Ask a Shiter

[Snipes]

What would cause my heater to occasionally blow cold? It's a '99 1.3 Fiesta.

[sierraman]

Stuck heater controls

[Guest Hooli]

You parked up at work & the engine got cold.

More seriously, airlock? kinked pipe, shite in the system, dodgy flaps

[scdan4]

they've got a heater matrix control / valve thing that fails. Mums went through loads of them.

[bub2006]

I may need to move a microcar from a friend's house to Macclesfield. The car weighs around 500kg and needs to be on a dolly. Can't a frame it and can't stick it on a trailer to tow as would exceed the towing capacity of my van. Does anywhere still hire these out?

[Guest bangerfan101]

A couple of years ago. My older brother was hooting about in a 02 plate audi tt 3.2

 

Bare in mind he's working a typical 9-5 rat race office scum job, been a lazy cunt sat behind a desk.

 

So I get a text message asking "what do I need to put in my tyre it was looking flat yesterday"

 

I said." no idea but about 30psi will get you home then look in your manual "

 

He said." I've put 20 pence worth from the machine in both of front and it feels a bit weird"?

[scdan4]

thats about 60psi.

 

gr8 for hypermiling.

[dave21478]

How the pissing fuck do I stop a padlock from freezing up?

 

Previous efforts include thoroughly drying it out, hosing it with WD40, packing it with grease and various other things but its frozen every bloody morning, so requires a cup of warm water (I dry it out again afterwards) or a few seconds of blowtorch to free it off.

 

This is really beginning to annoy me.

 

Its quite a specific hasp size so I cant find a different brand to try in its place.

[Guest Hooli]

GT-85 or 3in1?
 

Wd40 doesn't really last as a lube, so maybe something more 'lubey' would stay in all night & keep the water off the working surfaces.

[Lacquer Peel]

Can I use pink coolant in an elderly diesel?

[Eddie Honda]

Its quite a specific hasp size

Which is?

[DodgeRover]

Can I use pink coolant in an elderly diesel?

Have a look at the drum and see if the new stuff is compatible with both types?

[DodgeRover]

How the pissing fuck do I stop a padlock from freezing up?

 

Previous efforts include thoroughly drying it out, hosing it with WD40, packing it with grease and various other things but its frozen every bloody morning, so requires a cup of warm water (I dry it out again afterwards) or a few seconds of blowtorch to free it off.

 

This is really beginning to annoy me.

 

Its quite a specific hasp size so I cant find a different brand to try in its place.

Chuck it in a bucket of proper diesel?

[Lacquer Peel]

It's being emptied of coolant anyway. Also what's the coolant capacity of an XUD9TE?

[omegod]

Anyone in Granada Greenhouse Gasser territory (i.e. Stockport/Manchester or nearby) who has OP-Com for checking the ABS issue on my Signum (53 plate 2.2 Diesel) please? I'm going to check some simple stuff this weekend but may need a "proper" diagnostic check.

 

I have one in Liverpool you're welcome to have a go of

[For Fiats Sake]

How the pissing fuck do I stop a padlock from freezing up?

 

I was told by a bloke from work who once was a lock smith never to put anything other than graphite in locks.  Where such stuff is found apart from inside pencils is a mystery to me, though those who can be arsed to use the search bar may become enlightened.  Apparently graphite doesn't freeze up the mechanism, wd40 just washes out any lube already in place and grease just gums it up.

 

Definitely do not use any lube containing a ptfe sticky coating for chains like I did in the gate padlock at work, it broke the key in the lock the next day.

 

Edit:

 

Amazon sells it for less than a fiver.

 

Thinks:  Wud b x-l-ent for car door locks.

[LC Torana]

Buy "Graphite lock lubricant"

 

Comes in a little squeeze bottle like 3 in 1 or sewing machine oil, but is made for the job.

[omegod]

Why do most members not indicate where they are located in their profile, makes it a right pain in the arse when they are selling stuff, wanting help etc ?

[fraser.innes.3]

You don't work for Halfords AICMFP.

It is on the Halfords 'we don't change those ones sir' list. I did show one young lad from Halfords in Reading how to change the offside bulb once. Luckily it went perfectly, and was done in less than 2 minutes. The problem is when the bulbs get stuck in the holder, because there is no space to get some pliers in to pull them out. On the nearside I always undo 3 screws and pull the arch liner out to provide access.

 

Sent from my HUAWEI M2-A01W using Tapatalk

[burraston2006]

Lidls occasionally sell graphite lubricant in an aerosol. I definitely bought some in the summer (came in a white labelled tin) but as I've not needed any more since I've not really kept my eye open for it.

[Vantman]

Any decent hardware shop will have graphite lock lubricant,i have always used it on any sort of lock and it is also useful on seat belt buckles but use it sparingly.

[Timewaster]

Might be worth using some brake cleaner or similar to get rid of the oil / WD / water residue before using graphite.

[Cavcraft]

Anyone got real life experience of an Insignia CDTi? I know all Vauxhalls are shit/modern cars/blah blah blah, so just want hands on experience or anyone who works for Vauxhall or something.

 

I quite fancy the 'VX line' CDTi, probably about a 2010/11 model, though I wouldn't kick the 1.8 petrol one out of bed either. I'm not especially arsed about top speed, decent MPG would be nice though. Is there some DMF based horror waiting round the corner? There seems to be loads about with 120-200k on (ex-rep cars probably) so assuming they can stand the miles alright?

TIA DERLETE IV NT ALOUD 

[burraston2006]

Just been for the weekly scrum I'm Lidls and funnily enough they've got the graphite lab in there. £1.99 a tin. Just thought I'd let you all know!

[burraston2006]

Should say lube not lab. Fxxking auto correct again!!

[panhard65]

Anyone got real life experience of an Insignia CDTi? I know all Vauxhalls are shit/modern cars/blah blah blah, so just want hands on experience or anyone who works for Vauxhall or something.

 

I quite fancy the 'VX line' CDTi, probably about a 2010/11 model, though I wouldn't kick the 1.8 petrol one out of bed either. I'm not especially arsed about top speed, decent MPG would be nice though. Is there some DMF based horror waiting round the corner? There seems to be loads about with 120-200k on (ex-rep cars probably) so assuming they can stand the miles alright?

TIA DERLETE IV NT ALOUD 

I can't really help with anything usefull but I had a 2009 Insignia in the other day for service. It was a 1.8 petrol and to be honest was bloody gutless. The car itself wasn't too bad lots of toys and modern stuff, but the old ecotech type engine just can't cut it in such a big heavy car. On the plus side the engine does look a bit lost in the engine bay so easy to work on.

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Anyone got real life experience of an Insignia CDTi? I know all Vauxhalls are shit/modern cars/blah blah blah, so just want hands on experience or anyone who works for Vauxhall or something.

 

I quite fancy the 'VX line' CDTi, probably about a 2010/11 model, though I wouldn't kick the 1.8 petrol one out of bed either. I'm not especially arsed about top speed, decent MPG would be nice though. Is there some DMF based horror waiting round the corner? There seems to be loads about with 120-200k on (ex-rep cars probably) so assuming they can stand the miles alright?

TIA DERLETE IV NT ALOUD

 

Driven a few rentals, the 1.8 petrol couldn't pull your foreskin back, felt quite scary trying to join a motorway, loaded with 4 fat bStards and a boot full of luggage.

The CDTi is a much nicer prospect, well when it's new anyway. I had a CDTi Elite for a couple weeks about 18 months ago , smooth, quite quick and did about 50 mpg according to the OBC. The SatNav/ stereo was brilliant, in fact the best I've ever encountered this side of a new S Class.

I was so impressed I considered buying one, and I KNOW all Vauxhalls are shit. The lack of rear legroom was the main thing that stopped me.

We've got one parked outside at the moment, one of my daughters has got a rental from work. She's not over enamoured , mostly because she's a short arse and can't see out of it, also the boot isn't as long as her ancient C Class.

When I was looking at them , the 2.0 Turbo petrols looked like a bargain. Pretty nippy too.

[bub2006]

I was under the impression that if the car and trailer/dolly is under a certain weight (750kg?) that brakes not needed and the car has to be legal. I have seen dollies with braked wheels though and the car is fully road legal. Has got a shot wheel bearing though so could be classed as breakdown if that is the case.

[Jazoli]

Anyone got real life experience of an Insignia CDTi? I know all Vauxhalls are shit/modern cars/blah blah blah, so just want hands on experience or anyone who works for Vauxhall or something.

 

I quite fancy the 'VX line' CDTi, probably about a 2010/11 model, though I wouldn't kick the 1.8 petrol one out of bed either. I'm not especially arsed about top speed, decent MPG would be nice though. Is there some DMF based horror waiting round the corner? There seems to be loads about with 120-200k on (ex-rep cars probably) so assuming they can stand the miles alright?

TIA DERLETE IV NT ALOUD 

 

 

I've had a couple of long term rentals, the diesels are great, the petrols less so, ok one up but with a car full of people and luggage they are painfully slow, the satnav and ICE is pretty good, although nowhere near the command stuff in the C class Merc I had for a month after the Insignia, can't comment on long term reliability as they were all under 3 months old.

[dave21478]

Bub, if its under 750kgs you can A-frame the microcar legally as an unbraked trailer.

That is the GROSS weight of the car though, not its kerb weight....ie car plus passengers and luggage, full tank of fuel etc. this should be on the VIN plate.

 

However, some of these things dont like being flat towed.....can screw up the CVT system.

 

I cant speak for dollys, I never use them, but believe the same 750kgs rule would apply, but you would need to watch the gross weight of the car plus the weight of the dolly stay under the 750kgs.

 

Might be an easier bet to rent or borrow a wee beavertail or something?  Depends on the car obviously but I have even seen some of them carried in the back of a Transit van.