November 2009
Hi,
I have a Rover 214, 1997. Basically it wont start. I've changed the fuel filter, spark plugs, ht leads, crank sensor and nothing makes any difference. it varies from not starting at all to starting then cutting out after a few seconds. I've had 3 different people look at it. one suggested the ecu, we got a second hand one but made no difference. someone from the garage said a new ecu is no good unless you have immobiliser box and key fob to match.
They have suggested getting an auto elecy to try and bypass the immoboliser. any suggestions?
i live in the middle of nowhere and not having a car is a nightmare! thanks :D Read more
Dear all,
I may have a problem with a garage that I've used. I took my car to them last year for a new clutch and replacement for the Dual-Mass Flywheel. It's turned into a bit of a nightmare. They changed the clutch etc and then the pedal started sticking down, which they diagnosed as knackered master-cylinder. I coughed up another £300ish to replace that, which fixed the problem. However, after a while, I got an intermittent problem with the clutch slipping after being stuck in traffic for a while. The chap who runs the garage couldn't get it to slip and even borrowed the car for a week to use it to try and provoke it.
Anyway, eventually I managed to demonstrate the problem to one of his colleagues, and they took the car back and did some work - don't really know what they did though. This seemed to help. But then in June it started slipping again. I emailed him, but got no response. Then it didn't slip until a couple of weeks ago when it started doing it really badly on the way into and out of London. I took the car back to the garage and they said they would just change the clutch. I disagreed with them and said, "please investigate it before you just change the clutch". They called me a few days later to say they had found the problem - an oil leak from the rocker cover gasket dripping tiny amounts of oil onto the clutch. They said that as this wasn't their fault, they would have to charge me. They fixed the leak, and charged my £550 for another new clutch.
I went to pick it up and within 10 miles, the clutch was slipping again. They ummed and aahed and took the car back. They then changed the master cylinder again. This final bit of work SEEMS to fixed the problem for now.
Question is - should they refund me the work for the latest replacement clutch? I'm happy to pay for the oil leak, but it seems that was not causing the problem. They've sent me photos of my old clutch while it was still attached to the car and there are no signs of any oil on it. The car could have been fixed by putting a new master cylinder on and the clutch change was unnecessary....
Please - any advice very welcome!
Many thanks Read more
Not neccessarily. THe clutch on my GTA is heavy, and has been since it was new (to me @6k miles). Its now nearing 90k and its the same stiffness. The bite point is higher but thats the only difference. I also had a GTA from new before this one and the clutch on that was heavy aswell.
can any body tell me where the heater matrix is a nova, the only thing is its had a phase 2 interior, exterior and gsi engine converte. just incase it will have bean moved moved..
also my heaters are rubbish hardly any warm air coming out and the passanger side car is saoking is this related to the matrix??
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Sort of a guide here www.vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1...8
Strange noise coming from direction of fanbelt and pulleys at low speed and when reversing.. Local garage investigated and noted that noise disappeared when drive belt removed and they have fitted newcrankshaft pulley and drive belt. Unfortunately the noise is still there, any suggestions please
{Post amended to lose the SHOUTING, and to give the header a less vague title} Read more
I didn't think there was a 2.1?
Anyhow I would guess that it would be something associated with the aux belt so that would mean -
Tensioner, alternator, hydraulic pump and if fitted AC compressor.
Just to be sure I would paint a line right across the crankshaft pulley and watch for it becoming misaligned due to a faulty though new pulley.
Steve.
my dad hired out a ford sierra when i was younger,
the passanger window fell out when my mam tried to wind down the window, as soon as she moved the handle it dropped out and somehow managed to grab hold before it hit the tarmac (serously!) Read more
I quite liked the Rover 213 (Honda 12V engine I think) my company hired for me in the late 80s, but then I was a new grad and anything was better than my Metro.
The Maestro 1.3L was pretty dire, Ford Escorts of the day were fairly ropey as were Astras from memory but it was the Ford Orion which defined the (lowest) standard.
I recall the Sierra as being very comfortable for a long trip but a Montego Estate 1.6 from Kenning (now defunct I think) had clearly been broken into so the door frame didn't seal at the top - right by my ear - awful car. 1990-1993 Rover 214/216s seemed 'premium' in their day.
In the US the Hertz franchises always saw Brits coming 'would you like to upgrade to a Mustang for $1 a day Sir?' I did, instead of a capable Mondeo-related Contour, the 3.0V6 had about 75BHP and a sluggish auto, there was no boot so when SWMBO came out to join me for a holiday (I was out for a month working) we couldn't fit the suitcase in. I rented Taurus/Sable or Contours thereafter....
Since then, Ford Focuses always remind me of just how good they are, Seat Ibizas have been fun (apart from one SDi) and even a Peugeot 207 was OK as was a Hyundai I10 in Greece this year - perhaps cars have improved somewhat ?
BBC 2 at 8 tonight, James May builds a scale replica of the Brooklands circuit from stock Scalextric track.
Should be of great interest to those of us who never grew up (ie everyone who posts on this forum).
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Getting back on topic, just watched the Scalextric episode that I recorded on the Sky+ box.
Thoroughly enjoyed it. But what idiot let the learner drivers on the course hours before the event and wrecking some of the Scalextric tracks.
After reading a few posts about rental cars in the USA, I thought it would be fun to post the best rental car you have had in the UK.
Lets keep it to renting from normal companies and not exotic rental companies.
So here's mine
Guy Salmon (Marble Arch pre-Eurodollar/Alamo/National takeovers)
Year: 1991
Ford Sierra Cosworth, Toyota MR2, Ford Fiesta XR2
Budget:
Year 1993
Ford Mondeo 24v
Hertz
Year: Various
Ford Scorpio 24v
Alamo
Year: 1990s
Vauxhall Senator 24v
Hertz
Year: 2008
VW Eos 2.0 TSi
Avis:
Year: Early 1990s
Vauxhall Calibra 2.0 Turbo
I'll add more as they come to mind.
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Went through loads in the early 90s - company said I needed a car but HR would not authorise company car. Sometimes had two in a day!
Used to hire 1.6 Sierra/Cavalier/Mondeo and usually got a 1.8.
One day they turned up with a 2.0 Carlton Diplomat auto. At 1.6 Mondeo rate!
tinyurl.com/yc9x499
Well at least it stops you talking on your phone while you're driving!
JH Read more
"So that's how you run yourself over."
Speak to Brian Harvey ;-)
Hi I have been a longtime visitor to this site and found it extremely useful for a number of things in the past I just hope you can help me now.
I took out a contract with a company to build me my dream car, I paid £1500 as a first payment and this secured me the car and got a V8 put it and the V5 in my name. I continue my payment plan as agreed and in total paid £4100 the car was due for completion August 15th this year, and the two subsequent dates after that came and went. The builder would not return my phone calls or emails I had to go to him with a surprise visit to get anything. I was given a car as part payment for a refund and a £1000 in cash. We agreed that if I sell the car the total be deducted from what was owed the car I got in part payment only sold for £1500 leaving me with a £1600 hole in my pocket. I have since found out the culprit has been doing this all his life taking money for cars and and not completing the work as promised. Alot of people are after him for money. I am at a loss as I spoke with a solicitor and theysaid small claims is the only way with this amount. I have spoke with people who have gone this route with this guy and even though they have won they have still not received the money years later.
I repeated asked for evidence of the work being carried out which all i received are texts to say everything is running smoothly, he told me it was in a paint shop and the painter takes ages sometimes with it but he has repeatedly ignored my requests for the paintshop location and details, I believe the car to be in his workshop but he stated it at the paint shop and has even texted me and said he is in a 2K debt for paint because of me asking for my money back. I asked for proof of the car being done as stated and I would give him back the money and a hand written apology he just said he doesnt have to proove anything to me. He has since all of this reported that I stole the car he gave me in part payment and that I have threatened him and he said he will sue me for slander and all kinds of stuff he even told the police I threatened to burn down his unit, he seems to be trying to use scare tactics so I wont pursue trying to get my cash back.
I spoke with the DVLA and they said I should fill out a V62 as they had no record of the V5 ever being applied for in my name even though he had said on lots of occassions its had been sent off so I paid the £25 and got the V5 through the post. I spoke with the police and they said I cannot report the car as stolen as I know where it is, but in truth I dont he has told me its int he paintshop but wont give any evidence it has been finished or its where abouts, could I report it stolen and get it recovered? I worried he will break the car to bits and sell it on ebay as he has done with other peoples in the past?
Any help with this would be very much appreciated as I am tearing my hair out.
Cheers
Paul Read more
Have you actually ever seen this car? I doubt it exists.
In this country Hyundai generally gets pronounced high-und-eye. Recently on an American TV programme they pronounced it "hunday". How does the manufacturer pronounce it? Read more
With any luck I'll never have to say the word Hyundai in public.
It always strikes me as a bit interesting that, in the beginning, we had Japanese imports called simple things like Honda and Mazda, and pronunciation wasn't really an issue. Then - as capitalism did its usual thing - odder names appeared from places like Korea: Hyundai, Ssangyong, etc.
Fortunately, I probably won't live long enough to have to get used to whatever the Chinese come up with...
Browse
If it occasionally starts I doubt its the ecu at fault, I would be looking at crank sensor followed by distributor + associated components then the coil.
As above though, if you can verify a good spark on cranking it eliminates most the above, not crank sesnor though as that controls fueling. Loosening the fuel line in on the rail will prove if pump is working, you should get a good squirt when cranking. If it just trickles out the fuel line then the pump is lazy. If it doesnt do anything then either the cut off switch or the pump is the most likely suspect.
PS, the immobiliser issue is an easily over come one with a replacement ECU. Get an auto elec to do it for you. I wont disclose details as I dont know who you are.