November 2002
Hi,
Was going to post about this a couple of days ago, but really didn\'t have enough information to make sense. Which I still don\'t, but since the problem is getting worse I just wonder if anyone can throw any light on this for me.
Astra 1.7D - started getting a squeaky noise from time to time, very much like the noise I remember from when people\'s fan-belts were about to fail.
Have been trying to establish exactly when and why this happens, at first it seemed to be at low speed and when I changed gear or applied brakes.
Now it seem to be happening a lot more, but I can\'t really describe an actual breakdown of when and why it happens. Seems to happen when I\'m accelerating, or decelerating, in low gears, and am changing gears whether or not braking or trying to speed up. But since today it has also been happening in higher gears, not all the time just intermittently.
I know I\'m not explaining this at all well, the reason being that I have yet to find a consistent situation where it happens.
But any clues or thoughts would be most warmly welcomed, last thing I need is for problem to escalate into something bigger.
My only thought is that maybe it could have something to do with the drive belt, which was replaced recently, needing tightening again?
Thanks in advance to anyone who can offer a opinion on this,
HF Read more
Anyone out there thats driving a Jimmy are they any good, have a friend that's interested, any comments welcome.
Read more
I have a soft top and I love it. A bit bouncy on the motorway but can do steady 80mph no prob. Only prob is getting to the boot. So Jaytee please share.
Thanks
I'm thinking of buying a car privately and want to be adequately insured for a test drive. I'm 23 so my own policy doesn't include cover for other cars. My insurer (Elephant) cannot add a temporary car until I have been with them for 3 months. Even then, the minimum cover is for 7 days.
Does anyone know if temporary test drive cover exists and where it could be bought from? Read more
Cheers for the help.
I think the inspection route might be best. Some include an HPI check (worth 40 pounds now), which I wouldn't buy a private used car without. In relation to the price of the car, the inspections seem good value.
I know plenty of people that would just drive the car uninsured for half an hour but it's a risk I don't want to take.
James
On a lighter note, does anyone here get the chance to exercise the 'pleasure' part of our insurance cover??!
Faced with more than two hours commuting a day; trips to the supermarket, DIY stores, IKEA; kids' events etc, I'm not sure I can fit it in!
Maybe I should ask for a reduction in my insurance premium if I promise not to drive 'for pleasure' :-) Read more
I don't mind the drive to work, it is the drive home and every traffic light and queue on the way home that bugs me.
Ben
I'm considering buying a new imported Golf TDI 130 from a company called Motorhouse 2000 which has site on the internet. Before putting down a deposit I would be grateful to hear from anyone who knows anything about this company. Thanks! Read more
If this is the one at Cannock it has been there for a while but I think this is their 3rd variation of the company. At least one of the previous Motorhouses using the premises went bust a few years ago 1998? and I was left with a worthless warranty they had sold me.
as ever
Mark
I notice my '98 V70 has an OBD connector in the centre console , does anybody know if there are any tools available in the UK that can make use of this connector or is this a dealer only diagnostics port. Read more
There are a number that operate via a Palm pilot for post 96 M-B OBD2 fault codes.It is necessary to purchase the cable & software which seems to be circa 120 pounds.Forum users suggest that there are the Good,Bad & ugly in terms of utilisation & reliability. I have no knowledge of UK manufacturers.
Simon T.
Is there a good lubricant to use on the pedals. Gear pedal seems a little notchy so thought I would give it a dose of something but don't really want to start spraying oil around especially as the joint is directly above the pedal. Read more
Ah, lithium white spray grease,is that the same grease that Cyd recommended for door locks? I am out of date on spraygrease.
Simon T.
My Bora is shortly coming to the end of its warranty, and I'll be servicing it myself from then on. The question, which i've asked before but not understood the answer to, is what oil to use ?
The technical data section of the handbook specifies 'Multigrade high lubricity oils' to VW 500 00 or VW 502 00, or High lubricity oils to VW 501 01. What is the distinction between 'high lubricity' and 'multigrade high lubricity'and why do I need to know about it ?
the maintenance section states 'if none of the above is available, oil with a specification of VW ACEA A2 or A3 may be used'. I presume that the 'VW' is spurious - oil is either ACEA spec or it isn't. (If i'm wrong, please tell me). Given that I do about 30 miles a day, in heavy traffic, i guess A2 would be the most sensible choice ?
Despite the number of times i've read the handook front to back, back to front, turn it upside down and shake it, I cannot find any reference to what grade of oil i should be putting in. Am I missing something, or is this a bit of a major omission ?
And finally
given that i only do about 30 miles per day, at an average speed of 18mph, and the car uses about 1/2 litre every 1600 km (which is within the spec!!!), would Castrol GTX suffice, and should it be 15w40 or 10w40 ?
I have to grow old - but I don't have to grow up Read more
Halfords 10-40 Semi-Synthetic will do you fine.
Lorry drivers should be paid a lot more because of the dangers and risk to their life that they face in their work.
An article in today's (28Nov02)Times reports
"According to Oxford University research based on death statistics from 1976 to 1995 ..."
and the table accompanying (see and enlarge link
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-495384,00.html )
shows that lorry drivers are 100% more likely than firemen to be killed in the line of duty per time worked, but firemen are paid 30% more.
For full details of article and basis of comparision, see
www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,2-495280,00.html
Read more
don't get as many obnoxious passengers either.
I wondered if anyone could tell me what may be wrong with my car before I take it to a garage and spend a fortune!
I have had the car since Feb 02 and it has been fine until this week. Two days ago I got in it and it didn't want to start. I eventually got it started, drove about ½ mile and the engine died. I left it at the side of the road, went back in a few hours and it started straight away. It was fine yesterday also, but failed to start again this morning. The engine is turning over but it just won't fire up. Someone has told me to take the HT leads off dry the leads and the plugs and spray WD-40 on them, but someone else has told me that this would probably cure the problem in the short term but make it worse in the long term!
Has anyone else had this problem and how did you fix it. The car has been fine all year so I'm assuming that it a problem caused by the damp/cold (the car seems to suffer with a lot of condensation, which is why I thought the leads / spark plugs idea might have been the one). The car has an automatic NOT manual choke if that makes any difference and it is not a "short run only" vehicle! Read more
Jeannie,
Based on your latest post, yes it would seem that dampness could be the problem. You could try squrting the HT leads with WD-40, but IMHO this is only a temporary measure. It will however help to prove whether it is the leads at fault or not. Ultimately the best thing to coat the leads with is a fine layer of silicone grease, rubbing any excess off with a cloth afterwards.
Browse
.jpg)
Dave TD,
it's quite amazing that you've posted that. I ALMOST, but not quite, got stupid enough to post last night that it seems worse after dark! - but then realised that the times I was talking about it had indeed been raining, - one thing I wondered though was that even if it wasn't raining at the time (after a deluge had stopped) the problem still happened. So, damp in the air, I suppose, could b a factor.
So, from what you say, it IS the belt, and if so I am very relieved!
thans
HF