Ask a Shiter

[RoadworkUK]

In the wake of Daytime Running or "Look at me" lights now being de rigeur, can the Police still pull people during daylight hours for displaying front fog lights?

 

I mean, not that I would, of course; but I can't see how the retina-scorching lazer death beams on Citroen DS3s can be any less dazzling than an average set of foglamps.

[willswitchengage]

^ Drive on your phone, drive whilst reading a book (it's amazing what you see from a bus window), drive using only foglamps, drive with no numberplates, drive on foreign plates, drive past a speed camera that's been switched off by the council... the 5-0 seem pretty powerless these days. There's plenty of them, but they don't seem to be doing an awful lot. I waste a grand a year on tax, insurance and an MOT and drive at the speed limit with my hands at ten and two. For what? Few others seem to these days.

[Angrydicky]

Question for the MOT testers out there.

 

Is a missing bump stop (N/S/F on an Austin A35) a reason for failure? I was under the car yesterday and noticed it sitting on top of the spring pan! If it is a fail, if I glued it back on, would it pass?

[whitevanman]

As far as I remember they are not a requirement, though if they are on one side it may be argued they should be on both......

[Richard]

Question for the MOT testers out there.

 

Is a missing bump stop (N/S/F on an Austin A35) a reason for failure? I was under the car yesterday and noticed it sitting on top of the spring pan! If it is a fail, if I glued it back on, would it pass?

 

It's perfectly ok to glue it back together, using a suitable adhesive of course.

[Spiny Norman]

Is it just me or has the free CAP used price guide disappeared?

And if it's not just me, has anyone got any recommendations for other free online guides that don't make you jump through hoops to get a price? For some reason the Parkers one doesn't work on my computer and I can't figure out why, so not that one please.

[michael1703]

would a normal digital radio like a pure evoke type thing, work if i put it in a car? i.e. have a constant signal and not have to be retuned

[Spiny Norman]

would a normal digital radio like a pure evoke type thing, work if i put it in a car? i.e. have a constant signal and not have to be retuned

 

Doubt it, they're really fussy about aerials, which is why you don't see DAB radios in cars much. You'd almost certainly get worse reception that with a standard FM set.

[Richard]

I hesitate to recommend the Pure Highway but it's probably the simplest way to get DAB in the car. There is another one called the Beat 400 that might be a bit better.

 

A DAB head unit is the best solution though. Reception is fine if your aerial is long enough- which no "official" digital aerial ever is. There are very few places I don't get good reception on the integrated head unit in my car. The Pure Highway in my van is fine in most places too, but it doesn't work near bendy buses for some reason.

[willswitchengage]

 

What happens when you press the little pedal on the left?

 

pedal on the left is the handbrake!

which is really a foot brake.

 

So, how does a hill start work? Electronic handbrakes too, and those pull-lever ones in W123s, can anybody kindly fill me in?

 

Personally I've never had a problem with using the confusing big lever on the left, but judging by the amount of people that think that riding the clutch is "easier", apparently not.

[messerschmitt owner]

Unlike the merc there is a lever on the rhs that you pull up to pull the brake off. I've an auto and a four pedal manual xm and find that the foot pedal is perfect in the auto but less so in the manual but it is as simple as foot off clutch to biting point and then release 'hand' brake as you drive off. No problem. The merc one was more hassle in a manual car - 230te for me - as it required a turn and release.

[Timewaster]

My experience of in car DAB is that (outside the M25) it DOES NOT WORK!

 

I tried a Sony DAB headunit in my Sierra mainly because the standard HRW aerial is pretty useless. Initially, with the supplied screen mount aerial I could get maybe 1 or 2 stations but only when stationary.

I then tried a glass mount aerial that looks like a 90's car phone aerial and cost almost as much as the head unit. I could get 5 stations.

 

Also, instead of an out of tune crackel like you would expect from a poor FM signal,a poor DAB signal sounds like the radio has been dropped in a bucket of wallpaper paste which is impossible to live with until the signal improves.

 

Save your money!

[Guest]

DVLA retardation time.

 

I changed the address on the 305's log book so that the SORN reminders etc etc get sent to a different address. I changed the V5 about three weeks ago and got the new documents back - why are the SORN reminders still going to the old address?

 

Also, I may have scrapped a 480 and forgot to tell the DVLA about it.................two years ago. What do I do about it? I need to declare it scrapped because if I don't it'll come out of the woodwork some day and bite me on the arse.

 

Clutch retardation time.

 

Car retard friend has bought an X reg FAT Cunto 1.2 with a juddering clutch. Is this likely to be the release bearing? Can you get them separately or would they have to be bought in a new clutch kit. He whinges and moans about the clutch every time I see him, but he won't spend the fucking money to get it sorted. All I get is 'I've just bought this car, why do I have to spend money on it?' BECAUSE CARS GO WRONG AND WON'T WORK INDEFINITELY WITHOUT PERIODIC MAINTENANCE YOU MORON.

[cobblers]

DVLA retardation time.

 

I changed the address on the 305's log book so that the SORN reminders etc etc get sent to a different address. I changed the V5 about three weeks ago and got the new documents back - why are the SORN reminders still going to the old address?

 

Also, I may have scrapped a 480 and forgot to tell the DVLA about it.................two years ago. What do I do about it? I need to declare it scrapped because if I don't it'll come out of the woodwork some day and bite me on the arse.

 

Clutch retardation time.

 

Car retard friend has bought an X reg FAT Cunto 1.2 with a juddering clutch. Is this likely to be the release bearing? Can you get them separately or would they have to be bought in a new clutch kit. He whinges and moans about the clutch every time I see him, but he won't spend the fucking money to get it sorted. All I get is 'I've just bought this car, why do I have to spend money on it?' BECAUSE CARS GO WRONG AND WON'T WORK INDEFINITELY WITHOUT PERIODIC MAINTENANCE YOU MORON.

 

 

Obviously you sent them a letter when you scrapped it, but now you are going through records and have realized you got no reply. If they get shirty, it's ultimately up to them to prove you didn't send them anything rather than for you to prove you did.

 

As for the car retard friend, just make him buy a full kit if you are going to be the poor fucker working on it, otherwise you might end up having to do the job twice just cos he's tight. Juddering clutch is not usually just the release bearing anyway.

[whitevanman]

bent friction plate is the most likely cause...or an outside chance that the cover has week springs

[cort16]

Can anyone tell me the best place on tinterweb to get Ford Radio codes? The family new Puma's radio is just spitting up "enter code" so I can't currently listen to my Jimmy Shand CD's.

[whitevanman]

Depending on what series it is I can email you a decoder over tonight...

[cort16]

That would be great. Is it the series of stereo you need?

[whitevanman]

Yeah, think it has to be the 'M' series.

[whitevanman]

I'm at work so can't download this to check it out, but here is a lin k to a decoder.

http://www.freefordradiocode.co.uk/

[cort16]

Brilliant, thanks I'll give it a go tonight.

[outlaw118]

Sort of Autoshite related:

I need a dvd copy of Hooper - Burt Reynolds - in my life. Had it on VHS back in the day, need to own it again.

Looked on ebay, theres a 3 film set with Hooper, Sharkeys Machine and Stroker Ace for about £12.

Are the other two films any good - bearing in mind that era Burt Reynolds is, in my eyes classic...Cannonball Run, Smokie and The Bandit etc etc...

Or shall i just buy Hooper on it's own...(£....

 

So any Barry Normans out there?

[brickwall]

I'm a major fan of bad movies, so I'd buy the three pack

 

All those movies are bad, but if you enjoyed Hooper, you should enjoy the others.

[CreepingJesus]

Is 13mm the most common sized fastener used on cars?

[cobblers]

Pretty much on european stuff hence why I've got about a dozen or so different 13mm spanners of various sizes, shapes and ratchetness. Jap stuff likes to use 14mm instead, mainly to piss me off after spending over £100 on 13mm spanners over the years.

[CreepingJesus]

Cheers! Confirms what I suspected; that my main 13mm socket is only suitable for hammering over 14mm bolts now...

[Richard]

I think the Japanese standard of 12mm hex for M8 has started to creep into European stuff in recent years (recent for me meaning anything since about 1983).

[Minimad5]

Can anyone help me identify these Mikuni carbs:

 

 

I stupidly went looking for a gasket / rebuild set, but hit a dead wall due to not knowing the model

[CreepingJesus]

^Defo Mikuni BS. Probly BS33 or 34 (the model number is the throat internal diameter anyway, so you can work that out), and either type 2 or 3.

They look like the versions that were fitted to early Kawasaki ZXR750's and early Hinckley Triumphs; the flat rubber cap up top can be replaced with a taller 'top hat' type, thus allowing the slide its' full travel. Turned a Trump 1200 Daytona from a fast hippo, into a hippo with a cruise missile up its' arse...

 

EDIT: Pic of a Mikuni BS, on my GPz 750A if it's any help. Looks the same as yours, but mine has the metal top cap, suggesting yours are later Type 3's.

 

[Minimad5]

Thanks !

The top covers (that shield the diaphrams) are also metal on mine too.

I can now hopefully find a decent gasket and rebuild kit