Ask a Shiter

[Arthur Foxhake]

Why is Squirrel2 always green?

[Guest Hooli]

Says Validating' under their pic, I guess there is an email that needs answering or something.

[DSdriver]

 

...Is there a cheat for aligning the clutch plate or do I have to buy yet another tool that I'll likely use once only.

 

Get a scrap gearbox and take out the first motion shaft  i.e. the bit that goes through the clutch into the flywheel, and use that.

[bunglebus]

Is this bit on my profile page misspelt deliberately?

 

 

[Squirrel2]

Why is Squirrel2 always green?

Squirrel2 has been wondering about that too..

 

It took a few weeks and a couple of emails to the 'Admin' before I was granted access after attempting to register for the forum.

 

There are no unanswered emails as far as I know.

 

Perhaps if one of the moderators sees this they might shed some light on the green squirrel?

 

Thanks,

 

Squirrel2

[Ghosty]

I have a Flickr account with loads of old cars/motorcycle pics but have noticed that lately they have been "faved" by loads of young wimmen. Now I am sure they are not in the least interested in my photos of old motorcycle indicators for example so why do they "fave" them?

Spambots probably. You get them on pretty much any site with a heart/star/like button.

[Guest Hooli]

Squirrel2 has been wondering about that too..

 

It took a few weeks and a couple of emails to the 'Admin' before I was granted access after attempting to register for the forum.

 

There are no unanswered emails as far as I know.

 

Perhaps if one of the moderators sees this they might shed some light on the green squirrel?

 

Thanks,

 

Squirrel2

 

Might be worth pinging Cavcraft (or another mod/admin) a PM in case they don't see this.

[tooSavvy]

Get a scrap gearbox and take out the first motion shaft i.e. the bit that goes through the clutch into the flywheel, and use that.

Mustardmitt on my IMPs it was a tube (from my bottle jack) into the spigot + leccy tape for the spline dia.

 

Alright! already ..... I AM A TiteWad lolz

 

 

TS

[egg]

Where would you buy your occasional use basic axle stands and trolley jack from?

[bub2006]

Halfords. Jack,creeper,chocks and axle stands for 40 quid with trade discount or 50 full price. Use them a lot no issues.

[DSdriver]

Where would you buy your occasional use basic axle stands and trolley jack from?

I have a trolley jack in need of repair that you could have for nowt. I have parts list pdf but that is as far as I got. Also have a surfeit of axle stands.

[wuvvum]

My trolley jack was £9.99 from Aldi 10 years ago and is still going strong.

 

 

Does anyone know which OBD2 protocol a petrol Citroën C4 uses?  I have acquired one with the EML on but my code reader won't connect to it - I'm not sure whether this is the car being French or the code reader being Chinese.

[bub2006]

My cheap code reader read my c2. I think it was kwp2000

[AlabamaShrimp]

http://m.costco.co.uk/view/p/arcan-2000kg-aluminiumsteel-service-jack-model-hj2000eu-900930

 

I've got one of these from Costco. Not cheap but I'm sure if was recommended on here somewhere before I got it.

[robinmasters]

Do new cars still need 'running in'? If so, what are the parameters?

 

And where do I get one of those signs to notify other motorists that that's what I'm doing?

[Pat Earrings]

Do new cars still need 'running in'? If so, what are the parameters?

 

And where do I get one of those signs to notify other motorists that that's what I'm doing?

https://www.theaa.com/car-buying/running-in-a-new-car - Some helpful parameters there from AA

 

As for a sign, I'm fairly certain ebay has some running in stickers to warn others what you're doing. 

[Bobthebeard]

Do new cars still need 'running in'? If so, what are the parameters?

 

And where do I get one of those signs to notify other motorists that that's what I'm doing?

I feel fairly confident in saying that you don't actually need a sign. If you are driving at less than 20 mph over any speed limit the other motorists will just overtake you regardless.

[DodgeRover]

Do new cars still need 'running in'? If so, what are the parameters?

 

And where do I get one of those signs to notify other motorists that that's what I'm doing?

Do you intend to keep it for a long long time, if so then just take it easy for the first 500 miles and get the oil/ filter changed.

 

Not keeping it don't bother, have seen brand new straight off the showroom floor bikes ragged stupid at track days with no apparent I'll effects.

[cobblers]

Apparently not, but there's no harm just going a bit steady for the first 1k or so. I had the oil in my Abarth changed at 2k because I wasn't comfortable with running it for 10k on the oil it was built with. 

TBH manufacturers don't give two shits about what happens after 5 years so even if running something in properly doubled the lifespan of the engine, they still wouldn't recommend it.

[steveo3002]

theres alot of chat about hard break in being best - soon as the oil is full temp use the car hard 

 

if i ever had a new car i think i would do a couple of low milage oil n filter changes if it was a keeper

[tooSavvy]

I always considered the 'Running In' as something essential on those cars manufactured 'back in the day' (say.. pre 1960?)

 

The engine blocks were bored with a spinning cutter and the piston rings might smash if ragged up & down the bore (it being like a gramophone groove spiral finish)....

 

Later, car manufacturers designed the block with 'clear way' top to bottom (crank web casting didn't intrude into the line of the bores) and began to 'hi-speed' broach the bores... this is very quick/accurate + all tooling marks are vertical to the piston stroke = no piston ring issues.

 

I may be rongg.... 

 

 

TS

[somewhatfoolish]

The machining tolerances are closer and finish quality of engine parts are far better than they were 50 years ago, but running in is still necessary if the longest service is to be gained; ensure that the engine is fully warm by driving the first couple of miles gently, thereafter accelerating briskly through the gears, not dwelling at a constant speed or throttle but coasting(or braking) and accelerating(briskly) in a manner likely to infuriate anyone stuck behind you. The objective is to encourage the piston rings to bed in, the gas pressure in the combustion chamber is what creates the ring seal and it is greatest under acceleration; more gas pressure = more ring seal force = quicker(and arguably better) ring bedding-in. The lack of constant speed/throttle allows the various bits a breather between bouts of acceleration in which to cool down. Modern cylinder bores are invariably cross-honed after being bored out. Unless specified by the manufacturer, do not use synthetic oil during the run-in as you'll be changing it well before you get any of the benefits of synthetic oil = money down the drain into the waste oil tank at the council tip. Cheapo ASDA dinosaur oil will suffice for the first ~500 miles.

[Cavcraft]

That question again, soz...

 

 

TIA M8s

[Noel Tidybeard]

Tyres!

 

How heavily can you rely on tyre ratings? I've got a set of alloys to go on my car and with 155/70 R13's being dead cheap I might as well go for the best. The reason that I'm asking is because the Goodyear Efficientgrip Compact and Dunlop Street Response 2 both have fuel efficiency C, wet grip B and 68 dB. Maybe it's marketing bollocks or I might even be making it up in my head but I've always thought that Michelin were considered top dog yet the E3B is fuel efficiency F and 2 dB louder too. My mother swears by them as she got 25k miles out of the front set of Michelin's on her old Laguna Tourer. The latter being Anyone able to weigh in on this one?

 

TL;DR

Are tyre ratings bollocks and are Michelin E3B's £30 more expensive purely because brand name?

 

the newer version of the michelin primacy that were on the spaceship are rated now as E-B-B- i'm sure they were F-B-E before

the uniroyal rain expert 3 now fitted are rated as C-A-B and the fuel economy has got better and road noise is better- so no i dont think the ratings are complete bollox

[twosmoke300]

Lucas

[bub2006]

Priming bulb? Lucas pump? Alternator belt looks worn?

[Cavcraft]

Bollocks.

 

Thanks, gents.

[bub2006]

Was that bollocks referred to my wholeheartedly kind gestured response mr craft?!

[beko1987]

One of our current loveable country scamp visitors in thame threw a bottle at someone from a car, and the reg got put up on facebook. No tax or test obv, although it has insurance but this mot advisory interested me...

 

Registration number: PF09LDZ

Get MOT reminders by email

Vehicle makeFORD Vehicle modelMONDEO Date first used10 July 2009 Fuel typeDiesel ColourBlack

 

MOT history of this vehicle

Test date12 July 2016 Expiry date11 July 2017 Test ResultPass Odometer reading169,453 miles MOT test number1987 1207 7134 Advisory notice item(s)

Nearside Outer sill damaged but not holed

Offside Front Bumper and wing damaged

Rear Brake pad(s) wearing thin (3.5.1g)

No emissions produced on test

 

How is 'no emissions produced on test' on there? Does that mean the bribe wasn't big enough?

[twosmoke300]

Some of the dpf equipped modern diesels don't smoke enough to trigger the smoke tester into thinking it's reading .