May 2003
Just found oily sludge in the expansion/top-up tank of my Audi 2.5 TDi (1994). Oil filler cap and dipstick still nice and clean, and no unusual smoking from exhaust. Flushed the water system and went for a spin (1 hr) and remained quite clean, so its a slow leak. No obvious external leaks from head gasket, but small (not enough to drip on the drive) seepage from sump and turbo inlet manifold thing (not sure what I'm looking at there, but it looks like where the turbo air is passed into the top of the head).
Any ideas? Does the water pump have engine oil lubrication?
Thanks Read more
Please help help help, I have a 1997 ford galaxy 90000mls fsh, three weeks ago my gear stick went very loose and i found i could only pull away in third gear, took the car to a garage and he informed me the gear cable had snapped , so he repaired it two weeks later it went again, took it back repaired again 40 miles later it went again and so on and so on till i got the car back on friday and thought having now taken the car to a ford garage my problems were over this morning it went again can anyone out there offer me any advice or prognosis of this fault i dont think i have much clutch left now as i have burnt it out trying to get to and fro these garages i feel completely drained
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They're all VW bits anyway;try them.
Can anyone please confirm, if there is any difference between the Bosch Motronic and the Mono-Jetronic SPI systems ?
Thank you, petel@clara.co.uk Read more
Help please!
A bit of a novice when it comes to DIY repairs! 1997 P reg Vectra 1.6 16V LS, 94000 miles, very hesitant under acceleration. Feels like a fuel flow problem, so decided to invest in a new filter. Had the car since new, but don't think the filter has ever been changed. Just one problem - don't seem to be able to find it! Does anyone know where it is located, before I go out and buy a workshop manual?
Many thanks,
Andrew Read more
Thanks for your help Andrew. Looks like I might leave it alone after all, especially if you don't think that's causing the problem! It's a strange problem really, which I didn't describe very well to be honest - most of the time, the car drives perfectly normally, but then maybe 1 journey in 5, everytime you put your foot down to accelerate (just normal acceleration by the way) and this applies in any gear, the car hesitates, then gives a jump and then accelerates. I think this may point towards your diagnosis of dodgy HT leads does it? I think I'll take your advice and get it checked out professionally and maybe get the fuel filter fitted as well!!
Just for the record, we are very happy with the Vectra. I have read a lot of posts about them here, but ours has provided 6 years of excellent motoring - obviously it's a bit underpowered around town, but cruising on the motorway it can't be beaten I don't think. Averages 40mpg at all times as well. Does like a regular diet of timing belts though!! Would have been changed 3 years ago normally, but it lost too much in depreciation, so we decided to run it in to the ground!!
Any more help would be greatly appreciated.
Andrew
P.S I have a new MINI Cooper S for fun driving anyway - collected it 3 weeks ago, absolutely fantastic machine.
As I pulled away from work last night all my car (1994 Astra 1.7 TD) electrics went dead and loads of smoke came from under the bonnet.
A wire from battery to alternator had chafed through and shorted. I have replaced the burnt out wiring this morning and cannot find anything else damaged, but the alternator now won't charge. (rev counter wont work and the charge light stays on)
Could the alternator have been damaged by shorting the 12v output wire to earth while it was running?
Anything else to look out for?
Thanks for any help Read more
Yes dead I'm afraid. The alternator is used to drive the rev counter in the diesel model thus that is not working as either. Sorry Regards
Peter
Is the Ka with the new engine a good buy? And how is the new engine identifiable? Also will a new/del. mileage car from a supermarket have the new engine? Read more
I know them only as a customer, but www.pwmillar.co.uk has them for £6495 and I am pretty sure these are UK cars. I know the £5495 base models are.
I am a mountain bike cyclist and have just fitted a wireless speedo and notice how fast I go. If I break the speed limit in a 30 mph area and did not have a speedo, then I would not know! Since it is not legal requirements for a cyclist to fit one, therefore it is not neccessary for cyclists to obey the speed limit but rather to cycle safely and not endanger others. So common sense and time of day and people around you are the more important factors!
Chris.
PS. my record is 43 in a 30mph limit! Read more
Rob,
Sorry,Ping me your e-mail address to pugugly@btopenworld.com and I'll send a list of FUA (Frequently Used Abbreviations !)
Have come across some web sites for older Bosch ECU\'s codes but I\'m after the Bosch codes for the Renault dci derivitives 2001>
Any idea\'s
K2 Read more
Many thanks for this info interesting web site
K2
Todays Telegraph quotes someone who has got a new Premacy for £9995, have had a search and can't find a price below £10975 for the basic 1.8 GXi 5 door, anyone know the cheap source of Premacies?
Also any owners out there who would like to comment on ownership?
It's down to one of those or a Scenic...
thanks
Ian Read more
I probably have a one off, I managed through the Mazda website to get a 1.8i GLX for £9500 in a metallic Glacier Blue. However please note that this was a 'Damaged in Transit' 52 registered, 50 mile on the clock vehicle but must point out that the repair brought the vehicle upto 'Better Than Standard'. I got this vehicle fron Bourne Rd garage in Dartford which is the nearest dealer to Head Office hence the availability of such a car.
Although it is not my personal choice for a car my wife loves it and it gets the kids and luggage in for a holiday and is not one of the mass Scenics and Zafira's on the road.
Rob
When the car reaches normal operating temperature it begins to run lean and pinks very loudly. The temperature does not rise but the pinking gets worse, so bad that the car will not tick
over and can even cut out between gear changes if I am a little slow changing up or down.
While the car is getting to normal operating temperature it runs perfectly, except when the auto choke is operating, then it will rev up and down, reaching 2500rpm, from a normal choke
peak of about 1800rpm. A while after the pinking starts the light depicting an electrical fault appears although this can fade if I am very gentle on the accelerator, but will come on
again later.
The fault started after a medium run when I got a leak in the oil cooler, this caused the engine to overheat and the pinking started, fortunately I was able to top up the engine oil
before the oil level dropped below the minimum mark on the dipstick. The car continued to pink and overheat on the way home so much stopping and starting was required. I have now removed the oil cooler from the circuit and am waiting for a new one to arrive, but the car continues to run lean and this is despite the temperature not rising past normal.
The car is a 1995 1600cc 16 valve Carina e GSi, it is not thrashed and most of my driving is in town but it gets a good run once per week.
The car ran fine before the oil leak and there were no electrical connections on the oil cooler. I cant understand why the car is having this lean running problem and the electrical
fault light is showing, any advice would be gratefully received.
Thank you. Read more
Sounds very much like the head gasket is on its way out. You have two options: Replace it immediately or leave it and monitor it on a regular basis. As you are not losing coolant you can probably run the vehicle for some time before it gets more serious.
These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am....