 

Suspect original T Cut or Brasso would do the same.

 

Does require effort........about 20 mins per side

[saucedoctor]

REALLY cheap toothpaste works to an extent. And by really cheap, I mean the 20P Tesco stuff. However, I recommend Meguiars PlastX. The taxi boys running Mercs tell me it is the quare stuff.

 

[face]

Good advice - thanks chaps.

[willswitchengage]

Splitting hairs I know, but I *thought* the idea wasn't to take them into the region of plastic deformation, just elastic? And that the reason you measure their length before reusing (if you have to) was to make sure they hadn't permanently stretched, or suffered from creep. Don't want to sound anal about it, but it does interest me a bit seeing as my background was metallurgy/heat treatment.

 

I have no idea if what I said is what the bolts' are meant to do - but by stressing a metal (steels for simplicity - not aluminium!) past its yield point by say ~20%, and then remove the stress, its new elastic region will be greater with the new yield point where the work hardening stress was relieved. Obviously the new shape will be deformed, so it's be typically done before machining or working. Not sure how annealing/ageing work in conjunction with work hardening, though; bit over my head!

 

[Pillock]

I just tighten head bolts until I can't shift the ratchet any more, and sell the car quick.

[mat_the_cat]

I have no idea if what I said is what the bolts' are meant to do - but by stressing a metal (steels for simplicity - not aluminium!) past its yield point by say ~20%, and then remove the stress, its new elastic region will be greater with the new yield point where the work hardening stress was relieved. Obviously the new shape will be deformed, so it's be typically done before machining or working. Not sure how annealing/ageing work in conjunction with work hardening, though; bit over my head!

 

The graphs bring back memories! You won't (shouldn't!) see temperatures in an engine capable of annealing the bolts, and I doubt they're made from an age hardening material. Dunno what they do use though. I was actually wrong in my understanding though - it seems they are designed to be stretched into the plastic region. Makes me even more reluctant to reuse them, although I have done once with no problems 50k miles later...

[drum]

Drum's dumbass question #452 -

 

Why does a cold engine start and run better when it is 'choked'?

 

This is the opposite to what I do when I light the wood burning stove.

 

Is it because cold air is dense and therefore the mixture isn't actually rich or something ?

 

I should know this by now.

 

#453 - how does an automatic choke work?

[Sudsprint]

I have started seeing recent (and pricey) moderns with new style reg plates obviously older than the car. For example a new shape jag XF on a 55 plate.

 

Can't see anything personalised about the letters.

 

Anyone seen this too?

[nacho man]

Are car covers anygood? The williams lives outside with the stag in the garage and bits are off it at the moment, i.e. a wing. Dont mean the £12.95 ebay jobbies but also I aint paying £100+ any thoughts?

[DeeJay]

What's wrong with the traditional cat piss tarp, liberated from a handy skip?

[Pillock]

If it's personalised letters though It'll just be a random group of three so no way to be sure. Maybe they got a £250 plate for their birthday 9 years ago and haven't got the guts to let it go on a car.

[TimothyClaypole]

I have/had a Stormforce cover for my BMW, VERY expensive but it's kept it in the same rusty state it was when i bought it for the past 4 or so years (cripes I ought to get some work done on it...)

 

Anyway the recent winds have killed it by ripping it to bits but it's gone brittle from UV I think so just tears easily now but it wasn't too bad lasting 4 or so years.

 

 

(the cats still piss on it). 

[dollywobbler]

Drum's dumbass question #452 -

 

Why does a cold engine start and run better when it is 'choked'?

 

This is the opposite to what I do when I light the wood burning stove.

 

Is it because cold air is dense and therefore the mixture isn't actually rich or something ?

 

I should know this by now.

 

#453 - how does an automatic choke work?

 

The choke makes up for the fact that petrol condenses to the sides of things like carburettors. It won't then combust. So, a choke just hurls more fuel in to compensate, as well as shutting off air flow. Too much air and you get too learn a burn. The choke also raises the tickover, to compensate for thick, gloopy oil. It's all a different dynamic to burning wood, where more air flow is all good. I don't really understand why, but presumably it's something to do with petrol needing to be a gas to burn properly in an engine, so exact air flow becomes more critical.

 

Autochokes vary. Early ones just ran in fully-choked mode for a set length of time. Cav Mk1s have them. They're infuriating as you can't over-ride them, so they'll quite often over-rev a cold engine. ie tickover at 2000rpm. I've no idea what magic was used by the autochoke on my Bluebird, but it could be cancelled by giving the throttle a quick prod.

[Asimo]

Drum's dumbass question #452 -

Why does a cold engine start and run better when it is 'choked'?

This is the opposite to what I do when I light the wood burning stove.

Is it because cold air is dense and therefore the mixture isn't actually rich or something ?

I should know this by now.

#453 - how does an automatic choke work?

Choking richens the mixture: more petrol in each inhale. Rich mixtures are easier to ignite when cold because some of the petrol condenses out of the mixture on the way in, weakening the mixture again, droplets of petrol don't atomize as well with slow moving, cold air, ie the air at cranking speeds, so the mixture available near the spark plug is weaker..... Loads of fuel, it'll burn (except when it is overdone and the damn thing floods, ie too much petrol)

 

Auto choke is just a crude heat sensitive and / or time delayed choke. When things are cold, the choke Is applied and then as something warms up (either electrically or by engine coolant) the choke is progressively relieved.