February 2008
Hello
I am experiencing a intermitent fault with my 117k Vectra. Yesterday started the car after a short run and 30min interval but struggled to achieve enough power to reverse or pull away. Stopped engine re-started and it juddered into life with a far bit of black smoke/ and rough running but still virtually no power.
Called Green Flag no fault codes found through their dignostics and when GF chap re-started after 30-45mins fault cleared. Questioned GF technician who was at a bit of a loss.
Any suggestions/ advice would be appreciated.
Car has no DPF. Run on non supermarket fuels. Proper history etc
Billy Read more
Hi, i've just bought a 2000 Volvo V70 T5 Auto (Late shape one) from auction. When I first had the car, the battery was flat and I jumped start it and it started at first turn. Then on the dashboard, the Brake warning light, Traction control light ,ABS light and ENGINE light stay on and it says "brake system failure" on the trip computer.
I started to drive the car and everything seem Ok. The car pull well and gearbox kicked down as it should. After 10 mins drive and engine got warm, the gearbox started to play up. First was the cluck noise when engaged the gear, then gear change became very rough. Finally, it showed "Auto transmission service required"
My question is: Does the Engine warning light cause the gearbox fault? as the box works fine when cold and only had the problem once it is warmed. For example, fualty sensor?
Thanks Read more
you can do this...there are two ways.
auto trannys are not like engines, they hold about half their fluid in the converter and the rest in the sump. If you drain the sump, you miss the rest of the oil. So....
Way one...is to drain the ATF out of the tranny and put in an equal vol of fresh stuff. Then disconnect the return of the tranny oil to the cooler (usually in the bottom of the radiator). attach a clear plastic tube and run the engine. THE tranny will pump out all its oil, the fresh stuff and the rest of the old oil stuck in the converter. Then when bubbles appear shut off the engine. Repeat and then connect the lines up again and refill. Then run the engine for the equivalent of 10 miles to fully heat the fluid. Check the level and add if necessary. If you are really keen, you could take off the sump of the transmission and replace the strainer, but this only needs to be done every 50K or so. If the transmission is very problematic, then you might see material from the clutches in the sump, which you would have to clean scrupulously. If the fluid you have removed is very dark or has bits in it, then that is pretty worrying.
If this looks too daunting, just drain out all the fluid that will come out. Refill, then drive it normally for a day. Repeat two more times and that this is the quick fix, which is not as good. The transmission might be OK after this. If the clutches are damaged and there is particulate material in the system, then its probably beyond the amateur's help anyway.
Auto trannys are killed by towing without adequate cooling. The hotter the fluid gets, the shorter its life. I did save a transmission once (AW71) when its fluid was very dark, with only slight first ratio jerking, so there is hope.
If you cannot sort it by changing the fluid, then it will cost you a great deal. If you are in the West Midlands I recommend 'Drivers Transmissions' I think they are still going and are really straight nice guys and will not stiff you.
Good luck with it
BACKGROUND -Two months ago had a new radiator fitted by a garage. Recently, the bottom hose came detached.[alerted by low level warning light] Recovery operator refitted hose, but omitted to bleed system, and two miles down the road 'stop' warning sign required me to stop immediately,- and was subsequently recovered by transporter!
PROBLEM - Notwithstanding that coolant has been replaced and bled, the temperature gauge fluctuates between 72 - 76 [90 has been the norm for the past 10 years] - and coolant appears to be escaping from the expansion tank overflow pipe. The water level in the expansion tank is consistent with the escape of water from the expansion tank. On inspection the radiator cap, the rubber washer was noticed to be distorted,[somewhat 'wrinkly'] and was replaced with a new cap, -at great expense! - however,the new rubber washer soon adopted the condition of the previous! - The engine fan engages at 90 when left to idle for long period....
I have owned this car from new, use it for long hauls[total reliability essential],and would be sad[nay,- devastated] to consign it to that great scrapheap in the sky!...Let's be 'aving you! Read more
The highest pressure radiator caps normally available vent at 15 psi. IMHO 8 psi is better as it puts less strain on the hoses. Regarding the hose blowing off, some of the Peugeot pipe stubs are parallel with just fine grooves that are intended to give the hose something to grip onto. Unfortunately this type of pipe stub is unreliable. The traditional method was to have a raised "lip" at the end of the pipe stub. With this type of stub the hose will remain captive as if it should slip the Jubilee clip will come up against the raised lip and jam.
Note that at around 100 degrees C rubber hoses will become as floppy as a piece of tripe. Unfortunately reverse-engineering those pipe stubs is not a simple task. Incidentally I know of a case where a Peugeot 106 1.4D had a hose blow-off its stub and the failure crippled the engine. OK the engine was repaired but it was never as good as it had been before the incident. ...
MOT time coming up, and my front belts are reluctant to return.
I recall seeing a previous discussion on this matter, and silicon spray was recommended.
This is new territory for me. What sort of silicon spray? Furniture polish? Read more
Thanks.
Whilst poking around the water temperature sender I noticed a second plug hanging loose. I couldn't see where this might have come out from, but Haynes manual mentions fuel injection temperature sensor. If this has indeed fallen out would the car run OK? It seems to be fine, but fuel consumption is a bit more than I might expect ( low to mid 30's per gallon) Engine is ADR Read more
Hi Screwloose, thanks for the quick reply.
I can't see the wires as they are concealed by the loom and I don't fancy ripping it apart tonight. The plug itself is blue with a pink core. I have just noticed that there is a second socket but it is covered by a blanking plug so it seems to be a design feature.
i have a 54 signum v6 3.0cdti and since september last year the car loses power and smokes terribly, it has been back to vauxhall 4 times and they do not know what is wrong with it (there is no warning lights ) at first it went back under warranty after i had to remove the wrong fuel filter (purflux filter) and fit a genuine vauxhall filter,then they tried to repair it no good ..... went back in and they fit a new fuel filter housing unit under warranty ..... no good same problem ... then they said the original filter could have caused some damage and vauxhall will now not support any future work, the car is now out of warranty, i have took the car to several garages and no one knows what the problem is .... any body suffered the same problem and cured it ?????? HELP
(I realise you're new to the site, but PLEASE take a couple of mins read some of the 'sticky' messages that are at the top of the forum before posting. That way one of us won't have to edit your post to include the year and engine details into the subject header) Read more
Go to www.vectra-c.com and direct your question to a user named GSi3.2. There's not a lot he doesn't know about Vx engines.
If your main aim was to have the most economical car to service and repair over several years what would you buy? Heard some horror stories recently.Example: Bloke with a Toyota needing track rod ends....have to have the whole lot mate, ends don't come separate, quoted over a grand but after hassling Toyota got it down to £700. Read more
>> Why not look at the reliability section of Warranty Direct or one of the JD
Power Surveys - >>
Or Which? magazine for unbiased, impartial surveys.
Hi, have read a lot of reviews online about the Peugeot 307 and was just wondering if anyone has one reg'd 56 or newer, and if so what is it like?
The reviews I've mainly found seem to be for ones a few years older (at least).
Many thanks. Read more
sorry - hatch, any engine size, manual, petrol.
hi
Friend's Focus has a Zetec engine fitted with all in one sump plug (ie. no washer).
I seem to recall being told they should be replaced every time they are removed. But I think they are also about a fiver each from Ford.
My question is how many times can the same sump plug be fitted/reused to the sump in practise?
Read more
And how wasteful of resources is that? Where does it same time or money? Still needs the mech at the garage to have a trip to the stores. Amazing!
JS
Hi all. First time poster.
Having some typical maintainance situations with my 306 td, which has 100k on it. I am really looking for easy and cheap ways to sort them, since im skint!
Firstly, My brakepads have worn down, only really on the drivers side, They have done about 400 miles since I noticed the noise and there is a rough part around the outer part of the disc where I believe it has been metal on metal breaking. Does this mean I need new discs also? and will it have also affected the calipers? I am also intrested as to how much of a difficult job changing them would be. Im more than happy to try my hand with a manual, since labour costs could be my downfall.
After attending Knowsley Safari Park, involving a distruckive monkey, my windscreen wipers and a heavy downpour on the way home, I now have 2 quite thick but light scratch makrs on my windscreen, in part entering into zone 1 of visibility. Is it possible to get them polished out enough to pass an MOT and what is the likely charge for any products or labour needed to do so?
I have a rumbling knocking noise coming from my drivers side front wheel when I make sharp turns, the car also begins to feel quite bumpy when this happens. In addition I feel it to have a very choppy ride on poor road surfaces. In regards to the knocking whilst turning, Further reading leads me to believe this is either the steering pump or rack, my question is will it pass an MOT with this problem.
In regards to the knocky/choppy ride on poor road, is this something other TD drivers have noticed, or is this simply a problem with my vehicle, and what is it!!!!
It also sounds very much like a tractor. It is very loud and makes a clinky noise when ticking over, is this something that can be solved at all?
Thanks for reading all this, if you have bothered, and further thanks for any help anyone can offer me.
cheers
bennion Read more
firstly welcome,
q1, likely to need both pads and discs if there has been metal on metal contact, both can be had for around £50, diy fitting is pretty straight forward, only point of concern is if the pad is significantly more worn on the drivers side then the caliper may be sticking on, this can usually be solved will careful cleaning and greasing of the caliper and working back and forth of the piston, this should be applied to both calipers though as a matter of course when changing pads.
q2, window screen is likely to need replacing, if your fully comp on insurance then it should be about £50 or probably nearer £100 if you have to use a private firm out of yellow pages
q3, this could be several things, 306's are well known for being hard on suspension components, but the also get through driveshafts and cv joints and based on the description it could be any of those, best bet is to get the front end jacked up and have a good pull on the components to see which items are worn, very much doubt it's a rack or pump issue. but at a guess id say the p bush on the wishbone is failing, if so it's easier and cheaper to replace the entire wishbone at about £40
q4, most 306 turbo diesels are quite tractorish at idle so it's probably nothing untoward, the clinky noise could be loose downpipe exhaust bolts, or even just a lose jubilee clip somewhere
chris
Browse
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Updated info: Grey/ sooty smoke not black (partners mis-description!).Idles no probs but won't rev to beyond 1500rpm.
Independant garage running diagnostic monday. Fingers crossed!!