Ask a Shiter

[phil_lihp]

Lovely easy job . Dig out your 10 , 12 , 14 and 17 spanners

 

If only it was!  It's been a massive pain in the backside.  This is, admittedly, mostly due to incompetence, inexperience and the incorrect tools for the job but I am now stuck with the thing immobile on my driveway.

 

I have remove the sump guard, drained the gearbox oil (some tiny bits of swarf in it but nothing terrible), disconnected the clutch cable, unbolted the N/S shock absorber to give some free movement of the driveshaft and that's as far as I can get.  I cannot get the driveshaft to part company with the gearbox and have only succeeded in seperating the CV joint at the gearbox end - a bit of a nuisance as I haven't yet managed to reseat it and guess the boot might have to come off.  I stopped putting any more force on it when I was worried about pulling the car off the axle stand.  I have seen advice about using a big crow bar which I do not possess, I've tried a long chunky screwdriver but came close to snapping it in half and it still wouldn't budge.

 

I'm at the point where I'm almost out of time on this so might have to get it lifted to my usual mechanic (who, luckily, is about 3/4 mile from my new flat) but I really do hate admitting defeat.

[phil_lihp]

My daft question, probably already asked and answered somewhere in these 448 pages is, is there a way I can check online (without paying) for a date of last keeper change on a car, just from the reg. no.? I am concerned because I have not had a confirmation letter from DVLA for the A35. I did get a certificate of posting when I sent the V5 off, hopefully I can find it.

 

You used to be able to do it here:

 

https://www.vehicleenquiry.service.gov.uk/

 

But they seem to have removed the info about the last keeper change now.

[willswitchengage]

On lorries what do the following mean:

 

An orange rectangle on the front

TIR

L in a green circle

 

And why do a lot of foreign lorries have so many speed restriction stickers? I.e. I've seen many with say 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 in the little red circles

 

Comedy answers also welcome

[Pillock]

[

Just be glad they pick up sticks to carry, my old Springer carried a dead pigeon home once, without me noticing until she presented me with the maggot ridden thing on the doorstep.

 

My daft question, probably already asked and answered somewhere in these 448 pages is, is there a way I can check online (without paying) for a date of last keeper change on a car, just from the reg. no.? I am concerned because I have not had a confirmation letter from DVLA for the A35. I did get a certificate of posting when I sent the V5 off, hopefully I can find it.

It's on the gov vehicle info site, but you'll need the V5C ref number in the last box. Without that it won't tell you when the last V5 was issued.

 

When I was having trouble with an ex messing around with my car (she actually managed to wipe me off the owner history) I just phoned the DVLA, they wouldn't (as expected) tell me who owned the car but they would confirm it wasn't my name on the V5.

[willswitchengage]

Question 2...

 

Should a fuel pump in condition provide a non-return capability or do they all have an inherent leak path? Wondered if I should treat the 2CV to a new pump or just an inline check valve.

[Cavcraft]

You know if you apply to be a driver at Spunktrumpet's of Cockwarbler driving coaches to Chester, does the application form state that you MUST have the following:

 

Food/baby gravy/sweat stained bri-nylon shirt that generates enough static to power Northern Europe for several months, Terry Wogan hair cut, bus covered in gold stars and swishing lines, £1.99 shoes, trousers several sizes too small (leg and waist) a paedophile's smile and the most garish company tie known to man?

 

 

*Disclaimer, I don't fancy being roundhoused or windmilled at Chumley and would like to state I know not all coach drivers are like that.

 

[320touring]

You know if you apply to be a driver at Spunktrumpet's of Cockwarbler driving coaches to Chester, does the application form state that you MUST have the following:

 

Food/baby gravy/sweat stained bri-nylon shirt that generates enough static to power Northern Europe for several months, Terry Wogan hair cut, bus covered in gold stars and swishing lines, £1.99 shoes, trousers several sizes too small (leg and waist) a paedophile's smile and the most garish company tie known to man?

 

 

*Disclaimer, I don't fancy being roundhoused or windmilled at Chumley and would like to state I know not all coach drivers are like that.

cms206 to the cavcraft courtesy phone!

[Inspector Morose]

There's more than one Andy that drives coaches you know (rolls up sleeves on bri-nylon shirt and adjusts smile to extra creepy)

[320touring]

There's more than one Andy that drives coaches you know (rolls up sleeves on bri-nylon shirt and adjusts smile to extra creepy)

you'd only get the job if you wear a hawaiian shirt!

[dave21478]

Has anyone any experience of lifting the bed off one of these double-cab Knobwagon/Animal/TurboCunt/Trojan/Warrior 4x4`s?

 

Im thinking some serious swearing at half a dozen rusty bolts, some wiring to unplug, filler neck and it should lift off? A hundred kilos or so, probably? no? Should be able to do it with an engine hoist I assume?

[scaryoldcortina]

I've watched the scrapyard next door try to get one off using a forklift and oxy gear. The bed obviously doesn't balance where you would expect it to because when it came free it pitched up at the front, broke the rear cab window then slid out of the straps and rolled onto a nearby clio. It was funny to watch at least.

[dave21478]

Excellent. I will try to film it.

[Vantman]

On lorries what do the following mean:

 

An orange rectangle on the front

TIR

L in a green circle

 

And why do a lot of foreign lorries have so many speed restriction stickers? I.e. I've seen many with say 50, 60, 70, 80, 90 in the little red circles

 

Comedy answers also welcome

 

Orange rectangle---Hazardous goods carried

 

TIR---Transports Internatioaux Routiers

 

L in green circle--AFAIK means low noise level for travelling overnight in certain countries.

 

AFAIK  Speed restrictions in different parts of the country where vehicle is registered

[loserone]

Have bought an exhaust for the Kia.  Tried putting it up on two stands (on one side), but I can't reach all the fixings.

 

If I had a pair of ramps, would this be safe?

 

[scaryoldcortina]

I wouldn't trust it. I would however fit your exhaust on my lovely two post lift....

 

 

 

eta - you might* have to help put a MGF back together a bit first.

[loserone]

That sounds like an excellent idea.  Will give you a bell once I've got something other than the original spare fitted, which should hopefully be Wednesday (Your reaction to that means it's been on the drive ever since.. )

 

Edit: But very happy to assist in any way I can with MGF, or anything else you're working on for that matter.

[scaryoldcortina]

Wednesday should be OK. You have my number...

[willswitchengage]

Have bought an exhaust for the Kia.  Tried putting it up on two stands (on one side), but I can't reach all the fixings.

 

If I had a pair of ramps, would this be safe?

 

 

With the handbrake on and proper fixed stands at the front that should be safer than four stands as the car can't 'topple' forwards.

 

Alternative how about looking for some old breeze blocks or bricks to sit your car on? GR7 for stealing wheels:

 

 

I usually put some old bicycle inner tubes or something between the stand/bricks and frame to stop it damaging the metalwork.

[twosmoke300]

Be really careful using bricks or blocks to hold a car up . They break with no warning and can be very dangerous

[sheffcortinacentre]

if you look closer there are a pair of blue axle stands under that mustang.

[LC Torana]

You know if you apply to be a driver at Spunktrumpet's of Cockwarbler driving coaches to Chester, does the application form state that you MUST have the following:

 

Food/baby gravy/sweat stained bri-nylon shirt that generates enough static to power Northern Europe for several months, Terry Wogan hair cut, bus covered in gold stars and swishing lines, £1.99 shoes, trousers several sizes too small (leg and waist) a paedophile's smile and the most garish company tie known to man?

 

 

*Disclaimer, I don't fancy being roundhoused or windmilled at Chumley and would like to state I know not all coach drivers are like that.

 

That reminds me of a line from PG Wodehouse:

 

"as shiny as the seat of a bus driver's trousers"

[garbaldy]

A question for the veg munchers, does the pajero 2.5td run veg?

[Lacquer Peel]

Yes.

[garbaldy]

Thanks for that I couldn't be arsed to search.

Just need to thrash out a deal against this Audi now.

[Lacquer Peel]

All Japanese diesels use license-built Bosch injection pumps.

[HH-R]

How come (modern?) diesels have a "water in fuel" light - how does that happen? Does it happen to petrols too?

[scaryoldcortina]

Water ends up in diesel due to leaks and rain (mostly) and it collects in the bottom of the tank, and then the filter. If it fills the filter completely, the diesel pump gets to eat water and often dies a horrid death from it due to lack of lubrication. At very least you conk out and have to get everything drained before you can proceed. Petrols don't have this problem because their pumps can pump water without dying.

[HH-R]

Cheers

[HH-R]

Sorry, one moar -

 

Would an MOT advisory of

 

Nearside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

Offside Front Suspension arm rubber bush deteriorated but not resulting in excessive movement (2.4.G.2)

 

Be an anti roll bar bush?

 

Ta

[scaryoldcortina]

No, it would be a wishbone or TCA bush.