January 2003
have a friend with 98 mondy 2.0 zetec estate.
Managed to boil it solid so had to have engine rebuilt.
So far so good until recently 12000 miles later car keeps blowing camshaft oil seals out of head.
obviously understand that there is excess pressure in engine just wondered how oil system works on these engines as fords are not my strong point. has correct 5w/40 oil in engine.
i think oil pump release valve stuck.
any ideas? Read more
Hi All,
About a year ago, I posted two threads on this board (back when it was the old style) asking for advice on my Diesel Vectra's reluctance to start when it got to this time of the year.
Many people replied and amongst the various suggestions came the idea of having the valve clearances sorted. At the time, I'd tried two sets of glowplugs (due to doubt being cast on the halfords set, and my reluctance to pay £40/plug from Vx), and still to no avail. Due to my great financial outlay (:)) I was reluctant to throw more money at the car getting these valve clearances sorted, and then the temperature was warming up anyway (hiding the problem, so to speak), so I left it for a year.
Well, cold weather has been with us again, so last week I finally bit the bullet (an £80 from main dealer bullet), and got the valve clearances checked/adjusted. All the inlet valves were tight (I assume that holds the valves slightly open). Since then, it has started first time every time, touch wood, even on the coldest of days. (with the champion glowplugs, btw)
Been lurking on this board ever since, but with my mystery finally solved, I thought it was only fair to register and share the knowledge! So, sorry for the long post, but I'd like to thank all those who suggested things (especially those who mentioned valve clearances!), and it *is* nice to have a conclusion to these matters, albeit a year later(!)
-David L. Read more
The same problem as recently reported on the Isuzu 1.7 diesel, and the same problem that I was cautioned about on my 1.9 diesel Pug at 100K by the local diesel specialist
The days of 6K checks of valve clearances disappeared with the A series engine. OK, but perhaps sensible check of valve clearances went out with the bath water.
a) Why is it so prone to failure?
b) Why is it so expensive to fix?
No wonder nearly every new car now has it as standard - it keeps the dealers and specialists with plenty of repair work as other components become more reliable.
Im a loser baby....so why don't you kill me?! Read more
a) Because it is hard to contain a high pressure gas in a system that isn't hermetically sealed (as in a fridge) with numerous joints, seals and electrical connections. Materials used are cheap and lightweight and prone to stone and corrosion damage.
b) Because failure of one component can have big consequences on other parts of the system, and manufacturers need to make more money on parts to make up for cheaper car prices. Engine bays are so tight, and dashboards and electronics so complicated, that labour charges can be very high. Plus manufacturers would go bust quickly if cars lasted and lasted. As long as it lasts the warranty period then they are happpy. As an example, to fix an evaporator on an S class merc, parts are about only about £400, but labour is 22.5 hours to remove dash to get to the part.
Of course, this also applies to virtually every system on modern cars, so you need to get used to it and keep a new car for 3 years, take big hit and replace with new each time. Or run and old car that you can fix easily but will cost a few quid along the way in replacement parts.
I would like to fit a CD changer to my 406 GLX. I have the Philips 4050 head unit and it should just be a case of buying the correct interface cable and unit. Does anyone know which Philips CD changer is compatible with this head unit. Also, how can I remove the 4050 head unit from the dashboard as I do not have the Peugeot extraction tools which came with the car from new as I am the second owner. My local Peugeot dealer says they are not for sale !
Any help and advice would be much appreciated.
Mark Read more
Have a look here www.caraudiodirect.com/shop/acatalog/CAD_Peugeot_1...l
£200 and it just plugs in
Anyone know where I might be able to get a cat for this car ?
Local prices are in the £200 range ! Anyone know of recon units ? Read more
smash the cat inards out. your car dosent need it by law and it will make it go much better.
About 11 months ago I parked my car on a busy quayside car park and went off with a couple of mates for some lunch, little did I realise that the highest tide for 80 years was on its way in....
When I returned to the car the sea water was already just short of the top of the wheels, and still rising. I dashed out to the car, jumped in, and drove it off the car park (sea water coming up over the bonnet as I went).
I then went back to watch the carnage, something in region of 20 cars got totally trashed, with water right up to the door handles (fishing boats came in off the quay and smashed the windows and dented panels of those cars which were stranded, and with every surge the cars were picked up and pushed about, banging and scratching each other, Kevin Woodford's Jag was wrecked (so it wasn't all bad)).
When I got my car home I put it through one of those car washes with the powerful under car jets twice, and then garaged it up my in-laws, took all the mats out and cleaned them (there was quite a bit of sand in them), soaked as much water as I could out of the footwells (the carpets were absolutely s**den) and left the car to dry out for a couple of days.
After that, I never really gave it much thought.
However, in the last couple of months a couple of funny things have happened.
First, the petrol cap release cable snapped (obviously this runs from the driver's footwell back through the car to the petrol cap), the dealer said it had "just snapped" and there was no reason for it. It was replaced under warranty.
And then, just before christmas, the boot release cable went as well, the dealer said it had siezed, again, no explanation. At the same time the CD player packed up (it's a multichanger in the boot), the dealer put this down to a loose cable.
These have both also been fixed under warranty.
Now, you can see where I'm going with this, is something horrible happening to my car, out of sight but now starting to manifest itself? Remember, it was caught in sea water that came pretty much to the top of the wheels, and as it was driven out off the car park the wash effect made it deeper (plus a surge came in from the sea as I was driving out). Short of taking the mats out and cleaning them, it was just left to dry naturally in a garage.
Both those cables will, presumably, run under the car, the dealer said he'd never known one of them to snap, and yet both of them have gone on my car within two months. It's still under warranty, but if something terrible happens before the warranty's up they might start to have a proper poke about (I never told them what had happened in case it voided my warranty) - which could be awkward, and I dread to think how much these repairs would cost out of warranty (they have to strip the inside of the car out to replace the cables).
What do you reckon, is this just a coincidence, or is my car's dip in the sea saving up all sorts of expensive problems for me in the months to come?..... Read more
I know this has all been doom and gloom so far, but before taking the step of selling it, I really would try and get the box sections etc. checked. If the rustproofing is very good, then maybe it will be OK. Maybe I'm been a bit naive, but you never know, it may continue to run fine for the next 10 years.
Just out of interest, what make and model of car is it?
Blue
Great stuff on Vauxhall, it is difficult to disagree with Jason.
Another great article is on F1 & the Autospot International, well worth reading.
Old Bill Read more
Phil I wrote:
>...Newsagent a bit miffed wasn't actually buying it.
LOL! It's not a blooming lending library!
Wish I'd read the Mirror not the News of the World in Tesco's today, when I was eating my breakfast there. Breakfast out is always a good way to sneak a read of the tabloids and doesn't incur the wrath of the local news-seller!
Happy regards,
Lee.
My '86 360 GLE has just failed its MOT apparently the sills are too corroded to pass it. Also one of the rear shocks is leaking and there is play in one of the steering arms. I'd quite like to keep it as the car runs really well, has a/c factory fit, leather etc. and I've just spent about 200 on getting injectors/exhaust etc and the engine running really sweet again.
The shocks and the steering I can fix, (do you reckon it needs a new rack or just a track end?) but I don't know how or where to get the sills fixed, or how much it'll cost me.
Anybody have any idea of how much it'll cost to have new sills put on and if they know anybody in the Glasgow area who is good and cheap.
Thanks for your help
Andy
Sorry, I forgot to say that the n/s jacking point has collapsed slightly as well, and that worried the MOT tester as well as a cracked number plate and the wrong bulbs in the back lights
Read more
Thanks for your replies, it is just a tiny patch, the problem is that it is close to the seatbelt bolt between the front and rear doors on one side and the jacking point on the other side.
Andy
Hi
I'd really appreciate any advice on this
ready? its quite long....
Okay, I bought an Audi S3 from an Audi main dealer with a good local reputation. I bought the car on lease purchase as it was to be a company car, and the finance agreement seemed to suit my situation
Long and short of it is I am selling the car as I've changed jobs and dont need it, I accept I'll have to take a hit as I gave a relatively low deposit, and seeing as a large chunk of the value of the car is deferred for a final payment, the loan is not quite paid off at the depreciation rate of the car
Car was 2001 Y reg, cost £21995, just about the going rate at the time for a UK S3 bought from a main dealer. I need to get shot of the car quick, so I've taken it to a local independent Audi dealer purely with a view to settling the finance. The first thing they said when they saw the service book was "this is an import". And sure enough, it is
Now the price I paid (22k) was the price of a UK car, and Audi never mentioned it was an import. I appreciate I'm at fault, as its in the book, but I'm very naive with cars, and assumed being in a main dealer, the car coming with the 3 year warranty, and of course paying the going rate for a UK car etc etc
The warranty on imports is 1 year, so I rang and asked when the warranty ran out and they mentionmed its not unusual for them to sell imported S3's, and that they 'make up the balance' so that the car comes with the full 3 year uk warranty. They've sent a copy of the warranty paperwork, and its come through with the price of £19995 as the purchase price. I'm pretty sure if I take them up on this, they'll just say its a clerical error
I'm probably going to sell it to the independent dealer this week, although I plan on speaking to the dealer I bought it from on Monday to see if they would like to buy it
Have I been stitched up and should they have told me it was an import? Or, much as I expect, have I just been a little foolish and need to swallow the difference between trade price and finance owed
thanks ! Read more
petronus,
I appreciate you doing that, thanks
It sort've echoes my thoughts, that the price really suggested it was not an import. For instance, they had another identical car in a different colour for the same price, would be interesting to know if that was an inport
simple fact is that imports and UK cars, though identical, are subject to different pricing structures
had i known this, i wouldnt have bought the car, certainly not for that price anyway
I spoke to their buyer today who said they're currently not looking to buy S3's of the colour mine is
so i guess it sort've ends here... :(
I have a 1996 Omega since new, the plastic headlight lenses have yellowed in sunlight (bad UV protection design) now making the headlights ineffective on unlit roads. Vauxhall do not (or will not) sell the lenses so the only solution appears to be replacement units at £175 each.
Can anybody help or advise on a less expensive resolution to this problem?
Phil Read more
LagunaII handbook warns against fitting non-Low UV bulbs for this reason; I mentioned this to the chap on the Powerbulbs stand at the Motor Show and he immediately confirmed that the Phillips higher output bulbs are low uv
Browse
I could be wrong, but I was certain the the Zetec needed 5W30?
I was always told that 40 grade would knack it?
Blue