June 2006
Hi,
Have a Mazda 323 1.6 (2001 model range).
When starting-up the engine after it's been standing for several hours there's a loud tapping noise. It lasts about 30 seconds then suddenly stops.
I guess, although I'm not sure, it's a valve and it's starved of lubrication immediately after a cold start.
I'm not too worried about it but it sounds like a set of castanets!
Any recommendations of having an engine flush when the oil is next changed? Would an engine flush sort these kind of issues?
Otherwise, I guess it's down to the local Mazda dealer one morning, leave it there all day and return in the afternoon and fire it up. Read more
After purchasing a Haynes manual for my Skoda Octavia I have noticed that you cannot strip down the 1.4 16V engine as the crankshaft main bearings can't be removed, the modern light weight block will warp (not that I need to yet). You have to purchase a replacement - Ouch!. Is this a sign of modern times, are their any other engines designed this way? Read more
"Modern engines usually last for around 120-140,000 miles."
More. Any decent engine which has been correctly serviced and driven sensibly will do 200K, especially if it's a bigger engine, say a 1.8
There are of course exceptions...
No it's not men in black but the motor insurers bureau. I've just read the front page article in this weeks Insurance Times which is about off road vehicles having to be insured. I know this subject has been discussed before but reading the article has made me wonder if there have been some changes as I find some of it hard to believe. A few quotes as follows to give the jist of the story:
"Off the road vehicles are currently exempt from insurance, but this will change when the road safety bill is passed creating a new offence of 'keeping a vehicle without insurance'"
"What the new law will mean is that if you have a registered vehicle then it has to be insured"
"The MIB is looking to dramatically cut the estimated £500m a year uninsured driving costs, which equates to an extra £30 on each motoring policy"
First point - Obviously any car being used on the road should be insured. But if I decide to put my into the garage for a year or two why should I have to insure it? Even if the premium was low I would see it as giving the insurance company money for nothing? Whole thing sounds like a con to me, whats wrong with using the ANPR cameras to catch those on the road? Another excuse to be sending out automated fines. How many un-insured drivers actually have the car registered in their name?
Second point - they always bang on about the 'it costs £30 per policy' etc. Do people really believe that they would reduce everyones premium by £30 - I don't think so! - more like £500m extra profit for the insurers!
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thanks dalglish :( but im going to claim mitigating circumstances ive hurt myself quite badly at work today and am currently clearing the wine cellar to help the pain (whisky decanter is empty ()
Moderators - I've avoided naming names but you may see fit to veto this topic.
Certain petrol garages offer loyalty points by way of a loyalty card, of which I have one.
I have had to renew this card on several occasions now, owing to the fact that in each case, the card has suddenly and miraculously become 'unreadable' - just when the points were reaching a worthwhile aggregate, ready to be converted into rewards.
On each occasion, the points accrued on the old card were supposedly known to the company and are supposed to have been credited to the replacement card.
However, the low overall aggregate that has been brought forward beggars belief.
Just wondered whether this has been anyone else's experience - no names of course.
Oz (as was) Read more
I had a petrol loyalty card that I didnt use very often, but built up enough points to get £15 cashback. To get the money I had to go through an annoying registration process on their website, and when I put in my card number, it told me my points had been voided because I had not used the card for 6 months!
I have a 2.0 DTI Vectra Hatch, T Reg, Early facelift version with 82k on the clock.
My journey to work is about 30 miles, the first 20 are on country roads/through built up areas. After this I get onto motorways.
I notice that immediately after the first bit of 'hard' acceleration the car starts to experience what I can only describe as similar symptoms to fuel starvation. As you try to accelerate it jumps and jerks, starting to accelerate then 'dies' for a fraction of a second (not enough to cut out), then picks up for 2/3 second before dying again. If I slow right down to less than 50 mph and keep the revs low it seems to be OK. If I stop, turn it off and wait a while, it is OK until I accelerate hard again.
The car is serviced every 10,000 miles and it was doing this periodically both before and since the last service (Fuel filter has been changed every service since I have had it).
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OK thanks, but the dreaded light is not coming on at all when the problem occurs !!
Regards
I have recently moved and one of my regular jaunts includes a single carriageway B road between Braintree and Witham in sunny Essex. The national speed limit applies for most of it's length and it is a fairly fast road but with limited overtaking opportunities due to bends.
A short section (few hundred yards) has double white lines but the remainder is dashed single lines with "no overtaking signs" (2 or 3 miles worth).
My question is what is the difference in practice between the signs and lines? Is it just that it's cheaper to put up signs rather than paint double white lines?
Double whites allow you to overtake slow moving vehicles (going less than 10mph) - do the signs allow that too?
Thanks!
PST Read more
Double lines are no problem and if that at your side is continuous then its a no no on overtake , cxross, straddle in the majority of cases. There are some exceptions. Dotted at your side OK to overtake if safe to do so.
IIRC there is set critera for DWL and can only be put down based on visibility splays available.
Single hazard lines have a similar meaning in that overtake if safe to so.
But what we have here is the presence of the NO overtake Roundels? (Diagram 632) which is a regulatory sign and can only be erected as a result of a Traffic Regulation Order to have any authority i.e prohibit and offence to do disobey. It can be accompanied by distance plate (Diagram 570) to show extent of prohibition.
It could well be that stretch where no overtake signs are does not come within the authority to lie down a DWL and LA have taken a TO out to cover possible problems known to them through RTA Stats etc.
On the otherhand if there is no TRO then LA bluffing with good intent?
dvd
I´m currently on a job in Bad Wildbad, but yesterday had cause to go across to Strasbourg for the morning.
As the motorways were busy I went the back route through Baden Baden and across the Black Forest....
......and what a drive. Billiard smooth, winding forest roads, pretty empty, picturesque villages, no speed cameras out of the villages, little traffic.
The sun was out, the top on the Barchetta was down, the music was on (loud) and life was very very good. Suddenly the decision to fit a short spring set and 17" wheels made sense. The car was absolutely glued to the road.
Just wanted to share that. Regards all,
Barchettaman Read more
Just about to hand in my car a VW Passat TDI 130 for its 60 k service to a garage recommended on these forums,have had no major niggles,only that the AC isnt as errm cool as it should be , it does work but lowers the temp ever so slightly .
Thing is would I be risking another couple of hundred quid atleast by mentioning it and by them finding that something major seems to be wrong or at best would it be a matter of not too much.
Any experts who could hazard a best case scenario and the worst.If its likely to be too bad(read costly) I wont mention it otherwise could possibly get away with not too much can tell them.
Considering that the warm months are few anyway on the other hand could well leave it!
Any advise welcome
Thanks
John Read more
You would only be putting this dye in if you suspect there's a leak anyway. So once the leak is fixed you would need to re-gas anyway.
I was interested in what HJ said about Northamptonshire, in this report. Those of us who live here suffer from all the problems he commented on. There are also many speed humps, in various states of repair. My Mondeo's rear suspension was damaged by this, but not discovered until it was too late.
I have just sent a copy of the relevant comments to the County Council, adding that I live and drive to work here, and suffer from these conditions daily. My son-in-law got lost recently, although he lives in the county, because the A43 vanished somewhere on the southern bypass of the town.
I wonder if they will reply to me, a council tax payer. I will report if I get a reply. Read more
In defence of the A43 TVM writes:
From Kettering to Corby there is only two speed cameras (both in the small town of Geddington). From Corby onto Duddington, it is a cracking road to drive. Great road surface, with some really gorgeous open visibility bends at the Duddington end. There is one there that looks harmless but has a sudden tightening effect that makes your botty twitch.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
This is a bit of a general legal question, but I'll give it a car slant to justify it.
I seem to recall from my law lectures way back at University, that if a car were to crash into my garden I can claim it as my possession and thus make the removal of it, by the owner, an offence. Does anyone have any knowledge about this?
I've trawled the internet but cannot find any reference to it, but I think it's either trespass or nuisance.
If true, then I presume it dates from livestock wandering across boundaries. Read more
you might be able to sieze the car or jumbo in leu of or until compensation is paid, but you will then also be responsible for its care to ensure its condition does not deteriorate.
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TourVanMan TM < Ex RF >
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I second what Aprilia says: correct oil filter, correct oil. Wouldn't bother with a flush.
Ron