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[tooSavvy]

My vectra and the other2 I've drive all did something similar on gear change. Apparently it's to assist with smoother gearshift so holds revs slightly

 

From what I've read the program is to open the butterfly 'smoothly' - even when you STOMP on the gas - because the 'snap open' [of old-time cable] causes an emissions pulse = bad news for manufacturers emission numbers {read.. VAG}

 

 

TS

[dome]

Am about to wire in a new electric fuel pump to the Scimitar, at the back beside the tank. I was going to run the wires externally along the chassis rails from the engine bay where the pump is at the moment (I was going to put an earth straight to the battery to ensure good voltage to the pump, hence the two core)

 

Can someone reccomend decent wiring to use? And don't say two core household wiring, I want to make this look vaguely respectable.

 

Edit: got some automotive/marine quality stuff on the way.

[Cavcraft]

Craig the Princess, on 16 Nov 2015 - 12:27 PM, said:

How much is new Veg these days? With diesel at around 1.109 a litre around here is it worth using veg at all currently?

 

 

65p in Costco. Yes, very well worth using the stuff.

[bub2006]

Where's Costco? Is it a nationwide place?

[dome]

If you've got a Chinese supermarket near you they can be worth a try, my local one wasn't quite as cheap as Costco but I didn't have to pay a subscription fee.

[Pillock]

You can sign people in to Costco though so ask your mates if they have a card.

Also, their criteria is not exactly strict, and they don't really check stuff over. I've got a Costco card FFS, Mrs_Pillock used to work for a government agency and just keeps renewing it.

I reckon non-profit organisations can get them, it says stuff like "Church groups" on their website. Get some headed paper printed out on a laser printer or summat and try your luck. 

[D Spares & Tyres]

try your luck.

 

Don't bother ☺

[Stanky]

I have a stupid question, triggered by Dome's post re fuel pumps.

 

In a car with a fuel gauge which is operated by a float on am arm in the tank, how does the signal get back to the sender without electricity causing the fuel vapour in the tank to ignite. I can't get my head around how this could work without being a massive fire risk - if not necessarily when the car is new, but as the car ages and the shielding on any wiring becoming perished due to the hostile environment it lives in.

 

I'm sure it isn't and I'm being stupid, but how do they work without blowing cars up?

[HH-R]

If I understand it right, the float is just pushing an arm of metal across another piece and varying the resistance of a loop of wire, say high when it's full and low when it's empty. The gauge on the dashboard is like a multimeter that's measuring the resistance of the wire at that time, which equals the level of fuel left, so the gauge is the thing that's powered rather than the sender.

[Stanky]

But surely the concept of varying resistance means that electricity is passing through the arm, otherwise what does the multimeter/gauge measure?

 

I am genuinely intrigued by this, obviously it doesn't blow cars up but I dont understand how.

 

Or is it like when scientists* proved bees can't fly and I shouldn't inspect this matter any further otherwise I'll inherit Bub2006's luck and my car will explode?

[bub2006]

Please take it!

[HH-R]

Again could be RONG but any current flowing through the sender would be tiny, the contact bit of the arm is probably outside of the tank too, in case there were any rogue sparks.

[HH-R]

From Wiki:

 

However, this system has a potential risk associated with it. An electric current is sent through the variable resistor to which a float is connected, so that the value of resistance depends on the fuel level. In most automotive fuel gauges such resistors are on the inward side of the gauge, i.e., inside the fuel tank. Sending current through such a resistor has a fire hazard and an explosion risk associated with it.

 

So looks like OMG DEATH is very possible.

[Stanky]

I've just been reading up on this and through a lot of general confusion (and some digress on the subject of solar flares) it seems that current does indeed flow through the arm, but as you say its such a low current that ignition is all but impossible, especially as the sealed tank is unlikely to have much air in it, or have the cap off allowing air and vapour to mix.

 

still, I'd rather have read that '"it cannot possibly happen you cretin, because the patented Mangrovewarbler-Hypotenuse harmonic stabiliser detects the level of fuel in the tank without the need for electricity" or something.

[spike60]

I always thought electric fuel pumps inside tanks were a greater risk than senders because of the higher current involved. I'm thinking SD1 here, probably because it's the only time I've had to roll my sleeves up and remove one from under 12 gallons of petrol!

[Richard]

All flammable gases, vapours and powders have a minimum ignition energy. If the spark contains less energy than the minimum it will not ignite- a phenomenon that is frequently demonstrated at the other end of the car. Tank senders will be designed in such a way that they cannot produce a spark with enough energy to cause ignition.

[Pillock]

If it's immersed though, it can't light. You can't have fire encased by liquid, you need oxygen.

 

The level sender current is tiny weeny weeny small so sparks aren't going to be made.

[Taff]

Am about to wire in a new electric fuel pump to the Scimitar, at the back beside the tank. I was going to run the wires externally along the chassis rails from the engine bay where the pump is at the moment (I was going to put an earth straight to the battery to ensure good voltage to the pump, hence the two core)

 

Can someone reccomend decent wiring to use? And don't say two core household wiring, I want to make this look vaguely respectable.

 

Edit: got some automotive/marine quality stuff on the way.

 

Is this an after market one, mate to replace a mechanical pump?

 

If so, I wired mine (on the Galaxie) through an oil pressure cut out switch. The idea being, should the engine suddenly lose oil pressure (in the event of a crash), the electric fuel pump stops pumping petrol into the engine bay. I also wired in a simple on-off switch which is inside the car.

 

 

 

Ple

[Station]

it's the petrol vapour that explodes, the heat from the initial explosion of the vapour vapourises the fuel and that's why those chemical explosions are always huge.

[Cavcraft]

I'm not a member of Costco, I just ask a chippy and he gets it for me at cost price. 

[Jerzy Woking]

The near side rear passenger footwear in my 1989 W124 saloon is damp/wet which I think is due to the sunroof drain being blocked. I think it is this as seeing when it rains there are puddles under the other three corners of the car.

 

Odd thing is, I can't find where the drain hole is on the sunroof end. Anyone?

[spike60]

There a 4 drains from the roof, one from each corner which run to the rear rear wheel arches and front door jambs. The pipes fall to bits and the steel tube they go onto on the sunroof crumbles.

With the roof fully open you should be able to see the drains at the rear and pour water into the channel to check if they are clear.

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Is Darren Bowker the holder of the Continuum Transfunctioner?

[Coprolalia]

I'm useless with tyre sizes appropriate for cars. 
 

The daily skoda (same as Rank Taxi et al) is currently shod in 5x100 summer 205/55R16s. My daily commute is 70 miles of single A and B roads, include the moors. I'd quite like something to help with stopping in the wet/ice/sludge.

 

Looking at a cheap set of steels nearby of 5x100 195/60R15s off a Golf plus I think.

 

Will these fit?

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/nankang/snow-viva-sv-2/195-60-r15-92h-385871

 

And are they any good?

What will it do in terms of driving?

 

I've never run winter tyres before, don't hate me.

[Richard]

I could be wrong, but I think you'd want 195/65x15 tyres to maintain your rolling radius, 195/60x15 would be equivalent to 205/50x16.

[320touring]

I'm useless with tyre sizes appropriate for cars.

 

The daily skoda (same as Rank Taxi et al) is currently shod in 5x100 summer 205/55R16s. My daily commute is 70 miles of single A and B roads, include the moors. I'd quite like something to help with stopping in the wet/ice/sludge.

 

Looking at a cheap set of steels nearby of 5x100 195/60R15s off a Golf plus I think.

 

Will these fit?

https://www.tyreleader.co.uk/car-tyres/nankang/snow-viva-sv-2/195-60-r15-92h-385871

 

And are they any good?

What will it do in terms of driving?

 

I've never run winter tyres before, don't hate me.

As richard says you need 195/65/15.. plug your numbers into

http://www.tyresave.co.uk/tyresize.html

 

As for the nagkangs I have no idea, but I really rate Uniroyals.

 

also check that the wheels are 5x100 I know they changed to 5x112 at somepoint

[Fat_Pirate]

I've got a question about car covers.  I recently put one on my MX5 for the winter, but took it off the other day in case the expected high winds wrecked it.  I was surprised to find it's been POLISHING THE CAR where it's been flapping in the breeze!

 

The fashionable matt-finish pogweasel look has been ruined.  Do you reckon this will start taking the paint off if it continues? The shiny bits are very smooth now.  

[dave21478]

Yes, it will rub right through the paint soon enough. 

It needs to be weighted or strapped down so there is absolutely no movement in the wind, but pulling it that tight can encourage condensation and mould.

[castros_bro]

Random question

 

Anyone here hired a motorcycle Morocco - Agadir ?

[pompei]

What are the cables laid in pairs which are attached to various road surfaces?  Seem to be there for a few days up to a few weeks. Traffic counters?