Ask a Shiter

[Cavcraft]

My mate is after one and if it's that engine I'll tell him to give it a swerve. Cheers

[Kiltox]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyundai_U_engine

[Cavcraft]

Thanks

[Guest Hooli]

Many cars give a "risk of ice" warning. My old Volvo T5 had a red snowflake, my current C4 VTS flashes the temperature and puts the message in the display. My stupid question is this; It will flash (ie risk of ice) from 3 degrees to -3 degrees. At -4 degrees it doesn't flash and no warning is given. I don't get it, do we not have ice at below -3 degrees?

 

Below that temp any ice is already formed so you should be aware of it, it's warning you that ice could be forming at the time.

[FakeConcern]

Thanks to Hooli for a clear answer to one stupid question this evening so I'm now feeling lucky and have another stupid question........

I keep seeing newish cars with oldish registrations, but not anything memorable that i would think of as a "private" or "cherished" plate (I think that's all wank despite my XM plate being N30CXM as it came like that!). This evening the latest one was on a 2013 Honda Civic and the plate was an uninspiring and incongruous YA56TRA, WTF? I keep seeing these and I just don't get it, why make a newish car look a bit older?

[Guest Hooli]

Thanks to Hooli for a clear answer to one stupid question this evening so I'm now feeling lucky and have another stupid question........

I keep seeing newish cars with oldish registrations, but not anything memorable that i would think of as a "private" or "cherished" plate (I think that's all wank despite my XM plate being N30CXM as it came like that!). This evening the latest one was on a 2013 Honda Civic and the plate was an uninspiring and incongruous YA56TRA, WTF? I keep seeing these and I just don't get it, why make a newish car look a bit older?

 

Matches their initials?

 

They are a cunt?

 

Both of the above?

[FakeConcern]

Matches their initials?

 

They are a cunt?

 

Both of the above?

They have the initials YA56TRA?

 

Must be latter then!

[Guest Hooli]

TRA?

Tara Riggles-Arse, she won the dressage in sixth form you know what?

[HillmanImp]

Is there any way to reapply the reflective coating to a plastic headlamp without ruining the beam pattern or do I just need to buy a new one?

[DodgeRover]

Thanks to Hooli for a clear answer to one stupid question this evening so I'm now feeling lucky and have another stupid question........

I keep seeing newish cars with oldish registrations, but not anything memorable that i would think of as a "private" or "cherished" plate (I think that's all wank despite my XM plate being N30CXM as it came like that!). This evening the latest one was on a 2013 Honda Civic and the plate was an uninspiring and incongruous YA56TRA, WTF? I keep seeing these and I just don't get it, why make a newish car look a bit older?

I'm thinking it reads Y ASTRA bought after getting confused with the new Honda in the GM lineup.

[Noel Tidybeard]

Thanks to Hooli for a clear answer to one stupid question this evening so I'm now feeling lucky and have another stupid question........

I keep seeing newish cars with oldish registrations, but not anything memorable that i would think of as a "private" or "cherished" plate (I think that's all wank despite my XM plate being N30CXM as it came like that!). This evening the latest one was on a 2013 Honda Civic and the plate was an uninspiring and incongruous YA56TRA, WTF? I keep seeing these and I just don't get it, why make a newish car look a bit older?

 

YATRA is a Hindu pilgrimage

one of the docs has a yatra reg he said it means journey

[FakeConcern]

Matches their initials?

 

They are a cunt?

 

Both of the above?

It's not just this registration (YA56TRA) I keep seeing newish cars with an oldish & unremarkable (to me) plate.

[Guest Hooli]

YATRA is a Hindu pilgrimage

one of the docs has a yatra reg he said it means journey

 

Now I never knew that.

[Guest Hooli]

It's not just this registration (YA56TRA) I keep seeing newish cars with an oldish & unremarkable (to me) plate.

Other people have other names

[Asimo]

Is there any way to reapply the reflective coating to a plastic headlamp without ruining the beam pattern or do I just need to buy a new one?

Buy a new one.

 

The aluminium reflective layer is put there in a process called vacuum sputtering which is great for volume manufacture but there isn't going to be a backstreet workshop anywhere who can re work it for you.

[Tickman]

Flash speed with a two pin flasher is a function of electrical load and temperature. Do you have the correct power indicator lamps?

Yes, bulbs changed and still the same.

 

Does it flash fast in both directions? If so, its likely the relay. If not, it's the bulbs or wireing.

 

This should do:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/281648322271

Yes fast in both directions and it slows down with extra load on the battery, also fast with just the ignition on. 

It is the flasher unit according to all the common sense I have and the electronic one I fitted to the Morris Minor made such a difference over the bi-metallic strip old one that I want another as I notice the difference when the electrics are under load in the flashing speed.

[Guest Hooli]

LED one should work as far as I know. I believe they use a timer circuit so are independent of load.

[cobblers]

Thanks to Hooli for a clear answer to one stupid question this evening so I'm now feeling lucky and have another stupid question........

I keep seeing newish cars with oldish registrations, but not anything memorable that i would think of as a "private" or "cherished" plate (I think that's all wank despite my XM plate being N30CXM as it came like that!). This evening the latest one was on a 2013 Honda Civic and the plate was an uninspiring and incongruous YA56TRA, WTF? I keep seeing these and I just don't get it, why make a newish car look a bit older?

They've probably just nicked a load of petrol. 

https://youtu.be/LAyQg8kmBKY?t=21

[xtriple]

There was a thread for buyage of the calendar, I tried to use it, but either I am a numpty (probable) or it just didn't work. Now I can't find it and I NEED a new calendar sharpish.

[AMC Rebel]

There was a thread for buyage of the calendar, I tried to use it, but either I am a numpty (probable) or it just didn't work. Now I can't find it and I NEED a new calendar sharpish.

Pinned to the top which is probably why you can't find it.  I am not a numpty at IT stuff (honest) and whilst I could probably get it to work, it's such a pain in the arse I want to get my calendar from somewhere that isn't ALDI now - no harm to the calendar compiler BTW.

[dave21478]

Is there any way to reapply the reflective coating to a plastic headlamp without ruining the beam pattern or do I just need to buy a new one?

 

Before buying a new one, try some chrome finish aerosol paint. It needs reasonably good prep and a little skill to apply well enough, but its worth a try before ditching the lamp and buying another. Its far from perfect, but miles better than a ruined original coating.

 

Unless its something really common and cheap, I suppose....just get a replacement and save the faff.

[Tickman]

The correct new flasher relay is now fitted and working so indicating no longer risks the health of any epileptic people nearby.

[Lacquer Peel]

It's not just this registration (YA56TRA) I keep seeing newish cars with an oldish & unremarkable (to me) plate.

Maybe they owned an Astra before and wanted to keep the plate as an investment* and as a display of their good taste*. It's quite common to see X5 xxx plates on offensive 4x4s that aren't X5s.

[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.

 

 

graphite lock lubricant.

 

 

It does Jack Shit.

 

Solution? make a wee shround out of thin metal to go over the lock. Turned out that during the evening condensation was forming on the metal garage and dripping onto the lock, which would later freeze. The wee shround to protect it seems to be working.

[Richard]

A wee shroud can be used to defrost car locks too, apparently.

[Guest Hooli]

It does Jack Shit.

 

Solution? make a wee shround out of thin metal to go over the lock. Turned out that during the evening condensation was forming on the metal garage and dripping onto the lock, which would later freeze. The wee shround to protect it seems to be working.

 

Stop pissing on the lock at night?

[sierraman]

Anyone swapped a Focus Clutch master cylinder? I've heard bleeding the clutch after is a right PITA?

[twosmoke300]

Depends if you have the earlier slave with the bleed nipple in the pipe or the modified ones with a pipe into the slave and a nipple on another pipe out

[sierraman]

Later I think. So I understand you need a pressure kit like eezibleed to do it. By the time I'd bought one I'd be as well giving the work to my tame mechanic while he's at the welding.

[steveo3002]

Anyone swapped a Focus Clutch master cylinder? I've heard bleeding the clutch after is a right PITA?

pretty easy job did ours a few weeks 

 

idealy need a 10mm ratchet spanner as theyre almost hidden , once the bolts are out thread them into the new one to make new threads while its on the bench , easier that fighting while upside down

 

to bleed it i used a 100ml syringe and some hose , roar the fluid in from the slave nipple and it worked A1 first time , be aware the nipple is plastic and turned by hand