May 2002
I have a 1996 AX with a dealer fit immobiliser.The sensor ring that goes around the ign-barrel (picks up a signal from the key fob) has a break in the very thin co-axel wire leading to it.I have tried to repair but it is not reliable. Main Dealers can`t help and the name on the module is Texalarm TKF 165 GB.
I`am not looking forward to removing it so any advice on repair or supplier would be greatly appreciated. Read more
I've just spent a few happy moments reading some of the archives from the "Technical Backroom". There seems to be a thread running through them of bad servicing by main dealers. This exactly reflects my experiences with company cars, which is why I do it myself on cars that I own. Coming to the question of warrenties the stamping of a service book is not only no evidence of a service being done correectly, it is, in my experience, no evidence of the service being done at all, not even the bonnet openned. As far as the validity of new car warrenties is concerned it is my view that so long as manufacturers parts are used and that there is a comprehensive service record (not just a stamp in a book) then, unless they can prove otherwise, the manufacture has no legal ground to refuse warrenty claims solely on the basis that a main dealer did not do the servicing. This view corresponds to my recent reading of the Toyota warrenty contract. Any comments Read more
One to beware of on a vehicle sold by a main dealer or smaller trader is a "sales service".
This is almost nothing at all carried out to give you a stamp in the book but taking minimal costs from their deal.
I had an expensive vehicle in the other month purchased at the point it was due a major 36K service, coolant/brake fluyid cahnges plus a timing belt. The book was stamped up with a sales service and only the oil had been changed.
David W
The roof-mounted aerial on my car has come adrift-the alloy mounting has cracked. Is the aerial connection standard? I have a replacement which has a 5mm.bolt to secure it.
Any advice gratefully recieved.
Peter M.
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I've never quite figured out HOW these memory savers work - do they actually 'back feed' a 12V supply to the radio/clock etc via the ciggy lighter connection?
Seems slightly dodgy to me, esp with todays multiplexed computer controlled cars
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My wife had a puncture and the spare wheel was put on with long studs used for alloys rather than the short studs used for the steel spare. The car was driven just a short distance because there was an obvious fault but does anyone know what the studs would have been catching inside the wheel hub please?
************ Moved from Discussion - Mark. ***************** Read more
Mike,
It is likely the bolts were too far through the rotating part of the hub and just catching the carrier casting.
If it was that serious the wheel would have been locked solid or the noise terrible.
Also if the damage is minimal to the bolt ends they must have been just brushing and not cause serious damage.
David W
I am running a 1.8CVH Ford Sapphire 115K. At start up, after standing all night, the engine seems to rattle until the oil light goes out.
I know it will be worn in the bearing depts., or am I missing something a bit more simple? Non OE oil filter fitted. Otherwise it runs fine.
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Should the OE oil filter have a non-return valve and the pattern one does not, so you are getting drain-down when standing?
This relates to Spud's horror at HJ's treatment of the Yaris diesel.
All of the Road Tests I read on the new breed of high performance turbo diesels stress the huge amount of torque available at very low revs. They emphasise that a new driving technique is required for rapid progress and stress the need to change gear early at the peak of the torque curve.
Has anyone got any statistics on the difference in performance, say 0-60mph and overall economy, between taking it to the red line in each gear and changing gear at 2000-3000rpm.
C
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Can you give some more details about your TuningBox? I have a 530d and I am not 100% happy with the power delivery as it is a little uneven. What benefits do you get and is there any risk to your gearbox being damaged with the increase in torque?
My 2 1/2 yr old 44000 mile 2.0l VW Bora Sport has a very high oil consumption - not quite up to the litre per 1000 km which VW say can be experienced
When i became aware of this (just after pulling on to the motorway when the oil warning light came on !), I looked at the manual, which specfies oil only in terms of VW specifications ( VW 500 00 or VW 502 00) - not a lot of good when you're 20+ miles from the nearest VW dealer
I rang the dealer and said it needs 15w40 semi-synthetic - fine, I was near an accessories shop, got 5l of Comma xt2000, as per spec. Now I've used that, I can't find any comma retailers in my area, and the only 15W40 i can find is in Halfords and is described as 'mineral based' - so presumably not semi-synthetic
What should I be putting in it ? Should I be putting cheap(ish) stuff in it, because it's not in the engine very long, or should I be putting expensive stuff in ?
Can you mix synthetic/semi synthetic/mineral oils ?
Who else makes a 15w40 semi-synthetic besides comma ?
if I can't find that, what is the best thing to replace it with ?
M
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Looking more carefully at your posting I feel I read between the lines that you have only recently bought the car.
Had a chance to chat with some automotive colleagues this weekend (chassis and electrical specialists, but all confirmed petrol heads) and they all agreed that if you are consuming 1 litre per 1000 miles then this is very bad. Sounds like a rebuild is in order.
If you have just got it and you have got some warranty then take it back and tell them its using more than 1 litre per 1000 and demand they investigate and fix.
In Chile I have a Dodge Ram (its a pick-up).
I now need (well, want) to import this to the UK.
Can someone give me a starting point ?
Its not the actual importing, its how I get it registered and on the road in the UK once its there. What actually needs to be done to the thing. It has a Cat, so that at least should be ok.
Also, can someone recommend an insurer for American Cars. I´m old, so I am not expecting it to be too big a problem. Read more
Mark,
If you do decide to bring the Dodge back to the UK with you stock-up on consumables first.
Wiper blades, oil filters and sump washers, brake pads and light bulbs etc.
Although parts are available in the UK, you sometimes end up having to wait for silly things to be shipped from a distribution centre which can take a week or more.
Also, remove anything likely to get damaged eg. aerial, and if you want to keep your Brazilian No. plates remove them too or they will be stolen.
Good luck, Kevin...
I might be doing myself out of a potential patent application here, but what do you think of this idea.
Vibration is used to speed up certain processes, in fact it has it`s own name of sonochemistry.
Now ever higher injection pressures are used to obtain better combustion more power and lower emissions, eg diesel engines with common rail and unit injector pumpe duse technology.
Some gas turbine fuel injectors use vibration from piezo-electric vibrators to obtain a smaller fuel size droplet and hence enormous emission reduction benefits.
What about applying this latter technique to cars/ trucks/ buses/ trains. Or has it been tried already?
© 2002 Flat in Fifth HJ Backroom worldwide pat pending
What d'ya fink?
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I can see between you guys something's going to get invented. Even if only a tea-bag without holes to keep the flavour in over extended storage periods.
I know you didn't really mean it for this thread but do bear in mind I can put my official hat on if you ever get a post badly wrong and correct it as you wish.
David W
A collegaue has a newish Corrola, and his LHS headlight beam is set much too high - I noticed the other night, when he passed me on the way home.
I mentioned it this morning, and he says he'll get it adjusted - is this a simple job, or a dealer job?
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Crude, but effective way involves chalk, a wall, and another car with correct headlight aim.
Park other car facing wall with lights on, approx 3 foot away from wall. Mark wall with chalk where headlights are and also mark position of car on road. Now exchange donor car with Toyota and adjust headlights to correspond with marks on wall. It may not be 100% perfect, but it should be better than it was.
When next MOT is due, if they fail it due to incorrect headlight adjustment, chances are they will adjust it for free.
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I reckon you'll end up removing it
More hassle than it's worth....replace it with a Clifford Virtual Key immobiliser
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