December 2005
hi everyone, can anyone give me any info on a power steering leak from a ford ka,any info would be appreciated
Read more
Just recovering from the surprise of having my car written off for minor damage and so having no mode of transport.
Since Im working over the next 2 weeks at different sites Im to put it mildly -stuck!
Any ideas on a cheap banger that has the least chance of going wrong while I look out for another car!
I did see nutty_nissans car post on this forum that he bought for £160, a primera.
Have looked at ebay/autotrader nothing nearby.
Or would it be better to buy straight off auction since they the prices are low now??
Thanks for any suggestions.
Read more
People seem to talk a lot about eBay bargains, but it seems to me to be a case of 'right place, right time', or more importantly 'seller has no idea how to write an auction'.
A couple of weeks ago I picked up a 1987 Vauxhall Belmont 1.8 GLSi for £51 (why do I attract old GM landfill?). OK, not the most desirable car in the world, but one elderly owner from new until August last year and 58k miles. However, this was predominantly because the seller wrote a minimally-worded advert. One months' MOT as bought, but needed only a new tailpipe (£22) and a small plate welding on the end of each sill to pass a new one. That cost £100. So, cheap motoring (although I don't use this car every day in fairness) for another year. But, if you're in a hurry, might be better to look at your local paper or FreeADS. Stick to something that's unfashionable and beloved by old people and you won't go far wrong.
Goodevening every one i've a kit car (traka) based 95% on a old range rover. Now the engine is 100% good with a known history (v8 rover of course) have been told that both carbs not in the best of health (strombergs) is it worth the cost of fitting a new webber carb with a full conversion kit at a not cheap price of £550. I have no real probs with the price BUT will it run £550 better!!! any help would be good Read more
Thanks to everyone for there advice spoke to Andrew Turner su-carb.co.uk who specialises in carb refurb he was extremly helpful. My strombergs will be off to him soon
He comes accross as a man who knows his subject and has a great enthusiasm for his subject he assured me that the stromberg is better built carb than the SU and was built to aircraft standards. It was used on V8 landrovers as it gave better torque but was not so hot on power it also had better emmissons characteristics so was used a lot on British cars for export to the US where as a equivelent Britsh model would have had SU's.
He also said mine would be slightly modified as part of the refurb to give slightly more power and the poppet valves talked about in one reply will be done away with
I will let you know of the end result
Not sure that I entirely agree with HJ?s comment in the DT today, in response to a letter from DS HJ says that one should not rev an engine before switching off because it will leave the cylinders flooded with fuel. However with regard to a modern fuel injected normally aspirated petrol engine the fuel is cut off as soon as the ignition is cut so a few extra revolutions of the engine will leave it with fresh air in the cylinders as opposed to fuel or acidic exhaust gasses.
Clearly this is not the case with a carburetted engine, or a turbocharged engine where it should be left to idle so the turbine slows down prior to losing oil pressure.
Read more
In order to ensure that it would start the next morning I was taught to stop, put the hand brake on, then switch off all anciliaries, then kill the engine ( which effectively gives in 5 seconds of idling).
In the morning start engine, then set lights, wipers, air con, then drive off.
It drives me bonkers when I get in the wife's car, put the key and on comes the radio, aircon and wipers.
MPZ
Anyone have any ideas what the most poweful / quickest diesel car on the market is at the moment?
I think VW are planning a Golf GT TDI with 170ps, but cant find anything similar. Read more
I drove a new Land Rover Discover Auto 2.7 D that
has been 'chipped' up to 270 Bhp from 170! Not bad
but still didn't feel that lively.
Because it is soooooooooooooo heavy, with the aerodynamics of a brick out-house.
We bought a Renault Grand Scenic (7 seater) Last year...Nice looking car, great features, okay to drive. I was only concerned about two things.
1. It has an automatic parking brake. (A kind of fly-by-wire device)... French....Bound to go wrong. It did. Not only is is a complete pain to use when trying to park on a hill...It also broke. No handbrake...Whole new computer control etc. In the garage for 4 days...."never had one go before" said the dealer (the man with the long pointy ever increasing nose)....We shall wait....No doubt it will fail again.
2. The second concern was that the car is supplied without a spare wheel...There is aparently a space for one under the car, but some mad french marketing guru has decided to sell the car with a can of puncture repair foam instead....Genius. If anyone knows his telephone number, I'll pass it on to my wife who is currently on the third foor of a multistory car park with our little baby, a flat tyre and an aerosol can.
It seems I can get a spare wheel for the Grand Scenic....But its an "Extra".....I'm going to kick up an unhealthy stink about the stupidity of this proposition and see if someone from Renault would like to correct the situation.
I'll keep you posted
yes please, but next time please do not keep testing/bypassing the swear filter. Thank you. smokie, BR Moderator
Read more
Apparanty figures in Germany indicate over 240k km between punctures
Really? I have had 2 punctures in less than 6,000 miles! One with a short screw and the other a very small nail.
Generally I agree that punctures are rarer than they used to be, but I find the space saver steel wheel looks silly and would prefer a correct sized alloy with matching tyre. This would mean that I could take the flat tyre for repair at my convenience - not within 50 miles as recommended in the handbook and driving with a 50 mph speed limit.
--
Roger
I read frequently, but only post when I have something useful to say.
I've just obtained a 2nd hand computer running Windows 98. When I try to open a JPEG, it opens it with Internet Explorer. It refused to open it with Paint, and there doesn't seem to be a Windows Picture Viewer (or Picture and Fax Viewer). Right-clicking on the jpeg offers the option of "open" but not "open with".
Surely there must be a Microsoft program or application better than Explorer that I can use - and that I don't have to pay for?
(I've tried googling, and looking at the MS website, but am none the wiser) Read more
I've registered the new printer and the problem has now gone away. So I assume that that was what the problem was. Thanks everyone.
--
L\'escargot.
This is a new one on me.
Long story but I managed to shatter one of the rear windows of the van on Monday.
I've got the van insured on a commercial vehicle policy with RSA. I am not VAT registered
Today Autoglass showed up to replace it. The guy did an excellent job but advised me that he would have to charge me the VAT on the whole invoice and the £50 excess. I was advised that I would have to claim the VAT back from the insurers.
Apparently this is now the way that RSA deal with their winscreen and glass claims on commercial policies, as a lot of VAT registered people with these policies have not been charged VAT, and the insurers have had to foot the VAT bill when they didn't need to.
Hence I have had to send the invoice off to the insurers to claim it back. It seems a lot of trouble for everyone to go to for £33.
H Read more
Today I contacted the insurers' customer services department and firmly stated that, whilst I could see why they adopted the policy of asking commercial vehicle policy holders to pay the VAT then claim it back, they should make it clear from the outset.
To their credit, they took my points on board. The lady I spoke to accepted the VAT figure I quoted in good faith and has agreed to raise a cheque for this plus an hour of my time in resolving the problem. It took me far longer to do the phone number trail through various departments to claim back the VAT than it did to organise the replacement window.
In addition I stated that there must be a larger number of non VAT registered tradesmen on their policies than they may think. The lady told me that it is assumed that the vast majority of one man businesses of this type are VAT registered. All the ones I know are not.
So, a satisfactory outcome.
Anyone out there ever heard of or used a tool that removes CV joints without having to use heavy hammer or similar. I have seen a tool in the Sealey catalogue but it doesn't explain where it bolts to or how it is positioned. At first I thought it was similar to a hub puller, but as the outer cv joint and splined stub are attached to said joint, I can't see how a tool can pull against it to force joint off the snapring/driveshaft?
Any ideas as I don't think much of quick fit two part cv joint rubber boots, and using brute force can damage joint, adjacent panel work/components and hands/fingers etc.
Andrew Read more
My own method for removing snap-ring type joints is to clamp a large pair of MoleGrips to the driveshaft and then wedge the grips against the lower arm. This stabilises the shaft somewhat and gives you something to hit against. This minimises the risk of dislocating the inner joint or pulling the shaft out of the gearbox. I also use a 6" long x 3/4" dia copper drift so as to direct the single blow onto the inner part of the joint. One sharp clout with a 4lb mallet, works every time. On the subject though on the French rubbish that requires major dismantling of the inner joint to slide the new boot on from the inside I just fit an exchange shaft. They are SO cheap now its not worth the hassle of stripping down a filthy greasy mess, washing it all off then fighting the inner joint off, oil everywhere...... just one shaft out, into a big plastic bag, new shaft in,refill the 'box, job done!
--
Simplicate and add lightness!!
Does anybody know what sort of rust proofing is given to the new Focus. ???
I have just received a full Focus brochure from Ford and checked out H.J`s car x car guide, but nowhere does it mention what measures Ford undertakes (e.g. galvanizing) to prevent the dreaded tin worm. !!!!
Read more
My post was merely relating the experience i had with some
Fords in the 90's which were not just rusty but awful
to drive as well. The Sierra was ok though.
Maybe your post was TiC, but i do get fed up
with this football club type loyalty towards car brands, Ford and
Vauxhall. People actually seem to be unable to accept that the
products sometimes are frankly rubbish, as the MKIV Escort was, as
the Fiesta was and as the first Vectra was.
Above all, it wasn't a Rover ;-)
>>
As many in this forum will know, I have commented many times on this (sometimes undeserved) loyalty towards Ford, in particular.
I am also frankly bemused by the bad reputation that some cars have for being rust pots. The Xantia has a reputation for rusting, yet there are many examples of early Xantias around with little or no sign of rust at all. Our own Xantia is only showing a little superficial rust on the rear sills, where there is an overlapping seam with the rear wing. Even stone chips take ages to show any sign of corrosion, if left untreated.
Browse
.jpg)
Hi, thankyou for the info, I have booked my KA into a garage in the morning, they say it needs a new pipe, which is £40+vat, £140 for the whole job. Have to get it done, cant take the risk on the motorway,Thanks again for your information jx