December 2007
A friend's daughter has gone abroad and left her Punto in the open on a hardstanding at the house for over a year. It has never moved or been run in that time. If it was a runner I think it might be worth £500. I guess it will need a minimum of a full service and all fluids changed, clutch, brakes and engine may be may be siezed, deffo a new battery, probably 4 new tyres. That would cost more than it is worth so probably get it collected and scrapped by a proper disposal contractor. Any thoughts on other things that might be needed and the cost involved, please?
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I have just driven a friends 607 because he was complaining of a engine knock starting at about 3000 rpm, before that speed all is quiet. I would gess that its a fuel injection problem but not being familier with common rail engines I cant be sure. I have heard most noises from years of IDI engines but this doesn't sound like anything I have heard before. It sounds like a mechanical noise at half engine speed, so I assume it is only affecting one cylinder, but it is only there when the throttle is open wide, when you back off it all goes quiet again. Can anyone help? Thanks
Peter.N. Read more
Peter
I've never had any success with secondhand HDi injectors. They each have [had!] a grading letter [or number] printed on them that is entered into the ECU's configuration for that particular cylinder. [Numbered backwards on these! No.1 is flywheel end.]
It's unlikely that these are the type serial-coded to the ECU, as those would still be under warranty. Getting someone with a scanner to check codes etc. is still a very good idea.
Personally; I'd identify the faulty[?] injector and replace just that one [and feed pipe] with a new one with a similar grade identifier. Unlike IDI injectors; these don't need regular servicing/tip replacement and [@£500 each] you don't commonly change sets. [The 5 nozzle holes are only 2 microns across; but they stay clear at that pressure.]
The other advantage of only replacing one is that these seize/melt into their plastic liners and often need a special slide-hammer to extract at least one of them.
Anyway; before all that, time for proper testing to prove the point one way or the other. Common-rails are the hardest things on the road to diagnose and this is still all conjecture.
Hi
Just like to know if I can fit a new anti-roll bar to tracking arm(?) connecting-link without dismantling anything? I.e. do I have to remove the anti-roll bar to do this or can I loosen it and wangle link out/in? Bush has gone and almost same money and hassle to fit new connector as new bush. If I do have to remove I might get someone else to do it as I'm no mechanic.
Thanks for any help.
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Dear John,
I own an 'N' reg Vauxhall Astra Diesel Estate 1.7 TD with an Isuzu engine (96,000 miles)
The car has been a great runner but over the last few months it has had 3 problems which I've listed with the hope someone might point me in the right direction (Point 1 is the most frustrating as it has left me stranded on occasions!).
1. Engine cut out
Starts but after driving for about 50 yds it stalls and then proves to be very difficult to start again (often running the battery flat!). For some reason this seems to only happen if I park on a slope or slight gradient however it has occasionally done this after parking overnight on level groundl (Doesn't happen if the car is warm or within say 3 hours of parking).
2. Lazy alternator
When I start the car the battery light remains on till I rev over 2500 revs then it goes out until the next restart of the engine. The belts have recently been changed.
3. Airbag light
The Airbag warning comes on when I'm cruising at around 3000 revs when warmed up.
Any ideas? Is point 1 related to the fuel filter or pump? Are points 2 and 3 related?
I plan to change my 'Glow Plugs' tomorrow
Many thanks,
Jim
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Thanks Screwloose and others for the rapid responses :o)
Re point 1. Brilliant! The cracked hoses etc. seems to make toatal sense, I'll have a look in the morning for signs of fatigue.
Re point 2. I'll keep truckin' with the alternator as it's bearable compared to point 1
Re point 3. Make sure I don't crash whilst at 3000 revs as suggested by a guy at the pub.
Cheers,
Jim
This may be of use to some of you if you visit Germany.
As of 1st Jan. 2008 you will need a windscreen sticker to drive in Cologne city centre, Cologne is the launch city (as far as I am aware). ALL vehicles (motorbikes excluded), including foreign vehicles, must have a sticker to drive in the centre.
The plan is to roll out to other cities.
There are four bands, older cars are excluded from day one. Cars in band 2 will be excluded from 1st Jan. 2010 when a review of the NOx levels will be done and if necessary future plans will be made to exlude the next band of vehicles.
You can get your sticker by writing to the address at the bottom of this link
www.stadt-koeln.de/en/lowemissionzone/article/1160...l
including payment of 5? for the sticker. Read more
Local politicians in Geneva are making some 'preliminary noises' about bringing in a toll system for the city. Will probably Europe-wide in time. It's making me think about my choice of next car - I reckon most people will end up driving little cars (presumably cheaper.........??????)
I recently paid a reputable (but not main dealer) garage to replace the Cam Belt on my 130BHP TDI Passat. As soon as I picked the car up it didn't feel quite right. It wasn't running as well as when I took it in for the service. Just a bit of hesitation when pulling away at low revs, and sometimes a slight misfire (as if it were a cold petrol engine). Also fuel consumption appears to be worse.
I have taken the car back to the garage for a check. They say that they ran the diagnostics and there was no problem. They did mention a slight oil weep from the Turbo, but nothing serious. They suggested I leave it to see if things get worse.
I suspect that the cam belt timing may have been set incorrectly. Are these the symptoms you would expect? Would a cam belt-timing fault show up on the diagnostics? Is there any easy way to check out the timing without stripping the whole thing down? Am I just being picky?
Any suggestions?
Thanks
{No mention of age of car, so picked up info from pull down make/model selection you made - DD} Read more
It's possible that this would not show up on a VAGCOM or similar check, because these things generally assume that the engine has its designed mechanical integrity - ie it's screwed together properly.
In cases such as this, where you may be doubting the workmanship of the job done, there's no substitute for a good look. A bodger generally leaves his mark. As an example, look beside the PAS reservoir where there are about 4 connectors. Have they been carefully relocated in their clips?
I appreciate that you would not want to pull the front, but by all means take the upper cam cover off - it's dead easy.
If you do find anything amiss, you have a far stronger case if you've seen it for yourself and can take the vehicle back to the garage and point it out to them.
659.
Well earlier today i took delivery of a new shape laguna 2.0 dCi on a long weekend test drive and i thought i'd let you know my initial impressions.
Well looks wise it's nothing amazing, not particularly beautiful but not exactly ugly either. Not sure on exact horsepower level but it pulls well through the gears. Interior isn't too bad either but the dash creaks worse than my 10 year old xsara coupe and already the trim on the centre console by your clutch foot is broken.
I'll let you know how i get on. Read more
I had a 1996 laguna (2.0 RT) from new to 80k miles. Possibly the best car I've ever owned.
Personally I'm looking forward to the Laguna Coupe due soon. From the advance photos it looks stunning.
Hi, I've got 2002 1.9D, which is strange because I thought they'd stop making them 18 months earlier. Anyway, this car is the worst conditioned 5 year old car I have ever seen. I have no service history or anything and when I start it in the mornings I get a load of blue smoke accompanied by 5 seconds of clatter. It's calmed down slightly since I have had it, and I am getting the oil and filter changed tommorow. The car starts and runs fine (although the idle speed is a little high) It's only done 58000, but I lot of may have been with a faulty timing control solenoid. When I bought the car it sounded like it was about to blow up, but at high revs it quietend down, hence I guesses it was a timing issue.
Any ideas on the smoke and clatter? Or is it a diesel thing? Read more
this car is the worst conditioned 5 year old car I
have ever seen. I have no service history or anything
How do you know that it hasn't done many times that mileage? [They made the WJY engined version up until '04 - apparently.]
You can tell, wear on the steering wheel, pedals etc.
What I meant was... I think and previous owner (and his dog) lived in it, the seats are black, there are ciggarette burns etc...
Anyway.. I'll look into the glow plug system, thankyou!
Gave myself something of a 'brown trouser moment' today.
Going round a largish, well-used roundabout, the back end started drifting out of its own accord. Armfuls of opposite-lock (just) brought it under control, and after a quick look in the mirror (at a gape-jawed van driver) I pulled it into the side.
I expected to see a flat rear nearside, but it looked OK, and I couldn't see anything else untoward. I filled up a couple of miles down the road, and checked all the tyre pressures, with my own gauge. They were all OK.
All the tyres have at least 4mm of tread left. The temperature was above 4 centigrade, so I don't think it was ice.
I do tend to corner fairly hard, but I had a passenger with me (my daughter, who's getting married tomorrow) so I like to think I was taking it fairly easy.
I would've thought a modern, front engined, FWD would understeer to eternity.
It hasn't got anything tricky, like stability control, just ABS, but I didn't touch the brakes.
Can BRs suggest what I should be checking? I've given the car a good looking over, and pulling around. I've even taken it out on my own and 'chucked it around a bit', but can't get it to do it again.
Funnily enough, I recall the exact same sort of thing happening twenty-odd years ago, in a recent (don't laugh) Austin Ambassador!
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I did exactly the same thing about 2 weeks ago. Going straight over a roundabout I use quite often. Lost control turning the wheel left to get off the r/about. Mines a Golf, FWD, only doing in the region of 25. No other cars around me thankfully. Not raining, but road was a little damp. I put it down to my newish cheap tyres or oil on the road.
Help! This morning SWMBO had an appointment at the hairdressers and our A6 Avant 1.9tdi SE (54 plate, 69k) would 'turn over' but not start. Apparently the emmission control system warning light came on which I can only presume is a problem with the cat or particulate filter (if it has one!!). The car is a Mutitronic so I reckon I'm going to have to get it recovered from home to our local Audi dealer. Sounds expensive already!
I appreciate the first place to look will be via Mr Audi 's diagnostic equioment, but does anybody have any thoughts on the problem etc.........
Regards...
Age engine size/type inserted. Read more
Update. A few weeks ago while checking the engine etc I noticed that some sort of creature ie mouse had been in the engine bay and stored berries, seeds and the like for winter, near to the top ot the suspension turrets. This happened on a couple of occasions and I cleared them up on noticing them.
Yesterday morning I had a good look around the engine bay and took the large plastic engine cover off only to notice that down by the fuel filter was a nest of leafs and twigs amid the cables and other bits. When the leafs were removed I found out that our freindly rodent had chewed through one cable (6 wires) and partially through another (4 wires). No wonder the car won't start!! We do live out in the sticks in Norfolk but this is the first time I've heard of this. I suppose it must be quite a nice warm place to live in winter for these little creatures.....
Tommorow must get onto an auto electrician to sort the cables & loom out and hopefully get the car started. Hopefully our friendly mouse has moved on elsewhere........
Browse
I built a kitcar many years ago that I left in the garage for 6 months every winter. My tip was to take out the plugs and crank it over on the battery to get oil to everywhere before puting the plugs back and then getting it to fire. The thought of dry bearings under pressure makes me shudder!!!!!!!