Ask a Shiter

[Asimo]

The prop shaft to the rear may well have been removed already, why the fronts are bald, in which case replace fronts alone is ok. 

 

(If it has working all wheel drive then to keep it that way, a set of four please. Alternatively one new tyre on diagonally opposite corners, so that each axle has the same average rolling radius. But tell her not to be cheapskate about tyres.)

[skattrd]

DrJ - check ebay to see if there are any wheels with tyres available for it. I've done this many time, ended up with a set of wheels/tyres for a lot less than tyres. The set I got for my Umm included 2 new tyres and  paid £37 for a set of wheels. I paid similar for a set of wheels/tyres for the Toyota as well.

[andy18s]

Freelanders are fairly critical of only having 2 tyres swapped at 1 time.the difference in the rolling radius is enough to kill the IRD on the gearbox. ....

If she Has to get only 2,and can't get any as Skattrd has said then the new ones need to go on the back axle.

The rear has slightly different gearing to allow for steering at the pointy end ect.

The other 2 will need changing as soon as practical as any full time and should have all 4 done at the same time....

 

Not heard of that before SM, won't that just wind up the diffs?

[face]

What model are the Porsches that look a bit like one of Daft Punk's helmets?

 

Looks like a 911 but all angular and full of vents.

[sierraman]

How long does it take a car to properly warm up? Always assumed that it is nothing to do with hot air coming out of the vents but any other indicators?

Diesels will take longer than petrol but in this weather assuming you've not got heater bollock flat out, then I'd say a mile or two should see the temp gauge midway. Again some cars are old arses, I had a Mondeo ages ago, the 'right' temp for that was 1/3 of the way. The stat fitted to it was a cooler stat that opened early on. Swapped it for the hotter one and it got to mid way in about 2 miles.

[Asimo]

 

Not heard of that before SM, won't that just wind up the diffs?

 

Diagonal pairing does cause left / right wheels on the same axle to turn at different rates so those difs will do a bit more, but unless the axle diff is an lsd or a viscous controlled diff that won't matter.

What matters to the centre diff or to a Freelander's viscous coupling is that with an old and new tyre on each axle (but on opposite sides) the drive to front and rear is as balanced as with four matched tyres.

 

See http://www.bellengineering.co.uk/5.html 

[Barry Cade]

What model are the Porsches that look a bit like one of Daft Punk's helmets?

 

Looks like a 911 but all angular and full of vents.

959?

 

[320touring]

Speaking of VAG clutch issues, on my 2004 Caddy (last of the Mk2 shape) there's a judder at idle sometimes but it isn't the engine, could it be the clutch and/or flywheel? I don't think it has a DMF but I might be wrong.

Assuming you have an ALH (1.9 90bhp tdi non pd) they came with a dmf.

 

they don't like big torque and can get grumbly. That said mine put up with 225ft/lb and failed to shart itself

[saucedoctor]

Don't tell him (s)pike!

[Sloth in a bowl]

What model are the Porsches that look a bit like one of Daft Punk's helmets?

 

Looks like a 911 but all angular and full of vents.

 

 

935? Late 70's / early 80's endurance racers

 

[Andrew353w]

How long does it take a car to properly warm up? Always assumed that it is nothing to do with hot air coming out of the vents but any other indicators?

 

"Properly" warm, as opposed to just nearly warm is an interesting question, particularly on a day like today! Generally a car would be properly warm when the thermostat opens and the coolant is running through the radiator, but waiting for this to happen can take ages. As a rough rule a car warms up more quickly when the engine is under load than when it's idling, so switch on & drive off and the car will warm up as it should. Not using the heater before the engine is warm can in some cases (depending on the way the heater matrix is plumbed) help the car warm up and don't forget that a sticking thermostat will make the whole process much more involved! Don't over-rev a cold engine, either; it does it no good and can strain it, as the oil may be not fully pumped round. A "ticking" sound on start up could mean the oil's not reached the hydraulic valves yet. 

 

As an example of how cold this morning was, at 5am I de-frosted the Citroën's windscreen with warm water, started & drove about a mile before the temperature gauge moved up to 60 deg C. I then put the heater onto full hot, but only 1st speed fan, which slowly warmed up the car's interior. After another mile the gauge showed 80 deg C, normal operating temperature for the Citroën and the heater became much warmer. Half an hour later I was at work, but the rear widow was still fully frosted over! I'd left the rear screen heater off to see how it would clear without it. 

[face]

I've worked it out - it's a 930 Flatnose:

 

[GrumpyCat]

Kia Sorento. Any good?

[Station]

935? Late 70's / early 80's endurance racers

 

I saw the road car it was based on (flatnose) when I was in Germany in 1990. My 13 year old Todger nearly cummed.

 

Absolutely cute and gorgeous.

 

[steve_earwig]

They should have backed it further away from the oil spot. Or would that be brake fluid there?

[saucedoctor]

Went to lob a new battery in the Shitröen of doom today. Turns out it's under the seat! Anyway, while I was looking for the battery under the bonnet, I spotted something that probably shouldn't be there. Can you spot what it is?

 

Question: is it the oil filler cap that's supposed to be there? Xsara Pickarsehole 2.0HDi 2003

 

Thanks all.

 

Edited for information purposes in case anyone comes across this in the future:

 

Despite there being an oil filler cap on the cam cover, due to access issues, there is actually supposed to be ANOTHER oil filler cap (top photo) where the errant Rover wheel centre is placed on the car I was looking at. I was in EAMF this morning and showed the photo to an "Oul Hand" who happened to be in the shop as well.

 

Every day a school day etc.

[Lacquer Peel]

Assuming you have an ALH (1.9 90bhp tdi non pd) they came with a dmf.

 

they don't like big torque and can get grumbly. That said mine put up with 225ft/lb and failed to shart itself

 

Yes it's an ALH engine. I think you're right, it does have a DMF. It just grumbles at idle sometimes, otherwise it's fine.

[steve_earwig]

20160217_123639.jpgWent to lob a new battery in the Shitröen of doom today. Turns out it's under the seat!

It's a Picasshole then.

Anyway, while I was looking for the battery under the bonnet, I spotted something that probably shouldn't be there. Can you spot what it is?

 

Question: is it the oil filler cap that's supposed to be there?

My first thought was "why has someone stuck an HDi into a Rover? Maybe for reasons of boilage."

 

Umm, there's already a filler cap on the cam cover, from memory there's nothing much there, just the pressure sensor on the fuel rail and I don't think they need a hat.

Xsara Pickarsehole 2.0HDi 2003

Ah.

[saucedoctor]

Thank you sir, much obliged.

[mat_the_cat]

"Properly" warm, as opposed to just nearly warm is an interesting question, particularly on a day like today! Generally a car would be properly warm when the thermostat opens and the coolant is running through the radiator, but waiting for this to happen can take ages.

 

It's interesting how much slower the oil takes to warm up than the coolant, and if you define 'properly' warm as the point at which everything has reached optimum temperature then probably best to judge it on that. The only vehicle I have with an oil temperature gauge is the BX, and that usually takes between 15 to 20 minutes for the gauge to reach the mid point. I'd say if I caned it from cold it would get there much sooner, but I don't like to until it's warm. On the other hand, at idle the oil temperature never even registers on the gauge!

[Lacquer Peel]

Yes it's an ALH engine. I think you're right, it does have a DMF. It just grumbles at idle sometimes, otherwise it's fine.

 

Further to this, will a juddering DMF last for a while?

 

[twosmoke300]

Brilliant ! I get this all the time - will my x last x long ?

Hold on I'll get my crystal ball a second . Of course I know exactly how you drive , the roads you drive on etc etc

What people want you to say is " yeh it will be fine for another year " then moan like fuck / expect you to fix it for fuck all when it explodes when they are towing a 3 ton trailer up a 45 deg hill 400 miles from home on the way to go on a family holiday that have been planning for 10 years

[Lacquer Peel]

Arf, that's why I added the piece of string image. The van is light, I don't carry anything heavy in it, I'm gentle with the clutch, don't tow anything, it's pretty flat where I live now.

 

What are the warning signs of an impending DMF failure?

[twosmoke300]

Grumbling at idle . Then massive failure where the flywheel makes a bid for freedom via the gearbox casting . ( actually not unheard of on vag stuff)

[Lacquer Peel]

Grumbling at idle . Then massive failure where the flywheel makes a bid for freedom via the gearbox casting . ( actually not unheard of on vag stuff)

 

Shit, I should probably get that fixed...

[twosmoke300]

Valeo single mass conversion is the way forward

[skattrd]

Valeo single mass conversion is the way forward

 

or G60/ABF/1H solid flywheel, VR6 clutch and a few bolts from VW

[forddeliveryboy]

Valeo single mass conversion is the way forward

 

 

Seconded. Just ignore the chattering gearbox as it rebeds in, I replaced its oil at the same time. I'm careful not to pull too hard from under 1600rpm, thinking the SMF could give the 'box more gip than it was intended to have. Probably excessive sympathy given how many drive.

[320touring]

What type of bulbs fit this?

 

Alfa 156 sidelight bulb socket

 

 

[twosmoke300]

501 capless