Ask a Shiter

[The Moog]

Let's ask the AA, circa 1992.

 

46MPG average, 50MPG brisk driving, mixed roads.

 

WINNER.

 

AVAS, apart from these, I really liked my Cavalier TD.

Drove past it tonight and it is up for £895 so out of my price range which is a shame.

[SamR380]

anyone any good at internet car diagnosis from a slightly flowery and dodgy audio based description?  

 

...lots of stuff...

 

Dunno, or the turbo could just be shagged. 

 

Get a length of pipe (or a proper mechanic's stethoscope if you have one) and check the engine bit by bit while it's running. I'd hate for it to be the bottom end and by running with it like that it becomes a much bigger job than new bearings. I had a Supra turbo whose bottom end failed, sounded fine at higher boost pressures but rough at light throttle.

[Danblez]

Whats the best way of testing an electric window fault on my mk1.5 focus?

 

I am a reasonably competent DIYer but am always stumped by electrics.

 

Window stops working and it feels like the switch, so I buy a new switch and it still doesn't work, although the switch now clicks at least. I then check all fuses and I believe both front windows are on the same relay so discount that.

 

Easy thinks I will see what the motor is seeing volts wise. The new switch does something but only momentarily sends a couple of volts to the motor. This is more than the old switch does. More strangely though there is continuity accross the wires at the motor at all times.Talk about confused,

 

Hmm ok I will just double check the switch, that should be easy enough. Nah its a 6 pin 2 switch unit and I will be blowed if I can work out how to test it.

 

So what do I need to do to work out if it is the switch, wiring or motor?

[ShiteRider]

Anyone have experience of selling a car to a classic car dealer?

I've a low mileage, mint cortina to sell and want minimal hassle.

[burraston2006]

Stupid question/too lazy to look for the thread!

Any hoo got a new piece of shizzle - Fuckus C max. A ghia no less so that means levvah chairs and dvd in the back so you can watch Geordie Shore when eating in the Macdonalds car park and easy clean seats when you spill the large diet coke ( gotta watch the racing snake figure!). Need some new Autoshite stickers- anyone got any going? 

Appols for the lack of collection thread but it was only around the corner.

P>S anyone interested in a 51 plate Merc E320 Estate with all the toys? I'll pop this on a separate thread with piccies over the weekend.

[Pillock]

6-pin two-way switch is usually split into two sides, with each column of three pins being "up", "common", "down".

However if it's illuminated then you may have a common common and a light wire too.

 

Continuity across the motor sounds bad. It should have resistance, when you say continuity is it short circuit?

I'd be taking the door card off the other side and measuring the continuity on that motor to get a baseline figure from a working motor.

[scaryoldcortina]

DC motors almost always read as short circuits, and the window motors are quite robust compared to the switching and the mechanism they drive... if you get a small burst of life then it stops it's usually a stuck mechanism - there is a current sensing device in the circuit which cuts the power if the motor can't move.

 

Also, slightly sticky mechanisms will burn out the switch, then stick completely while you are getting a new one...

 

 

edit - except for VAG. They just break a cable instead!

[scdan4]

I'd go with "turbo telling you it's about to die".

 

Which is where my naturally optimistic outlook had got me. Happily, wrong.

 

An optimist is often disappointed, whereas a pessimist can only be pleasantly surprised.

 

 

I'd go with a boost leak somewhere

 

17 internet points for 2smoke. I like him. I wonder if I can take him home. 

 

Get a length of pipe (or a proper mechanic's stethoscope if you have one) and check the engine bit by bit while it's running. I'd hate for it to be the bottom end and by running with it like that it becomes a much bigger job than new bearings. I had a Supra turbo whose bottom end failed, sounded fine at higher boost pressures but rough at light throttle.

 

Good tip. Have used a big screwdriver in a similar manner before. Happily, not needed.

 

 

turbo vac pipes had popped off everywhere. Not a jubbly clip in sight, which seems a bit mean.

 

 

A has been rubbing on the master cylinder and had nearly, but not quite worn through, so has had some vigorous gaffa tape action, and is now snugly zip tied so it won't get no worse.

 

B had fallen off the end completely, as had C on the other side o' the bay.

 

 

So I put them back on and zip tied them on for good measure. EMLofdoom gone out, horrid wooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooh noise gone away.

 

Much betterer than a new turbot needed.

 

Fanks all.

[twosmoke300]

And it looks like the latest (#6) pcv system is fitted too.

[scaryoldcortina]

Glad it was simple. I'm afraid I've learned to always give the worst possible news when asked about car problems so that people are happy when it was much cheaper and easier to fix.... Like the corsa C that sounded (on the phone) like it was going to explode in firey death but turned out to have the bonnet sealing rubber trapped in the radiator fan for example.

[cobblers]

New apprentice lad at work has a 5 month old chinese scooter thing he uses to get to work. It's not been idling right for a while and struggling to start worse and worse.

I got a call off him the other morning asking if I could give him a lift in (he's more or less on my way) cos it plain wouldn't start.

He's too skint to pay anyone to look at it so I went round and had a look at it.

 

Put some charge in the battery which was fairly low, took the plug out and cleaned it up (it looked scabby) and it started up eventually but wouldn't idle. 

I just wound the idle screw in until it stopped cutting out, but then half the time the thing would stay at high enough revs to slightly engage the clutch, ffs.

It deffo needs someone with half a brain for carbs to give it a tune and a service really, so I just did what I could so it would get him to work til payday.

 

It's a 4 stroke 125cc, only done 2500 miles. Looking round it, the thing is FUCKED! the exhaust is rattling cos all the rivets have snapped on the silencer, all the controls are baggy, the shocks leaking, the back brake doesn't do anything at all and the thing has only done 2500 miles. There's loose/ missing fasteners and fatigue cracked plastics all over it too There's stickers on it reckoning it needs an oil change every 600 miles (Which it obviously hasn't had for 2k, but he does top it up)

The place he bought it from (£1100) have fobbed him off cos he missed the first service by about 300 miles and it blew over in the wind and cracked a fairing, so they won't give him any warranty on it at all.

 

Is it normal for these to be as shit as this? He's not a boyracer or anything, he just uses it to get to work and back (although the other week he drove from Chesterfield to Derby on it about 10 times to see his dad in hospital, apparently doing 68 mph all way down the A38 which is absolutely flat out apparently  )

[scaryoldcortina]

Yup. Absolutely completely normal for them to be shagged out inside 3000 miles. Pretty much all of them get scrapped before they see their first MoT as well.

 

PS, check that the mixture screw hasn't fallen out of the carb

[cobblers]

That wouldn't surprise me, it smells quite rich when it is going, I know sod all about small engines and their strange SU carb type arrangements confuse me. I'll have a look on the internet to see if I can find a picture of what to look for.

[dave21478]

My nephews chinese quad is the same kind of shit.

Turns out the horrific vibrations keep shaking the mixture and idle screws in and out - a dose of threadlock sorted that problem. The rest of it is falling to bits, but it runs ok-ish now.

[bub2006]

One of these Chinese scooters is a frequent thing in a mates garage. 63 plate 5 k km on clock. Already stuck a new engine in it, wiring loom,switches, ignition barrel etc. He has thrown money left right and centre at it. I've told him to get rid but he said it's had too much spent on it now. Nicknamed Christine. Last time y mate left a box of matches under seat with a note telling him to torch it if it packed up again! I was told it was back in again the other day.

[mat_the_cat]

HT leads: do the posh big fat Magnecour or whatever type make any difference?

My thinking is that HT leads either work or don't work and the super duper leads are just snake oil.

 

Bit late, but here's my experience. Engines running on LPG are more sensitive to marginal ignition components, and I've read that some people with RV8s have to change their leads every couple of years, almost as a service item. (This I've read on the internet, so may or may not be exaggerated...) The only thing I can say for certain is that I've had one HT lead failure on the blue Disco in 30k miles on gas (starting with new leads), and spark plugs DO need changing on schedule, otherwise you start to get misfires.

 

On the green Dsicovery someone fitted a set of Magnecor leads in 2003, around 100,000 miles or so ago, and they're still fine. So IF what I've read is true, then these are longer lasting, based on a sample of one. But if you have a standard application, there may not be a difference in lifespan over a reasonable timeframe. And I can't see how they would actively improve anything, except if due to engine tuning you need a higher ignition spark voltage, which would be higher than the insulation breakdown voltage of 'standard' leads.

 

But they look faster...

[HH-R]

How many miles do mopeds generally last? They mostly seem to be utterly fucked by low mileages compared to a car, but I'm clueless about them.

[phil_lihp]

Whats the best way of testing an electric window fault on my mk1.5 focus?

 

I am a reasonably competent DIYer but am always stumped by electrics.

 

Window stops working and it feels like the switch, so I buy a new switch and it still doesn't work, although the switch now clicks at least. I then check all fuses and I believe both front windows are on the same relay so discount that.

 

Easy thinks I will see what the motor is seeing volts wise. The new switch does something but only momentarily sends a couple of volts to the motor. This is more than the old switch does. More strangely though there is continuity accross the wires at the motor at all times.Talk about confused,

 

Hmm ok I will just double check the switch, that should be easy enough. Nah its a 6 pin 2 switch unit and I will be blowed if I can work out how to test it.

 

So what do I need to do to work out if it is the switch, wiring or motor?

 

The motors seize for a pastime - have you tried taking the door card off and twatting the motor with a hammer?  Worked for me.

[xtriple]

What happened to Daewoo after they became Chevrolet then departed the UK?

[Station]

The Daewoo motor division was bought out by General Motors, I don't think they exist as a brand anymore as 'Daewoo' Corporation went bust.

[cms206]

Uz-DaewooAuto I think were the last outpost to still use the Daewoo name but they appear to now be GM Uzbekistan.

 

Interestingly this 29-year old design is still being produced and is reaching critical levels on my Wantometer.

 

[castros_bro]

How many miles do mopeds generally last? They mostly seem to be utterly fucked by low mileages compared to a car, but I'm clueless about them.

 

My HMW (Austrian) is still going and was made in 1954 but does not have an odometer as not required onna moped, my  "modern" made in Italy 49cc 2 stroke is somewhere in Portugal aged  15 and still moves with two adults weighing it down. My 3 Chinese pit bike Hodna clones are landfill in less than 2 years BUT a pitbike pushing 10 BHP (49cc officer) with wanky bearings will not go for long.

[cros]

I know nothing about lowering cars and never thought I'd want to do it. Then I discovered that coil springs grow with age, or at least they have on two cars I own. One is so bad that I've run out of headlamp adjustment. If I just lop off the coils will life return to normal or will they break after a few weeks?

[Eddie Honda]

Then I discovered that coil springs grow with age, or at least they have on two cars I own.

 

 

 

I've just had to check the date. 

[Taff]

I know nothing about lowering cars and never thought I'd want to do it. Then I discovered that coil springs grow with age, or at least they have on two cars I own. One is so bad that I've run out of headlamp adjustment. If I just lop off the coils will life return to normal or will they break after a few weeks?

 

correct answer - replace with new, correct spec springs

Taff's answer - gas axe a coil off in situ, wcpgw etc

[cort16]

I listen to american pod casts, some are about cars and others not but normally when discussing cars the Toyota Camry alwats comes up.

In the states they sell shit loads of them (like 400,000 a year) yet it's not even in Toyotas range over here? I wonder why? 

 

Too big maybe?

[Asimo]

I know nothing about lowering cars and never thought I'd want to do it. Then I discovered that coil springs grow with age, or at least they have on two cars I own. One is so bad that I've run out of headlamp adjustment. If I just lop off the coils will life return to normal or will they break after a few weeks?

 

Springs settle, ie get shorter with time surely?

 

I don't think it is possible for them to elongate due to the effects of being compressed for years.

 

That would be a new kind of magic that has no place in this universe.

 

Isn't the lack of headlamp adjustment because the rear springs have settled so much?

[cort1977]

I listen to american pod casts, some are about cars and others not but normally when discussing cars the Toyota Camry alwats comes up.

In the states they sell shit loads of them (like 400,000 a year) yet it's not even in Toyotas range over here? I wonder why? 

 

Too big maybe?

I don't think they are that big, Passat/mondeo  kind of size.   No diesel and no manual either which probably kills it for Europe.  

 

It's just the kind of shitty saloon that sells in droves here.   A 'sedan' is traditional so that's what people have.  

 

Although a trend of CUVs is making inroads lately.   Not sure what the 'C' stands for though I could hazard a guess.

[Lacquer Peel]

The 'C' is for compact I believe, but your guess may be more appropriate.

The world car market is becoming more homogenised, which is a shame.

[cort1977]

Stupid question.   Can I repair the bottom of a Mercedes wing by bonding in a non-rusty section from another that I happen to have spare?   I bought a wing but it turns out the facelift type are slightly different around the headlights.   The rusted part at the bottom is the same.

 

So my plan would be to cut off the bottom 6" and replace.   The replacement section would be joined with a stiffener section on the back glued with panel bond adhesive.   Skim of filler over the joint and spray - jobs a good 'un.

 

I can weld but have no welder and don't want to pay someone else who will likely warp the panel anyway.   The wing is not structural so should be no structural issue.

 

Is this crazy?   Will nuns and kittens die?   Anyone done this?