Ask a Shiter

[cobblers]

Has anyone had a particular car shampoo or something attract flies? It seems ever since I washed my car last week it's been covered in flies:

They always seem to sit on the same spot on the car whether I'm at work or at home.

 

Never really happened before, the only thing I can think is different that I used a different tub of foam prewash stuff. It's got caranalibaba wax on too but that's been on there for about 3 weeks.

[Kiltox]

White cars do seem to suffer worse regardless

[Timewaster]

You can still use the Vax for this, I just put the thin pointy tool on it rather than the dedicated washing tool to suck as much wet out of it as I can.

Just sit on towels for a day or two.

[barefoot]

SFQ - tyres.

 

Bloke I know who should know better has put Smart car, 155/70X15 tyres on the front of his 2.3 tonne T2

Obviously too skinny and too light a weight rating

And coupled those with some big tall, fuck off, bias ply American shit at the back.

 

Is this not as illegal as running X plies at the back and radials at the front?

 

Ta

[twosmoke300]

Radials to rear is the rule !

[Kiltox]

I heard from a mate that if I disconnect the battery in my 216 cabriolet for a long time the central locking / alarm remotes will play up - anyone know if that's true?

[fatharris]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced auto-darkening welding mask please? Managed to pick up a welder for £70 and it comes with a normal always-dark mask, and figured if I'm to do the Mini properly, I may as well have a decent mask.

[fatharris]

I heard from a mate that if I disconnect the battery in my 216 cabriolet for a long time the central locking / alarm remotes will play up - anyone know if that's true?

I disconnected the battery when I changed the alternator on the 220D - proper bastard of a job and took hours, I don't recall any issue with the remote afterwards.

 

On the other hand, I had many issues when I changed the remote fob battery.

[Craig the Princess]

I heard from a mate that if I disconnect the battery in my 216 cabriolet for a long time the central locking / alarm remotes will play up - anyone know if that's true?

Before you reconnect the battery put the ignition key in the II position to stop the alarm sounding.

[fatharris]

Another stupid question - how can you tell that you've "flipped" the seals on a brake master cylinder? I haven't worked on the brakes today, I'm just curious.

[DodgeRover]

Brakes don't work, or fluid pours out into the footwell on application of the pedal.

[Laseraligningfoofooflanges]

This will probably seem like a pointless question more than anything so apologies!!

 

Wasnt quite happy with the recon set of calipers i got for the Audi 100 so im stripping my old set down.

 

All in bits one was a fucker due to a 27 year old road salt/grease combo.

 

As you can see slight rusty crap on some of the bits how clean does it all need to be?.. Ive got lots of penol nabbed off site plusgas etc.. Would coca cola be too harsh?

 

 

 

Thanks lads.

 

[barefoot]

Radials to rear is the rule !

That's what I thought.

I'll probably not mention it until he spins it tho'

Seen twat.

[twosmoke300]

Mr HARRIS . Nip down the road to boc and get an esab helmet . Not quite as good as a speedglas but not as dear either

[They_all_do_that_sir]

SFQ - tyres.

 

Bloke I know who should know better has put Smart car, 155/70X15 tyres on the front of his 2.3 tonne T2

Obviously too skinny and too light a weight rating

And coupled those with some big tall, fuck off, bias ply American shit at the back.

 

Is this not as illegal as running X plies at the back and radials at the front?

 

Ta

Need to be the proper load rating for the vehicle.

Not usually noticed on cars but on a commercial it might get picked up?

 

Sent from my D6603 using Tapatalk

[stephen01]

​should I change shocks in pairs, not the springs.

[Kiltox]

Yes - arguably more so than the springs

[cobblers]

You should but nobody is forcing you to and tbh it'll be alright. but you should.

[Dave_Q]

My Subaru has just failed MOT on CO emissions, HC and lambda OK.

 

It does have an exhaust leak which may be contributing, my plan is to fix the leak, then a bottle of cataclean and a weapons grade ragging for retest? I think they tested it fairly cold. Any other suggestions?

[fatharris]

That sounds like exactly what I'd do - Cataclean got my brothers' old Civic through several MOTs - always failed on emissions and came back smelling of roses for the retest a couple of days later.

[320touring]

The Mazda 3 (2004) - any major faults to look for(bar the rust;))

 

going to see this low mileage 1.6 saloon with a work colleague tonight. Have looked at MOT history and know that the rear of the sills need checking out. Beyond that though and I know very little of their common failings- any observations would be appreciated:)

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201609217967738/sort/atcustom/radius/200/make/mazda/model/mazda3/price-to/1000/page/1/adPos/7/postcode/fk81qz/usedcars

 

[mrbenn]

Has anyone got a good tips/products for cleaning alloy wheels? I did see something but I'm beggared if I can find it now. Its probably going to be a one time thing, but I've got it in my head to take them off in turn and give them a really good clean before preferably sealing them with something. I've polished and waxed the car so the wheels will finish it off.

 

I did look over on Detailing World but there was crazy talk of clay bars and something called the "two bucket method". I have two buckets: one to wash the car with and the other to keep all my sponges etc in. As for the clay bar, I want to clean my car not make a jug.

[Craig the Princess]

The two bucket method is one to rinse the dirty sponge in, the other for clean water and shampoo to wash the car.

 

Somewhere in here was a talk about alloy wheel cleaning yesterday.

[dave21478]

No doubt this will get the detailing nerds into a lather (see what I did there?) but hydrochloric acid is ace at cleaning wheels. Should be able to get it from a diy shop, maybe marketed as brick cleaner or something.

 

Be sure to rinse it off well though.

[hairymel]

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced auto-darkening welding mask please? Managed to pick up a welder for £70 and it comes with a normal always-dark mask, and figured if I'm to do the Mini properly, I may as well have a decent mask.

 

tbh unless you are welding day in day out you  probably will be happy with an ebay £20 helmet. up to about £40 they seem to be much similar in performance.

 

the only recommendation i have is to get one with 4 sensors as they work a little better/faster when stuck under a car, but its not a deal breaker

[dave21478]

V5s.....does the reference number change totally when a new keeper gets a new V5? Did I dream it up that I read somewhere that it just ads one to the last digit of the old one or something like that?

 

I want to give the government some money, but computer says no. 

[tooSavvy]

​should I change shocks in pairs, not the springs.

 

ToMM is only on 80k but the dampers were non existent .

 

I reckoned the springs were 'factory fresh' at that mileage... plus no 'barnacle bill' salt soakings. My garage buddy was more than happy with all the 'non swapped' bits.

 

TS

[omegod]

V5s.....does the reference number change totally when a new keeper gets a new V5? Did I dream it up that I read somewhere that it just ads one to the last digit of the old one or something like that?

 

I want to give the government some money, but computer says no. 

Green slip number is the V5 reference number with an extra digit at the front, whether this helps you or not I don't know  

[scaryoldcortina]

V5s.....does the reference number change totally when a new keeper gets a new V5? Did I dream it up that I read somewhere that it just ads one to the last digit of the old one or something like that?

 

I want to give the government some money, but computer says no. 

New keeper=new reference number on the v5. The new keeper bit has the the same number but with an extra digit but if a V5 has been issued already it won't work. PS, I got the "you are no longer the keeper" letter for the MG a couple of days ago.

[DVee8]

Has anyone used AlloyGator,wheel rim protector?

 

Does it work? are they easy to fit?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AlloyGator-Rimband-Wheel-Protector-SET-OF-4-GRAPHITE-/161846366865?hash=item25aecb9291:g:vgcAAOSwpDdVevPD