December 2006
My wife's 2004 Punto has developed a creak on the nearside rear suspension. The main dealer has found nothing wrong with the car.
I've just done three things: -
1. Squirted WD40 over the rear suspension spring and its fixings.
2. Squirted WD40 at the top and bottom of the shocker.
3. Put a bit a Vaseline at the top of the rubber mounting that strikes the underneath of the bodywork.
The creak has now gone (like it did when I did the same thing two months ago)
Could anyone tell me which on is the likely culprit please and is this normal (to have to lie under the car every two months and do this)? Read more
Hi, I am thinking of buying a 1998 1 litre Micra. It has done 60k. It looks fairly tidy and drives and stops well. There is a little rust on the sills. Is there anything specific I should be looking at, either from your own experiences or things you have heard about? Thanks
Johnny Read more
My '99 P11 Primera appears rot-free (for now anyway), yet my old '95 Micra was noticeably worse - it had the typical sill rot (very common on 3-door Micras IME) and was going under the bonnet where the wings are welded on, where rainwater collects. It had no factory rust protection that I could see. Yet my brother's old Bluebirds (16/17 years) had no significant rust at all.
Hi There, can any one out there guide me through replacing the heater matrix (core) in my 1999 daewoo matiz. Is it easier to remove the seats and the whole carpet to gain access to it, or will that not be neccessary. Also do i have to remove the centre console, with the gear stick on it, and do i have to remove the whole plastic surround that houses the stereo, etc Seems like a long job to do?. Any help and advice very welcome, Thank-You in anticipation. Graham.
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I think changing a heater matrix is a rotten job on
most cars.
The few I've looked at made it look like the car
was built round the damn things. Whole dash out for the
two I've had a go at in the past.
Yep, i'll agree with that; my last Omega had a matrix leak, a dose of radweld stopped it leaking completely for 18 months, by which time I'd run it into the ground and pensioned it off anyway.
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I've persisted with the 0900 number (didn't find an equivalent normal number on the website) and found a very helpful, knowledgeable fast-talking operator to tell me the following procedure to reset the PIN to 0000. Press "page" on the base station and keep it pressed while the power is disconnected and reconnected. Continue to press "page" for a further 24 seconds, then release. Worked a treat. Thanks to all who replied.
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land
Hi All,
Coming home this eve and attempting to turn into estate I suddenly found that I had no or almost no brakes. The pedal is rock hard. Will brake slightly when forced. Does this mean the servo is gone? or could it be the master cylinder. The car is a 01 xsara HDI 105k miles brakes normally brilliant. How hard a job would it be to fix?
Thanks for any help opinions Read more
Thanks Lee, I will find required part on autodata and replace on Monday. Hope to post again!!!
Hi all,
My car
Audi 80 2.0E 93'L (125000 miles)
Just would like to ask if anybody could recommend the correct oil for all year round use. I do short trips 10 miles daily except weekends when might do a 100 mile trip. Engine is quiet and I top up approx 1/4 (0.25 litre) dipstick every 2000 miles or so, about average.
Thanks. Read more
and use DD's tip for 6 monthly change intervals
I think you'll find it was Roger Jones, via HJ's suggestion actually ;o)
Does anyone know what make the engines are in the V50 ? I am sure I was told that the 1.8 is a Ford unit, I know the subframes etc are Focus. I'm fairly certain that the diesels are Volvo. But I can't get anyone to tell me what the 2 litre petrol is. Dealers are coy. I'd like to avoid the Mitsubishi gdi engine which caused problems before. Also - again I can't get confirmation - is steering electric or hydraulic? Many thanks. Read more
Talking of engines running backwards - in my youth I had a 50cc suzuki and discovered that if bump started while being pushed backwards, it would run on a fixed throttle at around 1500rpm.
This became a bit of a party trick and i would climb on board and let the clutch out for a short backwards ride. Of course, at this time, I had no mechanical sympathy and now dread to think the effect it may have had on anything like the oil pump, disc valve etc. No problems at all during my ownership, or infact any of the Jap bikes I owned.
The doors lock and unlock is you use the key in the door but if you use the remote or the inside door switch the passenger door does not respond. I've checked all the wiring and found no fault and the Convenience report no known faults via the VAG unit. Any ideas or hase anyone got access to the locking cct. Regards Peter Read more
Thanks Mark. Yeo had the lock completely apart and inspected all wiring PCB and joints. All OK. Fired lock motor up whilst aprt and AOK. Also had a loan of a spare lock when I discovered the problem and that acted the same. Vag-Com reports No Faults. Regards Peter
Hello there,
I have a problem with my 1982Talbot Motorhome. The engine a non-turbo 2.5 Diesel which according to the RAC man he believes it is from a fork lift truck (interesting). However although the engine runs fairly well it seems juddery and excessive vibration during acceleration mainly in 2nd, 4h and 5th. I have checked the filter
and I believe the engine mounts are o.k. due to fault started just before the MOT. If it was petrol engine I would have thought it may have been the spark plugs but I am no expert and the diesel engines do not work like petrol engines do they?. Any suggestions please.
Mike Read more
Hi Mike,
If your van is otherwise OK Delfin Designs (Google for website) sell a remanufactured gear linkage, costs about £350, but sometimes you can improve it considerably by tightening/replacing the bolt connecting the linkage to the gear selector rod. Also check bushes at base of gearlever for excessive play.
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One mans junk is another mans treasure
I'm finding condensation on the inside of the front windscreen in my Golf Mk4 lately. Nothing obviously wrong, could just be autumn I guess - are they prone to faults that can cause this? Is it an early warning of anything, eg heater radiator?
Had a new w/screen in July, but haven't seen any leaks or anything. Read more
1)Likely candidate - Pollen Filter (Pollen Filter housing could have been disturbed during the fitting of the windscreen)
2)Are you loosing coolant - it is not unknown for the heater matrix to start leaking...
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For how long we'll keep the car it doesn't really matter to me if it rots the bushes or not.
I used to spray old engine oil under me old Ford Escort so God knows what that did to me bushes!!