November 2003
Is there any way that a private individual can find out the details of the owner of a car, if they know the registration number?
I ask because I have a relatively rare model of car with a personalised number plate which has been in our family since 1964, and 10 days ago I saw an identical model, same colour, same everything, bearing an almost identical number in our local town, and I'd just like to meet the owner. Read more
Just had a guy come and look at my mondeo estate. All was going well untill i started the engine. There was no tappet noise, despite the cold weather up here. No smoke etc. All sounded spot on to me. Then his expert friend removed the oil filer cap.
The bloke then said, "nope sorry, don't want it, too much pressure there."
Now i thought plenty of pressure here was a sign of a healthy oil pump. Am i wrong?
Ben Read more
Turbulence in the crankcase-yes.Pulsation-no.The air displaced by the pistons going down must equal that of those going up or it wouldn't work.
Just read the road test of the Touran (thanks HJ)...and I am amazed that a major manufacturer is putting out a car with no spare wheel.
Now it is not as though the car has wildly different sizes of tyres front and rear....or even that it has a space saver spare. I assume that it has an emergency inflator/repair system which is fine for a simple nail or thorn but useless for a damaged tyre wall. In this situation you have to be able to replace the wheel to get you moving again.
Are the manufacturers expecting us to call out the AA or RAC or local garage for the sake of a puncture (OK in the case of a busy motorway this might be the safest option)?
A major marketing error in my view and would certainly make me think twice before buying.
regards
Ian L. Read more
Ian,
There are no regulations at all regarding spare tyres. You can carry one in any condition you like and you will not be comitting an offence unless you put it on the vehicle.
The helicopter company car is a 6 year old Vectra 2.0 DI LS Estate which has only done 14 k.
I inherited it from the previous incumbent and it passed MOT OK in July but it has been and still is very underused and getting very sluggish on accelleration, especially first thing after start up although no problems with starting at all.
I give it a blast of around 80 miles every week up and down the motorway to try and clear out the cobwebs and top end speed is OK once I get there but I would welcome suggestions as to what is the likely cause of the sluggishness and best solution please. Read more
VERY true. I was lucky, my Y20DTH only revved to about 7000rpm. It only broke 3 valve bridges and 2 hydraulic followers (probably from flying debris in the engine). Managed to replace broken parts and get the engine running again. Done more than 10K miles in it since so "all is good" for now...
BE CAREFUL with any EasyStart products on a diesel!!
Hi
I had a After 5 min of start stop driving and 3~5 min of steady 50mph when accelerating up to 70mph on the motorway my Vectra gave a bit of a cough, lost some power for 10-20 seconds, Engine management light came on, engine power came back ok, drove to next exit approx 2 miles with light still on but car driving normally. Turned engine off, had a look under the bonnet, where all looked ok, all belts intact levels fine no smells or leaks. Started car again, no warning light and it drove fine for the next 5 motorway miles to work.
Using the ever so technical paperclip I found that the ECU has stored a crank sensor error code (0335) however in my list of error codes acquired from www.topbuzz1.carenthusiasts.co.uk/info/fault_codes...m there is another error code called Camshaft sensor (0340) which I do NOT have.
I guess I am concerned that the sensor detected a fault as opposed to the sensor becoming faulty itself, as such I am in no immediate rush to replace the sensor. So what would cause the crack sensor to log a fault (also bearing in mind the cough symptom) Would the timing belt jumping a tooth cause it?? and if so would the car appear to continue to run normally with the belt out ? Is this an early indicator that my tensioner pulley is on the way out? (Timing belt etc replaced ~25k miles ago.) Or something completely different??
Car is a 98R Vectra GLS 1.8 16v Ecotec(with Aircon)
Any ideas gratefully received.
Read more
OK, so I had this problem too, after reading various threads from around the web I was lead to belive varying things such as crankshaft sensor, camshaft sensor, air mass meter, throttle body or throttle control sensor.
Annoyingly after replacing the Cam sensor and Air mass sensor I find it is neither....
I can't believe after all this time of HID Xenon lamps being available on a lot of cars these days that dealers (sales in particular) are not aware that you have to adjust them to drive on the right in Europe.
Having looked at a Skoda Superb and a Ford Mondeo, both of which offer Xenon lamps, I was hit with the same response from the salesman when I asked if the adjustment could be made from inside the car, or whether like the VW golf/Passat it requires an expensive bumper removal.
They were totally clueless, and although the Skoda garage looked in the workshop manual, the Ford place insisted on arguing that you can't adjust it!!!
I know that height adjustment is automatic, but I think that sales should make buyers aware of such an important issue when ordering with Xenons as normal light deflectors do not work.
Has anyone here had these problems too, or in the case of driving abroad, found an easier way then removing the bumper on a VAG car to adjust them for driving on the right?
Neil T
SEAT Leon TDi 150, Toledo 20VT Sport, Various Montegos... Read more
Against advice from all sides, I adjusted the (non-HID) dip beams on my RHD Honda Prelude from left to right, using the existing adjusters, a friendly garage man and a Beamsetter tool. It then passed the French CT (MOT equivalent) test to enable me to register it in France and it has passed again 4 times since.
When I imported my XJS with a four-headlight conversion it was easier to buy new right-dipping outer units and it was a half-hour job to change them before submitting the car to the French test....
Dear all,
Just tried to start my Golf MkIV 1.6 16v and it's sounding like it's running on three cylinders. It's also smoking and is more difficult to start. Also the check engine light is flashing. Does the dreaded coil pack problem that is plaguing larger VAG engines affect this engine as well or is it likely something else?
TIA
Matt. Read more
Thanks DD - very similar to a Rover 75 recall some years ago.
--
groups.msn.com/honestjohn - Pictures say a thousand words.....
Usually consisting of one or more tins of R134 freon and a hose (some equipped with a gauge) to connect to your aircon lines. Has anyone come across them in the UK?. I have used them with success in the past while living in the US, but not sure if they are available in the UK. Below is a link from a US site detailing what I am after.
www.id-usa.com/spkits.htm
Thanks Read more
Thanks again for your help Dave. I have a Bentley manual arriving sometime this week and armed with that I will feel better about investigating the problem. If it is a straight forward fix such as replacing condensor then I may consider doing it. At that point I would just go to an AC specialist for a vacuum and recharge.
For those of you in the trade or just those who\'ve done it on their own cars - how long should it take to remove and alternator, change the pulley, and put the alternator back in on a 1997 Astra 1.7 TD with GM engine? I\'ve been quoted by a VX dealer for \'best case an hour, worst case an hour and a half\' but that\'s a bit vague for me and seems a long time. I\'ve been told by someone local that it\'s possible to have an alternator off and back on again within 20 mins.
Are the VX dealer trying to rip me off (aside from their £60/hour labour rate) or do you think that an hour to an hour and a half is fair enough?
Cheers for any replies
-- Kev Read more
I find Dexion racking (steel lengths with lots of holes for bolts) ideal for bracket manufacture. Cuts easily/can be bent/lots of holes/cheap.
madf
HJ often recommends Texaco petrol due to higher levels of detergent.
However, I've noticed that the pumps at Texaco stations have the 'CleanSystem3' (or whatever it is) logo beneath the petrol pumps only and not the diesel pumps.
Does this mean that there's no difference between Texaco's diesel and that of others? Or, is it superior?
Read more
petrol as you know is not the same as diesel so the additives will be different.as far as diesel is concern`d the thing you will best off knowing is the less wax involved is the better the motor will run and the cleaner it is the better detergent is used in diesel also the cleaner and better it will run should also give better mileage to gallon.correct me if I`m wrong
Browse
.jpg)
pdc
Get a bottle of asprins and glass of water and sally down to
www.tinyurl.com/tqv7
Having a speed read of the explanatory notes has left me with the feeling that this is more Labour Party speel - all promise and no substance. I am now doubtful that vehicle/Driving Licence details will be released. As to what will be released is anybodies guess.
DVD