October 2002
This morning, on a blind corner up a steep hill the tanker in front of me suddenly cut out and stopped. He turned his hazzard lights on, so clearly there was a problem.
Faced with either waiting indefinitely, or chancing the corner, I chanced the corner, as did a stream of cars behind me.
Afterwards it occurred to me to wonder whether sounding the horn would have been of any use in warning any unseen oncoming traffic. Should I have sounded it continuously, or in pulses, or would it just have been a pointless gesture more likely to anger the tanker driver and everybody else?
In fact, apart from as a sometimes irresistible way of swearing at people, what use does the horn have? Unlike a headlight flash, which is pretty directional, a blast on the horn radiates to all and sundry. How often are you distracted by a horn that may have come from anywhere, and was probably just someone tooting to a mate anyway?
Anyone got any thoughts ?
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Hi
I've got a Alfa 146ti on a P plate, on sunday evening the fuel injection warning light came on, I cant get it down a garage for at least 2 weeks. Does anybody know what the problem could be, i put some wynns in it yesterday but theres no change yet (how quick does that stuff work?, if it does?) Will it be okay to drive whilst the light is on.
I need to use the car to get to the station <2 miles (pre 6am, so i'm not getting up any earlier to allow for the time walking), i can use my missus' car for anything else.
Thanks
Tone Read more
Its listed in the handbook as 'fuel injection system warning' it looks a bit like a nozzle with a spray coming off (with a bit of imagination).
But it looks like it might be better to get taxis for the next couple of weeks. Or trade the car in, never liked it anyhow.
Tony
I have just bought a 1996 306 diesel and the heater radiator under the dash is leaking. i want to take the dash out to look at it but i dont know the best way of doing this. as far as i can see it is all one unit. any help would be appreciated. thanks
andy Read more
b,
Sadly this "little job" is catching out many 306/ZX owners with a massive repair bill.
Yes the dash does come out as one major lump but with loads of bits and connections to remove first, impossible to describe here. If the job isn't done with huge care about 20% of the things removed don't work/fit properly ever again.
That is why it books at about a 7hr job in the trade, in reality it often takes two chaps a day or perhaps one a day and a half.
Depending where it's done the total bill can be £350 -£500!
Good luck.
MM
HAny advice from you techy guys, or anyone that has had thesame problem...BMW 1995 525, 60 -70mph steering wheel judder, I have had New Wheels, New tyres all round, Tracking, and had the wheels balanced by 4 different garages, had the front on the back, back on the front, and still the same, 60 - 70 steering wheel judders. I have however noticed that SOMETIMES the judder is worse than other times. I am getting that desperate I phoned the previuos owner and low and behold he had exactly the same problem, what he told me was this "The Mole/Worm drive shims" need to be adjusted. This means nothing to me, but he explained that its a problem with the steering, but not the steering rack, and he understands that it is a known problem with 525's. Any advice experience would be very much apprciated. I do have the car booked into the main stealer, but they cant fit it in until Saturday, ah well.
Thanks in advance. Read more
My car has a hydraulic clutch and this has started to judder on take up. I know that judder can be due to contamination of the clutch plates with oil, but have noticed that the level of clutch fluid in its reservoir has fallen a little. So my question is; could clutch fluid leak from somewhere to cause clutch judder?
Thanks Read more
Yes , renew the clutch slave cylinder. The seal on the front of the slave cylinder can go and the fluid will eventually find its way onto the gearbox input shaft and clutch. This also allows air to drawn back into the system. The clutch can judder for 2 reasons, 1. Fluid onto the input shaft cleans it and drys it , this causes the clutch friction disc to stick on the splines , 2. Air is drawn back into the hydraulic system, this can be temporarily be cured by bleeding but this will not solve the problem. The only solution is to renew the cylinder and hope that the clutch plate isn't sticking on the shaft, otherwise it will be a new clutch!
I have starting problems with a Omega 2.5TD (BMW engine). I am certain its the glowplug reay thats at fault but can't find it.
Does anyone know where its located?
Lenny Read more
I have a 1997 Mondeo. When i turn on the a/c, after using it 1 hours, the passenger side feet becomes wet. I guess the drain pipe is blocked ( as DAVE_N mentioned before). Does anyone know where this pipe is and how can i clean it. Or can it be another problem. Please help!!(I have just cleaned my polen filter). Read more
Thanks Dave
I will try to find it, but i first start under the car because i do not want to remove the plastic parts of Mondeo because they are extremely breakable (I guess one of the biggest problem of Mondeo is poor plastic quality). If i could not find it like that, than i will have to remove the pannels. The service here could not say anything about it (I live in Republic of Turkey). I guess they do not know where that silly pipe is.
Thanks again
HI all
I was wondering if anyone could help me i have just placed a 1.3 polo enegine in to a polo . the transplant went successfuly and it start up like a dream and runs well, my issue is after about 5 minutes it will not idel any longer it cuts out. Does any one know what could be going on.
thanks
Paul Read more
How old is this car. Are you sure it is a carb. This engine was fitted with a Bosch Monotronic Single point injecter and a Cat. If you have this model then the temp sensor may be us and when the cat/Lambda is not comming out of open loop mode.
Provide mpre info and angive series is it an AAV or what.
Peter
Another Mondeo diesel starting problem.
I recently took my 1999 Mondeo TD to a main Ford dealer for starting problems.
The car requires turning over for some 15 seconds or so before it will start, and then I get a cloud of white smoke from the exhaust. I can make it start much quicker by letting the glow plugs time out completely i.e.: some 15 seconds or so re start again, this time it starts within a couple of seconds.
The dealer tell me they checked the glow plugs compression etc and that the fault was a diaphragm on the fuel pump, £140. this made no difference at all, after various other checks they decided that the fuel injector pump is faulty but due to the costs involved suggested I run the car as it is.
I would welcome any advise, I honestly believe that the dealer is guessing, although the car has done 140k miles the fuel pump was replaced by them some 19 months ago, and apart from this problem the car runs very well and returns some 50mpg.
Benjamin
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I had the same starting problem last year. New glow plugs worked for me. Would tend to discount the battery as it obviously cranks and starts albeit eventually (although it has been replaced I note). Maybe, just maybe the glow plugs were too short?? The replacement ones being the correct length?? If the car runs well, I would suggest the pump etc are in good order as it, you would think, reduce performance at higher fuel flows.
Alan Clark.
My son in law has decided to sell his motor bike which he rarely used. Its a Ducati 600 SS model P Reg with 13k on the clock and in lovely condition.
Asked me to help him get it started as it had stood in his garage for three months without being fired up.
First step was to remove the battery and charge.
The engine spun over afterwards with no signs of starting.
Petrol in the tank but topped it up with another half gallon.
Removed both spark plugs and they were virtually as new due to a full service he had before laying it up.
Petrol was on the plugs which proved that fuel was getting there and the spark plugs gave a spark (although it wasn’t the big fat one I see on cars) when connected to the leads and spinning the motor over.
No joy but knowing nothing about motor bikes called at the motor bike centre and asked their advice.
The man said it would be the petrol which would be useless. I explained that it had been topped up and he said this makes no difference as the old remaining would kill off the new.
Never heard of this one before so this week will be removing the tank and draining off.
Can anyone confirm this diagnosis or give any other advice if it won’t start.
Would also welcome any ideas on the best way to sell and it’s approximate value.
alvin
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Afore I go, that reminds me. What the hell are the blowup yobs using?
In one week, we've had explosions blowing up
An old red phone box (phone still works, iron & glass blown to bits)
An old red pillar box
A car
Post box had shredded remnants of a firework in the debris.
What's wrong with these idiots, don't they realise there are perfectly good Gatsos requiring attention?
Browse
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instead of
And the front wheels are locked (invalidating everything they say about stopping distances) but the driver keeps the brake pedal pressed anyway. And the message is that 35mph is the wrong speed because it is 5mph over the posted limit, even though the scene has a busy urban street (with a pedestrian crossing?) and kids in the road such that 30mph would be criminally fast. But it's OK to drive into children at 30mph because they might survive.
I was annoyed by that one too Tom.
GJD