March 2008
I have recently purchased a 306 dt and it has a starting problem, not your usual glow plugs or compression problems either!
When you try to start the car you put the key in, enter code, wait for the glow and turn the key ~ she starts and you can turn her off and on as may times as you like. It will run like a dream, pull like a little train until.....
the next time you start the car it wont for however long it decides!
this problem can be when its hot, cold, been 1 day or 1 minute since it was last started, it simply doesnt matter, the engine just turns over and over and over, until the battery is flat, or it finally decides to start!
I have checked the injectors and when it wont start they are getting zero fuel, not a drop. i have listened for the stop actuator and i can hear and feel it click when power is sent to it (although I cant hear it return when power is turned off). I have checked the main connectors to the engine loom and it is ok.
so any ideas?? I have a few....
is there anything in the pump that could cut fuel apart from the stop solenoid? could the stop solenoid be faulty and even though it appears to be working it isnt? could the pump be knackered and only work when it wants? Read more
hi,
my 2.0 focus is proving increasingly difficult to start from cold - it typically takes 2-3 attempts (starter motor sounds normal) before it catches, and usually only with a dab of throttle (which I know isn't the best way to start cars...).
Once started, it runs fine, also starts fine when engine warm. No fault codes showing when I ran it through diagnostic equipment at local garage.
HT leads? Battery? - Don't want to to start replacing items at random before having half an idea what the cause might be!
Any ideas would be appreciated.
Cheers.
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Cold start sensor faulty? it's the 2 wire opposed to the single that does temp gauge, worth trying this especially as you say it's worse from cold.
There cheap enough to try buy genuine ford parts. good luck..
this is my first go on this forum so apologies if I'm covering old ground.
why don't we surface our motorways with concrete instead of tarmac,surely it,s more durable? I've just seen a programme on the box showing the construction of a freeway in Chicago where they used concrete for it's durability surely this must be better than relaying tarmac every few years?
the weather there must be similar to ours so that can't be the reason we use outdated tarmac. Read more
I remember driving down the M1 stretches of concrete motorway in the 90's, how rough and noisy they were, and thinking, "why can't they pave over this with tarmac?".
I understand German autobahns used to be constructed with a transverse finish for skid resistance the same as in the UK.
It in only within the last 20 years or so the Germans have changed to a longitudinal lightly brushed finish, to reduce noise, and apparently this still provides good skid resistance.
The original German concrete autobahns were constructed to a high standard with high quality materials, and many were in use for 50 years, but in places they *did* crack due to joint spacing being too great, and spalling occured at joints.
Basic concrete slab construction is usually more expensive than asphalt paving (can cost 30% more per m2).
The UK is now starting to use porous asphalt as used in France, which gives less tyre noise than standard asphalt and reduces spray to an absolute minimum.
have a 54 Plate TDCi 130 Mondeo. It is "venting" a white haze or vapour through the front grille. It does not appear to be losing coolant, cooling system pressure tested OK and Ford could not find the source of the vapour query "header tank fault" after changing the header tank cap which appeaerd to improve system pressure. There is a leak on the oil pressure switch (needs changing at next service). It is not possible to see the source of the leak, but it is front of engine rising vertically just left of the centre of the engine. No real smell to the vapour. It is not constant and is most noticeable in the cold after motorway run. Car has done 52k miles. Underside of engine shows limited amount of oil/liquid staining no drips!
Any clues and should I worry (especially as Ford can't see a problem?).
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View the problem with a good touch (torch ???) in the dark, often helps. Regards Peter
.. on British motoring scenario?
This is what I think:
With rising cost of fuel + more penalty for larger cars + high cost of living + not that bright economy will result in people buying smaller & smaller cars.
What do you think about multi-car families? Will their number grow or shrink?
I think this is a reason why car manufacturers are now concentrating so much on growing economies of far east. Western European auto market probably has reached its plateau.
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Blimey,if 'global warming' means I can't:
- Drive a car
- Heat my house
- Eat any meat
- Use any electrical appliance
- Have a holiday
- Buy anything that was made more than 4 miles from my home
Then bring on the global burn - I'll be glad to be gone!
So I'm driving along a dual carriageway last night with all the wind and rain when I get a strong smell of smoke in my nostrils, turns out it's a car travelling slowly (approx 30 mph) about a hundred metres ahead. The cars behind it are pulling out to overtake and when I get closer I realise it is because they can't physically see past this car.....
I've been driving for 20 years and I've NEVER seen anything like the thick, black smoke billowing out of the back of this car! It was just a huge, massive great pall blocking out all visibility and churning out of this car at an unbelievable rate, despite the high winds (superlatives fail me at describing this). You've seen a car completely alight by vandals etc on telly? The smoke was that bad!
I didn't get the car make, (too busy trying to see the road) though it was an 03 year. I'm 80% sure this smoke was coming out of the exhaust, though again I was concentrating on the road. I was very surprised I didn't see any flames. The driver showed no sign of stopping though obviously was experiencing engine problems (due to their slow progress) and was last seen turning onto an even busier dual carriageway (maybe I should have called the police?)
So, what was wrong with the car?
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Thanks for the replies, sorry about the delay in replying.
tbh, the smell was a bit 'clutch-like', you know that kind of burnt, asbestos-like smell?
Maybe a combination of, say 50/50 petrol:diesel may smell like that? It certainly wasn't the distinctive 'behind a bus up a hill' diesel smell, nor the 'I spilt oil on my exhaust manifold' smell we all know and love.....!
The huge volume of thick, black stuff churning out reminded me of tyres on fire.
Thanks again for the replies, I'll try and see if I can see anything similar on a tv programme. If it'd been daylight I could have took a vid on my phone.
Hi, i dont know if you can help but someone suggested you may be able to. I have an AA car warranty on a second hand car (its a Mondeo) i brought from a sales court last year. Yesterday the spring on the drivers side went. I took it to the correct AA garage and they confirmed it was the driver side spring that required replacing. They explained that they need to also replace the passenger side spring. As asked i rang the warranty team before agreeing to work. They are willing to pay for one spring but i will have to pay for the other (parts and labour). I feel this is unfair as due to one spring going the car would be unsafe until both are fixed. They said the only way around it is if i sign to say i will not have the passenger side done and therefore i save the money!
Help! Thank you, Sarah
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Its quite legal to have just the broken spring changed.
Its better practice to change both though, so a matched pair of equal age (and wear) are fitted.
Turn this on its head maybe, and ask the warranty/repairing garage to sign a sheet stating they are fully confident in the repair, so that they will be responsible for any eventuality if the spring (either 1) causes any problems?
What are the speed sensitive wipers on a Hyundai capable of?
The owners manual does not refer to them.
If I set the intermittent wipers at the fastest setting when driving, they will slow to a fast intermittent wipe when I stop.
Is that all I can expect or will the intermittent wipe automatically speed up with car speed. Not noticed anything on my commute.
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SWMBO had a taxi pull out on her and the front end of my newly acquired fabia swiftly disappeared as she went into the side of it head on. Third party has admitted liability.
Waiting for garage to get in touch with my insurance company to confirm damage, from sounds of it should like a write off.
My question is they said if this is the case I will receive an offer equivalent to market value before accident - can I dispute this if I am not happy with it? Worh digging up valuation figures from websites/adverts and do they normally give you px price or trade price etc?
Thanks for any help! Read more
Go for a Panda diesel. one of the few well built super minis which are diesel...in fact I think Fiat sell more diesels as a percentage than petrols against their competition.
Having just finished uploading my recent holiday snaps to Shutterfly, I wondered how much it would cost to buy my rented vehicle. Looking at various dealer websites in California, I could purchase a pre owned 2008 registered 5.7L V8 Hemi quad cab for $27k plus sales tax of 7.75%. With gas currently costing the equivalent of £1.70 per gallon, average consumption of 11/13 mpg doesn't sound too bad.
I accept that it is socially irresponsible, but now I understand why trucks in the US are getting ever larger. At that price, it would almost be a crime not to drive one! As a previous poster said ''the golden age of motoring is coming to an end'', so thank you very much, I'll be selfish and have some of it whilst it lasts.....and I bet quite a few of you would join me! My only concession would be to walk anywhere less than 2 miles travelling.
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Much as I loved my rented Dodge Ram, I could only justify it when circumstances dictate. I am in the fortunate position of being able to spend the month of February skiing different resorts in the Lake Tahoe area. Being able to accommodate 4 friends, with all our toys in the back, and set off in a blizzard over mountain passes ( you pray for blizzards and feet of powder) in a monster truck is wonderful. As a means to an end it is an adventure in itself.
Anywhere else, and any other time, it is awful and embarassing to drive!
For everyday transport, (excluding driving several hours in storms with 5 people) my friends Outback 2.5 is simply perfect, either here or in the US.
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Had a go at fixing it last night and there is a inertia switch and a relay behind the battery and when it wont start they are not getting power, which is the problem. I think it could be as you stated and the keypad is faulty, I will try removing it tonight, thanks.
Quick question tho....what are the implications if the battery goes flat? Will it remember it doesnt need a code?
Cheers