December 2004
HJ,
I followed this very promising link from the Plymouth - Dakar page only to find it takes me to some Bavarian Radio site......BR4 ain't in the same league as our own Radio 4 let me tell you ! Read more
Hi guys,
Just wondering if anyone new if this model has ABS.
Also been reading the threads on no heating, mine comes on really low and can go hot or cold if you change the temperature anyone have any clues?
Thanks
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Just an update to remind people of this common problem. I had been having big problems starting my '95 Astra TD whenever the temperature dropped outside. Over the summer it had been fine, but coming through Autumn it was getting worse and worse. It would turn over fine for ages, but just not catch, then the battery would die and that was that. When it did start, it would run like a dog for at least two minutes with masses of smoke out of the back. However, switching it off and starting it again was no problem at all when the engine was even the slightest bit warm.
So, after searching on here I found out that it was very common on higher mileage (mines is 144k) Isuzu engine TD Astras that the valve clearances go out, and that this leads to poor compression when cold. When things heat up, things expand and the gaps are filled, so all is fine and it runs OK.
The solution is to have the tappets adjusted and maybe shims put in - careful though as costs for this vary wildly. One backstreet garage quoted me £420, so I was surprised when the Vauxhall main dealer was able to do it for just £140.
Now, car starts on the button. The other night it was -4oC and chick, brmm, just like that. Oh, and no smoke and poor running from cold either now. Read more
Probably one for DD, i've seen the above and wanted to know what the mpg was like, and is there anything i need to watch out for on this engine, i heard they had dodgy camchains. Has anyone had any common " they all do that sir " incidents. Thanks in advance. Read more
Thanks DD,it was the C that im looking at.
does the 306 td and the 306 hdi use the same injectors? Read more
I am not an expert on these engines but I would think it's very unlikely since the HDi is common rail - a completely different way of fuelling the engine compared to the old XUD.
OK gang, I need some help with a crossword clue:-
Sam, MD of the Ford Motor Co 1980-1986 (3)
I think it is t_y
Any Ford historians out there?
Thanks. Read more
Thank you!
Amazingly fast.
The Back Room rocks!
According to a friend from Wales HJ's CBC Breakdown had a mention in a Consumer Programme on their ITV3 last night. It was in relation to a Porsche Boxster with gungy coolant. The programme (The Ferret) showed a print out from this site stating "don't touch one in this condition". Fame indeed. Read more
Free publicity is better value I would guess.
Took the Octavia in to the new local main dealer yesterday for a lambda probe change (VW 2.0 8V as noted by HJ in the DT). They have three franchises. Skoda, Hyundai and??????????Lotus!!
So I stood there waiting for my keys and the diagnostics on the failed VW climatronic system. The guy behind me had just been for a test drive in a Trajet while the bloke next to me was discussing the suspension on his Elise. Surreal.
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In telford what had been the toyota dealer for many years lost the franchise and became an alfa and daewoo dealer - bit of a strange combination.
6 months later it closed totally.
why are car's measured in bhp? and if my car is 120bhp - how/why/what is it measured that i have 120 horses under the bonnet?!
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Well said NC..going back years ago I do remember standards that were never met..Mind you I come out of the trade for a while..Poor pay for those that knew what they were talking about or did..better pay for those that had no Idea.Think that was due to fast fit no training/very little ......I wonder about Techs now
--
Steve
...to that great foxhole in the sky.
Yes, sadly a fox ran out infront of the Discovery this evening whilst I was on my way to Plymouth and didn't cross the road in time. I had no time to react at all. I did swerve to avoid it but it ran in the direction I swerved in, and I will be the first to admit that the Discovery does not handle well in that kind of manovre, so avoiding action was limited. Fortunately there were no cars coming the other way.
At first I thought it was a dog, so I slowed up and turned around. I thought I saw it move in my rear view mirror, so I thought 'should I go and put it out of its misery?' Well when I got back, I could see it was definitely a fox and dead.
Shame really,
Hugo Read more
Mark,
Still got a hangover?
sounds like you need a hare of the dog.
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When these Isuzu engines were first introduced on Vauxhalls in 1990, the issue of valve recession was already known. For that reason, check and adjust valve clearances was an additional item on sevices every 18,000 miles.
While these cars remain dealer serviced, they tend to get this required attention. Once cars are no longer dealer serviced, these types of service operations tend to become more neglected.
Correct servicing would prevent the problem in the first place.
number_cruncher