August 2006
Hi,
I have to get my 03 Mondeo TDCi (31000 miles) garage-serviced for a insurance-type warranty.
When I got the car home (4 miles) the oil was already black!
I've heard this happens quickly with diesels, but that quickly???
I have had little previous experience with diesels.
Could someone with greater knowledge help me to guess whether this is normal or should I do it again myself to be certain please?
Thanks
eljay
Read more
My girlfriend has a 2000 1.4 16 valve VW Polo (75 BHP) The car has covered 63,000 miles and I think it is due a timing belt change, however looking in the manual it suggests the belt is merely checked at 60,000 miles.
Does anyone know the correct time to change the belt?? I presume most are around the 60,000 mile mark???
This 1.4 engine isn't a chain cam engine is it??
Many thanks
FH Read more
make sure you are specific on the engine type there are 2 different ones....
Hi I am having problems starting my polo, turn ignition engine fires, revs for a couple of seconds then dies. Can anyone point me in the right direction? I can get it to start sometimes but not very often.
I have recently replaced the fuel filter and spark plugs but again
when I turn the ignition I can hear the fuel pump switch on, although I cannot tell if its running constantly is there a way I can check for this?
For other info
Mileage : 90k
Reg : N, 1996
Many Thanks Read more
Great to hear your problem is solved!
***** This thread is now closed, please CLICK HERE to go to Volume 99 *****
In this thread you may ask any computer related question for which you need help, advice, suggestions or whatever.
Usual rules apply,
No motoring related discussion,
No politics,
No Speeding, speed cameras, traffic calming
No arguments or slanging matches
Nothing which I think is not following the spirit of the thread
Nothing that risks the future of this site (please see the small print for details www.honestjohn.co.uk/credits/index.htm )
Any of the above will be deleted. If the thread becomes difficult to maintain it will simply be removed.
There is a wealth of knowledge in here, much of which is not motoring related, but most of which is useful.
This is Volume 98. Previous Volumes will not be deleted.
A list of previous volumes can be found here:-
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=20892
PLEASE NOTE:
When posting a NEW question, please "Reply to" the first message in this thread, i.e. this one. This keeps each question in it's own separate segment and stops each new question from getting mixed up in amongst existing questions. Also please remember to change the subject header.
Read more
This might prove even better:
tinyurl.com/pepzy
I use the two port combo ADSLMax/ADSLMax2 modem router model from this company (plus one of its dialup modems!).
PS
Even cheaper USB adapters:
tinyurl.com/nq24s
Hi,
This is a question from a work colleague of mine.
Two weeks ago he bought a car on ebay and the seller requested that a deposit of £250 is paid via paypal immediately at auction end. The rest was to be paid in cash on collection
The guy paid this £250 deposit and went to collect the car two days later travelling about 180 miles to collect it. He got there and it was dark (about 11pm). The seller would not let him test drive the car until the deal was done...ie all the money handed over.
The money was paid and the car driven home. On arriving home the next daya few faults were discovered which were not mentioned in the ad :
Dent on boot lid
Stereo not working
Engine Cover missing.
Cap on power steeringf fluid bottle missing.
Marks on front edges of bumpers.
Generally the car was not running too smoothly (its an Auto by the way)
Now generally the guy feels hes been had
Question is is there any way he can recover his deposit on paypal or get some refund as the above faults were not disclosed in the ad. Read more
Waste of space and our time IMHO.
Which is one of the many reasons why I disabled his previous account.
DD.
A friend of mine asked me today about getting a weekend car that his whole family could enjoy. He likes the 1930's style but he doesnt know much about which ones are any good. he is decided on the era of car so just looking for suggestions within the 1930's.
He wants something that can easily seat 5 and max price of £10,000. He would prefer something that doesnt need an engine rebuild every year and size wise, atleast the size of a Ford Granada, which rules out something like a Ford Model Y.
I was hoping some of you can remember back that far and have any ideas on what he should look for?
I was told my grandfather had a matt black Humber limo which he bought for a few quid back in the 60's which he used as a family car for years, but I doubt theres many of them around now! Read more
I well remember a colleague paying something like £10,000 to have a 1939 Daimler professionally restored - only to find it was utterly boring to drive.
To some extent your friend will have to go with what's available - those 30s cars that haven't gone to the great scrap-heap in the sky are cherished by their owners and not often sold (except by their executors).
One of those huge old 6-cylinder Vauxhalls of the mid-30s might be what's needed - if one can be found. Only a few years ago I followed one pulling a caravan - at quite a good pace.
I'm considering uprating my alternator to give a better charge at low engine revs.
The best value seems to be HillMart (www.alternatormart.co.uk) who supply Unipoint alternators from Woods Auto Supplies, possibly built/imported from Taiwan.
Are Unipoint alternators any good? Read more
I remember the good old days of dynamos when (if you had an ammeter fitted)
and were driving on a dark rainy day with the wipers headlights and demister on
you were in a battery current deficit situation !
This is why you were allowed to drive with sidelights in a lit up area,a rule which should be rescinded IMO,the plethora of background lighting these days can often make sidelights invisible.Alternatively bring back dim-dip.
ive got a 1988 1300 polo 4 speed with a poorly box, ive managed to source a 5 speed box from the same year/engine car along with the gear linkage
am i right in thinking the engine can be left in the car ? anything to look out for ?
im also fitting a new clutch
whats the best way to align the linkage Read more
The London Metropolitan Police have ordered 117 Honda Civic Hybrids, the largest fleet purchase for hybrid cars in the U.K., according to the Green Car Congress. The police will use the hybrids for Community Support Officers to use as part of a Safer Neighbourhoods program.
The cars will not be used for patrol vehicles, which are primarily performance diesels. Previously the Metropolitan Police tried electric and liquid propane vehicles, but stopped due to impracticality and reduction in funding; however, the force plans to run four of 70 hydrogen-powered vehicles that will be introduced by the Greater London Authority. As well, the Toyota Lexus RX400h hybrid SUV is currently undergoing trials in the U.K. for full police duty, including patrol and emergency response.
I wonder if this will result in lower council tax bills aftere the savings in fuel costs.
I think not somehow.
Cue the Hybrids not being economical debate ! Read more
"The police driving around in hybrids will give them a softer image which is not what is wanted to stop crime."
I tend to agree, the police have a very difficult job balancing reputations, the strong-arm-of-the-law as a detererent to crime and the softly-softly neighbourhood bobby.
Perhaps in some areas the hybrids may actually help, help with the perception of the police being green and caring (however hypocritical this is for reasons given further up) though me thinks that will be Chelsea, Edgbaston and Wilmslow and not the neglected urban estates where the honest man dreams of spending a grand on a car and the criminals who nick BMWs for fun will laugh at the prospect of plod in such a vehicle.
I have recently bought a 98 Fiesta Chicane 1.4 zetec for a good price, but since I have bought it I have realised it has a terrible problem which I unbeleivably missed when test driving.
When I first pull off in 1st gear the car jerks and the revs drop just like a learner driver, but if I pull off slowly and ride the clutch the car is fine most of the time. it also jerks if I change into second at low speeds but after that the car is fine when I am driving at higher speeds the car drives perfect.
I took it to my local garage who advised the gear and engine mounts may be worn and need replacing, he replaced them at a cost of £100 the mounts were worn and split but the problem is still there.
my mechanic says the only way to cure the problem 100% is to replace the clutch & gear box at an additional cost of £300 is he taking me for a ride.
The car is also lumpy when engine breaking in low gears and jerks a bit when slowing down so I have to put my foot on the clutch but when I accelerate through the car pulls excellent.
I am starting to think it is an electrical problem rather than a gearbox problem has anybody else experienced these problems????
Read more
Awsome thread, I had to join just to say thanks to all the posters which contributed to this.
...
Browse
.jpg)
Hi eljay,
oil in any diesel will turn black very quickly. But - because you see it's black you automatically assume it's not doing the job. This is not so. Back in the 80's i used to service trucks and they were fitted with what was called a 'cresco' filter. This meant that you didn't change the oil for a minimum of 100,000 miles - you just changed the filter at regular service intervals. Our Foreman was a suspicious person and actually had some oil removed from some trucks that had done 50,000 and 75,000 miles then sent them for analysis. I remember seeing his face when the lab report stated the oil properties were within limits and there was no degradation of the spec of the oil.
So, just because the oil is black - don't assume its no good.
I just changed the oil in my '02 Peugeot 406 with 45k on the clock and the oil was black within hours.
Hope this answers the question
--
These are the views of Robin the Technician with 35 years in the trade. I fix, therefore I am...