October 2003
Just been advised that my wifes 95 1.9TD Passat Estate needs a replacement water pump.
Is this a big job or could even an inexperienced person replace it. Should I get a new one or can I get a reconditioned one. How much would the pump cost. How many hours work would it be to change?
Any ideas much appreciated.
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Hi,
Before I start I am ashamed to say that I know absolutely nothing about cars.
I have a 1995 vauxhall omega that has about 53000 miles on the clock.
About a week ago I noticed that there was a patch of water on the garage floor just left of centre in the engine compartment. I assumed that I had been losing water for a while as when I checked the coolant level I found that it needed to be topped up with around 2 litres of water. Since then, although the car still seems to be losing water I haven't noticed any more patches on the garage floor. Another, possibly unrelated, symptom is that over the past couple of days the car seems to shudder/judder a little when just started and whilst idling; I don't remember it doing this a week ago.
I have described the symptoms to a local Vauxhall dealership who asked me to drop the car in on Monday for them to have a look at. The chap I spoke to scared me a little by saying that the fault may be with something called the Cylinder Head Gasket which will cost several hundred pounds to fix.
I would be very grateful for any help or advice.
Regards,
Martin Read more
joosisiqu,
The water on the floor is definately coolant; it smelt of anti-freeze.
It probably does not make any difference but I forgot to mention that the car is an automatic.
Cheers,
Martin
Each time a new/ revised model is launched the car buying public are told how much better than the old one it is. Just like washing powder, this makes me wonder how we all got along so well before. Apart from the obvious styling changes and any fancy new gadgets by how much is the average new car a significant improvement over its predecessor ?
I you have bought a new car, have you found it to be better or worse than the model it replaced and, if so, how ? Read more
Do we keep cars
a long time because it is economical to do so? Have
we become sad little accountants who count the pennies and derive
smug satisfaction in the knowledge that our bank ballances are slightly
greater than they would have been otherwise.
*slightly* greater ???
I could certainly cope psychlogically with changing the car at Japanese inspired frequency, but my slightly greater bank balance justs seems to keep disappearing on other things.
I\'m considering a new car (well new to me, it\'ll still be best part of 10 years old!).
I fancy a bit of luxury for a change, and despite swearing i\'d never buy one because of the stigma attached to them, i am tempted by an BMW, either 323 or 325 (the E36 model, 1991ish onwards). I know there are other, less flashy alternatives, but i\'m led to beleive that the beemer is the \"driver\'s car\" choice, which is what i\'m after as opposed to out-and-out luxury.
So gentlemen (and ladies), your thoughts please? Particularly:
1) performance/handling
2) running costs
3) reliability (remembering for the sort of money i want to spend (3-4k, it\'ll be the wrong side of 100k miles)
4) will people really think i\'m a pink fluffy dice? Read more
Fantastic car. One of the best drives I've had, but I'd never own one. I couldn't stand the hatred from other road users. You will always get the blame for the few egocentric, aggressive morons who drive 3 series.
I now have total sympathy for White Van Man.
On saturday I took a load of cadets over to RAF Woodvale to fly. The transport was a 16 seat ford transit, extra long. First time I have ever driven something bigger than a car (well, I have driven a tank, but that was off road) and I now appreciate just how different your approach to driving has to be.
Sadly I only managed to do 30 miles before the clutch gave up on me, just at J2 of the M57. Have received a lot of ribbing about that, given it was my first time driving the vehicle. Read more
Also apart from the vehicle side having assisted for a short time in the sort of multi-drop delivery activities that some of these get up to I can appreciate the pressures.
A couple of times was faced with the prospect of making >130 drops in a day.
It takes a very strong will not to let standards fall and at least I didn't have an irate transport manager back at the depot if failed to deliver the goods. Please pardon the pun.
Are there anyother backroomers out there who are adult members of staff in the ATC, or any other youth organisation? I recently rejoined the ATC as an adult member of staff and the other happened to ask the other staff whether I needed additional insurance if I ferry cadets around in my own car. They said it was something they had never considered.
Well I've just fired off a letter to my insurance company raising the question, but wondered if anyone here could provide a quicker reply.
I have seen the thread from June (www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?f=2&t=13...4) which is similar I guess, but this situation is slightly different.
At the moment I am a civilian instructor and as such I will only receive fuel expenses and no other pay. However, if I go into uniform as a reservist (training branch), then I wouldnt exactly receive a wage, but there are bounties paid for duties carried out. Is that classed as for hire & reward? Read more
Hiya...
I'm a Guide leader, and sufferred from some confusion over this a couple of years back.
My own insurance has no problem with me carrying Guide passengers, as long as it's not for hire or reward, as above.
However, Guide Association insurance does have a problem. I needed to be fully comp (was anyway). The car must have adequate seatbelt provision. Ideally they said that Guides should not travel in private vehicles on trips/outings etc, but if it was just a private arrangement (ie lifts to and from the meeting place) there was no problem as their insurance only came into effect when the Guide arrived at the meeting place.
If there was ever lack of space on the minibus or coach and a private car was used, I used to take one of the Young Leaders with me who was over 16 and usually over 18.
Now you see why I was confused! I think until someone actually sues, the policy will remain as loose as it is.
BMW (SA) have recently launched a new model.
Unfortunately for them, some wag has realised that IF the badging is inverted [as in the old 710 77345 = shell oil] , it spells a VERY rude word in the local vernacular.
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aah, Pug, IIRC YOU drive that particular model ... do the old calculator trick, then google for the meaning...
sorry.
I have used an OBDII fault reader on my car and found the following fault:
P0171 System too Lean (Bank 1)
Whilst I understand what running too lean means, I was wondering what would give rise to such a fault being logged.
Regards,
Fiestaman Read more
On the Fiesta and most 4 cyl you will only find Bank 1, Bank 2,3,4 come in as you rightly say for Vee engines. As the OBD11 and EOBD protocols have to deal with all configurations of engines they use a set system of fault codes.
Hope that makes sense!
Andrew
Simplicate and add lightness!!
Watford junction road layout, i don?t know if I?m the only poster here who frequents this mayhem regularly. It was bad before but now they've made it atrocious. They?ve made it no left turn out of the station car park forcing all cars to turn right into already bad traffic. Apparently this was done as a safety consideration as people can cross the road easier now, but from what I?ve seen people turn left out of exasperation of being stuck in almost non moving traffic for 15 minutes trying to get out of the car park, when the lights green the green man is also showing on the crossing, so it wont be long until someone hits a pedestrian.
Synchronised a bus queue jump light so when the first light is green the main light is red and vice versa, so only 3 ? 4 cars manage to get into the no mans land between lights and on.
Anybody else experienced its new joys, or have you got stupid councils making similar improvements near you.
Already written to the my councillors, but realistically I don?t expect anything to be done about it.
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i too drive a "low" car, and recently the council installed speed cushions on the roads in our town, the speed limit is 30mph and i first went over it at about 15mph,but the car grounded heavily,and badly damaged the exhaust. when i rang the council highways dept, and explained that i held them responsible for the damage and would like them to contribute to the repair costs, i was told that, "the cushions have been designed to a set pattern which allows for the safe transit of ALL vehicles travelling at the implemented mandatory speed limit of 30mph.
when i informed them that my car was a "low" one, they instantly replied, if i had it lowered then the cause and costs of the incident were my responsibility....and promptly hung-up!!.
I was recently reading about the new Clio Sport that costs about £20k and go 155mph and 0-60 in about 6 seconds. Also the new Golf quickie as well. It got me thinking that these cars are targeted at those that probably cannot drive them properly or rather do not have the necessary experience.
Shouldn't we instigate a system along the lines of only being allowed to drive certain insurance rated cars (by group) for the number of years that a licence has been held. For example, for the first year that you hold a licence you should not be allowed to drive a car higher than say group 7 or 8, and then increase this by 1 "group" per year. Hopefully this might be able to prevent irresponsible drivers being able to get cars that are capable of such excessive speeds.
I heard of a 17yo who got a Ferrari for his birthday!
Is this too Big Brother and too impractical? Read more
I see your points, and suppose that a performance car has
a lot better braking capability from 100mph than a Fiesta doing
the same speed and therefore is safer in some respects
I personally also think that cars like the Bugatti Veyron with
1001 bhp have no place on the road but having said
that the price will not mean that many find their way
on to the road
I think personally that we should be thankful that manufacturers are prepared to still produce cars like the Veryon (and the Enzo, 360 Modena and any supercar you like to mention). It seems to me that
This world is a dull grey place most of the time and we should ge grateful for any splashes of colour that are provided ....
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Simple job, although a little fiddly and potentially time consuming if the hex headed bolts securing the pulleys round off........
Pump can't be more than £30-£40, bank on a couple of hours in a workshop.