February 2007
what would be the best torque wrench to get for use on a small hatch back? ive seen a few but the ranges seem a bit useless ie 20-150 lbs ft, as some need to be less than 20 lbs ft, is there a one size fits all on the market? or should i need to buy 2, a low range and a high range, also advise needed on what would be an appropriate bearing puller for when i do the wheel bearings? thanks Read more
Hi all
My vectra has had this annoying knocking noise from the front suspension for a while now and it's time it was fixed!
It only happens mainly when going over sleeping policemen.
Any ideas guys (or gals)
Thanks in advance
GazKaz Read more
Hi all
Problem sorted!
As mentioned in an earlier post by Deryck Tintagel, I have replaced both anti-roll bar drop links (the passenger side one had a split rubber gaiter on one end of it) and it is now thankfully silent again!
It has only taken me around 2 months to finally find time to sort it!
Thanks for your help
GazKaz
hi i have a renault clio whose exhaust is making a lot of noise so i have booked it in for an early MOT on thursday. i have just realised that i am getting it done on the 8th February and it doesnt run out until 8th March. does this count as a month or is it one day over a month?
i wanted to get the exhaust fixed but didnt want to pay out for it if the car wasnt worth the MOT but am now extremely confused about the dates of MOT's and dont want to lose a month on MOT for the sake of one day!! Read more
a900ss,
Yes, but you will need to take your registration document as proof of when the vehicle was first registered.
www.direct.gov.uk/en/Motoring/OwningAVehicle/Mot/D...2
Hi- I couldn't help but notice that despite my nice new Leon FR having traction control, it still seemed quite easy to spin the front wheels when pulling away from standstill in wet conditions. I asked the dealer to look at the TC, which he did, but said there wasn't a problem. He told me that it only cuts in when it senses a difference in speed between the 2 wheels, so it probably won't when setting off in a straight line on a flat road.
Can anyone with knowledge and/or experience of VAG traction control systems verify this?
Cheers
John Read more
Does the button say ASR or ESC?
The ASC just has TC & EDL, and the ESC has
stability control too.
I have the ASR and don't think it's much good, tending
to just brake alternate front wheels in quite an undignified fashion.
ESP (=ESC?)
One of those things you hear about, but rarely see, until today - white W reg Clio on the side of the road with the bonnet wrapped around the windscreen. Seen this on Watchdog, apparently the bonnet catches don't catch and one day, wallop!
Fair play to the driver getting over to the side of the road blind, and what a horrible experience that must have been for them. Read more
Bleeding obvious init. If you do not have this problem on other makes/models why is it a major problem on this car only. I never grease my bonnet locks on my Hyundai or Mazda. Never had such a problem on all the cars I have had over the last 29 years. Bleeeding obvious init. What other things should I make sure I have done before I drive my car. Gearbox bolted down? Engine block tied down Wheels on every corner. Where do you start checking and where do you finish . Get real!
snipquote. Please don't quote the entire message to which you're replying to, and DON'T quote it after typing your reply - which in cyberland is called top posting, and is one of my many pet hates
When my Fiesta 1.1 is cold there is little smoke, after about 6-7 miles the smoke gets quite bad, its not burning fuel and there is not a single bit of miss fire, but the smoke gets quite bad almost emberassingly so.
As with my previews threads my mechanic reckons its the camshaft which is damaged but is there any short term solution to reduce the smoke a bit?
The service has not mad any difference whats so ever :( Read more
I am niot convinced these restore oils won't just block oil ways and water ways though. I am not trying anything like that until a last resort, i.e I need a new engine anyway. For now while the car is running perfectly fine I will just wait till the MOT if the engine lasts that long.
I decided today to check the Outback over as I'm off the London on Tuesday. It also needed a clean, so the car got a good once over for the first time since I bought it. Everything was fine until I checked the tyres. Rear tyres were checked first and were absolutely spot on with the recommendations.
Front tyres which should have been at 2.0bar were at 3.9bar - yes 3.9bar - both of them. I checked with three gauges! I've lowered them to the correct level and again checked with all three gauges. I haven't drive the car since Friday afternoon and won't until Monday morning. Tyres look OK. Apart from feeling the road properly, and possibly worse fuel consumption (unlikely to make much difference!), I wonder what I should worry about???
I assume that the garage I bought the car from in November (I know I shouldn't have left it too long) did not check the tyres properly or the technician simply got it wrong big time. It is a Subaru dealer, but only a short time in the network. Read more
Weird thing is that there has been no noticeable difference in handling and a very minor improvement in ride. The only obvious difference (as I said above) is the rattle which has disappeared. The steering is perhaps very slightly heavier, but with the emphasis on very slightly.
I would have said that it was my gauge at fault, but I checked all four tyres with two pencil guages and with the digital gauge attached to my compressor and all three read 2.0bar on the rears and 3.9bar on the fronts.
What I did notice about my trip to London yesterday was that my economy on Shell V-Power was better than using BP regular unleaded. A full tank of Shell V-Power got me to London and 1/2 the way back at an average of 28.8mpg cruising at over 80mph. I got the same economy on BP but at no more than 75mph for half the return trip.
Hiya, i have a Audi A4 turbo diesel 2.5 V6 engine, its 1999 (T) but i think it has a problem with its turbo, and was wondering whether anyone would know?
It basically feels like the turbo is never kicking in, and when i'm travelling on the motorway it grudgingly accelerates to about 80mph, but my foot is nearly flat on the floor? ... i have also noticed it takes a while to start the car in the mornings, its always o.k when the engine is hot (starting that is)
what can it be? someone suggested to me the air mass meter?
Thanks natalie Read more
When the codes are read on VAGCOM, it usually states whether they are intermittent or present etc..
It's not unusual to have a few built-up over time, if they haven't been cleared.
I agree the best thing to do is clear the codes, and see if/when they come back, some may not.
I'll post the part number of the MAF and if yours matches, let me know.
When mine was replaced, I also needed an adaptation doing by the garage, I think it is some sort of calibration with the new part fitted.
You could always try driving with it disconnected, and see if driveability improves, but I wouldn't leave it unplugged even if it improves things, as it can cause high speed stumbles that shock load the transmission.
On most Bosch Motronic systems, If a needle-lift sensor fault is present , it usually causes a limp-mode where fuel mass per stroke (mg/S) is limited to a smaller amount.
Own a mk4 golf GT TDI 150 on a late 53 plate. Has been serviced every 20k at the main dealers (longlife service). I bought the car a few days ago and it has done 69k (obv motorway mileage) and its last longlife service and cambelt change was done at 60k.
Now I don't know what you people think but I really am not keen on this longlife service lark. 20000 miles without opening the bonnet seems crazy to me but vw state that modern engines + motorway mileage is perfect for longlife servicing...
Anyway I am not going to live on the motorway, i mainly do city stop-start traffic (75% of the time), country lanes (20%), and motorway and dual carriegways (5%).
Should i give it a normal service immediately or wait another few thousand miles??
What are your views on this longlife service? Read more
sony
Motorway use is the best possible envirionment for long engine life. If it's really had the super-expensive Longlife oil all the time, then engine wear will be minimal - if even measurable. Stick with it [not the fixed-service PD oil] and change it as your judgement, based on use, dictates.
Does anyone know whether a 4 year old Focus has a warning light (or possibly audible warning) for front pad wear? Reason for asking is that my Sister-in-Law's car failed it's MOT allegedly for worn front brake pads. The Ford dealer insisted that the pads would need replacing for the car to pass the MOT. The old pads were 'unfortunately' disposed of before the hefty bill was paid. There was no sign of braking problems or warnings before the MOT. The dealer also tried to insist on replacing two front tyres. Fortunately my SIL was sensible enough to take the car to a tyre specialist who confirmed that the tyres still had about 5000 miles in them. Unfortunately she can't find the car handbook, hence my query. I'd be grateful for any replies. Read more
Sorry, should have said that the car is a Focus Ghia automatic.
Browse
Should add a useful tip - when you've finished using your torque wrench always unwind the spring (i.e. set it to '0' torque setting) - that helps keep it in calibration.