August 2008
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Mondeo MkII 2.0L Zetec 1999 120,000 miles is just starting to clunk a bit at the front. An engineer reports the lower suspension arm bushes separated and suggests new arms. A reputable supplier has quoted £85 or £25 each for the arms. This is a bit of a mystery, is the difference in price in the quality of the bushes or the structural properties of the arms ie torsional stiffness etc, or simply a matter of brand ? Worldly wisdom would be appreciated.
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>>(CEng MIChemE)
The upsetting thing is that our respective institions (I'm CEng MIMechE) obviously haven't done their job in making the distinction clearer. (What exactly is it that they do that warrants our subscriptions?) It is left to unreasonable types like me making a fuss when someone misuses the term engineer.
What really gets my goat is when a company deliberatly mis-uses the word to enable a higher hourly charge out rate for their service staff. When photo-copiers/central heating/telephones are repaired, they are repaired by fitters, by mechanics, sometimes, perhaps, by technicians, but, they are designed and developed by engineers.
No-one confuses a nurse, a GP, and a consultant, so the BMA has worked for the medical professions.
If I called myself a doctor (medical), a lawyer, or an architect, I could be arrested and charged with an offence. Anyone can call themselves an engineer in the UK without breaking any laws.
We have the slightly silly situation where if you want windows installed in your house, this must be done by a certified FENSA installer, gas fitting, by registered Corgi. But, *anyone* can design the windows and the boiler!
Intermittently Accelerates on its own, even if I take my foot off the accelerator pedal.
If I dip the clutch engine races till it Cuts out - warning light comes on and says
check alternator, I replaced alternator same problem.
Normally happens within 5 to 10 minutes of starting.
If I switch off as it happens and switch on again problem goes away.
Anyone have simmilar experience or can help ? Read more
I remember some years ago, I think it was on the Passat, a similar situation occurred. It was proved to be when a passenger in the nearside front braced his/her feet against the front of the footwell, the floor flexed causing it to foul on the 'LHD to RHD conversion' accelerator cross-shaft.
Not saying it is this as I have no working knowledge of VWs, but worth a look anyway.
Looking for a device (12v) that comes in under £225 as this is the best deal I have been able to find so far.
tinyurl.com/66ejj6
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The £225 one has an appalling frame-rate, more of a time-lapse recorder. Also, many of these devices have half the frame rate interlaced, so one which claims 30fps may only update every other line 30 times per second so is a sort of 15fps really.
I have bought similar stuff from www.inesun.com/ before, but not recently. They have an ebay store.
Zafira Diesel
When leaving the car, a friend reports a "burning" smell
The Vauxhall dealer suggested the particulate filter is cleaning itself.........
can this be confirmed/denied by anyone?
{1.8 removed from header, as I'm 99% sure there wasn't a 1.8 diesel} Read more
SC
They did fit the Y17, X20 and even the Y22 in some versions.
I received an invitation to this event, which is taking place apparently due to excellent August and September new BMW sales that has resulted in a need to clear display space for forthcoming part exchange vehicles.
So excellent have been these sales, in fact, that up to £500 of complimentary fuel will be offered with each used BMW sold during the great event.
Transparent or what? It must be getting very tough.
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The MINI bubble has well and truly burst. Nice cars, but impractical, overpriced and simply too common now.
And people have a cheaper alternative - Suzuki Swift
Hi
Can anyone advise me where to find the grommit to feed wiring to the engine compartment in a citroen xantia please? I dont really want to start drilling holes. Read more
When I wanted to run a 4 AWG cable for a boot mounted amplifier I ended up going from the battery via the left wheel arch and then into the cabin. I couldn't find another way despite looking for ages. The wheel arch liner has to be removed whilst routing the cable though.
Steve.
We keep hearing in the media that there are thousands of unisured drivers on the roads but I don't understand how this can happen.
When I apply for a tax disc online they have access to the details of the insurance on the vehicle and also the MOT if applicable. How can a driver get a tax disc without insurance? If they insure and then cancel surely this should be flagged up and investigated. As we have all the cameras checking for valid car tax why can't it be linked in to the insurance as well? I really don't understand why this is so hard for the authorities to implement.
Andyfr Read more
Don`t cloned plates provide the perfect escape from with detection, even with ANPR?
If so, how prevalent are they?
At what tread depth do you change your tyres? This is not a quality of tyre question, I believe the driver is the ditchfinder.
I change mine at 3mm. Read more
I suppose for me it is as simple as this;
The manufacturer's tyre pressure recomendations should be followed.
Increasing rear pressures in line with manufacturer's guidance for increased load is also required for both controlling heat input, and for understeer margin reasons. A heavy load on the rear will in a given cornering scenario increase the rear slip angle, and so increasing the rear tyre pressure counters this effect.
For a very readable introduction to the subject which doesn't skimp on the necessary technical detail, see Fundamentals of Vehicle Dynamics by Gillespie (probably one to order via your library, as it isn't a cheap book!)
hi
just brought an old 1994 1993 {typo corrected} escort 1.4 from ebay drove most of the way home fine then there was random puffs of blue smoke out the back on inspection once i got home i found the breather off at the back of the carb the air filter seems to be full of oil .... is this a major problem or something simple enough to fix or have i been done
the smoke was only now and then one big puff then clouds now n then no change on revs have checked breathers they blow through ok ?? not really sure if that correct its got a twin choke webber on
thanks in advance jas
just seen this would this apply
If the crank was hitting the oil you'd hear it - and the oil froth would be sucked up the breather. You'd be getting periods of loud pinking and a cloud of smoke bigger than the Torrey Canyon. [Now that'll date you...] Read more
thats next on on my list sump cleaning the amount of crap that i got out if the top was unreal
btw its a cvh
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Try going above their heads with that stuff Rich suggested. That should get their attention !