May 2010
Hello, I foolishly drove a vehicle yesterday without an MOT, it expired ten days ago. I was picked up by an ANPR vehicle and was about to receive a fixed penalty notice and a £60 fine.
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Hi all.
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There is a mention of testing if the EGR is stuck. I have fixed my EGR which was stuck open a fairly simple job with a set of extended shaft torx keys or spanners , I.e. like long Allen keys but star type. Remove water tank clip move it up and forward, remove fuel filter and housing completely, 3 fuel pipes, remove three T30 bolts from plastic Pipe , end of intake manifold, remove fixing screw on same pipe down low, remove solenoid plug on EGR' remove 3 T25 screws on EGR and use WD40 to free up center pin on motor end push in pull back 8mm its a pin on a spring. Done the EGR solenoid is a small black plastic unit with cooling fins about 50 mom dia. At under end of intake manifold battery side. It has an electric 2pin plug into it.
My daughters 2001 Corsa has a very noisey timing chain / gear which obviously needs some attention to sya the least, my question is can you change the timing chain, tensioner etc with the engine in situ, or is it an engine out job? Would be grateful for any advice on the matter, many thanks, Cavendish2 Read more
>>Hi Bathtub tom, ( love the name)
It's a (sort of) anagram. Thanks.
High emission warning light came on . Replaced cat & reset eng man system. Light went out and then came back on months later. Car still running ok.. Replaced #1 LAMBDA sensor, eng thermostat & temp gauge and reset the eng man system. The light went out & came back on next day. Any ideas oin what else it may be please? Read more
P0420 - Catalyst Efficiency Below Threshold is set when the pre and post catalyst O2 sensor readings are too similar, indicating that the catalyst isn't working. Try a bottle of Cataclean in the fuel tank and follow the instructions. If that doesn't cure it you'll almost certainly need to replace the catalyst. You should also replace the pre catalyst O2 sensor.
It is my misfortune to have a 2004 Clio Dynamique 1.2 16v which has been suffering from (a) constant emissions warning light on dashboard and (b) feeling sluggish. I've taken it to several garages, including a main Renault dealer, but nobody seems able to (a) tell me what the problem is or (b) give me a quote for fixing it that will cost less than the car is worth.
I took it to one garage who plugged in their diagnostic machine, tried changing the ignition coil, but when that didn't work recommended I take the car to Renault instead (they didn't charge me for their labours, which was very decent of them). ... Read more
Hi,
We have recently part exchanged a 2003 Clio 1.2 Dynamique we had endless problems after Christmas with eml light being on and the car juddered and drove like a pig. In the end it was found the ecu had a problem. The issue was due to the fact the pins on the plug on the ecu in which the car wiring plugs into had rotted away leading to a bad connection. The fix for this is a new ecu and wiring loom, however we managed to get our ecu repaired took 3 weeks which stopped the ecu light coming on and the car drove ok but was still rather snappy when coming off the throttle and I think if we replaced the wiring loom another £500 that would have solved the snappy throttle but we had spent over a grand on it by then as the garages we took it too kept replacing various sensors. To be honest they arent a very well built car and tend to fall apart around your ears as they get older.
After three 100% problem-free years, the rear parking sensors have now started playing up. The buzzer now stays on for no reason when reversing. I've checked the sensors for mud etc. , but all seems OK. The centre alarm is the only one to show on the screen. I know I can turn the whole thing off, especially with the rearview camera to help, but I like things to work on the car, however non-vital they may be. As the car's just out of guarantee - of course - I'm now facing a fairly hefty bill, although the dealer has apparently asked Honda to cover it, due to fairly low mileage and no other claims.
Otherwise I love the thing, it coped with just about everything last winter chucked at it without complaint. Just sort the inside plastics out and it's perfect.
Any comments re the sensors?
Cheers BB Read more
I've owned my CRV for over 10 years and noticed when the paint started to peel off my parking sensors it caused the audible alarm to go off constantly. I stopped using them because of this so today whilst I was having my MOT and service at my local Honda dealer I asked them to quote for their replacement. The figure was over £130 each sensor! The garage admitted if you had a new set of sensors non Honda the set could be fitted for £299 and colour coded. I think this is a fault with them in as much as they do seem to degrade after a few years. The garage also suggested using a fine sand paper and then painting or varnishing over the sensors to keep the water out. We've decided we'll give it a go before we fork out any money.
Any Honda mechanics (or auto-electricians) here?
I have a 2005 (55) FR-V which I got parking sensors fitted to about 2 years ago (proper Honda sensors, and they were fitted by a Honda dealer). They have recently stopped working and I just get a low tone which the manual says means 'system defective'.... Read more
Did anyone get this problem sorted, or did you give up and buy a new set?
I've got a faulty rear sensor on my FR-V. It was fitted by Honda, but I've had the trim off and can't see the ECU - they must have stuffed it down into the wheel well. ...
Hi all,
I wish i had joined up under better circumstances but i am really struggling with my car and i hope you can help.
The story so far is......
I own a 2004 1.3 corsa CDTI with the common rail fuel injection and 45,000 miles on it, what happened was the car was using water so as i was too busy with work to look at it i took it to a local garage to be fixed. In the process of fixing it they fitted a new headgasket which later turns out not to be needed (the leak was from a stone strike in the rad).
This is going to sound a bit daft but when i got the car back it was dropped off during the day, my missus had let them put it in the garage and was all Locked up so being late i presumed it was ok so i left it there until i'd need it again (which turned out to be 7 months later) soft i know...... I am to trusting.
Anyway, When i started the car up the garage Disappeared in Black smoke in a matter of seconds, i noticed it would'nt rev properly (was a big delay between the peddle being pushed and the revs going up) so as you do i rang the garage and as expected they said you can't ring and complain 7 months after the work was done.....
So i decided to have a look at it as i am quite a good mechanic but have little experience with Diesels, so with a bit of help from a mate with another Identical CDTI and the Internet i have changed the following with no joy, also the working car didn't play up at all.
High pressure fuel pump (Swapped from working car)
checked low pressure tank pump was working and had plenty of pressure
Fuel rail inc regulator and Pressure sensor (Swapped from working car)
Injectors (they do need cleaning as when i fit mine to the good car it started smoking a bit but nothing major) also there is a slight leak from the copper washers but the good car runs fine with the same leak. (there seems to be plenty of fuel/pressure there)(Swapped from working car)
Fuel filter case/new filter/Air filter
Map sensor (Swapped from working car)
Maf Sensor (Swapped from working car)
Crank sensor (Swapped from working car)
Cam sensor (Swapped from working car)
Coolant temp (Swapped from working car)
Leakage pipes (Swapped from working car)
Continuity tested the engine loom.
Glow plug and times tested
EGR was replaced 12 months ago when the light cam on in the car so isn't very old (less than 250 miles on it) i have removed this and inspected it (there was lots of loose carbon inside but apart that looked like new)
Recent new head gasket (no oil in water or water in oil) Compression was checked and was 350psi on each pot (cold and dry)
Valve timing, I checked this using the cam tool and a 6 mm drill which i put in the hole in the bottom of the gear box and they lined up fine.
Had a look at the turbo and even though its grubby the wheels inside seem to turn but is quite aquard so i don't know how free it is (i could only turn the Compressor side too) but it has little bearing movement.
I have had it plugged into a Diagnostic tool (OPCOM) and there is no stored fault codes and the engine light is not on.
I have also had the Inlet manifold off and there was quite bad Carbon Deposits round the egr valve probe to the valves, which i cleaned out but i think its some thing caused by the problem rather than the problem its self as the car still Black smokes and doesn't rev correctly.
Now after doing quite a bit of reading my symptoms sound like an inlet blockage or exhaust Blockage and the more i try to run it the worse the problem gets and the harder it is to start to the degree it now sounds like the glow plugs are not working now (sounds like it fires on one cylinder then with a bit more cranking gets two going etc but it doesn't quite catch on four at the moment)
I did think it could be the Cat being blocked but i have tried starting it with no down pipe on and it still is not having any.
Now i have started to think it could possibly be the EGR after all simply because i have read the egr should be shut on idle and looking at the amount of carbon that had collected in the Inlet manifold i'd say its open or is being pushed open by high manifold pressure if thats at all possible.
Any ideas? Read more
Yes, The main problem i had was the Copper washers at the base of the Injectors where worn/damaged so they didn't sit properly. After this it ran ok but felt a bit lacking in power so i was told to check the Inlet gasket which i did and was ok but as i was removing the Inlet i noticed it was blocked up with carbon and oily deposits which where blocking by about 60% the two off side cylinders. Once the Inlet was cleaned up it ran spot on.
I have a ford focus 1.8 petrol, 56 reg. There is nothing wrong with the car but i would like to put some some redex in the tank with the hope of making it better. May be more response and better mpg.
Does HJ really recommends this product? Read more
IIn the manufacturers labs they use research grade fuel- it has no detergent in it at all. He said he never saw any deposits with uk fuel..
So why is my engine and EGR valve covered with carbon?...
Hi,
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I too have a 2006 Passat 1.9 and the dealer was requesting a change at 40k. We have not even done 40k in 5 years. So, exceeding their timing, but not their mileage.
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LucyBC
I have been away, I will email you....