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• Is This Normal? 10 Jul 2003 (Forum)
  There are no drips and it is not losing any oil, I get six monthly oil changes and have never had to top it up. The bottom side of the engine is the same just like a film of grease. It is running ok, it's just that I have never noticed this on previous cars and am hoping it is normal. Thanks for any replies.
• Smokin Probe. 9 Jul 2003 (Forum)
  Smokes badly on startup after being left for a while. Plugs 2 and 4 black. Took plug 2 out after engine had been run and blueish smoke came out of plug hole. I think it's valve stem seals? Does anyone have knowledge if it can be done without head coming off, and using compressed air? Cheers and thanks for reading the ramblings above from a senile old man :)
• Granada Loss of Power 14 Jun 2003 (Forum)
  Hi All My dad has a 1994 L reg Granada Auto. Recently when on a long run at motorway speeds, it starts out fine, but, after a while it looses its power. No one can find anything wrong at the time and after a while, it starts and then drives ok. It seems to drive around town with no probs.
• Astra Diesel Engine management lights 9 Jun 2003 (Forum)
  Hi, I do hope you can help. I have a 99 Astra Envoy Diesel, runs well but at around 85 on the temp gauge the engine management light comes on and the system goes into safe mode. I think the cooling fan sensor may not be sending correctly. Drop down to 60mph and the system reactivates but cruise at 3000 revs and the light will stay on all day.
• audi 100 tdi glow plug light 20 May 2003 (Forum)
  i have just been to veiw an audi 100 2.5tdi 1993 with 180000miles the car has full main dealer history and is faultless apart from when starting the glow pluglight does not come on when the ignition is turned on but the engine starts instantly if left for about 4-5 seconds with ignition on, once started the glowplug light flashes for as long as the engines is running any ideas?
• 530d 29 Apr 2003 (Forum)
  Engine feels very tight, but response is still pretty good....may have to wait awhile for this to develop a "personality" but I am a patient man. Take it for a run tonight, alone, to see what makes it tick...may grow on me.
• New Back Room Poll 27 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  This week's poll is posted today, at the top level of the forum. It has only two answers, yes and no, and so I may run it only until Monday, depending on how it goes.   Martyn [Back Room moderator] ==================== mailto:webmaster@honestjohn.co.uk
• ford fiesta leak 27 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  I have a J reg ford fiesta 1.1 pop plus. It is a great car which I have run for many years. It seems to have developed a leak on the drivers side door, which I cannot stop. I have had the rubber door seal checked and there is nothing wrong with it. Has anyone any ideas where the water may be getting in?
• new car for 10-12k any ideas 24 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  What do you recommend? must be very reliable - so no ford, vauxhall, peugeot, renault. Must seat 4/5 manual. Running costs should be reasonable in motoring terms. I was personally thinking of newer shape VW Passat TDI...any suggestions or Volvo S60. Thanks.
• Marks on French motorways 9 Mar 2003 (Forum)
  I have often travelled on French motorways and noticed what look like the marks made by bare wheel rims, especially in the nearside lane. The marks look for all the world the sort that would be produced by someone running for mile after mile along a soft surface on just the wheel rim (no tyre). They wander about a bit, but are nearly always on the nearside lane only. They can last for 20+ miles. Anyone any idea what they are and how they were made?
• Turbo Cooling 25 Feb 2003 (Forum)
  Having recently purchased an E320 cdi I have noticed on several ocasions reference to turbos and the cooling of them. One common thing to do is to allow the engine to run for a while after stopping to allow the turbo to cool down. I have looked through the handbook and can find no reference to this so I have listed a few questions for you. Is this necessary. How long should it be left to idle.
• Most economical small car 3 Feb 2003 (Forum)
  My daughter is looking for a car for shopping/school runs, etc. She will probably be driving no more than 10 miles each way, twice a day, mainly through town and slow moving traffic. Mpg economy is paramount - she doesn't particularly want a diesel, but I suppose for this type of driving it would probably be better?
• Audi 90 Quattro 21 Jan 2003 (Forum)
  The problem is as follows - When the car is left for a while and is started the idle will drop right off and then pick up again (quite often stalls if foot is not on the gas) , this problem is worse first thing in the morning. If the car has been running then restarting everything is fine. The other problem is the idle tends to "race" ie sometimes sits at 1300 rpm. Any ideas ? cheers!
• Older cars 19 Jan 2003 (Forum)
  From HJ's piece, 'Trading in Older Cars Likely to End' (more EU rules) he concludes that "Basically, the value of any car more than 7 years old will be virtually nothing." For people like me who regard a 7-year old motor as just run in, I can't decide whether this is a good thing or not. Presumably, private sales will still hold prices up a bit, but it will be interesting to see that happens. Any thoughts, anyone?
• BMW diesel starting prob - idle speed? 15 Nov 2002 (Forum)
  I posted about starting problems with a BMW 325TDS SE - all cured now thanks to some new glow - plugs, but what a game fitting them... inlet manifold off etc... Anyone know how to adjust the idle speed - it currently runs at about 750 - 800 rpm, seems a tad fast to me - any ideas? Who is STIG? In my dreams it's Vicky BH ...!! Sideways
• Skoda Felicia gli 1.9 diesel 1999 15 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  I have a problem,when we start the car in the morning we have to turn on and off a couple of times to get the heater light to come on.It then goes off after 5 seconds and starts ok.When car has not been used for about a couple of hours you switch on and the heater will not come on and then takes a while to start.Could this be a fault in the relay or glowplugs as runs fine? thanks JJ
• Xantia Activa: how good? 2 Oct 2002 (Forum)
  As there appear to be lots of Xantia enthusiasts on this site, can I ask if the Activa is simply an expensive box of trouble or will a decent service record have kept on top of potential problems? I already run a BX 4x4 estate so the risk of expensive part replacements is already something I live with. David
• Annoying Wire 24 Sep 2002 (Forum)
  A post-factory phone job was done on my car by the previous owner. A wire runs along the top (inside) of the rear window. It tucks into a gully but keeps falling down leaving a bowed wire across half the window. This is a silly point I know but I can find anything to hold it up - I don't want to cover it with gaffer tape as that would look awful but because of the gully I am finding it tricky to fix it with anything.
• cavalier with blue smoke 12 Sep 2002 (Forum)
  I have a Cavalier 1.6 and as soon as you start the engine, blue smoke comes out of the head, the only way to keep the car running is by taking off the oil filler cap off. There is no oil in the water and the oil in the engine is clean, There is also no knocking noises coming from the engine I beleive this is more than likely a problem with head or head gasket, Can anyone confirm that this is deffinatly the problem.
• Rattly/Squeaky Escort '91 1.4 Estate 21 Jul 2002 (Forum)
  When decelerating, squeaking similar to a wheel bearing can be heard from somewhere around the engine. If stopped with engine running no sound is heard. However, if the handbrake is applied and any gear is selected and the engine loaded, the squeaking can be initiated. We know it's not the clutch thrust bearing as this can be operated with the car out of gear and no squeak/rattle is heard.