April 2007
Just a quickie - does the Honda 2.2 DOHC VTEC have hydraulic or adjustable tappets?
They're quiet and I don't want the top taken off if it doesn't have to be... Read more
Car 406 HDi 90bhp
year 2001
mileage 170,000
Climate control : Condenser with drier combined
I had an aircon near leak where the pipes join to the condenser. When inspecting the leak I broke the pipe right at the join to the condenser. I suspect this was already weakened hence the reason for the leak ( It broke easily).
It connects the lower join on the compressor, runs along the front of the car to some rubber hosing and then another pipe (low pressure) to the evaporator.
Does anyone know if the section of pipe is replaceable by itself. There doesn't seem to be any obvious connectors to be undone.
I'm hoping that the whole length all the way to the evap does not need replacing.
Also the condenser itself is damaged and the best quote so far has been for £95.
BTW in regards to collecting the refrigerant, there is no pressure from either of the valves, so I think the system is empty.
I intend to hand the job over to someone else but would like some idea of the parts cost. The car is quite old (2001 170,000 miles) so I want to know whether its worth fixing or not (cost being the main factor).
Neil
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Yes, that pipe has a join. You have to remove the bumper or fog light to get at it. It's just a push together join with no nuts or bolts, just looks like a bulge in the line. Go to the dealer and you'll see how it is. You'll need a special little tool to get it apart, but the joint may all be corroded and be a bit tight to get off and on again.
I am considering buying a car at auction, I have found one I like the look of and am considering going along and bidding on it.
I am wondering what happens after you win the car, how do you pay for it?
I know there is a buyers fee for the car.
After you have won the car, do you have to take the car straight away? Can you pay by debit card?
If there is no tax/mot on the car, what do you do then, how can you get the car home?
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Well, got auctioncarbuyer involved, I was unsure of the process, but he just told me not to buy the car as it wasn't good, he spent around 30 mins faffing around putting the service history together of the car only to find out it wasn't a nice car :(
Oh well, I will definatly use him again if a similar car comes up,,,
The hunt continues....
I have an 02 plate astra and have seen the dreaded mayo on the underside of the filler cap. I have flushed the engine and changed oil and filters but it has re appeared. However i have no loss of power, no problems starting and there is no white smoke while running. I use the car for a 90 mile daily commute.
hope someone can shed some light on it
Btw 02 astra club, 1.6 8v Read more
To check to see if it is the head gasket, ask an MOT station to "sniff" the coolant header tank with their emissions probe. If any HCs are detected, then you need to get the head gasket done.
If no HCs are detected, you might want to check to see what temperature your engine is actually running at* - again, if you don't have the means to measure this, the MOT station will be able to touch their oil temperature probe against the top hose to get an idea if the thermostat is playing nicely. (If the thermostat is opening at too cold a temperature, you will get condensation forming an emulsion in the colder areas of the engine).
* You might find that the dashboard gimmick that is the temperature gauge happens to be accurate - then again, you might not.
If it is the head gasket, I would struggle to imagine an easier OHC engine to do. At the same time, you would be best to fit a new cambelt, water pump, and thermostat. Pedantically, it is best to fit new head bolts, but, I've managed to do a fair number of these without bothering.
One point which catches most people who do a cylinder head on one of these engines for the first time is the need to compress the hydraulic tappets to get all the oil out. If you forget this, the tappets will hold the valves open, and you won't be able to start the engine again for a week or so!
Number_Cruncher
Having just agreed to the purchase of the above vehicle under the vendor's instruction that the car is fitted with the 110bhp engine, I came to insure it and it shows up on their systems as the 90bhp version of that engine when using the registration number. I understand that others have had this problem. I have the VIN number, could I ring my local Ford garage and ask him to find out which engine is in the car or would I need something else like an engine serial number? Is it possible the insurers have just got it wrong, and if so, should I argue with them as to the specification? Read more
Thanks a lot Quinny100! That's worked perfectly! It's a 110bhp woo!
Hi there
Our oldest will be 17 next week and will be having driving lessons.
Our second car is a 1999 Accord and SWMBO has always found it to be a bit of a bus and obviously it's not the ideal car for my daughter to learn on.
So.....
The plan is to buy a smaller car (2nd hand) mainly for the wife (she's a community nurse so does a fair bit of driving during the day) but also for driving lessons and for my oldest to scoot about in on evenings and weekends when (if) she passes.
The plan will then be to give that car to my daughter in about 18 months when she heads off to Uni.
I know there's a school of thought on here that cheapest is best due to the inevitability of prangs/insurance costs, but to be honest since the wife will be the main user for 18 months and also because of safety concerns I'm inclined towards something a bit more substantial.
I can't really see past the 1.4 petrol or the 1.5 (86bhp) diesel Megane II (probably 2003) as it seems to be the only sub-5K car with a 5 star Euro NCAP rating and it's also funky enough for the girlies.
My obvious concern (apart from insurance!) is the reliability of these things.
Anyone got any altrnative suggestions?
Thanks
Steve
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Loads of Army drivers in the RLC (was the Rickshaws, Carts and Taxis) learn to drive in a Class 3 LGV, from scratch. A test pass automatically confers a car test.
I don't really get this learn to drive in a go-cart - clearly they are cheap to run for a driving school, but apart from insurance issues, there's no need to learn in one, IMHO.
Can anyone tell me the official fuel consumtion for a Ford Escort 1.6 zetec 96 year
Many thanks Read more
have a look in parkers technical data. I think it was somewhere around mid-thirties when it lef t the factory...
Sorry if this has been asked before.
What are people's thoughts on the DIY aircon top up kits available from outlets such as Halfords ?
I know the motoring industry doesn't like them, but that is to be expected. Having watched my previous car having it's system topped up, it didn't look a very technical operation. Read more
Thanks for the replies.
I don't need mine done for a while, as my Accord was re-gassed last year when a new air-con hose was fitted. The previous one having blown off, damaging the bonnet in the process.
I know they recommend having air-con topped up every 5 - 6 years, as all systems leak to a greater or lesser extent.
Hi
Does anyone know of a cheap body shop in derby that do a good job? I need a 0.5 square meter (ish) patch doing at the rear wing corner, and I had no joy with Halfords "colour match" system. I was hoping for no more than £50 (metallic).
Also preferably within walking distance of RTC business park.
Thanks,
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Mike Farrow Read more
Thank you for your reply machika.
We have not needed a paint job doing on a car in a long time, and never a metallic one.
Unfortunately the car really isn't worth that much so I think I'll try my patience at blending the colour over a larger area myself. I would do anyway but the damage was on the boot lid, the other side of which is where all the decals are.
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Mike Farrow
Hello
I hope I can finally get a definate answer from you good people with a dispute I have.
My MGF suffered a head gasket failure at 62k and my after market warranty company are refusing to pay because they deem it wear and tear.
However, the garage it is at have said this is nonsense as the head failure was secondary to what caused the failure-which I gather was some pipe problem becoming disconnected when being driven-and so it became a sudden mechanical breakdown.
I always check my car for overheating as this is a common problem with this car and just 5 months and 2k miles earlier I had a 60k main service at an MG dealer with other work costing £500.
Are the warranty company being unreasonable? Read more
K-series can out-perform the opposition.
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i am having the same trouble with the 1.6 sohc version it is quite tappety soundin is that good or bad