December 2009
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this time last year i had a new head gasket done on my punto after the thermostat broke and caused some extreme overheating.
after a 600 pound expense i have noticed this last month or so that the swooshing water noise mentioned by a previous poster is happening in my car on the passenger side too - it always seems to be when the car is first starting and then quickly stops after it gets warm.
This morning (in freezing conditions) I got my car de-iced and running - half way on my way to work I had noticed that no hot air was coming from the heaters - I could still see my own breath - and the temp indicator started to slowly rise above halfway - so i turned back and dropped it off at my nearest garage.
Initially i thought there might just be a problem with the thermostat again - but after reading this post about the water noise - i fear the head gasket may have gone again?
any advice? Read more
in line with the previous threads about swooshing water noise - how serious is this? will it cause any further damage down the line?
My previous problem turned out to be burnt out pistons rings - not head gasket. so another 450 quid later i got the car back.
Please can anyone advise on the following?
current issues
- swooshing water noise on passenger side.
- since returned from garage i now have a faint whirring/high pitched noise coming from front drivers side.
- smell of petrol after a few miles driving.
- as i come to a stop, when the engine revs go down to zero - for the frist couple of 'rounds' it sounds like it gags/chokes as if it is going to stall but doesnt. never happened before - but just since it came back from garage.
oh and also to rub salt in the wound - my door handle fell off unexpectadly yesterday too.
After finding that some filling stations now cynically prevent use of the free water to force you to buy their extortionately priced premix, I went to a supermarket instead and got a 5L drum.
I've just noticed it's only good for down to ?5 °C, so sailing very close to the wind for anti-freeze properties in the current conditions. Read more
>I have halfords blue premixed in my car.
I use Sainsbury's Vodka diluted as necessary.
Almost as cheap as the Halfords stuff and I can always drink it if I get stuck ;-)
Kevin...
mainly when i have just started my journey, but when i have to slow to a full stop the brakes grind, like the pads have wore out. but i have had them recently checked, and that was not the case.
any ideas what could be wrong
thanks for your help
shaun Read more
When your driving apply light pressure to the brake pedal when safe to do so for a few seconds at a time this will generate heat and the rear brakes are damp lots of moisture this time of year, you may drive some distance before you apply the brakes in which case they are still damp.
Keep doing this applying light pressure the noise should go away if there in good order.
I am stuck in my office in Bracknell which is overlooking complete gridlock on London Road/A329. There has been no gritters at all today. Cars have been crashing into one another and there is no traction at all. Remind me why I pay the local authority so much money. Read more
Morons. That was a night to stay at home and not get the car out
let alone go into Reading.
I should think most of them were trying to get home!
I ran back home from Early station along the A329 - virtually nothing going into Reading, stationary nose-to-tail coming out.
I need to top up my coolant /antifreeze.
I know you should not mix the pink and blue varieties, but what is in my system currently is just a rusty brown colour. (I'm assuming it was once pink?)
Can I just add a 1litre top up, diluted as per instructions?... Or should I really drain the whole lot and refill from scratch?.... If so, how do I go about this?
Cheers Read more
Thanks guys. Will give it a do over the holidays
Don't believe it! After five years' ownership and 83000 miles without so much as a bulb blowing (averaging around 67 mpg), my yaris D4D cut out today soon after setting off from home. Pretty cold weather, around -4 overnight with it left on the drive, but I've never had this problem before with any other diesel I've owned. Problem started with a slight hesitation after about half a mile (started without problem), and waited until I got onto the dual carriageway to lose all power and then die completely. Managed to coast to a lay-by and then tried starting it again after five mins, which it did. Set off on full beans, but then cut again more or less straight away. Re-started on the move and managed to limp home in second/third. By the time I got home it seemed to be pulling absolutely normally, so the only thing i can think of is waxing fuel. This seems unlikely though, as the other car (07 Honda CRV) parked next to it, filled from same pump, set off no problem. Any suggestions as to where to look? Left it parked in the garage overnight, so we'll see whether it gets me to work in the morning. Whaddya think is the problem? Read more
The fault logged is consistent with fuel icing up...
Anyone have any experience of this type of thing. Appears to be a fabric covering for the driven wheels to help in snow. I have a job that I feel obliged to get to whatever the weather and have always managed (but sometimes only just!). Just wondered if these are recommended by anyone on here (they won't break the bank for the occasional use I'd have).
All comments appreciated. Read more
I bought a pair back in Feb and have now had a chance to use them. Our house is up on a hill in the Cotswolds so which ever way you try to get to it, it involves a ~10% or more hill.
First go was down a hill signed as 20%. The top was almost sheet ice and the rest slippery slush. They were great, didn't feel the car slipping at all.
Used them again the other day to get home. Main road closed so had to go cross country up/down some very steep and narrow country lanes. They did pretty well. There is no way the Mondeo which seems to have no grip in snow would have made it home without. Suspect the Mondeo's problem are the pretty worn Bridgestone Turanzas.
I think autosocks are great. Bit of a hassle to keep taking on/off when you get to gritted roads. The big downside is that they can get ripped up easily. On one steep county lane I ended up wheel spinning and in the process it has shredded one of the socks to the point where it is not fit for use. The sock obviously got down to bare tarmac. The other is basically fine bar a few small tears. Much easier to use if you have two people in the car as you have to partially fit, roll 1m then fit the rest.
I am considering winter tyres as a more permanent solution but will replace the worn sock and be more careful next time. Well worth keeping in the boot to get out of a tight spot.
If you do buy them keep a bin bag in the boot as they are dripping wet and covered in snow/slush once used.
Hello all, new user here.
My wife has owned a Mini One Convertible for just over two years. Bought from a main dealer with 14k miles and FSH. Serviced by them since and now has 26k miles. The car goes to and from the kids schools, shops etc - usual local mileage, no racing, mods or anything silly. Went out of warranty in May but we decided not to renew because what could possibly go wrong on a car of this age, mileage, use etc!!
Last Tuesday the con rod blew out of the block with no warning at all. Engine is a total write off and cost to acquire a new one from BMW and fit is c. £5.5k Main dealer has been brilliant and currently I am being asked to pay £1.1k as a contribution to the labour charge. I'm now discussing direct with BMW as I'm still shocked at such a huge failure on a car of this age and condition.
Has anybody heard of this before. I've trawled the web and found one similar case in the USA. And how much more do you think I might persuade BMW to offer me. Ultimately they are about to lose two customers - my wife who has lost faith in the car and me as I'm about to change my BMW 525 and will probably go Merc or similar now but not BMW!
And any idea what might have caused such a dramatic failure?
Thanks all. Read more
email the Moderators and ask if they would mind emailing MidSussex on your behalf.
Hi my 2 litre diesel estate 92,000 miles has been leaking oil steadily for a while now. I left it in with my mechanic and he is baffled as to what is the cause. He says there is more than usual backpressure coming out the filler opening but none from the dipstick. He thinks this backpressure is forcing oil out someplace. And this might indicate an engine rebuild. This time last year I spent close to 5 grand on high pressure oil pump and a new turbo (not to mention just having had the timing belt done), so I really don't want to get into more expense. Does anyone have any ideas/suggestions? Read more
Actually it might be a good idea to get shot of this car now rather than spend more money. These engines can be quite troublesome.
Browse
Thanks for that. Will dort it out somehow.