Ask a Shiter

[dave21478]

General consensus seems to be that you can't just re-do the lacquer, you have to repaint and re-lacquer. However, I have seen a Youtube where someone machine polishes the damaged lacquer/paintwork for an improvement in the overall state of the panel.

Polishing the base coat gives a decent finish but its temporary. You can re-lacquer it ok....it will never be a pro job, but for an average car its fine.

 

This guy gives a good guide, despite his up-talk accent driving you potty after the first 2 minutes.

[bub2006]

Atf coolers. Do i need one? Im sure its got one already on the avensis. Two pipes going from box to under radiator. If im towing though will it need upgrading? Lots of hills in Derbyshire and id hate anything to go tits up

[JeeExEll]

Peugeot 206, 2001.

 

Is there a quick way of disabling the dashboard beeper which beeps all the time if you have the keys in the ignition and a door open?

 

The 206 is going to be recommissioned soon as a cheap little runabout / spare car and it's a faff-about having to keep taking the keys out every time to shut the beeper up. Had a quick look behind the cover under the driver's side of the dash but couldn't see a separate beeper. Is it built into the dash?

Ideally I'd like to just pull off a connector to shut it up for good but am guessing it may not be as simple as that.

[DodgeRover]

Look if a genuine tow pack included one, if so then add one if you will be doing lots of heavy towing whilst the car is fully laden.

[gordonbennet]

Atf coolers. Do i need one? Im sure its got one already on the avensis. Two pipes going from box to under radiator. If im towing though will it need upgrading? Lots of hills in Derbyshire and id hate anything to go tits up

 

I think the bigger worry with autobox coolers integrated into the bottom of the radiator is the possibility of the radiator leaking internally, allowing coolant into the box which bollockses it completely, if i have a dipstick i inspect the gear oil regularly for any signs of contamination.

 

Not sure about Avensis but some Landcruisers from around the turn of the century had this problem, and many owners replace the rad as a precaution, cheap enough aftermarket.

Probably worth checking the Toyota forums out to see if this is an issue on your car, its also an issue on Mercs with Valeo radiators of certain years.

 

Other than that the best thing you can do for your autobox is change the oil, unless you know its been done at some point, should be a straightforward job especially as your car should still have a gearbox dipstick....and i am thoroughly disappointed in Mr T dropping the box dipstick on later Landcruisers cos checking the level is now a complete ballache, sort of shit you'd expect with a friggin Range Rover, WTF were you thinking Toyota? eh eh?

[bub2006]

Its not integrated with the rad. It looks like one of the filamemt type things where the it just snakes through a metal tube,looks like a kettle element! Wont be doing heavy towing,just a trailer but may end up with another van in time. Unsure when gearbox fluid was changed but its still a nice red colour and isnt burnt.

Dodge rover,regards tow pack ,only info i can find in the handbook and online is the 7fse 1.8 engine requirse a cooler but cant find anything about the 3fse 2.0 mine has.

[cort1977]

The correct answer from actual engineers is as per Dodge Rovers post, if the tow pack has one then you likely need one and it's probably a good idea to fit one anyway.  

 

My answer is that if you take it easy in the Derbyshire heat* and the trailer isn't too heavy then you'll be fine. Obviously you should never take advice off randoms on the internet.

[scdan4]

What's the best moped for a sixteen year old currently?

 

A few years ago it was the Yamaha aerox as had a nice blend of 'speed', reliability and availability. Conversely gilera runners were known for grenading and having no parts availability. But it's been a while since I had any contact with the maccydees ped scene.

 

The Saturday girl at work has asked for advice as I know stuff about bikes and engines and stuff.

 

Obviously the answer is a chopped c90 stepthru, but sadly needs to be newish, shiny and able to cut it dahn the playground corse d'elegance.

 

Or do I just admit I'm old and have no facking clue.

[dougiefourspeed]

If you take a vehicle in for an MOT in the 30 day period you can present it for test before the expiry date and it fails the test, can you drive it legally on the remainder of the 'existing' test or does the 'new' failed test overrule it as the car has been judged to be unroadworthy? 

 

e.g. Car has current MOT due on 25th October > I take it for MOT on the 26th September and it fails. Am I still able to drive it until 25th October?

[tooSavvy]

Its not integrated with the rad. It looks like one of the filamemt type things where the it just snakes through a metal tube,looks like a kettle element! Wont be doing heavy towing,just a trailer but may end up with another van in time. Unsure when gearbox fluid was changed but its still a nice red colour and isnt burnt.

Dodge rover,regards tow pack ,only info i can find in the handbook and online is the 7fse 1.8 engine requirse a cooler but cant find anything about the 3fse 2.0 mine has.

 

If you could live with joining a site that has me as a member.... try Toyota UK O.C. & ASK   

 

Or this....

 

http://www.toyotanation.com/forum/104-camry-5th-6th-gen-2002-2006-2007-2011-2nd-gen-solara-2004-2008/1419114-diy-transmission-cooler-install-magnefine.html

 

TS

[bub2006]

Thanks,ive found it actually looks part of the rad but can only find tow 0

Pack info for the 1.8 not the 2.0. Whether thst means the 1.8 doesnt have a cooler and the 2.0 is adequate i dont know. Its also not the heat outside im concerned about,its the heat build up climbig so e of these hills if ive got a bit of weight behind me.

[Tickman]

If you take a vehicle in for an MOT in the 30 day period you can present it for test before the expiry date and it fails the test, can you drive it legally on the remainder of the 'existing' test or does the 'new' failed test overrule it as the car has been judged to be unroadworthy? 

 

e.g. Car has current MOT due on 25th October > I take it for MOT on the 26th September and it fails. Am I still able to drive it until 25th October?

My tester told me the MOT still is in place on the vehicle so it is still MOTed, the only point you are compromised on is that you have had failure points pointed out that it is unroadworthy.

You could have already fixed these issues and not had it retested.

[Pillock]

Exactly this. Your car will still show on the system as being MOTed until the end of the original certificate, however it will also show a fail if anyone looks at the history.

 

Essentially you've been told your car in unroadworthy so it's down to you what you do with that information. You won't ping up on cameras which I guess is the important bit.

[rainagain]

Peugeot 206, 2001.

 

Is there a quick way of disabling the dashboard beeper which beeps all the time if you have the keys in the ignition and a door open?

 

The 206 is going to be recommissioned soon as a cheap little runabout / spare car and it's a faff-about having to keep taking the keys out every time to shut the beeper up. Had a quick look behind the cover under the driver's side of the dash but couldn't see a separate beeper. Is it built into the dash?

Ideally I'd like to just pull off a connector to shut it up for good but am guessing it may not be as simple as that.

 

This drove me mad in mine as well, I don't know about yours but mine would do it when either front door was open making it extra annoying. I googled removing it at the time and I couldn't because I'm sure it is built into the BSI unit so you can't easily disable it.

[rainagain]

I was looking at a friend's Audi A3 last night, when you brake it shakes really badly and so does the steering wheel. It had new discs installed at easter time, the passenger one was perfect, the driver's one is showing 0.1mm run out which looks acceptable. As it only shakes when you brake and it makes the steering wheel shake it's got to be the discs hasn't it? The two pics show the readings I got from the driver's side disc. I don't understand how such a small run out makes it shake so violently. 

[Dave_Q]

Disc runout limits are more like 2 thou or 0.005mm, should say in a manual somewhere but I think 0.1mm is too much.

[DodgeRover]

Could be TREs inner or outer or ball joints or track control arm bushes too, the load being imposed when you hit the brakes is enough to make it move

[rainagain]

Could be TREs inner or outer or ball joints or track control arm bushes too, the load being imposed when you hit the brakes is enough to make it move

 

Is there an easy way to check these without a ramp? 

[Tickman]

Is there an easy way to check these without a ramp? 

Is it not just jack up the corner and try and wobble the wheel holding at 9 and 3 for the track rod test and 12 and 6 for the ball joint test?

[gordonbennet]

On that Aldi i'd also make sure the brake caliper pistons and sliders are free moving, you can get some nasty shakes from seizing pistons or sliders as one pad tries to force the disc over instead of two clamping it equally.

[rainagain]

On that Aldi i'd also make sure the brake caliper pistons and sliders are free moving, you can get some nasty shakes from seizing pistons or sliders as one pad tries to force the disc over instead of two clamping it equally.

Bugger I only took apart and cleaned the drivers side (the one with the run out) I should have done the passenger side as well, but I was short of time.

[Frogchod]

Renault Senic auto.

 

  2 litre non turbo auto 2004, this one in particular :   https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1309787001.htm?ca=4_s

What's the grief with them ?

Is the autobox made of Camembert and TNT ?

[scdan4]

Will a decat make an 02 plate Peugeot 406 hdi fail an mot?

 

It's a new stainless system so it be obvious it's missing I guess.

[SiC]

Renault Senic auto.

 

2 litre non turbo auto 2004, this one in particular : https://www.leboncoin.fr/voitures/1309787001.htm?ca=4_s

What's the grief with them ?

Is the autobox made of Camembert and TNT ?

AL4 / DP0 gearbox can have trouble with the pressure control valve. It'll still work but put up gearbox fault light. Once warmed up, the valve starts working again and restarting the light goes off. So can be ignored.

 

However this can leave it running it uncontrolled pressure. Thus damaging the insides over time.

 

The valve isn't often hard to be changed though. Just because the cars are cheap, most don't bother.

 

I and then later (mostly) Kiltox had a 1.6l auto Scenic that got to 166k miles on what appeared the original box. It was condemned when the steering rack creaking caused an MOT fail.

[rainagain]

Bugger I only took apart and cleaned the drivers side (the one with the run out) I should have done the passenger side as well, but I was short of time.

 

Success for this one, they took it back to the garage who fitted the discs originally and they changed them FOC, this has resolved the shaking  

[egg]

What has happened to the Ford plant in Ghent since it closed in 2014?

[adw1977]

What has happened to the Ford plant in Ghent since it closed in 2014?

I believe the site is still being decontaminated. And it's in Genk, not Ghent. Volvo have a factory in Ghent. Bloody Belgians with their confusing names!

[Guest Hooli]

Y carnt  dey spek pruper Engerlund lik wot we dus?

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Just bought this rear caliper to replace the ruined one on my 10 year old daily. Obviously been cleaned in parts washer - what are thoughts on the corrosion around the seal though? I appreciate it's not brand new, but I want it to last longer than 30 days...

[sierraman]

I'd be surprised if it doesn't mess the seal up with the corrosion