Hi,
My Astra 1.4 will not start, when I turn the engine over it will fire if I put my foot right to the floor and keep the starter motor turning, but it will not rev up and start and stops firing if I take my foot off the gas and when I stop turning the starter motor it's dead. Even an RAC man when called out could not identify the fault.
I hope a motor repair Guru out there can help me before I loose it and scrap the car, but it's only got around 60,000 on the clock and the engine when running is sweet. Read more

Hi folks,

I am going to change the MAF on my 1.9 Tdi PD 130 BHP VW Bora,because it`s surely faulty(Limp mode happened twice in the near past,cleaned out the MAF then went well again).
So can anyone tell me which MAF shall I buy?
I am going to buy a BOSCH part but I don`t know the part number.
Read more

Hello all!

Can anyone help me, pleeeeeease (and sorry for the long explanation)?

I have a 2002 52 Reg Mondeo 130 TDCI Zetec with 150k on the clock and FSH. It has never given me any problems except for a new water pump and power steering pump at about 140k and new rear sub-frame at about 135k - all in all, costing me over £1k.

Even throughout this cold winter/snow we've just had, it has started first time, everytime.

Except for this time...! I went to start it after leaving it overnight, when it turned over but never fired up. Then one of the orange lights started flashing (I describe it as the 'glowplug looking light'). It keeps flashing now.

No matter what, it wouldn't start and white smoke poured out of the exhaust.
Quick call to my mechanic followed and based on what I told him, he thought it was the glowplugs, so told me to keep turning it over until the engine caught, then get it to him. He said the white smoke was unburnt diesel.

I did as he said (maybe my biggest mistake!) - engine eventually fired up, but ran 'lumpy'. As I drove up the road, I could her a loud-ish knocking coming from the engine. Lumpiness cleared a little and there was no power (limp mode?).

First, glowplugs etc were checked, along with other things, then the injectors were taken out to be checked - apparently, no problem with them.

Now, the garage is saying that a 'conrod' has possibly gone and to sort it, will be an expensive engine-out job (estimated at £1k not incl. the work done so far).

Soooo, a few questions to you experts out there:

1) Does this sound like the right diagnosis?
2) Does the rate sound 'ok'?
3) Why has this happened - have I done something wrong?
4) I really don't know what my car is worth, so is it worth keeping (probably a silly question bearing in mind the clutch has never been replaced so far, I need a new auxillary tensioner thingy-me-jig plus a new set of brake discs, pads and a service!)?
5) Is it worth buying a second-hand engine?

My partner and I are expecting our first baby, as well as trying to buy a house plus trying to buy her something reliable to drive - so while I could get a another car, cash flow is not great and I'd rather not unless I'd be stupid to put more money into this one!

Sorry for so much text - I just hope you guys can help!

Thank you all very much,
Tony. Read more

Hi all, my grateful thanks to forum users who advised me where to buy car mats for my Focus (eventually bought from Dagenham Motors in Stamford Hill, north London.)

Hope you can help me with the following: This morning I noticed that the cover/door over/outside the petrol cap was missing, presumably because someone has broken it off. It is nowhere to be seen, so I assume it has been stolen. Just to be clear, this is the round cover/door outside the petrol cap, which is locked when the central locking is on (which it was) and is the first thing to be opened in order to get access to the petrol cap.

At the moment the petrol cap is not completely exposed because there is a black horizontal piece of plastic (a kind of 'secondary door') which is still locked (is this part of the cover/door?) covering the cap. (However this still leaves a gap at the top and bottom - similar to the logo/symbol of the London Underground.)

The car is a black Ford Focus LX 1.6 petrol, 2006 06 reg.

In case any of you have experience or knowledge of this issue:
1. Where's a good place to have the petrol cap cover/door replaced? (does not have to be new). (I live near Wood Green, north London, but can travel if the place is good/recommended.)
2. Any idea of the potential cost? (Insurance is not an option; £400 excess!)
3. My MOT and service are due within 2 weeks - any advantage in having the petrol cap cover/door replaced at the same time?
(4. Less important question: do you think whoever did this wanted the cover/door itself or access to the petrol? Has this happened to any of you?)

I would be extremely grateful for answers to any of the above, especially recommendations for where to go for a new cover/door. Many thanks in advance, Chris Read more

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