Ask a Shiter

[DSdriver]

Coefficient of expansion wizardry.

Stainless screw in aluminium frame, heating it should loosen the screw but application of heat is difficult, what would freezing it do? 

Taking into account that the aluminium has oxidised which is why the screw has seized,

[scaryoldcortina]

No, I did look around for a red light, did notice a funny orange padlock over something symbol on the left of speedo that went out while cranking. I think my pal has a shed for his garden. A shed with cupholders.

 

Not the immobilizer then if the padlock light goes out. Most likely cause is one of the injectors leaking away all the pressure (TADTS...)

 

Start the damned thing on easystart then pull the leakoff pipe from each injector in turn. The one that turns into a decorative fountain of DERV is the faulty one

[Arthur Foxhake]

I saw a buzzer in the "coms unit", basically the indicator/wiper box behind the steering wheel, worth replacing them anyway if they are turning themselves on so while you are in there, smash the buzzer with a hammer or summat?

[Guest Hooli]

It's frog, jam the buzzer full of soft cheese.

[JeeExEll]

I was thinking of putting a few drops of superglue in it if it was part of another assembly and not a remote item I could just disconnect.

[Asimo]

Coefficient of expansion wizardry.

Stainless screw in aluminium frame, heating it should loosen the screw but application of heat is difficult, what would freezing it do? 

Taking into account that the aluminium has oxidised which is why the screw has seized,

Aaargh, stainless steel in aluminium! Even with no corrosion this can be a disaster, I have seized brand new clean SS screws into brand new clean aluminium parts so completely that they have had to be machined out. Coppaslip essential!

Heat might help but not because of expand/contract. Good luck.

[wuvvum]

As you may have read on the GOM thread, I had a van engine run away on me today.  I've had the van a couple of years now and it's been a little on the smoky side at times for a while now, but it's never done this before.

 

Apart from shagged turbo seals, what else is likely to cause a diesel engine to run on its own oil?  I haven't overfilled the sump, I know that for a fact.  I did briefly wonder about a stuck / knackered ring allowing oil into the combustion chamber, but it was running quite evenly on all 4 and I would imagine if the rings were all that shagged the thing would struggle to get enough compression to start, but it always starts instantly.

 

If it helps, it's a Movano 2.5 DTI (115bhp) with just over 100K on the clock.

[captain_cal]

Anyone seen / heard of / know anything about these?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-NAKAMICHI-NA205-Single-DIN-Bluetooth-USB-AUX-IN-CD-Player-Stereo-Headunit-/252753211164?hash=item3ad943ef1c:g:c3UAAOSwNnRYlEHI

 

I know Nakamichi was certified Good Shit^TM back in the day, but somehow I can't see this £55 ebay special being quite up to their standards of old. But it looks like it'll do everything I want it to, and it isn't offensively garish like every other new head unit on sale. Thoughts?

[DSdriver]

Aaargh, stainless steel in aluminium! Even with no corrosion this can be a disaster, I have seized brand new clean SS screws into brand new clean aluminium parts so completely that they have had to be machined out. Coppaslip essential!

Heat might help but not because of expand/contract. Good luck.

Copperslip and graphite not good in marine applications, stuff gets eaten away because of increased electroconductivity. Duralac works but is seldom used.

I have remembered that I have a gas powered small soldering iron on my boat which shouldn't set too much ablaze if I hold it against the screw.

[DSdriver]

As you may have read on the GOM thread, I had a van engine run away on me today.  I've had the van a couple of years now and it's been a little on the smoky side at times for a while now, but it's never done this before.

 

Apart from shagged turbo seals, what else is likely to cause a diesel engine to run on its own oil?  I haven't overfilled the sump, I know that for a fact.  I did briefly wonder about a stuck / knackered ring allowing oil into the combustion chamber, but it was running quite evenly on all 4 and I would imagine if the rings were all that shagged the thing would struggle to get enough compression to start, but it always starts instantly.

 

If it helps, it's a Movano 2.5 DTI (115bhp) with just over 100K on the clock.

I have watched (from a distance) a marine diesel lunch itself and that was a simple single cylinder unit with no turbo. Apparently, as soon as they start running away you should stuff a rag down the air intake to stifle them of oxygen. The problem is getting the cover off the engine quick enough. 

[MrDuke]

Anyone seen / heard of / know anything about these?

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-NAKAMICHI-NA205-Single-DIN-Bluetooth-USB-AUX-IN-CD-Player-Stereo-Headunit-/252753211164?hash=item3ad943ef1c:g:c3UAAOSwNnRYlEHI

 

I know Nakamichi was certified Good Shit^TM back in the day, but somehow I can't see this £55 ebay special being quite up to their standards of old. But it looks like it'll do everything I want it to, and it isn't offensively garish like every other new head unit on sale. Thoughts?

 

 

Unfortunately, the Nakamichi brand name is no longer associated with Mr Nakamichi:

 

In 1998, it was acquired by Grande Holdings, a Chinese company based in Hong Kong. Grande Holdings included electronics companies Akai and Sansui. Niro Nakamichi left in 1998 to set up Mechanical Research Corporation.

 

I agree that it does look aesthetically pleasing though, and the Chinese can produce some fairly decent stuff if they try. Depends how much you're happy to risk, I guess.

[wuvvum]

Apparently, as soon as they start running away you should stuff a rag down the air intake to stifle them of oxygen. The problem is getting the cover off the engine quick enough. 

In a turbo diesel engine, there's a good chance said rag will also be sucked into the air intake and end up wrapped around the turbo vanes, which is less than ideal.

 

In a (manual gearboxed) vehicle the easiest thing to do is to bung it in top gear, stand on the brakes and come briskly off the clutch.  With a Junkman-o-Matic, it's either the rag or a CO₂  extinguisher emptied into the intake - although the chances of having one of those to hand outside of a commercial premises are admittedly rather slim.

[wuvvum]

Actually, just a thought: if all else fails, would opening the oil filler cap and tipping in fresh oil help at all?  It'd stop the engine from running out of oil and seizing up, but would pouring fresh, cold oil into the engine reduce the overall oil temp enough to stop it from vapourising?

[Dj_efk]

Maybe but if the next step is the scrapyard then it's probably worth doing it as a final roll of the dice.

Agree with this. Give the thing an Italian job with a fresh load of fuel and perhaps a fresh oil change and a bottle of something that has good reviews for this type of issue (not sure if redex is the best, I know it's the most famous). It sound so like one of those issues that might just get better and better with hard use.

[cort16]

Actually, just a thought: if all else fails, would opening the oil filler cap and tipping in fresh oil help at all? It'd stop the engine from running out of oil and seizing up, but would pouring fresh, cold oil into the engine reduce the overall oil temp enough to stop it from vapourising?

Would you really want to get that close to a Diesel engine doing an uncontrolled 8000 rpm?

[Guest Hooli]

The best thing to do with a run away diesel is run away & hide behind something solid. When the rods come out the block they'll be moving quite quickly. I saw a Landcruiser do it once when on it's side a a pay n play site, it made rather a lot of mess & took a lot of effort to extract from where it ended up.

[Frogchod]

1998 Saxo 1.4 auto.

Ok or run away ?

Autobox comments most welcome please.

[TataBobu]

Is it a 1.8? The oil control rings are goosed probably. Usually accompanied by dense blue smoke.

 

 

Is it a 2l zetec?

 

 

Sorry about the delayed response. It's the 2.0 Duratec. Never been given diesel in the 3 years my dad has it, and on Saturday it performed normally on a Newport - Bristol Airport and return journey. No (visible) smoke. Should I tell him to try another MOT station?  

[DodgeRover]

Ues

[sierraman]

Sorry about the delayed response. It's the 2.0 Duratec. Never been given diesel in the 3 years my dad has it, and on Saturday it performed normally on a Newport - Bristol Airport and return journey. No (visible) smoke. Should I tell him to try another MOT station?

2.0 less prone to the oil control ring fault. Mainly attracts the 1.8 for some reason. Does it use any oil at all? If it doesn’t I’d look elsewhere, if you are sticking a pint of oil in a week, obviously it’s going somewhere.

[phil_lihp]

Another diesel van question: since changing the oil last year on my Hiace, the oil pressure light has taken about 5-6 seconds to go out when started from cold but goes out instantly when it's hot.  My trusted mechanic said not to worry about it and it's been like it for the last year and 6000 miles, no untoward noises and it has consumed about a litre in the last year which doesn't seem outrageous for an 18 year old diesel with 153,000 miles on it.  My mechanic reckoned it was possible that the oil filter I used (a MANN one which I thought would be good quality, the same as I usually buy for cars I service) didn't have a non-return valve.  It's quite high up on the block, no idea if that could be the cause or not.  

 

It's a 2.4 non-turbo, I've used 10W40 in it.  The only other thing to add is that when I changed the oil I had a disaster, the sealing ring fell off the oil filter which I couldn't see and when first started it belched out several litres of oil in about 10 seconds before I noticed and turned it off but it made no horrible noises and still had oil in it.  It was re-filled, the filter was re-sealed and it hasn't leaked a drop since that I can see.

 

I'm about to change the oil again and curious as to whether I should get a different make of filter this time, I could get a genuine one from my local Toyota dealer although that seems a trifle excessive. Either that or should I be using a different grade of oil?

[cort1977]

Gen filters are still not that much so worth a try I guess. If you get a filter at Toyota surely they could tell you the correct grade at the parts counter even in these desperate times?

 

My question, any tips on fitting new carpet in a car? It should be easy and it's not, trying to get it smooth and tucked away neatly is unexpectedly hard.

[gordonbennet]

Hiace with the slow to extinguish oil light, i've been using Wix filters in the LC, of which i bought about ten cos end of line, and the oil light goes out instantly, somehow i can't see a Mann Filter having no non return valve.

 

Unless you diy oil changes i'd get your fiendly mechanic to have a poke nose at the oil pick up strainer, if necessary with an endoscope (on LC's with the 3.0 litre the pick up is directly above the drain plug so easy peasy), in case its full of carbon gunge restricting the flow.

[phil_lihp]

Thanks, I've never heard of Wix, I'll look for one.  Are Mann a bit crap then?  I thought they were a decent brand.  I do my own oil changes, will see if I can see the strainer through the drain plug when I do change it.

[gordonbennet]

Thanks, I've never heard of Wix, I'll look for one.  Are Mann a bit crap then?  I thought they were a decent brand.  I do my own oil changes, will see if I can see the strainer through the drain plug when I do change it.

No no, you misunderstand me, i mean Mann are good stuff and i can't imagine them making a filter for your van without a non return valve...hmm somehow that still doesn't read right...Mann make good filters.

 

I would have used Mann's on the Scooby, but when i got one the design of the facing meant it only went on less than two turns of thread, nope, binned that and i'm using K&N's on that car, again luckily a job lot came up on CP4L cheap so i snaffled all they had, about 4 IIRC.

[phil_lihp]

Ah, I see, I misread.  Well if nothing else is suitable I'll get another one, the last one seemed to be a bit suspect anyway given that the rubber seal fell off!

[DodgeRover]

Possibly an incorrect cross reference and the filter you were supplied whilst physically right doesn't have the non return valve?

Try a genuine one and see if it makes a difference unless they are mega money.

[Matt]

This might not be the perfect thread but I don't think it deserves it's own. Volvo 240, 740 or 940? Which is best? Which engine to go for? Any particular problems with any of them? (Other than the fact that 240's have gotten a bit expensive lately).

[twosmoke300]

Hi aces have two options for oil filters - a small one and a big one

[phil_lihp]

Hi aces have two options for oil filters - a small one and a big one

 

Interesting!  Probably came from ECP and looked the same as the old one but as suggested, doesn't mean it is right!

 

I'll see how much the dealer ones are, they were helpful last time I asked them for a part reference, can't hurt to ask and check the oil grade at the same time.