February 2010
All my bangers have always had electronic ignition and all the Fords I have ever known have had it (I was too young to do anything under the bonnet of Cortinas etc) but some Vauxhalls and Rover still used the dizzy's until fairly recently even with proper fuel injection.
The system seems really old fashioned to me, my ten year old car dosn't even have HT leads there is no need for them.
So why did some cars still use this silly old fashioned system called Dizzy? All I ever remember about distributors is that you had to constantly spray WD40 on the points and they were very prone to damp. Coil packs do pack up of course but most do seem to last a long long time without any trouble. Read more
I've noticed that my car moves forward on its own with the clutch fully pressed.
Today in traffic i was on a completely flat surface in neutral. Getting ready to move i put it in first with the clutch pressed right down. And the car started moving very very slowly. Back in neutral, brake and i was stationary again. I've always put it down to being on slight slopes in the past or nose heavy diesels but... this test made me think twice.
Any ideas what this could be?
I've only done 30k and i'm sure it can't be clutch wear. I'm trying to be kind on the clutch as i'm dealing with 400nm. The bite point is very close to the floor.
Thanks,
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If the clutch is fully disengaged, there should be no power being transferred to the gearbox. If the clutch was a wet type, oil drag in the clutch might cause some power transfer, but how could the gearbox oil contribute to creep if the clutch is supposedly fully disengaged? Apologies if I'm missing something...
Help! Been a complete muppet and put petrol in my 2.0 tdi passat (170) - put around 2 litres in and have topped up to the brim (50+ litres) with diesel as advised by my pal who is a mechanic. Have driven home (2 miles) and all seems good - now just thinking have I done the right thing? Has anyone any experience of this working ok if I keep it topped up?? All advice much appreciated - feeling a little hacked off at mo!!
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Thanks for the advice Peter, what will Millers do? Will it just act as a lubricant for these parts?
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So the concept of anyone in the UK being able to generate enough power to sell it back seems implausible, >>
I repeat, you do NOT have to export a single unit.
They pay you 40p+ for the power you generate to consume yourself.
On top of that add the saving from not having to pay for that power from the grid (10p a unit or whatever it is now).
My 1995 Mk3 1.8i Golf (Engine code ADZ) is failing it's exhaust emissions at high idle.
The print out from the test centre gives the following information:
RESULTS
Engine oil temperature 69 C
Low Idle CO 0.14 vol% Pass
(880rpm) HC 30.00ppm Pass
High Idle Lambda 1.01 Pass
(2920rpm) CO 0.38 vol% Fail (above 0.3% )
HC 18.00ppm Pass
The catalytic convertor was replaced last year so is hopefully not the cause of the problem as it was very expensive to replace. I have also replaced the air filter and the coolant temperature sensor. A local mechanic has suggested that I put an injector cleaner into the fuel and let it do it's stuff before I take it in for a retest.
He has also told me that there is no adjustment of the idle settings on the car.
If anybody has any other suggestions / ideas please fire away.
Thanks,
S
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good to know, you know what to do the day before the next MOT now!
I would like to invent ....
An automatic speed sensitive warning sign triggered by tailgaters. It would be more sensitive in colder temperatures or when the wipers were activated. It could be something like a parking sensor which detects another vehicle driving too close and flashes a warning light mounted at the rear of the vehicle. Upmarket versions could have customised illuminated messages instead saying things such as.." I say old chap, would you mind awfully backing orf a tad ? " Folowed by "much obliged" when an appropriate gap is restored. ;-)
I'd also like to invent a roller blind which is stored in the A pillar on the outside. It would be pulled across the windscreen and clipped on to the opposite A pillar thus preventing the formation of frost on the glass. (Side versions could be fitted to Ghias etc. )
I'd also like to invent a fuel filler for both sides of the car. I know you can stretch the hose across but it's so undignified.
I would like to dis-invent automatic wipers which are stupid and never quite do what you would have chosen yourself.
What would you like to invent ?..... Read more
I'd like to invent a pipe to blow in before the ignition can be switched
on. Under the DD limit and it works over the limit and it doesn't.
But is would also have to be foolproof enough to recognise the driver and not one of his/her sober mates blowing in the pipe on their behalf.
There are no services in M1 between J2 (London Gateway) and J12 (Toddington).
It's almost 28 miles or so.
Bad if you are stuck in traffic and get call from nature :)
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I used to travel from home near Pease Pottage on M23 and visit my brother in Kenilworth via M23 , M25 and M40 and I know it was a good hour and a half drive at 70 to reach the next services which were somewhere beyond High Wycombe . Very difficult if you get caught short
Sometimes when you have to go you have to go....
On one occasion we were caught on M25 between junctions 9 and 10 in a horrendous traffic jam and SWMBO was caught short and in very severe distress indeed...... she asked me to stop the car and luckily we were in a cutting and I noticed a set of steps up the embankment into some woods and pulled onto hard shoulder with hazards - I have never seen her move so fast......
Recently my car was damaged, while parked, on a private drive. The damage to my car, a Ford focus, was a rear foglight and bumper, cost £443. I have been offered a courtesy car, paid for by the other driver's insurance. He admitted liability, which he had to do really, as he was the only person around at the time.
The car hire firm want me to agree to a £250 excess when I drive their car. I have refused, saying that I did not ask their policyholder to hit my car, and the terms of any replacement should be no worse than my own insurance, whom I have not involved in this third party claim, and that I do not accept an excess more than the £100 I have with my insurance.
The repairer, the local Ford dealer in Irthlingborough, who I requested instead of the insurer's own repairer, a Vauxhall dealership, have offered a car but I feel the offending party should provide it.
I wonder if any backroomers have had similar experiences.
I am inclined to be extremely bloodyminded about the whole thing. Read more
apparently the bumper comes from Ford ready painted. It is only a quick job, but experiences with BMW bikes in the past puts me off standing around waiting for someone to do a simple task.
tinyurl.com/y97t7ws
What exactly happens? Can they just not switch the engine off?
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Mitsubishi covered up a number of defects in their cars in Japan in the late 1990s/early 2000s.
In Japan all defects have to be reported to Government authorities, and a recall is mandatory. Mitsubishi covered these up, and repaired the cars in secret when they came in for service rather than admit anything was wrong.
It's a system that should ensure complete safety of Japanese vehicles, and obviously does not apply here. If Renault had been Japanese the Clio bonnet mullarky would have come to the fore much earlier and Renault would have been punished quite badly for failing to do anything for so long.
Mitsubishi were probably no more guilty than a typical Western manufacturer is routinely when faults crop up, if judged by our more lax standards. But they did it in Japan, and it blew up in their face in spectacular fashion.
These affected commercial vehicles rather than domestic cars, and affected clutches and wheel bearings.
The scandal cost Mitsubishi dearly, and nearly sent the manufacturer under in the end. Executives fell on their swords left, right and centre.
This is the fundamental reason why the like of Toyota tend to recall quickly. If the fault manifests in Japan, it's public domain within weeks. If it's known in Japan, it isn't long before the whole world knows about it. They have to act.
In 2000, a Mitsubishi gearbox was recalled in Japan, and all Mitsubishi cars worldwide were recalled as a result. The problem? It failed if abused in a certain way. Hyundai, Chrysler and a Euro brand that I don't recall also used this part. Their response? Stony silence.
Therein lies the difference. Why Toyota are being caned for this latest recall is mystifying when you know how the system works over there.
Just what it says above! Sister in-law has no dipped beam. The relay pulls in & clicks for sidelights & they come on ok. Full beam working fine.When the stalk is rotated to dip there is no relay click so it's either the stalk or relay. I would imagine it would be cheapest to try the relay 1st, anyone know what type it is? Read more
I would check that both bulbs are ok before buying relays and switches.hth
Browse
My old Golf mk3 GTi had the distributor + electronic ignition and didn't miss a beat in 15 yrs, 150 k miles; always started within a moment of the key being turned, and never needed anything more than occasional HT leads, cap and rotor arm. Later models got through coilpacks like an elephant gets through sticky buns, so it's not all one-way traffic!