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My brother and I have inherited a car that has been sitting for 15+ years and is full of dead mice and their piss/poo poo. We can't afford to have it cleaned professionally so we're gearing it up to tackle it ourselves, we already have Tyvek suits and full face respirators with the appropriate filters but I'm trying to figure out what to use to clean and disinfect the car. I know bleach will ruin whatever it touches, so is there something we can use that won't damage the car or should we just budget for a full restoration of the interior?
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Sep 14, 2016 05:00
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OneStopShop posted:My brother and I have inherited a car that has been sitting for 15+ years and is full of dead mice and their piss/poo poo. What kind of mice? but seriously, years of accumulated piss and poo poo will never really truly come out, unless you use so much water, heat, and mechanical action that the fabric would be forever changed What kind of car has earned this noble right of deshitification?
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Sep 14, 2016 05:27
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CharlieWhiskey posted:What kind of mice? I think Deer mice are the dominant species around here. To clarify, we are planning on scrapping all the carpet and seat fabric, but I'm worried about non-fabric stuff like the door panels and dash/interior trim. The more we can save the better, but nothing is worth risking a Hantavirus infection. The car in question is a '65 Impala SS Convertible.
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Sep 14, 2016 05:37
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Park it on an active anthill, have the ants scour the car for organic matter.
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Sep 14, 2016 05:45
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I recently had the misfortune of poking a small hole in the sidewall of one of my tires. No tire shops in my area had the right size in stock so I had to drive on my doughnut why more than I wanted to. I drove it carefully but I ended up putting about 50 miles on it. It looks like it held up well but should I be concerned about using it again if another tire bites the dust?
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Sep 14, 2016 07:18
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Edit: Wrong thread 
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Sep 14, 2016 08:19
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Any goons have experience of ecu tuning on diesels? Never done it before so wanted to know; I have an EA 189 vag diesel engine, 105hp factory. A reputable UK tuning company(?) Superchips apparently develops their ecu tunes with manufacturer etc so it won't harm warranty. They are claiming there is an extra 41hp & 70nm of torque to be had without any mechanical fettling. Just finished a nut n' bolt resto of a mk2 Triumph Spitfire with gramps (so much learning) so I'm not totally ignorant but I am clueless with regards to tuning or how fiddling with the ecu can give this much without repercussions. Apparently it's done without disabling the EGR too. So, false hope or hot to trot?
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Sep 14, 2016 08:48
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Percipient Badger posted:Any goons have experience of ecu tuning on diesels? Never done it before so wanted to know; I have an EA 189 vag diesel engine, 105hp factory. A reputable UK tuning company(?) Superchips apparently develops their ecu tunes with manufacturer etc so it won't harm warranty. They are claiming there is an extra 41hp & 70nm of torque to be had without any mechanical fettling. May I suggest you get a tuning box instead: you plug it into the loom and it has the same effect as a remapping, but you aren't buggering about with your ECU: if it goes wrong, you just unplug it. https://www.tdi-tuning.co.uk/ - you can check exactly what you should get from their systems using one of their boxes. They do have real world dyno tests of some of their installations, so it;s not snake oil. There's a thread on Pistonheads right now about how Superchips blew someone's ECU and then washed their hands of it.
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Sep 14, 2016 09:05
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vulturesrow posted:I recently had the misfortune of poking a small hole in the sidewall of one of my tires. No tire shops in my area had the right size in stock so I had to drive on my doughnut why more than I wanted to. I drove it carefully but I ended up putting about 50 miles on it. It looks like it held up well but should I be concerned about using it again if another tire bites the dust? Time to read the manual. I believe the tyres on most donuts/space savers are good for ~70 miles max before they really should be replaced. They're intended as a 'get you out of the poo poo to the nearest tyre shop' thing as opposed to something you can run indefinitely. There are people who've driven far further on them but once that pops on you what are you going to do? If you were indeed careful then it should be ok but again, check what the manufacturer says about it.
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Sep 14, 2016 09:12
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spog posted:May I suggest you get a tuning box instead: you plug it into the loom and it has the same effect as a remapping, but you aren't buggering about with your ECU: if it goes wrong, you just unplug it. Ah; well apparently their work is guaranteed for a year so I wonder why they'd wash their hands of someone? Any chance you can link the pistonheads post for me? I'm a bit uncomfy with the plug-in ones as I've personally not heard anything good about them but I'll check the link out, thanks. There is also the option of going to a local independent company near me called Jabba Sport that will set the car up on a rolling road for about £30 more than the superchips but they can't get as much out of it, though I'm dubious about superchips claim. I would just like a little 'mild' sleeper so the extra power appeals.
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Sep 14, 2016 10:54
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Percipient Badger posted:Ah; well apparently their work is guaranteed for a year so I wonder why they'd wash their hands of someone? Any chance you can link the pistonheads post for me? I'm a bit uncomfy with the plug-in ones as I've personally not heard anything good about them but I'll check the link out, thanks. There is also the option of going to a local independent company near me called Jabba Sport that will set the car up on a rolling road for about £30 more than the superchips but they can't get as much out of it, though I'm dubious about superchips claim. I would just like a little 'mild' sleeper so the extra power appeals. http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1619780&i=0 I'd do a little more research into the plug-ins: I did and came to the conclusion that they offer all of the benefits of a remap, without any of the issues: You can get the same performance improvements, in a user-fittable box. I think some of their newer boxes offer selectable maps (i.e. you press a button on the box to choose between different maps) You can remove them without trace (handy for warranty work) you can get them reflashed for new cars - so you can keep the box when you sell the car. The more I looked into it, the more I was convinced that this was the way to do things, rather than have someone bugger around with my very expensive ECU.
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Sep 14, 2016 11:15
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spog posted:http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&f=23&t=1619780&i=0 A bolt-on makes more sense all of a sudden. Thanks for the tip; guess I'll get myself one of those TDI tuning boxes & get the car a rolling road session.
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Sep 14, 2016 11:52
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Percipient Badger posted:A bolt-on makes more sense all of a sudden. Thanks for the tip; guess I'll get myself one of those TDI tuning boxes & get the car a rolling road session. At the risk of sounding like a shill: if you have any questions, you can call/email the company and get someone who can give you a proper answer to the questions that you have - they seem to take customer service seriously. EDIT (I mention that because so many companies are poo poo at customer service that we expect that as the norm these days) spog fucked around with this message at 12:44 on Sep 14, 2016 |
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Sep 14, 2016 12:36
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Is this tire about done? It is a Bridgestone Potenza G019, about 4.5 years old. The cracking in the area where the sidewall turns towards tread concerns me. I was planning on getting new tires this fall, but if I should do so sooner, not a big deal. 
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Sep 14, 2016 13:03
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Mercury Ballistic posted:Is this tire about done? It is a Bridgestone Potenza G019, about 4.5 years old. The cracking in the area where the sidewall turns towards tread concerns me. I was planning on getting new tires this fall, but if I should do so sooner, not a big deal. I'd say it's just about done. ~5 years is as long as I'd like to keep a tire on a car even if it's not on the wear markers, due to rubber perishing, which causes the cracking. If the car is regularly in direct sunlight and very hot climates it could perish the rubber sooner, I guess extreme cold could do it as well but I don't have lots of experience with that. It *probably* won't spontaneously delaminate, but as a guy who has had that happen before, I don't recommend it.
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Sep 14, 2016 13:12
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Memento posted:I'd say it's just about done. ~5 years is as long as I'd like to keep a tire on a car even if it's not on the wear markers, due to rubber perishing, which causes the cracking. If the car is regularly in direct sunlight and very hot climates it could perish the rubber sooner, I guess extreme cold could do it as well but I don't have lots of experience with that. It *probably* won't spontaneously delaminate, but as a guy who has had that happen before, I don't recommend it. Appreciate the input. The car is not garaged, and in VA, which gets plenty hot all summer. I was pretty much at the mindset that they were done, I just wanted some outside confirmation. Don't really see much benefit to getting cheap with tires.
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Sep 14, 2016 13:16
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Mercury Ballistic posted:Is this tire about done? It is a Bridgestone Potenza G019, about 4.5 years old. The cracking in the area where the sidewall turns towards tread concerns me. I was planning on getting new tires this fall, but if I should do so sooner, not a big deal. Bridgestone tires usually don't have a problem with cracking. Michelin have a hilarious problem with cracking. Check this crap out:  But if it were my car, and if it was driven faster than 50mph on a regular basis, I'd replace it too before it kills me.
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Sep 14, 2016 13:55
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92 Toyota Camry 4 Cylinder (I've had people tell me it's a different year than 92 exactly but I don't think it matters for this?). This car as a lot of problems that I don't want to pay to fix because I am unemployed. On the plus(?) side, I'm unemployed and bored. So I was thinking of fixing some of these myself. I know there is a certain point where doing things yourself isn't worth the hassle since you don't save much in the long run, and of course there are things that an amateur just shouldn't do. At the same point, I don't know what I should or shouldn't do myself because I know basically nothing about cars. So, I was hoping for input as to whether I should attempt these: Fix a frozen window: This is really the main thing that got me on this train of thought. I don't even care about the window not working, it is just frozen partially down. This video makes me think I could probably do it, just open the inside of the door, shove it from the bottom until it's up and tape it in place, then fix the door. Refresh Coolant before winter: Seems super easy? But if I get it wrong, fuuuuck. New tires: Seems possible, but if I have to buy the tires anyway, it can't be actually worth the few bucks for the ballache of putting on 4 tires, right? There is also a probably exhaust leak but screw trying to fix that one myself.
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Sep 14, 2016 21:56
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Mercury Ballistic posted:Is this tire about done? ...... about 4.5 years old Yes. They are getting on to "hockey puck" consistency around that time. Traction sucks, especially wet and god help you in snow even with full tread depth.
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Sep 14, 2016 22:31
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Magnetic North posted:92 Toyota Camry 4 Cylinder (I've had people tell me it's a different year than 92 exactly but I don't think it matters for this?). Window and coolant you can absolutely do yourself. Tires...you're going to have to pay for them to be mounted and balanced, but you COULD actually put them on the car yourself if you wanted. But yeah you're only saving a few bucks, and unless you have access to a lift it'll take you a lot longer to do a job that'll take the shop maybe 5 minutes. I rotate my own tires, but if I'm getting new ones it's just not worth it to put them on the car myself, in my opinion. The exhaust leak may or may not be easy to fix yourself...it depends on what the actual problem is and where.
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Sep 14, 2016 23:12
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2001 Honda CRV intermittent no-start issue when hot History: Last year distributor changed Key cylinder finicky last year but working since adding graphite powder Replaced main relay last week Car cranks but sometimes acts if ignition or fuel is not there. I'm going to have some time to look at it for them this weekend. If I can replicate I'll see if starting fluid will make it fire and test power getting to the fuel pump. I will also change the igniter and use thermal grease. If not that should I change the ignition cylinder if I'm not seeing power at the fuel pump? Thanks for advice
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Sep 14, 2016 23:29
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Discount tire has some 2012 manufacture date snow tires. I know typically 5-6 years or so before tire rubber starts to lose its pliability, but does this apply to new tires that are just sitting in climate controlled warehouse (presumably) being sold by a reputable vendor?
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Sep 15, 2016 00:29
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Godholio posted:Window and coolant you can absolutely do yourself. Tires...you're going to have to pay for them to be mounted and balanced, but you COULD actually put them on the car yourself if you wanted. But yeah you're only saving a few bucks, and unless you have access to a lift it'll take you a lot longer to do a job that'll take the shop maybe 5 minutes. I rotate my own tires, but if I'm getting new ones it's just not worth it to put them on the car myself, in my opinion. Alrighty, I'll give the window and coolant a whirl. Thanks.
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Sep 15, 2016 00:55
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spog posted:At the risk of sounding like a shill: if you have any questions, you can call/email the company and get someone who can give you a proper answer to the questions that you have - they seem to take customer service seriously. Thanks; I'll ask their customer service this but for a comparative answer, what's the difference between the box that controls just the fuel rail & the one that controls both rail and boost? Diesels run on a surplus of air anyway, so I would reckon upping boost wouldn't matter as it's still limited to how much fuel the rail can put out?
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Sep 15, 2016 06:35
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Jeep fan working again. Not repaired. Just left for Ron. Long story short, it was fuse 4 . Not blown, but... Something. Caseless , corroded at the blades and almost fused to the contacts. Around the fuse was melted / burned black too.
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Sep 15, 2016 07:15
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You sprayed some lectra motive in there, right?
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Sep 15, 2016 07:26
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OneStopShop posted:'65 Impala SS Make a thread when you get working on it! My daily is a 4-door non-SS one of those. As for the Hantavirus concerns, are you working on it out in the field, or indoors somewhere? According to the CDC, the droppings/urine/etc are no longer
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Sep 15, 2016 09:18
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Percipient Badger posted:Thanks; I'll ask their customer service this but for a comparative answer, what's the difference between the box that controls just the fuel rail & the one that controls both rail and boost? Diesels run on a surplus of air anyway, so I would reckon upping boost wouldn't matter as it's still limited to how much fuel the rail can put out? Dunno, but 2>1, so must be twice as good? Post your findings after you've spoken to them.
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Sep 15, 2016 09:36
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Christobevii3 posted:2001 Honda CRV intermittent no-start issue when hot Describe the no start. Does it fire then die, or does it just crank? If it's just cranking, is there a fuel smell from the front of the car when it won't start, if you attempt to start it several times? If it fires then dies, the ignition switch itself and the main fuel relays are your most likely culprits. You've already replaced the relay. When I've seen the ignition switches fail on my own Hondas, they cut power to the cluster and most interior electrics as soon as you release the key from start (sometimes the radio will stay on). If your warning lights are turning off as soon as you let go of the key, it's almost certainly the switch behind the key cylinder. If it doesn't fire at all, the ignition switch could still be at fault, but I'd check for power at the distributor with the key in the run position when it's refusing to start. I don't remember which wires to check anymore, but starting fluid should tell you if you're getting spark. Watch the tach when it won't start. Usually Honda tachs of that era will twitch a little while cranking. If you don't see that (it's fairly minute, you have to watch for it), ignition switch and ignition system issues go to the top of the list for me. If it is twitching, don't rule out the ignitor or coil, but you can start looking closer at stuff like the fuel pump. * I'm basing this on having owned 7 Hondas over the years (ranging from 1988 to 2001), all of which have needed ignitor replacements, most of which have needed ignition switch replacements, several needing coil replacements, one needing a distributor replaced It's at the age where Honda started putting immobilizers in. When it won't start, do you see a green light with a picture of a key flashing on the dash? I'm pretty sure the CRV didn't get it until 2002, but I'm not positive on that. If it does have an immobilier, the same light will flash briefly when you shut off the car and remove the key, and lights briefly upon startup.
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Sep 15, 2016 11:00
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PaintVagrant posted:Discount tire has some 2012 manufacture date snow tires. I know typically 5-6 years or so before tire rubber starts to lose its pliability, but does this apply to new tires that are just sitting in climate controlled warehouse (presumably) being sold by a reputable vendor?
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Sep 15, 2016 15:25
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I just remembered another problem with my car: my windshield washer reservoir has a big crack in it. I think it cracked when the radiator went when I was on the highway for a few miles and couldn't see the steam. It holds liquid but I guess without a seal it can't build a vaccuum to spray out well? (I think that's how they work anyway). With a New England winter coming, I'd like to have it working again. This video shows a similar condition of a car, and also suggests a solution. I don't think I'm going to do it since I don't have a heatgun to plastic weld it, and the part is only about 30 bucks according to Amazon. My question is: do you think an amateur could replace that?
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Sep 15, 2016 18:41
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Magnetic North posted:I just remembered another problem with my car: my windshield washer reservoir has a big crack in it. I think it cracked when the radiator went when I was on the highway for a few miles and couldn't see the steam. It holds liquid but I guess without a seal it can't build a vaccuum to spray out well? (I think that's how they work anyway). With a New England winter coming, I'd like to have it working again. It looks like there are only two bolts holding it in place, and the hose is either friction fit or has a hose clamp. I'm confident you could replace your reservoir. However, your diagnosis doesn't make a lot of sense to me. Turn the car on and have someone actuate the windshield washer while you're standing by the reservoir. Check and see if you hear the pump. I have the feeling the pump might be your problem.
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Sep 15, 2016 18:57
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A buddy of mine picked up a complete engine/harness/trans/gas pedal from a wrecked 09 tahoe (4.8l and 4l60E) to stuck in a b-body convertIble impala, just a cruiser. He needs plug and play efi. The cheapest option I came up with, was the eBay sellers who will turn your harness into a standalone harness, flash the pcm and send it back to you. Anyone have any experience with any of these companies, or tell me why it's a bad idea or should use someone in particular?
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Sep 15, 2016 19:08
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Magnetic North posted:I just remembered another problem with my car: my windshield washer reservoir has a big crack in it. I think it cracked when the radiator went when I was on the highway for a few miles and couldn't see the steam. It holds liquid but I guess without a seal it can't build a vaccuum to spray out well? (I think that's how they work anyway). With a New England winter coming, I'd like to have it working again. That's a lot of effort for a $30 part if it has massive holes like in the video. The washer fluid reservoir in my old Pontiac developed a crack and I just patched over it with epoxy putty and it held for years.
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Sep 15, 2016 20:30
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Safety Dance posted:It looks like there are only two bolts holding it in place, and the hose is either friction fit or has a hose clamp. I'm confident you could replace your reservoir. Yeah, sorry, my fault. I should have been more clear. It still sort of works, but the sprayer on the driver's side is considerably weaker than the passenger side, so it's not great for bad conditions. When I filled it today it goes far enough to hit the windshield but just barely. The tank is on the passenger side which is why I was thinking maybe it's a lack of pressure causing the difference but then again I know nothing. I did check and I can hear a whirring noise when it is in use. I mean, it could be the pump is going bad but hasn't died yet? FogHelmut posted:That's a lot of effort for a $30 part if it has massive holes like in the video. The washer fluid reservoir in my old Pontiac developed a crack and I just patched over it with epoxy putty and it held for years. Yeah, mine has a hole about the same size, so I dunno if I want to screw about with epoxy when I can get the part for not much. I mean, I imagine duct taping it is a bad idea.
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Sep 15, 2016 23:44
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The sprayer may be clogged up. Take a paperclip and try to poke it through the holes, if the paperclip is too thick you may try a bare bread tie (with the plastic or paper covering peeled off), or a SIM card tray tool from a phone. Might want to remove the hose from the underside of the nozzle first, if you can get it off easily. The lines may be brittle though, so be careful trying to remove them.
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Sep 15, 2016 23:48
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some texas redneck posted:The sprayer may be clogged up. Take a paperclip and try to poke it through the holes, if the paperclip is too thick you may try a bare bread tie (with the plastic or paper covering peeled off), or a SIM card tray tool from a phone. Might want to remove the hose from the underside of the nozzle first, if you can get it off easily. The lines may be brittle though, so be careful trying to remove them. Interdental brushes are pretty much perfect for this job.
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Sep 16, 2016 02:23
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some texas redneck posted:Describe the no start. Does it fire then die, or does it just crank? If it's just cranking, is there a fuel smell from the front of the car when it won't start, if you attempt to start it several times? Thanks! I'll have her drive over to look at this weekend. I have an ignition cylinder if I don't see power at the pump and an igniter to throw in because why not? Finicky issue with heat so $30 whatever. The ignition cylinder or fuel pump I'll check before throwing parts at.
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Sep 16, 2016 02:37
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Geirskogul posted:You sprayed some lectra motive in there, right? Who, Me? No. Nothing in there would be lifted by a cleaner. Everything was clean. It's just that one fuse had... well fused. It's probably going to blow again anyway. I don't have the time or resources right now to fix it. The correct wiring diagram I actually found in a Jeep forum thread about modifying the fan wiring to add relays to stop the problem. I'll probably go through and do that later, but nicer looking with a proper relay block.
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Sep 16, 2016 05:53
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RillAkBea posted:Interdental brushes are pretty much perfect for this job. Guitar strings and wire brush bristles also work really well.
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Sep 16, 2016 16:02
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