Ask a Shiter

[robinmasters]

Someone was, but it wasn't you.  

 

I don't know about MOT rulez, but simple physics tells me this is a bad idea.  

 

Double questionez.

Two differents sizes of brake disc on the front for a car.

Mot fail?

Had a customer who had failed the mot on worn discs and pads but No mention of the fact they where two different sizes across the axle (Corsa 1.0 and Corsa 1.4) a fair size difference. He Had owned the car for a few years and never had it mentioned.

Wanted to return one disc and for me to sell him one smaller one. I refused and said I'm having nothing to do with it. Fix it properly or don't fix it at all.

Was I being a twat?

[si1881]

Question to see if what I and the garage think is the issue or not...

My old 1995 Tipo has failed the MOT on emissions. We had issues last year but it just went through. This year it will not go below 0.36-0.6% with maximum allowable amount of 0.3%. Initially it was over 0.7%.

It’s had new plugs, leads, air filter, checks for air leaks and nothing seems to be wrong... it’s an early SPI 1.4ie so no complicated sensors and only one lambda (this reading seems fine on test). It’s had two doses of cat cleaner and a few ‘Italian tuneups’ which has brought it down but nowhere near enough.

It had a new catalyst about 18 months ago and garage and me are now down to thinking this must be the culprit. Does anyone think we’re right before I try to go down the warranty claim route for it? Not really sure what else it could be if not.

[Tamworthbay]

Question to see if what I and the garage think is the issue or not...

My old 1995 Tipo has failed the MOT on emissions. We had issues last year but it just went through. This year it will not go below 0.36-0.6% with maximum allowable amount of 0.3%. Initially it was over 0.7%.

It’s had new plugs, leads, air filter, checks for air leaks and nothing seems to be wrong... it’s an early SPI 1.4ie so no complicated sensors and only one lambda (this reading seems fine on test). It’s had two doses of cat cleaner and a few ‘Italian tuneups’ which has brought it down but nowhere near enough.

It had a new catalyst about 18 months ago and garage and me are now down to thinking this must be the culprit. Does anyone think we’re right before I try to go down the warranty claim route for it? Not really sure what else it could be if not.

I had a similar ‘game’ last year (not a tipo) and what joy it was, it ended up being an air leak from a split hose so might be worth giving every connection and pipe a check over.

[Andyrew]

If its an Aftermarket CAT, then I wouldn't be surprised. They just don't perform aswell, and on an older vehicle that's maybe running a smidge richer it's probably going to struggle.

 

If you do take it back under warranty and there's a chance you have used exhaust paste on the joint upstream before the cat, then make sure you clean it off. Most will void the warranty if exhaust paste had been used as it has potential to damage the cat.

 

 

One of out regular recovery driver/repair customers bought in a cat he had recently fitted to a saxo because two welds had failed and the exhaust had fell off leaving the owner stranded.

 

Replacement given and i sent the old one back for credit to our account.

Old cat was returned from supplier in a box as it was broken into 3 parts.

"Warranty void due to use of exhaust paste".

 

Bellends.

[sierraman]

Just put the gas analyser on something else for emissions. Pass test job done.

[Tenmil Socket]

Is there a way to adjust settings to go to the first unread post on a thread?

[LightBulbFun]

Is there a way to adjust settings to go to the first unread post on a thread?

 

if you click on the little dark blue ball/star next to a thread it will take you to the first unread post of a thread

[louiepj]

Question to see if what I and the garage think is the issue or not...

My old 1995 Tipo has failed the MOT on emissions. We had issues last year but it just went through. This year it will not go below 0.36-0.6% with maximum allowable amount of 0.3%. Initially it was over 0.7%.

It’s had new plugs, leads, air filter, checks for air leaks and nothing seems to be wrong... it’s an early SPI 1.4ie so no complicated sensors and only one lambda (this reading seems fine on test). It’s had two doses of cat cleaner and a few ‘Italian tuneups’ which has brought it down but nowhere near enough.

It had a new catalyst about 18 months ago and garage and me are now down to thinking this must be the culprit. Does anyone think we’re right before I try to go down the warranty claim route for it? Not really sure what else it could be if not.

Similar problems were had with a friend's aygo manifold cat I replaced last year for him. The worn engine mounts and flexing of exhaust system caused the welds to split enough to throw off the emissions a bit on its mot so had to reweld the cheapest new catalytic converter we could find. Mot tester then warned us they only last 2 to 3 years when you buy cheap, to which we replied thats probably longer than the car will....

[Tamworthbay]

Double questionez.

Two differents sizes of brake disc on the front for a car.

Mot fail?

Had a customer who had failed the mot on worn discs and pads but No mention of the fact they where two different sizes across the axle (Corsa 1.0 and Corsa 1.4) a fair size difference. He Had owned the car for a few years and never had it mentioned.

Wanted to return one disc and for me to sell him one smaller one. I refused and said I'm having nothing to do with it. Fix it properly or don't fix it at all.

Was I being a twat?

No! You were spot on, he is the twat for trying to save a few quid on brakes.

[Stroller133]

On the new MOT categories what would anyone expect a front broken coil spring to be - Major or Dangerous?

[LightBulbFun]

On the new MOT categories what would anyone expect a front broken coil spring to be - Major or Dangerous?

 

the rear broken coil spring on DWs Mazda is under Repair immediately (Major defect) if thats worth anything?

[Stroller133]

Thanks. If fails on more items might scrap the car, so hopefully can drive it home. If just the coil spring and minor items like wipers etc it will get fixed.

[scaryoldcortina]

A broken front spring is a dangerous fail, as is a spring which can unseat itself.

[Stroller133]

A broken front spring is a dangerous fail, as is a spring which can unseat itself.

Thanks - that a bit of a blow! What about EML lights are they now fails?

[scaryoldcortina]

Depends on the age of the car for EML, after 2004 for petrol and 2008 for diesel.

[Stroller133]

2005 Diesel FTW! It’s not been on for a few days but likely to light up during the test.

[catsinthewelder]

The Mk2 Focus with a 1.6 TDCI timebomb makes an awful lot of noise from the cooling fan after driving up the hill and parking.  Should the fan be noisy and run for 5 minutes?

[scdan4]

Question to see if what I and the garage think is the issue or not...

My old 1995 Tipo has failed the MOT on emissions. We had issues last year but it just went through. This year it will not go below 0.36-0.6% with maximum allowable amount of 0.3%. Initially it was over 0.7%.

It’s had new plugs, leads, air filter, checks for air leaks and nothing seems to be wrong... it’s an early SPI 1.4ie so no complicated sensors and only one lambda (this reading seems fine on test). It’s had two doses of cat cleaner and a few ‘Italian tuneups’ which has brought it down but nowhere near enough.

It had a new catalyst about 18 months ago and garage and me are now down to thinking this must be the culprit. Does anyone think we’re right before I try to go down the warranty claim route for it? Not really sure what else it could be if not.

 

Clean the airflow sensor (s) with electrical contact cleaner, and clean the butterfly till it’s shiny.

[Asimo]

If a broken coil spring is an mot fail, why isn't a cut coil spring?

 

How could a tester tell one from t'other?

[Stroller133]

If a broken coil spring is an mot fail, why isn't a cut coil spring?

 

How could a tester tell one from t'other?

On my car the giveaway would the broken off piece is still there!

[steveo3002]

If a broken coil spring is an mot fail, why isn't a cut coil spring?

 

How could a tester tell one from t'other?

someone might have trimmed one coil from the end and its not obvious , vs a break in the middle of the spring allowing the broken ends to pierce the tyre and kill you?

[scaryoldcortina]

If a broken coil spring is an mot fail, why isn't a cut coil spring?

 

How could a tester tell one from t'other?

It is. It wasn't for a while around 2012 but cut springs and especially ones so cut they don't work as springs or can fall out of the cup are a fail.

[bramz7]

Just packed the Multipla with stuff for the tip and it's completely died on me. No lights, no cranking, nothing. It clicked when I turned the key initially, and had lights on on the dashboard.

Now it just won't do anything. Help?! Surely it can't be the battery?

 

Edit, it was the battery. Wtf.

[Shirley Knott]

Brake fluid

 

Does anyone actually change it every 2 years? In the past I've simply bled when replacing calipers/lines etc and ignored it otherwise (Probably not ideal, I'm not proud)

 

Now I'm in possession of a Sealey pressure bleeder I'm tempted to do the whole fleet, and yet simultaneously reluctant as the brakes are all working well and I hate stripping bleed nipples and the ball-ache involved with that.

[myglaren]

Mine certainly hasn't been changed in six years.  Seems to work OK.

May have been topped up or changed when discs and calipers were changed but not listed on the invoices.

[sierraman]

Brake fluid

 

Does anyone actually change it every 2 years? In the past I've simply bled when replacing calipers/lines etc and ignored it otherwise (Probably not ideal, I'm not proud)

 

Now I'm in possession of a Sealey pressure bleeder I'm tempted to do the whole fleet, and yet simultaneously reluctant as the brakes are all working well and I hate stripping bleed nipples and the ball-ache involved with that.

No, I tested some that had been in 10 years a while back and it was still in spec. That’s to say the moisture levels weren’t at a rate it would boil.

[dozeydustman]

Crank (timing) pulley is the only thing stopping me getting the cam belt changed on the corolla. Is it a normal "lefty-loosey-righty-tighty" or left handed thread. HBOL says nothing, so I want to make sure before I get the breaker bar on it.

[rusty_vw_man]

Upholstery question for you lovely lovely people (and anyone else who also wants to join in).

 

1989 VW caravelle, with cloth seats. The foam inside is somewhat degraded so as fast as I hoover it, more orange foam dust appears through the cloth. If I keep going, I will eventually end up with no foam left I think. 

 

Is there a way to stop this short of new foam/covers? 

[Dead_E23]

Yes - stop hoovering it.

 

Seriously though, it sounds like the foam has got to the 'dry and crumbly' stage, and I'm not aware of any magic potions that claim to restore it.  Taking the seats apart to replace the foam will be a right pita, assuming you can even get new foams, so the best solution is probably to fit some period seat covers.  The oddly baggy, coarse feeling, brown tartan ones were a popular choice at the time.

[scaryoldcortina]

Crank (timing) pulley is the only thing stopping me getting the cam belt changed on the corolla. Is it a normal "lefty-loosey-righty-tighty" or left handed thread. HBOL says nothing, so I want to make sure before I get the breaker bar on it.

It will be, because a left hand thread would make no sense on an engine that spins clockwise.