skippy 2

As I have been looking around the forum I have noticed that auxhillary heater comes up quite often with the same symptoms. My question is has mine got one and hopefully not, I have a petrol gal.

I always thought it was to do with the choke when the engine is cold or don't these motors have that kind of thing anymore. Mine does sort of sound a bit rough on starting especially if it is cold outside what do you reckon?

I had the same problem with another car I had. The light on the dash indicated a bulb failure only to find the bulb working fine. I replacedI the bulb concerned (brake) and the dash light went out. It turned out that I had replaced a defective bulb previously with a cheap one. So be aware cheap is not always better!

I would like to add that I have always added redex to the petrol on all my cars i have ever had. I always felt that it cleaned the gum off the fuel jets in the old carberettas and i always used to clean the throat of the carb with carberetta cleaner this kept the choke flap free from sticking. I used to start the engine and pour redex down inside while on fast Idle and then add to the petrol. On the fuel injection system I use redex fuel injector additive which you put the whole bottle in the tank. i would say that by doing this it will keep the injectors clean. I cannot say if this has improved the actual running of the engine. or harmed it in any way. Its just something i do during my annual service. It has got to help the fuel flow somehow by keeping the system clean.

I think it's just annoying sometimes that something so small you just can't figure out whats wrong with it and when you do finally find out its just so silly you know what I mean?

Hi I want to know if a waranty is worth it if my gal is a 1998. I have been stitched up by a warranty company in the past and i don't trust them. Do i go and get a warranty and if something goes wrong will they pay for it?? Or do I continue to service my gal myself and rectify problems as and when they arise? I would like some of your thoughts to this subject.

Oh yea you mentioned it earlier well I hope it don;t cost too much to sort out. What kind of motor are you looking out for something reliable and get you a lot of good motoring milage?

You prise the switch or bulb unit out from where it is and the power conector is with it You should be able to check it from there. What's it in the garage for anyway?

I think it could be a new unit mate if it isn't the bulb it's only small isn't it. I wouldn't of thought it would cost much. I wonder if you can pick up these kind of things in the breakers. I remember I used to to pick up small bits like that years ago when i used to walk round them and take them off cars and put them in your pocket. you know bulbs, rotor arms just small bits and pieces that came in handy. Anyway have you checked you are getting power to the switch?

When i got my gal mk1 I only had one key. It also operated the central locking so I did'nt have a fob. I needed a spare for obvious reasons so I went to frauds. They told me it was difficult key to cut and programme but could be done for about

Do you know what stevie m don't tell any one but I only discovered this when I thought the bulb wasn't working. I pulled it all out and tested the bulb which i thought was ok. Put it all back together again and thought oh well and that was that. untiiil I put the lights on.

Well ive learnt something on this topic and i am going to sort it tomorrow. First of all don't trust the haynes book for instructions on changing the bulb. They tell you to prise out the clock but don't tell you what part to prise out. Consequently I manged to unclip the whole unit including the mounting plate from the roof lining. I managed, to change the bulb but could'nt figure out how i was supposed to reconnect the unit without taking down the roof lining. Well i'll tell you I weren't gonna do that so i just wedged it back with some card. I now know how to go about putting it back properly. Thanks guys!!

Keep an eye on e-bay as they appear on there now and again, it's where i got mine from at a price of

If I remember when I checked on the Light in my mk1 glovebox the switch was a seperate issue to the bulb unit. It was like a lever type operation. When you opened the glovebox the lever moved and connected to the bulb unit. Ime not sure if this is the same for your gal but it could be. It could be that it has dislodged somehow and not turning it off. If no joy just take out the bulb and see if that helps.

Thanks guys for clearing that up for me the way you drive it (how muuch boot) does seem to determine how quick the gears change...

Tiptronic is normally referred to cars having an automatic gearbox but also giving an advantage of using it like a manual gearbox. This is done by moving the lever up and down depending what gear you want and using the accelerator heavily in automatic mode will obviously go down a gear but not whilst in the tiptronic mode. The driver is in full control when to change gear. Thanks for that saif rehman as I have mentioned somewhere befor when I go up hills I put it in 3rd and this gives me more power instantly to tackle the hill. By doing this is this operting in Tiptronic? and if I put it back to drive does this switch it off? I thought you could drive any automatic through the gears although I have never done this. By dropping the gears manually is there a chance that I could get confused on what mode ime in or by putting it in drive will determine this.

I would like to know what Tiptronic means please. I think its like "sports mode" on the gear box but not sure for certain. On my old vauxhall I had a sorts button on the gear stick but my gal doesn't have this. Am I right by using the accelerater more heavily this engages the Tiptronic thingy?

Stevie m the thrust bearing is part of the cluch and as far as ime aware you get a squeel from it when it is engaged if it is on the way out. Ime not sure if you can buy that part only. But for the work involved to replace it you may as well change the whole cluch and not just the bearing.

Thanks for the info and advise guys mine sounds just like youv'e described not very quick off the mark but pretty shifty once up to speed. I normally throw it in 3rd if I hit an incline this gives it the boost early enough before the car slows and jumps through the gears. I find this quite helpful and surprises people of what power it has.

Thanks for that stevie m I have a mk1 gal 1998 and ime not sure if the spec you gave is the same as mine they changed things on these gals so often. I would like to see if anyone has any experiences in this. Someone that maybe has the same spec as mine or knows about them because of the constant changing of spec.

Hi everyone Happy New Year!! Ive been chatting to steve m and advised me to ask any anyone that can advise. I used to have a vauxhall sintra 3.0 v6 24valve. I have now got a gal 2.8 vr6 and i think it is a 12valve can someone enlighten me on the difference between the two and what performance I should expect. On my old vauxhall it used to move smoothly very quickly if i put it in gear it would drive on its own without me touching the pedals not that this is a good thing. I would just like to know if i am getting a good performance from my gal. It does run and work ok and have no probs I have only had it 6 months it has done 28000 miles and is a 1998 model, yes the milage is genuine i have all the japanese history to confirm it.

Thanks for your help mate I will do that once ime a full member. happy New Year by the way!!

Thanks for that mk2vr6 im'e not used to this chat jargon i'll remember that.