Ask a Shiter

[sierraman]

CV joints.

 

I have a vague idea how they work in theory, but could do with some practical pointers. Whilst buggering about swapping wishbones on the Audi I managed to pull the driveshaft out of the CV joint. I only discovered this when I started it up and put it in gear and it wouldn't move. The driveshaft wouldn't simply slot back in obvs, that would have been too easy, so I had to peel back the CV boot to see where I needed to go - whereupon I was greeted by a shower of ball bearings. I've managed to get most of them back in, but there are two which wouldn't go in - or at least they would, but then the centre bit of the joint (with the splines for the driveshaft) wouldn't move. So the car is now capable of movement again, but the situation is obviously less than ideal.

 

So my questions are twofold: firstly, what am I doing wrong with regard to the two ball bearings I can't get back in (and also how do I get them back in without all the others falling out again) - I know what it's supposed to look like in theory but with everything covered in grease it's hard to see exactly what's what. Secondly, I appreciate I need to sort it out before I drive any distance, but will I be able to manoeuvre the car around as it is, or will everything fall out again as soon as I apply more than 2° of lock?

I’ve fucked about before taking these apart and I just wouldn’t bother. Get a complete shaft from J&R, they’re not dear.

[wuvvum]

Aye, I had another look at it today (after it lost drive again) and I'm not going to bother attempting to repair it - I'm sure I'd bugger something up.  I've found a complete outer CV joint kit for 15 quid on eBay so I'm going to order that in.  The driveshaft actually looks fairly new so I don't know if whoever fitted it "forgot" the circlip...

[Bradders59]

Very late in the day  - BUT

 

BRANDS HATCH - WATCHING? - I've driven it before a long way back...... but have never watched a race there. Touring Cars Season ends Sunday - I'm with munchkin, picking up Bramz BMW and seeing London Saturday. Plan is to take minima to his first 'proper' race event Sunday as a surprise on the way back out of the UK...... 

 

I know the grandstand will probably be long sold out - so where should I look to get a good view of the racing with the munchkin? 

 

Any advice most welcome.......

 

Paddock hill bend is a great place to watch from. Problem will be that most of the other spectators will have the same idea. Are they using the short circuit or the full circuit ? If its the full circuit there are some good places to watch out the back of the circuit where most people don't bother walking to.

[Sir Snipes]

Very late in the day - BUT

 

BRANDS HATCH - WATCHING? - I've driven it before a long way back...... but have never watched a race there. Touring Cars Season ends Sunday - I'm with munchkin, picking up Bramz BMW and seeing London Saturday. Plan is to take minima to his first 'proper' race event Sunday as a surprise on the way back out of the UK......

 

I know the grandstand will probably be long sold out - so where should I look to get a good view of the racing with the munchkin?

 

Any advice most welcome.......

I was there for the first time last month, watching a friend race minis in the rain. If the tunnel is open a really good spot is to the left of the exit on the pits side. There's a pair of walls that meet, looking like pointy end of a boat. You can see the whole of the short/Indy track except for a small section of Paddock Hill Bend. It may be closed during the more prestigious events though.

[Richard]

What would cause this to happen? Apologies for the Facebook link.

 

https://www.facebook.com/stsdrivingschool/videos/246831696033890/

[Tamworthbay]

What would cause this to happen? Apologies for the Facebook link.

 

https://www.facebook.com/stsdrivingschool/videos/246831696033890/

Bloody ell that’s scarily amazing. It can’t just have been the tyre surely? Air brake massive failure? No experience of these whatsoever so,complete and utter guess.

[DodgeRover]

Was it a split rim splitting? I would guess at a dragging brake or failed bearings causing massive overheating and the corresponding rise in pressure. Lucky that the driver wasn't stood in front checking it, also lucky it only hit the front of that car and they managed to keep it straight.

[Richard]

I do actually know the lorry driver, although I haven't seen him since this happened. Apparently he was parked up and eating his lunch when it happened. I'm told it was the wheel complete with brake drum that went. The best guess so far is that heat from a binding brake soaked through the wheel and caused the tyre to blow out. 

[Tamworthbay]

I do actually know the lorry driver, although I haven't seen him since this happened. Apparently he was parked up and eating his lunch when it happened. I'm told it was the wheel complete with brake drum that went. The best guess so far is that heat from a binding brake soaked through the wheel and caused the tyre to blow out.

 

Wow! Lucky no one was seriously hurt, I bet he got a shock when he saw what had happened.

[meggersdog]

The only rule i can see is the light must go out . However, could it fail on incorrect pads fitted ? Wire taped up /obviously tampered with?

 

If abs is fitted it could be down as "wiring damaged". Best thing to do is tape it up so no bare wires showing then cable tie it out of the way.

[egg]

the ever reliable* u-tuber Scotty Kilmer advises against moving from semi-synth to fully-synth oil on older cars, because they are 'used' to it. What are the opinions on here? Bull or is there something in it?

[DodgeRover]

Makes no difference

[dozeydustman]

Very late in the day  - BUT

 

BRANDS HATCH - WATCHING? - I've driven it before a long way back...... but have never watched a race there. Touring Cars Season ends Sunday - I'm with munchkin, picking up Bramz BMW and seeing London Saturday. Plan is to take minima to his first 'proper' race event Sunday as a surprise on the way back out of the UK...... 

 

I know the grandstand will probably be long sold out - so where should I look to get a good view of the racing with the munchkin? 

 

Any advice most welcome.......

 

 

If they're using the Grand Prix circuit, then I recommend the druids hairpin area. You get to see the action at Paddock Hill bend, then coming up Hailwoods and around the hairpin down Graham hill to the South Bank. Then you can turn around, walk 10 yards and see them going down Pilgrims drop to Hawthorn Bend on the fast bit of the GP loop.

 

If you fancy getting adventurous, head through the woods of the GP loop to Dingle Dell & Barry Sheen curve, that used to be a favourite spot for action.

 

I'm not sure if they allow you over the footbridge into the inner part of the Druids hairpin any more; it was press & media for a while when I last worked there (2006)

 

Really wish F1 was back at Brands. Silverstone is a shit boring circuit to watch and drive around.

[dozeydustman]

Fitted a battery to a Corsa C this morning for my wife's friend, which she got as a replacement for her Clio which may have an issue.

 

I hve qustons.

 

1. Why are the battery lead colours on this Corsa brown for earth and black with a red sleeve for positive?

 

2. The Clio has a key issue which means it won't lock the car up using the zapper. The garage she has been using said it needs a new key and reprogramming. I'm a bit more sceptical and hoping it just needs a battery.

 

3. Would there be any interest in this Clio as a WBOD if I can sort the problems out or at the very least identify them? I can find more info about the Clio as wife's friend is coming over for dinner this evening.

[dozeydustman]

the ever reliable* u-tuber Scotty Kilmer advises against moving from semi-synth to fully-synth oil on older cars, because they are 'used' to it. What are the opinions on here? Bull or is there something in it?

 

 

I would personally never stray away from the original type of oil a car would have had. If it originally ran 20w50 mineral, that's what goes in it.

 

Mineral oils are pretty much the product of cracking crude (won't go into detail on what cracking is, as my brain hurts and so will the average human's after taking that info in) and the various distillates from it include lubricants, fuels, tar and light weight hydrocarbon compounds.

 

Synthetic oils are still mineral based lubricants except they have been tweaked in a laboratory with additives such as detergents or other chemicals that drag fine metal or unburnt hydrocarbon particles out of the oil system to the filter much easier than a plain mineral oil, therefore the crap gets dragged away from the oil easier and the lubricating properties of synthetic last longer - which is why we now have 10k or higher oil change intervals as opposed to the 1500-3000 of years gone by. The other additives help with low viscosity for extremely cold starts and penetrating the much smaller tolerances modern engines are built to.

 

You can run semi- or fully- synthetic in an older vehicle, but there is the risk of it dislodging a load of crud that builds up and blocking an oilway or fine lubrication channel unless you perform several oil flushes first or change the oil & filter very frequently (2k ish) until it comes out the sump quite clean again. If you've just rebuilt an engine, then you can run quite safely on synthetic from the start, if you can get the correct viscosity.

[egg]

Ok, thanks all, so taking it from the general to specific, would you think it matters at all on my '93 zetec?

[sierraman]

Yes, run it on 5w30 Semi Synthetic. That’s what was specified for it. Fully synth is absolute waste of money on a Zetec, they’ll run round the clock on the standard oil. Only the much later stuff benefits from the fully synth.

[robinmasters]

A failing synchro will just cause a crunchy gear won't it? Not total inability to select that gear. 

 

Also, how much play should there be in a gear linkage at the gearbox end? None? Couple of mm?

[Christine]

Vauxhall secrets question .

 

This here  red connector .. How does it disconnect without a hammer ? 

 

[Kiltox]

Car covers.... people often advise against them due to abrasion of paint / trapping moisture

 

That’s all well and good if it’s outside on a driveway - how about in a garage? The manky one I rent is a bit dusty and dirty and I want to lay up the Porsche over winter

[taxi paul]

The nuts on my camper steadied are a bit rounded. So still work but a bit of a pain. Is there a socket that you can buy with say metal pins in that when you push it on takes up the slack and helps trip the rounded nut. If not can someone with a shed invent one. Stanky I am counting on you.

[sierraman]

Hammer a slightly smaller Imperial socket onto them. Metrinch used to do some good surface drive spanner’s that used to be great for jobs like this.

 

Chuck those 12 sided sockets away though.

[steveo3002]

Car covers.... people often advise against them due to abrasion of paint / trapping moisture

 

That’s all well and good if it’s outside on a driveway - how about in a garage? The manky one I rent is a bit dusty and dirty and I want to lay up the Porsche over winter

if your sure its dry then a couple of bed sheets ?   if your not sure its 100% dry then nothing as it will still trap moisture

[taxi paul]

Hammer a slightly smaller Imperial socket onto them. Metrinch used to do some good surface drive spanner’s that used to be great for jobs like this.

 

Chuck those 12 sided sockets away though.

Thank you very much I shall check size then find four of them.

[AMC Rebel]

Fitted a battery to a Corsa C this morning for my wife's friend, which she got as a replacement for her Clio which may have an issue.

 

I hve qustons.

 

1. Why are the battery lead colours on this Corsa brown for earth and black with a red sleeve for positive?

 

 

 

 

 

Dunno but they are a wank idea.  I am just trying to revive a dead Corsa C with a very flat battery.  I think the Battery is probably on the other side for LHD - the comedy location and wiring of the battery takes some believing 

[AMC Rebel]

Speaking of which - recommendations for reviving a nearly new car battery that has (stupid me) been allowed to go flat and sit like it for some time.  I can't drive the car about as it has no tax or insurance.

[artdjones]

Speaking of which - recommendations for reviving a nearly new car battery that has (stupid me) been allowed to go flat and sit like it for some time. I can't drive the car about as it has no tax or insurance.

Wire it up in parallel to a good battery and charge it.Probably best to use a smart charger.

[Exiled_Tat_Gatherer]

Car covers.... people often advise against them due to abrasion of paint / trapping moisture

 

That’s all well and good if it’s outside on a driveway - how about in a garage? The manky one I rent is a bit dusty and dirty and I want to lay up the Porsche over winter

 

 

Same for me - if dry - I'll use softer cotton....... got to use the old bedding for something. If not - it needs air circulating - to dry...... 

[320touring]

The Audi Skip needs a new thermostat.

 

The housing is buried under the inlet fannymould and hidden by the alternator.

 

Appetite for stripping down is limited (to 0).

 

Looking at the top hose , it's too narrow to fit an ren 5 "inline" thermostat in.

 

Are there any other cars that use inline thermostat setups that are smaller circumference that I could use? (Ren5 is a 55mm circ).

 

Cheers

[cort1977]

the ever reliable* u-tuber Scotty Kilmer advises against moving from semi-synth to fully-synth oil on older cars, because they are 'used' to it. What are the opinions on here? Bull or is there something in it?

That bloke is a proper retard IMHO, he lives in Houston and I saw him once at the DPS.

 

Whatever the manufacturer specified in terms of viscosity will be fine, whether it is semi or full synth makes no odds to the viscosity and hence engine lubrication.  Synth may resist changing viscosity better but if you follow the originally specified service intervals that won't be an issue.