December 2001
It's a cracker:
Police Warning on Christmas DIY Breath-Tests
.............Roger Vincent, a spokesman for The Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, added, "DIY breath-testers are a temptation for drivers to drink up to the limit. People might be lured into having another half before getting behind the wheel of a car."..................
Story filed: 10:55 Sunday 9th December 2001
From: www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_469088.html
One for the road?
No I'd better not - had three halves already ............. but wait a minute: I've got one of those two quid disposable breath test kits, you know - the ones where the "leaflet sold with the device warns the test results may not be accurate if the test is not conducted according to the instructions"
Lets see, if I've conducted the test according to the instructions, and I don't drink it all, I should be able to have another half!
So what exactly are "the police" and the "safety" mafia trying to achieve here?
Noel Read more
I have been asked about information on a corsa with an ecotec 16v 1.2cc chain driven engine. Does one exist and if so where can i find some info? Read more
B it of a cheat, this, as these are really Suzuki engines. The Wagon R haa always had chain cams.
HJ
Think it was Classic Motor or something similar. Had not realised how sand blasting had changed. Different ways of doing it and a variety of materials. Noticed they recommended 3HP 14cfm. Sounds a bit expensive! Wondered if anyone was using this to derust steel. As the surface is being impacted, would think it would harden surface up and make it more brittle. Read more
I went to the bangernomics site and was very impressed in the work you had put in on the car. I doubt I would have had the patience.
I have a 40,000 mile 1998 Fiesta 1.25 LX which has developed a bad misfire at low speed, when moving in traffic or pulling round a corner in low gears. It seems fine on the motorway. The plugs were replaced 15,000 miles ago with Motorcraft platinum and the original HT leads are still fitted. Do you think it may be poor quality leads which need replacing? I think it could be an air leak or very weak mixture causing the 'kangaroo' effect at low speed. Either way I need to get it sorted out as I am worried about cat damage through the misfiring.
Thanks Read more
Similar thing happened to my '96 1.4 Fiesta back in 2000 at 70k miles, change of the spark plugs and HT leads cured it.
Am having big problems with the Cavalier.
Was running really lumpy today and not idling well at all - put it down to the bane of every Vauxhall owner's life, the idle control valve.
Not so I think - I thought I'd clean up the electrics etc with some WD40 - took the car out and thought I'd run the engine hard. Now, if I take the engine up to 5000 rpm, let the throttle off then press it back down again - nothing - the car doesn't fire at all. Once the engine gets down to about 1500 rpm it picks up again if I'm lucky. Idling very bad and the engine keeps cutting out, thought it was going to be an AA job at one point.
I'm still going to go over the electrics when the car's cooled sufficiently but if anyone can offer any helpful suggestions as to what could be up I'd be VERY grateful - I need the car for work tomorrow!
Thanks in advance
Dan Read more
God knows - I tried Andrew Moorey's suggestion and it doesn't look like it is, or is all due to, the throttle position sensor unfortunately. Could still be the airflow meter or maybe EGR valve.
The car is now idling at 3000 rpm and I am just being thankful it is not an auto.
I see a very bleak Christmas ahead after the Vauxhall/GM garage have finished emptying my bank account. Unless a miracle happens between now and Friday I'll let you know what it was once they've found it.
Cheers for asking!
Original posting:
Non-start
Author: Roger K. (---.cache.pol.co.uk)
Date: 05-12-01 21:13
I had a car die on me recently: all ignition circuits were dead and no ignition light. Lights and hazards working and central locking.
I checked fuses and fusible links and looked for loose connections.
After about an hour, the warning lights came on and the car started and ran normally.
My prime suspect is the ignition switch, although the car seems to be OK now.
Any ideas?
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9/12/01
I have now changed the printed-circuit fuse panel assembly (£140!)
I have been told by an experienced mobile auto-electrician that this breakdown of the printed circuit boards is a common fault, especially on Fords and Rovers, and often results in one circuit having an unusual and difficult to locate fault. Let's hope this is the answer! Read more
Dry joints on the board - happens, and on "long-running" productions, happens much more frequently. (cars, TVs anything which don't change its design for a while)
The solder deteriorates while in storage, after manufacture of the board, and if it sits on the shelf for a long while, is prone to dry-jointing after all the components are added.
Having just come off worst in an encounter with my gatepost and split the corner of the front bumber of my 98 Mondeo, I was wondering if anyone knows whether it is possible to get such items repaired or will I have to pay the full rip-off price for a new one. If the latter, any ideas as to the cost so I can be prepared for the worst when I visit my local friendly Ford dealer?
Neil Read more
talking of Ford (cos it owns Jaguar), why would anyone now buy a new, soul-less looking Mondeo when, as this site revealed yesterday, you can get a new, smaller engined X-type for under £20k?
Anybody know a good source of parts for a Ford Galaxy 1.9Tdi, besides Ford, and a source of a workshop manual as Haynes don't seem to offer one.
Many thanks,
Pete Read more
In the UK it may me worth looking at www.europarts.com ,these vehicles are made in Spain and Portugal along with the VW and have nothing really anthing to do with Ford except the badge other stable mates are the VW LT van ,Mercedes Van ,Citroen ,Fiat ,Peugeot ,Lancia all suffer from poor built quality .and massive depreciation in Europe.The only one that is worth anything in Germany is the VW all wheel drive version with the 2.5 td engine
Having seen the advert on uk tv for the Picasso with two people in bed rerunning a vidio- we have the same in Germany except the price in Germany is 28000dm the uk its 36000dm not such a good offer.Plus the German offer has more gismos and addons.
On my recent visit to the uk I found cars at Leeds auction fetching far more than they would retail at in mainland europe,car parts at so called cut price outlets double what they cost anywhere else,tyre prices where dreamland prices.And how come a bottle of wine in a uk supermarket is 5ukp dearer than in Germany thats profiteering not tax. Read more
Quite right. I remember the high quality Morris Marina! Interesting thought that you could make a good living going abroad to pick up car spares.
Just caught a glimpse of one of these, which does not feature in the Car-by-Car Breakdown. Does anyone know about this model? It is a very neat little coupé-style car with two doors which are glass to all the way over the roof and may be gull-wing. Read more
Isn't "Sega" Italian for masturbation ?
I should know!
Browse
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Yes, but how do you define drink and drive?
And how do you define don't drink and drive/zero tolerance?
Don't have a pint the night before?
Don't have a "rich" Christmas cake last week?
Don't have a chocolate liqueur last month?
Don't have that cough medicine last year?