Ask a Shiter

[Kiltox]

What's the best way to flush a radiator of rust if you can't run the engine?

Replace it?

 

If it's that bad, surely it'll fail in the near future anyway?

[egg]

Yeah, well I'm replacing almost every other part of the cooling system! I'll keep flushing a few more times with plain water and see where I am.

[Kiltox]

Some warm water with some kind of detergent (dishwasher tablet dissolved before you pour?) might help then flush through with a hose

[puddlethumper]

Whats the recommended mileage for a cam belt change on an Xud ? Is it 50 or 60 thou ? I'm on 50 thou Kilometres, when I would think of renewing, but could do with a couple of thou more at the mo.

[Stanky]

Thanks guys, headlight adjusted up - I'll see how i get on

[Talbot]

Whats the recommended mileage for a cam belt change on an Xud ? Is it 50 or 60 thou ? I'm on 50 thou Kilometres, when I would think of renewing, but could do with a couple of thou more at the mo.

Varies a lot. Some recommend 72k miles, some say half this at 36k. Having changed more XUD belts than I care to remember, they look a bit crusty and often a bit stretched and floppy at 70+k miles, but look like new at 36k. If I've kept a car long enouh, I do them at 50k miles. Nice easy figure to remember and seems about right in terms of mileage vs risk.

[SiC]

Thanks guys, headlight adjusted up - I'll see how i get on

How old are the bulbs in there? The 9-3 is clever and is very soft on the bulbs. Ours was on original bulbs after 110k. Still worked but much more worn and hence dimmer than new.

[Stanky]

I have replaced both headlight bulbs once in my ownership - though the battery was sub-optimal and repeatedly displayed an error on the display that one, other or both rear brake lights were out, even just after replacement so there may well have been nothing wrong with any of them. I changed the battery in the end after it failed to start the day we were driving to Disneyland effing Paris. The whole street learned several new words that day and my blood pressure reached 4 figures.

[SiC]

Watch out that sometimes they don't shut off properly when ignition is off. Ours did that when my parents owned it. Dash, radio, etc stayed on as if ignition was on.

 

Dealer quoted big money to start swapping units out to diagnose. Parents cba at that point as it had so many issues. Also they went on holiday soon after it did it.

 

It got left on the drive while on holiday. A few days later the alarm went off - battery was going flat. Left it unlocked so the alarm didn't go off. Battery went completely flat the next day. Jump started when they came back and the car fixed itself.

 

I remember seeing on the Saab forums that a lot of electrical issues on that generation 9-3 could be fixed either with a new battery, or disconnecting the battery for a few minutes and reconnect to reboot the car.

[bunglebus]

Whilst looking the other day I noticed my celica tyres are all cracked. No advisory on last mot so didn't take much notice when I picked it up. Turns out from the date stamp they are 15 yrs old. So do I buy new ones or risk life and limb.

 

Well I would be changing them ASAP after 15 years of use and UV damage. Mate of mine borrowed an 02 plate Ford Ranger last week with its original, and very perished tyres on it.

[Talbot]

Legality question.

 

If you leave a trailer (of any sort.. caravan, flatbed, whatever) on the road, what is the legality of it being there?  Does it need a registration plate on it, and the vehicle it relates to to have Rent/Ticket/Cover, or can you take the number plate off, as it's not connected to a vehicle?

 

Quite often see caravans parked on the road, some with and some without a plate on them.  I had to park my car transporter trailer on the road for about a week a while back, and It doesn't have a number plate (I use a trailer board and I wasn't about to leave it on there).   Was legal, or not?  If it was, presumably you could put a SORN'd vehicle on the car transporter, as all it's wheels are off the road, it still counts as off the road.

 

Maybe?

[3VOM]

Quite often see caravans parked on the road, some with and some without a plate on them.  I had to park my car transporter trailer on the road for about a week a while back, and It doesn't have a number plate (I use a trailer board and I wasn't about to leave it on there).   Was legal, or not?  If it was, presumably you could put a SORN'd vehicle on the car transporter, as all it's wheels are off the road, it still counts as off the road.

 

Maybe?

Interesting question I'm off for a Google. Though I recall someone putting their car in a skip (in London?) as it was cheaper to get the skip permit than pay for the parking.

[3VOM]

I had to park my car transporter trailer on the road for about a week a while back, and It doesn't have a number plate (I use a trailer board and I wasn't about to leave it on there).   Was legal, or not?  If it was, presumably you could put a SORN'd vehicle on the car transporter, as all it's wheels are off the road, it still counts as off the road.

 

A few Googles later....It is a vehicle but not a motor vehicle. So SORN, reg no. etc. doesn't apply. It has to be braked, face the right way and be lit at night. No exception for 30mph zone. Enforcement is down to the local authority, but a very stroppy copper might do you for the brake or lights bit. The local authority will consider whether it is an obstruction and probably what complaints it generates. Most parked vehicles can be considered to be an obstruction. So then it will be down to local by-laws. I haven't found or read the model by-laws for this situation but would think you would find a notice attached saying move it within x days or we move it for you.

[wuvvum]

Have scrap prices suddenly shat themselves again?  A few days ago removemycar was offering me £109 for the Mondeo and £129 for the Trafic.  Now they're offering zilch.  Is it just a glitch in the website or has there been a catastrophic collapse in the steel trade over the last few days?

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Legality question.

 

If you leave a trailer (of any sort.. caravan, flatbed, whatever) on the road, what is the legality of it being there?  Does it need a registration plate on it, and the vehicle it relates to to have Rent/Ticket/Cover, or can you take the number plate off, as it's not connected to a vehicle?

 

Quite often see caravans parked on the road, some with and some without a plate on them.  I had to park my car transporter trailer on the road for about a week a while back, and It doesn't have a number plate (I use a trailer board and I wasn't about to leave it on there).   Was legal, or not?  If it was, presumably you could put a SORN'd vehicle on the car transporter, as all it's wheels are off the road, it still counts as off the road.

 

Maybe?

 

I think as long as you're on the transporter - your car (whatever) is OK. I had an Omega (Carlton to you UK lot) 3000 manual estate (proper barn find) needing a bit of the shizzle stick and it was fine on the trailer.... as it awaited its turn. Sadly, local scallywags wanted the trailer - I went to report theft of both to be told by local plod.........

"Sorry sir, your remains of the vehicle were towed - as it was sitting in the parking bay near the bus stop"

When I enquried - it appeared they took the relatively new car trailer but dumped the rusted out Omega before sodding off........ Getting the Omega out of the pound, after towing and storage fees - would've been over £500!!!! They got to keep it

[wuvvum]

OK, that's odd - I changed my location to Ipswich and suddenly the Mondeo is worth £129.  What's occurring?

[somewhatfoolish]

 

Lorry driving generally is nearing the end of its race to the bottom, the results of which are plain for all to see on the roads every day.

Is bus driving following the same trajectory?

[Kiltox]

OK, that's odd - I changed my location to Ipswich and suddenly the Mondeo is worth £129. What's occurring?

Removemycar is an aggregator for local yards (as is cartakeback) - if your nearest yards aren't buying atm the prices will plummet

[wuvvum]

Aah, gotcha. So if I wait a week or two normal service might be resumed.

[gordonbennet]

Is bus driving following the same trajectory?

 

That 12' height limit sign obviously wasn't big enough

[wuvvum]

OK, another stupid question: the C4 keeps throwing up a throttle position sensor fault, so would imagine it needs a new one.  Only when I go on eBay and search for a C4 TPS it gives me no results.  There's plenty of results for the Pug 307 1.6 16v which (as far as I'm aware) uses the same engine, but the C4 doesn't show in the list of compatible vehicles.  Does it have some weird unique-to-Citroen TPS which is made of unobtainium, or would I be OK just buying a 306 one?

[scaryoldcortina]

The TPS on a C4 is built into the accelerator pedal, you have to search for one of those instead.

 

 

edit - duh, the one on the engine.... Soz, it's been a long day.

[cros]

I have an old Indespension boat trailer with 12" wheels. The rims are buggered from being getting in the sea but replacements in this size (4 X 4"PCD 30mm offset 5j) are proving impossible to find. All the trailer people including the makers say there's none left and I better change everything over to accept current 13" metric pcd rims, which would be especially hurtful as I have new 12" tyres. Was there a motor vehicle fitted with such a rim? There are some at 100mm pcd but that's not the same...

[Heidel_Kakao]

I have an old Indespension boat trailer with 12" wheels. The rims are buggered from being getting in the sea but replacements in this size (4 X 4"PCD 30mm offset 5j) are proving impossible to find. All the trailer people including the makers say there's none left and I better change everything over to accept current 13" metric pcd rims, which would be especially hurtful as I have new 12" tyres. Was there a motor vehicle fitted with such a rim? There are some at 100mm pcd but that's not the same...

Are they not mini wheels? They were definitely 4" PCD and 12" diameter. I thought lots of homemade trailers used mini hubs which is why it became such a popular fitment.

[FakeConcern]

OK, another stupid question: the C4 keeps throwing up a throttle position sensor fault, so would imagine it needs a new one.  Only when I go on eBay and search for a C4 TPS it gives me no results.  There's plenty of results for the Pug 307 1.6 16v which (as far as I'm aware) uses the same engine, but the C4 doesn't show in the list of compatible vehicles.  Does it have some weird unique-to-Citroen TPS which is made of unobtainium, or would I be OK just buying a 306 one?

The petrol C4 VTS has TPS built into throtle body. I had to get a new (used) one on my last one. The whole issue was also compounded by the air intake pipe (between throttle body and filter) being split underneath where it didn't show until I took the whole lot completely off. Obviously the other versions of C4 may be different!

[cros]

Are they not mini wheels? They were definitely 4" PCD and 12" diameter. I thought lots of homemade trailers used mini hubs which is why it became such a popular fitment.

You're right, thankyou, they are. In my head Minis have 10" wheels so I never thought of the later incarnations. It seems that mine are thicker than 12" mini rims as the trailer people beefed them up; they then abandoned 4" pcd as this became the weak link on a 12" wheel. However a 12" mini rim would be a temporary fix if I treat them kind.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

OK - I love* anything going wrong with electrics on the motors (and my dad is an eelctrical engineer but I live in another country) - so I ALWAYS struggle (read - cry myself to sleep) following a wiring diagramn in the HBOL or manuals.....

Is there an 'easy' way to learn how to follow/read these things or am I suffering wiring dyslexia?

 

Any decent starting places to learn this..... much appreciated.

[Stanky]

You're right, thankyou, they are. In my head Minis have 10" wheels so I never thought of the later incarnations. It seems that mine are thicker than 12" mini rims as the trailer people beefed them up; they then abandoned 4" pcd as this became the weak link on a 12" wheel. However a 12" mini rim would be a temporary fix if I treat them kind.

 

I have at least 1x mini wheel without tyre at home. I don';t recall if its 10 or 12 inch but can measure when I get home later. Its yours if you want it and its the right size?

[Fat_Pirate]

OK, another stupid question: the C4 keeps throwing up a throttle position sensor fault, so would imagine it needs a new one.  Only when I go on eBay and search for a C4 TPS it gives me no results.  There's plenty of results for the Pug 307 1.6 16v which (as far as I'm aware) uses the same engine, but the C4 doesn't show in the list of compatible vehicles.  Does it have some weird unique-to-Citroen TPS which is made of unobtainium, or would I be OK just buying a 306 one?

I was getting this on my Berlingo with the same engine.  Turns out the flap was gunked up and not closing properly - cleaning it and clearing the fault solved it.

[dave21478]

^^^ My old C2 with the 1.6 16v...same engine? I dunno.... needed an ocasional session of throttle body removal and blasting with carb cleaner on the flap, spindle etc to cure shitty idle, occasional stalling etc.