May 2001
Does anyone have experience of the Tuningbox on Audi A4 Tdi 90bhp? I am considering purchase of similar vehicle but would appreciate the claimed extra bhp/torque for towing. I've checked the web-site and it would appear that the turbo boost/wastegate is not affected. Are there any reliability problems? If a claimed 25% increase can be obtained so simply why are the devices not incorporated by manufacturers as original equipment? Any experience would be greatly appreciated.
Peter Leech Read more
I have a cylinder on my single point injection 1.4 'K' series that is consitantly splitting spark plug insulation round the plug electrode.
1) According to the temp gague the engine doesn't run hot.
2) The split is clean and there is no sign whatsoever of overheating on the plug. (I'm told the isulation melts and distorts before it cracks due to heat)
3) The cylinder in question is one of the inner two.
4) My adjustment of the plug is fairly conventional - I don't think I'm bending the elctrode itself and physically splitting the insulation.
5) The plugs last about 1000 miles before a crack appears.
Any ideas??? I'll try running a slightly hotter plug next time but I'm told this makes very little difference... Read more
Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up Ltd) wrote:
>
> Bizzare! Does the engine "pink" under acceleration? This can
> cause mechanical damage as the mixture explodes under load
> instead of burning. One cylinder can be prone to detonation
> more than the others. The engine is fitted with a sensor to
> detect pinking (knocking) so shouldn't pink at all.
> Good luck, keep us posted.
No, no pinking.
In fact I haven't heard pinking in any car since I used to set the timeing on my old Skoda Estelle by advancing it till it knocked a bit and moving it back a fraction.
Happy days...
The main advice seems to be get a decent brand of plugs - which I'll do... I'll check the servo pipe too.
To be honest although it's in fairly good nick and runs great it only cost me 700 quid and has bravely taken a years abuse. I'm happy to change plugs every couple of months without bothering to to the root of this weird problem.
I will be selling my imported VW Golf 1.8T in about 6 months time, it will then be 8 months old. I am wondering what it will be worth when I come to sell, will it be significantly less than a UK model? I bought the car in Denmark at a saving of around 5K, will I get a profit?
Cheers
Andrew Read more
The reason I asked about the V5 was that years ago when I swapped a VW for a Pug (much better IMHO as a comment to another thread!) the dealer made a big point of looking on the veedub's V5 for the phrase "by sole importer/concessionaire" and actually stated that if it had not shown that the deal was off.
I ignored him at the time as it did not apply and he had already registered the Pug in my name. But this was when personal imports were relatively rare and prior to the EU giving fines to manufacturers for not cooperating with cross border trade.
Plus does Guy Lacey's offer of £20 for your motor mean he is going to let his 1990 Golf go for a tenner? Need some rent on it for that!
Hope someone can help!
I have a 94 Cavalier 1.7TD - a couple of day ago it developed a weird sound from the back passenger side corner. When driving along it sounds like something compressing/decompressing (i.e a dual sound compress/decompress as per a bicycle pump). It will only happen maybe 3/4 times in a half hour drive, but when parked up I cant replicate the noise by 'bouncing' the car. It seems to be the general area of the shocks - is that it?
Any ideas would be appreciated
Many thanks
Mo Read more
I think it's caused by mice in the boot. The "compressing/decompressing" is the noise they make when making love.
Try driving faster.
I've just bought a Cavalier Mk2 convertible as a cheap ragtop runabout on the offchance that we get a decent summer this year. But I'm finding the heavy non-PAS steering a real pain, especially as I live in London, and often have to squeeze into tight parking spaces.
So has anyone out there ever retro-fitted power steering to a Cav Mk2? How difficult/expensive a job is it? (It's a 1987 1.8i manual, if that makes any difference.)
Thanks, Ian. Read more
No it is not to difficult ,steering rack change a pump to install
and I think pully swop.The only difficult part as always will be rusty bolts etc ,good luck.
Hi HJ, The cleaning out of the throttle body has solved the surging problem and she is running better than ever. I am amazed that the main dealer did not know to do this.
New prob. With the ignition on the window washers deliver a powerful jet of water. When the engine is running the water pressure only just about manages to hit the screen. At 70mph it is a waste of time.
Any ideas why it should work with the engine off and not when it is on?
Graeme Read more
Graeme
Wierd! Low volts on the pump = low pump speed = poor flow. Check the volts on the pump under the two conditions. Sould be 14+ volts with the engine running, so the pump should be a bit faster than in the 'ignition on' state. If the volts are high, check if the pump is running faster - if it is then the little rotor is slipping on the shaft - buy a new pump.
If it's slower, then check the contacts in the circuit, and see if something else fed by the same fuse drawing a high current only when the engine's running. A combination of high current draw by another component, and poor contacts may be the problem.
Another thought - it isn't that it's fine with the ignition on and the bonnet open - but a hose is trapped with the bonnet closed?????
Regards
john
Hello !
I have just bought a Nissan Almera, and want to change the rather poor Radio, however unlike other cars it seems to be built into the dashboard, ie, there is a flange on the dashboard which seems to make it impossible to remove the old unit.
Does anyone out there know how to whip the old one out, - does it mean having to dismantle the whole dashboard or what ?
Hope someone can help !!
Cheers
Gareth Read more
It is with blokes like u about...
Ha Ha - bring on Les Dawson.
There we were sitting outside our local village cafe(which also doubles as a newsagents) enjoying the sun and the fresh countryside air and also the singing of the local bird population,we were also enjoying our coffee and carrot cake.That was untill this inconsiderate driver of a diesel car stopped right outside and give us a taste of his exhaust fumes!. Now why is it that some drivers of diesels do not like to switch off their engines when popping into shops, I have seen this happen on many occasions, is it a throwback to the days when diesels did not start as easily as the modern engine of today or what!. It is also practiced by drivers when collecting their papers early in the mornings which must upset local residents. We have all heard about someone losing their car in this way yet many drivers still take the risk of their car being stolen or being caught by the law.
Any comments on this stupid unsafe and unlawfull habit!
Regards,cough,cough.
Malcolm Read more
It is a serious comment. I'm not just here for side-splitting one-liners (where? You may ask)
Weston-Super-Mare used to suffer from hooligans in Nissan Almeras (see other thread) driving up and down the seafront all night with Boom Boom STR.
What did they do? That's right, close off the seafront on the main nights and the problem goes away.
Easy.
I think your breakdown needs updating. My Neon 2.0 LX Auto reg 1/3/01 seems to have 4 speeds in the gearbox! Read more
I have driven a PT Cruiser HJ but the looks from the pavement I got driving through town was almost too much to take! People were pointing and laughing - it looks sooo ridiculous. But it drove quite well I thought but I really couldn't live with those looks! Sorry
The offside electric window of my 1991 Nissan 200SX failed. I take away the door cover and find out the cable used to pull the window snapped due to rusting. The motor and the mechanism (regulator) are OK.
The Nissan dealer suggests that the whole regulator have to be replaced and quotes £165 plus labour for the job. I think I only need a new cable, ?
I would like to know whether I can only change the cable only (I don?t want to be ?rip-off? by the dealer)? If the whole regulator (minus the motor) has to be replaced, I would like to know is there any alternative parts dealers which may stock it (reconditioning parts are fine). I also would like to know is there any 200SX specialists located in East Sussex area (as my previous experience with the dealer is far from satisfactory)?
Many thanks for any suggestion.
Regard,
Godfrey Read more
Dear Jonathan,
How to blow the system?? Being not technical minded, I am not even sure which pipe is connected to the turbo?? Should I simply ask the garage to do that for me during the next oil change?
Thanks,
Godfrey
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I was talking with a fellow owner last week, he got his car chipped by Star performance in Glenrothes. I asked Honest John about chipping a 107,000 mile A4 and was surprised to find my engine is probably over 2/3 rds of the way through it's life, the advice was not to do it.
Tim