September 2001
Before I start writing this I'd like to apologise for my utter lack of knowledge when it comes to car mechanics...
Anyway, my 1999 15k 2.0 Focus recently had at least one of it's engine mountings replaced to cure a knocking sound I was hearing whilst driving. Since then I've noticed some drivetrain whine when cruising in the higher gears, and the engine seems a bit gruff and rather noisy.
Now my question is, could these be linked, or is it just a case of me tuning in to these sounds now that the knocking has been sorted?
I was rather more worried about it when in a recent motoring mag it said to look out for whining drivetrains when buying used Focus's!!! Read more
Hi! We are russian family team "Adventurers" and doing well with our motorhome Fiat Ducato Caravan. We are in Lissabon right now and going to set up a new Guinness record on the matter of the age of team members. They are our daughter Lia of 9 and son Amir of 10 years old. Is it interesting to chat about?
Looking forward for your comments... Read more
Good luck Kamil.
Nice to see someone with the conviction and guts to set off on a big journey like this.
How do you keep your children, amused/educated while travelling?
anyone else had problems with focus stalling, got a 1.4 y reg once or twice a week, when coasting to a halt it stalls, not just my awful driving cos it has done it ttwo 3 other drivers too!, any ideas, has just had its 10000 service and still doing it
cheers
vexed? Read more
Not an uncommon problem, and one that has come up here before. Before doing anything with the ECM the idles speed control valve should be removed and cleaned, and the throttle position sensor (TPS) output checked carefully. Sometimes, even with a new TPS, it is necessary to open out the fixing holes to give some rotational adjustment to achieve the correct output voltage. Don't have spec for output voltage to hand, but usually around 0.4volts.
Regards, Adam
On the HJ website 'Car by Car breakdown' section for the Mitsubishi Galant , he writes:
"Mix of officially imported and grey imported VR4s. Only pay grey price for a grey".
How can you tell a grey import if you are buying a second hand Galant and do grey imports create any problems for owners?
Also, has anyone any experience of these vehicles?
Thanks
Dave Read more
Ralliart imported the official VR4s and there will be documentation to this effect.
HJ
I have a November 99 (V Reg) Lexus IS200 SE Manual with 20,00 miles on the clock. From new it has suffered from an annoying (and quite severe) clutch judder when creeping along in slow moving queues (slipping the clutch at tickover). Lexus delers accept that the problem exists and have replaced the flywheel and clutch assembly twice, but the problem persists. Has anyone else had this problem? Read more
I wonder if the engine mounts, or their design, have a problem.
David
Does anyone know of any independent garages in the Guildford area who will work on Nissans. I have been using a main dealer and would like to save some money. Read more
Sunny GTi (not R). Not a lot of them around I know.
Nick
Any ideas why my 1996 petrol 1108cc Fiat Punto 55 SX should give my wife strife when cold-starting?
In the 3 years I've owned it, it has only once not started correctly for me, yet in the last 8 months it has stalled immediately after firing, when she's started it from cold.
We follow the same starting procedure; the only difference in the past was that my wife used to wait for the injector lamps on the dash to go out because she was used to my old diesel cavalier, but now she does the same as me and it still happens occasionally!!
But I can't see any logical reason for it. We use the same keys, it doesn't depend on the weather, nor does it follow periods of town use as opposed to motorway use (or vice versa).
Typical usage was originally weekend motorways, with hardly any town use, but in the last 4 months it's been used 3 or so times per week for commuting 5-10 minutes to work; weekend motorway use continues.
Otherwise, the car performs fine in all respects, economical and reliable.
Has anyone any similar experience of cold-starting troubles or useful insight to share? No sexism though please!!
Thanks! Read more
It can only be her personal magnetism affecting the ECU.
David
I've just had my Xantia estate, purchased in Jan'01, serviced - 10,000 miles. They advised by phone that all 4 indicator bulbs were showing white light and needed to be replaced. I have had the bulbs back and the orange paint is flaking on all of them. The car was preregistered in March'00 but had only done 80 miles when I bought it from Citroen dealer. I have now noticed taht a lot of new cars have clear indicator glasses thus needing orange bulbs. Do they all flake after such a relativel short time ?? If this is a fact of life then a lot of people are getting ripped off and the lamp manufacturers are raking it in for the sake of a minor design change my car makers. your comments please.
John Farmer (from Kidderminster). Read more
The branded aerosol carb cleaner I buy is toluene, which is not acetone but far nastier, so watch getting it on your hands - I think it is absorbed through the skin and can knacker some internal organs, but I could be wrong. I once tried acetone and it was pretty useless in comparison.
Hi all,
I own a 1989 Astra CDi with 1.8 8v engine. The trouble is when since I got it the performance seems to have reduced a fair bit. I realise this is half me getting used to it (its a lot faster than my old car), but its definitly slower. Also when i start it its very lumpy for the first thirty seconds or so.
I've changed the plugs and leads with no effect.
Also, since I bought the car (6 months ago) the engine has begin to sound a lot clunkier. I've been recommended by a mechanic friend to put some thicker oil in since the engine is getting on a bit now. What do you guys think?
Any ideas? Cheers lads and lasses, Read more
Have you checked the automatic choke?
Maybe running too long and too rich, this will explain both your problems.
Also the type of fuel, I would stay away from Low Sulphur as put out by the likes of most Texaco filling stations, you'll get 25% less milage/power. Honest John may have something on this Low Sulphur stuff.
Cheers
Roy
Spent yesterday delivering my eldest daughter to university for the first time. She had dismantled her room to be transported and reassembled in Norwich, we just managed to cram everything in my Audi 100 saloon, by using 75% of the back seat too!
She is bound to acquire more possessions so I am anticipating problems when it comes to clearing her room at the end of term, plus this will be on going for the next five years.
Short of buying a Transit van, or taking two cars each time, I?d interested to hear suggestions of a suitable low cost vehicle to acquire, it?s a five hour 300 mile round trip to uni so reliability and economy are important too! Read more
Hey! They receive american visas! And it is great and incredible - unpredictible!
There doesn't actually appear to be anything in the Car by Car breakdown that refers to drivetrain whine.
What I'm curious about is whether some damage or incorrect refitting could have occurred when changing/adjusting the engine mount which might cause the problem?