February 2004
The news seems to be full of flood stories at the moment so I thought I'd ask how many of you feel confident about tackling flood water in your car and how many of you know where the air intake is on your car so you don't plunge in to the water, full of bravado and suck the wet stuff into your engine. Those of you with 4x4s or height-adjustable suspension move on now, please.
The Synergie sucks air near to the left headlight so it can cope with water up to the top of the wheels (not the tyres) before I get nervous. Water then makes its way into the gearbox, but that's another story.
My flood/fording technique was learned years ago in Knox Ford near Harrogate where you had to drive 50 yds down the river bed. I tackled it once in a Citroen Dyane, sucked some spray into the engine cooling fan which immediately filled the whole cabin with steam. It made it to the other side, though. My mates were doubled up with mirth when I arrived on dry land.
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land Read more
For a peugeot 306 with 130,000 miles on it. Was gonna try to run it for a while on this stuff just out of sheer curiosity more than anything. Before I flog it I was going to try it for a month or so. What is the recommended blend with methanol/white spirit ? Do you need pre-heaters and stuff ? Read more
The crux of the problem is to reduce the viscosity of the oil to that of diesel. Diesel has a pretty constant value of a few centistokes from around -20 to over 100C. Straight veg oil (SVO) only gets to a useable viscosity around 80C, dropping to a value around 10 ? 15 centistokes. Most injector pumps will run happily on anything below 20 centistokes, but Lucas / CAV pumps have shown themselves to be less reliable than say, equivalent Bosch units.
More robust pumps will allow you to start up on oil, but Lucas units will require starting (and cool down) on diesel fuel. Cold oil on start up heavily stresses the pump rotor, causing it to eventually fail. It seems that Pug fitted a lot of Lucas pumps on their engines - better check yours before you make an expensive mistake!
That said, I?ve run the Lucas pump on my old Pug 309 for 4,000miles on heated SVO, but starting and cooling down diesel.
The conflicting info over white spirit is the large variation in quality, with some folks using ?turpentine substitute?, a poorer quality white spirit.
From my own experience, with the Pug, white spirit did indeed give variable results. On a cold day the engine was decidedly unhappy, with lots of white smoke and engine 'hunting' until warm.
An excellent source of information can be found at:
www.goatindustries.co.uk/forum/index.php
The official details/pictures/website of the new Hyundai 4x4 are online at www.hyundaitucson.com/home.asp
Their best effort so far but still behind in styling & I don't think much of the name.
Should the developed manufacturers, i.e. land rover, toyota, honda and jeep be worried as hyundai is now quite big in the USA (sell more cars now than VW) ?
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Land Rover are safe until 2005. This car has been beaten
with an ugly stick.
You're saying Land Rover products look good ??!!
To me all the 4x4s look like they were styled by guys who spent their formative years locked in a room with two cardboard boxes.
Today I drove past the showroom of Bristol Cars.
Looking them up on the web:
www.bristolcars.co.uk/index2.htm
I am interested in what sort of engines they have, are they their own or made by someone else?
Anybody own one?
Better than an X5 any day! Read more
They are wonderful cars. The Patek Philippe of car markers - and they are definitely not meant for lottery winners :) Lots about in London because they may be long, but they are relatively narrow. Despite their reputation for being the reserve of old money a lot of very famous stars drive them because they like the anonymity while having all the luxury.
Heard from Honda today that the Accord Tourer Diesel won't be released until late March, early April. When I ordered it I was told I'd have it late January or early February. Read more
Its a real pain when that happens, but if you really want that car, there is very little you can do about it! Similar thing happened when I ordered my GTA, I was told 3-4months, it took almost 8.
Thats the trouble when buying a new model.
I have an unusual problem maybe someone could help me with:
Every once in a while (once a week at worst) my Golf won't start. It turns over fine and sounds ok but just will not catch. If I let it sit for approx. 24 hours it will start again. I have not noticed any time when this seems to happen more than another. Please help as this is very frustrating to not be able to rely on my car for daily transportation.
Thanks in advance for your suggestions/fixes! Read more
... 1988 Golf GT starts when it wants ...
Phew, it was a relief to read what your problem really is GGH when I opened the thread. For a moment I thought you meant you came down for breakfast in the morning, and found that the car had been for a drive by itself in the night! ;-)
Went to BCA Tewksbury today. Many bargains going through. Thought that a P reg Alfa GTV in black, for £4650 looked good (if you're not of nervous disposition) to £15 for a renault 15 with MOT till Nov 04. As always, small cars were strong. Up to 3 grand for S and T reg 3dr Clios. Considering I paid £3200 for a 2000 Wreg 5dr a year ago at the same auction, I reckon I could get that money back. Told the wife I'm going to put it up for sale. I've noticed that a similar age car in the class above (Megan etc), sells for about a grand cheaper. Worth a punt I think. Read more
I have recently purchased a secondhand 99 mondeo with 84K on the clock.
I experience a 'knock' or 'jolt' when pulling away from low speed, particularly in second gear. The noise comes from under the bonnet. The noise happens at the biting point of the clutch.
Any ideas what this can be?
The car has the original clutch, and has had the gearbox mounts inspected and one of them replaced recently.
Ta.
Read more
It'll be one of the engine roll restrictors. They are the large round rubber engine mounts at the front and the rear of the engine
At one time, a float, arm & potentiometer was used, but I believe it's different these days.
Anybody tell me how?
If I fill up with the ignition on, the gauge doesn't register any increase in tank contents until I turn off & then back on again. Interesting... Read more
hi NitroBurner,
how ru,I have a prob with the gsi again (see new thread)hope you can help
have you still got the beemer?
all the best
outkast
their was a mitsubishi carisma 1.6 se (had all electrics) on an S plate with 113k millage with MOT till july at auction today which went for 800 quid.
i was tempted but was put of by the high mileage. The interior was very good, and the exterior show was ting dent on passenger door but nothing serious, 4 tyres where ok, engine sounded fine, no blue smoke etc.
just one question, i have had mitsubishi\'s before and have had engine smoke problems at 90k - is this engine at 113k at the end of its life or would it be capable of another 50k?
i understand that every car differs due to how its been driven and maintained, but in general - what mileage is left for such a car?
also a mint volvo v40 saloon 2.0 x-plate with 90k on the clock went for £3,200 - shame its out of my current price range. Read more
>The actual spelling is "Carisma"..
Just as well, really, as 'Mitsubishi charisma' would be one for your book of oxymorons, I imagine!
BTW, I see that Groucho Marx's inclusion of 'military intelligence' in that category seems to be proving its worth lately...
Browse
Interesting replies people.
Ian L, here's me being all smug about knowing where my air intake is and I'd forgotten about the cooling fans. The Synergie has 2 seemingly the size of a dartboard and they run all the time when the climate control is set to auto, which is - all the time. Good point.
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land