Ask a Shiter

[Stanky]

OMG Modern Content, look away now if easily offended.

 

The Saab 9-3 (2004, YS3F 1.8t) of daily driveage told me last winter, about this time, that the coolant was low. So I slung some de-ionised water in, perhaps 300ml? The warning went away for 10 months or so until last month, then it bonged and told me the coolant was low again. I added perhaps another 300ml of de-ionised water. Both these times was after a particularly (for the very south of Hampshire) colde night. Probably -2 degrees?

 

Today it told me that the coolant was low again, it took perhaps 300-500ml to top it up a bit above 'cold max' in the header tank.

 

I'm a bit mystified, no mayo on the dipstick or oil filler cap, no white smoke from the exhaust after it has warmed up, not fiddled with anything on the cooling system ever. No indication that the heater matrix is leaking - no mist on the screen, no curry smell Any suggestions?

 

I could lob some k-seal into it which should fix whatever is leaking but thought I'd ask first in case there is something obvious to check. The leak is very slow - I've probably done 20k miles between last winter and the first time it went off this winter, and done about another 4k since then until today when it went bong again. No evidence of drips where I park it either at home or at work.

 

Or keep topping it up as and when, since the car does have the facility to alert me when the level has dropped even a small amount?

 

***EDIT*** could it be a poorly tightened or kippered expansion tank cap? I'll tighten it up a bit more tomorrow morning before setting off to work

[DeeJay]

Regarding run on, this is a different fix.

 

http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=16908

[dave21478]

Stanky, the more water you add, the more you are diluting your antifreeze. Top it up with the proper stuff.

 

The loss isnt something I personally would worry about too much at that rate. It could be a slack jubille clip somewhere that seeps slightly when under pressure or something like that.

[Stanky]

Thanks Dave, I probably ought to change it all in the summer anyway but understand that I'm just diluting it at present.

 

I managed to get the cap done up another 1/8 of a turn this morning before setting off, and then when I arrived at work I popped the bonnet with the enging running and watched the expasion tank very closely, no visible drips in ~3 minutes, not puffing any steam out, nada.

 

We shall see.

[tooSavvy]

Luxobarge locking wheel nut question!

My locking wheelnuts on the Jaaaag are a little tired.

Anyone know where I can buy four, bog stock wheelnuts from?

Main stealer?

16x @ £5lot...? Agreed, Ford but possible Shirley

 

TS

[scdan4]

OMG Modern Content, look away now if easily offended.

 

The Saab 9-3 (2004, YS3F 1.8t) of daily driveage told me last winter, about this time, that the coolant was low. So I slung some de-ionised water in, perhaps 300ml? The warning went away for 10 months or so until last month, then it bonged and told me the coolant was low again. I added perhaps another 300ml of de-ionised water. Both these times was after a particularly (for the very south of Hampshire) colde night. Probably -2 degrees?

 

Today it told me that the coolant was low again, it took perhaps 300-500ml to top it up a bit above 'cold max' in the header tank.

 

I'm a bit mystified, no mayo on the dipstick or oil filler cap, no white smoke from the exhaust after it has warmed up, not fiddled with anything on the cooling system ever. No indication that the heater matrix is leaking - no mist on the screen, no curry smell Any suggestions?

 

I could lob some k-seal into it which should fix whatever is leaking but thought I'd ask first in case there is something obvious to check. The leak is very slow - I've probably done 20k miles between last winter and the first time it went off this winter, and done about another 4k since then until today when it went bong again. No evidence of drips where I park it either at home or at work.

 

Or keep topping it up as and when, since the car does have the facility to alert me when the level has dropped even a small amount?

 

***EDIT*** could it be a poorly tightened or kippered expansion tank cap? I'll tighten it up a bit more tomorrow morning before setting off to work

 

Do these still have the cabin heater bypass valve thingy? If so i'd be looking at that.

[Stanky]

There seems to be lots of reference to them in similar-era 9-5s but less about 9-3s, not necessarily saying it itsn't that, just that I have no specific reference to it having one.

 

If it does, what does it look like and where might it live?

[AMC Rebel]

Why are my headlights flickering when there's a heavy electrical load?

 

If I use the heated front or rear screen (or both), the headlights flicker alarmingly.

 

Checked the battery terminals which seem firmly attached.

 

I'm thinking Alternator - possibly regulator.  

 

Checked the belt, that seems OK - not slipping under load so far as I can see.

 

Everything's working OK - battery getting charged, starts the car fine and it will go a week without use and start not problem, with the starter turning strongly.

[sierraman]

Does the idle change when you've got all the heated screen demist etc on?

[Bobthebeard]

I recently bought a set of 14" wheel trims online for the Oldsmobile. Not Poundland and are decent quality but they don't fit. The wheel centres stick out too far. Almost, but not quite as though hub caps were originally fitted rather than trims.

Does anyone want them?

Cost of postage only. Obviously brand new and unused. Set of four.

Edit. Now Sold!

 

[Stanky]

BTB, how much are we talking about for postage? The Yaris has some of the most hideous trimz of ever currently fitted and these seem much less offensive to the eye. I won't fit them right away as the current ones, if left on, will be smashed to tiny shards within a matter of weeks I suspect. once they have all been fully atomised by wife_Stanky I'll treat* her by fitting these ones (which she'll then smash to bits)

[Bobthebeard]

BTB, how much are we talking about for postage? The Yaris has some of the most hideous trimz of ever currently fitted and these seem much less offensive to the eye. I won't fit them right away as the current ones, if left on, will be smashed to tiny shards within a matter of weeks I suspect. once they have all been fully atomised by wife_Stanky I'll treat* her by fitting these ones (which she'll then smash to bits)

Am guessing the postage cost, but as they are not heavy I would estimate £5 ish.

[AMC Rebel]

Does the idle change when you've got all the heated screen demist etc on?

 

Not really - but the ecu does all that these days doesn't it - not like the carb days where they had to have complex gubbins (on luxo stuff) to keep the right idle speed with different loads.

 

The thing is, the heated screen works fine - but the car in front is getting disco lighting from my headlights (at traffic lights etc).  If it was just the front screen, I'd have been checking the earths and maybe fusebox connections, but as it does it with the rear (only) too, that makes me think the alternator is playing silly buggers.  I have found a decent looking QH one on eBay for £50 so I might just get it and try it - can't hurt eh?

[rantingYoof]

Thank you for your comments on the Mondeo 2.5T. I was thinking more selfishly in terms of cabin space - it looks like the driver has a lot of room and I like the dash, too.

 

The example I found was being sold by a dealer who tried to convince me it was chain driven and not belt driven. It's the 2.5 Volvo engine, which up until the mid 2000s had a very short cambelt interval. It was improved by the time Ford slotted it into the Mondeo, to the point where the car I'd seen had 115k on the clock and was very due a cambelt change.

 

'No, it's a Ford. Chain driven.'

 

I'm oot.

 

Anyway, I've got another question to those who have gone up and down wheel-sizes on their motors before.

 

I've found this chart...

 

This indicates that theoretically I could get 15s for my car, and it would look like they wouldn't bugger up the speedo's accuracy as they compensate for the larger, lower profile 17s I have on now.

 

I've been repeatedly tempted by higher profile tyres for the slight reduction in road noise and the relatively better ride comfort on the many rural roads I have to travel on for my job every week.

My current wheels are in relatively good condition with decent tyres, although there is lacquer peel on one of them. I'd like to keep them in as good a nick as possible, and the pot-holes and plenty of parallel parking I do makes me desire a cheaper set I can worry about less.

 

I check eBay sporadically, my budget is £100 for a set of four plus useable tyres which is a little short of wanting the moon on a stick but still quite demanding. However, I'm a bit concerned about 15s going too far the other way; 180hp through skinny front tyres would probably make the handling interesting.

 

Has anyone done a change from, say, 17s to 15s before? Does it 'work'?

 

I also just learnt that the alloys on a Peugeot 407 2004-2010 would fit my car, so hopefully this broadens my search a little bit.

[sierraman]

There are switches that feed into the ECU, PAS for example raises the rpm to stop it stalling. Faults with that can cause problems with the idle but I agree from what you say the Alternator regulator could be on the blink. Could be, test it with the meter?

[Cleon-Fonte]

 

Today I've been trying to fit new radius arm bearings to my BX. Unfortunately it appears the new bearings have all the structural integrity of an egg shell and they've promptly fallen apart upon fitting, leaving me with the remains of two bearings stuck on the spacer tube. Which now refuse to move.

 

Currently I'm using a drift pin and hammer to remove them with no success, so does anybody have any suggestions short of cutting the bastards off?

[Bucketeer]

In what temperature neighbourhood does power steering fluid start to freeze? I know it's highly unlikely to be the cause of occasional cold morning lumpiness for the first few turns of the wheel but I'm curious. I would imagine that any water trespassing in the system, however small an amount, would raise the freezy temp somewhat also. I'm sure what I'm experiencing is just some more mechanical ailment that I can and will happily ignore and it's hardly a ball-ache to stir a bowl of kittens in custard for the first few seconds after start up anyway.

[Sigmund Fraud]

Currently I'm using a drift pin and hammer to remove them with no success, so does anybody have any suggestions short of cutting the bastards off?

 

Have you tried heating the race up with a blowtorch ? Hopefully it will expand enough for you to drift it off, before the entire arm heats up.

[Cleon-Fonte]

I did give it a going over with a blowtorch earlier with no luck. Although my blowtorch is a bit of a duffer so I suppose I could buy a new one tomorrow and give it another try.

[DodgeRover]

Slitting disc on the grinder then split it with a vhisel?

[scdan4]

There seems to be lots of reference to them in similar-era 9-5s but less about 9-3s, not necessarily saying it itsn't that, just that I have no specific reference to it having one.

 

If it does, what does it look like and where might it live?

 

on my 9-5 it was buried down between the block and bulkhead under the inlet gubbins. A black plastic bit with 3 or 4 coolant pipes going to it. Apparently they all go. Mine did.

[AMC Rebel]

 

Has anyone done a change from, say, 17s to 15s before? Does it 'work'?

 

I also just learnt that the alloys on a Peugeot 407 2004-2010 would fit my car, so hopefully this broadens my search a little bit.

 

Yes - went from 255/40 19s on my Jaaag to 235/55 17s - and it was worth it - 210ish BHP through the rear wheels.   The grip thing - slight improvement (the 17s) on similar Pirrelli tyres, especially in the wet.  The thing about wide tyres is they grip well in the middle of summer going round the 'ring, not so much in everyday use.

 

I remember reading an article in CCC back in the day where a guy had put a fast road 1340 A-Series in a Mini Van - he started off with extra wide wheels - then changed to narrower ones as he reckoned it improved the grip.

 

My Jaag had better ride and slightly better economy too - although the rolling radius was much the same, the smaller wheels weighed a hell of a lot less.

 

Fancied doing it on my ZT-T - but apparently the 15s won't fit as my front disc/caliper arrangement is too big - something to check.

[twosmoke300]

on my 9-5 it was buried down between the block and bulkhead under the inlet gubbins. A black plastic bit with 3 or 4 coolant pipes going to it. Apparently they all go. Mine did.

Also known as the starship enterprise valve . Have a guess why ? Also fitted to vectra b's

[Pillock]

Then why not just edit it to something relevant instead?

 

Full stops and blank posts are just clutter.

Because I honestly couldn't be arsed to come up with something relevant for that point in the thread on demand. Surely reading some shit I've had to make up because I can't delete a post is as bad as a full stop?

[Pillock]

If it's unreadable, yes. It's also technically something you can get fined for

I had a word from someone who I reckon was an off duty copper, pulled up alongside me and said I'd get fined if I was caught.

 

To be fair, I've never washed it ever and it was utterly unreadable.

 

[bub2006]

Seating questions. Spent many many hours, days, weeks and months searching for definitive answers but can't find one so hoping someone here has knowledge, experience or better search skills. To fit rear seats forward facing in the van requires seat belts and possibly an engineers report. Rear facing seats is a bit confusing as is side facing. A lot of info relates to land rovers or camper vans where folk can sit in the back on side facing seats with no belts, rear facing I have found contradictory information on whether belts required or not. Even before I had the c15 I was thinking of what to do if I had a two seat van which led me on to this wild search. Basically I want to know legality of either side facing or rear facing seats in the van. Occasional use only and either side or rear facing due to space. Rear facing seats can be found and fitted relatively easy from numerous cars, side facing seats are easy to fabricate and fit too. Any information gladly welcome. It possibly isn't viable but I thought I'd find out definitively.

[Kiltox]

That's pretty bad

 

I always wipe the plates and lights at least when they're dirty - not worth the potential hassle of being stopped

[Richard]

I always clean my lights, never the plates unless I'm washing the whole car. I know my registration number and it's nobody else's business.

[Stanky]

Also known as the starship enterprise valve . Have a guess why ? Also fitted to vectra b's

 

TwoSmoke, do B207E engines have this?

[gordonbennet]

Volvo S60 going down to 15's, whilst a nice size and cheap as chips, 195/65's don't instill much handling confidence on a powerful Merc W124, and i went the other way to low profiles (i know i should hang my head in shame) which improved it no end.

 

I was surprised just how comfy my sons S60 was on 225/45 x 17s, and it proved a good size for all purposes giving outstanding grip and handling.