June 2002
I'm very fond of my old Carina II. OK so getting it to go round a corner is a bit like pushing an over-laden shopping trolley while wearing roller skates and it has no acceleration to speak of but I when I bought it six years ago it was for for its reliability, and THAT is absolutely bomb-proof.
Or, should I say, was.
Friday before last it was serviced. Distributor cap and rotor arm burnt (it does this every year or two, so I just get them replaced), two new tyres, and the tales of the expected (rear shocks weak, slight oil leaks and other signs of graceful ageing).
Saturday I drove from Cambridgeshire to Dorset. Slight pinking on acceleration in 3rd or 4th -- since the distributor cap and rotor arm had been replaced I assumed that the pinking was due to dodgy new parts and resolved to complain to the garage when I got back.
All the next week I drove around Dorset, pinking and cursing.
Today my wife said "The car's making funny rattling noises and it smells of burning". I took it out for a run to see for myself and everything seemed fine until suddenly the engine temperature, which has never risen above normal in six years, went off the scale. I stopped the car to let it cool down with the engine off (it's got an electric fan). When it had cooled I limped into the nearest garage who kindly pointed out that my radiator was empty (thanks mate!) and filled it up with water free of charge. I was surprised at the lack of coolant -- the levels were topped up and I had seen no signs of steam.
A couple of gallons of water cooled the engine down nicely and got me back home. When I checked the car later on the driveway, I noticed no significant coolant leakage and all the hoses seemed fine. So -- seems like it is leaking out when the car's
going along.
Question is -- what do I do now ? It seems to me there are a few conceivable causes:
1) Broken thermostat
2) Broken water pump
3) Failed radiator cap
4) b***** big airlock in cooling system
5) Cylinder head gasket gone
I can't see that 1 and 2 would cause such catastrophic loss of coolant. 4 seems implausible to me. I would have thought that 3 would cause it to run slightly hot for a while before it went absolutely mental.
If it is a cylinder head gasket, is there any point in doing anything or should I just await the inevitable ? What's the easiest way of finding the cause ? Have I already knackered the engine by letting it overheat so badly and then pouring gallons of cold water into the cooling system ? Is it time to let the old girl fade away ? Should I at least drain the cooling system and put something more suitable in ? Or is it not worth bothering ?
Tell me the worst, doctor. Read more
It seems appropriate that since the purchase of my Xantia (April 2000)coincided with me discovering this very interesting and helpful site that I should record its demise here. Finding an enthusiast and expert like Mr Woollard was a real treat. I went on to get his tips on running and chosing a Xantia from his web site. My Xantia was a 96 vsx diesel. I bougth it from the company I was working for at the time. I bought it blind trusting the service manager. The car was sound but when I picked it up it was clear the clutch was in need of replacement and the tyres were worn off on the edges at the front. It turned out that as Mr Woollard said to be under inflation. The replacements have been fine. Just a pity the full service history had not picked up the need for a clutch.It had just had the expensive 72,000 mls service.
I have enjoyed the car for 2 years, the mileage now reading 100,000 and I planned to keep it for two more. I looked after it and servicing was carried by me (well regular oil changes) and the more technical bits by a moonlighting Citroen mechanic which kept the bills down.The car always delivered over 45 mpg and more with careful driving.
About 3 weeks ago I was tail ending whilst stationary in standing traffic on the M3. It appears that the car is a write off.It drives fine but the roof is bent and the rear is well buckled.I am now waiting for the offer from the Insurance company of the guilty party.
I may well get another Xantia.the only thing I did not like about it was the relatively heavy clutch.Are they all heavy clutches on Xantia diesels?
Cheers
Peter
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This is true. This is why my lovely ****heap Polo went through 2 in 3 months.
Marvellous innit. I post a message about my wonderful Xantia and then what ? The s-d lets me down. !!!
Got in car and as usual it started at ch. Not chug chug chug, Just ch. It always starts like that.
Drove 1 mile to Sainsburys. (Not lazy --pouring with rain )
Half an hour later unlocked car wife and I got in and before I put my key in the switch the alarm went off and would not stop with the " turn on ignition and press the cancel switch " business.
Passer by said get out and go through whole sequence again. Did so. No result -alarm still screaming.
Turned off alarm under bonnet. All the warning lights come on but starter motor is dead.
Youngest son arrives says battery done for. Hell it`s only 7 and a half years old !!
Stuck jump leads on and off she went. Ran around a bit to charge battery. Problem is the red light that flashes when the alarm is armed now glows continuously with the ignition on or off but at least the screaming has stopped.
And altough all the array of warning lights come on plus radio lights etc it wont start .The starter motor spins and then just runs out of puff and lies down and dies.
How do I fix the alarm ? Is it just a new Battery to cure everything ? Help needed please.
And it`s my Birthday And was told today I`m on pills for life for blood pressure. Where the hell is that McEwans No. 1 ? Read more
Thanks people.Greame your experiecnce very similar to mine. I went to buy a battery -a Bosch from Halfords since you ask --with the blasted headlights flashing like a cop car !!!
I really hate drawing attention to myself but the damn things would not go off till the new battery was fitted . Everything fine now
Looking forward to views on the C5
Regards.
A group called Eco Salvage is trying to get EU money to buy a special off road machine that would enable the recovery of dumped cars from difficult to access areas. To qualify for the grant they need to prove that there is a problem with dumped cars. To do this they are asking people to report the location of dumped cars so they can compile a directory. So, if you know of a dumped car visit www.ecosalvage.com and let them know where it is. Read more
On the engine oil filler cap there is a notice saying "To avoid damage to the catalytic converter do not over fill". I am aware of the back/front crankcase bearing seal scenario but how does the excess oil damage the cat?
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£10-worth of 4 Star will not do the cat any long term damage to the cat at all
It might degrade its performance slightly, thats all.
MG-Rover Questions? Click on www.mg-rover.org
Now that I have my freebie VW Polo on the road, I'm starting to find out why the previous owner gave up with it. It won't pull cleanly below around 3000 rpm - spits back through the carburettor, and loses power if you open the throttle wide at low revs. Every trip to the shops becomes a Grand Prix style thrashfest, which is a bit tedious after a while. I've dealt with all the usual causes - new plugs, points, coil and fuel filter, stripped and cleaned the carb, and the rubber carb mounting block looks to have been recently replaced.
One thing I have noticed is that all the cam lobes have worn through the case hardening, and are distinctly less 'pointy' than they should be. Could this be the cause? And if so, are heads interchangeable between the different Polo engines? Mine is a 1093cc Formel E, and all the cars in local breakers are 1043 or 1272cc.
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com Read more
Polo heads always seem to leak from the corner above the alternator. The oil eventually damages the alternator.
Plenty of hylomar seems to do the trick. For a while anyway!
I don't think it's because of a mechanical problem with the vehicles, certainly hadn't heard anything until you mentioned it.
I did highlight the apparent over supply of pre registered cars and vans, all with minimal mileage relative to virtually all the Fiat range, (with exception of Stilo), a few weeks back.
Also read an article in the Financial press recently regarding the poor performance of the Fiat group generally, perhaps they just need the 'dosh'!
Mark. Read more
That certainly explains a lot. So, presumably the problems mentioned above are the result of the factory incorrectly fitting pistons that are too small? (forgive halfwitted question, I'm what you might call an end-user rather than an engineer...)
Can anybody tell me where I can get a wiring diagram for the air conditioning system Read more
I have read here and elsewhere that short journeys are bad for modern cars, so I would be interested to read people's views regarding the following...
During the day a local garage has its cars on display on the forecourt. Then at night each one is driven to an secure area round the back of the showroom. The following morning each car is driven round to the forecourt again. This continues every day until each car is eventually sold.
I would imagine that this isn't doing the cars any good and should I think twice about buying a car that has been treated in this way? Read more
Thought so. I try to take the longer journeys and leave the engine running because well paid as the job is (comparitively) I can't afford a starter motor.
Anyone have any hints on how to take out a crease-type dent in a plastic bumper caused by reversing into a gatepost?
Not a color-coded bumper, but a grey hard plastic insert. The crease/dent is about 1/4" deep and the same across, being 2" long. The material is hard-ish but looks some form of internal pressure allied to maybe some heat might enable it to be pushed out. The plastic per se is not damaged.
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not quite true HJ... they just don't seem to export them
See this link... my sister has driven one of these Saturn SL2 cars in boston for 5 years and 100,000 miles without any dents,,, you can hit their bodies all over with bats and rocks etc with no dents and fix any bad dents with a hair drier
and the engines look like painted stirofoam due to the lost foam casting process used
www.saturnbp.com/
Randolph Lee
Nantucket Island, U.S.A.
I live in my own little world, but it's ok, they know me there
Browse
Sounds as though you have got away with it !! Just keep an eye on the coolant level for the next few weeks, and, obviously, the temp gauge.
Regards, Adam