Ask a Shiter

[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 

[AMC Rebel]

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

Apparently Range Rover Classics have a heated driver's door lock.  Not sure how it works exactly.

[sierraman]

I once was gifted a door lock defroster one Xmas. It was basically a metal prong you put in the lock, pressed the button and it heated up. This was fine until you set it off in your pocket by mistake.

[scdan4]

I'm about to recommend a friend buys a 2.0 petrol peugeot 406 estate. 

 

this one in fact: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2002-Peugeot-406-2-0-LX-Family-5-Door-Estate-Silver-Petrol-Manual-/172486246448

 

 

There's nothing endemically wrong with them is there? I had a 405 dizzle and it was lovely, but know little about the 406's. 

 

Quick opinions welcomed.

 

Thanks.

[Lacquer Peel]

Good engine with no inherent issues AFAIK. 406s in general are largely reliable and rugged.

 

I know of someone who bought a similar 406 estate for £300 to replace an Octavia 110 TDI estate that was pressurising its coolant (how do those engines not have a K series like reputation?), it's been super.

[STUNO]

Apparently Range Rover Classics have a heated driver's door lock.  Not sure how it works exactly.

 

Words fail me !

[sierraman]

I'm about to recommend a friend buys a 2.0 petrol peugeot 406 estate.

 

this one in fact: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2002-Peugeot-406-2-0-LX-Family-5-Door-Estate-Silver-Petrol-Manual-/172486246448

 

 

There's nothing endemically wrong with them is there? I had a 405 dizzle and it was lovely, but know little about the 406's.

 

Quick opinions welcomed.

 

Thanks.

I wouldn't unless it was a minter and cheap. From what I've seen recently 2.0 petrol drinks it. Given the 2.0 hdi is fairly cheap I'd consider one of those instead.

[AlabamaShrimp]

So before I start taking loads of stuff apart. My mk2 Fiesta is getting hot but the radiator is cold and the heater blower is cold.

 

This should mean broken, thermostat and/or water pump but it might be an air lock. The header tank was pressurised and it doesn't have a radiator cap so how can I stop an air lock again?

[cobblers]

Could be a stuck closed thermostat - take it out and see if that cures your problem. They're not expensive so you could just change it and that way you don't have to go back in there.

 

It could be an airlock but only if you've been meddling - they don't just occur by themselves. 

[AlabamaShrimp]

Radiator had a leak at the bottom a few months ago. I put radweld weld in

[Lacquer Peel]

The 2.0HDi seems reliable and rugged but they suffer from injector problems in old age, diesel estates in that price range have probably been used hard and have high mileages.

 

If scdan4's pal isn't covering mega miles what is point diesel.

I wouldn't unless it was a minter and cheap. From what I've seen recently 2.0 petrol drinks it. Given the 2.0 hdi is fairly cheap I'd consider one of those instead.

[dollywobbler]

Radiator had a leak at the bottom a few months ago. I put radweld weld in

 

Oh dear. That may have clagged something up then. These rad potions seem to cause more trouble than they solve.

[AlabamaShrimp]

Bugger will take the whole thing apart and start from there...

[scdan4]

The 2.0HDi seems reliable and rugged but they suffer from injector problems in old age, diesel estates in that price range have probably been used hard and have high mileages.

 

If scdan4's pal isn't covering mega miles what is point diesel.

 

An hdi may well be a betterer car. 

 

However,

a) her mileage will be average at most

reliable white goods motoring is desired - no turbo or associated gubbins to go wrong (yes, i know pug diesels are ace, but NA petrol for the reliability win)

iv) "big family car for buttons NOW criteria" makes it more tricky

3) it's there just up the road from her

d) that one there looks tidy, has good mot history and is well priced for empty pocket affordability

d) from a dealer type with an actual forecourt - so she should have some sort of comeback if it's a munter covered in bullshit spray.

 

So i've told her to buy that one. 

 

(as to whether she will or not is another matter entirely!)

[sierraman]

Valid point. Anything could be a pile of shit at that age/money. If she doesn't do too many miles it might be ok. Same as anything for that money though be realistic as to how long it's going to last, if it's got 12 months test you've potentially got a year out of it, happy days.

 

So long as the clutch is ok and it doesn't overheat could be ok. £500 is throw away money though so I wouldn't get into spending fortunes on it - same advice I'd give anyone first sign of serious expense on the horizon, clutches etc then fuck it off.

[Bfg]

.

Talking of flashers  

 

re. A-series Citroen with 3-pin relay ..my indicator tell-tale light flashes just once and then goes back to sleep which the indicators continue to work normally. 

 

Any ideas.? 

 

Thanks.

[Tickman]

.

Talking of flashers  

 

re. A-series Citroen with 3-pin relay ..my indicator tell-tale light flashes just once and then goes back to sleep which the indicators continue to work normally. 

 

Any ideas.? 

 

Thanks.

No idea at all, indicators and their circuitry are done by magic as far as I see.

[xtriple]

How do you stop alloy corrosion? The expensively repaired alloy doors/bonnet/bootlid on the dollop are mostly fine but I noticed three small blebs on the tops of the doors again. I have lifted seals and sprayed in Waxoyl (twice), will this stop it/halt it/slow it down?

 

If not, what will? I have got to stop spending cos skint.

[Bfg]

^ not much more of an idea myself. But it seems as if the connector to the tell-tale might be a bit iffy, twiddle with it (to use the technical term) and it worked for a bit, then stopped again. The relay is getting hot so I think it's passed it best before date. 

 

Then I had issues with one side ticking faster than the other, so swapped bulbs and redesigned the earthing, and that sort it out.  I guess I'd better get another relay on order just in case. 

 

Thanks all.

[Guest Hooli]

How do you stop alloy corrosion? The expensively repaired alloy doors/bonnet/bootlid on the dollop are mostly fine but I noticed three small blebs on the tops of the doors again. I have lifted seals and sprayed in Waxoyl (twice), will this stop it/halt it/slow it down?

 

If not, what will? I have got to stop spending cos skint.

 

Waxoyl type stuff was always the answer on LRs. With them it was the ali reacting with the steel frame, no idea if that's an issue on a dollop.

[Bfg]

How do you stop alloy corrosion? The expensively repaired alloy doors/bonnet/bootlid on the dollop are mostly fine but I noticed three small blebs on the tops of the doors again. I have lifted seals and sprayed in Waxoyl (twice), will this stop it/halt it/slow it down?

 

If not, what will? I have got to stop spending cos skint.

 

Aluminium alloy naturally corrodes until an oxide layer is built up which then doesn't corrode much further ..unless being attacked by acids or electrolysis. The only way I know of to keep alloy shiny is to clear lacquer it.  Alloy wheels are most often painted silver (for a more even flat look) and then perhaps clear coated as well - to keep the salt from eating them away.  So the short answer is : to stop the oxidation you need to keep humid air out. If the alloy is thick enough (like on  motorcycle engine cases) then frequent cutting back and polish works.  By definition 'alloy' comes in different chemical compositions & grades, and some corrode much more than others. Funny thing is that the old alloy number plates always seemed to survive well - you'd think they were made of cheap as chips metal !?