Ask a Shiter

[xtriple]

Friend of mine has got a 55 reg Zafira work horse and it's miles/trip display has vanished. Any ideas?

[Richard]

Backlight failed?

[sierraman]

Clocked? Sometimes a side effect of 'mileage correction' is problems with the trip computer.

[Eddie Honda]

Would you trust it ? Or would you fork out £15 for a brand new Elring one ?

Yeah, as long as you don't leave it 500 miles for a re-torque. Use the Volvo workshop manual method. 27Nm first pass, 60Nm second pass. Warm up engine for 20 mins, let cool for 2.5 hours, slacken first one 1/4 turn and re-torque to 60Nm and do the same with the rest in order.

[Richard]

On one of the Audio threads on here I'm sure somebody posted about a modern stereo that doesn't look offensive in older cars. Can anybody remember what kind it was? I don't think it was any of Sony/Pioneer/Blaupunkt etc.

[LC Torana]

I saw a very near miss today, and it led me to realise that I don't know the answer to this:

both cars arrive at their respective Give Way lines at the same time, and both are heading North. Which one has right of way?

 

Cheers all.

In Australia, Green goes first.  Right-turning traffic must give way to left-turning traffic.

 

(Stupid rule, it ought to be the other way around, so you first clear cars off the crown of the road.)

[Alfamale]

I've refurbed the steering box on my classic fiat 500 project. It's the old style corkscrew and cog system, not rack and pinion. Anyway, it needs filling with oil. Question is do I need something specific or will 80/90 gearbox oil do the job?

[xtriple]

Clocked? Sometimes a side effect of 'mileage correction' is problems with the trip computer.

Don't think so, he's had it 9 years!

[Des]

Removing an EGR valve - Is it better to try undoing the rusty nuts HOT or cold?

Leave the nuts, remove complete with car and replace with something older that lacks such devilment.

 

I've refurbed the steering box on my classic fiat 500 project. It's the old style corkscrew and cog system, not rack and pinion. Anyway, it needs filling with oil. Question is do I need something specific or will 80/90 gearbox oil do the job?

I think EP would be good there, and the thicker = the more weeks before it's all leaked out.

[Kiltox]

Anyone know what kind of figure I should be looking at to do a B+E trailer training course + test ?

[chaseracer]

Friend of mine has got a 55 reg Zafira work horse and it's miles/trip display has vanished. Any ideas?

 

Genuinely vanished - or are the flames in the way?

 

[Kiltox]

Friend of mine has got a 55 reg Zafira work horse and it's miles/trip display has vanished. Any ideas?

Is it a late registered Zafira A? They use a bog standard bulb to illuminate the mileage.

 

Not sure if the later model does or uses some fancy LED stuff

[gm]

I'm busy stripping the interior out of the mazda "because track car" and there's one annoying wire that goes to the handbrake switch that I would quite like to remove - will this cause me grief at mot time ?

 

I may just coil it up and tuck it under the dash to reconnect when needed

[Kiltox]

I'm busy stripping the interior out of the mazda "because track car" and there's one annoying wire that goes to the handbrake switch that I would quite like to remove - will this cause me grief at mot time ?

 

I may just coil it up and tuck it under the dash to reconnect when needed

I think the handbrake tell tale not coming on would be a MoT issue but I'm not 100%

[gm]

I thought it might be, stupid warning lights

 

surely I will know the handbrake is on by the hellish smell coming from the rear !

[Kiltox]

Can't actually see anything in the parking brake section of the manual that says the light must work - i'll wait for one of our resident MOT testers to give a more informed answer

[The Moog]

Driving to work today the clutch on the Alfa stuck a couple of times.

 

I initially thought it was car mat, so removed it. But still did it.

 

It sticks at the top and didn't return that quickly.

 

How much of a pain is it to change slave cylinders on these? 2.4 jtd

[Honey Badger]

On one of the Audio threads on here I'm sure somebody posted about a modern stereo that doesn't look offensive in older cars. Can anybody remember what kind it was? I don't think it was any of Sony/Pioneer/Blaupunkt etc.

 

Clarion FZ102 ?

 

[scaryoldcortina]

Parking brake light - it has to illuminate because it is the warning light for the service brake. Lighting up for the handbrake is a secondary purpose (the light must be testable by means other than brake failure, coming on when the handbrake is on does this)

 

Long story short - wire it to a push button instead.

 

My stupid question - has anyone got/can find a set of clocks for a 1986 BMW 518i (E28)??

[barefoot]

Like an idiot, I have dropped my Jaguar key remotey thing.

It appears to have stopped working.

It only fell about two feet when I bent down to biscuit the dog.

Is it likely to be a dislodged battery or fucked?

How do I open it without breaking it?

 

FFS!

[Des]

Dropping it again may fix it, or shaking / tapping. Now my question is, what on earth is to biscuit the dog a euphemism for? 

[barefoot]

To give the dog a biscuit.

'Have you biscuited the dog?,

 

Thank you,

[oldcars]

To give the dog a biscuit.

'Have you biscuited the dog?,

 

Thank you,

Reply, "i have indeed"

[barefoot]

Reply, "i have indeed"

It's just what we say, it never occurred to me that it was wrong.

[Asimo]

It's just what we say, it never occurred to me that it was wrong.

If puss is hungry here, it is time to "pouch the cat".

[GrumpyCat]

Anyone know if a Mk1 Megane (1999) has an anti-syphon filler neck?

[dave21478]

Anyone know if a Mk1 Megane (1999) has an anti-syphon filler neck?

 

A 1999 Megane Scenic has an L shaped bit of plastic near the top of the filler neck that prevents a hose the size of a garden hose being pushed down. You can fit a thinner hose past it or use a hacksaw blade to cut the plastic off.

 

It would be a relatively safe bet that a normal Megane would be the same.

[dave21478]

It was a right pain in the chuff to empty the tank on that scenic. In the end I disconnected the fuel line in the engine bay. I used a vacuum cleaner set to blow stuffed into the filler neck and sealed by wrapping a damp cloth round it to plug up the hole. This slightly pressurised the tank and forced fuel out the fuel line in the engine bay.

[Richard]

 

My stupid question - has anyone got/can find a set of clocks for a 1986 BMW 518i (E28)??

I think Upullit have one in their 'premium' section in Inverkeithing, you should be able to check their stock online. I'm not sure if I would find time this weekend but I'll see what I can do.

[oldcars]

It's just what we say, it never occurred to me that it was wrong.

Its not wrong, i like it