March 2008
Hi, hoping someone can help me!
I have an Isuzu NQR 7.5 ton horsebox lorry.
Drove it last weekend, all fine as usual, went to it today and it wouldn't start, symptoms same as flat batteries (dash lights come on when turn key one click but when turn key to starter position lights go out and it's dead).
I put a meter across the batteries individually and both read just over 12 volts, all anciliary electrics work (lights, etc).
With an observer's help, I discovered that when the key is turned to the starter position, a large shower of sparks come from the negative battery terminal.
Any ideas? There are signs of heat on the neg terminal that wasn't there last week. Terminal connections are tight and good as is the connection from earth strap to the body.
I'm guessing there could be some kind of short with the starter motor? Starter relay? Really grateful for any ideas as it's too big to tow and I'm a bit stuck if I can't get it running...
Thanks! Read more
Dad's car has 70k miles on clock and is still trying to get to bottom of turbo problem which is a separate issue.
Indie he goes to says his timing belt gets changed at 80k miles so he has 10k to go. But I reckon there would also be a time limit as well, possibly 5 years or so?
Anyone got any up to date info on this? Read more
Think I may be thinking of the 8V HDI. That is 100K / 10yrs.....ignore me; stick with AutoData for this one
I now do quite a lot of short journeys, and I've heard that fully-syntehtic oil is better for this as it has a lower viscosity when cold so circulates better and much more quickly at start-up, thus reducing wear.
My car is a 1994 Toyota Corolla, with 1.6 16v EFI engine.
I notice the Halfords oil-index in the shops lists fully-syntheitc under the "ultimate protection" column, although I beleive my mechanic has been using semi-synthetic in it.
The car has done 125,000 miles, although oil consumption is extremely low/negligible although I wondeed if in an engine of this age it is advisable to make the switch asI have heard of lots of "stories" about wha tcan happen - increased oil consumption, dislodging bits of gunge from the inside which then blocks things up, seals starting to leak etc.
I have some Exol 5w-40 fully synthetic in the garage which is for another car we own - would this be OK to use in it ? or should I stick to semi-syn
Does anyone have any advice based on concrete evidence and not hearsay.......
Cheers,
SS Read more
I may as well round my posts off with a link to a site that will keep the even oiliest nurd happy for a while:
63.240.161.99/motoroil/
My Focus Mk1 (facelifted) 5 door has a problem with the central locking on the driver's door. I see there are a lot of Focus central locking questions on here, but none seem to be similar to mine.
Locking or unlocking the driver's door manually, either by pressing the switch inside the door, or by turning the key on the outside, locks only that door and not any of the others (i.e. as if it did not have central locking). This happens pretty much every time, but it works as it should maybe 1 in 100 attempts.
The passenger door is fine, and all four doors lock and unlock when you press the switch or turn the key.
The remote central locking and deadlocking are also fine.
Finally, the switch on the dashboard to release the tailgate fails about 1 in 10 times, but there is no correlation to whether the driver's door lock is working, so I'm not sure if this is related.
Any help is appreciated.
Thanks
drawde Read more
Is there any way I can find out for certain, obviously I don't want to buy more parts than I have to?
Cheers
Hi,
I have an intermittent fault with my speedometer.
Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't.
When it's not working, the mileage doesn't increase either!!!
Any thoughts?
{subject line made less vague by including a brief summary of the problem} Read more
Sounds like it could be the vehicle speed sensor (vss) to me - search this forum for 'vss' in the message body and set the time to '< 1 year' and you'll get plenty of info.
Here's a previous post from me on the same subject :
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?v=e&t=54...6
...and my DIY instructions are here :
www.honestjohn.co.uk/forum/post/index.htm?t=15028&...3
As your car is of a similar age to mine, your vss might also be difficult to remove so be warned it might not be trivial if you're DIYing it !
Why do so many Backroomers say the car manufactirer's name when really they're talking about a particular franchised dealer? Why do they say "I took my car to Renault" when really they mean they took their car to a Renault dealer?
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Why do they say "I took my car to Renault" when really they mean they took their car to a Renault dealer?
And referring to "My mechanic" as though he is an employee. ;)
The Dept for Transport has said that their decision on the 3 regional proposed c-charge experiments (Manchester, Bristol and Cambridge) will be deferred till after the local elections.
They clearly believe that any news on this before the election will have a direct impact on the chances of labour candidates for Council positions.
If you live in any of these regions I suggest you ask your council candidates what their position is on road charging and also ask them if they have grasped that the draft Transport Bill will take control of local roads away from local authorities and give it to unelected regional transport authorities.
In separate news the Salford Advertiser has learned that the Manchester c-charge is more likely to be £7.50 a day than the £5 that the councils say it will be. They have asked for this to be confirmed under the Freedom of Information Act but have been refused because the Councils say that "it is not in the public interest" to reveal whether this is true or not. Well, whose interest is it in to keep it secret?
Read more
If it's anything like the London experience, conditions in the middle of town will improve somewhat for those willing to pay the price, or those obliged to. (It is to be hoped though that the new mayor will now dismantle all the chicanes, bumps, skipping ropes and so on that were strewn about London to make driving more of a misery before the congestion zone was invented, and that are still appearing).
The system is unjust to small traders who trade inside but live outside the zone. I think that with proper proofs they should be treated as residents.
Got a long holiday trip coming up tomorrow and I'm wondering about a good spot to stop for lunch. Can anyone here recommend a place for two parents and two well-behaved small boys to eat in roughly the Hereford to Abergavenny area?
We did the same trip last Easter, but that was T-shirt and picnic weather; not very likely tomorrow, apparently, so we'd rather be indoors.
Much obliged,
WdB on holiday
}8---) Read more
Ah yes WDB, I forgot the Clytha, on the same road - haven't been there for a while but very good as I remember it.
As for the bikers, well, yes, as one myself, I must defend them, but do agree a group can be rather intimidating on some of the roads round here. The riding of a few can give us all a bad name. This area acts as a focal point for bikers meeting up for the ride to Aberystwyth and even up to my home ground of Snowdonia and Anglesey. The roads through mid and North Wales must be some of the country's finest for enthusiasts, particularly on a sportsbike, hence the attraction.
Cheers
Hi all,
Looking for a runaround for 3000 quid. I could get a 1996 VW Polo 1.9D for 2100, a 1999 Polo 1.4 16v for 2900 or there are a few 2002/2003 Punto 1.2s about for 3000. You seem to get a bit more for your money with the Punto and the insurance is cheaper.
I know VW have a better reliability rating then Fiats (although I have heard some scare stories about the VWs) but are the Puntos good or bad?
And what small hatch with 5 doors, economical with a low insurance group would you spend your money on? Read more
inaudible indicators that cancelled
too soon;
Still the same design niggle on my 05 Stilo. I suppose it's just not a big deal to Italian drivers......
;-)
My mates furio has an infuriating intermittent problem. Sometimes the car runs fine and more frequently now it does not. Starting from cold is fine but as it warms power is lost and an extra gearchange is needed to maintain progress. Yesterday after having been driven in town traffic from cold for 5 minutes it spluttered and then cut out completely. It started again eventually and has since run perfectly.
It was serviced fully this week and had the usual plus a fuel filter. These issues were present before the service. It "feels" like an electrical problem - possibly the coil pack - is this a weakness? Sorry this is a bit vague folks - any suggestions appreciated. Read more
Many thanks Screwloose. I am now able to report problem solved. We fitted a new coil pack - no difference - checked wiring to sensors - all OK - then tried a Lambda sensor - no difference - then a crank sensor and yippee - problem solved. The lesson to learn here is to try the cheapest item first - the crank sensor was under £20!!!!!!!!!
Browse
>>You see where I'm going on this.....?
Through the hole in the garage roof ;>)
Thanks for the explanation.