March 2008
Help! My Nova 1.2 has started exhibiting an odd fault - I'm pretty sure it's the carb as the distributor was recently replaced and there's no tell tale rev counter flicking etc.
Basically, about half the time, the car's idle goes up to about 1000rpm from the usual 800 ish. When this happens and you're driving along, there's a big reduction in performance and the car struggles to accelerate, usually in a jerky fashion. Then, when you're up to say 60-70, and take your foot off the throttle and put it back on, there's a big flat spotty sort of jerk rather than smooth take-up. Sometimes going up a hill it's difficult to keep the car going at even 60mph.
Fuel economy is unaffected, it's still 45-ish to the gallon regardless. The problem comes and goes. Usually it lasts for a couple of hundred miles before going again. I wonder if it's a bit of dirt floating about inside the carb or maybe that pump diaphragm, though that usually affects the fuel consumption as well. Any ideas of what I should be looking for when I strip down the carb?
Cheers
Steve Read more
Hi,
Does anybody know what has happened to the "Edition" models of BMW 1, 3 and 5 series that were mentioned on this website and elsewhere recently?
On the 3 series it offered metallic paint, bigger wheels, and leather for £750, and looked very good value.
They appeared on the BMW car configurator at the beginning of March, but they have now gone, along with any mention of "Edition" from the BMW website.
Surely they didn't sell so many cars in two weeks that they withdrew the offer?
Martin Read more
Speak to a Dealer, I ordered one of these last wee, coming end of April
Hi,
My astra is sitting about 2 inches lower on the drivers side at the back.. I have just had the rear springs changed as it went through its MOT. I got the car from my uncle for nothing as it has been sat in his garage for 3 years.. everything went ok on the MOT (except the springs change).
It was sitting unevenly before any work was done...
Any help appreciated... I am rather new to fixing cars but can do most things and have plenty tools.
Can you confirm the year ? - shown as 1994 in the original subject line Read more
The Astra F was updated in 94. The revised versions have the chrome v grille. These later cars were fitted with gas shock absorbers instead of the hydraulic ones fitted to the earlier models. Strictly speaking the ride height should be determined only by the springs but when I fitted gas shocks to the rear of my old cavalier to replace the original hydraulic items I noticed that the ride height was raised slightly. Has the car ever had replacement shocks fitted? Is it possible that only one side was done and the wrong type fitted given that the car is right on the change? With regard to the springs some aftermarket suppliers do a standard and a heavy duty rear spring for these cars. The HD versions definitely do raise the ride height. Is it possible that one side has been fitted with an HD spring by mistake?
Hope this helps
Yesterday in the carpark of one of the Homebase's in Bournemouth. Spotted it from miles away because of its distinctive C-pillars / rear quarterlights.
Big (seemed very big!), swoopy, different and the pale leather interior looked very cossetting. Central dash had too many buttons on it though and reminded me of a 407.
Glad to finally see one and glad something so different exists. Read more
Just had a test in one, and I came away much more impressed than I thought I would. Now I'm used to a V6 Merc diesel which is pretty smooth, but this thing was on another level altogether - I assume it's the acoustic glass that helps. The word 'Smooth' doesn't do justice to the car. It's so quiet you think it's hardly moving - until you check the speedo.
The heads-up display is superb for the speedo, and should be compulsory on all cars!
It didn't feel as big as I feared to pilot down the road, but the steering would take a lot of getting used to - the dealer says he will lend me one overnight to see if that will help.
I can almost do a straight swap for an 06 Executive with all the toys and low miles for my year older Merc with higher miles - very tempting!!
I have noticed many people driving with a little yapper sitting on their lap,(most seem to be elderly retired hat wearing folk) and the dogs paws on the steering wheel, where do these people leave their brain cell.
Is this a common occurance or just around Surrey and London
I had an encounter, with a lorry driver, who couldn't see his wing mirrors because of said dog, whilst driving on the north circular, and he therefore couldn't see my indicators - he did however see what I thought of him !!
I hope when they cause an accident- they are banned for LIFE, but will probably get away with 3 pts and a 30 fine Read more
Many years ago, when moving house, my dad was driving down to Devon from Manchester with the cat in a box in the back of the car. Shortly into the journey, the cat escaped from the box and climbed onto his shoulder. She spent the next 4 hours sitting there, gazing out of the window at passing cars...
He said he got some funny looks from other drivers!
Evening all.
Can anyone please advise if any other Suzuki models use the same size steel wheel as the 2005 WagonR?
This is the wheel that comes as standard on the WagonR having the 165/65x14 tyres.
Thank you Read more
Thank you CBG. This is the info I have been looking for.
Much appreciated.
A week or so ago a 6 year old ordinary Honda Civic was stolen fom a front drive in my street.
The elderly couple were in bed when the car went at 1:30 in the morning as logged on CCTV.
It is believed that the front door was opened via the letterbox (there was no bolt on the bottom of the door or a door chain)
The car keys were in the hall. A mobile phone and less than 50p also went missing.
So another reminder to not leave car keys " fishable / on view " from the letterbox and to review front door security ( I do not like deadlocking us it at night).
p.s. A speeding ticket, timed about an hour after the theft, arrived this morning.
The couple have taken their loss very well and have now bought a 08 reg new Jazz.
It seems that cars are being stolen this way so that immediately after when used for another crime ANPR will not get triggered ( until the theft is reported and databases updated).
Read more
It has been said that thieves will target an anonymous car to drive round in while looking for a good one.
The exhaust on my 1999 1.2 16v punto sounds dreadful. It is a new bog standard one but has a very deep boy racer sound. It passed its mot okay and I have not noticed any leaks so I am at a lose to why its sounds like it does. I spoke to the firm that fitted it and they said its needs time to carbon up as it is a bit hollow(what ever that means)and the exhaust is not faulty in any way. Am I being spun a yarn by the exhaust company or is there perhaps another reason for this problem? cheers.. Read more
By the time you buy them no-but where they're first built and started,they are noisier and there is a plastic smell but the bags are very thin!
A silver stretch Cayenne, with phone numbers on it of course and black windows (silver would be better, I always liked beads of mercury), which kept pace with me down my road tonight through the 6pm postmarket traffic.
The thing was very long indeed, looked the length of a modern London double decker (and yes, there was one nearby to compare it with), but with a somewhat longer wheelbase. It was set up perkily on its suspension, perhaps a bit higher than normal but perhaps not, and greatly impressed me by making the left out of Ladbroke Grove not into Westbourne Park Road, which is set up for buses, but Lancaster Road which isn't, and leads directly to recording studio or gangsta (please note the a) land. I was impressed because despite the very long wheelbase it made the corner with decent despatch, like a bus, despite the presence of a car in Lancaster Road well out in the opposite carriageway. And with that high suspension it would have lolloped over the high ramps at Portobello Road which groundscraping chavmobiles have trouyble with.
Best of all, it made a quite nice tinny blatting sound from the exhaust and showed good acceleration and braking in the stop-start (very important that for you dozy provincial types).
Still it was a stretch and therefore beyond the pale (long chassis standard models are the longest cars a proper enthusiast will stand for IMFFHO).
Read more
Curses! Betrayed!
Of course I may have been lying or exaggerating all along. Stands to reason dunnit?
Hello to all. On my 1999 Fiat Punto 1.2 16v I have noticed that were the transmission selector levers are there is a gaiter which helps protect them and keep them lubricated. The gaiter is quite loose and I am unsure whether it should be fastened with a cable tie or hose clip or nothing at all. This area feels quite lubricated but I am also unsure what type or grease it needs. Will cv joint grease be okay or does the area lubricate itself by extracting oil from the gearbox at point of entry. Please help
Mercy be - someone who can spell gaiter properly (in the Queen's English) - I am so delighted I won't make a complaint about the failure to put year and model in the subject line Read more
Browse
If I remember correctly (it's over 15 years ago since I last had one of these apart!), it's difficult to imagine a more easy job than to strip and clean one of these carbs.
You're looking for any signs of dirt at all. Take plenty of time to blow through all the jets and passages with an aerosol carb cleaner - preferably one that has a plastic tube on the valve that allows you to direct the jet of fuild into the jet or passage.
If you do find lots of dirt, then,
a) fit an inline filter in the fuel line to make sure that no more bits get into the carb
b) find the problem - it's either the tank or filler pipe rotting, or the rubber fuel pipes rotting from the inside out.