July 2007
Hi Folks,
Hi I have a Peugeot 92' 1.8 Turbo Diesel. Could you help me, I need to drain the water system entirely for an antifreeze change. The radiator is the easy bit. When I need to be underneath the engine to empty the block, if say I'm sitting underneath facing upwards with my legs facing outwards and in front of the car where do I find the bolt/grub screw ??
Many thanks in advance.....................Lills
Subject line tweaked - PU Read more
My Astra 1.8 is suffering intermittent starting problems. Sometimes it starts first time no problem but occasionally the engine turns over for a few seconds before firing. It has never failed to start but can be quite frustrating. I have been told by a well meaning colleague that it may be the cam sensor needs adjusting. The vehicle has had a top end rebuild and seems to have started this problem. Any thoughts.
{Subject header amended to make less vague - DD} Read more
(The title doesn't tell us what the thread is about, but in this case Nsar can be forgiven. HJ)
Just been away for the weekend. As we're leaving we come across a plod car parked on our track with two plod with an A-Z out. Being a helpful sort I stop and ask them which house they are looking for. Oh we're looking for... (my address)...that's me I say. Thanks, here's an NIP we had to deliver because of the postal strike.
Apparently it's a better use of our money to send a PC and CSO scuttling round in a patrol car to hand deliver NIPs than it is to wait a day and put a stamp on it.
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AND they could pick up pizza on the way back to home base! Bargain!
Pizza Base!
Following on from some of the threads about main dealer alleged 'rip offs' I thought that BR members might like to know about the Right to Repair Campaign which is being run by the Independent motor repair trade across Europe.
Motor manufacturers have been working hard over the last 10-15 years to keep repair work in their franchised dealer network. In the past they've lobbied the EU to ban aftermarket replacement parts (which failed, thankfully) and they are now lobbying to keep repair work in the dealer network. One way in which they are trying to do this is by using the car's electronic systems to effectively 'veto' any repairs until the replacement part is coded (or 'commissioned') back onto the car. Some BR's will be aware that this already happens when some ECU's, dashpanels, MAF's etc are replaced, but with about 50% of cars now using CANBUS it could soon be that even very minor repairs cannot be done (or cannot be completed) unless the car is taken to a franchised dealer and 'recommissioning codes' are paid for and input to the vehcle data network. This will put main dealers in complete control of much repair work.
The independent sector accross the EU has started a 'Right to Repair' campaign to fight this trend. An article on how it can affect consumers is here:
www.r2rc.co.uk/home/images/r2rc/right%20to%20repai...f
The Right to Repair Campaign has a website at:
www.r2rc.co.uk
I would urge BR's to read this. This is also maybe something that HJ could raise in the press. Its something I feel quite strongly about (for obvious reasons).
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I also use Linux (am using it right now), and I can't fault it. OK, I use the user-friendly Ubuntu distro, but everything just slotted into place, and my SiS video drivers were included with the distro. I know just how powerful Linux is compared to the dumbed-down mainstream alternative, and that's exactly the reason we can be optimistic about the future of repairing - the sky's the limit. Maybe TVM is right - maybe some entrepreneur will set up some sort of automotive programming business and hire out their services via the internet to independent garages.
Yes, the skills/technologies have advanced considerably in the past 20 years - gone are the days of adjusting the fuel/air mixture with a screwdriver. Cars are currently being "tuned" by blokes with laptops - advancing this to require computer setup of each individual sensor/component is just the next step away from traditional tinkering.
Having looked at the available cars still about, most seem to be either very expensive ( £7000 for 25k 190E ) or falling apart.
As a result Im trying to come up with some alternatives. The two that spring to mind are the VW Jetta and the BMW 316.
I know the BMW is just about as solid as the Merc, but how about the Jetta? Are they on the same level? I know they are heavy to drive, most VW's of that age are but how bombproof are they? Read more
The 940 is more modern, but I prefer the style of the 240.
Honda Accord may well be a sound choice, but its also exceptionally dull and as part of this choice, I want a car that I like, not just one that does the job - I have a 'white goods' car now - I want to change to something with a little character.
Anyone care to share their opinions on the two shortlisted? I like both, would probably keep around 3 years, and go for Petrol over Diesel. Any personal experiences, good or bad, of either model very welcome.
Many thanks to all. Read more
To add to WDB's comments above, I had an S60 before I got the V50. The rear seat area of the V50 feels more spacious than the S60 did, partly no doubt due to the taller roofline, and in my case a light interior replacing a black one.
Although very comfy, the front seats of the V50 are definitely smaller than the S60's though, and overall the car does feel smaller when you're behind the wheel.
Boot space is obviously better than the S60, provided you're prepared to load up to the roof and lose your rearward vision.
Someone told me the Jag looks like the old Volvo V40..?!
Does anyone know if a car is written as a "Category D" (ie not financially viable to repair) whether you can settle and buy back your own car from the insurance company (presumably this is kept by them as part of the process as will have some value). I ask because my Dad has a very good high mileage mondeo which someone kindly hit damaging both doors on one side. He offered to have two scrap doors painted and fitted but this was still too expensive for the other party and so he wanted to go through his insurance.
When getting quotes as part of the insurance claim he's been told repair will likely be deemed non viable leading to a write off. Clearly he has a perfectly good car, looked after by him with known history that he'd be happy to have fixed with a couple of scrap doors. How do you go about this through the insurance? Will they agree a value and then allow him to buy back the "write off" at a lower sum?
All help appreciated. Read more
I know someone who was knocked of his motorcycle, minimal damage to the bike, he was offered £2600 which was more than fair and bought it back for £750 as a Cat C or D and it cost him £500 to put it back to better than before, so he made over well £1000 but for the fact that the bike is now worth less than it was. So your approach can work.
I have been lurking in the Sat Nav aisles for several month waiting for a European map equipped system to come into the sub £150 price bracket. Passing through Costco yesterday I saw that, for the first time, they had the Navman N40 in this branch for £140. So I threw one in the trolley and spent last night configuring it and installing maps for the European cities I need to visit over the course of the next few months.
I tested it out today in my local town. Verdict ? Fun but a useless piece of junk that's as likely to get into trouble as it is to lead you out of it. It would have had me detouring through municipal car parks, short cutting via roads closed to all traffic except buses and meandering home in the most circuitous route imaginable. Granted it can't be expected to compete with local knowledge. But it's added value seems to occur only when measured against zero route knowledge and there are very few circumstances where that applies in my itinerary.
The other thing I wonder is just how safe is all that fiddling with tiny buttons on the move? As happened with mobile phones, I expect the government may legislate against the use of them by the driver. But not of course until the market has reached saturation point and maximum revenue has been extracted from the consumer.
Mine is going back to Costco this afternoon - one of the benefits of membership. Read more
p.s. I would have tried it on mine but the battery is flat and I've mislaid the charger. But basically, instead of leaving the starting point as the default 'home' you need the one to the right of that (I think it's called 'Advanced Planning') and from there you can put in your starting point. It probably has the port itself in the 'points of interest' section although you may need to run it through with just Cherbourg first and then do a second run.
Anyone have any tips/experiences on driving from Zurich to Berne/Biel..?
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I'd guess this is a hire car from Zürich Airport and will have a vignette already.
The Swiss are generally quite arrogant, impolite and downright aggressive drivers, but that's just a different hazard than CLOGs etc on UK roads.
I am about to take delivery of a new diesel Ford Transit with the 140 PS engine and this vehicle like my previous Transits has an aluminiumised exhaust system fitted.
I have had my earlier unturbocharged diesel Transit for 6 years from new and the exhaust has lasted well, with only the front pipe requiring to be changed (last year). There is little rust and the aluminium coating is mostly in place.
Looking under more modern turbocharged Transits the exhaust pipes are much rustier than mine and I wonder why this should be, is it due to greater heat, or poorer materials?
What I would like to know is, are there any materials, such as aluminium tape that I could wrap around the new exhaust so as to prolong its life? Any ideas?
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Some years ago I saw adverts for a heat insulating tape that could be wound around the exhaust pipe. The idea behind the tape was that it reduced heat loss from the system and thus kept the exhaust gases moving more quickly and this in turn made for better extraction & more power.
Does anyone have personal experience of this product, does (did?) it work and does it reduce corrosion?
Browse
Also check the earth to the coil pack - if need be, run a new one directly to the battery earth, it isn't a long cable run.
Number_Cruncher