April 2008
Afternoon all;
My lovely green vectra wouldn't start this morning, cranked but no attempt to fire. Checked the codes using paperclip method, got usual crank & cam sensor plus P0201, P0202, P0203, P0204 - voltage high on each injector. Checked Haynes wiring diagram, realised injectors return current path is through the fuel pump relay. Removed relay, after hasty Google to locate, and replaced with paperclip. Car fires immediately.
Purchased lovely new purple relay from Vx dealer for relatively reasonable 17 quid, car works.
What did worry me is that the two relays which control the fuel pump and injector return were every warm to the touch, even after a 10 minute journey. Is this normal? In theory they should be dissipating very little power, just the current through the actuating coils, so i don't see why they should be warm.
Is this normal doctor?
P.S. Simtec 56.5 ECU
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Any ideas what VED-exempt car would be cheapest? Read more
If I was going to invest in a pre-73 car, id prob go for a Volvo 120 or the PV before it as atleast they give a nod to safety and survival rates are high due to good build/engineering.
i've recently purchased a 2005 Nissan Almera 1.5sx with only 20,000miles on the clock but i've noticed a vibration through the steering wheel and the car generally at speeds of 60 - 75 mph. had the wheel alignment and balancing done but still seems to be a problem. is this a design problem with the car or should i leave it in with a Nissan Dealership as it has 3 months warranty left.the car was previously " pulling" to the left and needed realignment.
any suggestions would be most appreciated. Read more
I have a vibration at around 70mph, was thinking it was just the front shocks, its not too bad though. I did notice that the wheels were swapped around between seeing and buying the car, and one of the rears has been replaced (sold to me with 12mth MOT and a bald rear tyre - big franchise as well!) so maybe I should get the wheels balanced?
I had the headlamps replaced under a recall as they were very dim (I have an 03 facelift model), now they are great!
My Fiesta is playing up again. All year I have had brake light warning lights, each time my mechanic has found minor problems with the brakes and fixed them all including four new pads.
I had it served in October and all was fine, no problems with oil burning at all. In Feb after 3500 miles since the service I noticed it needed a top up, I asked my mechanic what oil he used and he said 10/40 full synth. Research on here suggests that is fine for the old push rod unit I have. About 500 miles later I noticed the engine started to sound old (had 65k at this point) like the tappets needed adjusting.
Had the front bushes done and the rear drums cleaned out in March and two weeks ago the brake light warning light came on again. I noticed the fluid level was low. I took it back to my mechanic who keep appoligisng for not topping it up, but I was there when he did this and know for the fact the fluid was topped up to maximum. He said he has done everything to brakes and knows for a fact they are not leaking but there is this other problem with a funny noise at low speeds. He then suggests the hydraulic clutch is most likely at fault and this would be a major job so keep the car it will breaks.
I checked the fluids last night (after 600 miles since I last checked it) and noticed the oil was below minimum but the pressure light is not coming on and the water was on min despite it being on max last time I checked (engine cold both times).
I have topped them both up now, but the car stalled 3 times today, is this likely to back up what my mechanic says about the clutch? There is also a low speed judder though the coil pack etc is original (from 97) so I assumed it was just that.
The oil is also a mystery as there is no signs of blue smoke or any oil leaks around the rocker gasket or sump.
Just want some advice to why my car is suddenly loosing all these fluids. MOT is in August and I would have been happy to spend £250 getting it through but now I am not sure.
Is there anything I can do to test these points mentioned?
The car has done 69,000 miles now.
Thanks
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ah..I thought this was your old car..
Pfffft!
I read articles in "threaded mode", not "flat". This makes it easy to see who has replied to what, and read the articles whilst maintaining context.
However!
Lots of people do not seem to reply to the article that they've just read, preferring to reply to the last article in a thread, or in fact any old article, willy-nilly. This messes things up completely.
Can anything be done, from the point of view of edjumacating users, or even programatically?
Now I'm feeling very thirsty. Read more
In reply to Adverse Camber: I can only agree.
But in keeping with my policy of rigorous honesty at all times, except a few, my own acronym for this is IMFFHO, the FF signifying 'far from'.
But then a self-deprecating mode is often mistaken for a form of boasting, or a way of covering up shameful depths of depravity. And so it is, so it is.
Hi,
Any idea's on which returns the best MPG .
The cars are Mercedes 250D Diesel, 1994, one has a turbo and the other is non-turbo.
My journey is motorway 100 miles per day round trip, I generally travel between 55-60MPH
(keeping the trucks company) , I would expect around 50MPG on diesel for the turbo...would i get more from a non-turbo ? Read more
Hiya youare right in what you say MB didn't make a 124 turbo diesel, there is a company in Yorkshire that used to convert them, i have no idea of their name, but i own both turbo and nn turbo versions of this car, non turbo of course isn't the quickest in the world, but it always gets there, the turbo version does run smoother and is a lot quicker, it has got a Switzer turbo fitted, which is now Borg Warner, so u know it's good, i've recently done a 400 mile round trip in turbo car to collect a complete trim from Cumbria, bought on ebay for 99p, what a bargain?? lol, i used approx 45 quid in fuel, so i am a happy chappy, car never missed a beat,
I have a 2004 Mondeo Diesel and I have bought a can of air con gas to re-charge it but where do I connect it? The line I can see near the washer bottle has the correct shape connector on to that on the air con bottle but it is bigger so won't fit. Is there a second connector somewhere? Read more
As already mentioned - don't use it. Ask yourself why your car needs a top up after only 4 years whereas many other cars a lot older still have functional AC. More than likely because there is a leak somewhere. Take it to an AC specialist who will be able to tell you if there is anything amiss.
I a little fed up having just had a long time customer ( soon to be ex customer me thinks ) beat me down on price by over 30% because his misses had her car done cheaper by one of these less than permanant businesses.
How can I compete with a place that charges £3 to wash your car, when it costs me more than that to drive over to my customer, insured, with the kit to do the job?
Im just at a loss as to how they can charge so little.
I sat and watched them spend 40 mins on a car and all the seemingly did was wash and hoover it for just £5. Its so cheap im tempted myself!
Is this what being in the EU is all about?
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Actually, the idea about plane valeting is very good, my mate pays a decent sum to have his Piper aircraft cleaned, it's obviously not something that you can just give a quick wash and leather to, but far better to get paid a lot of money for one job than a little money to do lots of jobs!
The microswitch-operated latch on the tailgate is a real problem. The switch is OK, but the mechanism obviously gets dirty or tired, resulting in it being impossible to open the tailgate, and having to take the dogs out through the rear doors! If you pull really hard, it opens, but SWMBO couldn't do this, and there is no where to grasp!
I have tried WD40 on the tailgate mechanism and now also on the 'jaws' which presumable clamp the tailgate to hold it shut.
Any ideas on cleaning/lubricating? Read more
Just a suggestion, but if the mechanical parts of the lock are slightly out of line, or the tailgate is shut too tight, it may take more force to unlock it than the solenoid can manage. I'm not saying that has to be the cause, but it doesn't seem impossible.
One of VW's best selling Golfs, the Match had been offered, along with other engines, the 1.4 TSI 122PS engine, offering better torque and economy over their 1.6FSI engine which was going to be discontinued, anyway.
Imagine my delight, then, hoping that towards the end of this year, I would be able to replace mine with a new Golf Match 1.4TSI 122PS, (that excellent torquey engine).
Alas, no, this is apparently not to be now, at least for the forseeable future, as VW cannot keep up with the demand for this engine although (according to their website) it can be ordered if the DSG auto box is specified. Apparently the 'old' 1.6FSI engine can now still be specified in the Golf Match but as I already have this engine then a change is not really viable, is it?
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In Europe the 1.4TSI is still being offered in the Seat Leon & Altea (but
125CV not 122) and the VW Golf (122 & 140) Crossgolf (140) Jetta (122 &
140) Passat (122) Golf Plus (122 & 140) Touran (140) Eos (122) Tiguan (150)
As noted above the Brits are part of the awkward squad driving on the wrong
side of the road and hence easily isolated in marketing terms.
Well, I have been on to the Seat UK website and apparently, if I configure a Seat Leon 'Stylance,' I can have one with a 1.4 TSI engine (or can I?). Anyway, I have sent for a brochure and will eventually contact the dealer when the time comes.
Can there really be this discrepancy between VW and Seat cars and the availability of these TSI engines?
Browse
Yes, I'm tempted to drill some holes in the top of the plastic box the realys sit in, to lower the temperature a bit. On the other hand I suspect the relay I've replaced was the original, which has lasted 134481 miles, even at an elevated operating temperature. The guy on the parts counter did say the realys were a popular spares item mind you.
As a railway modeller; I find the old post office relays are still saught after for use as signal / point motors, for the reason you state :-).