March 2009
Evening,
The rear suspension on the car is very hard and when i go over any bumps it makes a awful clonk/bang.
The fronts are absolutley fine and perform as they should.
Any ideas? Read more
My faithful 96 MB passed the MOT with flying colours again last week, thank goodness, and it should do the tlc it gets.;)
I happen to have the exhaust emission test results in front of me.
As its entirely possible that i will have to compulsorily scrap this car at some point in the future should we get more empty eggheads in charge, with or without £2K to help boost some foreign manufacturers coffers.
I wonder how my gas guzzling cars emissions compare to a new equivalent petrol engined car, i'll give the results of mine, hopefully the more knowledgeable will be able to say just how bad my car is in comparison to new and whether it should be scrapped, or are we being fed hogwash by the green brigade in the govt.
Its 3.2litre, straight 6 cyl 24V and its done 75K by the way.
Fast idle test.
CO Max limit 0.200 Actual Value 0.052 pass.
Lamda. Min limit 0.970 Max limit 1.030 Actual value 1.002 pass.
Natural idle test.
CO Max limit 0.300 Actual value 0.018 Pass.
Thoughts please.
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The density of petrol is 0.737 ...
Thanks Snail. Redoing my calcs, then
Density of petrol 0.737 .... so 41.2 gm/km.
CO2 produced is 41.2 x 352 / 114.2 = 127 gm/km
You'll need to do about 53 mpg to get into the lowest tax-band.
I had an accident repair done to my Focus ST170 at the end of February - I had replacement front bumper, radiator and A/C compressor fitted.
Since I've had the car back there has been a ticking noise every few seconds when the car is being driven. The noise appears to be related to the air conditioning because when it is turned off the noise does not occur (I was pointed in that direction by a google search - one result described the cause but not much more).
The noise is basically composed of a Tick, Tock, Tick every 5 seconds or so when the engine is being revved (it doesn't seem to happen when idling, even if the car is in motion, but does happen when revving when stationary).
I already asked the garage (a Ford main dealer) to look into it when I had my MOT done last week, but they didn't spot it because they turned off the A/C during the test. I hadn't narrowed it down to the A/C at that point.
Before I take the car back to them for another look, does anyone know if this is normal for a new A/C compressor, or for a newly regassed system? I didn't own the car from new so don't know if it's likely to settle down over time.
Any insight gratefully received! Read more
Are you saying that you don't regularly use it?
Not at all, I normally leave it on as part of the climate control's 'auto' program. However the ticking noise was irritating me so I'd turned it off until I could take it in to be looked at. Should have been more clear really!
I have a 99 Ford Focus 1.8 (petrol) with 79k miles. I went to a local mechanic today because I was concerned by some condensation on the inside of the coolant reservoir. He said that it is normal to have condensation on the inside surface of the reservoir whether the engine is hot or cold. I can't say that I remember noticing it before and I have had the car since 2004. I do have to top up the coolant about every 1000 -1500 miles. Also when the engine is up to operating temperature the needle on the gauge does not point exactly up but slightly to the left which again I have not known in the past. When I turn the engine off and then, say 10 min later, I go back and turn the ignition so that I can see what the temperature is on the gauge, the needle has fallen right back towards cold.
I have also been getting 24mpg urban driving instead of the usual 26/27 mpg
Can you help me sort these symptoms out ?
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>>I have also been getting 24mpg urban driving instead of the usual 26/27 mpg
>>
All those figures do not seem very good.
In my older 2.0L Mondeo 123K AUTO ( same type of Zetec engine) I get 26/27 mpg.
>>
>>A modern sealed cooling system should never need topping up, so there must be a problem some where.
Both the 99 Focus and 98 Mondeo in our household have never been topped in five years.
According to an article in Commercial Motor, the average percentage of biodiesel is 4.4%, nominal maximum is 5%.
However, MAN's UK service chief claims random samples have shown as much as 10% bio in fuel, which exceeds engine manufacturers' approval level.
It seems that the permitted maximum is due to rise to 7%, which may lead to more problems. (Some truck operators find that oil and filter changes are needed more often and some have had issues with sludge and algae in fuel since using biodiesel, though this is blamed on storage, as it is presumed OK as it leaves the refinery).
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Bio-content may be better description? I assume you are talking of normal pump diesel, not the stuff advertised as Biodiesel which, in Morrison's case, is already 30%.
I thought that some of the companies had already raised normal pump bio content up to 10%... interestingly I suspect thats as far as it will go for the time being in that many manufacturers such as VAG have already specified a max of 10% mix and will not ok the use of Biodiesel, even the Morrison stuff... Its strange that my old Fabia 1.9TDI was alowed to run on Bio but my current Roomie with the same engine in 105bhp form its not allowed... we're going backwards!
hi,can anyone help,my engine runs noisy,sounds tiney/chokey for about 10 to 15 mis & then seems to settle down,any tips?or could it be just getting a bit old & to put up with it , had new spark plugs fitted & new oil & filter. thanks Read more
thanks top bloke,i will check the modified oil feed ,& what are the guides? & do you mean fit a new chain? thanks again mate
hi all, my 2001/51 2.0t s60 seems to have a squeaky blower. It is most noticeable on a low setting, but will still do it even when its off. Im certain the fan blade is loose, as a higher setting will make the noise eventually fade away. How do i get to the blower once the glovebox is out of the way?
Also i hear an exhaust vibration on idle/low revs from the engine end,again it goes away with speed, sounds like a rattle on a heat shield near the engine block. Any ideas? As these are driving me mad!
thanks
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I have a Haynes manual - will check what's involved in getting to the blower tomorrow.
If the cat's breaking up, it will be doing so internally, and the outside of the casing will look perfectly normal.
How easy is it to change a manual wing mirror into an electrical one?
{it's one of my many pet hates to see door mirrors still being referred to as wing mirrors, so changed the header} Read more
Electric ones are heated when the HRW is on and have a single switch instead of separate knobs and different trim so quite a lot is needed,not just the wiring.
Water? Soft or hard... Or that catch all `fluid`..
Pink or blue? There generally has to be a colour of course to give `confidence` that it`s not plain water. Even though that leaves an opaque coating on the screen round the edge of the wiped area.
I had a recent dream (time shift induced) that included the usual cream and red Triumph twin (last seen age 17yrs in the 60`s) but the main thrust was a guy telling me that cod liver oil kept the pipes soft.. the washer pipes that is.
It was a 1950`s engine bay and seemed like one of my teachers with a Hillman Minx. Then I was back in class aged about 8yrs cracking down with my teeth (pop!) on one of those school provided cod liver oil tablets and slugging back one of those little bottles of milk.
Outside cars motored past and there was an awareness that the road outside was connected to all other roads and there was no limit to possible travel.
Actually, that last paragraph is a memory from age 5yrs.
Then I woke up and Cilla Black came on in an advert seeming to tell me to `prepare for death` by taking out insurance...
The washer bottles full of pink `fluid` anyway - how about yours? Read more
My windscreen washers only get used come MOT time. Never get charged for screenwash additive for a service either :-)
I normally do mot through dealer where i bought car
decided to use another who are well known who offered me cheaper--and agreed arranged time service.
they said bring it in --12pm arranged time/where i can wait --an hour maybe longer.i got there and they said the mechanic has his lunch at 1230pm--wont be able to start on it 145pm---car about 3pm.
i said why did you arrange time for me 12pm---when we agreed a time arranged service.asked for courtesy car till 3pm as i had other commitments.they refused--i walked out.
lost my business
p.s. nothing against the mechanic---just they broke arranged agreement.
{some of the 'txt' talk words substituted for proper ones} Read more
Don't worry - often the cut price MOT places attempt to make their money through repairs.
Usually cheaper and less hassle to get MOTs carried out in places which specialise in MOTs, even if you do pay the full cost.
Browse
Worn rear axle rubber bushes and/or a broken spring will fail the MOT. Rear bump stops split into two parts (they only last about 5000 miles before they separate) will pass. Worn rear axle rubber bushes cause rear end/wheel steering.