March 2009
Joined the M6 at Stafford North to skirt Staffordabouyt 45 minutes ago. There was NOTHING, and I mean NOTHING, on the southbound carriageway approaching the junction. Just the cars joining where we did.
Got in and checked the HA websiite - it says ONE lane closed at Stoke - Don't believe it.
Read more
www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-6Ywd629Ug
Vauxhall 2001
Vectra B 1.8 Z18XE
engine management: Simtec 71 ???
Engine Electronics warning light shows after several minutes driving
I read the fault code as 1555 (by depressing the brake & accelerator pedals & ignition)
Does anyone know what this code means & how to fix it.
Thanks Read more
P1555 tps signal not plausible with engine load, i have seen quiet alot of this code recently but what it usually boils down to is the ecu, obviosly it needs checking out thoroughtly first,Regards TB
The government is to cut the national speed limit from 60mph to 50mph on most of Britain?s roads, enforced by a new generation of average speed cameras.
The reduction , to be imposed as early as next year, will affect two thirds of the country?s road network. Drivers will still be able to reach 70mph on motorways and dual carriageways and 60mph on the safest A roads.
tinyurl.com/buvhur (Links to Telegraph article)
Modified the link so it does not point to the original rival newspaper... the news story is the same. Read more
I wish every one had your attitude it would make my job easier and I wouldn't have to go to court so often!
My handbook says that the valve clearances need checking at the second year 18000 mile service.
I thought that with hydraulic tappets they were self-adjusting.
Would this work be actually carried out on a service? How would I know?
Read more
The basic settings were probably established by shims inserted under the hydraulic tappets.
In service, they rarely give problems, or need re-setting. The service item is probably a safety check, just to ensure the clearances are still "in the ball park".
Just ask your dealer if they do indeed check clearance, or has experience told them it's not really necessary?
my remote alarm is faulty and i need to swich it off so i can drive the car.
i am led to believe that it can be done via the keyswitch under the bonnet.
can anyone describe the keyswitch and where it is located under the bonnet
thank you Read more
Good Morning all,
Yesterday the belt detached itself from its moorings on the Master van. Dear me is it a swine to steer without assistance. It continued to drive Ok and I was only about 4 miles from home. This morning I have ventured below and both pulleys and seemingly everything else is turning freely except (as I hope I am right to expect) the wheel from the crank. Any thoughts please.
Best regards..........MD Read more
>>except (as I hope I am right to expect) the wheel from the crank.
Yes, if that one spins freely, you've got serious trouble!
Girlfriend of the bloke next door, wow she's gorgeous but that's not the point.....has a 318i Coupe. Anyway, it won't start, the starter motor clicks but doesn't turn the flywheel. Tried attaching a booster thingy to the battery once we found it, it's in the boot by the way.
Didn't make any difference but the headlights are dim when tested engine off, so I still suspect the battery. We did, however, manage to bump start it OK .
It's such a long time since a car broke down on me that I've forgotten most of the checks. ( Except the Espace of course but ironically starter / battery problems were one of the few categories of problem it didn't have...wretched thing... )
What would you suspect ? Read more
Thanks Doc. That's what I thought. My neighbour is convinced it's the starter motor but I'm sure(ish) that it's the battery.
Hi i have a mercedes clk 230 kompressor 2000 model and when checking the propshaft i found play between the two halves is this normal or is it time for a new one ? thanks. Read more
my fob will not operate the central locking and when i open the door with the key this sets the alarm system off the car will start and run the but alarm still goes off intermiittently i have tried changing the battery in the fob and the fob lights up when pressed it will not operate as a remote for the central locking Read more
Due to fly back tomorrow from my New Zealand driving holiday. Just a few notes of my experiences:
1. Possums, rabbits and hares don't know the Green Cross Code. It is a massacre on the road, any and every road! Whole families......gone!
2. As a result of (1), birds of prey do not need to hunt. Fresh and steaming hot road kill is abundant. In fact, birds of prey stand their ground as a car approaches.
3. Most drivers stick to the speed limit, and on NZ roads, 100kph seems fast enough.
4. However, death toll seems to come from lack of attention rather than speed. I think lack of dual carriage ways on major roads like state highway 1 plays a part. People seem to drift on other side of road on bends. Read of at least 7 or 8 deaths whilst here.
5. Driving the South Island, (population 1 million but bigger than England) is fantastic for scenery and believing you are in the only motor vehicle in the world. Set off from Twizel to drive to Christchurch this morning at 7am, didn't see a single other car until 8.30am ! Mt Cook was breathtaking at dawn break with reflected sun on the snow capped summit. Hard to keep eyes on the road!
6. Mobile phone signal is patchy, and in remote areas, non existent. Car radio reception poor. Many miles covered in silence.
7. Gas stations far and few between and not open early, so fill up night before long journey and early start.
8. Excellent independent cafes serving great coffee and food on main trunk routes.
9. excellent motels with large room, kitchen, bathroom for less than 50 quid a night! Sign up to travelbug.co.nz to search and book, they seem to offer best motels at good prices.
9. Speights Old Dark is a nice beer after a long drive!
10. Road works start at the point road works are needed, i.e. none of this coned off nonsense for 20 miles before (like you get in UK)
11. They sure like their 4x4's over here and they especially love their Subarus! Saw lots of Jap cars of model types I have never heard of before. Lots of old cars here.
12 Hired a car from Ace rentals for £350 for 3 weeks. It was a white 1.5 Corolla auto. It was a heap of fun. Sounded like a bag of nails at start up, hated hills, I managed to open the boot every time I got out the car by catching my right foot on floor mounted boot opening lever. Funny at first....infuriating later. However, did 3500km in it and it didn't let me down. On kick down, the cog fairy in the auto box loaded a few cogs onto the fire, the car screamed like a banshee but with no discernible increae in speed. Worrying up hill with a double trailered Mac truck hauling a whole forest, hanging 3 inches from up your jacksie, hooting and hollering!
13 West coast lakes, river areas full of biting sand flies. Am covered in bites. They are dreadful.
In all, it was a brilliant and relaxing motoring holiday. Loved it. Dread getting to Heathrow tomorrow and hitting the M25.
Read more
ahh yes that's the problem with the auto gearboxes coupled to a small engine. We had a 1.6 3spd auto Corolla in 2002 and driving from Picton -> Fox Glacier in the afternoon was funny, couldn't overtake anything on the uphill stretches. Camper vans were slowing down to let us past but we just couldn't make it up at any great speed so unless they stopped and let us past we couldn't get past them.
I sat next to a 'local' on the Luge lift @ Rotorua and had a discussion about the A-series engine and the Austin Mini. It made my day.....
Browse
Likely delay of 40mins suggests more than one lane closed as well.
Perhaps whole thing was shut for a while but by time you checked most of it cleared with just one lane closed for recovery/repairs?