Ask a Shiter

[dave21478]

Samba, unless you are trying to rival a Prodigy concert, consumption of a reasonable setup for tunes (amp, deck, mix table, cd player/laptop) is likely to be a fair chunk less than 1kw, which is well within reach of most budget generators and some of the larger inverters, although that would flatten the battery within an hour or so unless you have the engine running.

 

Careful though - delicate electronics seemingly dont like the "rough" output of some generators - Never had a problem myself...just one of those things you sometimes hear about.

[Pillock]

You need a smoothed output on a generator for audio equipment or the spikes will at best make it sound awful, at worst destroy equipment.

 

Invertors are usually OK as they're a synthesised output from an already regulated DC input.

[Inspector Morose]

Can't agree more Pillock but some cheaper inverters only roughly chop the voltage and can be a bit on the rough side for audio. We deal with a fair bit of p/a kit at work and only use smoothed output generators and inverters for driving the p/a stuff - warning. They can be bloody expensive!

 

Saying that, we do drive a remote speaker tower (100v system driving 6 horns) using a suitcase genny. Pre amp, amp, wi-fi receiving equipment then 100v line transformer to sent to the horns. Seems to cope with no problems running all day.

[saucedoctor]

Friend just got his Focus 1.8 TDCi done for £200...

 

look up the book time on the inter-net

3.7 hours for the non-ac, 4 hours with ac

 

Autodata

 

 

[twosmoke300]

Focus tdci book time is 2.5 hrs and its well known its much much quicker than that

[inconsistant]

Obvs it's not the best idea to put your address on your house keys, or your reg no. on your car keys, but is it a good idea or a bad idea to have a mobile no. on your car key, in case it gets lost then found by someone?

 

Having a thick moment and can't work out the implications...

[mat_the_cat]

The 1.8 tdci is a really easy belt to do. Half an hour is possible . Xantia is more like 3 so it's Apple's and oranges really.

300 sounds reasonable if it's Inc tensioners and water pump. I'd probably do it for less but I expect I'm at the other end of the country .

 

I think I should charge more... I've been doing XUDs for £70 labour! But I don't have garage overheads so would feel uncomfortable charging more.

[dave21478]

Obvs it's not the best idea to put your address on your house keys, or your reg no. on your car keys, but is it a good idea or a bad idea to have a mobile no. on your car key, in case it gets lost then found by someone?

 

Having a thick moment and can't work out the implications...

 

I would suggest googling your number in case it links up to your name or address anywhere, which could identify your house/car.

[EssDeeWon]

A question about Austin Princess's....

 

Some have twin headlights and some just have 2 rectangular headlights. Why are some different, is one a higher spec car than the other? Or just an optional extra? Different engine?

 

I haz not do know, this day stupid I am.

[inconsistant]

I think the round twin headlamp were on the lower spec ones. To my eye these have aged much better than the posh 'square' headlamp Princesses.

[philibusmo]

Most Princesses came with the twin round light set up. When it was called the Austin/Morris/Wolseley 18/22 Series for about a year, only the Austin version came with the trapezoid headlamps where the Morris and Wolseley had different grills and the round lights - the Wolseley also had an illuminating front grill badge.

 

When more Austin and Morris dealerships were merged and Wolseley was killed off the Austin Princess became just the Princess and was made into its own marque. Here there was 4 main trim levels, the 1800, 1800HL, 2200HL and the 2200HLS. The 1800 came with the round lamps, the 2200 with the square.

 

This continued to an extent with the Princess 2 when the engine lineup was changed to the 1700, 2000 and 2200. The 2000 and the 2200 kept the square lamps and the smaller engine models had the round. Please correct me if I am wrong about this last section as I am uncertain if the 2000HL had the round lamps or not and the square was only on the 2000HLS and the 2200s.

[vulgalour]

Except that on the Princess 2 you could specify either twin sealed beams or single trapezoid halogens regardless of what engine and trim level you had.

[EssDeeWon]

Cheers I think that just about clears it up nicely! Ta very much.

[inconsistant]

My Princess2 brochure says, under 'Specifications' P21:

1700 & 2000 models: Twin circular tungsten headlamps

2200 models: Trapezoidal quartz halogen headlamps.

 

 

Not to contradict you chaps above, just correcting what I wrote earlier.

 

http://autoshite.com/topic/15312-1978-austinmorris-princess-2-brochure-scan/

[vulgalour]

I don't think BL paid too much attention to what they actually printed in their brochures.  If a customer wanted a 2200HLS with vinyl seats and twin sealed beams I reckon they could buy it.  Certainly, the vinyl interior was an option for the HL model when it should, technically, have only been available in the base L model.

[The Moog]

I have offered to try and sort my brothers xj8 rust spots.

 

What's the best/quickest thing to get rust back to metal? Wire wheel or flap discs?

Is there a big difference between drill flap wheels and ones that fit angle grinders?

[saucedoctor]

Does anyone know where the chassis number is on a Fairway Taxi? I should point out that the only remaining original bit of the car is the chassis! It's on it somewhere but I cant find it.

 

DVLNI mongs and now DVLA mongs have no record of the car and we need a new V5.

 

Thanks in advance.

[Richard]

There was a thing on the radio about that today, apparently loads of records have been lost in the transfer to DVLA. They interviewed some goon who answered the question about the cock up by saying the move was a good thing because people could now tax their cars at a post office. Not if it doesn't exist, you can't.

[Leyland Lawrence]

Just had the z4 serviced. It's coming up to 20,000 miles and has had one oil change in line with service requirements. Is this because:

 

a) Engine technology is better (how? Surely there's still metal particles floating around)

b ) Oil technology is better

c) commercial reality is scrapyards are full of cars with perfectly fine engines and manufacturers have twigged that there's no point in building engines for long life these days as the market doesn't require it.

 

Thanks

[Jazoli]

Just had the z4 serviced. It's coming up to 20,000 miles and has had one oil change in line with service requirements. Is this because:

 

a) Engine technology is better (how? Surely there's still metal particles floating around)

b ) Oil technology is better

c) commercial reality is scrapyards are full of cars with perfectly fine engines and manufacturers have twigged that there's no point in building engines for long life these days as the market doesn't require it.

 

Thanks

Its because of c, maybe with a bit of b, but you knew that already.

[saucedoctor]

Fleet managers, Lawrence. I know there aren't too many fleets of Z4s, but it'll be a range-wide thing. Long service intervals=lower costs=Mr Fleet Manager likes the look of that!

 

The 18k mile service schedules on things like 320d's is nowhere near realistic. I'm told by a very reliable source (i.e. a BMW Senior Tech) that they really need done @ 6k. The long interval is why so many shit themselves.

[vulgalour]

I have offered to try and sort my brothers xj8 rust spots.

 

What's the best/quickest thing to get rust back to metal? Wire wheel or flap discs?

Is there a big difference between drill flap wheels and ones that fit angle grinders?

 

Grinder flapwheel all the way.  The wire wheels always have that risk of throwing bits of wire in your eye even with safety gear and the grinder is just a better tool for the job.  I've done rust cleaning with a wire wheel on a drill before and the rust always comes back, with a flap wheel it stays away.  Just beware of how quickly a grinder flap wheel can and will go through even good steel compared to a drill mounted version.

[The Moog]

Cheers that's what I used before but wondered if it was the best way

[ShiteRider]

Are nikki carbs any good? A google search has thrown up they're shit/brilliant. A guy from work has given me one his old fella took off a capri he scrapped in the 90's.

It's a twin choke with a glass window on the float chamber. It seems in good nick, but is it worth swapping for the current 34 ich i have on the cortina.

I'll post picci's of said carb when i get home

[willswitchengage]

Why the fuck has my car suddenly started giving me electric shocks when I get out? Never done it before, got me three times today. FFS

[twosmoke300]

Its not a volvo is it ? They seem bad for it and I dont know why

[dave21478]

See if you can find one of these in the bottom of a Halfords bargain bin. Ultimate 80's Autoshite accessory.

 

 

[Richard]

Grip the door frame tightly as you step out. You're still aware of the discharge but you don't get the same jolt as you do when the spark jumps. It's caused by certain seat material and clothing combinations.

[Luckythirteen]

Why the fuck has my car suddenly started giving me electric shocks when I get out? Never done it before, got me three times today. FFS

Check your earth straps? My old Micra had a couple in the engine bay, that were dust held together by muck. Changed them: et voila, no shocks, and the radio worked better.

[TimothyClaypole]

What's the fastest way to get my licence "legal" again after photo expiry nonsense?

 

I might need to hire a van soon so need it sorting.