March 2009
With the shape of many modern cars having a bonnet dissapearing down out of sight and rear vision often limited, parking sensors are a useful aid. I have fitted several aftermarket kits to different cars. I normally get a can of matching spray paint and spray them up so they blend in.
Does anyone know if they can be fitted to a car with the Can Bus electrical system and secondly does anyone know of a list of cars with the Can Bus system? Read more
In the yard of the haulage firm where I work are two Routemaster buses, one built in 1963 and the other in 1966. The '66 bus belongs to my boss and has been fully restored. The '63 model belongs to a friend of his and could do with about 5 buckets of filler and at least the same quantity of paint.
I've had the dubious privilege of driving the shiny one. I'm sure all previous RM drivers must now have Schwarzenegger-esque biceps from wrestling with the steering. As well as a flat head from the lack of dampers. And no hearing ability left whatsoever.
This is one of the 40mph models - apparently a few examples built for the Gatwick run had a much higher final drive ratio and could exceed 60! - although I levelled out at around 34mph due to the incredible noise from the engine some 12" from my left elbow.
They don't have odometers, so.. how many miles is a RM likely to have covered since it was built? I would guesstimate between 1-2 million, depending on the route, but surely someone will have a more accurate idea.
Dave TD.
Read more
In the yard of the haulage firm where I work are two Routemaster buses, one built in 1963 and the other in 1966. The '66 bus belongs to my boss and has been fully restored. The '63 model belongs to a friend of his and could do with about 5 buckets of filler and at least the same quantity of paint. I've had the dubious privilege of driving the shiny one. I'm sure all previous RM drivers must now have Schwarzenegger-esque biceps from wrestling with the steering. As well as a flat head from the lack of dampers. And no hearing ability left whatsoever. This is one of the 40mph models - apparently a few examples built for the Gatwick run had a much higher final drive ratio and could exceed 60! - although I levelled out at around 34mph due to the incredible noise from the engine some 12" from my left elbow. They don't have odometers, so.. how many miles is a RM likely to have covered since it was built? I would guesstimate between 1-2 million, depending on the route, but surely someone will have a more accurate idea. Dave TD.
I agree with you about driving one. A friend had an RM (now sold it) and I was allowed to drive it, and it's not easy as you take the whole carriageway, with little leeway. A mini roundabout was an interesting experience too.
I've driven a few different cars now with the dreaded electric handbrake, i won't ever own one by the way.
Some inconsistencies here in the application and use, if they standardised it would be better i'm sure.
I can't comment on VW/Audi, and i can't remember exactly how the Vauxhall Insignia brake operated, but i don't recall anything unusual, and i can't remember how Renaults operate either.
Anyway here's a few to start with
Citroen Pull on Pull off.
(C5, C6 normal siting, C4 Pic top of dash)
Jaguar, Land Rover, (All Fords?) Pull on Push off ...quite normal to me anyway.
(Normal siting)
New Avensis Push on Pull off....find this unusual.
(dash siting just to left of bottom of steering wheel)
Please add your own knowledge and do correct me if i'm mistaken again, at least we'll know what to expect, i daresay more cars will be fitted with these systems in the future.
Some of the above have selectable auto/manual function, thats handy when you get in a strange vehicle. Read more
I spent a good few months driving a Passat with the electronic handbrake and it really put me off them.
Despite all the advancements, cars are still very much 'analogue' devices and the elegant simplicity of a handbrake just doesn't need replacing!
Hi. I?m after a ball park figure to get the following rust/paint repair carried out:
Rust on all 4 wheel arches.
10p size rust patch on door frame above window
3 Bumper scuffs
Rust along top edge of windscreen
10p rust on leading edge of bonnet.
Car is metallic silver.
From the looks of things the rust is surface rust, and has not eaten through the metal.
I?m getting quotes later on this week, it would be nice to have a ball park.
I?m not after a Rolls Royce job, but something that will do the job for a couple of years.
Read more
It is a long time since I have seen a bare metal panel,they are usually in primer these days.Ideally this should be removed,it rarely is,then the panel sprayed with etch primer,weld through primer should be use for areas to be welded.Once the panel is in situ a wax based anti rust compound should be applied to the back if access allows.Wheelarches really need this or rust will show at the joins in a few months.As usual a higher standard of work will cost more,many repair shops rely on you not having the car long enough for their cut price work to show through.
Hi does anyone have the fuse diagram for a 1.9 berlingo I need to know which fuse is for the cig lighter any help would be great.
regards
stew Read more
I have just purchased a second hand Avensis Diesel Hatchback 2.0D-4D T3-X5dr today. it has a Sat Nav switch on the radio dash, but I am not sure if there is one fitted, if I press the switch nothing happens your help please from other owners would be appreciated. Regards Inishman Read more
Does anyone if you can get an updated DVD for 2006 avensis t3s.
Hi Everyone,
I have a Mk1 Ford Focus Estate, 1.8 TDDI, 2000, W Plate. For a about 6-8 months I have been experiencing the rear wiper blade not wiping fully across the window.
When the switch was flicked to intermittent it would only wipe across a 1/3 of the window and then stop, I would then have to flick the stalk off and back on again a couple of times to get it back to the parked position. When the rear washer was depressed the wiper would wipe across the window fully 5 times and then settle normally in the correct place but sometimes not.
In searching I have found the most common fault is the relay?s, Ford Parts Centre insisted that this was the fault, I have changed both of the relays for the windows in the fuse box and still no difference.
The next thing I changed was the rear wiper motor, this again made no difference.
I replaced the wiper stalk with both a standard wiper stalk and a 6 speed stalk this made no difference.
I have looked at the Central Timer Module but it doesn?t seem out of order at all.
Anyone have any advice on something I can try next? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks in advance!
Simon
Read more
Hi Everyone,
Thanks for all your help. The constant live wire in the loom is faulty at some point. I have replaced this, was a tight job though...and now my wiper works fine!
Kind Regards Simon
Hello folks,
I'm planning to buy an ex-fleet car from a local dealer (car trader). This car comes with no V5 and no service-history. I had a look at the HPI report for that car and it says it has no previous keepers (which means that the dealer has repossessed it, but not a registered keeper).
Is it ok if for me to buy the car given it as no service-history nor logbook (given he says he'll fill V62)?
I'll be getting MOT, Tax-disc (valid) and two sets of keys along with the car. Is there anything else I should be getting? (like a copy of V62?)
Since I'm quite new to cars, I'm not sure if I should pay lot less for this fleet-car (with no service history) than the valuation i found on whatcar.co.uk.
Thank you Read more
I think I would walk away. However a few years ago I bought a Citroen Xsara, 13 months old, no log book or history, but the price was cheap and they ofered £500 for a clapped out Rover that belonged to my friend - so did the deal. Two weeks later the paper work arrived - the car had been leased to a company who had gone bust and the bank/administrators took possession of the car and the dealer had bought it. Fully serviced at a main dealer near to the company that had folded - so I got a fully maintained vehicle at knock down price - but I took a risk. Car ran great for 3 more years clocking up 60,000 miles before p/e against my new Megan. However yours is older and something doesn't stack up... walk away
Following on from the thread about the wisdom or otherwise of exceeding revving an engine beyond the marked red line.........................
What is the highest revving reciprocating engine ever made? I remember hearing about some 2-stroke single-cylinder racing bikes that revved to 20,000 rpm.
What about diesels? I know that diesels cannot rev much beyond 5500-6000 rpm whatever their design because that speed matches the natural expansion rate of the burning diesel / air mixture in the cylinders. Read more
Horsepower @ RPM: 2.9 @ 35,000
I make that 630hp/litre - no wonder it goes so fast! Mind you, I expect the purple anodising helps - that and the nitromethane...
Hello,
I had to do some work on the front hub of my 406 2.0HDi 110 today (its pretty tight that hub nut!). Unfortunately the left hand driveshaft came out of the gearbox slightly so some about half a litre of gearbox oil leaked out. There was no problem reassembling the hub and refitting the driveshaft but obviously I need to refill the gearbox oil and check the level.
My Haynes manual shows where the fill / level plug for my gearbox (ML5T) should be but it definitely isn't there on my car. The drain plug is fairly obvious and all the other bolts on the final drive housing are hex head retaining bolts. I eventually found a black plastic filler cap on top of the gearbox next to the selector mechanism so added gearbox oil here using a long plastic tube and a funnel. It filled up pretty quick to the top.
Is this supposed to be the correct level?
What happens if I overfill the gearbox oil?
Thanks
Read more
Thanks for that - I'll keep it in mind when messing around with gearboxes in future.
I did remove one bolt that I thought could be the level plug but it was just a securing bolt (and no dull thunk thankfully) After that I gave up and just drained and refilled with the right amount of fluid. Seems to be OK...
Browse
.jpg)
Ive just payed out a lot of cash to protect the can bus system on the Xtrail .
The towbar electrics are fitted via the vechical pacific kit. I was told the engine managment unit could be damaged, cost thosands to replace.
If you are coming off any of the light circuits, i would a lest connect via an interposing relay, not expensive and they do isolate from the outgoing circuit.
I would never recommend fitting a capacitor, inductors and capacitors are not a good mix with electronic modules.