June 2006
Hi everyone,
I wonder if anyone here knows these engines?
I have a 1.8 non turbo diesel escort van with just over 110k on the clock s reg 1998.
In the last 6 months on 2 or 3 occasions, its boiled dry so I topped it up but couldn't see any evidence of where it was leaking and promptly stopped worrying about it.
However, yesterday it was a lot more drastic and the water is now pouring out. I've removed what looks like a plastic air intake/manifiold type assembly and can clearly see the water pumping out between the head ad the exhust manifold. Its rather difficult to see so I removed the exhaust manifold and I can see exactly where its coming from.
It looks very much like one of the 4 core plugs has corroded. These are very small...about 6 to 8 mm dia
Are these difficult to change?
Are they difficult to get hold of?
And is my diagnosis correct?
any tips/tricks gratefully received
Many thanks
Garethgas Read more
Anyone any advice please, I'm really worried. Got a letter from the met today requesting driver details for my car. Allegedly I have committed 2 offences: failing to stop after an accident and drving without due care and attention. It doesn't elaborate any more at the moment.
I remember the day and place - I swerved slightly to avoid an idiot about to go into the side of me, clipping my wing mirror with the mirror of a parked car. Not thinking I would have caused any damage I did not stop or think anymore about it.
How serious could this be? Will I have to go to court? I have a clean licence at the moment although have had 3 points for speeding in the past.
My car is essential for my job so i'm really worried about losing my licence. Read more
Saw second S Max today (first one parked though). Looks really good- and not much taller than normal car. Think that looked odd was the metalwork on the top of the rear n/s door was covered in masking tape- and car had a 55 reg- didn't these go on sale after the 06 plates came out?
Would still like one though. Read more
Is the cheapest engine the best one to go for?
I notice that it is the only one with a chain cam engine.
The last minute plan is for my son and a friend is to go ( with tickets) and watch the match at Gelsenkichen.
The plan is to go by Eurostar to Brussels, hiring a car a driving the rest of the way.
He has been advised by locals, while working in Brussels, that they all drive east cos the trains are not a good option. The Eurostar part of the trip is also fixed.
So.
1. Advice on car hire from Brussels.
2. Best route, alternative routes. Keep it simple as he is a poor navigator.
3. He has TomTom 500? but not sure if it covers his route. Which maps?
4. IIRC They have never driven on the continent. I cannot advise them.
5. Any other info they should be aware of.
6. Car parking somewhere? Local train in from nearby?
Any help at such short notice would be appreciated. Read more
Please forgive me for chatting with Henry...
>>In spite of German inefficiency the match was a super experieice.
There is a tram station right outside Gelsenkirchen train station - perhaps your son was unable to get on, certainly after they passed through the town centre en route to the ground they were fully packed and not stopping about 2 hours before the game.
I shared a taxi from Dusseldorf to Gelsenkirchen, arriving in the town centre at midday. This seemed like a good plan but many people, including me, ended up hoofing 7km from the centre to the ground. The train station is even further away.
There was a mega jam afterwards - an hour after leaving the ground the traffic back into town was almost stationary, and I easily walked faster despite the blisters picked up on the route march out. Eventually got on a tram nearer the centre and got a train back to Dusseldorf (free for match ticketholders).
I think Gelsenkirchen was just overwhelmed by numbers - an estimated 100,000 people in a town of maybe 250,000. A larger fleet of buses would probably just have made a bigger traffic jam.
Great stadium though - and slightly cooler inside than out, thanks to the roof. which was closed throughout the game.
Saw someone yesterday who was driving yesterday at 60ph(with her 18 year daughter) on an A road,in the middle lane when she was apparently aggressively tailgated by a young chappie driving a BMW.
After touching the brakepedals lightly a few times to shake him off,slammed the brakes for a second longer causing the car to crash into the back of her Vectra!!!!
Dont have any more details apart from no injuries to occupants, but was interested in knowing how the long arm of the law would look at this, and would be interested in knowing whose fault it would turn out as?
Applying this situation to another possibility,had this happened when both cars were in the fast lane,would the person at fault change?
Read more
Rich 9-3, I think you've hit the nail on the head.
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L\'escargot.
Just leaving to work this afternoon and my brakes went! I was lucky that I had just left home, at slow speed and that no cars or worse kids were in front of me. It took me some split seconds to react and pull the handbrake which was enough to slow me down to a halt and letting me breath again. A fast inspection (I had to go back to work) results in that no fluid is lost from brake reservour and non was spit against the inner wheels. What do ou guys think went wrong? Do you think its to do with the power brake? How do you think I should start to tackle this? As some of you may have read in my previous posts I was hearing a strange noise on braking which I thought came from the rear wheels. I checked those last week and they're ok. Read more
'Mutch easier to cut the pipe just by the end and hammer a socket on to unscrew the union nut. Then take them to your motorfactors and they'll make new ones for a couple of quid.'
If cutting the pipe to replace the cylinder why undo the union?I find you can often spin the cylinder on the union if it is siezed,there is enough play in the pipe to allow alignment of the cylinder.
About a year ago I mentioned that DirectLine's comprehensive cover renewal quote for my VW Bora had dropped from £193 to £176 from the previous year (the first time I had used the company, followed by being the first insurance company in 42 years' personal experience to actually reduce the premium).
Just got the renewal quote for the next 12 months.
£176.40...:-)
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by Read more
>>(renewing on internet as a new customer each year).>>
I fail to see how that is possible - your details will already be on its database.
It's never stopped the web system from quoting and me accepting (for the last 5 years I think).
It's generally 20 quid cheaper and gives me a little amusement when I put their own name in the 'previous insurer' box.
Martin
I've been wracking my brains trying to remember a detail about Datzun Z-cars, but it's not working and I can't find any info on the 'net, so I wondered if anyone here might know.
I know there was a 'souped-up' version of the 260z and (I think) the 240Z, although it might not have been official. It was called something like the 'super samurai', and had triple Webers amongst other mods.
It had a colour scheme (which sounds vile when described, but actually looked fantastic on the cars) of red on top, brown on the bottom, with a gold line in between.
Can anyone give me any more info, and preferably some decent pictures?
The last time I saw one I must have been about 16, so I'm keen to know whether I still think that colour scheme looks good... Read more
datsun triple" s"...............cos it had 3 carbs
Anyone got any idea where I might be able to source two new doors/door-skins (n/s front and rear) for a platinum 05 Mondeo Ghia (i.e. chrome handle tips, and chrome door sills etc)? I've tried the autotrader site but all I could find was one rear door, and that's got a crease down the side...
And can the interior door trim be moved from the current doors to the replacement ones? As the door I've mentioned above is beige trimmed, whilst the interior colour mum's car is black...
Sorry if I'm in the wrong section btw... Read more
BB: you're lucky if there's one of those near you these
days.
Luckily I have the quite large McGuinness' in Stoke not far down the road from me.
I say luckily, my current car is a Fiat Coupe, the one before that was an Alfa 145 QV and the one before that was a Mitsubishi Colt GTi-16V, so I haven't been to a scrappy for ages, the chances of finding something for such uncommon cars is practically nought.
The place kept my fit-for-condemning Astravan on the road when I was a penniless student though, 2 doors, an engine, a radiator, a petrol tank, and more besides.
They even gave me £30 for it when it finally gave up the ghost. I then scarpered pretty quickly before they noticed my dad had removed every fuse, every bulb, and even all the petrol from the tank!
I have a vw golf 1991 mk2 auto. The car starts and runs really well. However it idles at 500 rpm and is really stable but now and again the idle speed drops and it cuts out. I feel the idle speed is set too low, can anyone tell me how to increase the idle speed, In laymans terms of course as i am new to vw golfs. Any advice would be appreciated.
Thanks
Gary Read more
All good advice above, but at this age the vacuum pipes can be porous (rather than having a hard leak) which will not be easy to find. Possibly worth disconnecting as much pipework as possible and plugging close to inlet manifold to rule out this as a cause - before spending too much money. I have seen a leaky diaphram on a pull down unit, that caused problems. (Tip - plastic golf (as a game) tees are great for plugging a variety of pipe sizes, I always keep some in the garage!).
If you do a forum search you will find several links to other useful information, use 'Pierburg' as a search term, you will find that you are not alone.
Also www.clubgti.com/forum/showthread.php?t=36156
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pmh (was peter)
Browse
chairmanmatt, i apply your observation to something else - as barchettaman said: "The OP seems to have got his advice and done one. Bit like he did when he clipped the mirror. "
i tend to think on the same wavelength as "union-jack" about these classic questions, but that may not be what neil likes to hear.