Ask a Shiter

[tonedepear]

That'll do. It just seemed weirdly rattly/not quite right at low speed earlier. Having said that, I've done 150 miles since and it seems fine, so it's possible I was just imagining it, or even more likely I'd left it in flappy paddle mode and it was just in a different gear to what it would usually be so it felt odd. It's been a very long day!

[trigger]

What kind of car is it Tone?

 

P.s like SOC said, DMF = Duel mass flywheel, which is part of a clutch for a manual car basically, Automatics use a thing called a torque converter which is totally different.

[kinkersaab]

in responce to the recent plod metro in tat thread, why did plod cars have no wheel trims around that time? was there a reason, even the unmarked and CID type cavaliers, astras etc were without, kinda made them stand out.

[tonedepear]

What kind of car is it Tone?

 

P.s like SOC said, DMF = Duel mass flywheel, which is part of a clutch for a manual car basically, Automatics use a thing called a torque converter which is totally different.

 

Aye, its a saab 9-3 diesel with flappy paddle auto. For some reason I'd convinced myself modern DMF's were independent of the clutch and worked with the torque converter too. On reflection I feel a bit silly!

[warren t claim]

What kind of car is it Tone?

 

P.s like SOC said, DMF = Duel mass flywheel, which is part of a clutch for a manual car basically, Automatics use a thing called a torque converter which is totally different.

 

This is the reason for the higher resale values of automatic TX2 taxis over their manual equivalent.

[trigger]

I really wouldn't worry about feeling silly, When i work for a motor factors i remember answering the phone day to a customer who wanted spark plugs for a Escort 1.8 Diesel...

 

The reason why i asked what car it was is that my Mondeo diesel was rattley and i thought it was the DMF but it turned out to be a lower pulley which goes and is a common fault on them, I wondered if it was the same thing.

[Albert Ross]

Re the clonking SLAB Auto. It could be a cracked torque plate, which the convertor bolts to... is there an inspection plate/bung anywhere you can remove, rotate the engine, and inspect this whilst turning? Any cracks around bolt holes WILL make bloody curious noises. Eventually it WILL shear completely and leave you stranded, penniless, and laughed at. Just a thought before you try to ignore it.

[Cavcraft]

Whatever happened to....

 

...two stroke Ford Fiestas? I recall the local(ish) 5-0 were trialling them a few years back then the news of them just disappeared. I would hazard a guess that the emissions weren't up to scratch or something but would love to know what happened to the cars.

[CreepingJesus]

^If those were the rotary valve 2t's that Lotus, Ricardo and others were working on, then the idea was finally canned in the late 90's. They just couldn't get the port + injection timing to give power and good emissions at the same time.

Wonder what did happen to the Fiestas? Probly scrapped, like many development mules are.

Wasn't there some Aussie bloke who invented a new type of engine, back in the mid 80's? Whatever happened to that?

[gricer]

Whatever happened to....

 

...two stroke Ford Fiestas? I recall the local(ish) 5-0 were trialling them a few years back then the news of them just disappeared. I would hazard a guess that the emissions weren't up to scratch or something but would love to know what happened to the cars.

 

 

The engines were made by Australian company Orbital, but as you say, they could never meet emissions rules. I actually drove one, in Detroit, around 1994-95. Bit crude, and rather knackered, but it certainly worked, and the engine was compact.

 

Most prototypes got crusehed, but at least one escaped - it's in the Haynes Museum:

 

 

 

 

Orbital is still going strong and sems to be in the flex-fuel engine business these days.

[trigger]

This might interest you then Billy, this one is on display at Haynes.

 

1993 Ford Fiesta 1.2 LX 2 Stoke Special by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1993 Ford Fiesta 1.2 LX 2 Stoke Special by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

 

1993 Ford Fiesta 1.2 LX 2 Stoke Special by Trigger's Retro Road Tests!, on Flickr

[trigger]

Whoops!, I was a bit slow there!

[Cavcraft]

Lol, thanks to you both though. Might have to have a whang down there one day.

[Father Ted]

Renault automatics.

 

Are they ALL a world of pain waiting to happen?

[scaryoldcortina]

^ No, some of them are already broken

[Father Ted]

Seen a 1400 Kangaroo Auto advertised nearby quite cheap. But I wonder if every day is a day of roulette waiting for the box to grenade its internals.

[worldofceri]

Living near Heathrow there are loads of trailers for artics parked up all over the place. Alot of them leave their rear doors open. Is this to point out that they ave nothing to nick or is it to air them or summat?

 

Also are they just allowed to park up and sleep wherever they want?

 

Further to earlier answers, thieves will typically go along a row of parked up lorries slashing the curtains simply to have a look inside. Leaving the back doors open avoids getting the curtains damaged as much as anything.

 

Operators have been known to attempt stupid tricks like stacking two pallets of bog roll behind a load of whiskey of whatever, but villains are wise to that and will slash the curtains further forward and nick the booze. All to save a couple of quid and the hassle of finding somewhere decent for the driver to park up.

[worldofceri]

Oh yeah, my question.

 

What's the crack with winding back calipers? I've only ever changed pads and discs where the calipers push back in. Is it just rear calipers that typically need a tool to wind them back? And is said tool universal or specific to make or model?

 

The Haynes book of half-truths claims a pair of circlip pliers can be used on my Volvo but 'may' require signficant effort to turn. Should I invest in the correct equipment if I want to do the job myself? Especially as I don't have any circlip pliers!

 

Thanks.

[The Moog]

I think that it is normally to do with the handbrake and which ever set of wheels they operate on. So early 900's needed it but later didnt. Xantia had front handbrakes as well.

 

Can either use circlip pliers or make your own tool. Depends on how handy / tight you are. Or use one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BRAKE-CALIPER ... 487wt_1189

[simmo]

Parking brakes are usually mechanical so there is a need to negate as much as possible the movement due to the hydraulics as this would lead to excessive travel when the pads were worn. Its Always nice to have the right tool but there is usually a dodge round it. When I worked on Peugeots there were many instances of 504 and 604 rear calipers being forced back without the piston being rotated the full quarter turn to release them. It stripped the top off of the ratchet mechanism and would slip back under hand brake application.

[Guest]

Never been there and only seen a couple of pictures so whats so special about Jaywick? Is it a duelling banjo's marry your sister kind of place?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

Is it possible for a clutch to overheat in a traffic jam and become fucked, badly slipping for a few miles before resuming normal operation, or is it a sure sign of impending doom?

[scaryoldcortina]

Yes, in a similar way to brakes, clutches can fade when overheated and then work again when cool. I would also say yes to the impending doom bit! How did you overheat it?

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I got stuck in a traffic jam in London the other day. At 23:15. I was royally miffed and may have ridden the clutch a bit (but nothing extreme, and it only lasted about half an hour). It stopped slipping 6-7 miles down the road and hasn't given any trouble since- I've done about 250 miles which has been mostly motorway plus a bit of London traffic and a spirited crossing of the snakepass.

[KruJoe]

What are scrap prices doing at the moment? And how much cashback could we expect for a 214 (R8) driven to the bridge?

I'd like not to scrap it, I'll give it a chance ont' 'bay first. I've offered it to "Rover414" (he needs an engine and other bits) but his circumstanced don't currently allow.

Realistically it is past it, needs welding and a clutch before it goes for a test, and it looks a shed. And my sister is giving up her second car so no longer needs it, I have too much on currently. I might just bring it home and stash it away in the top field if I can get away with it...

I just want to know what the scrap man would give us so I can relieve the sis of it.

[simmo]

I weighed in two Sarurday and got £150 a tonne at Iver, usually a little lower that what is quoted elsewhere. One of them was a Concerto so near enough a 416, went in just under the tonne. Original cats are about £40 on these I think, battery £4, Still a lot of nice examples about so no need save it if its poorly.

[KruJoe]

Thanks for that.

[KruJoe]

About that, if I did weigh it in, would I score more if I whipped off the cat/batt/wheels and weighed them in separately?

[Pete-M]

About that, if I did weigh it in, would I score more if I whipped off the cat/batt/wheels and weighed them in separately?

 

Batteries are about a fiver weighed in, wheels about a fiver each saved when not weighed in.

 

Fill the petrol tank with water / waste oil / whatever. 60ltr tank is good for about 75kg

[autofive]

i heard this morning from a reliable source (subscriber to website for metal recyclers) that the chinese have secretly been stockpiling non-ferous and now the news has leaked out the prices of both ferrous and non ferous is on the slide. light iron was 175 a ton last friday, but this morning was down to 164 a ton. (according to this gadji i spoke to) thats quite a drop for two working days.

 

p.s The price of Dry bright wire (copper) has dropped from 4700 a ton at the end of last month to 3500 a ton this morning.