May 2016
Currently looking at diesels for towing. The CX5 has come onto the radar.
However on this forum the very mention of Mazda diesels has brought scorn upon the product. Obviously a wise manufacturer would work hard to eliminate problems from their products. Have Mazda done this with their diesels? They do make a range of diesels too, so did they all present problems or just some types? Any experiences and informed comment welcome.... Read more
First timer here and hoping someone might be able to help with a problem I'm having with my Ford Focus.
I have recently blanked the EGR valve on my 2006 Focus 1.6 TDCI (DV6 engine) as I heard there were a lot of benefits in doing so. However, after doing it the engine management light comes on and I keep getting 3 fault codes / DTCs pop up. They are P0487 - Exhaust gas recirculation throttle position control circuit, P0488 - EGR throttle position sensor circuit out of range and P2142 - Exhaust gas recirculation throttle control circuit "A" high. The car is running fine, actually better than it did, and not going into limp mode.... Read more
Recirculated exhaust gas enters the air intake at the manifold, which is a long way after the turbo. Exhaust gasses leaving the engine drive the turbo by acting on the turbine.
Slightly curious to know how recirculated exhaust gas gets into an intake manifold which is pressurised by the turbo compressor?
Recirculated exhaust is taken after leaving the turbo having expanded to drive the turbine at a reduced pressure, or am I missing something here?
Last week some so-called builders supposed to be extending the house next door-but-one had a radio turned up full volume as they were messing about at the far end of the garden 25 yards away.
I went round and asked why they were inflicting this noise on local residents, the answer was "we're working". ... Read more
If it's a privately owned (non-council) housing development, there may well be 'rules of the estate' in the properties' lease agreements/TP1s on the subject. Unfortunately, enforcement is often difficult and time-consuming, involving letters, etc.
If the offending property is a buy-to-let managed by a letting agent, then the OP could try them, but often they aren't willing to do much as it can jepodise the working relationship with their client. Going direct to the owner (even if they manage it themselves) can be just as tricky....
I waas pretty shocked today to find that Honda consider 1 litre per 1000 miles is acceptable oil consumption for their 1.8 engine. In fact they even state that in the owner's manual.
As I said to the dealer who showed me this (after a free top-up) it is the first time I have had to top up the oil in any car I've owned since the 1970s and various motorbikes before then.... Read more
"I now have the 1.6 diesel but not impressed with economy"
Hmm- Being a dyed in the wool Honda nut I was never enthusiastic over Honda's decision to dump the 2.2 CDTI in all it's forms and hitch their wagon to the "tiddley little engines with lots of boost are better" train of thought....
Yesterday I bought a used Citroen C4 Grand Picasso 2.0 I 16v VTR+ ESG petrol from a trader. It's an auto 07 plate and has just over 68,600 miles on the clock. Test drive was fine and the 70 mile drive home was also ok.
This morning I went out and the car started fine but driving away it sounded a bit like a a motorbike when I pressed down the accelerator, with the noise stopping when I took my foot away. The car felt a bit jolty changing gears too. Rang the place I bought it from and they asked me to try get a mechanic to have a look at it and let them know what was wrong. I had to nip out this afternoon and the noise was happening again but then the car seemed to get stuck in first and the car bleeped with a 'depollution system fault' and engine management light. After that the car seemed to struggle changing up gears, especially 3 to 4. Felt a bit sluggish.
Managed to get it home and called out AA to have a look at it. I explained what was happening, he had a look under the bonnet and revved the engine a bit. White smoke was coming out the back at this point. He plugged in his fault reader and the following codes came up:
P0170 - fuel correction bank 7
P0300 - random cylinder misfire
P0172 - fuel/air mixture rich
P0130 - o2 sensor, bank 7, sensor 2 out of range
The AA guy said it could just be a faulty o2 sensor but then again it might not be. Most likely the exhaust. I told him to leave everything as is for the time being as I'm going to give the trader a call tomorrow. I've been googling a lot (which can sometimes be a curse!) which throws up a possible hole in the exhaust etc etc. I did originally take a recording of the sound and sent it to a mechanic friend (not local) who says it sounds like this could be the case and they (the garage) could have patched it with putty or something hence there being no sound yesterday. I'm in two minds about what to do. Do I let them have a chance at fixing it or give it back an ask for a refund? I've been stung by a French car before (b***** Renault) and I really don't want to go through the aggro again to be honest. The trader also owns a garage and mot'd the car the day before I bought it with no advisories or anything. Any ideas? Read more
Any update? Hope all has been favourably sorted.
Hi all
For some reason I'm struggling to understand what the manual is trying to tell me regarding INSP 3 warning on ODO, I figure it either means my battery's on its way out or the key fob is... Read more
Hi there
When we got the car the key wasn't working. My wife swapped it out for a good brand battery and immediately worked no sync required. Then after 3 weeks stopped again and despite trying 2 further brand new batteries won't work. Must just be a duff key. But it's only a spare so not the end of the world
Hi there... Read more
I don't suppose it's as easy to grind off the lip and the rust with a carborundum wheel as it is with a small car disc!
Another year probably and i'll let you know if they're new or get lathed down....
Ford (UK) or Vauxhall, which in your experience has been most reliable/dependable?
I've never really heard many horror stories for either, interested to hear what you guys think! Read more
The last decent car Ford made was the MK111 Zodiac...
Hi all,
... Read more
Hi All!! I know it’s a bit late now probably to comment on this...
I have just had the same problem least night with my Ford Fiesta when trying to unlock the external filler cap to get some petrol. I wasn’t so careful when trying to get it open...
I had a spare key with me so didn’t care if I broke the key, but I found that I didn’t break the key! Instead, I forced the key and tried turning it with the help of some WD40 and it wouldn’t go, so I tried the old fashioned method of just hitting the petrol cap and that didn’t work either haha! After continuing to fight and turn the key and getting nowhere, it suddenly turned with some force against it, but all I ended up doing was breaking the inside of the mechanism and it ended up being like when you turn a screw but the thread is broken... I resorted to getting a screwdriver and putting it down the side of the petrol cap where the locking mechanism is that releases the cap when you turn the key. This allowed me to prize open the flap and get to my petrol cap.
Only trouble with that was that the lever was left in the locked position and so then I couldn’t shut the cap back up! By this point I was not in the mood so slammed it shut and that was when the plastic lever snapped off, leaving me with a flapping petrol cap!! (Ugh!)
I know it’s not much help but it was the only way I found I could do it, even though I broke the mechanism but then again it was all seized up anyway so would have had to buy a new one! I think it’s just one of those wear and tear things really! Don’t think it’s an expensive fix either if you look on eBay or something.
Hope this helps some of you!
Hi all
Random Q. Is there a such thing as an optimum rev range to keep a car within to preserve the engine? Eg; I generally keep within 2 & 3,000 rpm on my petrol Corsa (change up at about 2750-3000) and imagine this would be lower for a diesel. I would imagine driving TOO economically in terms of revs (ie constantly changing below 2000 in a petrol) would cause the engine to labour and have a negative effect?... Read more
Even though I only do about 3000 - 4000 miles in my car (Mazda3 mk1 1.6 petrol), I do mostly mixed and longer journeys on dual carriageways/motorways, but even so, I still like to 'use the entire rev range' on every month or two (i.e. an 'Italian tune-up) above the normal 2000-3500 revs (70mph in mine is about 3500 revs or so) to clear any gunk from the engine and to ensure, if and when needed, that rev range (and thus power/torque band) is available should I need it for a swift overtake, etc.
I think my car's manual even said I should do so (after the original 'running in period' when new) to a dgree to ensure this, a bit like someone exercising regularly, including both sprints and longer distance running so that their tendons don't get short....
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Having now cleared 8K miles and around 18 months i can report my car has very little oil dilution, perhaps 3 or 4mm rise on the dipstick..
So looking promising.