March 2016
Hi, I'm in the process of purchasing a Skoda Fabia 1.4 2012 plate. There seems to be a lack of clarity as to whether it has a cam belt of chain. Can anyone help or pint me in the direction of an answer? Many thank. Read more
SHORT VERSION
Having trouble getting the piston dust boot off.... Read more
Thanks for that. Didn't like the "hand pressure only on re-assembly or something is wrong" bit much. I needed a big G-clamp and a hammer, but I generally have trouble driving things like bearings in straight.
I used "a" silicone (labelling is all in Japanese, so I dunno if it was the correct silicone) when I put it back together yesterday, but that might have been a mistake, since the closest manual I have says "rubber grease" and the surprising lack of piston corrosion suggests it might not have been silicone (which I'm told has poor corrosion resistance) originally....
Hi folks, hoping someone can help here, because I'm stumped.
I was asked to look over a 54,000 mile 2003 998cc Nissan Micra K12 at a small dealer's for a cousin of mine. Drives well, feels and sounds like a 54,000 mile car. There were a few small issues which the dealer sorted, but my suspicions were raised as, once he had the deposit, he seemed extremely keen to get it off his hands, to the point of delivering it 25 miles to my house.
The next morning an issue became apparent: when started from cold it takes 12 seconds at idle before the oil pressure light goes out. During this time the engine is very quiet with no top end noise. In contrast, when the engine is hot, the light goes out instantly.
Upon collecting the car from me, the cousin dropped it to his local mechanic who offered the same diagnosis I did: a partially blocked or faulty oil pressure switch, but it seems, not so. The mechanic dropped the sump and cleaned the (already clean) strainer, then he flushed out the gallery, changed the oil and filter and finally replaced the oil pressure switch - all to no avail. He put a gauge on to it and said the pressure was fine, but I suspect the engine was probably hot at that stage. I'm a little vague on this as he's on the other side of the country and I'm getting this second-hand.
He also noticed that the sump and timing cover were sealed with gasket goo. I should have spotted this; clearly I'm getting old.
The car seems fine in every other way and is perfect when hot. There is no evidence of wear or noise. I can't figure out how a car can apprently have lower oil pressure when cold, than when hot. This is really bugging me and I'd be grateful for any suggestions.
Thanks. Read more
Assuming the mechanic is telling the truth, then the oil pickup pipework is clear and, if he measured the pressure correctly, then the pump is OK and it has to be a drain-back issue.
I popped out today and bought a genuine Nissan filter which I put in the post to my cousin, living out in the wilds. I shall report back if it resolves the issue....
Hi There,
... Read more
I ran a 2005/55 A6 2.7 TDi SE Avant for 18 months. I would agree that it was absolutely fantastic.
SE so supple suspension. Mine was wither on 16 or 17" wheels, so plenty of 'give' in the tyre sidewalls too. The torque from the engine was fantastic - certainly enough to get you into plenty of trouble if you kept your foot planted....
Hi John,... Read more
The passenger interior door handle went wonky and broke off recently. This is a well known defect for this particular model though. Not a big deal. Otherwise, this car is solid. Performs, rides, and responds like a sports car. I love it. Brilliant engineering. The maintenance is not cheap, but it's to be expected. It's a Mercedes. Anyone who is educated enough should know that if you constantly drive a vehicle like a race car, or push it to its highest capacity every time you get into it, more than likely something is going to fail, or need to be replaced sooner than later... It's common sense. I highly recommend this car to those who benevolently possess it.
Hi,
Accidentally cut the power to my CD player and need a code to get it working again... Read more
Brilliant, that worked a treat.
Thanks a lot
A while back I noticed that all my engine oil had disappeared. The local garage could not find a leak and just added oil. Recently I had my car serviced at the local toyota dealer (jemca bromley) and they told me that they found an oil leak while carrying out the service. I had them investigate the leak they tell me that the leak is coming from the offside drive shaft seal and the selector shaft seal and they tell me the oil that's leaking is engine oil. They quote me £1200 for the repair. Quotes from independent garages were in the £150 range. My question is why have toyota quoted me £1200 and how much should this really cost. Would these seals leak engine oil?
Thanks for your help!... Read more
Is there a way for someone inexperienced like me to check the gearbox oil level?
Try googling Toyota Auris gearbox level plug.
Two separate incidents in my small town in the last couple of weeks have given me pause for thought. Both happened to my son.
1. A customer parked in a supermarket car park came back to find her front wing, bumper, bonnet, etc. damaged. Over £1000 damage. CCTV showed that a liveried taxi had done the damage pulling out of its parking slot. Worse, that the driver stopped, reversed, looked at the damage he'd caused, then drove off. Local facebook (where the cctv was uploaded) identified the taxi firm - and within a few hours the firm's proprietors had contacted the victim. After a bit of shenanigans, the firm paid for the repairs, courtesy car, etc. Old Bill were not in the slightest bit interested in this (seems clear to me) offence.... Read more
Don't know about other areas but our local Old Bill seem to be somewhat short-handed, an issue aggravated by all the paperwork involved if they do actually do something, not to mention time spent hanging about at courts.
(I have friends currently serving with them, who tell it as it is, not necessarily what press releases etc say)....
Which is the better car for a man who is finally in the position where he can buy one? Background: he has a deposit down for the new Jaguar F-Pace, but wasn't blown away by it at the London launch last week and is now thinking of scrapping that idea altogether and starting again. The 2016 C63s AMG, the 2016 M4 with competition pack, or should he wait for the new Alfa which comes out in the Autumn? The decision is keeping him awake at night... ;0)
Serious answers only, please. Read more
Not sure the BMW can be classed as a real manual gearbox, it more like an auto in some respects. Thats not a bad thing with the power avaliable, as one bad gear change will stick you in the nearest ditch
Hi ,
can anyone give me some advice on purchasing
a used car with a budget of around £3000 .
I do around 12k- 18k miles a year mostly motorway ( around the midlands ) dealing in antiques
and musical instruments , nothing to heavy but quite bulky - guitar cases etc .
Been advised to look for Diesels due to the milage I do but my last two diesel cars have cost me a fortune in repairs / servicing .
Looked on Autotrader but there are so many in my price range
and not too sure what I should be getting for the money - milage , age etc.
I have a ford fusion at the moment that I regretted buying as
soon as I pulled onto my drive but the £30 year road tax - MPG and big boot
make up for its performance / look but the injectors failing - Clutch and flywheel change cost me a fortune.
... Read more
At your budget level, condition is more important than make or model - so you should be looking for something with average mileage (not too low and not too high) with a service history.
I'd suggest either a Ford Focus estate (petrol) as there are lots to choose from, or else something Japanese and also petrol-powered, such as a Mazda 6 estate (don't go near a diesel Mazda) or a Toyota Verso or Avensis. A Volvo estate - V50 or V70 depending on the size you want - could be worth a look too....
Browse
.jpg)
Hi
I'm assuming that the engine is a 1.4FSI petrol engine. This has a cam chain....