November 2001
How do you set up the points on a spitfire - its at least ten years since I had a car with points - that was an Austin ambassador ! do I set the gap at TDC ? Sorry if this seems like a stupid question to all you mechanics out there but I am not familiar with this arrangement. Help ! Read more
I have a diesel powered 406 HDI and find that Esso fuel makes this car go much better than any other diesel. Why might this be ? and do peugeot throw all their cars together in such a slipshod way as they assembled mine ? it rattles like a set of spanners having a gang bang in a filing cabinet. Read more
Oh Yes - I have exactly the same bother with my window, the garage just knock it back into place with a rubber mallet but it soon comes off again - it's only a W reg ! the door seals are always coming adrift too
its good to see ladas on tv, as one was on randall and hopkirk (deceased), it was even called a sporty car by vic reeves, and what other colour would it be but BEIGE, i wonder if it will get the cult status that the triumph 2000 got in the levis advert??? Read more
i have a lass, and see is also interested in ladas, she is a good looking lass at 5 foot 11 tall
What do you do when you've three kids, a kitchen sink, and more to move - but up to now had avoided the MPVs (small boys, and big, have enjoyed the ride in a 7 seater Nissan Terrano for the last few years but the back (small) bench seat won't be much good any longer!).
An MPV seems to be on the horizon, BUT which one? Do you go for petrol or diesel, auto or manual? I've also noticed that the 'best seller' Galaxy only has a lap belt in the middle row/middle seat (is this OK for a small child?). I see the fuel goes further in the diesels and assume they're a bit better in the damp (the roads I use have been under water the last few winters - another plus for the 4x4).
Once you've decided on all that - do you buy UK or Euro cars these days. The dealers say no-no to the 'greys' (as they would) but is it all that bad?
Any help or advice most appreciated!
PS Anyone want to buy a Terrano!! Read more
I did see a few cars drive in, conk out, push themselves out. Wait a bit and drive off. Mostly these were petrol, but I did see a Volvo 460 get away with it.
I thought mine had died because it got water where it should have had air, and that knackered the system. Was told it would be v.expensive to reapair, and so took the insurance money.
What would have been the likely damage? I don't really know a lot about the big washing machine thing under the bonnet, I just know to avoid water!
I have been loaned a 2.0 petrol Mondeo (00X reg) while mine was in for repairs. My car is a 1.8 petrol 99S reg.
Since getting my car back I have noticed engine pinking and that the engine is far less responsive even though there is only 15BHP difference.
Is it common for the 1.8 to pink after 30000 miles and is the 2.0 a much better engine? Read more
The Mondeo shouldn't pink, period. It has a fault which needs to be rectified pronto. You will probably find that the car will drive better for being fixed!
Re: Gizmos, Doodads and the placebo effect..
About three years ago I read a book by Grant Adams (creator of Dilbert) in which he wrote of something called the 'affirmation technique' - basically a belief that if you concentrate strongly enough on something you can affect the outcome. (For further thoughts on this, look up the 'Schrodinger's Cat' experiment on the web.)
This is beginning to sound weird, but bear with me.. About the same time as I read the book, my venerable Pug 305 Estate (230K miles at that time) developed a worrying clunking from the rear suspension, which was diagnosed by three main dealers as worn radius arm bearings (£700 job, sir..) I decided, admittedly feeling a bit daft, to give the technique a try, after all, it wasn't going to cost anything. So I wrote out 'The suspension problem on my car will go away' thirty times a day (recommended frequency!)
To cut a long story short, in about two weeks the sound stopped, and the suspension is still working efficiently three years and 60K miles later.
And no, I can't explain why.
Regards,
Peter. Read more
As I believe you remarked to the recalcitrant car in that episode Basil, "what's the point of having you?"
Ford have apparently dropped the 1.25 engine from the new fiesta. The entry level engine is now a 1.3. I've seen this being reported as an "all-new" engine but it sounds to me like the current fiesta's 1.3 engine albeit tarted up a bit. I had a 1.1 engined fiesta. It was extremely noisy and slow and basically the same engine that we had in a 1978 fiesta previously.
Anyone know about this 1.3 and why have they dropped the excellent 1.25 ? Read more
My wife has a 1.25 Zetec Fiesta, with about 5000 miles on the clock...
When I upchange, and revs drop to about 3k, there seems to be a very flatspot..which improves after 3.5k revs...
If I power through those revs in a lower gear, there seems to be less of a hesitancy...
At first I assumed this would clear after running-in, afetr 5000 miles its still the same...
Am I right in thinking, this is not normal for this engine, and I should take it to ford to get them to 'have a chat with the ECU' ???
Hi,
Years ago you could get an electic pre-heater called a BRAY heater to keep a car engine off cold during winter nights.
Can you still get something like this and , if so, where?
Thanks
Malcolm Read more
The Kenlowe Hot-start is not an 'anti-frost' heater - you still need anti-freeze, unless you are prepared to leave a 3kw heater on all night ! It IS, however, an efficient - though rather expensive - way of getting the engine up to operating temp before starting it, thereby reducing wear, AND having a nice warm interior. Beware, fitting it, in most crowded modern engine bays, is NOT a 'simple DIY job', as claimed - my Focus needed a lift/hoist for access & a welded-on bracket!
To 'keep the chill off', many years ago I used a simple paraffin sump-heater, plus a bit of insulation (old blankets) over the bonnet. Cheap, but NOT very efficient.
Most of us seem to be thoroughly teed off by the banning of the MG ad which was perfectly honest, legal, decent and truthful. It told the truth about the car and its capabilities (ie fast and responsive). So why was it banned?
On the other hand we have the latest so-called 'road safety' ads which seem to be telling pedestrians that it is quite normal and acceptable to step off the pavement into the path of an oncoming vehicle without any responsibility whatsoever. When the pedestrian is mown down, all blame is turned on the driver! Whatever happened to 'look left, look right' etc?
This ad is blatantly misleading. Its message is:
'You can legally and safely blunder into a busy road without looking as long as all the cars are travelling at or under the posted limit'.
It is not honest, legal, decent or truthful. Grounds for a few dozen complaints, methinks. Let's play these anti-car yoghurt-knitters at their own game! Read more
Pugugly wrote:
>There was a Islamic Fundamentalist being interviewed on R4 the other day he >decribed the Wesrern Democracies as "a civilized form of Dictatorship..." >makes you think really.
I'd rather have the civilized kind, thanks.
As for the Germans. Pedestrians and cyclists always have right of way, even if they are behaving badly. If you hit one with your car the penalties are very high. Step out into the road, or look like you are about to, and the traffic stops in a completely undramatic way. This was a great source of lunatic amusement to me when I was twelve. Boy, my parents were angry.
Chris
Browse
I have an original owner's manual for a 1970s Spitfire. The following disclaimer is on page 1:
"In these days of bland but reliable saloon cars, the Triumph Spitfire is designed to take you back to the golden age of motoring. In keeping with this aim, the Spitfire requires a level of maintenance unacceptable to the modern motorist of the 1970s. Triumph can not therefore be held responsible for any failure to start, or for any faults that may develop when the car has been moved at speeds in excess of ten miles per hour. As the bodywork is purely decorative, rusting may occur if hot drinks are consumed within ten feet of the vehicle. Triumph recommends that you buy a set of spanners and spend your weekends tinkering, which is much safer than driving around on today's busy roads. The cost of divorce proceedings will not be refunded."
Chris