Ask a Shiter

[HH-R]

With reduced drinking when you get older do you get sensible with this age and learning or just get put off by the increasingly awful hangovers ?

I think the latter

[cort16]

I researched this thoroughly last night and can confirm its the later

[LC Torana]

I researched this thoroughly last night and can confirm its the later

 

You were just trying to blow your own head gasket in sympathy with your Rover.

[Matt]

Did Citroen offer the Xantia in Exclusive trim, estate shape, diesel engine with a manual box? Haven been given a lift in my sisters company Pug 307 and her MK2 Clio I've realised how god awfully tinny my Swift really is (I haven't been in anything else for ages). I'd quite like to try a Xantia and that's be my ideal one but not sure if they even exist like that. The XM has wetted my appetite for floaty French things and I think a Xantia would be a safer bet than fixing the XM.

[bub2006]

According to parkers the exclusive estate was available with 1.9 td auto, 2.1 td manual and hdi manual

[Matt]

According to parkers the exclusive estate was available with 1.9 td auto, 2.1 td manual and hdi manual

 

Neat, I'll keep an eye out for one (although it's not a prerequisite).

[Dave_Q]

Bead/sand/shot blasting.

 

I've got a set of wheels for my Subaru that I need to get round to painting.

 

 

I've had a small attempt at removing some of the old paint by hand, but the black stuff in particular isn't really shifting, it's very thick and also I can't be arsed.

 

Have had a quote for getting them blasted @ £30 a wheel.

 

Shirley I can get myself a blasting set-up for less than this.

 

Any tips? 

 

Is this going to be as shite as it looks?

 

I do have a compressor if that helps.

[wuvvum]

What's the best way to remove the residue from the vinyl lettering that used to be on the Transit?  I've tried white spirit (useless) and T Cut scratch remover (gets there eventually, but fucking hard work).  There must be an easier way surely?

[skattrd]

I've used autoglym tar remover to get rid of sticker residue from cars before.

[Captain Furious]

Hair dryer

 

Well, that's a guess really, but it was quite effective at removing residue from sticky number plate pads, so I would say the same principle applies

 

Soften up the glue and peel/rub off

[Guest Hooli]

What's the best way to remove the residue from the vinyl lettering that used to be on the Transit?  I've tried white spirit (useless) and T Cut scratch remover (gets there eventually, but fucking hard work).  There must be an easier way surely?

4" brush & dulux over the top

[rainagain]

What's the best way to remove the residue from the vinyl lettering that used to be on the Transit?  I've tried white spirit (useless) and T Cut scratch remover (gets there eventually, but fucking hard work).  There must be an easier way surely?

ipa (isopropyl alcohol) seems to shift most sticky stuff without affecting paintwork

[Lacquer Peel]

Will renewing the front suspension on my van make it comfier to drive? It seems to crash into pot holes rather than riding over them, I'm sure it's getting worse.

 

Will changing the gearbox oil make third easier to get into? It needs a bit of care if you're accelerating.

[Kiltox]

Will renewing the front suspension on my van make it comfier to drive? It seems to crash into pot holes rather than riding over them, I'm sure it's getting worse.

 

Will changing the gearbox oil make third easier to get into? It needs a bit of care if you're accelerating.

Guessing the shocks have had it - tried the bounce test?

 

Gearbox oil should help a crunchy change yes

[skattrd]

Will renewing the front suspension on my van make it comfier to drive? It seems to crash into pot holes rather than riding over them, I'm sure it's getting worse.

 

Will changing the gearbox oil make third easier to get into? It needs a bit of care if you're accelerating.

 

Possibly to both.

 

On older VAG 020 gearboxes I use redline MTL, which can improve changes. It's a little more expensive than std gear oil, but I like it.

Check the gear cables are set properly on your gearbox, it's quite easy to do if it's the same type as the later mk4 Golfs, plenty videos on youtube or ukmkivs showing how to do this

[Lacquer Peel]

I've tried the bounce test and it seems fine, I think the front suspension is set up quite firmly anyway but it's probably on the original 175k shocks and springs.

 

The gearbox seems spot on apart from the occasionally crunchy 3rd gear.

[Kiltox]

Sounds stupid but have you checked the tyre pressures recently?

[Lacquer Peel]

Yes, but the free to use Sainsbury's compressor might not be totally accurate,

[Jazoli]

Bead/sand/shot blasting.

 

I've got a set of wheels for my Subaru that I need to get round to painting.

 

2016-05-23 14.58.27.jpg

 

I've had a small attempt at removing some of the old paint by hand, but the black stuff in particular isn't really shifting, it's very thick and also I can't be arsed.

 

Have had a quote for getting them blasted @ £30 a wheel.

 

Shirley I can get myself a blasting set-up for less than this.

 

Any tips? 

 

Is this going to be as shite as it looks?

 

I do have a compressor if that helps.

 

You could make a homemade soda blaster,

 

http://caferacersunited.com/how-to-make-your-own-soda-blaster-for-a-few-bucks/

 

I want to make one but have never needed to!

[philibusmo]

Is there any brands of clutches to avoid like the plague, for example borg and beck, valeo or national?

 

On a related note, how hard is a clutch change on a 1.4 k series metro likely to be and does anyone have a spare clutch for one hanging round that they might like to send to me in New Zealand?

[Stanky]

Is there any brands of clutches to avoid like the plague, for example borg and beck, valeo or national?

 

On a related note, how hard is a clutch change on a 1.4 k series metro likely to be and does anyone have a spare clutch for one hanging round that they might like to send to me in New Zealand?

 

Transmech clutches have a bad rep, but are only marginally cheaper than LUK who I have at least heard of. The TM ones use new friction material stuck onto an original plate and the internet consensus seems to be that they are crap.

 

I think a comparison would be that its like using remould tyres.

[Kiltox]

Fitted a National clutch before because it was dirt cheap and was fine

[twosmoke300]

Stick to Valeo and Luk clutches and you will be fine

[xtriple]

The dollop has an engine driven fan (viscous) and also two electric fans in front of the radiator. What I want to know is:

 

When do those two electric fans come on?

 

Just got home, air con is nice and cold, engine at its normal temperature but the fans are stationary and silent. Was tempted to stick my finger in there to see if they were free but feared dead/detached digits if they started running while poked.

[myglaren]

Poke them with a stick

[twosmoke300]

Prob an aux fan that will only come on at higher engine temps when the vicious fan can't cope .

Some cars have engine bay temp sensors and will bring the fans on when these get hot . Probably to stop fuel vaporisation I suppose

[philibusmo]

Has anyone got a Haynes book of lies or similar for the Rover Metro that they could scan the relevant pages of for a clutch change. It's a 1.4 GTI MPI and I need to see if it's likely I'll be able to change the clutch in a weekend using fairly limited tools.

[M'coli]

I could do so on Friday night when back in Yorkshire (I'm working in Brizzle during the week).

[saucedoctor]

I have an HBOL for the R6 Metro, but would the MG Rover workshop thing do?

 

EDIT: Scratch that, it's not in it!

 

Further edit: Attached PDF. Do you need the stuff about removing the gearbox as well?

Binder1.pdf

[xtriple]

Two smoke is pretty close apparently. Come on when the air con or engine temp request them. But I LIKE spinny things and want them on 'cos they would look cool (and obviously be cool!   )

 

Knowing this fucking car, they probably are seized or not connected or dead or something that means they do not work and never will without throwing thousands of pictures of the Queen at someone.

 

Fucking cars!