September 2003
I have an L reg rover 414i. It's been a great car and a good runner - until now.
It has 125,000 on the clock. It start perfectly and runs well for the first 20-30 minutes. Depending on the air temperature, if it gets to full running temperature, at speed, the revs can severely dip on occassions. At low revs, it stalls suddenly. This usually happens at traffic lights, round-abouts - the worst possible place. I normally get the problem on about 10% of journeys, so it is not predicatable.
It will not start immediately (the engine turns but does not fire). After a wait of a couple of minutes, it re-starts perfectly.
My garage have replaced the spark plugs, distributor, rotor arm, ignition coil, engine temperature and coolant temperature sensors.
If I can drive on quiet roads, the temparture never gets hot enough to cause the problem. Can someone advise me on what the problem might be (or how I can keep the rest of the traffic off the M25).
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Does anyone know of good websites that give ideas on how to keep kids amused/challenged on long journeys? Read more
Sorry, mine now 8 & 10. Walkman's used from 3/4 onwards - Harry Potter came later.
At the risk of being accused of multi-threading I think I may have been on the wrong board with the following question so I?ve copied it over here, so here's hoping:
A colleague of mine is seriously thinking about a late Range Rover or Discovery. They really get a beating in the reliability tables but are they really as unreliable as they seem? After all Citroens don?t get a good press either but so far I?ve had eight years of really troublefree motoring from my two, one C5 from new and one ex-demo Xantia with 500m. on the clock.
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Well, he did put a question mark at the end of it!
I was clamped at the weekend in central London and as a result am £115 poorer!
My car was parked in a road where I have parked many times previously (legally)- but which now has had new restrictions placed for Saturday mornings.
Whilst waiting for the declamp I wandered up and down the road - 75 yards in both directions looking for those little yellow signs that normally inform you of parking times etc but couldn\'t find any.
Does anybody know where I can find the rules relating to parking restiction information (useful website) as I thought the yellow warning signs had to be strategically placed attached to lamposts etc.?
If I\'ve parked illegally then fair cop. However if they should be there and for whatever reason aren\'t would I have grounds for appeal?
Huss.....newbie Read more
Huss
Get some photos of the area, showing lack of warning signs etc, before they put them up!
This will add real weight to your arguement.
Hgo
Hi all!
Looking at a Peugeot 307 the other day, I noticed that it was "wearing" a set of ContiPremiumContacts. These tyres have an assymetrical tread pattern in the transverse axis.
What surprised me is that this assymetry is in an "in-out" way, rather than a "left-right" way. I mean, if you put a tyre on the left side of the car with its "out" side facing out, you just rotate it around the vertical axis (so that "out" faces out) and put the tyre on the right side of the car.
This results in the tread pattern "looking" at the road from the opposite directions, doesn't it? I wonder, doesn't this result in different behaviour of the tyres on the two sides of the car, especially in wet conditions?
Vagelis. Read more
You're getting confused between directional and asymetrical tyres.
Directional tyres must be fitted so that they rotate in the direction for which they were designed.
Asymetric tyres are not symetrical across left-right) the tread, and must always be fitted with the corrrect side out.
If you moved a directional tyre from offside front to nearside front, thats fine as long as it is fitted so that it turns the correct way - which means that the original outside must become the new inside.
Tyres that are asymetrical AND directional can only be moved front to back, so that they are on the same side & turning the correct way.
Hope this helps!
Apologies that this is not motoring related, but I do consider it important enough to warrant a thread all of its own.
Fitz & Bighammerman, your pc's seem to be infected with the "Swen" virus.
How do I know? You keep sending me emails with the virus attached!! I have tried replying to you by email, but all I get is "The user(s) account is temporarily over quota." from your service provider, NTL.
Not only is this an inconvenience, as the files you keep sending me are over 350kb in size; but more importantly you are posing a risk to my pc by also infecting mine.
If you haven't got any virus detection software, then I can personally recommend AGV from Grisoft, www.grisoft.com It's free with regular updates.
Regards, DD. Read more
ps,
I would be grateful if only the two people concerned reply to this thread.
Regular virus discussions to the "I have a question thread" please.
Had an MOT on my ‘last of the production’ Volvo 240 SE Estate Passed no problem but I noticed that the Co at idle has risen from its normal 0.1% or so, on previous MOT’s to 0.39%, still a pass but a lot higher. High speed measurements were 0.1 and only 6PPM Lambda 1.00 Spot on. Any ideas what may be causing this increase. Plugs are not due yet, Air Filter Clean and runs and ticks over perfectly. Thanks Peter Read more
As J says, an italian tune up just prior to the test would probably knock this back down to its previous levels again
I have a 1986 1.8 Golf GL - its only done 85k, and I have had it since 55k (was owned by a very mechanically minded friend from new).
The car has always been reliable, needed bits and bobs once a year, but other than that fine.
The timing belt was changed at 44k, and so I figure I am due another change soon - also the clutch, which has always been remarkably hard, feels like it is finally in need of changing (some slipping, and very very high). It is also very easy to accidentally almost put it into reverse without pushing down - it just jumps the gate.
I only use the car for going to and from the station, as my other half is learning to drive, and the clutch/lack of power steering make it very learner unfriendly (but I like the car)
Decided to keep it in August as it only needed 2 new tires to pass the MOT, and was worth very little to anyone else.
I would liek to keep it for another year or so at least, as long as it does not prove too expensive - am I better getting all the things (clutch/timing belt etc) all sorted in one go, and just biting the bullet, and if so, is there anything else I should get done (I am unfortunately not very mechanically minded...) Or is it just not worth bothering?
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Last time the car was serviced the mechanic told me that the issue with being able to put the car into reverse too easily was not a major thing, and would not require a new gearbox, just a new "clip" or something. (Can't remember exactly). The gear box is great other than that.
As for the value of the car - have come to the conclusion that it is worth very little to anyone else, but I know the history and that it is reliable - to get a replacement would involve spending more cash and gambling on reliability.
I have no idea how much any of the work would cost to be done (Any ball park suggestions ??)
I am a definite fan of the car (despite it's quirks), as it has never let me down, and although not a GTi, still goes nicely when it needs to (my other car is a 406 diesel - more comfort but less oomph)
From the comments made earlier in the thread, sound like I am doomed to a heavy clutch forever though - just a price I'll have to pay I guess . . . .
C.
I watched the Top Gear of the Westfield XTR2, it blew me away! Anyone on here have one?
But what about the Ariel Atom 2? I know its not production like the XTR2 but the Atom 2 has a weight ratio of 500bhp per ton!! That beats the XTR2 and the Zonda!! (and the F1 I guess too!).
www.arielmotor.co.uk/03/latest_0503.htm
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The bike-engined cars are impressive, but I think Caterham have stuck to conventional motors. The R500, amazingly, uses a modified Rover K-series! Makes you wonder about Japanese horses...
I have had the car since March and had a steering problem. The steering wheel was not in the straight ahead position. I noted it to the salesman who said it was not a problem he would rectify it however he did not. Under the warranty I had the Arms changed the front bearings replaced all to no avail, Lazer tracked umpteen times when the wheel is locked in the straight ahead position it goes to 10 to 4 Position it does not pull to the side though in the end my local tyre firm had an idea he had heard of it before and he set the wheel before tracking to 20 to 2 it is now perfect but surely it should not do this . However before this I did take it to my local dealership who said they could sort it no problem £60 they charged it was no better I complained about £60 for nothing and the said It could be your \"STEERING RACK\" worn £450 £200 to fit, straight away I turned on my heel and went they have a steering box and I found that the adjusting screw on the top of the box was loose I tightened it up and it was ok the wooly feeling in the steering as gone but I have still got the problem weith the position otherwise a lovely driving car
Thanks in anticipation to all you Omega Experts
Roberth (Bob) Read more
Hi Aprilia
Many thanks for your diagnosis I have had the car to a specialist tracker they have checked the car all under and all the components everything was ok except a slightly worn ball joint ("not picked up by Main dealer") and retracked the rear it is now perfect and running as straight as a die there was no damage anywhere underneath so I feel a lot better they also noted that my nearside tyre was more worn than the offside and said that could have made it camber sensitive what ever that means I have also replaced all the tyres they went on to say that it had been out of track and was wearing the tyres unevenly contributing to pulling to nearside
many thanks again
Bob Cave
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I posted a very similar question for a 214 at the beginning of Sept. Started off as very intermittantly, but gradually got worse over a period of time. After various trips to/from the garage they rebuilt the injection unit, including the stepper motor and another couple of bits. They could not actually identify the fault although the car did show the symptoms when with them - thankfully. They also sent the ECU off for a diagnostic test. We used a Rover specialist rather than a dealer - would recommend them to anyone in the same area - St. Albans, Herts. Touch wood, the car is fine now. The mileage is about 115,000 (K reg, 214 cabriolet). It has been a great car and one worth keeping on the road.
Hope this may be of some help.