Ask a Shiter

[Albert Ross]

Are there any known fuelling problems with K11 Micras? My neighbour 2 doors down regularly spends 20-30 minutes of a morning trying to coax her one into life, and it's getting fairly bloody annoying . It turns over fine, and usually splutters into life at some point, but she then has to rev the nuts off it, otherwise it stalls and the while process starts again.

If there's a known weak point with a relatively easy fix, I'll happily go and sort it for her just so I don't have to listen to it re-boring itself every sodding morning. I'm not quite 'helpful' enough to spend hours tracing the problem, though

 

 

So you want us to do the legwork, you nip over and sort it in 5 minutes, look like the hero, and you get the cup of tea, cheese butty and a blowjob? Right, that's gonna happen.

[MrDuke]

So you want us to do the legwork, you nip over and sort it in 5 minutes, look like the hero, and you get the cup of tea, cheese butty and a blowjob? Right, that's gonna happen.

 

Believe me Mr Ross, there is no way in hell I would let her give me a blowjob. I only know she's female because she wears a skirt. And I'm gluten-free so a butty won't be welcomed either. I'll be getting a cuppa and an awkwardly muttered "thanks", tops. And quieter mornings.

[Cavcraft]

Sold a car, buyer has paid me by bank transfer and is sending a Shiply type to collect. Whats best to do about the V5? Do I just fill his details and send to DVLA without his signature or just sign it on his behalf?

 

Without his signature best, perhaps put a covering letter in with V5 and say he forgot to sign it. You'd probably get away with signing it for him but if he questions it for some reason, or DVLA get suspicious, they won't be happy.

[cobblers]

I've bought a few cars this way and not mentioned what I want doing with the v5 since they were bought to pillage for spares for my own vehicles.

 

3 different Shiply blokes have all done the same thing off their own back which is just write any old bollocks down on the trade bit and bring me the rest of the V5 to do as I please with. That way the previous owner has something to send to Swansea claiming they aren't responsible for it, and I don't have vehicle registered in my name, which a lot of traders like to avoid for tax purposes. Seems to be the "done thing" and it suits me.

[e287yba]

How the frig do you remove a pulley from an alternator? I need to remove from the old alternator and put it on the new one.

 

Depends entirely on the alternator concerned. Some you whizz off with a windy gun, some you need a special tool, which caters for a LHT clutched pulley, and a splined shaft. The tool is about £45..... +VAT. Then there's all points between.

 

 

It's a Lucas one like this to go on an A-series. I've got a 22mm socket that fits over the nut, but how do you keep it still? Cost me £50 so I'm a bit cautious about giving it a whack!

 

 

Put Plusgas on the nut on the alternator shaft and support the alternator so the shaft is facing upwards and the Plusgas doesn't run away.

 

While it is soaking, get an old spare fan belt out of your box of spares if you have one, or alternatively go and acquire a new fan belt - you want to have two fan belts of different ages in front of you, one older than the other.

 

Now wipe up the remains of the Plusgas and you can lug the alternator around... Put the older fan belt around the pulley and pull it tight. Clamp the old fan belt as near the pulley as you can (in mole grips or a work bench or vice) so the pulley won't turn inside the fan belt, and undo the nut while swearing and losing bits of skin off your hands etc.

 

The 'old' fan belt will be very old after this...

 

It's a normal right hand thread.

 

And don't forget to remove the various washers and other bits and pieces off the shaft - you'll need them for the new alternator .

[cort16]

I need to change the trans fluid on my e38 740 as the gearbox is being an arsehole. The cars done 272k so a gearbox flush is it's last chance before it probably gets binned. The box is sealed4life so I doubt it's been done recently.

 

On the spec sheet it says the box required the following:

 

5.5 litres without torque converter

13.1 litres with torque converter

 

Obviously 8 extra litres is 80 quid I'd rather not spend. I presume the car has a torque convertor so me no understandy?

 

It's the A5S 560Z box.

 

https://wiki.bentleypublishers.com/download/attachments/11993105/B502_240.page8.pdf?version=1&modificationDate=1306503939713

[Albert Ross]

If you drain the box, you drain just that. If you remove the box and replace the torque convertor, you need to refill it. I would get 1 litre over what you are told you need, as the cooler pipes will drain a little too. Is the a service schedule for an internal gearbox sump mounted filter..? If it is like the RR P38 box, it will be, so get a G'box sump gasket and filter, and drain it , drop the sump, replace the filter, change the gasket refit, refill, wipe up and done.

[cort16]

Cheers,

I just couldn't get my head around it as I know bugger all about these things.

I was going to change the filter and it come with a kit with the seal and stuff with it. Good advice about the extra fluid as I'll probably end up with at least a litre of it down my arm.

[cort16]

I'll have to think long and hard about putting another 60quids worth of oil into a 400 quid car. If it fixes it it's getting sold (but I'll mention it to the next owner).

[DSdriver]

How long before Pug 206 will be considered shite not shit?

[MrDuke]

At least 23 years.

[KruJoe]

...or if it's a saloon, approx 2.3 years.

 

[Ross_K]

How long before Pug 206 will be considered shite not shit?

 

It'll never be shite, ever. Too much computer guff in there means they're shit.

 

When I bought my 307 the guy gave me a laptop with Peugeot Planet installed. Seriously.

[Pillock]

Is the 206 that computery? I thought they were fairly straightforward in terms of modern car (and yeah I know they came out in '98 or something).

The 207, 307 - now they're ECU'ed up to the eyeballs and are thus a liability.

 

Plus there are those on here that consider the Mk2 Laguna a shite car, and they're even worse with their keycards, electronic suspension and whatnot.

[Ross_K]

The way I use to tell is to look for the steering controls for the radio.

 

If you've got one of these sticking out behind the steering wheel, you've got computer voodoo malarkey:

[Cavcraft]

Didn't like the 206 at all for quite a while after they came out and having to occasionally drive one with a horrendous green coloured interior whilst wearing size 12 steelies and trying to negotiate those stupid tiny/too close together pedals didn't help.

Time has moved on though and having owned a few I'd have another no danger. Get a 1.4 diesel and you'll probably never find a more economical car. Yeah, they're are typical Peugeot because door hinges are made of bog roll, the drive shafts are a right load of crap and you need to expect something to break at some point, but they're not actually that bad despite all that.

[willswitchengage]

The TU engines on them are generally engineering fail, the Fordy-PSA dizzles seem to only reach frugality as they burn as much oil as fuel. Prehistoric 1.9D is the one to go for.

 

Good looking things though, but as the 6th most produced car design evah the market may always be too flooded.

 

My favourite experience with one was getting a lift with some randomer during a festival - when I closed the boot the plastic grab handle fell off into my hand. Fail.

[Cavcraft]

Anyone know what Castrol CRB20 oil is (or was) used for please? I have about 20 litres of the stuff in the back of my garage which I want to offload but absolutely zilch idea what it's for and Google let me down.

Cheers in advance...

[John F]

Anyone know what Castrol CRB20 oil is (or was) used for please? I have about 20 litres of the stuff in the back of my garage which I want to offload but absolutely zilch idea what it's for and Google let me down.

Cheers in advance...

 

This any use to you? http://www.castrol.com/castrol/multiple ... Id=6007440

[doug]

cbr20 is soluble cutting oil. Used in lathes mills etc. From Google. Try mixing a little in water to see if it goes milky.

[Cavcraft]

Many thanks gents. I would assume it's what Dog has suggested John as it's in an old (large) metal drum as opposed to 'car type' containers, but many thanks anyhow.

[Cavcraft]

Tax is the same as I'd pay for a golf of the similar age (£120 or something for 6MO) even if it is a camper, AFAIK

 

DVLA have recently changed their mind on what they will call a camper - Even a fully converted T5 that we do (storage, fridge, 2 burners and sink, 4 berth, pop top roof and windows all round) only gets classed as a "van with windows" so I don't think I could twist their arm with my van! And I'm not putting windows in just to please the DVLA! Suppose I'll just have to drive more slowly and massively piss people off on A roads. Or not.

 

doesn'ty now revelove aobut whther there is a khazi and plumbed water / gas ... prssible because people are traying it on with 'day vans' like the Bongo Bongo super friendly topfree or whatever it;s called ...

 

 

Deep joy to the eardroves.

[morris_ital_lover]

I was doing some Italian Job related browsing on teh internet and came across this statement:

 

However, several people who were working for BMC at the time have gone on record as saying at least one Mini was specially prepared for the film, being equipped with the BMC 1800cc B-series engine and gearbox from the BMC 1800 'Landcrab', as the Coopers lacked sufficient torque to climb stairs.

 

...Can you really fit the engine and gearbox from an 1800 in a Mini and if so why is this the only time I've heard of it? (Presumably because it's a massive lump that would weigh down the mini's front too much.

[MrDuke]

I imagine there were plenty of engines that would've been easier to fit, and exactly how much torque did they need anyway, considering how much a Mini actually weighs? I've heard of some truly bizarre engine choices for Minis, some requiring epic amounts of work, but never a BMC 1800 lump.

 

EDIT: the first projects to use a 1.8 Vtec (which admittedly would have more ancilliary bulk) required the whole front end lengthening, it took a lot of work to develop a subframe kit that would squeeze into a standard shell. Which makes me further question the reasoning behind what allegedly happened in the film

[Morgan84]

I have done a litle browsing,and it does sound like it is something that could have been done fitting a B series 1800 into a Mini

[ProgRocker]

Why would anyone pay £95 for a book like this? citroen DS - Osprey classic marques

Last year I borrowed it from the library - for free.

[RedSparrow]

No way! If it's possible how come the mini lads aren't nicking engines out of Landcrabs for their chequered-roofed personality statements?

[ashmicro]

About 20 ish years ago a lad from these parts (I think he was called Jay or Jez or summat) had an orange Mini with a white roof running an MGB engine. I didn't really know him, but the Min was very quick.

 

@binhoker: maybe you knew him? He was a big fat lad who lived down Taylor's Avenue (near the Health Centre)

[freebird]

No way! If it's possible how come the mini lads aren't nicking engines out of Landcrabs for their chequered-roofed personality statements?

I think you may be missing the point a bit.

The Allegro 1750 lump has been fitted to Minis in the distant past, IIRC, one was on the show circuit in the mid 80s.

That proves that engines transplants into Minis, other than interchanging A series lumps, have been done long before Red Tops and V Tecs.

The idea that a compact 1800 B series lump couldnt have found its way into a Mini over 40 years ago is doing a massive disservice to engineers of days gone by. Engine transplants are not new inventions. People have been making engines fit in where they ought not to since cars were invented, I wouldnt be at all suprised if the factory hadnt shoehorned an 1800 into a Mini "Just to see how one went".

Loads of engines have been designed and tested in factory test mules, fitting new fangled engines into existing cars that they wont end up in, has been done zillions of times. Maybe this whole 1800 into a Mini notion may have legs in that the factory were using a Mini as a mule to test the new transverse 1800 lump?

Yep, they could have used the 1100/1300 range to do it, maybe they did that too..

Who knows?

[MrDuke]

I would actually love to find some proper documentation, or even just a brief account, of how they got it to fit and run if that's so - not because I'd ever do it but because I'd find it genuinely interesting, having spent much of my youth lusting after tuned Minis. I still find it unlikely that the studio had one done just so they could drive it up some steps, mind.