February 2003

robert

All,

It is with some sadness that I have to tell you that today I sold my MV6. I've had some great fun with the Omega and can confirm that (following a trip to Germany last week) that the driver ran out of bottle before the car ran out of steam! If I say that the 3.0 (& I guess 3.2) has extra range on the speedo over other Omegas you will probably see where I'm coming from.

All good things come to and end, but after 8 years Omega ownership and 18 years of being faithful to Vauxhall - I'm making a change. My work mileage has significantly increased recently and I'm taking a company car due to some close shaves which would have caused financial & probably physical pain if any closer. The Omega has now been traded in to help finance a new car for SWOMBO.

I'll keep looking at the Omega postings and will respond/help if I can.

I've left some more profound comments on a recent long running Omega thread.

Regards ........ Robert
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robert

Or would have done if it hadn't timed out on me - 3rd time lucky - cut & paste from word this time!

dom grimes

I have a saab 9-5 estate which is a fine car except for a constant warning light saying "brake light failure" every time I turn the ignition on and touch the brake peddle to take the gear out of park.All the lights are working its just the warning light coming on.Local dealer has changed all the bulb and the high level light but no joy. Its going back in on Wed for another look. Any answers?

dominic Read more

jaydee

I have a 9-5 estate with the same problem very annoying, my warning light does not always come on at the start, sometimes after a few minutes or longer periods but the only way I can reset is to switch off ignition and wait for the next failure.

Question Vauxbits ?????
Pugugly {P}

Before anyone shouts I have searched using the baove as a term.
I recall seening a reference to a site by the above name (or similar) can anyone point me right direction ? Read more

Pugugly {P}

DVD,
That's what I like about the BR.

I looked under Google I have Copernic - that'll learn me !

Question Golf VR6
Golfer

Anyone out there know anything about VR6 camchains/tensioners?

I own a VR6 (5 years old 65K miles FVWSH). The car is making a nasty thrashy rattly sound which I understand is the camchain tensioners wearing (after 65K miles!!).

Trouble is, garages, even main dealers & specialists say 'don't worry about it, they all do that'! Rubbish, other VR6's i've driven don't make anywhere near the racket mine does.

Does anyone know what to do about this problem???

Please help!! :-) Read more

doug_523i

That's only the tensioner spring Toad, the tensioner blade needs the camcover taking off. On my 750 that means removing tank, airbox, carbs, coils, and heatshield.

paul in england

Hi,
I have a 1994 L reg vauxhall astra 1.6 Cesaro 8valve model and have lost complete faith in my big local vauxhall dealer.
I have owned it since 1 yr old and has done 55k mainly town traffic journies of at least 20-40 mins (7-15miles)
The problem I have is something to do with the cooling system. 2 yrs ago the garage serviced it and said there was a small hole in the radiator but didn't really need doing at this time which was fair enough. Gradually through the year I had to top up the fluid. A year ago it was serviced and there now was no longer a hole! Continued to fill up the fluid level then about 6 months ago a popping/trickling type noise could be heard behind the dashboard when at 2000-2500 rpm irrespective of gear/speed.
Car was serviced 2 weeks ago and a hole was discovered in the radiator and replaced. They advised that no carbons(?) had been found in the fluid but if it still makes the noise the head gasket may need replacing. It took a couple of visits for them to determine this. There is mayonnaise under the oil filler cap but this has always been the case since I can remember years ago (is this due to not giving it a higher speed drive regularly?). The popping is unchanged (they've said this is air in the cooling system but why would that be if they changed the radiator and coolant?) and they advised to monitor the coolant level and let them know if it is still dropping, which it is. They have already quoted me £400 for the head gasket (I know I can get it half that at an expensive independent) but I am in there hands somewhat as to whether that will be the cure to the problem.
Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Paul

PS the head gasket was changed before under warranty at 2 yrs old
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paul in england

Thanks for the reply.
There's no sign of any water marks on the engine block or steam/water from the exhaust. As for the previous gasket change there has never been any sign of the car overheating (before or now). It was changed during a routine service and as it was under warranty I had no reason to investigate why. I never had anything documented from the garage as it was done through their insurance for the warranty. I'll continue to monitor the coolant level and see over the next week or two if it continues to drop. I think you are correct that they have been checking for combustion gases when they said no carbons in the fluid.
Paul

surfer

second appeal for help ! I have a 1995 2343 6 cylinder diesel. Engine LOOKS nice and clean, but oil consumption is `heavy`- pint a week on 400 miles. Start up, even when cold, and revving when stationery the exhaust is clean. Up telegraph hill however....smoke screen. Under heavy acceleration sudden puffs of black smoke. I have traced oil in the air inlet manifold- presumably being pushed up after the turbo. There is also some oil in the rocker box to turbo breather. Can I remove the breather pipe, plug it and let the rocker breather vent to air to double check that the oil is coming from the turbo and not the rocker box ?? I am prepared to pay for/ fit a new turb bu need some idea how to check that that is really the culprit - and not something else like valve oil seals ! any learned advice very welcome.
Neil - living up a mountain West Wales and miles from any main garages ! Read more

surfer

Dave N, thanks for guidance, I am an old hand at traditionally aspirated diesels,- this is my first turbo hence uncertainty. OK; point noted re oil / sludge in the inlet track -I will thorougly clean, but one pint a week ?- not hitting the drive, and appears to be getting drawn up the air intake. The only source `seems` to be leaking turbo shaft (spindle?) seals - I assume they can leak ? If this were to be so, this could account for quantity/ viscosity of oil in the air intake- it does not appear to be sludge ! I think I will try isolating the crank breather to double check that this is not the source of oil in the turbo. If oil is still present it MUST be the turbo ! I cannot see any other breather pipes - only rocker box to turbo. Anyone got any other suggestions (constructive !)??

mark999

Hope this is of help to anyone with a Merc CDi.
The performance of my V220Cdi suddenly became very poor and the engine started sounding like a tractor.
Apparently the ECU had picked up a couple fo fault codes and reverted itself to crawl home mode.
All that was needed was the dealer to clear the ECU.
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Cambsfarmer

Mark,
"very poor and the engine started sounding like a tractor"
If only it was as good as a tractor you'ed be pleased, mine has 6cly 4 valve per head turbo/intercooled engine with electronic engine management, fly-by-wire joystick/computer controled fully variable gearbox controled via a colour TV screen, 6 rads that cool anything from water to fuel and oils, air conditioned cab with twin heating/cooling systems (includes 15 air outlet vents)cool box, 12 driving/work lights (several twin bulbed)etc,etc. These days to say that anything is "agricultural" is a complement.

sheppy

Anyone know what temperature a Xsara 2.0 HDi 110 hatchback should run at?
Mine runs at 75C; I'd have thought it should be higher, but the garage tell me that this engine 'is designed to run cool'. they also say that the overall fuel consumption of 43mpg is 'about right'.
the car is 13 months old, covered 13k miles. Maybe things will change after it's had it's first service next weekend.......?
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PhilW

According to the "Revue Technique" for the Xantia 110 HDi the "temperature de debut d'ouverture" of thermostat is 83degrees. Presume it is the same for yours. Fuel consumption sounds a bit high. My wife gets about 45mpg day to day (on a very short trip to work - car doesn't even warm up - and occasional trips to shops) On a long run it is over 50 mpg. I would have thought the Xsara would be better?

gritstone

Hi,

I've just bought a MK2 Golf GTI. It's due for a service so I've booked it into an independent dealer. He's told me that becuase its got 75k on the clock, he should change the timing belt, if it hasn't already been done.

I've looked through the service history - all done at VW dealers - and there's no mention of this having been done before, although they did change the "v belt" at 50k.

Can anyone tell me what a v-belt is? Is this the same as a timing belt, or is it something else?

Does anyone know how much a new timing belt will cost to fit?....gulp!

Thanks,

Nigel Read more

Ben {P}

I would not fit a £5 timing belt to my car. Go to a VAG dealer and get a proper one. |The job takes a bit longer on a 16v GTi.