Ask a Shiter

[Cavcraft]

Is there a way of finding out details of a car no longer on the DVLA database, using the reg. no.? It's not shwoing on the tax/MOT checker thing, nor MOT history. I suspect it may have been exported at some point and never offcially re-registered here.

TIA M8s

[tooSavvy]

You should be OK then, I send all my eBay stuff via P2G or InPost who are a locker service - just down the road to me and better than waiting for a courier

 

The 4 cans of Chassis Wax I bought last night, off Amazon, were 'NOT SUITABLE FOR...' either going into Amazon Locker (Wallsend Forum) OR collect at High St. Post Office... !!

 

Fair doos... The guy was banging on my front door at 11AM 

 

 

TS

[Eddie Honda]

Is there a way of finding out details of a car no longer on the DVLA database, using the reg. no.? It's not shwoing on the tax/MOT checker thing, nor MOT history. I suspect it may have been exported at some point and never offcially re-registered here.

TIA M8s

Last taxed pre-1983? Probably not even on the DVLA database in the first place?

[Eddie Honda]

Last taxed pre-1983? Probably not even on the DVLA database in the first place?

In which case you can sometimes search the local archives for the before computerisation books and find the handwritten entries the old local offices made. Perhaps.

[bunglebus]

Yes I found the records from an Austin 1100 this way. To say there wasn't much left of the car would be an understatement but we found the reg on some Dymo tape on the dash.

[SiC]

Old carburetted cars, do they and how do they limit revs? Can you rev one until things blow up?

 

On most moderns it's quite simple, if you get to maximum revs it cuts fuel by stopping injecting.

[steveo3002]

Old carburetted cars, do they and how do they limit revs? Can you rev one until things blow up?

 

On most moderns it's quite simple, if you get to maximum revs it cuts fuel by stopping injecting.

ignition cut - some had a rotor arm with centrifugal limiter

[cobblers]

Valve bounce! 

80s Fords had a springy/weight governer in the rotor arm

[Guest Hooli]

Old carburetted cars, do they and how do they limit revs? Can you rev one until things blow up?

 

On most moderns it's quite simple, if you get to maximum revs it cuts fuel by stopping injecting.

 

If you mean MGs, then that's back in the days they expected the driver to have a brain.

[Sir Snipes]

Valve bounce! 

80s Fords had a springy/weight governer in the rotor arm

 

Um, do you mean "rocker" arm? As in the overhead valve rocker arm?

[Guest Hooli]

Um, do you mean "rocker" arm? As in the overhead valve rocker arm?

 

I suspect both.

 

Valve bounce on OHV engines sure limited revs.

 

Plus I've seen a few cars with a spring loaded contact in the rotor arm that acted as a primitive limiter. Off the top of my head, my '83 Polo had that.

[cobblers]

Um, do you mean "rocker" arm? As in the overhead valve rocker arm?

They were supposed to be two separate things but I cocked up the formatting.

Rotor arms have a weight in them that pulls out and breaks the spark at "an" RPM. I remember not all fords had it and my mates thought they were MEGATOP BOSSMEN for swapping a non-limited arm into 1.4 Escorts and thinking that the extra revs would let them outrun Orion Ghias.

The valve bounce is just an OHV engine thing

[D Spares & Tyres]

Telford car auctions.

 

Years ago before it got taken over by Wilson's it was a great source of bargains with low fees.

 

There was an auctioneer that before every sale would say umvardi or something similar. We could never work out exactly what he was saying and he wouldn't tell us either.

 

Was it Latin?

[adw1977]

Is there a way of finding out details of a car no longer on the DVLA database, using the reg. no.? It's not shwoing on the tax/MOT checker thing, nor MOT history. I suspect it may have been exported at some point and never offcially re-registered here.

TIA M8s

Cartell.ie may give you some info.

[Eddie Honda]

I suspect it may have been exported at some point and never offcially re-registered here.

I've exported a number of vehicles correctly to Ireland and they still show up on the DVLA. They used to show an "Export marker: Yes", but now don't. What gives the game away is the tax due date being mid-month.

[Cavcraft]

Cartell.ie may give you some info.

 

Thanks, nothing doing unfortunately. Have since been told it was the IoM, but unsure how to find out.

[Bfg]

.

Sump washers ..

 

Does anyone bother using a new sump plug washer when doing an oil change? I never have and not had any issues with reusing the old one but they must sell them for a reason.

Depends; is it plain copper, copper crushable or a bonded composite seal? The first can be reused many times if your mingebaggery is strong and you don't lean on it, either as-is or heat to red and allow to cool for a proper job. Crushables; reuse depends on whether it was done up by a gorilla or not, once or twice will probably work but it won't be pretty. Bonded seals; as long as the sealing lips are intact and flexible they'll continue to work.

 

I've just changed the oil on the Shitroen, and the copper washer was totally squished*,  so someone had used ptfe tape around the thread to help seal it. 

 

I found in my box of bits a couple of similar sized, but used copper washers ..which I very simply re-annealed for re-use.  < here >.  The second I'll keep handy for the next oil change, as I'll be doing that again quite soon (this oil change being thought of rather like a flush).

 

Hope that's of interest.

Bfg

[steveo3002]

Um, do you mean "rocker" arm? As in the overhead valve rocker arm?

 

no i mean rotor arm as in the thing in the dizzy cap.....tbh lots of older cars werent revvers anyway so little chance of whipping it round past 7 k by accident

 

 http://www.classic-vw.co.uk/rotor-arm-built-in-rev-limiter-6900rpm-067905225a-12530-p.asp

[bunglebus]

Old carburetted cars, do they and how do they limit revs? Can you rev one until things blow up?

Just to add, restrictive carb/inlet/cylinder head design also limits max RPM rather effectively.

[M'coli]

Just to add, restrictive carb/inlet/cylinder head design also limits max RPM rather effectively.

Which came in handy if the carb engine was fitted with hydraulically-adjusted tappets, these would also effectively limit the revs by 'pumping-up' and breaking things! This usually happened at 7000+ RPM, IIRC.

[Bobthebeard]

I have stupidly placed a bid on eBay for a replacement (allegedly fully working) autobox for the incoming Saab. Stupidly because it is the wrong box. Later 5 speed unit. Poor description on ad, but realised my mistake afterwards looking at the part number on the box whilst checking sellers photos when not doing it on my phone... Sigh.

My fault.

Question is can I appeal to the sellers better nature and have him cancel my bid?

Can I remove my bid?

Will I be negged to heck and be banned as a mong?

If I win will I just have to buy the thing anyhoo?

 

Only bid £70, so may well be outbid anyway, but ends on Monday. No other bids as yet.

Gah!

[somewhatfoolish]

Buyers cannot be given negative feedback, although he may leave a comment questioning your parentage. No harm in asking, the worst that can happen is he says no.

[bunglebus]

You can retract a bid, I think you only get a few options as to your reason so I'd message the seller and explain if it was me.

[Bfg]

I've made similar buying mistakes, and contacted the seller and explained. They have been understanding to a genuine reason.  Then they cancelled or I withdrew the bid through ebay and that was the end of it.  It's polite / less confrontational to explain why before cancelling.

 

But in fact the seller really has no option, because if the sale is forced through ..then the buyer leaves awful feedback  re. the seller's description..   

 

As is often the case.. polite communication is the best way forward.

Bfg

[NorfolkNWeigh]

Ad-blue. WTF?

I sort of know that it's sheep piss or summat and it keeps the emissions low enough to pretend it's healthy.

But, what happens if you either;

A. Don't bother to top it up when the car demands it.

Or

B. Just piss in the tank or fill it with water.

 

Not that I'm driving a 2016 Merc E220d hire car that's just told me it needs a workshop visit to fil up Adblue or owt.

Only had it 2 days and a 1000 miles or so , presumably it was empty when delivered ,so not happy about wasting my hard earned on it.

[Alfamale]

What do I buy/do to recreate the stone chip finish on the sill of the Clio? Welded a hole up and now just need to match it in. Got the spray can in the correct colour but need whatever goes under it first.

 

Like this:

[steveo3002]

shutz gun and gravitex....you wont match that lower lip cheaply as its sealer sprayed on 

 

best you can do is get some pu sealer and stipple it with a cut down paint brush to try and match it a bit 

[Guest Hooli]

Ad-blue. WTF?

I sort of know that it's sheep piss or summat and it keeps the emissions low enough to pretend it's healthy.

But, what happens if you either;

A. Don't bother to top it up when the car demands it.

Or

B. Just piss in the tank or fill it with water.

 

Not that I'm driving a 2016 Merc E220d hire car that's just told me it needs a workshop visit to fil up Adblue or owt.

Only had it 2 days and a 1000 miles or so , presumably it was empty when delivered ,so not happy about wasting my hard earned on it.

 

It'll probably limit the power if it doesn't have any. My limited knowledge is they burn ze blu piss when working hard

[clayts450]

If a car has been moved off of its original registration onto a private registration, is there any way to find out the current reg?

All I have is the make/model/old reg.

 

https://cazana.com/uk should give reg history

[Crusty Sills]

Is changing automatic gearbox oil as simple as warm up, drain from plug and refill? Does the sump need to be removed? Does it hold oil anywhere else?