Ask a Shiter

[sierraman]

Sorted driveshaft, the inner tripod was ok, but pulled boot back and repacked it with grease anyhow. The problem was the wishbone, ended up undoing the rear most bolt, doing the ball joint pinch bolt up and then myself and my uncle pushing the wishbone back enough to twat the bolt for the back of the wishbone back through again.

[sierraman]

Attempted to shift it off the drive, no drive and a big fucking rattle. The driveshaft seems to be properly located in the inner part of the joint. Bugger. Oh dear.

 

Really haven’t got the time at the moment to be arsed with it.

[angle]

Right then - the Laguna has always had one good and one bad headlight, but after finally getting some rain in the last week, the bad one is looking decidedly misty. Is there anything I can do with it without having to take it out that'll help, if only to see how quickly it steams up again? Hairdryer, compressed air, silica sachet? Removing the headlight means removing the grille and the bumper and the washer reservoir and oh god why did I buy a modern Renault? Xenons, by the way.

 

 

(yes, it appears I also have a headlamp bulb out)

[SiC]

Christ what's happened to those lights over the last year. They never used to be missed up! Fingers crossed it's just the bulb and not the Xenon Ballast. If it is the ballast then Yate car breakers may still have that facelift Initalie there still.

 

I wonder if the bulb out is because water has got into the ballast. I believe the ballast lives on the bottom of the headlight unit and prone to getting water in.

 

I'd be tempted to take the light out to investigate. Then at least it can be put in an airing cupboard to dry out a bit.

[SiC]

Btw the bumper comes off pretty easily. I had it off a couple of times to fix and then later replace the headlight washer. Check my old thread on it, I think I detailed how I did it.

 

Not all the fixings are probably still in there either.

[bigfella2]

If it's like some of the Clio headlight then as mentioned above the ballast lives under the light. Because we are having such good weather I would take the covers off the back of the lights and let all the moisture dry out, then refit the covers making sure they fit properly and are not damaged. Nothing to lose.

[twosmoke300]

The covers missing is the most likely cause of the wet in the lamps

[sierraman]

Quick question, bought a complete new driveshaft now instead, I’ve got to say you were right I’m not fucking about swapping the CV joint on its own again, had a look it’s actually fell off, I’d hammered it home as far as it would go, looking at the circlip it’s actually not a great fit on the joint. I’ve no appetite to continue fucking about with it so a new shaft is winging its way here early next week. Anyway my question is, would I get away with just pulling the old shaft away at the tripod, leaving the cup still attached to the diff to save all the oil pissing out and swap that bit across? Access to pull at the actual cup end of the driveshaft is quite tricky as well.

[catsinthewelder]

On some cars you can leave the oil in the box and jack the side you are removing really high up. I remember this from college as the Nova I was led to for the remove/refit a starter motor lesson had been left in this state which made my life oh so easy.

[sierraman]

More concerned with how difficult it felt to try and release the cup from the gearbox.

[drum]

Might be coming into a Golf mk5 2.0 tdi, it won’t start, not had a proper look at it yet. Before I brave eBay with the bits is there anything anyone is after? Wings are rusty before you ask. Obviously.

I need the fuel cooler and tailgate lock actuator if you're breaking the golf.

 

 

What year? The wings maybe covered by VW anti perforation warranty.

  

 

Is this a thing?

 

Wife's is a 57 plate and the paint is falling off the wheel arches.

[sierraman]

Yeah they have this stuff in the inner wings a bit like Oasis, water gets trapped in it then toys the wings out. They are rusty but the drivers side isn’t too bad it’s just a scab.

 

Waiting on the owner getting back to me on it, if I hear anything I’ll let you know. Failing that he has said if I want anything prior to it going to the breakers I could take it so even if I don’t have it I can take the bits you are after.

[SiC]

Is this a thing?

 

Wife's is a 57 plate and the paint is falling off the wheel arches.

A bunch of criteria applies but yes. Essentially needs to be original paint on the wing (they do check) and no deep scratches/scuffs. I can't remember the time length but I think it's 12 years, so you will have to get in quick if so.

 

I nearly had ours done but I sold it before I got it done. Hendry had his done by VW too.

 

Only catch is that they will only paint the panel the original factory colour and won't blend it in. If you want it blended in you have to pay a bit extra.

[loserone]

My brother's had new wings when older than 12 years, but they wouldn't touch the rusty sills even at 9 years..

 

Thankfully it's been weighed in now.

[M'coli]

Where's the best place to get a refurbished or new Citroën ZX rear beam from?

[angle]

Christ what's happened to those lights over the last year. They never used to be missed up! Fingers crossed it's just the bulb and not the Xenon Ballast. If it is the ballast then Yate car breakers may still have that facelift Initalie there still.

 

I wonder if the bulb out is because water has got into the ballast. I believe the ballast lives on the bottom of the headlight unit and prone to getting water in.

 

I'd be tempted to take the light out to investigate. Then at least it can be put in an airing cupboard to dry out a bit.

'I know, I'll switch the bulbs round, work out if it's the bulb that's gone or the ballast, 20 minutes'

 

'Hmm, it's pretty wet'

 

'F*cking retaining clips'

 

'F*CKING RETAINING CLIPS'

 

Ping!

 

*rattle of clip falling into engine bay*

 

AAAAAAHHHHHHHH

 

It's now dark, I've found the clip but can't work out how it goes back on trying to look at it backwards using my cameraphone, so I've thrown the various bits of trim I've removed at the rabbit hutch and I'm sulking.

[sierraman]

If there’s one word that boils my fucking piss it’s ‘retaining Clips’.

[Scruffy Bodger]

Where's the best place to get a refurbished or new Citroën ZX rear beam from?

 

You can get yours re-furbed if it's not too far gone. Finding a ZX one off the shelf will probably be very difficult now. Beams off other cars will fit but the Zx's are set up differently to 306's etc, they run zero toe in.

There's a chap on 306OC that does re-builds and uses decent stuff, can't remember his name off hand though sorry.

[The Moog]

Place in Burnley does them. I got them to replace a 405 one. The choice was free postage or free fitting. I elected for the latter and they cursed me as every bolt was rusted through.

 

I can't find details at moment but will have a look to see if I can.

[M'coli]

It'll have to be free postage, I'm not hooning overt' Pennines in a car with no MOT and no rear suspension movement!

 

I don't have the time, space, nor facilities to re-furbish it myself, so a replacement it is. Time is of the essence - the 106's MOT is up on the 4th of September and there's no guarantee that it will pass, mainly because of the rear beam, corrosion, and the oil leak between the block and the head at the timing belt end.

[steveo3002]

mk1 focus...do the brakes blled like normal with easy bleed etc ?? no need for computers and stuff?

[mrbenn]

mk1 focus...do the brakes blled like normal with easy bleed etc ?? no need for computers and stuff?

 

Yep, bleed as normal.

 

Bear in mind the brakes and clutch share a reservoir so defo don't let it go below minimum as the clutch can apparently be a bit of an arse to bleed.

[sierraman]

mk1 focus...do the brakes blled like normal with easy bleed etc ?? no need for computers and stuff?

Yes, unless the ABS unit has run dry IIRC.

[castros_bro]

Where's the best place to get a refurbished or new Citroën ZX rear beam from?

 

Easy to get them this place will do you a complete one unless you want the kit to replace the worn bits yourself (25% chance of success). Changing the beam is relatively straight forward if the nuts/bolts don't bugger up, I changed one in a public car park in Camberley with only the occasional rude comments from a parking attendant.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REAR-BEAM-AXLE-CITROEN-XSARA-ZX-PEUGEOT-306-SHAFTS-BEARINGS-BRAND-NEW/291246299212?hash=item43cfa1d84c:g:lbMAAOxyni9TGGzV

 

 

And

 

http://abaxles.co.uk/en/about/

[sierraman]

There’s a silver (same as mine you know) Mondeo in the drive of a bungalow near my house, it’s sat there for at least 5 years, possibly more. Be really handy for spares for mine. Should I knock on the door?

 

Not quite sure how to position it though?

[M'coli]

Easy to get them this place will do you a complete one unless you want the kit to replace the worn bits yourself (25% chance of success). Changing the beam is relatively straight forward if the nuts/bolts don't bugger up, I changed one in a public car park in Camberley with only the occasional rude comments from a parking attendant.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/REAR-BEAM-AXLE-CITROEN-XSARA-ZX-PEUGEOT-306-SHAFTS-BEARINGS-BRAND-NEW/291246299212?hash=item43cfa1d84c:g:lbMAAOxyni9TGGzV

 

 

And

 

http://abaxles.co.uk/en/about/

Knowing how far up its own arse Camberley can be, that's quite possibly the best bit of "get it up youse" spannering I've heard this year!

[warren t claim]

Do modern cars still have characteristics based on their country of origin? For example, do French cars still have soft seats and suspension?

[Guest Hooli]

French cars are still shit yes.

German cars are complicated and once they break cost a fortune to fix.

[Sir Snipes]

Do modern cars still have characteristics based on their country of origin? For example, do French cars still have soft seats and suspension?

Hard to say when a Nissan is made up of old Renault bits by a factory in India.....

[castros_bro]

I'm looking to make up some large diameter pipes to replace those which run to and from an intercooler which is annoyingly hidden somewhere under the headlamp, behind the inner wing and behind the bumper.  I have some thin aluminium source material  but will need to cut parts and solder to make the pipework. 

 

 

Can anyone recommend an aluminium soldering product ?

 

 

This is my source material.