Nick C

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	6,584 reputation	bio	website		visits	member for	2 years, 1 month
425 badges		location	England, United Kingdom		seen	18 hours ago

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113 Comments

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Apr 4	comment	C-clamp stuck in brake caliper Ok, so now you need to clean up the exposed part of the piston, then carefully wind the piston back in (using, as you noted, an old pad to protect it). Refit using the same pads as the other side (i.e. new if the other side has new ones), then fully bleed the system.
Apr 3	comment	Horn / hooter works when car is off, not when car is on? aah, the old bodge trick... In that case, look for traces of hacked-together wiring to see if you can work out what he did to it, and you'll probably find it has been connected in the wrong place - You might find it easier to rip out his bodges and re-do it properly, rather than trying to diagnose what changes he has made...
Apr 2	comment	How Does a Person End Up With Their Timing “180 Out”? The thing to remember is that one cycle of a 4-stroke engine takes two revolutions of the crankshaft (and thus the pistons), but only one revolution of the camshaft. Therefore #1 piston is at TDC (closest point to the spark plug) twice in the cycle, and you need the spark to occur the second time - at the end of the compression stroke.
Mar 26	comment	How to generate involute gear milling Gcode I can't answer the question, but just remember that if the gears are to be used in an automotive application, they would need to be case hardened - this process causes the metal to shrink, meaning they have to be cut slightly larger to end up the right size. I've heard it described as "an art, not a science"!
Mar 21	comment	Squeaky steering? PAS fluid is something that is changed, but on a much more infrequent basis - more like brake fluid. Your car's handbook should tell you where to look, there should be a small cap somewhere in the engine bay you can open and check the level of the fluid inside - the handbook will also specify the type of fluid to top it up with.
Mar 6	comment	What parts are required to replace a clutch? I've only ever had the first three listed items in a clutch kit. Alignment tools aren't that expensive though, and as you say, they're a reusable tool.
Feb 24	comment	Wear on inner of rear tyres Cost is very dependant on where you are. In the UK, I'd estimate it at around £20-40 per corner for standard springs, plus half a day or so labour, and £20-40 for alignment - probably somewhere in the region of £2-500 total. That is assuming your dampers are in good condition - if they are old it would be worth replacing them at the same time to save on labour costs - add another £30-40 per corner at a guess. You could do it cheaper by buying secondhand springs, but only if you are confident the source can be trusted.
Feb 8	comment	Power vampire in car. Where do I start looking? It is generally best to disconnect the negative, as this removes the risk of a loose positive cable touching any part of the (negative) bodyshell.
Jan 31	comment	Just HOW urgently should I replace this tire? Is it safe to drive on at all? @Bob, that is the point I was trying to make - a full size spare is just as good as any other wheel, but very few cars in the past 10 years or so have had one.
Jan 31	comment	Just HOW urgently should I replace this tire? Is it safe to drive on at all? Unless, of course, your car is one of the few left that comes with a proper spare wheel instead of a "space-saver" thing...
Jan 31	comment	Volkswagen Golf 2005 - Fueltank cap does not open That latch looks fairly normal. There should also be a spring, probably on the other side of the flap by the hinge.
Jan 27	comment	Is it possible to harm your car by giving someone a boost? The original poster has already stated this in his question. Re-posting parts of the question as an answer isn't all that helpful!
Jan 24	comment	Timing Chain vs. Timing Belt Most engines I have come across are interference - i.e. a broken belt will result in pistons hitting valves. It is quite rare (at least in Europe) to find a non-interference engine - Fiat are the only manufacturer I can think of off the top of my head who consistently do so.
Jan 12	comment	How is a vehicle's age legally defined? Done. For questions like this that are very much jurisdiction-dependant, it always helps if you note which country/state/territory you are in, so you get answers more approrpiate to your area (as you have now done).
Jan 9	comment	Dying car, at random intervals Yup, fuel pump is certainly a possiblity. Another thing I have just thought of is that the idle control valve might be malfunctioning, which would also give the symptoms you describe
Jan 6	comment	Is it a good idea to have MOT and Full service at the same time? To be honest, I doubt anything major would turn up in a normal service. Did you get anyone to check the car before you bought it? That is generally a more reliable way of spotting major flaws.
Jan 5	comment	Replacing car audio on Lancer 9 Yes, the actual stereo unit in the middle of the dash panel
Dec 8	comment	Applying brake vs. shifting into Park at a red light - which is better for long-term maintenance? which is why they are adjustable...
Oct 12	comment	Racing Fuel (100 Octane Rating) - Better than Premium? Higher octane fuels (well over 100 RON) are perfectly possible by adding Ethanol or other alcohol bases.
Oct 12	comment	Racing Fuel (100 Octane Rating) - Better than Premium? One point I forgot to mention - all my numbers are RON, while I presume the O/P is in the US and so will be using AKI measurements, which come out slightly lower.