July 2001
In Saturday's Telegraph, HJ's column quotes a letter from a luckless couple who had total brake failure in their Daewoo Nexia. I understood it to be based heavily on the Vauxhall Astra, in which case it should have dual circuit brakes. If that's true, then the car should have stopped by application of the footbrake, not by the parking brake as the piece stated.
I have never had the experience of dual circuit brakes failing; presumably you get more pedal travel and uneven baking. Anyone care to share their experiences?
Madame's Singer Chamois (Hillman Imp) did let go the front to rear brake pipe years ago when I was driving, but I managed to stop without incident on the handbrake, and I have had a front to rear pipe go in an old Citroen CX (dashboard lit up like a fairground, hydraulic pump chattered away, gallon of green fluid on the road) but it still stopped on the footbrake.
Any comments, ladies & gentlemen? Read more
Something totally totally unimportant which I have wondered about for years.
Why do people drive around for *ever* with those free adverts for the supplying dealer in the back window?
Plus has anyone ever taken to task a dealer who supplies the car, not just with a placky sticker in the rear screen but an actual advertising badge stuck on the boot lid/rear panel? Read more
Anyone remember those really tacky Curry Motors plastic chrome badges they used to stick on the back of all their new and used cars?
Hi all
If a 100hp petrol engine gives 92 Lb.ft torque and a 1.9 TDI
gives 100hp but 176 Lb.ft of torque. They both produce the same power but one gives more torque why?
I thought power was i.e the ability to do work. confused over this.
What is the definition of a short run one that does not get the engine up to normal operating temp?
Bye for now Read more
ernest wrote:
>
> Well you where all good if some of you got
> off topic. However I will have to read them all
> again so it all makes sense.
> But what about sort runs guys?
> Ernest a new Fabia TDI estate owner
> the first diesel i have owned. Great fuel
> economy get 475 to the tank and 275 on
> my previous Fiesta, same size tank.
You don't quote any engine sizes, but from my experience
moving from a 1.3l petrol to to a 1.9l Tdiesel initially resulted in
vastly improved fuel consumption down to the fact that I wasn't
caning the a**e out of my car to get it up to speed.
I would reconsider your position once the novelty factor has worn
off.
To give you an idea:
1.3 Escort - 30-35mpg
1.9TD 306 - 45-55mpg (first few months)
1.9TD 306 - 35-40mpg (Now)
(Figures are for "open road" driving, with next to no urban use)
/John
Is it correct that EU Regs., state that you should be able to change a headlight bulb within 20 mins in a dimly lit street. I have a Seat Alhambra and the handbook states that headlight bulbs should be changed by the dealer, the reason being that it is almost impossible for the owner to manipulate the bulb out
Peter Newens Read more
Yes,
Wondeer what Citoen Assist would say if called out to change a bulb.
Probably unprintable ;-)
Hi,
I've just given back my company R reg Omega, and bought an R reg one. (forthcoming taxation changes)
The sunroof on my own car makes a lot more noise than the car i've given back. The roof operates fine, it just seems to generate a lot more noise. Somebody suggested the felt seal might have gone, but i've been advised by two dealers that its integral with the glass @ at £150 + 2 hours labour all + vat its a bit of an expensive thing to change in case it dosn't cure the problem.
Both cars are saloons, and yes, closing the interior blind makes it a bit better - but its still too noisy.
Does anyone have any ideas or can recommend a sunroof expert in the Herts/Beds/Bucks/N London area?
In anticipation.
Robert Read more
I'd also agree on lubing the seals. My 620 sunroof (never used during winter and the seals are seven years old) was very noisy on opening and the tilt didn't work without a helping hand to lift it up. A quick trip to the local Rover Service Dept and they just splodged the stuff on and it did the trick.
I have a 97 R 106 Diesel, the radiator is now leaking. Is this a regular problem with 3 - 4 yr old cars, is this a 106 problem? Would it be difficult to change myself? Should I use Radweld? Read more
I'M SURE IT'S QUITE A STOOPID QUESTION, BUT HERE GOES -
BASICALLY, i'M LOOKING TO BUY A PEUGOT 106 XRD (1.4d "L" REG) WHICH I'VE SEEN RECENTLY AND WANT TO FIND OUT WHAT TO LOOK OUT WHEN I'M CHECKING IT OUT (MUCH TO THE DISGUST OF THE GARAGE OWNER WHO'S TRYING TO FLOG IT!)
"IT LOOKS A LOVELY COLOUR AND VERY CLEAN" BUT OTHER THAN THAT I'M NOT REALLY SURE WHAT TO LOOK OUT FOR.
SO THE DUMB QUESTION GOES-
HOW CAN I TELL IF THE RADIATORS LEAKING WHEN IM CHECKING IT OVER AND WHAT OTHER BITS SHOULD I LOOK OUT FOR?
HOPE YOU CAN HELP...
LUCY
My Seicento sporting is just about due its first service, and I am considering having the gearbox oil changed, as per HJs recommendation. Is it worthwhile going for Mobil 1 or similar? Gear change is sightly notchy, particularly 2nd. I regularly look at a forum for air-cooled BMW bikes, and general consensus is that fully synthetic transmission oil makes an enormous difference. I realise that I'm not comparing like with like, but I'd be interested to hear other folks' views. (I'm also slightly paranoid about gearboxes after the one on my partners clio diesel lunched itself!)
jonbenj Read more
Alyn Beattie wrote:
>
> On a slightly different tack
Well this is a marinised Gardner story, so going on a different tack is quite appropriate.
>
> It was always said you could not break an old Gardner and
> after that incident I believed it.
I had heard a story which I had always sort of poo pooed until an ancient Scottish fisherman demonstrated it. He held a herring, admittedly a small herring, in front of the air intake of his Gardner, let it go, in went the herring, engine continued to run with nary a cough. That taught me not to bet unless I knew it was a winner, fortunately it was only for a couple of pints of heavy.
My editors have substituted their answer for my answer to this reader's letter in today's column. To see what the reader originally e-mailed and my origninal answer, please go to the new item about this at www.honestjohn.co.uk
HJ Read more
The argument is that your passenger is in the car, and can see and react to your body language, and can see and react to the traffic conditions.
A caller, however, on "losing" the conversation will start shouting down the phone - distracting the driver from whatever has attracted his attention.
Having said that - some drivers get up to far worse and get away with it.
As usual: it's a question of degree, and authorities' priorities (or lack of).
Some kind person dented my door whilst I was walking the dogs and needless to say didnt leave a note.
The paintwork is OK and there are no "creases" just one large dent.
Honest John recommends a company that deals with this problem and I have seen an advert for Dent Devils.
Is this the same Co. and does anyone have experience of their service ?
I would appreciate any advice. Read more
See FAQ 23 on this site. I have used Dentmaster; the technique works very well.
My brother has a cherished 1978 MGB that he has had since 1979. It never ran as well as his previous 1970 model.It ran on a lot and was slower due we understand to modifications for the American market. A couple of years ago he had the engine rebuilt and had it mildly gas flowed and the compression raised. Since then it has been used only for about 2000 miles per year. It pinks terribly unless the ignition is very retarded. He has been told that a thicker head gasket can be obtained that will lower the compression and solve the problem. Any ideas on how to stop the pinking and make it run sweet gratefully received.
I told him that there was bound to be an MGB expert in the Back Room
Cheers
Peter Read more
Adam, I wasn't replying to you. I was replying to Peter who posed the question in the first place. The best way to respond to another contributor to a thread is to identify them because you could find your reply coming in a few answers down the thread from the contribution you wanted to reply to.
HJ
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Darcy Kitchin wrote:
>
> David
>
> You should know nothing could be worse than the Citroen CX
> for handbrake failure, no-one knew how to adust them
> properly, lots of rivet-hinged links to rust and wear and the
> pads themselves were the size of 50p pieces AND the discs
> shrank when cooling ;-(
>
> However, you could steering-lock the front wheels at an angle
> to the kerb - if you remembered.
Brings to mind my 1964 Pug 404 that had a sort of umbrella style handbrake lever hinged from the side of the steering column (opposite side to the column change gear lever). The ratchet on mine was so badly worn that if you got out of the car and slammed the door, the handbrake flew off of its own accord.
I always carried a housebrick in the passenger footwell and put this behind the tyre, before shutting the door firmly.
What's a ratchet, you may ask? It's big mouse s**t.