March 2003
Vauxhall Vectra 2.5l GLS 1997 Petrol.
Can anyone advise why the brake fluid level (master cylinder) should rise over the months. I have noticed this particularly over the last couple of years but it may have done this since the car was new. I have to syringe out every few months to stop the fluid leaking through the cap.
Not sure if its related but the brake pedal slowly sinks to the floor if I push it down after braking to a stop (eg at traffic lights).
Last year Vauxhall 1)Bled & exchanged the brake fluid several times 2) changed the master cylinder 3) changed the servo 4) changed front brake pads - all under warranty. They then gave up & said the braking was "satisfactory". However there wasn't any improvement & the pedal still sinks slowly down when pressed, although normal braking is satisfactory & it passed an MOT since. ANY IDEAS FOR EITHER OR BOTH OF THESE PLEASE???
Thanks
Richard Read more
Ive got a weird starting problem with my Golf MK2 1300. The problem is this, after doing a short journey/ short stop (1-2 miles 10min -1hour ) the engine wont start at first but usually does so after several tries and a wait. Ive had to call the AA once , he said that it was the ignition and cleaned the distributor, the problem however is still there!! It only happens as described, I drive to work every day, leave the car all day with never a problem.
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I've got a mk2 1.3 and have the same problem as you. The car would cut out and not restart for a long time (until it had cooled). I fitted a new distributor cap and rotor arm a couple of weeks ago, this cured the problem until yesterday when the same problem occured, but now it will restart after 10 minutes or so. It is still difficult to when hot and does take a few goes. Like your car there is no spark when it does not start. Have you figured out whats wrong? I am thinking of changing the distributor.
Sarb
My Golf (mk2, GTI 8v) is showing signs of imminent hall sender failure - the engine will occasionally hiccup and immediately recover, and very occasionally die completely only to immediately restart. At the moment it's irritating rather than journey impeding, but my experience with the old Polo makes me think it will become progressively worse until it packs up completely and inconveniently. 90% certain diagnosis, but anyway...
Is it better to spend more on a brand new distributor, or skimp and save with just a new hall sender (£88 for a Hella distributor versus £32 for a presumably non-Bosch sender unit from GSF)?
Any thoughts and experiences greatfully received.
Rob Read more
I bought a hall sender kit from GSF ? they don?t list it as being suitable for my particular model of vehicle, but the guy assured me it would be ok. Main dealer doesn?t do a sender kit for a mk2 8v GTI distributor (although they do for every other mk2 Golf) ? just exchange for £100. Euro car parts online do only (Bosch) exchange for £85. When I rang Euro car parts, the guy assured me that the sender for the carb models was the same ? but at £75 for a Bosch kit hardly worth bothering with.
The £27.50 GSF kit was made by Facet, an Italian company with an English on-line catalogue. Unsurprisingly enough, they listed the kit as only suitable for carb models, and didn?t list one at all for the 8v GTI.
I took the distributor off my car and, armed with a pair of circlip pliers, set about dismantling it. Only you can?t. The only way to get it apart seems to be to drive the roll pin out that holds the drive gear to the bottom of the distributor. I didn?t fancy my chances of reusing the pin (and the kit didn?t come with a new one), so I ended up pleading incompetence and returning the hall sender kit to GSF.
There?s nothing to the distributor for a digifant Golf (and every modern car since, I imagine). No advance weights or vacuum unit. So I suppose it was made as a sealed, disposable unit. GSF have just started listing a brand new distributor for £75. Although it seems plenty of people have just knocked out the roll pin and changed the sender.
There does seem to be a fair bit of oil that has leaked up the shaft and into the body of the distributor, so it looks as if the whole thing is at least slightly knackered. Since I refitted it though, it hasn?t missed a beat.
It took 2 years and 30,000 miles between the beginning of random cut outs and complete hall sender death on the old Polo. My wallet can remain closed for a while yet still.
Thanks for the suggestions, especially Adam Going.
Rob F
Can any one help? I have an A6 2.5 tdi (155bhp)with a multitronic transmission which is delightful in all respects bar one. In cold weather (usually below 2 centigrade) the vehicle won't drive against even a slight incline until the coolant temp hits 20 centigrade (according to Audi, there is a torque limiter) This renders the car a pain to drive on frosty mornings and has left me stranded in multistorey carparks, on cambers etc until the engine warms up. I have driven the same vehicle in minus 10 centigrade in northern europe - no problem. New A6's have been upgraded to 163bhp so the problem is resolved. Not so for the "old" (2002) ones like mine. Audi have been courteous and efficient, declare it as known problem, but say they cannot fix it. Any suggestions? It was minus 2 centigrade this morning....great start to the day! Read more
Hi 200SXAndy
I have exactly the same problem with my 2003 A4 2.5TDI 163BHP.
I took it to Audi in December 2005 for the same fault (revving the hell out it on a cold morning) to be told that they couldn't find anything wrong with it!!
However when we had the snow in December I tried to go out in it however I was going up a slight incline on snow /icy road and found that the wheels where just spinning so I had to go home.
So I took it back into Audi in January 2006 they had it for 9 days it came back Friday 10 Feb with a gear box oil change. But have found out this morning it still doesn't feel any different!!!
Have you got your Audi back yet and has your problem been resolved??
Kind Regards
Kelly
I've just bought a 1989 Mini 30 with no manual or handbook. Can anybody tell me what the pull out lever near the choke and like a choke but not a choke (flame like symbol on end)is for? Also a push down button which lights up green and has some kind of pedal symbol on it. Old owners don't know either. Any help appreciated.
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Very, very many thanks to everybody who's taken the time and trouble to respond. All very much appreciated. We shall be keeping the Mini in its original condition - all i need now is a handbook!
I've just obtained a quote from Chips Away for the repair of a 2ft-long vandal scratch on the offside front wing, plus another small chip on the wheel arch of the same wing -- £120 for both -- plus the removal of a scrape on the corner of the plastic rear bumper -- £90. Does that strike you as reasonable? The paint is metallic. Read more
Try ChipsAway via the RAC - their website has details.
A word of caution - You could be better this was as I had a repair to my bumper done by ChipsAway but needs the paint blending a little better. The trouble is that the franchise that did it has changed hands and the current owners didn't want to know. Apart from the slight blending problems the job is very good and worth the £80
Would a well sorted Morris Minor series 1000 make a decent daily (and only) driver? I'll have maybe about £3k to spend and will be commuting 40 miles per day, all on A-roads. I've always wanted one of these and now I have the chance, would it be a good idea? I have a basic grasp of mechanics and my father-in-law can tackle all the daunting stuff. Read more
driving old cars can be good fun.just remember its old so it will need keeping an eye on.if its making a funny niose dont just turn the dodgy old am radio up!investigate.i drive a 1980 dolomite every day for my business and it gets a lot of admiring remarks wich is quite satisfying but i just use it localy,you wuold find it reassuring if you had a back up car.
Anyone know how I can find out what type of oil is used in the transmission of my year 2000 VW Polo 1.4 tdi?
a) Halfords info sheets say 'refer to manual'
b) The handbook doesn't give any info about transmission oil.
c) VW dealers won't tell me ".. transmission oil checks can only be carried out by an authorised dealer"!!!
d) I've searched the web for details but can't find any info.
e) The only thing I have been able to find out is that the oil type 'may' have changed from the year 2000 and is 'probably' not the same as earlier models.
Any help would be appreciated. Read more
Thanks very much for help. There's an enormous difference in price between semi-synthetic and synthetic - is synthetic essential or would semi-synthetic be false economy?
Hi there
Use car every week day(Bmw E34 j reg 518i)works fine, but come the weekend when i am not using it, it goes flat as a doh doh by Monday morning. It has a new battery and its been tested. They say the alternator is fine. Any suggestions what it might be, and has anyone ever experienced this problem before.
Thanx very much
Sam
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hi all
i have the same problem with E39 saloon, i av bought new battery and was running fine for 5 weeks and i had been in car for a long run came back parked the car went out an hour later and was flat. i jump started the car it went but when i went back an hour later it was flat again. the battery is only 5 weeks old can anyone please help? i have removed torch from glove compartment as suggested
thanx
sharon
My Ford Focus's airbag warning light has started flashing recently, and a beep is heard when the engine is started. Does anyone have any experience with this problem?
It has the Reflex Pack (driver, passenger and side airbags).
Thanks,
Tim Read more
Took the Focus into CD Bramall Ford in Leicester today.
Their computer reported failure of the crash sensors in both sides of the car. It turned out that the airbag control module had developed a fault, and this was replaced under warranty.
Received excellent service from the dealer - kept me informed of their progress and resolved the problem in less than a day. They even had the required part in stock.
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Amazing. No wonder the cost of bacon is so high. !! Regards Peter