January 2004

rustbucket

Hi all, have tracked down the water coolant leak that has been evident only by the small drop in the expansion tank on the k reg 1 litre polo.The leak is around one of the temp sensors fitted to the thermostat housing (the leak is such that when engine is hot any trace of coolant evaporates). Is the sensor just a push fit, held in by the 'C' type clip or is it threaded.
Is there some kind of seal or O ring to form a seal? I do not want to disturb the sensor until I know I can seal the leak with any parts needed to hand.

thanks for any advice.

rustbucket (the original) Read more

rustbucket

Thanks for the advice Peter.

rustbucket (the original)

telecaster

have noticed an intermittent "clonking" sound from the back of my carina e hatch. i have been told that it is most likely the rear.."drop links! has anyone any idea where these are situated and is it a difficult job replacing them? thanks in advance! Read more

Andrew Moorey (Tune-Up)

Just to add that the pins that locate the drop links onto the shock and anti-roll bar have an allen key hole in them to stop them rotating as you undo the nuts. With a small drill clean the holes out and use a good quality allen key or better still socket hammered into the hole otherwise you will end up cutting the nuts off as the hole rounds out.
Andrew


Simplicate and add lightness!!

dave m

I have a vw golf 1.6se which has done nearly 50,000 miles at it\'s next service. What should i have done to it-if anything? Does the cambelt need changing or the tensioners? Any suggestions at all would help thanks. Read more

JohnM{P}

Get the belt and tensioner changed - see HJ's Car by Car Breakdown:
"1.4 16v and 1.6 16v engines have plastic timing belt pulleys which can shatter after about 40,000 miles, throwing off the belt, now failing regularly, though fortunately the belts are rarely flung off when this happens."

JohnM

helicopter

Clearing out the attic a week or two ago I found my fathers driving licence issued by the local county council in 1930 ( he was then 26 years old ).

I wondered if he actually ever had to take a driving test? Sadly he's not around to ask any more.

Any motoring historians out there - when did the car test become law and what sort of form did it take?

Also who is the oldest surfer in the backroom ?

Read more

helicopter

Dad's first car after the war was a 1936 Morris 12 - the car even had a wireless ( valve type - it was well into the 60's before transistors arrived )and we could just about hear the light programme fading in and out - wireless was called by father 'that box of whistles' cos that was all you could usually hear.

bmw2002

Freelander just had a facelift but I just read this article about an all-new Freelander in 2006 with some new AWD system. I posted the link below.

Link: www.thelandroverchronicle.com/new_page_431.htm

Read more

Pugugly {P}

We owned a Disco (a Y plate ex-demo one) for a car that cost over 24k at the time I was disappointed by the switchgear that appeared to be from a Montego/Maestro. Quite simply outclassed by other interiors (remember the original Discovery set the standard with its Conran interior) poorly made manual sunroof handles (grease all over the place).It did everything else well including the off roading bits it was meant to without breaking. When we sold it its paint still shone, all its computer bits worked but it just felt let down on detail. I have driven the latest version which is vastly superior in all the previously weak areas, if they get the Freelander right in the same way it deserves to sell.

smokie

Went to Kwik Fit for their cheapo oil change for Mrs Smokies Focus. I was going to go for semi-synth but they didn't have any in. (NB their prices have gone up a little - synth is now £39 not £34).

When they realised it was a Zetec, they said that needs special Zetec oil, which works out at £28 incl Coopers filter. They didn't have any Zetec oil either...

What is Zetec oil? Read more

DP

The Ford branded (Texaco, as others have said) oil is so cheap, it's not worth shopping around. £20 or a whisker less for 5 litres. My dad's old Mondeo 2.0 breezed 200k running on a new sumpful of this stuff with a Motorcraft filter once a year, and still sounded sweet as new when he moved it on.

AZ

I have a Toyota Carina e diesel,and the problem is,that first thing in the morning the car starts first time,but the revs are extremely high,cannot give you a figure,as no rev counter,but I estimate to be about 2000 rpm,which makes the car very noisy when stationary at junctions and traffic lights. Once car warms up,approx after 10 miles,revs are normal. Is there any way of adjusting the cold start revs,and is it easy to do. Thanks. Read more

bell boy

look for the cold start thermostat and see if its adjustable (will be on or near the pump),might need a new one ,sorry no idea if easy or not

Mad Maxy

I go to park in a nice quiet car park - not a busy one at a supermarket, a town centre on Saturday or a railway station in the morning peak. Plenty of empty spaces, some parts deserted.

I choose a space well away from any other vehicle - I don't want anyone parking beside me because I've suffered damage from clumsy oafs who can't get in/out of their car without whacking mine with their door.

When I come back my car is surrounded. There are still loads of empty spaces and some parts of the car park are STILL deserted. Why are some - most? - people irresistibly drawn to other cars when choosing a space? Aren't THEY worried about bodywork dings from their careless fellow motorists?

Bah! B-aaaaaa-h! Read more

NickD

Also funny with kids in the car is when other drivers can't be bothered hunting for the few spaces that are left, so they lurk like vultures when they see you return to the car ("this one's mine!"), and wait for you to leave your parking space. That can take time with kids...

This happened in the Trafford Centre on Saturday: as we return to the car, an A3 pulls up 5 yards away from our car and waits; all other cars behind wait patiently for a few moments, then realise it's staying put, and have to squeeze past on its left.

We calmly extract 18-month-old and 3-year-old from push-chairs, strap kids into car-seats, tighten straps, fold up push-chairs and put them in the boot, along with accumulated shopping.

A3 still waits with engine running. More cars squeeze past it.

3-year-old announces she wants a wee, so SWMBO gets potty from boot, un-buckles 3-year-old, and lets her do her thing.

A3 still waiting.

SWMBO walks off to the far end of the car park to empty the potty, and returns a minute or two later. (She's enjoying this.)

A3 still waiting.

We get back in the car, distribute sweets to the kids, settle arguments, and start the engine.

A3 creeps closer, so there's not enough room for us to reverse out.

We reverse out anyway, stopping a couple of inches from A3's bumper. A3 driver gets the hint and moves back. Fortunately for him, the driver behind has left him room to do that.

After waiting for five or six minutes, the vulture in the A3 finally gets in *his* chosen parking space. By now the other drivers who had been behind him have all parked up and are probably half-way round the shops.

Smart.

arnold2

Hope the admins don't mind me putting this under a separate topic than 'Snow'...

Last year, when I got to spend a super-soaraway night on the M11 (!), I was suprised NOT to read in any of the media the next day that the cause of all the jams on the M11 were jack-knifed lorries. As readers will remember, we had wet-ish weather followed by freeze/snow = ice rink. What happened then was the lorries all bashed there merry way up the hills, overtaking each other, lost traction - hey presto, instant jam ! The scene half way between Stansted & Cambridge looked like something out of a war zone - 4 lorries at one point, all over the place.

Fast-forward to Wednesday night. Drivers stuck on the M25/M11. And the cause - jacknifed lorries !! Luckily, I took the A1M, although very slow (7 hours London-Cambridge), at least I got home IN THE NIGHT.

What was incredible was, whilst I drove, watching several lorries overtaking other, slower-moving lorries, up inclines on the A1m ! If they had slipped, both lanes would have been closed.

Why can't the law be changed to allow the police to put up those elctronic noticeboards with 'ALL LORRIES ONTO THE HARD-SHOULDER NOW!' or something.

I know this wouldn't help the chaos that occured in the built-up towns and cities, but it would solve the motorway problems that occur. Read more

Cardew(USA)

Quinny,
What is sarcastic in saying that the level of skill is not the point?

What I am saying is that no matter how skilled the driver he cannot, for instance, reduce the braking distance of a lorry to that of a car.

Secondly it is no consolation to say "we don't design them, only drive them, so inevitably, accidents will occur."

Except for the very rare cases of mechanical malfunction, most accidents are caused by driver error. IMO the most common error committed by 'Knights of the Road' is to drive their lorries without due regard to their vehicle's limitations.

C

Malvin

Has anyone taken out a policy with these companies? I like to find out as much as I can to determine if it is something I require.

I've looked at warrantydirect and am a little bit confused.One of the points listed under the FULL PROTECTION is "Cover against damage caused by wear and tear",my understanding is if your brake disk were wearing out and it somewhat damaged the brake pads,then they will replace your brake pads and disc.

After going thought the online quote,viewing the policy details it says:

Standard Cover
Protection against the cost of parts and labour following a mechanical or electrical failure, cover against failure of a part or a part that is about to fail causing even greater damage including those parts that have failed due to wear and tear.
Claim limit = £5,000
Excess = £15

Why Warranty Direct
We only offer warranty cover without Wear and Tear exclusion, which means that if a covered part fails and is worn you will be covered and no Consequential loss to covered parts exclusion, which means that if a failure is caused by a non-insured part you will be covered
No other warranty offers this level of cover

This is where I am confused.Early on it says "Cover against damage caused by wear and tear" then later it says (my understanding) something entirly different.

Please can someone clear this for me. Thank you. Read more

Mark (RLBS)

The Con Loss exclusion would normally say that if an uninsured part failed and caused damage to an insured part, that would not be covered.

Wear and Tear exclusion would normally say that if something failed through wear and tear, then it was not insured and if in failing it damaged an insured part, then that was not covered either.

What you're quoting suggests that neither of those exclusions will apply.

However, HJ is correct. Ring Warranty Direct and ask them. Or even better, write to them to get a written response. I would be interested in that response.