Ask a Shiter

[spike60]

Most ex apprentice mechanics I've known have a story to tell about using a krypton tuner and then reversing off the ramp with it still attached.

If they were lucky it would drag the machine across the workshop to the amusement of their colleagues.

Unlucky, they pull it over and smash it or twat it into the front of the car.

I pulled it over, made worse by the fact I was using it on my own car. About £6000 in 1986 IIRC, and no that wasn't the car!

[wuvvum]

Does anyone have any experience of Mk3 Mondeo autos?  There's a TDCi Ghia auto on the Bay for a monkey with a full test - I'm half thinking about it as a way to avoid the inevitable DMF issues (although I realise there's still a chance the injectors will shit themselves) but I don't know if they're any good or if they suffer from Renault style gearbox implosion.

[gordonbennet]

Krypton tuning, thats brought back some memories.

 

Hands up who owned a Gunsons Colourtune see through spark plug, and then something else they made with a probe you stuck up your arse (well the cars arse) i never got that to work and think  i got me money back.

 

In the very late 70's i bought a dwell meter that did several other things too (can't remember now) made setting points the old way redundant and was extremely uselful for accurate timing setting via strobe light...usefully my mechanic mate used to pass on his old Autodata books to me which were a Godsend.

 

forgot, still got me Eazibleed kit.

[HH-R]

Nissan Micra, I'm not up on the model designation but I'm going to guess K11, older style ones that first came out on K/L reg but had a facelift in 2000 X reg and were made up to 03 plate I think.

 

Most of them I see look like they had factory colour coded bumpers when new but now have grey plastic bumpers because all the paint haa fell pff but the "rub strips" are still body colour, what the fuck did Nissan do wrong when painting the bumpers that all the paint falls off? Its like either the bumper hasn't been keyed or primered before painting, but earlier ones up to W reg are fine

Aye, I see a few that the paint has fallen off the tailgate in big chips too, leaving a sort of slate grey behind. There's one that's been like that for years, never seems to rust. I think it's the 2nd facelift in 2000 that it started happening on.

[HH-R]

My dad had his Bosch K-Jetronic equipped 1984 Orion tuned by a home tune guy, in 00/01 ish. The Crypton machine had a full size PC-like keyboard and I was amazed when it made the car rev without anyone touching the accelerator.

Remember now it was a franchise called "Computatune" which was bought by Green Flag in 1999 so must have been a bit earlier than I remember.

[alf892]

Most ex apprentice mechanics I've known have a story to tell about using a krypton tuner and then reversing off the ramp with it still attached.

If they were lucky it would drag the machine across the workshop to the amusement of their colleagues.

Unlucky, they pull it over and smash it or twat it into the front of the car.

I towed one down the workshop one lunchtime.......had an XJ6 in belonging to a 'private' customer and the service manager came back from lunch a bit early!

[saucedoctor]

Krypton tuning, thats brought back some memories.

 

Hands up who owned a Gunsons Colourtune see through spark plug, and then something else they made with a probe you stuck up your arse (well the cars arse) i never got that to work and think  i got me money back.

 

In the very late 70's i bought a dwell meter that did several other things too (can't remember now) made setting points the old way redundant and was extremely uselful for accurate timing setting via strobe light...usefully my mechanic mate used to pass on his old Autodata books to me which were a Godsend.

 

forgot, still got me Eazibleed kit.

Colortune was very much FTW. The other thing was the Gunson Gastester (sometimes sold as the Gasalyser). It was indeed a pain in the arse to use, but did actually work. I used both to good effect when I Weber'd my Valencia Escort mark 4.

 

I also have a Gunson Carbalancer somewhere. It's a big tube or two as I recall. I got it to sort out my Honda CB125T.

 

 

[Taff]

Krypton tuning, thats brought back some memories.

 

Hands up who owned a Gunsons Colourtune see through spark plug, and then something else they made with a probe you stuck up your arse (well the cars arse) i never got that to work and think  i got me money back.

 

In the very late 70's i bought a dwell meter that did several other things too (can't remember now) made setting points the old way redundant and was extremely uselful for accurate timing setting via strobe light...usefully my mechanic mate used to pass on his old Autodata books to me which were a Godsend.

 

forgot, still got me Eazibleed kit.

 

I've got a colourtune, I used it on the yank motors to surprisingly good effect when attempting to tune a carb I have no information about. It worked so well it doesn't actually live in the garage but lives under the stairs with a few other fragile bits and bobs.

[Taff]

Steering wheels, how come they can end up squint?

 

The one on the F is off-centre. Now, the car itself runs straight, and it isn't suffering from the EAPS/worn torque sensor that can effect these cars. The overall state of the car was one of neglect and given the last owner (although pleasant enough) was obviously quite lazy with the F, it seems unlikely that she would have gone to the effort of taking the steering wheel off and refitting it at a wonky angle.

 

So, my bone question is, if nothing is wrong with the steering and no-one moved the wheel, how the fuck did it end up off-centre?

[alf892]

lazy and/or tyre companies adjusting track on one side only.

To fix centre the rack.

Then set track rod ends same number of turns each side. So if one side is on 20 turns and one 10 fit both to 15

Then get tracked making sure any adjustment is shared.

Remove steering wheel and fit straight

[Taff]

lazy and/or tyre companies adjusting track on one side only.

To fix centre the rack.

Then set track rod ends same number of turns each side. So if one side is on 20 turns and one 10 fit both to 15

Then get tracked making sure any adjustment is shared.

Remove steering wheel and fit straight

 

or, just take it off and but it back on straight? or is that a really stupid, bad, terrible idea?

[alf892]

Well ok ish if straight turns out to be straight..........but better to do proper job to keep steering angles/lock correct as both track rods really need to be same length.

 

Count the threads exposed on both track rods to get an idea if it is out........and by how far.

[Taff]

Well ok ish if straight turns out to be straight..........but better to do proper job to keep steering angles/lock correct as both track rods really need to be same length.

 

Count the threads exposed on both track rods to get an idea if it is out........and by how far.

 

I'm dreadfully lazy, Alf...

[sheffcortinacentre]

I've a crypton tuner if anyones interested in it full working order except timing light needs a new swt. £50.

[beko1987]

My lack of proper car knowledge is letting me down here....

 

Looking on a 306 forum, http://309ownersclub.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=17&t=5402&p=43592, 306 rear calipers may fit my ZX. This would be super fucking handy, as I could buy something like this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Peugeot-206-306-GTI-180-XSI-REAR-BRAKE-CALIPERS-PAIR-/251933602443?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3aa869b28b or this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PEUGEOT-306-REAR-BRAKE-CALIPERS-GTI-GTI6-HDI-205-1-9-DIMMA-206-6-XSI-RALLYE-309-/131454359943?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1e9b4a5987, buy a new slider and boot kit to get them super sexy before fitting...

 

Will they fit? How could I check? Does anyone have a 306/206 they could measure the rear calipers or is it just known to fit?

 

Ta!

[twosmoke300]

With most beams the options are disc or drum , abs or no abs .

[phil_lihp]

Another question now I'm back behind the wheel of the ever-lasting Rover 220SLi.

 

It's still leaking oil of course, the block is absolutely caked in it. Eventually I'd like to get it sorted out...again, highly ambitious for one with my limited skills but there's no rush.

 

I was wondering whether the T-series has a crankcase breather and perhaps this is blocked? It seems daft for oil to start dribbling out of the head gasket when it's barely done 70k since it was last changed. I might tip a tin of Wynns Super Charge in it as it made such a difference to the 940's heavy breathing problem.

[twosmoke300]

Just one of those motors that always seem to leak

[MarvinsMom]

all t-series engines leak oil. just like the a-series or a landrover 2 and a quarter, it is just how they are.

 

when it doesn't leak oil thats when to worry cos there isn't any oil left in it!

 

on the rover, you could try changing the rocker cover gasket as the engine will leak from there. when we had the 820 coope the other half changed the one on that and it helped. for a bit. 

[Stroller133]

If a car that done 122k slips it clutch twice in one journey, is it likely it just a one off?

It would not slip on way back even when trying , but suspect in reality a new clutch would be better done sooner rather than later.

[Taff]

DVLA on-line monthly car tax. Do I need to inform them that I have moved, as my address doesn't appear anywhere on the car tax side of life? (I will of course send off the V5C in due course)

[tinribs]

If a car that done 122k slips it clutch twice in one journey, is it likely it just a one off?

It would not slip on way back even when trying , but suspect in reality a new clutch would be better done sooner rather than later.

 

Happened to me in my Metro years ago. Turned out to be the clutch cable seizing. Replaced that and everything was fine.

[Cavcraft]

Veg or not veg, please?

 

Also, will my 306 1.9 n/a lump drop straight into this? Ta in advance, and all that jazz.

[Lacquer Peel]

205? That's a Lucas injection pump, but some argue that you can get away with running them on veg if you're careful.

[Cavcraft]

Cheers, and indeed 205. I've tried veg in Lucas and it didn't work for me, so if this car comes off I'll try and lob the 306 engine into it.

[D Spares & Tyres]

That will run on neat veg in the summer despite what everyone says about Lucas pumps

 

It will start to leak eventually from the throttle spindle but you can either live with that or run back on diesel and the leak will stop ( usually )

 

or you can change the pump and injectors to Bosch

[D Spares & Tyres]

But having said that, they don`t all seem to be the same, most like it but some don`t!

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Does this damage mean a tyre is scrap?

 

 

It was run flat for a couple hundred yards. 

[Jazoli]

Does this damage mean a tyre is scrap?

 

IMG_1214.jpg

 

It was run flat for a couple hundred yards.

Yes, its fooked.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

Thanks, I thought as much. Not even 50 miles on it