November 2008
Well now, having gone through the whole gamut of emotions and indecision on the Siggy.....should I keep it........do I like it......is it big enough.......????
Anyway, I still have it and as mentioned elsewhere it is now reasonably sensible on fuel costs due to the recent shift in prices.
Thing is, to get to the point, I was a bit disappointed with the handling by comparison to the old faithful Mondeo. It was suggested to me ( by our very own Dynamic Mod ) that when the time came to change the tyres to opt for the alternative size. It had been shod with 215/50/17 Goodyear Eagles and always felt vague and lifeless, even quite understeery especially in the wet. These cars come with different tyre sizes depending on trim level. Mine is alleged to be the "sporty" one and has various styling cues to support that but it has been totally transformed by the adding of a new set of tyres yesterday.
They are not "high performance" tyres but are of a reasonable standard being Pirelli P6000s. The big difference is that they are 225/45/17s. Goodness me what a difference. A marginally harder ride but so much more direct in feel. Admittedly the old ones were pretty shot but were just still legal so perhaps any new tyres would have been an improvement.
The best bit is that they are a VX approved "straight swop" and require no modification to the car. They look very similar when on so no worries there either. The understeery feel has completely gone and the turn in is direct and sharp. Well pleased. Speedbumps are a little harsher but I suppose I shall have to live with that.
There is a severe danger of me coming to like this car........ Read more
My Focus 1.8 tdi emits a puff a dark grey/ black smoke on start up first thing in the morning. It only does this when it has been sitting over night. It then emits a smallish amount of dark grey smoke for maybe 30 seconds afterwards while it's ticking over and then this disappears. It is not difficult to start - it takes maybe another 2 or 3 turns of the starter on a frosty morning than it does when it is a hot day. It also runs smoothly more or less immediately after it has started.
More noticeable is the dark greyish smoke that it emits under load e.g overtaking. This is constant, not just a single puff when you first press the accelerator. Normally this is not noticeable - I've actually started to notice it now it is dark in the mornings and evenings. I can see it in the lights of the car behind me.
I just wonder if anyone could tell me what could be causing this and if it is any cause for concern?
Thanks Read more
These TDDi engines are quite smoky. Puffs on acceleration and visible in following headlamps are quite normal for any pre Euro 4 diesel, including this one. Have you had it MOT'd lately? Do you know what the smoke test results were?
Excessive smoke on start up could be nothing more sinister than a dead glowplug.
TY for the answers to my previous question you are right it started when I tried again.
I need new injectors according a M.O.T inspector. Any idea where I can get 4 good second hand ones please they are the Bosh ones. Read more
£34.50 + vat each from GSF or try ebay for secondhand ones. Why does it need injectors? How many miles has it done?
After HG Change My Punto Is Not Starting, it turns over ok but it is not firing,
I have compression and a spark the timing marks are lined up, fule is being injected and all plugs and leads are in the correct position can anyone help?
thanks seb, Read more
the crank pulley is in the correct position, (sat on the tiny pin),, i also checked the sensor and it seems ok (not damaged) and the gap is within spec,, it dus seem like my timing is wrong but i have double checked the timing marks and they are correct :(
hi ive got a 1.7td astra estate mk4
will a 1.7td astra mk3 engine fit straight in without any problems? Read more
Hi
Hope someone can help.
Recently, my Fiesta 1.25 (zetec) broke down, and now the engine fails to turn over. Before the break down and for the last couple of weeks, the engine was making a knocking noise. The knocking would dissappear when I accelerated and when idling, the engine would sound gritty.
I have two questions, do you think its the big end bearings or maybe the camshaft?
If it is the big end bearings, can I change them with the engine still in the car? or do I have to take the engine out?
Thanks in advance
Dan Read more
i would expect the noise to get worse when under load so unlikely to be big ends, but who knows anything could have happened, cambelt pully collapsed, belt jumped, valves hitting pistons, break valve and lock up, its worth a bit of investigation but i dont think that there are a lot of parts available for this engine so it would be a new one or sechond hand but still worth a look at first to understand whats happened
I had a replacement windscreen fitted and signed the fit off satisfactory.
Unfortunately when driving at a later date I realised the auto wiper function did not work.
Previously when the wiper was positioned at intermittent the wipers would move fast or slow depending upon rain fall on the screen , now they just operate at one set speed in intermittent mode. Does any body now how the sensors work and what the problem could be ?
Many thanks notts Russ Read more
Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.1td ( 5 cly vm lump)
Its not good at starting in the cold - with glowplugs around £8 each maybe worth replacing them regardless- but is this a diy job ( looks tight access) Or rough estimnate to a fair total cost ? Read more
Hi
it is an easy change (if they don't snap off) just out of interest how long does your glow plug light stay on for? the temp sensor that controls the glow plug timer relay are a known problem. If the glow plug light is going off after just 1 second and not staying on for 7 on a cold engine it's more likely the glow plugs are not staying on long enough for them to work.
Hey...
I have a Fiesta Zetec S, It has been overheating for a very long time now!
I have had a new themostat, rad & new heater matrix hoses as they split.
The heater sometimes blows out cold air, I'll be travelling for 10 mins in the car after not using it all night,...The fan kicks in the temp gauge starts rising towards red, then when going up a hill it will hit the middle & going down it continues to rise!
Could this be an air lock???
I have just had the car back from the garage & they seem to think it's all ok now, They said it was something to do with an Oval ring???
Can anyone give me any advise?
Thanks Sarah Read more
My 01 1.6 Zetec Fiesta ( Ghia with air con) had the same problem with the heater control coolant valve, the heater stopped working altogether a couple of weeks ago. But at the same time, the engine would overheat on load. The car has done about 100,000 miles, trouble free.
The heater control valve has been replaced and now the heater works very well. It now seems to have the symptoms reported on other threads where the radiator seems to work. i.e. gets hot soon after the engine has been started, the engine temperature is OK ( middle of gauge for say 15 minutes driving) and then when the car is driven reasonably hard at 60 or above, the fan comes on, stays on and cools the radiator right down and there seems to be no flow through the rad at all.
Could this be some intermittent blockage or airlock affecting the radiator? The garage has changed the thermostat and that has had no effect.
Perhaps it is time to get them to take the radiator off and flush or check whether the flow is heavily restricted?
Hi
Can anyone tell please where to find the bleeding screw on the diesal pump please.
Also where I can find some second hand injectors they are Bosh.
Thank Read more
I would concur. The pump is of the 'full flow' type and is self bleeding. If you have no fuel being delivered either you have a major air leak or blockage, or the solonoid valve is stuck.
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I don't think it's just apathy, Humph. 40-50 years ago a mechanically-minded lad (or indeed lass) could change plugs and points (even I could do that and I'm no mechanic) and probably move on to bleeding brakes and replacing a head gasket, or decoking.
Nowadays you have job to find the plugs; ignition is electronic etc. Life just gets more complex, not least due to electronics.
I often give an example when lecturing - when I were a lad if you needed to learn to sweep a street, you got a broom and cart and got on with it. Now you have to learn to drive a LHD 3-ton truck on the wrong side of the road.
The point is - even if the young person is interested, what can (s)he do without a full-on training course?