July 2009
Hello all,
Enjoying the heat? Phew.
Checking the resistance of the ignition coil on the above car (ABS) and the 1998 2l 8v gti (AGG) engines. Bentley has the primary coil at 0.4 to 0.8 ohms but the ABS engine coil is 3.9k ohms and the AGG has 1.9k ohms. Both secondary coil's are in tolerance.
Are these far enough out to cause misfire/weak spark? Worth replacing the ABS one (3.8k) ?
Cheers,
james Read more
Hi
Have read quite a few isuues on engines going into limp mode but not seen one for my car.
I have one of the first MK IV Golf TDI's with the 90PS engine, just started going into what I would think is limp mode when you reach around 3000 rpm. Have checked all the vacuum hoses to the the turbo boost solenoid valve and they are all ok, replaced one as it was slightly worn. Took the solenoid of and and put a separate supply to it and it switched between ports so I assume its working ok. The only odd thing was when i put it back on and checked the voltage to it I had 14v on one side and nearly 7v on the other, surely there should on be supply on one side.
Have run out of ideas so need someone who knows these engines.
Thanks
{moved to Technical Matters} Read more
Hi
Have a 1998 1.9 Golf TDI (90) and it .looks like I have the Limp Mode syndrome. I am confused as there are 2 solenoid valves on the bulkhead that operate the vacuum system. In all the articles I have read it only ever talkes about the N75 valve?
Question is why 2 valves and what do each do. Have replaced the smaller pipes to eveywhere but still goes into limp mode when over 3000 revs but only in 4th and 5th.
The valve that goes to the turbo clicks repeatadly when running, the other one I dont know if working or not.
Help?
I am in Bulgaria for holiday, and thought would share some observations.
I was last here 3 years ago when it was touch and go whether I would make flight home from Bourgas airport due to a severe head on smash blocking the main road to the airport but we made it in the nick of time. Arrived here last Friday, picked up hire car and then found that the main (and only) road between Bourgas and Obzor (where we are staying) was blocked by a severe head on crash! Some things don't change!
Had hired a 5 door Corsa through Economy Car Rentals for £202 all inclusive for 10 days. However when I collected car from Thrifty, I had been upgraded to a 5 door Polo! Woman made a big song and dance about this upgrade but I am still not sure how much better than a Corsa a Polo is!
Due to the road closure we had to stop off in Sunny Beach for a few hours and my first observation was the quality of the cars now. There is a total abundance of BMWs, Mercs, Audis, Range Rovers etc. whether this is from the property market or the renowned Bulgarian crimelords who knows! Also saw a Maybach, and Orange Lambo and a White Ferrari soft top! All the Bms are 7 series, have only saw one 5 series and no 3 or 1s. Mercs, large numbers of AMG 63 etc. And absolutely loads of 4x4s, RR, Q7, X5 etc.
Three years ago there were very few of these types of cars but the large variety of cars still exist - some cars dating back to Trabby times, many looking unroadworthy but saw normal average cars, Astras, Daewoos etc. Saw a pristine looking Mark 1 Fiesta in that cream colour with not a hint of rust or any of the scrapes and dents that are normal here.
Driving is still as bad as ever in particular the road from Sunny Beach to Obzor, this is the main road but would struggle to qualify for a B-Classification back home. Very hilly, windy roads and sometimes you will come up against a lorry filled with logs, pulling a trailer filled with logs, struggling to do 5 mph up these hills and the same down due to lack of brakes! Meanwhile every one is overtaking on blind bends.......
Fuel is about 2 lev a litre, approx 90p. LPG is available for approx 40p a litre. Read more
later this year I am driving to France.
Please can anyone tell me anythging about either
a ) adjusting the headlamp for european driving
b) how to block the left facing dip beam so as not to dazzle in France.
I have noticed that the headlamp lense is complety smooth with no segments
or areas which could be used as a reference point for b) above.
I thank you all Read more
Not a good idea to put anything sticky on Xenon lights, I believe. To find out where to mask my Pug lights I had to buy a set of protectors, no great pain or expense, and they came complete with 2 black plastic stickers plus small black corner markers etched onto the surface to show where to attach them to the protectors
I have been offered a Citroen Berlingo Multispace desire it's on a 55 plate and a 2.0D for £3250 with 73k miles on the clock. It has full service history, and 2 owners, 1st being a demo. Its in silver and in pretty good condition.
A friend is selling it who controls a company car fleet, so i would be looking to sell it on.
Are these 2.0D engines chain or belt?
Anything i need to watch out for?
Thanks Read more
If by 2.0 D you mean the HDi engine, the cam shaft is belt driven. Take a look at HJ's
car-by-car section for what to look out for on the Berlingo.
£3250 I would say is a trade price for the car so it's not bad, although the used values will have been hit by the arrival of the new shape.
Is it possible for someone with computer skills to reset a digital odometer? What safeguards are there to ensure they are not "wound back"? Read more
In the hands of a minicab driver/courier some cars can easily have covered 100K in
2 years long before the MOT's give any kind of usage guidance or mileage corroboration.
A car with an odometer that zeros at 100k could show 20k at three years, appears low milage. But for a minicab driver 120k in three years is easily possible, working 48, 5 day weeks in a year would only need to averate 166.67 miles per working day and thats assuming no personal usage.
I went to the local DVLA office in Chelmsford today. Expecting a dark, scruffy, peeling "starved of funds" generic government type office, I was actually very impressed.
It was bright, clean, had a TV for people who can't sit for a minute without being entertained in some way, a computer screen showing the next number to be called and seats with the ticket numbers on them.
I took my ticket and sat down. Within 30secs, a young man came out and asked if he could check my paperwork to ensure I didn't waste my; or their, time. When he saw I had a RFL refund request and sale/transfer form he said he'd take them for me and pass on to Swansea.
There was even adequate free parking in the yard too.
PS-I could have posted them, but I don't trust Royal Snail. And anyway, I wanted to drive my new car on the country lanes, open it up a bit. Read more
recently used it to change a classic car on SORN back to being on the road, there being no fee to pay as it is classified as 'historic'....fully expected that to be a "computer says no", but fair enough, it went through swimmingly
I'm in the market for a Focus, and have a budget of around £4k. I'm veering towards a 2.0 or 1.8 petrol, but have read the 1.8 isn't much cop. So it is will be 2.0 I think. Is there more than one version of this petrol engine, and what's it like reliability and performance wise? For £4k, am I stuck with a Mk1 Focus, or can I stretch to a MkII (apart from appearance, what differences are there?)?
Is the ST170 much of an insurance hike over the normal 2.0?
Shall I aim for an older low mileage one, or a more recent high mileage one? I rather of the school of thought that mileage isn't really an issue if a car is well looked after and long motorway drives are better than short town-based ones.
Is there anything I should look out for when inspecting a car, and what about cam-belt changes?
Please don't recommend a diesel though, I just don't like them!
Ta, D.
Read more
Make sure the seats suit you. I'm completely satisfied with Ghia seats but found Zetec seats excruciating to sit on for more than a few miles.
I just noticed that my reverse lights are on all the time even neutral. Can anyone advise what the problem may be or how to rectify.
Thanks Read more
Failed reverse gear switch sticking out of the gearbox. Regards Peter
Booked the car in at a garage I have never used before but is in the good garage scheme for two new front springs. I agreed the price and let them get on with the work.
Just went to pick up my car and saw two brand new looking but slightly soild rear springs of a Corsa on the floor. My heart sank I then get billed £160 for two new rear springs.
I went mad at this point. "My machanic says these are broken but front ones are fine". I said me and a friend fitted those two months ago and I have a receipt to proof they are just 2 months old. I then went into the garage area (he kept saying I am not insured I said I don't care" picked up my good rear springs and asked him to show me the damage he went quiet and said they will put them back on and then replace my front ones . I am going to collect later.
Hopefully they will do a good job and they will fix their mistake. If they had refused I think the police would have got involved probably to arrest me.
I am very very annoyed that they have tried to lie that my rear springs had snapped though when there is nothing wrong with them in the slightest. When they realised I knew what I was talking about they backed down and agreed to fix their mistake. If I had been clueless however I would have been ripped off to the tune of £160.
I also have a report in writing with my reg on it saying my front springs are snapped and I will show them that. I shall also take my old broken rear spring if they start being funny.
Read more
a long-lost script for an episode of Some Mothers do 'ave 'em :-) >>
nah, I disagree. It is the new series which started on 27 January 2007 and this is only episode 159 according to the site stats.
Browse
Hiya Peter,
It seems to run ok for a second or two then you hear the rev's drop and then it picks up again. If you put a timing light on it - you get moments when the light doesn't trigger - I guess because the spark is not enough to trigger the light? I've checked with a inductive pickup on a picoscope - good spark and burn time from the king lead, but not so good on the 4 plugs - but im not sure if thats just how-the-pickup-works as its similar on the other cars we have. Its had a new plugs, leads, dizzy arm & cap.
Seems slightly better when cold I guess.
James