January 2006
I have a problem with an intermittent slight misfire on a '98 Endura-DE T/D 1.8. This presents as a hunting uneven tickover, intermittent misfire at light throttle settings and lack of pulling power on hills. It may last for say five miles and then as normal for a while anly to return. I have looked for air leaks, replaced fuel filter and pipe from the filter to pump, but still no cure. Any suggestions please? Many thanks.
Read more
Some of you may come out with the attitude of "oh, but it's just a dressed up Toyota", but look at what Lexus is bringing out later this year. I'd buy it if I had the cash ;-)
Rear seat relaxtion system even has a button marked Shiatsu!!!
8 speed auto transmission. 0-60 in 5.5 secs.
www.familycar.com/RoadTests/LexusLS460/Photos.htm
Read more
Well, it does look like a nowadays Toyota, that is, boring (and that is sad to write for a long time Toyota fan).
And what on earth is an 8 speed automatic box in aid of? What is the torque convertor for?
I'll say nothing about that button, I'd just get into trouble!
Still, it all means Toad the Supra is not yet outdated.
I have a year 2000 Micra 1L, last year I had the brake pads replaced, the discs were ok at that time. I have a grinding sort of noise, not squealing, coming from the passenger side wheel when I apply the brakes, it sounds a bit like when the pads were worn down. I have done less than 2000 miles since the new pads, no heavy braking, but the car hasn't been used much lately, just every other day, short journies and I wondered if standing in the wet and damp conditions could have something to do with it. I would appreciate any ideas. Read more
Your guess is almost certainly correct. Take it for a run and do some light braking to clear the rust off and then have a listen. Mrs buzbee's gets similar very little use and the same 'problem'.
Hi all,
My tax and MOT expired at the end of Dec, so as I do not need the car, I applied for a SORN and parked it off road. I will not need my {2nd} car for a month or two.
The SORN came back with a warning of a £5000 fine if I use the car on the public highway.
Yet, in my local paper each week, there are details of court cases where people with no TAX, insurance or MoT have been fined a pittance {no where near £5000} ? indeed often less than the cost of the tax, MoT and insurance. Some have run their cars like this for years.
A car thief, if caught, certainly has no insurance and one could argue no tax, as they have not paid for it, nor MoT as they have not paid for the maintenance and MoT.
Then, why are the courts so soft on these people, yet come down like at ton {or tonne ? don?t want to be the next metric martyr} of bricks on the average law abiding member of the public and its makes no difference, Labour or Conservative, it?s always been this way.
Surely knicking someone's car is anti-social behaviour, but the government, the courts, etc., take such soft action that there is no effective deterrent. The poor victim will loose his/her no claims, costing him/her more in insurance costs over the next 3, 4 or 5, years than the thief is fined and in most cases, the thief does not pay anyway.
Yet if a pensioner {on an inflation linked pension} refuses to pay the above inflation rises in their Poll tax they are locked up!
The state, courts, government are nothing short of bullies, going, all the time going for the soft targets, the defenceless law abiding public.
Politicians, of all colours, are so pathetic, indeed totally impotent, all talk, no action {against the criminals that is}.
Paul {Forest of Bowland} Read more
Or you could obey the law,just because somebody gets of lightly for an offence does not mske the law bad only the people who prescibe the punishment.it is no good fining someone £1000 if they are on benifits and there is absolutely no chance you will ever ger the money.
Following on from my thread last week regarding my 1994 Astra 1.4 8v MPI C14SE, the car is having problems starting from cold. The car seems to continually keep flooding from cold, its only when the car is bump started that it will go (then works fine and turns back on straight away when warm). I have changed the HT leads, its had a recent Lambda sensor, I swapped the plugs back to the old ones (only removed previously purely due to servicing, but they were working fine when removed, so dont think it could be the plugs or could it?), it has a coil pack not a distributor. Its had a recent new battery. What could be wrong with it? Read more
I have question on a new Fiat Punto Active 1.2, 8 valve? New in October 2005.
I was programming the radio channels, (buttons are way too small on this radio) and at the same time was resetting the multifunction readout, (MPG, trip etc.). Somehow I managed to reset the milometer to zero! This was a big surprise to me and the owner. I thought this type of thing was only possible with a computer interface and the correct software?
I believe I was able to reset it to zero by holding the multifunction button in and then turning on the ignition and holding for 20 seconds, (like VW and Renault service monitor systems).
Does anybody else have any other experience of this? Can anybody reproduce? Looks like a great easy way of clocking a car as NO tools were used!!
Thanks, Quicksilver.
Read more
I had an Alfa Spider on which it was possible to reset the mileage once, if done with a certain sequence of button pressing and before it had reached recorded 200 miles.
The 14 January issue of New Scientist has a good article on clean burn engines. It reports on work by the major manufacturers on the HCCI engine. (HCCI = homogeneous charge compression engine). This is a development of features from both petrol and diesel engines with a view to meeting the coming restrictions on release of NOx and particulates (and a 20% increase in fuel economy). It will most likely introduce solenoid open / close mechanisms because it requires such close control of valve timing. Whoopee, no more busted cam belts!
The development hasn?t reached full operational range yet - it can?t yet fire effectively enough at the extremes of low and high loads. The earliest engines in use might have normal petrol or diesel operation at the extremities and use HCCI in the mid range, where it is most effective. HCCI electric hybrids are also mentioned.
Well worth a buy, New Scientist of course!
Read more
As I understand it in order to appease the tree huggers the rules were written in such a way that cats were compulsory. Something to do with running at the Stoichiometric point, lean burn engines by their nature don't so cannot meet the legislation.
Jim
its that time again where i need to go shopping for tyres. im a stickler for michelin energy but was wondering if there are better quality/grip/cost/wear etc.
any suggestions? i dont race around but i want really good grip for bad weather and for them to last and gove a good ride
cheers Read more
About to try Vredestein on my Mondeo, came top in a recent tyre test and Germans rate them very highly, about £10 a corner cheaper than equivalent Michelin 185/65 14 T rating.
There was an interesting article in the Saturday Telegraph about someone who had their Porsche stolen by a thief posing as a buyer. The cheque was dud although the bank said on the phone that it was okay. Anyway, the victim realised that a gang was operating, and rang round all sellers of Porsches to warn them. It turned out that other Porsches had indeed been stolen in the same manner. The police set up a sting, but before it took place, the police found the original Porsche. Unfortunately when the sting was due to take place, the police could not make the appointment due to having no-one available. Apparently the copper was attending a murder inquiry.
There's a few things I find interesting about the story. Clearly the victim had disrupted the gang's operations by warning potential victims. That is presumably why his car was returned. Also it appears that police only set up the sting as a result of legwork by the victim, and yet it had to be called off due to lack of staff. Are the police really that understaffed? Surely if a resourceful victim can work out that a gang is targeting cars of a specific type, the police could do the same, and nab the culprits.
Leif Read more
Local dealer to us, on the A1, had 3 Mondeos, a Focus & an Omega stolen, during the night, from their, well locked (so they thought)& fenced site, last week.
All for breaking, I guess - or cloning Fords - but the Omega must have been a DEFINITE order, 'cos there's plenty around, if you did want parts.
& just to make it more worthwhile, the lowlifes, decided to turn on the taps & flood out the offices too - such fun!!!
VB
I took my W merc 220 diesel for an oil change at a local fast fit place in Town to be told there is no way they can get the oil filter off. Apparently you need a special tool that adjusts to some sort of torque...sure that is a torgue wrench! Anyway I had to go clutching credit cards etc to the the dealers and was relieved of £100 odd pounds...plus Vat..''needs special synthetic oil sir''....What are other manufacturers coming up with to get you in their dealerships? Read more
The Merc oil filter housing nut is prone to shearing - hence most fast fit places decline to service Mercs. If you are DIY person, it is relatively simple to change the oil & filter (good advice available on MB forums). Only nuisance is draining the oil traditional way, but suck out pumps are available via tool suppliers.
Browse
I am pleased to report that the problem light throttle misfire is solved; it was caused by a faulty Advance/Retard solonoid, this is the gadget like a big bolt with two wires on the radiator side of the Bosch injector pump. This was making a strange buzzing sound like a cricket. I listened with a piece of central heating tube to isolate the surrounding clatter. The part cost £80 but only needed screwing in and has solved the problem. Many thanks for the replies. Peter.