Ask a Shiter

[sierraman]

Any new shocks will feel a vast improvement on knackered ones.

[The Moog]

Sadly no wetvac. Am now looking into the possibility of hiring one though...

Where are you? I have got vax and also a Titan wet N dry you can borrow.

[Bobthebeard]

Where are you? I have got vax and also a Titan wet N dry you can borrow.

Great offer and thank you. But am in Lytham St Annes

[The Moog]

Only in Accrington. More than welcome to borrow them. Saying that the Titan one from screwfix is amazing and cheap enough

[Richard]

Faced with a carpet in the state you describe I would clean it with fire and get another one from a breaker, that's how I cleaned the doggy boot carpet in my C5. Is that an option?

[wuvvum]

I'd imagine it'd cost a fair bit to post a carpet set from Trumpistan though.

[dave21478]

If I were in that position, I would go to a pez station under cover of darkness and use their jetwash with whatever soap/traffic film remover it has, then use their vacuum, which might or might not be a wetvac, but since its not mine I wouldnt be fussed if it wasnt.

[Asimo]

Jetwash and wetvac the carpet then hang for months to dry in a dry but draughty place. But don't even think about putting it back until you know the leaks are fixed and it is next summer.

I like seeing metal floor in a car, much easier to have confidence when you can see the structure rather than worry about what is going on under the soggy cloth......

[Richard]

I'd imagine it'd cost a fair bit to post a carpet set from Trumpistan though.

 

Sorry, I had it in my head that it was the MG. Must learn to read. In that case I'd go with the Davenumbers plan.

[Des]

Good find, thats £82 the pair with the code

What do the pro's say, Sachs or Bilstein? The Bilstein are an extra £9 on the Sachs once delivery is factored in. Free Parcelforce delivery 

 

You're in an ideal position to find out which is best, fit one of each and wait.

[dave21478]

What do we know about Mercedes ML320s? yeah, no, apart from them being wanker wagons.

 

Full time 4WD or selectable?

low ratio box or not?

centre diff or a viscous coupling or haldex?

do they need all 4 tyres exactly the same like freelanders or are they more robust? 

Lockable diffs or electronic traction control?

Structural rot issues?

Anything else explodey to watch out for?

 

What sort of MPGs would one expect in normal use from an auto box?

[panhard65]

Not so much a question but I reckon the turbo on my Mondeo tdci has gone - it had been going into limp mode for ages under heavy acceleration (then just about all the time really), and now it is permanently painfully slow to rev but the limp mode light has gone.

 

Is there any hope it could be anything else, and how can I find out? I cleaned the EGR valve and MAF sensor several times and at first I sometimes felt like it made a difference but in hindsight I doubt it really did. I hardly use the car now that I live in London so don't want to spend a fortune fixing it, but I'd hate to scrap it if there's a chance it could be a cheap fix. The car still drives fine but as I mainly need it for the occasional long motorway drive, the lack of power is really annoying.

 

I know this type of failure on these are old news and there's info online, however I spent ages trying to find answers on forums when it first started to happen then sort of gave up as nothing was really helpful. But, as I visit AS for the first time in yonks, it's just occurred I never asked on here, where common sense and experience always prevail  . Any tips or knowledge to share? 

As has already been suggested it is most likely a turbo hose split. Ford turbo hoses are total shit. I had a Focus one lasted just over a year so out of warrenty. Take them off and check carefully I am sure you will find a split, best to buy one of the lurid blue ones off ebay as they are made of decent material and last longer than the originals.

[DodgeRover]

What do we know about Mercedes ML320s? yeah, no, apart from them being wanker wagons.

 

Full time 4WD or selectable?

low ratio box or not?

centre diff or a viscous coupling or haldex?

do they need all 4 tyres exactly the same like freelanders or are they more robust?

Lockable diffs or electronic traction control?

Structural rot issues?

Anything else explodey to watch out for?

 

What sort of MPGs would one expect in normal use from an auto box?

Test drive first IMO they are awful, was convinced the ones we test drove were massively over wide tyred, but no apparently that's what they are like.

[gm]

I'm looking at one of these tomorrow (2004, diesel, 60k miles, £1k) am I asking for trouble ?

 

[320touring]

I'm looking at one of these tomorrow (2004, diesel, 60k miles, £1k) am I asking for trouble ?

 

IMG_0979.JPG

Yes.

[gm]

'nuff said, I shall cancel the viewing

[stephen01]

I'm looking at one of these tomorrow (2004, diesel, 60k miles, £1k) am I asking for trouble ?

 

IMG_0979.JPG

 

that's like asking if its a bad idea leaving my wife with this guy.

 

[320touring]

They are a great steer!

 

Really 2 things that can be problematic.

 

Suspension knocks and bangs

 

Electrical issues.

 

Go and see it- like any used car buy on individual condition:)

[gm]

Suspension knocks and bangs seem to be an issue with pretty much anything that sups the diz, the problem I have is that I need a boring 300 mile a week commuter-drone but seek something that isn't boring. the current audi a3 is fine on fuel, reasonably comfy, quick if I need it to be but, ultimately, not much fun. maybe one of those Honda Civic spaceships would be a better bet ? they look pretty funky

[DodgeRover]

Any on line sites for getting a reg from a chassis number? Tried putting it into the BMW site but it doesn't work in reverse.

I know trade HPI can do it but I've 5 bikes to run so it comes a bit pricey

[320touring]

Suspension knocks and bangs seem to be an issue with pretty much anything that sups the diz, the problem I have is that I need a boring 300 mile a week commuter-drone but seek something that isn't boring. the current audi a3 is fine on fuel, reasonably comfy, quick if I need it to be but, ultimately, not much fun. maybe one of those Honda Civic spaceships would be a better bet ? they look pretty funky

The 200 quid Alfa 156 petrol I had was the most fun thing short of a Clio 172 down a back road.

 

It was also the most infuriating squeak/creak ridden bastard of a thing.

 

For 1k I'd be wanting no bangs/squeaks on the suspension front

[gm]

a 156 sport wagon is what I'm really fancying, I briefly had a 156 saloon as a company car and it was a load of fun, drank like Ollie Reid but now I'm paying for my own juice, a diz it must be.

[omegod]

As has already been suggested it is most likely a turbo hose split. Ford turbo hoses are total shit. I had a Focus one lasted just over a year so out of warrenty. Take them off and check carefully I am sure you will find a split, best to buy one of the lurid blue ones off ebay as they are made of decent material and last longer than the originals.

 

Known for the turbo actuator to go offline so the turbo won't erm....actuate rendering it gutless without any code showing, there are two types electronic and...erm not electronic. Elec one has a wee soldered strip that breaks and can be autoshited with a soldering iron and a paperclip or something similarly conductive 

[dave21478]

What do we know about Mercedes ML320s? yeah, no, apart from them being wanker wagons.

 

Full time 4WD or selectable?

low ratio box or not?

centre diff or a viscous coupling or haldex?

do they need all 4 tyres exactly the same like freelanders or are they more robust? 

Lockable diffs or electronic traction control?

Structural rot issues?

Anything else explodey to watch out for?

 

What sort of MPGs would one expect in normal use from an auto box?

 

 

Test drive first IMO they are awful, was convinced the ones we test drove were massively over wide tyred, but no apparently that's what they are like.

 

Im not fussed how it drives, I need to know how the transmission works etc.

[Lacquer Peel]

Permanent four wheel drive.

[Asimo]

Someone on here has had one a few years, they wrote a good post about it somewhere just a few days ago.

[Des]

Im not fussed how it drives, I need to know how the transmission works etc.

 

It converts the rotational force of the crankshaft to that which matches vehicle load / speed with torque converters, planetary gearsets and voodoo.

[egg]

This might be a really stupid one. My old escort mk2 air intake had to be adjusted to summer and winter position (i.e. in winter it faced downward to obviously get heat from the block and less direct cold air).

 

Given the cold temperatures down here today (yes, zero degrees is cold down south!) I was wondering why are engine intakes less affected by cold air these days?

[scaryoldcortina]

Because the hot/cold flap is now worked automatically.

[sierraman]

They've also got a more sophisticated system of being able to adjust fuelling etc based on the ambient air temp