December 2003
Mk2 golf 1.3 1990
During the past month i\'ve noticed a occasional slight grinding sound from my passenger side front wheel when I brake. This has got more frequent and now occurs each time I brake. I jacked the car up to inspect the pads they were fine. But I discovered that the the cv boot must have a split in it because the grease is leaking out all the way around the rubber boot.
To sort this out do i just need to replace the rubber and is this a simple task? Will any damage have occured to the joint itself?
thanks Read more
It\'s Christmas day.
Therefore I expect best behaviour ;o)
Anyone that feels this is an opportunity to take the proverbial can expect to have their account disabled. No warnings, no deletions, no \"please see the small print\". You know the rules by now. I don\'t expect to have to wave the big moderating stick in the next 24 hours and I\'m sure Mark and Dave share that sentiment.
On a more festive note, happy yule, y\'all. You\'re a great bunch of people, without exception, so enjoy the festive season and look forward to resuming hostilities on 26/12/2003......
Happy Christmas from the No Doshes
:o)
Alan Read more
Quite old, but still hugely funny. The joke that is!
Xmas regards.
We are aware that the latest Volvo Pop-up is causing a few technical problems; such as being difficult to close, and that it can sometimes obscure text.
Like most companies, our advertising agency is closing for Christmas and nothing can be done over the holiday period to resolve this technical glitch.
Rest assured, the matter is in hand and will be dealt with ASAP.
Please try to remember though, (and to quote HJ) Volvo is paying for you to be here at all, so please respect that.
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Dynamic Dave
Back Room Moderator
mailto:moderators@honestjohn.co.uk Read more
Today's Telegraph reported that for the first full week of the M6 Toll road it was used by an average of 34,612 drivers per day - 20% of the traffic.
According to other news reports nearly all were private cars @ £2(with discount) per trip. Accepting it is early days yet, if that turns out to be the normal usage this will be a gross revenue of approx £25M a year.
I am no economist but on an investment of £900M an income of £25M does not make it a viable commercial proposition. I have no idea what it costs to run and maintain the road out of that revenue but it must be considerable.
I believe however that after the first 10M vehicles have used the road the £1 discount goes and cars will be charged £3. - that should be in about 9 months time. However with increased charges the law of diminishing returns comes into play.
So if it turns out to be commercially unviable it will hardly encourage other privately funded roads.
What is the betting on a Government subsidy? It will still be cheaper than publically funded roads - won't it??
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I used the M6 toll on 18th Dec, at about 1400 hours. I was very impressed. Was almost completely empty. The way all motorways should be. It did shave about 30 mins off the journey time.
I have a 1994 106 Key West 1.4D (stop laughing) that i use just for running to and from work. It seems to be leaking fuel from the pump somewhere. If I get stuck in traffic for any length of time I get smoke from the engine block where the fuel has leaked or been splashed onto it. I have checked the fuel lines, they seem ok but I can't pinpoint the source of the leak. Is it very difficult to remove and strip the pump? Does anyone know a solution? Read more
It's probably the pump throttle shaft bush gone.
A specialist job, not overly expensive.
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groups.msn.com/honestjohn/problems.msnw?Page=1 - Pictures say a thousand words.....
Sorry to be morbid at this time of year but a relative of mine recently died and his son now has the job of selling his car.
My question is will he be able to drive it under the third party all car extension clause in his own insurance policy? Usually it includes the sentence "with the owners permission" but technically as his father is deceased would this cause any problem in the eyes of the law?
TIA Read more
I think this has cropped up before.
The 'owner' is now the estate so I think an executor could give permission. The original policy will now be invalid, so don't park on the road - there may be a chance of cancelling the policy with a refund. Phone the insurance company involved, there is a possibility they will change the name to the son if the car is going to be sold and his risk status isn't too bad.
As Mark always says - It's never worth risking anything with insurance policies. Let them know all relevant facts. They are human after all (it's alleged).
Unbeleivably the Vauxhall Belmont has been named as the most at risk car for being stolen in the uk, with 99 stolen per 1,000 registered.
2nd place is the mk2 Astra, 95 stolen per 1,000 registered.
3rd place is the Nova, 62 stolen per 1,000 registered.
Full list and report here:-
www.homeoffice.gov.uk/n_story.asp?item_id=747
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It would take a dedicated thief to seek one out. When
did you last see a Belmont (Astra with a boot?)?
About 6 months ago, just before the one belonging to my neighbour was stolen. ;)
I am after a bit of knowledge for a problem that has reared its ugly head.
My 95 Golf 1.8 (SOHC Single point injection *I believe*) is making a worrying noise from the alternater/water pump area. It sounds more towards the engine block (ie waterpump)than the alternater. The noise from cold is a scrunching noise about 3 times a second on tickover, however when warmed it up sounds more like a rattle (eg couple of stones in a tin can). It started yesterday and having driven it home and another mile to the garage this morning it has gotten significantly worse.
Normally I would just send it to the garage to diagnose and fix as although reasonably competent I am nowhere near expert level, however the garage can't do anything until 5th January, unfortunately I need the car as I am on-call for work.
Popped it down the garage just to get an opinion this morning and they were mentioning either waterpump or pretensioner (timing belt pretensioner I assume). Obviously I am currently not driving it anywhere but need to try and diagnose it myself and pray that the local VW garage has the parts I will need. Probably worth mentioning that the water pump was replaced about 16,000 miles ago.
My plan is to:
Remove the belt that goes around the water pump and alternater, start engine. If noise still there then rule out both alternater and water pump, if noise goes then do some further playing with first the waterpump then the alternater.
Is there anything else that this could reasonably be? If it does turn out to be the "pretensioner" is this a relatively simple job or is it best leaving to the pro's? Any advice on diagnosing? Any problems I should be wary of?
Any advice gratefully recieved and I'd like to take this opportunity to wish everyone a very merry Christmas!
Mike Read more
Use a long screw driver and rest it on the possible offending part, Alternator etc and rest your ear on the handle. This noise could he the belt itself and is stopped by squiring wd40 on the steering pump pulley surface. If it stops get a new belt and change it.
If it turnes out to be the tensioner then ensure line up the pulley markings and mark the belt and sprockets so you are doubley sure the belt has not jumped. Did it have a new belt with the waterpump change. if not and depending on the mileage I would be tempted to change it with the tensioner. You can listen to the tension bearing with a screww driven but be very careful as a slip here could end up with the screw driver stuch in the cam belt Regards Peter
Backroomers
Ford Ka, started OK, engine running but get screaching noise if lights are switched on.
Any ideas? Alternator belt?
Thanks Read more
A squeaky fan belt can often be cured temporarily using water, WD40 etc. A loose, screeching belt won't be. Another point to be aware of is that when the belt screeching, the battery isn't being charged. A simple check with a voltmeter will show this.
Anyone with a recommend for replacements for currently fitted Michelins 185/65 r14.They are wearing well, but that aside offer poor grip at this time of year great when dry and warm.Any positive reports of Avons/Dunlops/Goodyear Avons CR 322 on the rear and for the price they appear to be good just a bit dubious about putting them on the front. Read more
I now have pirelli p6000 on my tdci zetec hatch and have been very pleased with them. Much more feel and response than the bridgestones they replaced. The car feels much more chuckable.
I have also driven cars with continentals- found them prone to tramlining and noisy, a heavy feel to the steering, and goodyear NCT2s which I rated highly, felt very much like the pirellis. But I do believe that you still have to make a choice between handling and tyre life, the softer rubbers giving much better grip especially in the wet but at the expense of tyre life.
I used to buy budget tyres but personally found them to give poor performance and short life.
Hey a final testimony to Pirelli quality- they were balanced with only a single tiny weight on the inside of each rim to balance the valve, no weights at all on the outside of the rim.
Browse
I have also broken a 1/2" (push through) drive on my Britool torque wrench on a mk2 Golf driveshalf nut but luckily obtained a replacement.
Some years ago, I took the office mk2 Golf for it's mot, it passed, but the test centre said there was some play in the os front wheel bearing. I investigated and found the driveshalf nut was only finger tight. Now when I have to renew a cv boot on my own golf I use the old nut as a locking nut instead of discarding it.