Ask a Shiter

[AMC Rebel]

Which is weird, since on both our VW and my old Astra, if you pressed the Screen Demist button it turns ON recirculation, turns on AirCon and whaps the fan up to full.

 

I always through it would Demist quicker with the dried air being reused than pulling in damp air from outside.

Hers didn't have aircon

[meshking]

Are meyle HD suspension parts (specifically drop links) any good? The family bus is rattling and Ford want £75 for a pair.

[rainagain]

Well the heater normally takes about 10 minutes to get hot but it was cold (I assume it should have been hot as it was 'this side' of the radiator) this must mean an air lock then which I hadn't thought of.

 

The radiator was leaking a few months ago and I put radweld in it. Will I need to bleed the whole system through as I don't have a radiator cap?

 

Would it be the air lock moving then when the temp went back to normal?

I would bleed it using the bleed points if they are present. If you're still not getting any heat out the interior heater and it's still over heating it sounds like you water pump. As well as simply breaking up the impeller in the pump can come loose on the spindle so sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't.

[sierraman]

Yes as far as I know.

[doug]

What thickness of metal do you need for welding sills? Need to make a repair panel.

 

I used 0.8mm, roughly 0.030".

[rainagain]

When I bought the stilo for my OH I was told it was overheating as the head gasket had been fitted wrong. I was also told a new water pump had been fitted. After a lot of head scratching I pulled the outlet water pipe and thermostat off the engine and poured in as much water as I could. When the engine started no water was pushed out, this was because the 'new' water pump was actually the original and its impeller had broken up.

 

Edit: This is for Alabamashrimp and is something else he can try to narrow the problem down.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Thanks for the advice, will get a new pump just to be sure.

[sierraman]

I used 0.8mm, roughly 0.030".

Cheers! Any idea best place to get a small quantity from?

[puddlethumper]

My Plug van started acting up yesterday evening. Cutting out and spluttering. Got it home. Luckily not far. Went out this morning and its not starting at all. 

 

Took a fuel pipe off an injector and there is no fuel coming through. Is that the fuel pump up the creek or something else ? 

 

I have a 1900 xantia diesel engine.

[M'coli]

What thickness of metal do you need for welding sills? Need to make a repair panel.

 

 

I used 0.8mm, roughly 0.030".

I try to use 18 or 20swg sheet, 22 is a bit thin.  I found a thickness chart online (swg means standard wire gauge) - 18,20 and 22 are the common thicknesses I used to get from the factor's.

 

swg  thou'   mm

16    0.064  1.63

17    0.056  1.42

18    0.048  1.22

19    0.040  1.02

20    0.036  0.91

21    0.032  0.81

22    0.028  0.71

[castros_bro]

My Plug van started acting up yesterday evening. Cutting out and spluttering. Got it home. Luckily not far. Went out this morning and its not starting at all. 

 

Took a fuel pipe off an injector and there is no fuel coming through. Is that the fuel pump up the creek or something else ? 

 

I have a 1900 xantia diesel engine.

 

Need more information to diagnose. Assume you have a 1.9 na XUD you will need to systematically go through the diesel system from tank via pipes, filter, injector pump to injector (or the other way from injector to .....tank)  to find where the blockage/air leak/split pipe/brolken bit/ caddisfly larvae is which prevent it from running. However first check that the electrically operated solenoid on the injector pump is being energised.  A couple of spanners, good battery for cranking and two cups of tea should do it.

[sierraman]

Motor factors then possibly. The Focus needs a patch at the front of the sill. I cannot weld, however was planning on saving on the labour by cutting out the patch ( approx 15cm X 10cm) and cleaning the surrounding up and cutting a plate to fit.

[castros_bro]

Help!  I've only a very short time to do and file my company accounts.  

 

There was someone on here who wanted an electrically driven Hydraulic pump (as I now also require one) but I can't find it in the search.  Someone give me a link to it please?

[chaseracer]

I also* found this very useful when doing my accounts...

 

 

Cute Sausage Dog agrees.

[Jerzy Woking]

Is there anything you can do to prevent a HGF occurring?

[sierraman]

On what?

[Pillock]

Parking up and using the bus?

 

Regular coolant checks (level and quality) are best, as it's more common if you've run hot.

 

Also check the bootlid for a Rover badge #obviousjoke

[Jerzy Woking]

Looking for a shityer for winter, and lots of Rovers/Pugs/Fiesta's wit HGF available-I suppose my question should be "why do some cars seem to have this failure, when other cars don't seem to suffer?"

[sierraman]

Wouldn't bother. You can get a running one for a few hundred, hardly worth it once you've bought the gasket, oil, coolant, bolts and skimmed the head. Chuck in a timing belt and you'd be out of pocket. Plus what else is up with it. You'd get a running Rover 25 with test for less than £500

[Richard]

Looking for a shityer for winter, and lots of Rovers/Pugs/Fiesta's wit HGF available-I suppose my question should be "why do some cars seem to have this failure, when other cars don't seem to suffer?"

 

Junkman rule applies, post-1986 = rented head gasket.

[cobblers]

Help!  I've only a very short time to do and file my company accounts.  

 

There was someone on here who wanted an electrically driven Hydraulic pump (as I now also require one) but I can't find it in the search.  Someone give me a link to it please?

Saxo/106 Power steering pump

[Guest Hooli]

Looking for a shityer for winter, and lots of Rovers/Pugs/Fiesta's wit HGF available-I suppose my question should be "why do some cars seem to have this failure, when other cars don't seem to suffer?"

 

The K-series has a weak headgasket when cold because of the design.

 

Rather than fit the head to the block with studs or bolts as normal they bolt through the block into a 'ladder' that clamps up underneath the block around the big ends. In theory it's a much stronger idea. However due to the metals used the block contracts & expands more than the bolts so when cold the clamping force is much reduced.

[legasoil96]

Hullo

 

Welding my old master van up when I do the sills do I have to include a lip/ridge? Or can I just make them rounded ?

11 more patches to go.

[Lacquer Peel]

What's the cheapest way to shift an engine from too far south to a Highlands postcode?

[bub2006]

I've a van working but can't compete with national companies

[Lacquer Peel]

CB7 to IV16

[bub2006]

It's doable after checking on maps and I'd gladly do it but probably cost in effective for you. Like I say I can't compete with national couriers but I can assure it won't get bashed about!

[PhillipM]

Cheers! Any idea best place to get a small quantity from?

Your local motorfactors (the small indy places anyway) will generally stock 3 x 2 sheets for about a tenner.

 Use 0.8mm if it's the outer panels but if it's the jacking points or mid panels you might find they're up around 1.6mm or so.

[320touring]

What's the cheapest way to shift an engine from too far south to a Highlands postcode?

I'd buy a complete car..

[Lacquer Peel]

I'd buy a complete car..

So would I but good luck finding a Bosch pumped, roadworthy 306/405/ZX TD at short notice for minimal coin. There's a ZX in Devon for £500 but pffff.

 

My friend has a veg friendly Hilux and a car trailer but I wouldn't want to drag him outside of Scotland.