March 2001
My place of work has a minibus for transporting apprentices about, it is a 1997 LDV Convoy hi-top and has a Ford Transit 2.5 litre diesel engine, it has only done 37,000 odd miles. Whilst traveling back to work today ( the bus was empty at the time apart from me ) the whole bus started shaking from side to side getting progressively worse, i was doing around 40 mph at the time. I braked gently and the shaking eased then stopped so i increased speed back up to 40. It then started again and got so bad i had to slow right down again. It then stopped shaking so i plodded back to work.
I told my supervisor and he told me that it always does it ! and always around 39 mph, it also does it when full of passengers too. He said that the transport section has checked the bus and that it was serviceable and there are no apparant faults with it. It scared the hell out of me i can tell you.
The fault, if any, seems to be in the front suspension as the front starts shaking first and resinates to the whole bus until it's practically shaking itself to bits and steering is almost impossible. I'm a little hesitant to drive it now.
Anyone have any ideas or drive an LDV and come across this ? Read more
Hi,
My Ford Scorpio /Granada is having some trouble with the fuses. This last week I have changed at least 10 fuses for the indicators and reverse light. It appears that when I give the car, kick-down, the fuse blows. The car is been to the Ford main dealer 10 TIMES !!!...they can't find the fault with it. I think the switch for the kickdown is going, the Ford dealer says this is ok.
Does anybody have any ideas ?
Ford Granada/Scorpio, Model 1992 2.0 DOHC automatic
Thanks in anticipation.
Stuart Read more
My 1994 Granada Scorpio 2 litre - the engine has a habit of just dying after about running for 5 mins. This normally happens after a rainy day followed by a fairly hot one.
The engine will the turn over but will not fire - after about 2 mins the car will start and carry on as normal.
Could this be linked to water in the fuse box? or are there any other things to check?
My main dealer is not much use on electrical faults.
The Firestone Firehawk 690s (205x50) have worn out on the front of my late 1996 VW Golf VR6 after 17500 miles of gentle driving. Any opinions and recommendations on replacements? I'd like to get a few more miles out of the next lot and am leaning towards Michelin again, but am open to other ideas. Looks like we'll be keeping this wonderful car for the 10 years I originally envisaged, if not longer. Read more
I drive a Fiat Seicento sporting. It's a 2000 model which has done approx 4000 miles. If the car has been parked up for any length of time (i.e. overnight, or left at work all day), when you first apply the brakes there is an audible click from the pedal as it moves through the first centimetre or so of travel. This "click" is also felt through the pedal. It only happens once, and isn't heard or felt until the following morning, or later in the afternoon. When mentioned to a salesman, he suggested it was because it's new, which sounds like flannel. Can anyone suggest the real explanation? Car does not have ABS, but brakes are servo-assisted. Read more
Hi
If the sound comes from above the pedal and sort of behind the dash, its one of 2 things. 1/ (Most likely) its the non return valve on the brake servo or 2/ its the washer at the rod end of the master cylinder which is getting momentarily stuck! (Very unpredictable) If it is the vacuum valve I would have it seen to fairly quickly as this could fail on you at the wrong time.
Regards
Ron
Can anyone shed any light on the origin of the chequered flag that is signified to thr winning driver - whether it a motorcyclle, car or powerboat across the winning post?
The answer would be much appreciated, written concrete evidence even better!! Read more
Try:
Stumpers: www.cuis.edu/~stumpers/
where it's reckoned that you'll get an answer to the queries that stump everyone else.
My W reg. MX5 is due for it's first service. One local Mazda dealer advises semi-synthectic oil, the other mineral oil.
Comment from Mazda UK: Read the handbook!
Is mineral OK in these engines? Read more
On the subjects mentioned above, what exactly is the very best way to run in a new, modern engine? Keep the revs down for the first couple of thousand miles and take it for longer, not shorter runs?
I was looking at an article on this site regarding a car importer and one or two difficulties they were having.
I then visited there webb site and looked at the prices available they are talking telephone numbers.I did not look or check every price only the ones I check andknow i.e. Mercedes,Chevrolet,Ford,Opeland Galloper,in every occassion I could buy cheaper including tax here in Germany and in some cases
the saving would give me a world cruise.Not such a good deal I think.
Regards Andy Bairsto
Dresden
Germania.
PS.I refer only to the LHD webb site and prices Read more
Chris, no he buys from private adverts and sells in private adverts. Does not go anywhere near dealers at either end. Sells cheaper than dealers who have garage expences etc.
Due to insomnia I was watching the 5.30am news this morning. Story was extra premium (up to £30) being paid by motorists to cover losses by uninsured drivers. More importantly was the added grief to those who suffer at the hands of said drivers by not receiving full compensation. Why don't we adopt the system in use in Australia whereby when a car is taxed an extra amount is added to effectively insure the CAR against third party claims regardless of who is driving the vehicle. Individual insurance is still required of course but it would mean ,for example, that if the vehicle was driven away by ,say, a joyrider who then crashed into another vehicle, the victim would have some chance of compensation. Read more
The idea of registration numbers for drivers rather than vehicles seems so sensible that I do wonder what arguments there are against it. Any suggestions?
My Zantia VSX has severe tyre wear on the outside edges of the front tyres. the inside edges are worn but not to the same extent. It is a 96 model with 84000 miles. I bought it 12 months ago with 72000 on the clock. I noticed the wear soon after I bought it privately. The tyres are not feathered that would suggest a tracking problem and a tyre shop said it would be a waste of time tracking it because this was a sign that it was not a tracking problem. the tyres do need air every week or so. I wonder if it is an under inflation problem or something more serious with the complicated suspension. A Citroen mechanic has checked the suspension bushes for wear and pronounced them sound. I will need to buy new tyres soon. One was so bad I have had to replace one with the spare, it has about 5 mm left across most of the tyre and completely worn down on the edge. any ideas ?
Peter Read more
Yes Ash this steering can feel odd. It is a known condition rather than a particular fault. As long as the car has a matching set of quality tyres inflated correctly and the front bushes/rear arm bearings are OK you will have to live with this.
The power steering is quite light with little feel and remember the car has a self-steering rear suspension set-up. This means it can feel a little like an old rear wheel drive car where the rear starts to oversteer at times. If you quickly tighten up the line on a fast corner the response to steering input will increase to safely take you round the corner, but it will give a variable effect and some don't like it.
Personally I like this trait and find my early SX TD very sure footed.
We are looking for a Range Rover Diesel Automatic (Is there such a thing ) with only £4,000 to spend we know it will be oldish but are we being realistic. Read more
Range rovers are easy to convert to gas. You should get it done for under £1000 and then pay 39p/litre. Why bother with slow smelly diesel?
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Check the offside front spring front hanger. Some steering effort is transmitted
through this bit and the bushes and thrust washers wear.