December 2002
Today is day one of a 3 day report in the DT into the parlous state of the UK transport system.
www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2002...l Read more
Hi guys I need your advice concerning bad starting with an Astra diesel
I replaced the starter motor as it was sluggish to start whether hot or cold. It now turns over fine and when hot starts first time and, although it seems to lack a bit of acceleration, it cruises fine with no sign of smoke. The problem is cold starting. I give it 2/3 short bursts and you can hear it close to starting but when it does eventually catch it picks up very slowly, with a tiny bit of vibration, sounds slightly like it is running uneven, and kicks out quite a bit of smoke until it picks up. Once warmed up slightly -no problem. The glow plugs are new so there should be sufficient heat. I have a new air and fuel filter to fit in case there is a blockage in the airflow or moisture in the fuel but would appreciate any advice as to other potential solutions
Allan
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Allan,
Poor cold starting of Vauxhall/Isuzu diesels has been discussed here several times in the past so I suggest you do a search. One example that I have dropped on is:
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=i&t=32...9
Blow me if I can get my head around the maths on this one.
If I wanted to maximise economy over (say) one minute is it better to
1) Put my foot down and go from 0 to 60mph in (arbitrarily) 10 seconds, then spend 50 seconds cruising at 60mph.
2) Ease onto the throttle as if it were nitro-glycerine and take 30 seconds to get to 60mph, then cruise at 60mph for the remaining 30 seconds.
Which technique will use more fuel? Read more
Just a few thoughts:
Theory might suggest that a car would use twice as much petrol at 4000rpm than at 2000rpm. (Assuming that the engine always injects the same amount of fuel at all engine speeds.) Is this likely to be true in practice? I suspect not, as in order to increase the engine speed, more fuel needs to be added, though this reduces once the engine has reached that speed.
Having been trying out various driving styles between petrol fills, and calculating the mpg, I get the impression that accelerating reasonably rapidly to get into the highest gear as soon as possible is beneficial to economy - perhaps 10% better. I normally keep below 2500rpm both when accelerating and when at a constant speed.
this i think is going to be next car, but not many views have been made on it.
what do people think
i don't think the 190 is an option so i'm looking at the standard 140bhp engine. many people say it's to hard to push for power but 0-60 in 8.7 should be fine?
bear in mind i currently on a 406!
as much information as possible please, cos i can't find much on the internet through search engines. Read more
just noticed, there's a new face lift model out now, not that i think it will concern me but it would be interesting to hear, what are the improvements over the previous version?
i understand one is new front end lights, is that it?
I have a T reg Renault Clio 1.2 petrol (1149cc) with no trim and 44k on the clock.
I have just read on the car-by-car breakdown:
In "what to watch out for"
"On 1,149cc D7F engines it is essential to change the timing belt, tensioners and the water pump every 3 years of 36,000 miles (whichever comes first)."
How can I tell if I have a D7F engine? If I have a 1.2, do I definitely have a D7F? Are there any ways to tell by looking under the bonnet?
The water pump went and was changed under warrantee about a year ago, but I'm very concerned about the timing belt issue; I don't want it going on the motorway on the way to/from work (50 mile round trip a day, 60% of which is motorway).
On the other hand I imagine the labour is going to be expensive (not to mention parts) and given I'm currently moving house, I can't afford to splash out without good cause.
Any advice or help much appreciated.
Andy Read more
I have a T reg Renault Clio 1.2 petrol (1149cc) with
no trim
No trim? Even my old Citroen AX10 wasn't *that* basic....
Seriously though, do you have a record of the warranty work done? If they changed the water pump, and it is driven off the cambelt, almost certainly the belt will have been changed at the same time, in which case you can relax. Even if you weren't charged anything, you should still have been given an invoice. Or go back to the garage and ask them to look at their records.
Richard Hall
bangernomics.tripod.com
I own a 1996 "old Shape" Audi A6 2.5 TDI (140bhp) with 130,000. I have driven diesels for many years and I know that diesels can be smokey when accelerated hard. I feel that mine does so excessively and I wondered if this is a characteristic of this engine. This email has been prompted by reading an article in last Saturday's "Motoring Telegraph", the chap in the article has run Audis for years and said that he had been pulled over several times by the police for excessive smoke in a couple of his cars.
Honest John has made a comment in the past about fuel timing in these cars needing regular attention, which mine has not had. I have not gone to the bother of having the fuel timing looked at because I believe that poor fuel economy would be present if the timing wasn't correct: the mpg is as good as it has ever been - excellent. The smoke is a dark colour. The car starts first time every morning with some smoke on tickover.
The car passed an MOT smoke test easily in March 2002. Can anyone advise? Am I worrying unecessarily? Read more
Think you need to state whether greyish or blue tint to smoke.
severe blue smoke would suggest possible valve stem seals gone/oil control rings need replacing. if it was a prob to do with pump.. black smoke is caused by over fuelling. Hj`s comment is more than close to what actually happens
--
Steve
I'm often finding my 97 (old style) Astra's brakes get stuck
after leaving it for a couple of days or so. I live down a country track and there's often mud etc on the road. The problem
only occurs after rain.
I've had the brakes cleaned twice in the last few months, but
I'm still getting the problem. The garage says there's nothing
wrong with the braking system.
My questions :
1) Could there be a problem with the brakes or is this a common fault with Astras ?
2) I called out a local garage when the brakes first stuck. They freed it by reving hard which unstuck the brakes. Is this an
acceptable approach or could it be doing harm ?
Thanks for any advice. Read more
Had exactly this problem with the mother out law's 91/J 1.4 Astra. Nearside wheel completely frozen and leaving skid marks in the drive. Call to Nat breakdown summoned Freeways of Weedon who gave it something well in excess of a light tap and with a big hammer; Sorted!!.
Parking brake on the BX has occasionaly rusted or frozen on, but on a powered wheel unequal contest rapidly surrendered, albeit with a niose like a pistol shot.
I wish to ask and please reply me...because this is urgent if a 1994 Model Peugeot 306 XN 5dr hatchback 1.4 petrol is economical and how much it does MPG?
Sorry for the poor english Read more
I've reched lows of 36mpg around town, normal town use 40mpg normal motorway (excluding M62) is 45mpg, on 3 occasions have reached over 49mpg on long motorway trips.
The engine had changed a little since the 1994 model, but that should be minor.
Ben
Hi everyone, i wish to ask if a 1994 model Peugeot 306 XN 5dr hatchback economical? How much MPG does the car make?
10nq and sorry for the poor english. Read more
As Benito says, it depends how you drive. As the 306 with a 1.4 engine is a bit underpowered, the 1.6 may be as economical in the right hands. What Car got over 50 mpg from a 1.6 on their 'touring route'.
I'm thinking of selling my car privately which has just had
a new engine fitted by VW and has 10 months warranty on it.
Should I mention this in the advert and risk potential buyers
thinking the first engine (and hence the car) had been thrashed
to death (it hadn't) or is it best to keep quiet in the advert
and only mention the fact when someone shows interest and I
am able to explain the circumstances? Read more
Personally, I wouldnt mention it...
Wait till they ring and then make that the first thing you mention so that their aware. Make it a 'feature' as appose to a bad point. 'professionally fitted engine with 10 months guarantee, etc..' - just blag it as much as possible and also explain about the mileage it did have before this and show them some evidence that it was that mileage when it was done (if you get the viewing that is). When we sold our last car there was one identical which advertised a new engine and the car was £2000 less....ours sold and i believe his advert (in autotrader) is still on there. I rang the advert up and the car sounded better than our last one so it must be down to the engine...
Browse
I'm a little unhappy about this. What we really need is a graduate population with well-trained minds. Clearly science and engineering can encourage this, but so can some subjects in arts and humanities. What I find more worrying is the current trend towards "vocational" degrees and a more spoon-fed approach to teaching; this has done little to encourage the development of flexible, creative minds.
I must declare an interest here: I have a degree in music. But that didn't stop me from qualifying as an actuary and securing a good job with a mangement consultancy. I have forgotten quite a bit about music, but some of the other things I learned (structuring arguments properly, doing research, self-discipine, working to longer-term timescales) are still with me. A university education should be about more than learning a set of facts.
Peter