June 2006
I just noticed I'm loosing a little coolant on my P-reg Rover 214Si. Also, there's brown oily gung floating on the top of the water in the coolant expansion tank. This sounds horribly like the head gasget is going - true? What sort of cost am I likely to be in for....
{Car details added to subject header, as per the sticky request at the top of the page - DD} Read more
Hi
i've got a ford st24 1997 it lacks power top speed 102, it has no misfires drives ok but above 3000 revs it only pick up slowly, on fault code reader it says lamba sensor back 1 and 2, changed air flow meter as lambra's test ok
thanks tony Read more
Sounds like it could be the IMRC module (sorry, can't remember what it stands for). It sits under the black cover at the front of the engine and its purpose is to open secondary inlet ports above about 3200rpm. Below this rpm the engine runs on 18 valves and above it operates on 24 valves. This unit seems to be prone to being "cooked" and may suffer from electronic component failure or dry solder joints.
You will find lots of posts alluding to problems with the IMRC at www.fordmondeo.org
Car new to me and evidence of water in the boot with rust along one seal. Looks like a long term thing. Had a Triumph Acclaim with the same problem. Is it the nightmare of the rear window seal happening all over again? Read more
Hi all....new boy here, so apologies if am not making this clear enough.
I seem to have a problem with my electrics which could be a faulty Alternator.
The alternator has been on the car for approximately 5 years now.
I have replaced the bushes/brushes (regulator?) recently on the Alternator, as the battery wasn't charging, and upon inspection, one of the bushes/brushes was snapped. Also something had scored a groove into the plastic casing of the old regulator....but it could not be identified what caused this.
For the last 18 months the battery light on the dashboard has glowed dimly while the engine was running, but didn't cause any problems with regard to charging the battery.
One thing I did notice was that after driving for a few hours, the lights tended to dim and get bright again intermittently.
Today, the Alternator seems to have stopped charging again.
The battery light on the dashboard doesn't even light up when the ignition is switched on before firing up the engine.
Does this sound like the Alternator needs replacing?....or could it be something else?
Many thanks in advanced
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Hi all
Just to let you know....I bought a second hand alternator today, and have fitted it this evening.
So far so good....it seems to be charging....also the Battery light on the dashboard seems to be functioning correctly....ie, on before engine is fired up, but ignition on....and off once the engine is running, not glowing dimly.
I guess I'll have to run up a few miles before I know for certain that the problem is resolved.
Thanks for all your advice....tis much appreciated.
Good morning.
Self-employment beckons and I'll need a small van for business, needless to say I'm on a budget. My choices at the moment are between an ex post office Vauxhall combi diesel 2003, 37,000 miles, 1yr warranty & mot for £4,000 locally, or an ex British Gas Citroen Berlingo, 81,000 miles, 1 owner, 1yr mot for £2,700 further afield. Just wondering what advice anyone may care to give. Read more
I use my van for car valeting and I pay £350 fully comp business use.
You should be able to get a nearly new Carry or Extol with the balance of warranty for alot less than the new price, they dont sell as fast as the usual mainstream ones and the dealers discount them like cars. Mine was discounted from £8800 I think to £6500.
You were unlucky to not get a discount off the Extol, they have a huge margin in them.
Theres a 20,000 mile Carry on Autotrader for £4295 on 04 plate
Infact theres quite a few so worth a look on there.
Can anyone having access to tech data please advise, on the Fiat Panda Selecta CVT auto box ( 999 and 1108 versions ) what would be the operating oil pressure and how would/should it be measured ?
Thank you Pete. Read more
Arhh on my way to the pub for a nice quiet drink with a friend and then a funny noise and then the engine cut out and died on me! Luckily I managed to coast into the pub car park!
Anyway my scenario is that the cam belt has gone, and the car is in my estimation only worth £350-£650 (103000 miles) being a Renualt Laguna 1.8 RT 1996 'P' I reckon would almost cost that to repair it..
So I was thinking of selling it on E bay with statement that cambelt has gone and goes to highest bidder! Some mug might buy it!
Then I looked at Car Giant.co.ok for perhaps a 130 BHP mondeo with 6 speed gear box can get some between £6400 - £8000 but i looked at mileages which appeared to be between 40 - 70 K.
It making me think its cheaper( £350 car!) to get mine repaired without depreciation! and only 30K higher in mileage compared to a £6400 - £8000 car!
Appreciate your thoughts..
obviously I am not a real F1 (formula one) driver by the way!
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Better the devil you know...
If you can get it fixed for £500 and get another
12 months out of it, then I would do that. The
MK1 Laguna is a fairly tough old war horse.
As much as i have cursed and moaned about the car - lack of power with 1.8 engine (only 90bhp!) and gets so hot inside in the summer without any aircon! and cheap build quality. Its wide track has made it a stable car, but generally its been reliable with no problems compared to the 1991 vauxhall cavalier which was plagued with problems and reliability despite it being a better looking car with better build quality! The Laguna is definately a tough warhorse! I only brought for £4000 after having knocked the owner down from almost £5500 in Sept 2000 saying the owner that the bottom had dropped out of second car market! so in a way its been a good value for money car in depreciation terms over 6 years. Thanks for you comment.
i have a 1992 5 series bmw, today i was out, went to wind up the electric windows and found they have stopped working. got home went to lock the car and found the central locking is no longer working either. i also notice the interior light no longer comes on. is this a common fault with them. i have checked all fuses etc including the ones under the back seat. all seems o.k. but cant find the fault or why it would affect all door electrics. any help would be much appreciated
many thanks
fred Read more
it was the 80 amp fuse type thing. sorted for 30 pence and hours of headache. i was expecting the worst.
many thanks
a very relieved beemer driver.
My son passed his car test a fortnight ago. He is 17 years old and has become demoralised at the huge cost of insurance and the fact our insurance company (Direct Line) will not have him as a named driver on the family car - a Picasso 2.0 Hdi(hardly a performance car!). He is doing the 'Pass Plus' course in a few weeks which should also bring the insurance cost down a little. However, Direct Line say this will make no difference and he will have wait until he is 19 years old before he will be allowed on the insurance.
He is still at school and money is tight. Does anyone know of an insurance company we might swop to that would accept him as a named driver. We don't want to change the car and it will be quite a slow process to afford his own low powered car but even then despite living in a rural area the insurance will be astronomical.
Thanks in anticipation of your help. Read more
Step-son about a year ago passed test at 18 and wanted a car. Father happy to pay 1 years insurance as long as low insurance group. It was about £1400 third party fire and theft on an 'H' Reg Panda 4x4. Through the year he swapped vehicles and paid the increases in premium himself.
Think I worked out on the 1.4 Citroen AX diesel it would have been the equivalent of £2000!
He now had a Fiat 126 on a basic policy at about £700 with one years no claims.
Mate had a new radiator fitted to his 2000 C15 due to minor front end ding, this was about a month ago, after not many miles use the fan has started to come on as soon van is started.
Couple of questions here,
any ideas what this could be and how much to fix?, obvious answer would be to go back to the place where the radiator was done but this would be a bit of a round trip as it happened away from home.
Also if this isnt fixed as a priority are there any chances of it causing further problems, i.e damage due to 'over cooling' of the engine?
Any ideas and help most appreciated.
Cheers
CBG
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Drink Lager, Talk Piffle !
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Ha, Ha,
bone idle mate never bothered to get the fan sorted, it eventually caused a relay to burn out and this lost use of windscreen wipers, which this week is not good.
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Drink Lager, Talk Piffle,
Drink Cider, Talk Sense (maybe?)
Browse
>>I have a place that does the MOT and regular servicing - are they likely to be up to the job?
Yes, an MOT test centre will be able to sniff the tank,doesnt take long,and should decide whether its head or gasket.
Beware though,its not uncommon for both to be in need of replacement,ie pressure test could prove head has a problem?
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Steve