Ask a Shiter

[saucedoctor]

I think the ECU has to "tell" the relay to switch on. Dunno. Just guessing, if I'm honest. Thankfully, I won't be the one fixing it, praise the Lord. There's a place in Ballymena that will look at the ECU so hopefully they can suggest other courses of action.

[mat_the_cat]

That's what I'd have thought, but can't think of anything else within the ECU which would chatter, apart from a relay. If they only charge a nominal fee if the ECU is OK, all well and good - worth it to rule it out if the problem does lie elsewhere.

[DSdriver]

The Range Rover has started doing an Odd Thing (no, not driving normally and efficiently).  Every so often, while I'm driving along, the revs will drop and the engine will die (it's an automatic, so I'm not guilty of stalling it).  The car coasts happily* to a halt, and restarts either instantly, or within 30 seconds.  I don't think it's the immobiliser doing weird stuff, and I'm stumped as to where to start looking - have any of you got any ideas?  As info, it had a new idle control valve in April this year, as the old one was U/S, but if anything the car is better to drive since that was replaced.  

 

Thank you for any brainwaves - 

 

Confused of Grimsby 

 

On my RWD Volvo that turned out to be the fuel pump relay overheating and breaking contact. It was a bugger to diagnose because when it cut out it also affected the rev counter. It had a habit of doing it at extremely embarrassing times like when there was a police car behind on a roundabout or in the middle of a roadworks with contraflow temporary traffic lights. Once the relay had cooled down again it would carry on for another couple of weeks.

[DS20]

That's something I never would've thought of, DSdriver - thank you for passing that info on I'll give a replacement a shot.

[Lacquer Peel]

A friend of mine has a late model C15 with the dw8 engine. It's been a bugger to start lately and coughs out a cloud of white smoke when it does so I've suggested draining the water from the fuel filter. I went to show him how this was done but couldn't find the bugger, any guesses?

 

Does it need new glow plugs? More likely, now nights are getting colder. IDI diesels need a lot of heat to start readily.

[catsinthewelder]

It could do with a set and I've asked him to dose them all with penetrating fluid every night until they look less likely to snap off.

 

Many thanks to Dave for pointing out the filter, if it's got one like that I'm going to feel very silly as my 205 had something very similar.

[rml2345]

On my RWD Volvo that turned out to be the fuel pump relay overheating and breaking contact. It was a bugger to diagnose because when it cut out it also affected the rev counter. It had a habit of doing it at extremely embarrassing times like when there was a police car behind on a roundabout or in the middle of a roadworks with contraflow temporary traffic lights. Once the relay had cooled down again it would carry on for another couple of weeks.

Oddly enough I was thinking the same thing based on the same experience. Old Volvos are well known for delays going dodgy as they get older and I'd imagine old Range Rovers are similar in that respect.

Swapping it for a new/known good one won't do any harm and it'll rule something out at least.

[The Moog]

The inlet gasket I got for the Saab had two identical gaskets in the pack. Does this mean I need to use them both? I have only fitted one, but can go back and fit the other one if needed. They are correct part number and FAI gasket

[drum]

I need to get the tracking checked on the alfa. Do the kwikfit types do this and are they recommended? I normally avoid them at all costs but I need it done before the weekend.

[Station]

Why does the FERODO advert appear on so many railway bridges?

[skattrd]

Can anyone tell me what car these seats came out of please?

 

[Sigmund Fraud]

Seats look like Recaros, or pretty good copies. Can't recognise the fabric, many late 80s and early 90s sporty cars had them (including Fords and Vauxhalls).

[skattrd]

Well, I'm looking for similar seats for my Spyder so any suggestions?

[Sigmund Fraud]

An ebay search for 'Recaro' brings up a few pairs for under £100, so that's probably the easiest option.

[Largactil]

Having more of a 'fitter' rather than 'mechanic' mentality, I'm trying to decide the best option for the carb on the LNA.

 

The float bowl needle was sticky the other week, and pretty much left me needing a tow.

 

It was freed off during its MOT / service, but the mixture adjustment screw was also noted to be banjaxed - Looking under the airbox, the carb looks every one of its 31 years old, and although the diaphragms seem to be intact, I don't have huge confidence driving the thing any distance at present.

 

Apparently the car cut out x4 times on the 4 mile trip back from the garage, and is now sat in the drive refusing to start.

 

The fuel pump is shot, and will be replaced - But my 'fitter' mentality is nagging me to fit a new carb.

 

A rebuild kit is around £30, plus time / skills that I don't have - A new carb is £150, although this is 33% of what the car cost.

 

(I could pay the garage for a couple of hours labour to clean & rebuild the carb, but that's getting close to the cost of a new one).

 

What would autoshite do?

[dollywobbler]

I need to get the tracking checked on the alfa. Do the kwikfit types do this and are they recommended? I normally avoid them at all costs but I need it done before the weekend.

 

They do actually have decent kit. Rover was much improved after a Kwik Fit visit. Wouldn't trust them to do a service, but my experience of tracking (and a friend's) is that they can actually do it ok.

[mat_the_cat]

A rebuild kit is around £30, plus time / skills that I don't have - A new carb is £150, although this is 33% of what the car cost.

 

(I could pay the garage for a couple of hours labour to clean & rebuild the carb, but that's getting close to the cost of a new one).

 

Well, you've ruled out the DIY rebuild so that leaves a choice between paying someone to rebuild yours, or buying new. I'd be inclined to go for the latter, as it only takes one stubborn screw to bump the labour cost right up. May not be 'the AS way', but we all have different skills...

[Sigmund Fraud]

What would autoshite do?

 

The proper* Autoshite way would be to ignore it until you break down in the most remote part of Britain possible, in the middle of the worst snowstorm the north hemisphere has ever seen.

 

A more realistic option would be to take the carb apart yourself and see what happens. Solex carbs are fairly basic and you may find that a thorough clean is all it needs to work better. I wouldn't even bother ordering a service kit, until you've found out what's wrong with it.

 

If all fails, you will have started with a non-working carb and ended up with a non-working carb. Nothing lost, and buying a new carb would have been the alternative option either way ! Plus the whole process will have improved your understanding of carbs !

[skattrd]

WHS

If it's broken you're not going to break it any more by takin it apart. I'd take pics as you go so you can see what went where.

Worst case you buy a new carb, which you're already thinking of.

[Largactil]

Good points...Time's the killer for me - I work in the UK, but am based in Ireland.

 

The car's sitting in my folks drive, and I pass by there on average 48 hrs every 5 weeks - The plan was to get some confidence in its reliability while still in the 'comfort zone' of their pad, in event of any breakdowns (safe parking / tow car available / trusted mechanic 4 miles away / cheap bits available from eBay UK), before taking it over the Irish sea (where I'd have plenty of time to tinker with it, but no local 'support network').

 

As I mentioned elsewhere, happy to take the gamble once I know the fuel / ignition side of things are bob-on; I just seem to have no time, so opting to have a go at stripping the carb myself, ordering bits and rebuilding could take me 3 months at the rate I'll be able to work 

 

Passing by their place next week, so I'll be able to get a proper look-see then.

 

Thanks for everyone's thoughts 

[daveb47]

Whats the best way to get hardened glue from gaffa tape off  plastic surface.

[drum]

They do actually have decent kit. Rover was much improved after a Kwik Fit visit. Wouldn't trust them to do a service, but my experience of tracking (and a friend's) is that they can actually do it ok.

I took it to McConnechy's today. Job done for £23 and it was quite far out so hopefully it will stop chewing through the inside shoulder of tyres. The new wishbones should help too.

[Bobthebeard]

Whats the best way to get hardened glue from gaffa tape off  plastic surface.

Methylated spirits used carefully.... Or baby wipes.

[panhard65]

Having more of a 'fitter' rather than 'mechanic' mentality, I'm trying to decide the best option for the carb on the LNA.

 

The float bowl needle was sticky the other week, and pretty much left me needing a tow.

 

It was freed off during its MOT / service, but the mixture adjustment screw was also noted to be banjaxed - Looking under the airbox, the carb looks every one of its 31 years old, and although the diaphragms seem to be intact, I don't have huge confidence driving the thing any distance at present.

 

Apparently the car cut out x4 times on the 4 mile trip back from the garage, and is now sat in the drive refusing to start.

 

The fuel pump is shot, and will be replaced - But my 'fitter' mentality is nagging me to fit a new carb.

 

A rebuild kit is around £30, plus time / skills that I don't have - A new carb is £150, although this is 33% of what the car cost.

 

(I could pay the garage for a couple of hours labour to clean & rebuild the carb, but that's getting close to the cost of a new one).

 

What would autoshite do?

I would go for the new carb a lot of these old french solex carbs wear and rebuilding it will last a month or 2 then it will play up again. If it is a proper new carb for 150 that isn't a bad price

[cobblers]

I used this stuff every day for that exact job: (We get stuff sent in to repair with gaffer tape "labels" over the front of plexiglass dashboard glasses etc)

 

http://cpc.farnell.com/pro-power/ppc108/label-remover-200ml-aerosol/dp/SA01889

 

It seems to be oil based,  smells flipping lovely and won't damage plastics. It might take a few applications til it softens it all up, leave it 15 minutes to sink in each time

 

CPC do free delivery on owt over a fiver so you'd need to just add a random resistor or something to the order.

[The Moog]

I want to blackout the back windows on the 405 estate due to one of my dogs getting over excited due to the beautiful* Accrington scenery rushing past.

 

What's the best way? I was thinking about potentially painting the side windows (that could be scraped off if need be) and then dark tint to rear.

[cobblers]

When I was a young lad I went with my mate to a car show in cleethorpes and immediately prior to going there he painted all of the back 3 windows in his renault 5 with hammerite from the inside. Other than making my 17 year old hungover self sick all over the side of the m180 on the way there due to the fumes, it lasted pretty well.

 

Personally I would just buy some matt black vinyl off ebay and stick it on the outside. clean the windows, damp them up with very light soapy water and stick it on top, squeegee the water out and it will look grand with no air bubbles or owt..

[The Moog]

Sounds like a plan. Hadn't thought of vinyl

[DSdriver]

Whats the best way to get hardened glue from gaffa tape off  plastic surface.

I use Detak chewing gum remover. You have to peel the surface of the gaffer tape off first so it can get to work on the sticky. Work it in with a soft brush and wipe off with a lint free cloth.

Shameless link to my website www.yachtwindows.co.uk/Pages/Sealants.html - scroll down to bottom of the page. Click the contact button for info on how to pay cos I am a Luddite and don't sell over the internet,

[Station]

I've found someone in California that is willing to 'ship' me a fuel tank for the Starion.

Does anyone have an idea on how to go about this, I know it's difficult as it's a fuel tank, not too bothered about cost as rust free tanks over here are non existent.