Scorpiorefugee

Bright? Er....... Like a Supernova? Fred Thompson for president!!!!!! Ah! Yes, now I understand. Something I don't understand. If we reduce the interest rate to zero, no one will save, so we will spend our remaining cash on imported goods. (We don't make anything) The others will then have to borrow money from abroad to spend on imported goods which sort of balances out. :o :16: :16: Cloning Maggie shouldn't be too much of a problem but we would have to import the handbag. :D :o

Not guilty m'lud. I'm old enough to have seen the results of their previous reigns. They are not to blame really. They just don't know any better. I blame the Tories for getting too sure of themselves.

I dropped on the following article some time ago and found that at last someone had put into words what had been worrying me for years. Now, 2 years on, it has all come true apart from the advice on interest rates. It seems that the idiots who started the fire seem to think that the best thing to put it out with is petrol.... Sorry I haven't mastered the clever bits on putting links in but have a look at the following ..... http://www.woodlands.co.uk/drifting/ It is a longish bit so it might be an idea to open beer or something stronger.

I agree about the grease issue as, when my mechanism was stiff, it almost stalled the motor but it didn't give up. However, I did have a similar problems some years ago and that turned out to be the fact that the motor was sitting in a pool of water in the tray beneath it. This was almost certainly because it was parked nose down on my drive at about a 1 in 4 slope. I drilled a couple of drainage holes and the problem went away never to return. This problem has been reported on several occasions with a variety of symptoms and seems to arise because there are some electronics in the motor casing right where the water would penetrate and it could take some time to dry out in this weather. It is probably not this but it might be worth popping a hair drier under there for a while to warm it up and perhaps dry it out. We did have some heavy rain before the cold spell hit. Actually, now I remember, my problem was just the opposite. The wipers would start for no apparent reason and not switch off. However, not knowing what is inside, I have to assume that almost anything could happen, depending on the exact nature of the fault. Beyond this, it might be worth checking the voltages on the connector and, if you haven't any data, reporting back. Someone may have some information or experience. You would need to connect the meter and watch what happens as you switch on.

Good stuff. It's amazing how kids cope with their problems. My work often takes me into a variety of care homes and I am always impressed with the way they just get on with things. Re the motor. You are probably aware that all of these were imported, usually with 30 - 50k and about 10 years old so the history is always a bit vague. I did do a fair bit of research on them but promptly forgot it all when I bought the Gal but I do remember that there were certain bits that did need proper maintenance. I am sorry that I cannot remember what. Yours will have probably come into the country about 4/5 years ago and sold for

I reckon someone has got a little doll with your name on and keeps sticking pins in it. :unsure: I hope you do better with your Lucida. I looked at some of those before I settled on the Gal 3 1/2 years ago. The seating layout seemed useful for taxi work but not for use as a van and the single rear door has a lot going for it with children. I did test drive one and it felt really solid if a bit agricultural. My problem was that the seat design seemed to be aimed at diminutive Japanese and at 6' I found that the head restraints came to the middle of my shoulders. From what I can remember they have a good reputation but there are a few things which need to be checked regularly. There is a standard problem with some rubber bushes around the front end somewhere which can give a clunking noise on gear changes as I remember and there was something about the need to keep the cooling system fluids to specification. Also, the timing belt is a critical item so It might be a good idea to check when it was last replaced. I was advised to get it done as a matter of course and every 2 years/50K. I am told it is a much easier job than the Galaxy. I am sure that we all wish you better luck in 2009. Ron. P.S. I am impressed with your 'fix' on the engine mounts. :wacko:

I hope he wasn't in the driving seat. :D Seriously, Good news that all are OK. Sadly, it is a dangerous time of year to be out there, especially at night. Personally, I try to stay off the road until the end of the holiday.

It sounds like the usual 'Which bit to change first.' problem. The difficulty being that it is not possible to prove anything without changing it. I note that you do not measure the battery voltage while on charge. The problem is further confounded because, if the alternator is faulty and the battery is past it's first flush of youth, the battery may well be knackered anyway as a result of being fully discharged. That is what usually sees them off. If you can protect them against that they can go on for years. Can I suggest that you disconnect the battery and put it on a longish charge. 4A for 24 hours should see the charge rate drop right back and it sitting with 14 and a bit volts and be capable of holding that for some time after the charger is disconnected. It should also hold it for a short while with a moderate load (indicator bulb or similar). If that doesn't happen, it is probably worth changing the battery first 'cos it is probably knackered anyway.

That just proves that computers DO have a sense of humour :rolleyes:

As I said in my earlier reply, my valve exhibited much the same sort of behaviour as yours but, as my problem was intermittent, I was reasonably confident that the problem was elsewhere. The valve is operated pulse mode by a fast switching pulse so there is obviously something going on that is not explained anywhere that I have looked. Have you checked for vacuum on the pipes around the valve? I could detect a useful control vacuum in the feed to the vane control Have you checked the error codes yet? This, together with some running readings from a VAG com would help enormously because that could indicate the readings that the control system is getting and what it is trying to do to make things work as they should. There is a valve in the system, in my case between the boost control valve and the recirculation control valve, and mine was totally shot. I replaced it with a valve from a fish tank air line but it made no difference at the time but as mine works fine now I cannot really comment on its importance in the system.

I had a similar problem a short while ago and it is frustrating to just grope around hoping to find something. From what I can gather the causes are many and varied so it helps if you can get some diagnostic information. I my case, I gat a lot of advice and, while it was all well meant and quite reasonable, none of it actually helped other than to prove what the problem wasn't. I strongly recommend buying or borrowing a VAG com to read the ECU eror codes and parameters.

I don't know if you have a Mk1 or MkII but on the MkI the panel down by the driver's right knee is a 3 level affair and, on mine at least, was an absolute pig to get out. It is supposed to hinge down when you release a metal clip at the top but mine wouldn't budge until I chopped off a lot of cable ties and pulled a lot of cables to get enough slack. There are a lot of posts on this and someone has put a sequence of pictures to show the way. The main ECU is somwhere in the sandwich so you do need to be careful. There are two versions of the fuse layout and the later one (post 98) is not shown in Haynes. If you have a good look round the site it ia all there somewhere.

Seatkid has put it all in focus. Just try to keep it all in perspective. If the car is driveable and the repairs to a safe standard can be done cheaply, consider that as the worst possible outcome. If you can get acceptance that you are the innocent party you should be able to pursue the other party's insurance for all costs and inconvenience. It would help if you had legal insurance and if you haven't, it is well worth taking it out next time. If you haven't got legal insurance, use whatever help you can muster, just keep the the worst possible situation as the starting point and remember it's not the end of the world. If you have legal insurance, get them moving. If you haven't, do you have AA or RAC?. Run it as a campaign but don't let it take over. If you have your car as a usable item, you have a starting point. For what it's worth, my old crate has a seriously knocked about front nearside, offside and and rear offside corners as well as a recently aquired cruched rear offside door. All down to other drivers. I've given up on the appearance but it's good for another year, that's all I ask. And, if things don't get worse, I will probably get another 2 years. After all, there isn't any retained value.

Keep it going. You're getting there. We all know you're no quitter. Sadly, this is what it's like and you have to fight for everything. SeatKid and the others are all right. You have to let the insurance sort it out. That's what you've paid for. Just make sure they don't take the easy way out. Atta gel!

Agreed on all points. It's all in the detail. A good diadram is worth a thousand words. Last time I was involved with a Royal Mail van which reversed into my path from the right as I was turning left, I sent a Google satellite image of the road with the positions drawn to scale. It seemed to work.

If you are cranking to get fuel up to the pump it is necessary to do it continuously as I believe, until you get the air out, it just runs back when you stop. IMOP :wacko:

Just a thought... As far as I know, no-one has right of way on an island until they are on the roundabout.(over the line) Approaching at speed, even within the limit, does not give right of way - a common misconception. A wise and experienced driver will always play safe but I find abuse of this annoying. This assumed right together with appalling lane markings and driver discipline causes a lot of potential collision situations. It might be an idea to get your story right 'cos you may be picked up on any small detail.

Just looking back and a silly thought... The tempeature sender on the 110 is a 2 part thing, one used for the engine management and the other as far as I can make out is only for the display, meaning that if on part fails, the dislay indicates that all is well but the engine management is getting rubbish information. One clue is that the Glow plug sequence can be affected. It is a commont fault on the AFN 110 engine but I have no knowledge on the 115. As I said - asilly thought.

This is the bit that helps it all make sense. Hope it works

Only one piece of advice from me. Be persistent and consistent. If you remain calm and positive, she may chicken out and give up. There is a fair chance that she is either inexperienced or a habitual dangerous driver, but they often have someone behind them pulling the strings. I know of two similar cases, one mine - 30 years ago, and one my sons 10 years ago, when persistence won the day. Do use your legal insurance if you have it, that is what they are there for. I my case it was the RAC that won the day and that was a me and them only situation. The main thing to keep in perspective is get your value from your insurer and keep your no claims. If you can get any sort of a decision in your favour you can fight to get your excess refunded. I believe that in most cases each insurer pays for their own insured repairs and then fight over excess and that's the bit you have to focus on 'cos so long as they don't pay they do not care much who does. It could take some time but don't let them win and don't let it get you down. The annoying thing is that it is someone else's incompetence that's causing the stress and that is the hardest thing to cope with. Good luck lass. P.S. Re the ABS. In all my years, only one accident could be down to me and I believe it was caused by ABS. I was in a line of cars in an orderly well spaced queue when the front car encountered an unmarked roadworks - all stop, with a bit of skidding 'cos it was abit greasy. That is, except me. I was the only one with ABS and the computer decided it would be better to drive round the problem - except there was no time and nowhere to go!

Obvious question, but someone has to start. Are you sure that it has reached normal temp? I have both 110 and 115 models and the 115 heater is on a lot more than the 110. It can take up to 10 miles in this weather. It frequently comes on for several miles when the 110 doesn't come on at all. I am aware that the threshold air temperature is much higher for the 115 (some have quoted as high as 12C) but this doesn't explain the longer run time. I've been intending to put a manual switch in the air temperature sensor cct. but there always seems to be something more important to do. :rolleyes:

Galaxy, As far as I have been able to work out, it is as I wrote, the vacuum which makes everything work is the same as for the brake servo. If you have brakes, you have vacuum. The pipe to the air intake is used as a supply of clean air and is only used to turn things down(I think). Cirtainly, on mine, there is not much happening there and any vacuum in that pipe is due to the control system using it to turn down the system. (or up - I didn't need to work that out.) If it's any consolation, yours does sound similar to mine. I believe the GLX classification indicates 110bhp and, if you can find it, AFN on the label on the top of the cam belt cover. (I couldn't find mine!) As far as sorting out the plumbing, I wouldn't call it easy cos you have to take the bulhead panel out as if to get at the wiper mech and then it's not too bad. There is also a non return valve between the two solenoids. Someone gave me a brilliant link to a full description and if you have a brouse through my topics in the past few months you should find it. It's well worth the look. Sorry, I'm whacked at the moment and I'm off at 5:00 tomorrow. If you're still struggling in a day or two I see if I can find it.

F0ster, Impressive! 15mm copper tube is useful stuff. I rebushed my wiper rack with that 90,000 miles ago. Still going! I wonder if there's any more uses out there.

Butch, I think SeatKid has a point. If you mean 120 miles to empty, I reckon that to be less than one quarter. Some time ago, I had that much in my tank and I left it ticking over on steep downward slope and it died. To be fair, the gauge did register empty, but that was due to the slope. It registered nearly 1/4 on level ground. It took a can of diesel and 3 days to get it going and then only after a recharge and some pretty bl00dy minded cranking. There's a clear fuel pipe feeding the pump/injection control unit at the front of the engine. Can you see anyting happening there when you crank it? Silly thought, try filling the filter manually.

F0ster, Thanks for that. I don't think mine had the diode. In my experience (not auto) the diode is usually panel mounted to protect the switching semiconductors. I had assumed that the valve arrangement was pretty much as you described because that is what made sense from the requirements. However, both the boost control and recirculation control seemd to allow passage reasonably freely from all 3 with minor effect from the energising coil. (Not entirely surprising after nearly a 1/4 million miles of careful neglect.) Not having replacements, I wiped everything over and put it all back and, after a lot of nervous research, found my problem to be one or more injectors which recovered completely after an accidental tankful contaminated with 5% unleaded. :rolleyes: It now runs as well as ever. My point is that these things seem to be quite fault tolerant up to a point. It's a funny old world, innit.