February 2008
SWMBO sent me this link which is a good way to test your reaction times as a driver ..
tinyurl.com/45ddg
The best I have managed so far is bobbing bobcat ....Be warned - its addictive.
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hi there john, when dome fuse ie is fuse box there is a sssshhhhhhhh noise cominf from speakers, even when radio is turned off. we have changed fuse, it still does the same. when fuse is taken out the noise stops but then we lose central locking can you please help. toyota previa 1993 k reg, 2.4 auto
{which part of the 3 separate requests asking for the year and engine details to be included in the subject header are you finding SO difficult to understand?} Read more
The dome fuse is the one that supplies power when the ignition is off, ie radio prsets, central locking etc. Reckon you've got something with your radio. Pull the power to it (not the fuse) and see if it stops.
Two reported today and I have heard of several more traffic news updates refering to them in the last week.
'The M5 northbound in Gloucestershire has reopened after a fire on a hay lorry closed the motorway earlier.
The incident happened between Junction 13 for Stroud and Junction 14 at Falfield.'
and
'Police marksmen had to shoot a number of badly injured pigs after an animal transporter caught fire on a stretch of motorway in County Durham.
Both carriageways of the A1(M) were closed for a time after the incident between Carville and Chester-le-Street in the early hours.'.
Lorry fires seem to be an ever increasing factors in Motorway closures. Any one know what the figures are per year ? Read more
>>
>> Furthermore extinguishers have
a limited lifespan I wouldn't want to depend on one that was more than five
years old.
Contents of some first-aid kits also have "use by dates".
Can anyone tell me the frequency of which brake fluid should be changed? Is it two or three years? My car is booked in for a service, but got a call from the garage asking if I want brake fluid changed as they havent got a record of it being done in two years. I know that its hyrdoscopic (?spelling) so I agreed to it, but I want to make sure the main dealer isnt pulling a fast one, they want £50 for this privilege, OK its VW, but this seems a bit steep even for a main steeler. Before I get shot down for taking it to main delear which I'm not happy about, the reason is that I'm only letting them do it to get the warranty stamp.
Thanks in advance Read more
If the car is on a lift, it's a 5 minute job, and who knows how cheap their fluid is. I can do my Passat (and indeed I do) in 10 minutes on a gravel driveway, without lifting the car, just by feel. The fluid costs me about £2.50. You are supposed to cycle the ABS, but all the dealers I have watched do the brake fluid never bother. Incidentally, when asking them, Vauxhall used to do mine for free when I had an MOT and they really did as I would always wait and watch!
I see that a north west motorway was shut for most of wednesday following a one vehicle accident. One person from the vehicle died whilst FIVE others were taken to hospital.
The vehicle involved was a Land Rover Freelander.
Doesn't that vehicle only have FIVE seat belts ?
If that is the case, surely a prosecution should follow if the vehicle contained SIX people in total.?
What's the betting the DPP don't prosecute though ? Read more
Get a 'read only' button, just like mine ;o)
Locked.
hi all,I was wondering could anyone offer some advice.
lately I noticed a slight tinee flutter sound when i accelerate under light load,I brought the car to the ford garage and they told me it was avanced timing in the pump, when the car is under no pressure the sound does not appear this happens in 3rd 4th and fifth gear as far as I can tell,the car does not emit black smoke and drives fine with loads of power.
but is annoying especially when on a smooth road(when their is less road noise in the inside of the car.surly this is not a normal sound,
thanks in advance
{subject header amended to include brief detail of the problem being asked} Read more
Sorry mate about 14 miles ,moylough is the name of the village
The most recent problem was when No. 2 injector was out of calibration. New software cured this.
Car also ran smoother with less 'pull' in the lower gears around town. And less soot out the back when I floored the accelerator.
Now, however, mostly when starting from cold and only at around 1500-1800rpm in any gear there is a quite audible clatter/splatter of the engine. It is momentary even if I then deliberately stay at that rpm. It does not happen all of the time. The clater/splatter duration is slightly longer if I accelerate more slowly. At all other rpm there is no similar noise. I fully appreciate that a diesel clatters anyway on acceleration.
The car does not appear to lose momentum, as it might if it were firing on only 3 cylinders (I'm thinking that No.2 injector is not quite right). Read more
I only ever drove a Euro IV Mondeo TDCi (demo and then mine for four years). I can say at low revs it was noisy. I mentioned on here a few times and it seems I might have been alone - but most probably had the Euro III.
On the move it was fine and on motorways as quiet if not quieter than the previous Passat 1.8T.
EDIT: I meant to add that whilst noisy it did not have the symptoms posted by Red Baron. It did have problems with two EGR valves though.
Wonder if anyone here has a Renault Modus automatic?
Would be interested in feedback on how it performs etc. How smooth, or otherwise is the gearbox?
Any specific problems with them - I see on the car by car breakdown it is Nissan based rather than a renault box?
There seem to be quite a lot available at around 3 years old - are they likely to be motability cars? Is this a good or bad thing?
Any other thoughts on a small(ish) auto for around £6000? Would like 1.6 engine or bigger as have found the few smaller engined autos I have ever driven are too sluggish.
Andrew Read more
Yep I just bought one yesterday a 2005 with 50,000 full servos history nothing in the paperwork about any problems I paid £1500 for it one owner ,the trans mission is used by protons amongst others,they suffer from slow changes from 1 to 2nd but is seen as natural and they need the fluid to be clean ,loose cone tions and or corrosion on fuses and connectors need to be checked if you get any probs .mines a 1.6 it pulls well and is smooth
But I'm going to flush the trans out and change the fluid ,if you get one best get a diostic meter you will be needing one !
Good luck with it !
I treated myself to an electric tyre / air pump from H'fords a couple of years ago. Now, SWMBO managed to run over it on the drive this afternoon. Yes, I know...... Tee blinkin' Hee ! Naturally, apparently this is my fault for leaving it there as opposed to hers for not seeing a largish brightly coloured object in plain view in broad daylight etc etc ! Never mind, no harm done to the tyre, but the pump is definately no longer of this world. Having reverted to the trusty foot pump I have decided that I no longer do that. (too undignified or something...read lazy) and I certainly don't trust forecourt air pumps to be accurate.
So... Can anyone recommend a good replacement electric one please? Read more
This is the one I use it is very good
www.international-tool.co.uk/products/product.asp?...2
hello,
can anyone please help.i have a 2003 t-spec primera,one of the exenon bulbs went,so i thought,bought new bulb £103 plus vat,found out then it was not the bulb that was faulty.but it was the discharge unit.got in touch with nissan,they told me i could not buy the discharge unit separetly,but had to but the whole lighting unit,i thought this was unbileavable,theres nothing wrong with the lighting unit,thats all is faulty is the discharge unit,does anyone no if there is somewhere where you can just buy the discharge unit.
{Let me put the year of the car in the subject header as you've obviously missed the requests to do so yourself!} Read more
That's quite common; it's rarely the bulb and many manufacturers will only supply the whole headlight. [Up to £1000 a go.] The ballast fires up at 10,000 volts; so they may feel that it's a safer option.
Is it even possible to access it inside the light unit without breaking it open?


0.23 sec average.
But I think I'd be slower shooting tranquilizer darts if I had to steer the car at the same time :-)