October 2007
I have an X reg 1.4 Megane. Recently a tapping noise can be heard from the engine. It is only noticeable during idling or travelling at low speeds. I recently got my oil changed on the back of some advice and now the tapping noise only starts one the engine gets up to temperature.
It has been advised that it could be the timing belt tensioner, or the hydraulic tappets.
Can anybody give me any advice as to what this tapping noise could be, and the sort of cost I should expect for repair.
{SLT} Read more
A day or two ago I followed my son's AX through town and noticed the offside brake light was dim. When I saw him again at home, I suggested we investigate, and then subjected him to a Hawkeye masterclass on fault-finding which I certainly won't bore you good people with. When the rack that holds all the lamps in the cluster was exposed we noticed that other bulbs were glowing when the brake light was on. Certainly a bad earth then. Off came the nearside light cluster and the earth leads for both sides with its vaguely triangular-section bolt, presumably designed to scrape off the paint from the earth point threads when new. A bit of work with a penknife and a wire brush and a dab of Vaseline and all the lights seemed to be working properly again. I left son to put things back together and we tested the lights when he'd finished. The offside lights were all dim again. Curses. Off came the cluster but this time without the bulbs; they were left behind in the wing. Son hadn't clipped the rack onto the back of the light cluster. Two faults with the same symptoms; at age 18 do you think he will have learnt anything?
Hawkeye
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Stranger in a strange land Read more
The main thing that 18 year old motorists seem to learn about car maintainance in my experience is how to get dad to fix it.
With my current and first diesel a VW Passat 1.9 TDI 130 bhp,I'm firmly hooked on diesel cars , now looking at something more powerful with better handling...
Current criteria
Large engine, max Bhp
Good handling ,and reliability-that rules out all SUVs!
Size -large Saloon size
Budget up to 20k
After a lot of research ,it seems that the Japanese diesels aren't as reliable as their German counterpart hence seem to be left with 3-4 alternatives
Test drove a 320 d last week and wasn't very impressed, could be to do with the rear wheel drive, felt a little unsettled,as I came out of a roundabout and floored the pedal. Perhaps an all wheel drive would be a better option as i have seen that a backroomer lost control in the recent past with a rear wheel drive Honda recently..
Current alternatives
BMW 530d-approx 231 BHP, very refined ,reasonable mileage,however rear wheel drive and cheaper compared to an Audi A6 3litre.However rear wheel drive, which ? may not be an issue, however has brilliant handling and more than adequate power and torque..Disadvantages a mite too flash and provokes resentment from all other drivers-experienced it well in my test drives with the 320d!
Audi A6 3 litre -230 Bhp , has a manual option ,perhaps handling may not be as class leading as the BMW , however as this has 4 wheel drive, this may not be as significant.
Prefer a manual stick, although wouldn't mind an auto..
Merc E classes -not much info however are Mercs a bit too flash, too much attention provoking.
Any other alternatives ??
Any thoughts anyone....
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VW Phaeton 3.0d
Hi
I have a 01 Xsara hdi 110 which has now done 122k miles, I would like to change the low pressure fuel pump (before it fails and leaves me stranded). Mine has the VDO pump, Citroen part no.1525 T4. How can I find the equivalent Peugeot part number? I know there are 3 different types of pumps fitted to the Xsara and want to be sure that I am buying the correct one and it is easier to source a Peugeot one.
Thanks For any help
{SLT} Read more
These pumps are now a complete tank unit - drop in, plug and play. The pricing is barmy though.
I did a 406 one on Friday night; that was now only £110 [down from £190] for the whole thing. It was the big ring one, so had to cut the floor to get it out - brilliant design to make the access hole just a tad smaller than the pump!!
Still; it was nice to have a straightforward breakdown on an HDi - for once!
You might be able to get just the pump itself from VDO - try LSUK.
are all new beetle drivers only women? i don't think ive ever seen a man at the wheel of one of these cars Read more
Hang on there! My very first car was chosen in 1984 with great care. A Renault Fuego 2.0TX, for the money I paid back then - £3k and 3 years old, 40,000 miles - it was a brilliant car. Not too much torgue steer, compliant ride, and ripped the XR3 / XR3i brigade, the default choice back then, every single time.
Naturally aspirated, based on the proven mechanics of the R18, 2.0 OHC, 110bhp, great front seats, back seats that folded to allow a fully flat 6ft length (which suited a single guy barely out of his teens.....)
To quote LJK Setright on the launch : "It is blessed with a body which is not only roomy and aerodynamically efficient, but is also beautiful". It was designed by Robert Opron, the same guy behind the Citroen SM and CX.
Not, I'll admit, the car built to last, but for me worth every penny as those weedy 96bhp and 105bhp Fords disappeared in my slipstream...
Hello
first post, so apologies if I get this all wrong!
We currently run a Seat Altea 2.0 sport. It's three years old and we love it to bits, but life is changing and we need a second car. We live in a small market town, and work is five miles away down country roads, school is also five miles away (about four from work) through some single track country roads, as is nursery. As my husband is going to need the car, I need to find a very cheap (ideally less than £1k) tiny runabout.
So long as it has room for two carseats, four wheels and isn't going to cost a fortune in repairs, I have very few requirements. Apart from that it can't be a vauxhall (don't ask).
What gets the thumbs up? I have to admit I'm tempted by a Matiz, as it really is dinky and will fit nicely down teeny country lanes. It doesn't need to be aesthetically amazing, just sound. A sunroof would be nice, as would a CD player, as we binned all our tapes a few years ago when we figured noone did tapes any more. But if neither were there, I'm sure I'd manage.
What gets good press for not a lot of cash, please?
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Yes I would agree with the scooby or the Fiat both are still seen on the rural roads of Cumbrias doing sterling service
I need help regarding the standard size from k series pistons. I'm from Argentina and currently living in London. A friend ask me to get him piston of 8cm for a 1.6 litres. But when I ask here all they tell me is that there's the "standard size" and then +10, +20, etc... But if I don't know the bore size of the standard I can't figure out which one I need to buy. Can anybody help me? Thanks in advance... Read more
Probably a daft question,but what happened to the old one,I have a good reason for asking.
found a Weber dmtl for sale...the seller is unsure which conversion kit it includes
the carb has a plate on it with
dmtl
0 181 00
20862 265 0
can anyone translate that? ive bashed the numbers into google with no joy
they think its a vw one ?
{moved over from Discussion} Read more
i really need to know today if poss
I replaced the rear brake shoes on my Polo in about June/July of this year. In July the car passed it's MOT without any issues.
For the past week or two I have become aware of a droning noise which I took to be possibly a wheel bearing on it's way out. I took the opportunity today (whilst performing an oil change) to jack the rear of the car up and examine each wheel for any play or 'grumbling' and was shocked to find that the drivers side rear had massive play e.g. I could rock it quite far - approx 1 or 2 cms - more than just slight movement. I whipped the wheel and brake drum off to find that the hub nut was lose (but the split pin was still fully in position).
I took the pin and nut off and examined the bearing for wear- nothing too bad, no pitting etc.
I've put the whole thing back together and tightend it all up so there is now no play at all - the wheel spins nice an freely with no noises etc.
It was obviously OK at the time the MOT was performed - just puzzled as to how/why the hub became so lose?
I had this once before on a front wheel bearing on a Mini. I would tighten the nut up - lock it off and the thing would still become completely lose after a few miles. Only a new bearing sorted it out.
Any ideas? I will replace the bearing anyway as it's only about a fiver for a new bearing and a really easy job. Read more
Ah - I see. Yes can understand that could happen.
I will replace the bearing anyway just to be safe - probably haven't done it much good running all lose and with all that play.
Approaching the M40 slip road today, around lunchtime, reasonably fast moving traffic.
Car parked 20 or so metres along, young guy waving his arms around, in the road, female doing similar, in distress, apparently, both of Eastern European appearance & another person in the vehicle.
We stopped, of course, Mrs V, lowered the window & we have a habit of locking the doors, as a matter of course (yes, we still live in Luton!!). Guy runs to the window, has a small business type card, proclaiming he's from Germany, shows the card (to identify himself), then has already started to slide a gold coloured ring from his finger, with the story of needing £$£$ for petrol!!!
He also wore gold necklace & a braclet, together with his scruffy jeans & T shirt. Perhaps he was a Polish plumber, really!!
We declined to offer any further assistance, but another motorist was quickly kind enough to pull over, as we filtered onto the motorway!
& upon our return journey, they're at it again, on the next junction & opposite carriageway. Obviously only had enough £$£$ raised for a few miles worth of petrol!
Dangerous, stupid & no doubt there are enough helpful, but not so street wise other drivers that will help these people out.
VB
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Forgot to mention the chap that tried to sell me a ring looked like an eastern european gypsy
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Is it safe to assume that you changed the oil filter at the same time as the oil change? How many miles has the car done? Has it been serviced regularly?