September 2005
Just getting into the workings of SWMBO's Puma and I wonder if any Backroomers know the purpose of the box that is attached to the underside of the bonnet? Read more
Just better suggest that everyone who owns a passat tdi get the turbo bolts checked as vw will not take responsibilty for the fact that they work loose and go into the engine. see my previous post Read more
My partner has just bought a new(ish) 2005 model 1.4 liter Ford Fiesta Zetec 'climate' shod with 15" alloys and 195/50 tyres as standard fit and quite ridiculous, really, if you think of it.
This setup does nothing for the ride comfort of the car which frankly is agricultural.
I was wondering whether we could buy four 14" Steel wheels and trims and put on them four R14 175/65 tyres (the same as the current steel spare as a matter of fact)? Are the fixing studs or bolts the same for both types of wheels and would there be any problem with the declaration in the Registration document with such alterations?
I'm sure that this would confer better ride comfort on what is basically a good car although I realise the total cost including new tyres would be of the order £500, say.
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Some cars still have studs-not necessarilly one manufacturer-some manufacturers use both on different ranges of cars.The wheel can be placed on the centre hub and rotated till holes are in-line,alternatively a bolt with head cut-off or a length of studding can be placed in one of the boltholes to assist.
Generation-change at the pinnacle of automotive engineering: Mercedes-Benz presents the new S-Class... Technical innovations which make the flagship Mercedes model an example for others to follow... Taking Luxury To A Higher Level ...
bla,bla,bla...
I don't think it'll work - new Lex LS430 is just around the corner ;)
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I am the only Pole over here. Read more
I read that too Nowheels, and I thought of you!
I've seen a 2002 '51' plate Audi A4 Avant 2.0 FSi auto for sale at around the £6k mark - but it's done 120k miles.
I'm not terribly afraid of high milers as a rule, but I don't know squat about these cars.
It has a full Audi history.
Anybody care to venture an opinion?
I believe these cars are quite economical as petrol cars go.
My annual mileage is low, usually 6-7k p.a. Read more
Thanks all, I think I'll give this one a swerve.
Off to the auction this morning to see whats there!
Hi,
Apologies if this has been covered before, had a good search but maybe not in the right places...
I have an 1999T Astra 1.6 LPG, done 129K. On the way home from work tonight I noticed a distinct ticking noise coming from the engine. It is perhaps loudest on acceleration, but it's also fairly noisy on idle.
If it's of any relevance the oil light came on several days ago for a couple of seconds, but it's not lit up since then and certainly not today.
Does anyone have any hunch as to what it could be? I need to drive it tomorrow but don't want to risk damaging the engine further. Would it be too much of a risk?
Thanks very much,
John
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I always think the oil light should be the 'time to buy a new engine light'. If it comes on due to low oil level it's probably too late.........
JS
Between approximately 1980 and 1990, my job included a company estate car. At the time company policy was Ford, Granadas for the ?management? and so on. We service/technical people had Cortinas, replaced by Sierras when they were available. I had one Cortina and 3 Sierras from new. The Cortina was a 1,6L; the first Sierra was a 2,3D, the other 2 being 2,3DLs.
I experienced the following breakdowns with them: -
Cortina 2 broken fan belts.
Sierra 1 3 broken drive belts, 1 broken gearbox, 1 broken starter motor.
Sierra 2 2 broken drive belts, 1 broken clutch cable, 1 broken brake vacuum pump.
Sierra 3 1 faulty fuel gauge, causing me to run out of fuel. I only had this vehicle for about 2 months.
I then moved to a different department, didn?t need a company car, and started buying my own(used) vehicles. I started with a BX16TRS, then a BX19GTI, then a BX19 16v. Current car is a Xantia 2,0 petrol Exclusive.
I experienced the following breakdowns with them: -
BX16 none
GTI none
16v 1 battery
Xantia none to date after 2 ½ years.
Fords? wouldn?t give you tuppence for em.
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I had 26 years of 50,000 miles a year. Mainly Viva's Astra's, Cavaliers, Vectras - an odd Citroen Volcane.
Other than broken glass, the only failure or breakdown was a clutch cable on the volcane, fortunately the 200 mile drive home with no clutch was mainly free flowing motorway.
Hello,
tappets (cam followers) are knocking on my 96 Polo D CL (108k). A mechanic said it sounded like maybe 2 had gone. I have no oil leaks, no oil pressure warning light. But my wife says the power (what little there is) has dropped off a bit. The car's been serviced every 10K since 65k (when I bought it)
The above mentioned mech. said the oil pump may need replacing (£60+) as well as the tappets, but would need to do an oil pressure test to determine other underlying problems in case the oil pump is OK. He said £80 plus vat for the test alone!!! Is this about right?? Is he trying to rip me off?
Do the tappets just give way, or is there another reason for them going?
How long will the engine last with, say, 2 or 3 tappets shot?
thanks in advance
cdc281275
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Hi,
I recently bought an Isuzu Bighorn (Trooper) import. Does anyone know whether I can put a percentage of pure Veg oil in with the diesel? If so what are the recommended percentages. I would like to make my own biodiesel at home but don't have the space- hence the reason for wanting to add straight shop bought veg oil.
Many thanks
Dan Read more
No, what you will end up with is veg oil mixed with a solvent. Biodiesel isn't just a physical mix of two liquids, but an end product of a chemical reaction, usually between vegetable oil (such as sunflower oil, rapeseed oil, etc) and anhydrous methanol, and you get a glycerol by-product (from which you can make soap, if you wish!). If you want to make biodiesel, it is not enough to mix vegetable oil with a thinner - an actual chemical reaction must take place. The process is called transesterification.
If you use vegetable oil over a long period you risk coking of injectors and difficulties with cold starting (whether or not you thin it with a solvent). Plus, high pressure injection systems such as the PD engines in VAG engines or the common rail systems in other cars will more than likely develop a fault due to the viscosity of the fuel and the residue it may leave behind. Biodiesel is essentially vegetable oil that has had the "heavier" compounds removed (this is a gross oversimplification, but never mind).
If you go to biodiesel.infopop.cc and do a search for the "World Famous Dr. Pepper Technique", then you should find a simple method of making small amounts of biodiesel for yourself. If you do this, it's at your own risk - please pay attention to any safety warnings about handling methanol and sodium hydroxide, as well as fire safety precautions. These are dangerous chemicals and should be treated accordingly.
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andymc
Vroom, vroom - mmm, doughnuts ...
Whilst creosoting the shed this afternoon with waste engine oil ( its due to statements like this that I need a proxy, but the creosote substitute they sell nowadays is £5.99 a gallon! ) ) it occurred to me that, back roomers being by and large a thrifty bunch, we may be able to share a few other money saving tips, not necessarily motoring related, as these have been fairly well covered elsewhere in the forums.
A couple more:
Work for a firm that issues corporate clothing; with care sufficient spares can be accumulated to last for some years after leaving that employment.
Go on timeshare inspection trips for your foreign holidays, provided you are strong willed enough not to buy.
Lunch on the free samples offered at the delicatessen counter at your local supermarket.
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I'm going to lock this thread for now as this is a motoring forum, and this is in danger of being too general.
However there is a fantastic forum on the moneysavingexpert web site. tinyurl.com/5zzgx - you may need to register.
smokie, BR Moderator
Thanks for the replies. I half thought that's what it was. Now I'll take it off and see if the difference is noticed by the driver!