April 2007
Both number plates on my newly-acquired car are looking decidedly shabby, so I'll be renewing them shortly. I've seen the same deterioration - a sort of internal 'bleeding' in two thin lines from top to bottom - on other cars, so was wondering if there's any appreciable difference in the quality of aftermarket plates. Read more
Hello All,
I've heard a few bad reports about the new Focus CVT automatic but can't decide whether people are talking about the petrol or diesel versions. Anyone got one of these or have any more info?
Thanks Read more
Given that economy and high torque for good acceleration in low
gears(not required with an auto) are the main reasons for buying
a diesel it is not surprising that diesel autos are relatively
rare.
Some manufacturers seem to do them, e.g Renault, PSA, GM and Ford, and some don't, so not that rare any longer. The Japanese manufacturers seem to steer clear of them.
Unless I've somehow missed it, no one has mentioned that Top Gear could be about to have its own US version later this year, featuring the Famous Three, the Stig and a host of American vehicles.
First spotted on page 502 of Ceefax yesterday, it's also detailed here:
news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/6539111.stm
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What\'s for you won\'t pass you by Read more
Would you care that much considering most cars (even the decent ones) are dirt cheap.
I have had my 1.4 clio single point injection manual for just over a year, when i bought it i woulkd get on avaerage about 350 miles to a tank just under 10 miles to the litre. it went up to nearly 400 on a long run. the car has been used for commuter runs 20 miles each way and the fuel economy dropped. i put this down to the cold weather and reasonably short trips. then the exhaust system went which i have replaced fully all 4 sections including the cat. i have just done a trip to scotland from essex then down to cornwall, on the way to scotland i managed 280 miles to the tank full!! now i had my mum myself my push bike in the car plus clothes but nothing adding up to more than 4 adult passangers. i run the tyres at a higher pressure on long motor way drives. we drove at around 70 mph the whole way and had a clear run no substantial stationary traffic luckily. we averaged around 55-60 mph.
in the last year the car has had 4 new tyres, balance and tracking, a new cam belt, two new half shafts as there is a wobble which i can't work out what it is relates to the speedo, when i first got the car i replaced all disks pads shoes, filters, ht leads, it doesnt seem to be a binding brake. The car is serviced regularly with oil change at least every 5k miles.
My question is what could cause such a large drop in fuel economy. i am losing nearly 100miles per tank?
Any possibility for the wobble, i gave up on the garage, which came highly recommended.
I would appreciate any advice, as this little economical car has cost me far more than my previous carlton estate and audi avant!!!!
Cheers for your time ewen Read more
Hi guys cheers for the advice, the coolant temp sensor was changed with out a problem, but had no effect on the high fuel consumption, so i'm hoping its the lamda sensor. will keep you posted.
I hope someone can help me. Recently bought a high milage Ford Mondeo zetec 2.0 diesel TDCI (year: 2004, milage 78,000). I've only had it 2 weeks, did one long drive (70 miles) with no problems. Did the same drive the following week but in extremely heavy traffic and warm weather. About half an hour of sitting in traffic I noticed a burning smell coming from the car (no warning lights on dash). Pulled in, no fire, just horrible burning smell. Tried to move car out of traffic and felt weird changing the gears from 1st to 2nd and when i changed from 2nd to 3rd the car just died completely & engine warning light came on. Turned car off, looked under bonnet, no smoke, just smell. After an hour waiting for recover truck, the car started fine again and was driving fine with no warning lights or anything. Guy i bought it off said it was probably from me "riding the clutch" in traffic constantly. He said i was so used to driving petrol that i didn't realise you can't ride the clutch in a diesel and particularly the mondeo as it has a double clutch???? I'm so confused because he then tells me the clutch is fine even though he said it was the clutch that was causing the burning smell. Has anyone any ideas? Surely it'd take more than 40 mins sitting in traffic to have such an effect on a supposedly reliable car. Read more
When I learned to drive heavy goods vehicles I was taught that the cluch pedal should be fully depressed or your foot should be off the pedal. I have applied this techniqe to diesel cars without problems for many years. I normally run my cars for about 100,000 miles and have never needed to replace a clutch. Hope this info is of help.
hi, i will be removing the exaust on my fiesta in a week or so but the bolts look very corroded where they join at the manifold. whats the best way to get them off and can a prep them with some sort of penetrating spray im a bit worried about the heat effect on flammables thanks Read more
if i remember on the mk3?
then two of the bolt holes come straight through all the way on the manifold so if the worst comes to the worst if they all snap then you can take manifold off and drill out two of the studs and replace with bolts
....
ideally the nuts want warming to above cherry red prior to trying to remove them.
dont forget......please............that if you leave the battery connected you double make sure the car is in neutral prior to working on it for the reasons already touched on
I have just replaced the XUD lump in my series 2 Xantia. It came with a reco fuel pump which I was keen to use. Now I find out that it would appear that the pump is coded to the key/ECU as it objects to the new pump. All is fine if I temporarily wire the old pump back on.
So.... how do I get the new pump to live happily with the exisiting key and ECU? Read more
Use the old pump.
The code on these vehicles is held in the ecu for the transponder system which is located on the pump behind a metal plate secured with shear bolts. You could probably swap your existing ecu onto the new pump BUT removal is difficult and expensive (the new set of shear bolts is £48.45 + VAT). The chip in the key is read by an aeriel around the barrel and the signal passed to the ecu. You could recode the key if you have the transponder code from the donor vehicle but without that you are stuck.
I seem to remember that replacement ecus come with the code preset and when you install them you have to recode the keys to match the new code so I assume the ecu is not reprogrammable (I am not 100% on this)
hi all
ive got a 2002 laguna 1.8 16v and for about 4 weeks it has been misfireing and lacking power throuhout the driving range.today it has developed starting probs with it tacking about two attepts(starting on the third)i dont know if these two probs are related but if anyone as any ideas as to wot either could be then it would be much appreiciated.
thanx in advance
nigel Read more
nigel
There's always hundreds of possibilities; but on these, the pencil ignition coils are the place to look first.
Take it to an independent garage for a code read. If the coils are original, you might blag a free set out of Renault.... or not , as the case may be.
Continued driving with a misfire can seriously damage the cat.
My 2001 Citroen Picasso 1.8 SX petrol has started making a rattling/ticking noise that sounds a it like a diesel. I can hear it when idling and it seems to increase in speed as I accelerate.
The car runs as usual in all other respects.
Any ideas what the cause may be? Is this something I should get looked at urgently?
Thanks
Chris Read more
Two Daewoo cars (nexia & nubira) a 1.5 8v and 2.0 16v respectively, both have empty chambers connected to the Air inlet conduit, between the air filter and the throttle housing.
The air inlet conduit is the large black flexi rubber tube about 80mm diameter. The Nexia has 2 plastic chambers leading off this conduit which don't go anywhere, or do anything, they are just empty boxes of plastic. The Nubira has something similar.
What on Earth are these for? It seems Daewoo likes using them on their cars, I have never seen anything like them on any other car. Read more
to cut down on the intake roar that chavs lurve
i believe
Browse
@Roly93 you could try no more nails or low modulus mastic? I wonder if the problem is because there is wax present before the sticky pads are positioned?
Great thread this, they're only £16 a pair :o)