Ask a Shiter

[dave21478]

They look like mine, although perhaps the threaded rods on mine are finer pitch. Be careful and they should be ok. If you are paranoid, buy two sets and use them all on the spring.

[spike60]

With spring compressors it's important to keep in mind what you're asking them to do. For rear springs on a Polo cheap tat will be fine, fronts  on an E class Merc where the wishbone has a lot of leverage on the spring, no they won't.

[twosmoke300]

I have a set of Sykes pickavant ones that I've had for about 15 years . They have 2 hooks at one end that are at slightly different levels so they follow the contour of the spring and a bolt on the hook at the other end to clamp it to the spring.

Probably lost count of how many springs I've done with them .

Some are a bit clenchworthy but most are fine .

Vauxhalls in general seem easy with very little preload and alfas are nasty and seem to need to be almost coilbound before you can release the shock .

[phil_lihp]

Thanks chaps, I'll give them a go, I doubt the standard springs on a Mk4 Escort will be too aggressive.  

[gordonbennet]

Spring compressors: what's best?  The very thought fills me with mild dread but I need to change the saggy springs and shocks on the Escort.

 

eBay is chock full of this sort of thing:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pair-of-Heavy-Duty-Coil-Spring-Compressor-Clamps-380mm-Professional-/281242304930?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item417b5901a2

 

Is this likely to be safe?  I have horrible visions of them failing or slipping and the spring exiting through my head, the car's wing and 250ft into the air before landing in someone's garden half a mile away.  Granted, this is a somewhat dramatic vision but in all seriousness are the cheaper ones like this safe enough?

 

Did someone mention Merc?

 

If it is MB be bloody careful, some MB springs (124's) require special compressors, apparently internal, gawd nose how they work mind.

 

In fact some of the posts on the MB forum about springs has seen me leave them entirely to my indy, only got one head.

[meshking]

 

The family minibus, a ford smax tdci 2.0 , is misbehaving. It struggles to start, turning on the starter with no issues. But it feels like there's something missing, when running its fine. Very randomly it will fail to start. The garage has checked the egr valve for operation and scanned code (nothing). They replaced the crankshaft sensor which helped with the engine smoothness, but the starting problem is back.

 

Last night it took about ten attempts to start, followed by a big cloud of smoke, probably unburnt diesel.

The internet suggested there is a flap in the throttle body that flaps closed to block the air and stop the engine. This should open again when the engine has stopped, but when they get old this flap doesn't return and doesn't allow the air to enter the engine. Does that make sense? Do diesels even have throttle bodies? Anyone know what else I should check?

[alf892]

Leaky injector dropping fuel pressure? No lights on?

[meshking]

Could be, no warning lights or codes. I wonder if the fuel pressure can be monitored live via a scanner.

 

 

Sent from my Z10 using Tapatalk

[twosmoke300]

Crank or cam sensor fault? Does the rev counter twitch while you crank ? Or a stuck open egr . This makes them smell really weird from the exhaust when they do eventually start .

 

Edit , should have read the op properly

[meshking]

Thanks gents.  Further searches suggest starter motor - but I'm not convinced of that.  I'm thinking the EGR valve might still be the culprit - if they tested and it was fine, that doesn't indicate that it's not an intermittent fault. When it finally started last night, I got a big cloud of smoke - unburnt fuel? If so, then presumably the fuel delivery was ok but there was no air into the circuit. perhaps.

[twosmoke300]

With egr valves I take them off and squirt brake cleaner into one side . If it runs straight through then it's buggered or stuck . A little seepage ( trademark tittybangbang) is ok

[twosmoke300]

Or put a temp blank on it to see if it fixes it . It will through a mil for insufficient egr flow after a whole but fine for diagnostic purposes

[meshking]

Thanks mate - I've ordered a blanking plate, hopefully that'll show the EGR as duff.

[spike60]

Can anything be done with Webasto roofs? Does anyone repair/replace them? There's a 40 year old car for sale near me and the full length roof, I assume Webasto, is very tatty. Can anything except bodgery be done?

[bub2006]

I blanked off egr on a Renault scenic dci due to ongoing issues. Left the multiplug in it and cable tied it out the way. Ran a lot better and no eml.

[nigel bickle]

I can see her position. £5k is a 'piss off ' message, said nicely.

 

I've a really early French registered Mk1 Transit sitting at the front of my garage. If I get it out, or even leave the doors ajar, it will be minutes before a knock and a request to purchase.

 

Usually by some Neolithic mongoloid that thinks it's worth £400, and I should be happy to take it. Clear the space etc.

I'd rather scrap it frankly,. Less hassle, no comeback, most of the money and no chancers to politely Palm off.

 

Don't worry. I'm not likely to do that!

[nigel bickle]

Oops. Wrong thread. Tiny screen. Sox!

[meshking]

Blanking plate fitted. No eml, but no improvement in starting. Sigh.

[meshking]

One of swmbod friends dropped in yesterday, with her husband. He spotted the 2cv under cover on the front drive, and drooled over the polished one that I have for sale at the mo. I was at work, and was relayed this story. Turns out he's a mobile mechanic. A quick call explaining my plight, "I'm 90% certain it's the butterfly valve in the air intake". He's taking it away for fix on Tuesday.

[red5]

One of swmbod friends dropped in yesterday, with her husband. He spotted the 2cv under cover on the front drive, and drooled over the polished one that I have for sale at the mo. I was at work, and was relayed this story. Turns out he's a mobile mechanic. A quick call explaining my plight, "I'm 90% certain it's the butterfly valve in the air intake". He's taking it away for fix on Tuesday.

 

Too late - but basically this. Done loads with identical symptoms.

 

Fingers crossed

[Lacquer Peel]

The alloy wheels that came with my Volvo are minging. I've been applying Nitromors to the crackling, bubbling paint, and it is softening but it's such a messy business, tempted to bin the alloys and fit proper steelies. WAT I DO WRONG?

[TimothyClaypole]

Bought Nitromors. 

 

It's been "ruined" for some Health and Safety nonsense presumably and does nothing as regards removing paint like it did a few years ago. 

 

Same with new/fake creosote.

[Danblez]

I had the issue with flap in the inlet on my focus tdci. It was pretty obvious as the it sounded like there was no compression as there was no air getting into the engine. Would just refuse to start mostly when it had been started and turned off within a few seconds.

 

I say obvious as well it would be now but it still cost me 350 nicker at the garage who couldn't diagnose it.

[spike60]

Does the 3rd party insurance extension, which lets you drive other cars not owned by you, remain if you sell your car but leave the policy running? My son has sold his car but left the policy running while he looks for another and is using one of my insured cars as a stop gap. Both policies are F.C. and his definitely has the extension.

[Jazoli]

Does the 3rd party insurance extension, which lets you drive other cars not owned by you, remain if you sell your car but leave the policy running? My son has sold his car but left the policy running while he looks for another and is using one of my insured cars as a stop gap. Both policies are F.C. and his definitely has the extension.

Not really no, as he no longer owns the car the policy was covering its technically null and void, insurance companies will sometimes keep the policy running for 14 days whilst a new car is sought but they need informing, slightly dodgy ground I'd say, I've done it myself in the past but not sure you'd want the 6 points for letting him drive your car whilst uninsured if something was to happen.

[Richard]

Don't leave the policy running on a car you no longer own. If the next owner doesn't bother to insure it and has an accident your insurance will pay out and chase you for the money. http://www.thecourier.co.uk/news/local/fife/fife-man-faces-crippling-costs-after-motorbike-he-sold-was-involved-in-fatal-accident-1.554725

[cobblers]

Bought Nitromors. 

 

It's been "ruined" for some Health and Safety nonsense presumably and does nothing as regards removing paint like it did a few years ago. 

 

Same with new/fake creosote.

 

 

It used to have Dichloromethane in it, now it doesn't cos you're not allowed to use it in DIY stuff.

 

You need to find something "for professional use only"

 

Try this:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Industrial-Strength-Paint-Stripper-5L-Better-than-Nitromors-/201302482943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item2ede901fff

 

A quick test to see if stuff has dichloromethane in it is to test it on your elbow like you would babies bath water. If you don't screamthe house down then you have the new safe stuff.

[Richard]

When I was about 11 I looked in the shed for some turps to clean oil off my hands. I found a tin of Nitromors and figured it must be the same thing as they both remove paint. I realised my mistake after rubbing some in, much like you would with Swarfega. Nippy.

[spike60]

Named the boy on my insurance at a price that made me grunt, made a tactical error in added him before buyer comes to collect his car tho

[gm]

I just bought a can of this paint stripper on ebay, the seller describes it as being "the same as nitromors used to be before they ruined it" - I'll be stripping a set of alloys at the weekend so will report back, hopefully with some decent results

 

 

 

View item:

Paint Stripper HD 1 litre Restorations Car Bodywork Metal Remover Wood Furniture

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/300935595864?_trksid=p2059210.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT