December 2008
Can someone recommend a good brake/clutch bleeder that I can use with my air compressor?
Was looking at the Draper make but have heard no reports on them, should I go for Gunsons instead?
Ta Ta! Read more
Just bought this car and yesterday I had a problem starting it. The engine cranked over but would not fire (or tried to a tiny bit). We checked the battery voltage and it turned out to be real low (12.2v) so I bought a new battery (I bought a lead acid one but have since discovered that I can only use an expensive silver calcium one from ford). It was real cold out last night which may have had something to do with it.
Stuck the new one in this morning but did the same thing. Battery voltage was better at 12.53 but it wasn't really firing. I then tried to start with my foot fully pressed on the accelerator and after a few seconds of intermittent firing it started ok and then ran fine. It has now restarted ok since. Voltage when running was 14.7 with lights/heater/heated screen on (so as far as I can tell the battery is being charged fine).
After I google searched I found the following suggestions:
Spark plugs dirty
Fuel injection problem causing engine flooding?
Fuel pump
Cranking sensor
Coolant temp sensor
I have a feeling it is something to do with fuel, but not sure. It seems to run fine when its running other than occasional slight (up to 2000rpm) revving coming up to junctions when the clutch is depressed (perhaps completely unrelated?).
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks! Read more
ok thanks for the advise.
Back to the car problem, I think the problem gets worse the longer I leave the car standing between starts. It has been suggested to me that this problem could be related to one or more leaky injectors slowly dripping fuel into the cylinders when the car is left standing resulting in a flooded engine when I come to start it.
Could anyone verify this?
Hi,
My first post on here.........
My 2001 Focus 1.6 petrol has had a starting problem for a while.
Engine requires 4 to 5 seconds of cranking to start.
Engine cranks over very well but no sign of trying to start.
I assume that fuel, spark or both are not being commanded by the ECU.
After 4 to 5 seconds engine actually begins to 'fire' and will then run but runs a bit hesitantly / varying idle speed for a couple of seconds as though something is being adjusted. After this engine runs OK and drives well. Occasionally the engine will start on the first turn of the key!
I have changed the plugs & leads (all genuine Ford replacements) - no improvement.
It has been to an independent and a Ford agent - no stored faults.
Independent Garage suggested the camshaft sensor - changed it but no improvement
Ford agent updated ECU software with no improvement.
Any advice appreciated.
slt Read more
Did you ever get your car sorted out? I am having the exact same problem with my Ford Focus. Now stuck not knowing what to do with a car stuck at the garage and no one seems to know what is wrong with it.
My insurance company offers a discount for a fitted Cat 1 immobiliser and rather less for a fitted Cat 2.
I could not steal a car with an immobiliser, I wouldn?t know to begin, but it made me think 'is it possible?? Obviously any car can be stolen just by means of a lift, or a suspended tow, or even, given enough time by replacing components.
Are immobilisers secure, do any BR's know of the theft of an immobilised car, are aftermarket security devices worth having, if so which ones?
Just curious really, as I have not personally heard of an immobiliser fitted vehicle being taken.
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A neighbour of mine used to remove all ignition leads at night...
He must have been suffering from paranoia.
Hi ,
Ford Focus 1600 Ghia purchased April 2005
Had this niggle last winter and now its back again.
Noticeable creaking sounds from either suspension or steering, only heard at speeds below 25mph and also when temp is below approx 7c.
No problem in higher temperatures.
Otherwise a good car with no other problems . Might even replace with same model next time .
This creaking is very annoying.... I am sure it is related to the colder weather .
Any advice would be welcomed.
Thanks ,
Ken Read more
If coming from the rear, it's most likely to be where the rear springs sit in the wishbones. Just empty a can of WD40 in there and it should go away.... did on ours.
For longer lasting fix, try something with Teflon added. Maybe even something like spray copper greese?
Make sure you put a newspaper underneath while the excess drains off or you'll cause a mess and/or slippage.
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Kevin
My point was not made clear. It's not that I don't see the speeds expected (my 10Mbit/s connection can hit 11Mbit/s) but these are base-10 figures....so 1Mbit/s is therefore 10 6 (1000000) and not 2 20 (1048576).
I'm looking at around 2002 models, about £6-8K. Which would be the better overall choice to keep for about 5 years? Both renowned high power 6 cyclinder diesels, the BMW better handling and faster? Mercedes is the better cruiser, but not to say the BMW is anything less than excellent. Or would a 2002 330d be better (c class has no competitor to the 330d)
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Many MB cars were built in SA. Steel quality there was poor. Apart from Cape Town and Durban , cars do not rust much in SA..(Rather like Fiats built in Italy in the old days)
EDIT
BMWs do not rust as a rule. My E30 was near perfect when 10 years old.
Just when I thought it could not get any worse. Just dropped my sister off
First off all just when i left my house the car was being lumpy in 3rd, I suspected it had ran out fuel (was also on the way to the fuel station) but it when I changed to 4th it was ran fine. Thought nothing of it, but maybe a fuel pump problem see how it goes.
A couple of times during the last month when moving of lights the car has been slow to move off with a bit of over revving, I did think then I hope its not the clutch but it seemed fine so again thouht nothing of it.
Anyway done 20 miles in it today and the over reving slowness thing had become more frequent, suspect it is no longer my dodgy driving. Got petrol (£8 worth thank goodness
I was just about to pull in and heared what sounded like an explosion, it turned out it was the spare wheel tray, put it back up let the clutch cool down and managed to drive it home fine with but with the clutch constantly slipping.
I can get this fixed for £150, but I am drawing the line now, I am going to rob swap the ICV, MAF and other sensors which are working fine put them on my dads (which is not running right), then sell my car on ebay.
I have already spent £200 repairing as they were safety things:-
Tow bar removed general check over and oil change - £50
New door latch, reverse switch and cv boot £80
Two new Pirerri tyres at £39 each, £78
New air filter - did this myself £5
New brake fluid cap - did myself £7.00
I am now kicking and screaming at myslef for letting my dad test drive the car (he knows nothing about mechanics) I didn't have insurance so could not test drive it myself. I also never listen to my own advice which is why I have a reputation for buying sheds. My heart just says car, I have money, me buy.
As we have a donor car it seems another incentive to swap spares rather than keep this car on the road, its a shame because the engine is in good condition.
I am tempted to find a larger car for my dad (better value for money) then me have his Fiesta, but then I know there are issues with that, so its probably no point.
I have a feeling my next car will be a Korean one :(, but it has not put me off Ford, I cannot blame Ford for buying bangers.
Sorry for long post, I need to let of steam.
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Three approaches in my book to bargain bangers:
1) Buy a Ford or a Vauxhall. Cheap parts. Only really worth it though if you can fettle the cars yourself -- the labour charges are the same as any other car, and Vauxhalls in particular tend to fall apart as they get older.
2) Buy a Jap car. Get the right one, and you'll only ever visit your mechanic once per year. Even cars that are little more than festering piles of rust keep dragging themselves along almost indefinitely. Probably the safest bet is to buy a newer Nissan or Mitsubishi -- worthless second-hand but run forever. Hondas tend to be too expensive for what they are IMO, and the Honda-based Rovers are too old now.
3) Korean. They aren't the best cars in the world, but the point with these is that you can sometimes buy them at only 5 years old for next to nothing. With the aftersales packages you get with these, and the fact that they're usually only bought as retirement or second cars, they've usually led an easy life, with low mileage and regular servicing. Hyundais in particular represent fantastic VFM, although the resale values are now sureing up so not the bargain they once were.
I would definitely agree with Nissan though -- IMO the best cheap cars on the market today, as long as you avoid some post-2000 models that have been compromised by a combination of a near-bankrupt Nissan penny-pinching and Renault interference.
I need a battery charger for my Mk3 Golf. I have a £10 Argos voucher so would like to buy it from there. They have 5 types - the cheapest is not suitable as the battery is a 62Ah.
Has anyone any experiences of the ones they sell in Argos?
See this link tinyurl.com/5tanyb
{make/model deselected, as this question could apply to any car} Read more
Thanks for all the replies. I've borrowed a Halfords charger of a freind today. Put the battery on charge and the charging light was on for about 10 seconds, then the green 'charged/maintaining' light came on, so my issue may not be the battery after all.
Re - ignoring the lights - I'm going to leave it charging until the end of the night and see if it works tommorrow.
Over the years I have passed tests for various types of vehicles and was always taught to position my vehicle correctly before a manouver. I was recently blocked by someone waiting to turn right who had made no attempt to move to the crown of the road (plenty of room). Many people seem to be incapable of using a roundabout correctly either, is positioning still taught, or are driving standards continuing to decline? Read more
Perhaps to support Westpig earlier, a good number of years ago when I spent a year working for our Roads Service, we were tasked with monitering traffic speeds on the Malone Rd Belfast, a wide surburban carrigeway with two lanes in each direction.
Speeds were averaging between 40 & 50, with the very few travelling faster or slower.
We were told at the time that the 85%ile rule applied ie if 85% of the vehicles were doing say 45 mph 45 mph was SAFE.
ie discount the 15% at the top end. They are driving TOO fast.
The net result at that time was the request to make this road 30mph was refused as it was unenforcable.
Unfortunately today this logic does not apply with speed camera being deployed.
So Westpig was/is applying this same logic to motorway driving, I think?
cheers
M
Browse
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I use an Eezibleed as mentioned in other posts here.
Absolute piece of cake on a bike as long as you don't let the resevoir empty though no big beal if you do. Not sure about the car as it was done by the main dealer at the last service for £30 including brake fluid.
Took me ten minutes to do the both front and rear brakes on the bike with 500ml (6?) of brake fluid, not sure what the volume is for the car.