October 2004
This isn't an automotive issue but I couldn't think of another forum where I could ask it.
Anyway, as far as I can see a tuboprop is basically a jet engine with a turbine at one end and a propeller at the other.
What advantage does this have over a conventional jet engine?
Wouldn't a conventional jet engine be cheaper to produce and more reliable as it doesn't have as many parts? Read more
I nearly pulled out in front of an S40 the other day - twilight, heavy drizzle, roundabout, moved my head backwards and forwards to see around the A pillar, thought, he is indicating to leave the roundabout - it's safe for me to pull out. Whoops! He is not indicating, his indicators are on all the time!
Is this legal in the U.K.?
I have seen American spec. Goldwings with these running lights.
What happens when you indicate?
Does the rhs one go out when you indicate left?
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On my V40 the side orange side marker lights are completely separate to the indicator side repeater lights.
I notice these and find them very useful on a dark night. If a car so equiped is sitting at a T junction waiting to turn left and you are approaching from its RHS on the main road you often cannot see its head or side lights (car angled away from you) its rear may be hidden by a building or hedge and the active indicator will be on the opposite side of the car. The orange side marker light is the only visible light to the approaching car.
StarGazer
Hello All,
A friend has set her heart on a new Vauxhall Tigra. She has decided that the 1.4 Sport (i.e. aircon) model with metallic paint is the one for her. Her best price so far seems to be £15K without road tax, so I guess £15160 otr. They\'ve offered a nominal part-ex on her M-reg diesel 1.9 Clio (not interested I guess).
Is this a reasonable deal, or is it steep? Perhaps there are no good deals to be had on these because they\'re so new?
If anyone know of competitive deals on Tigra\'s please shout.
Thanks in advance
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Most dealers will try to tell you that because they're new and in demand they won't/can't give any discount - one of the brokers that i deal with through work is offering that particular model for £13641
www.broker4cars.co.uk/vauxhall/vauxhall-tigra.htm
Give them a whirl!
I have an L plate 306DT with 115k on the clock. On starting from cold, for the first 10 seconds I get a lot of dark smoke and it sounds rough,like one or more cyclinders isn't firing. Initially on releasing the ignition key after a second or 2 of firing up, the engine would stall but it would start and run on the second turn of the key. I now have to keep the key turned for about 4-5 seconds before the engine will pick up and run by itself. Perhaps the colder weather is having an effect. Pressing the accelerator as soon as it fires up helps it to get through the initial rough patch. Once through this rough startup the engine runs fine with no smoke and I get smokeless restarts after 5 minutes of driving.
Could this smoking be down to a faulty glowplug or plugs ? Would this be a good place to start looking ? How can I test a glowplug and what should I be looking for ?
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How did you get on with the poor starting? As i am having the same trouble with a P reg Dturbo.
Hi. I have a '96 Renault Espace 2.0 petrol injection.
A few weeks ago the car suffered a massive electrical failure which has been traced to an alternator over charge of the battery. Most lights that were on at the time blew plus a few fuses.
The fuses, battery and alternator have been changed, but the car now will not run.
The engine turns over, fires and runs for about 3-5 secs then cuts out. When the ignition is turned on you can hear the fuel pump running and after the engine dies the fuel pump still appears to be going. If carburettor cleaner is sprayed down the air intake, the engine will carry on running, suggesting that the fault lies with the fuel system. An engine management specialist had a go at it and assures me that on his oscilloscope there is still a signal being sent to the injectors as the engine dies. He also says that the engine management system checks out as being ok.
The fuel filter was changed about 2 months ago and there is half a tank of fuel onboard.
Any ideas anyone? All help appreciated!
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Hi Pie Eater. I'm being cheeky. I can't help with your problem, but I have something very similar happening with my Espace and I suspect you live in Wigan like me? Any chance you could contact me to discuss poss sloution for me? I would be VERY grateful.
Steve Jones 01942 742637 or sjkj@blueyonder.co.uk
Does anyone know where I can buy the Hella fog light kit for a Seat Arosa? Read more
Don't forget the baseball cap ;o)
capwholesalers.com/home/cw1/smartlist/228
Hi, (Firstly, glad I found this place!)
I had a puncture on my Bridgestone Turanza tyres so replaced it with the new spare -which was actually underflated so ran flat. So I had to buy 2 new tyres in an emergency at the nearest place at the time (NATIONAL TYRES)
The cheapest tyre they had they say was AVON ZZ3 but ever since changing to these tyres and the tyre pressures re-checked in my tyres to about 30 psi (my car had been running underinflated at about 26-28 psi)the car's ride is harder, rougher and the road noise has increased, its also slower and takes longer to stop.
Then I took it to my local SEAT dealer for another electronic problem they found that my tyres were overinflated at 38 psi when it should be about 33. They adjusted the tyre pressures.
My question is: anyone any experience of Avon ZZ3's or can recommend a tyre that's good in the wet but doesnt increase the road noise. I used to have some Good Year NCT2/Ventura's on my old alfa -it handled like a dream, GREAT in the WET!
2. I paid about £100 a tyre for these AVON ZZ3 at National Tyres (overpriced!) the same tyre 205/55/16 Avon ZZ3 at Britannia Tyres in Hinckley is £65.19 fully fitted. Thats a saving of over £35 per tyre compared to those big tyre/exhaust places that cant even inflate a tyre correctly! So I'd recommend Britannia Tyres to anyone in that area. I read somewhere in the archives on here they were good and quite helpful.
3. I've had my Avon ZZ3 about 10 days -does anyone know if and where I can sell them?
4. What sort of mileage on average would you get from a softer tyre like Bridgestone Turanza's -I know it depends on driving style and sort of driving, motorway v's city but in general. I am a bit suprised that Bridgestone Turanza's only lasted 14K (out which 8K was already on the car when I bought it) and they are cracked and worn -in my previous car's tyres(Good Year's) they went on till well over 30K
Cheers CH Read more
>>>>>I have just fitted 4 Goodyear Eagle F1 GS-D3 to my car.
Coincidentally Herself, after endless nagging from me, has just replaced same with similar at our friendly local Goodyear Service Center. I have them on my car and find them excellent. I have a sort of a folk memory for Goodyear anyway, since I once worked for them. Looking at the invoice £91 local equivalent, made in the Philippines. That includes 4 tyres, balancing, front alignment check, the whole nine yards. Not bad.
I'm currently looking for a new (Old!) car and need the following requirements:
Diesel (I drive a fair distance to work)
Cheap to run
Cheap/easy to maintain
Easy availability of spares
Lots of space for moving junk etc
Lots of space for kids
Low mileage
5 doors..
It doesn't need to be particularly fast or trendy. My budget is max £5k ish.
I don't really want to but a Ford/Vauxhall type thing due to bad experiences..
Previously I have owned Peugeot/Citroen type things, get on well with them and am familiar with how to fix the 'oily bits' In addition we have both a Eurocarparts and GSF shops within a few miles so getting spares are a breeze.
I'd sort of decided on a Citroen Berlingo (Or Pug equivalent)-roomy, economical and cheap. However, I have just seen a Skoda Fabia Estate for around the same money and I must say it appears to fit the bill.
However, having never owned a Skoda I dunno quite what to expect..
So, what's it to be? A Citroen Berlingo or Skoda Fabia Estate? Any other suggestions that'd fit the bill?
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Insurance costs...
I *really* resent paying more than I have to as I have an accident free record (Touch wood) and still the pink fluffy slippers try to screw you come insurance renewal time..
76,000 1.6 petrol overheating in traffic. Have drained and flushed whole system with thermostat removed and heater on full. Have fitted new thermostat. Have removed radiator,had running water through from both hose connections. Have blown air through radiator fins. On open road, temperature guage shows normal. In traffic, guage soon raches 90 deg. and electric fan cuts in intermittently, maintaining temp. slightly below that level. Any suggestions as to what can be tried to keep temp. normal would be appreciated.
Thank you.
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Peter,
I didn't say it was output shaft related - did I?
There are 2 bearings in the end casing, one for the input shaft, one for the output. Usually, once you've gone to the trouble of getting this all apart, you tend to put a bearing on each - otherwise it might be false economy.
number_cruncher
A friend of mine works as a shop assistant for a large national chain. Recently both she and other colleagues at the store at which they work have been regularly asked to travel to other stores at distances up to 100 miles from home.
The company is paying a small mileage rate to cover petrol but have implied that the journey can be done on normal "social domestic and pleasure" insurance.
My employer insists on any employee doing a similar journey in a private car holding business insurance cover.
Can anyone confirm if my friend is insured for these journeys?
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As usual Mark(RLBS) gives good sound insurance advice, take note and get your friend to check with her broker/underwriter and get the result in writing.
This particular aspect of insurance can be a mine field. My wife occasionally has to attend courses in one of her company's other buildings in the same area as her normal place of work, after checking, her policy is OK as her insurance company view that as not really travelling on business but just attending another nearby site instead of her normal workplace and are happy to write that small difference in risk on the normal policy.
On the other hand one of her colleagues was told by her insurer that she needed to upgrade as their wording was 'permanent place of work' and 'permanent means precisely that, madam, permanent, not temporary; otherwise you could temporarily work anywhere in the country.'
It would be interesting to see if her employer would put its view in writing, after all if they don't inspect her policy and get the point verified they could in effect cause her to commit an offence. What she has to bear in mind is not even the risk of having an accident, if she were to be stopped by the police and asked the purpose of her journey and then asked to produce her documents she could be in the position of having invalid insurance for the purpose of that journey and therefore have committed the offence of driving whilst uninsured.
I think you would agree, much better to be certain and the cost difference is not normally that great.
Cockle
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We have a couple of Lucas Shaftmoor Lane refugees here, who vouch for the complexity of the fuel systems for gas turbine engines - they are mainly happier with the aroma of hydraulic oil than with that of aircraft fuel!
In my (slightly off topic) post, I was only thinking of the turbochargers which are fitted to automotive engines. These usually expire from poor lubrication, and abuse.
number_cruncher