Scorpiorefugee

Sorry, a bit late coming in on this as usual. I've got a 1 in 4 drive and have exactly the same problem with the fual gauge - 1/4 to empty overnight! I don't have any trouble starting but I did leave it ticking over once when nearly empty and it took a good 5 mins steady cranking on level groung to get it going again and that only after taking everything to bits to prove that there was nothing else wrong. Only did it once! Now, I start it and roll off the drive immediately and I never ahve a problem. If yours won't even start, It could be that you do have a fuel line problem. This does seem to be a standard problem and there's probably nowt that can be done about it but it does raise concerns about what might happen after descending a long hill when short of fuel. :huh: :huh: :huh:

Please ignore - duplicate.

Got all excited and clicked only to find it was out of time. Do you have any seller details?

Sorry Bigjeeze but I have to agree again. I really do try to disagree but find it awfully difficult. I also have 2 gals and the main problem is that I don't have any, just trying to understand em is all I have to worry about. It's all very frustrating. :huh: So... What about the busses in East Acton?

Right. After 400+ miles today I have to admit that My old MAF aint what it should be 'cos with the one borrowed from the missus' 115 Ghia it went better than I would have thought possible so, while cleaning the old one definitely improved it, It still needs replacing. I did put the old one back for the last 60 miles and, while there was an obvious difference, it was still quite usable. Amazingly, the newer one seems to give considerebly improved economy and it was already 45mpg+. This still leaves the problem of getting the correct one. From today's experience it seems that all TDIs use the same item because the part no. is on the housing, both of which have the same part no. i.e. the one that everyone on Ebay is selling. However, if all we change is the insert and no-one seems to recognise any of the numbers on those, it seems that there is only one part available anyway, although the Bosch and Pierburg items are obviously different items designed to do the same job. So, one remaining question. Does anyone have any experience or preference of Bosch over Pierburg or vice versa?

And anyway, What about the workers? :(

Just a quick update on this one. I got to thinking... 2 Gals, why not try a swop. First problem, the '52 Ghia MAF torx screws were 5 pointed star ???????? Pliers fixed that and it certainly didn't like the MAF from the Old S reg. Tried the Ghia MAF in the S reg and it didn't seem too bad but when I put the old one back... It was so bad that I thought I'd wrecked it. Can anyone confirm or otherwise that these are interchangeable cos my next step is a 150 mile round trip to test the Ghia MAF in the S Reg. Is it possible that I have temporarily confused the engine management on the oldy 'cos it may have learned how to cope with a duff one but it is now much worse on the original MAF while the newer one is fine if I put the original back in it. Er... confused anyone?

I get lucky every day - when I get home - well - sort of. :) Our family motto.. Blessed is he who expects little, for he shall not be disappointed. :( Thanks again everyone. :(

Ere - someone's been peeking at my profile. Thanks folks. :wub: Sorry I didn't pick this up earlier, I been busy trying to wear out me owd Gal but I think I'm loosing. Actually, It has made me realise that I'd made a mistake 'cos my birthday is on the 7th but I missed it anyway. I don't know where you lot find the time, not only to spread humour and goodwill, but to go off in so many different directions. I think I would have got the Hippo birdee 2 ewes if I could have identified the Hippo. Was it some sort of ink blot test? Actually, my favourite card this year was a soppy one with "A little birdee told me it was your birthady today..." And on the inside "so I shot the little bugger before he could tell anyone else!" So, now you've brightened up my 2 days after bithday, I'm staggering off to bed before someone forces me to watch a football match repeat. -_- -_- -_- P S I've just had another look at the Hippo. Got it now, it mut be a female cos the mouth is open.

The original figure of low 40s MPG at 75 seems about right but don't forget wind direction and air temperature. Both can make a considerable difference. I recently did a 100+ mile trip and return within an hour or so driving at 75 ish and clocked 43mpg out and 52mpg back. I'm pretty sure that my driving style was very much the same for both trips and there were no serious hills. Fuel consumption on most vehicles increases dramatically above 65/70 - hence our national limit. Also, I find I can always drive more economically with the cruise off by taking advantage of downhills and letting it slow down a little on up hills. Other than that, I think Seatkid put it beautifully.

This may just be a problem with the insurer. I've got a Nov 98 TDI which one insurer tells me is a 110 and another tells me is a 90. I just don't know because I have no handbook and any labels etc. are now out of sight or illegible and , since it goes well enough, I'm past caring much bit I shouldlike to know if only for interest. Your problem is more pressing and I should think that the sort of info that MM has just supplied may help. However, if there is anyone out there who can help identify each and avery variation by the presence of a bit of green plastic or something similar that may or may not be there, I am sure that there are a lot of owners who would like to be able to identify their lump with some confidence. It might also be helpful if someone could give some typical acceleration performance for each variation so those of us who aquired older models could know what we should be getting or are missing out on. Oops! sorry Seatkid. You weren't there earlier. I've always assumed that it would be possible to do this by engine No. but that depends on having a chart or knowing where this could be found.

Come on MM. How did it go?

I think MM is on the right track. As far as I can determine, The glow plugs are on for that length of tme, only if something (the temperature sender) is telling the ECU that it is arctic type cold. This is possible because the temperature sender is in fact 2 devices, one drives the temperature gauge and the other is used by the ECU so that one may be toatlly U/S and the temperature gauge is behaving normally. :lol: :P I reckon the only check is to replace it - costs

SWMBO has to take some credit. She soon lets me know if I do anything sudden like.. :) The choice of car is also important. I doubt if it's possible to do anything like that in most models.

They seem to use the glow plug light as a problem warning light. Mine has just started to come on and flash if I have my lights on in the rain. :( :( :( The lights work and it stops when it dries up or I put the lights out. Have a look round to see if you can link it to something obvious. The fact that the light comes on does not mean that the glow plugs are powered up. Good innit???

Just out of interest MM, did you check the current?

I do a sort of service/trouble shooting thing which means I can do from 20 ot 600 miles in a day, mostly in a battered S reg Gal with 170k and no service history, the rest for pleasure in a 52 Ghia and a Picasso. My old man taught me to drive, 45 years ago, as if I had a glass of water on the bonnet, and, while I don't hang about, I've always had good mileage from tyres and everything else. It's all a matter of being sensible. Just out of interest, I've had 2 Granadas, both bought at about 45K, and one did 180K on the original front brakes and pads, the other only managed 165K but that had been a fleet car before I got it. As far as the tax thing is concerned, the majority of tax is through fuel, and they've abused and wasted that over the years, so, while there is no justifiable reason to increase road tax, I don't suppose that will stop the dishonest incompetant B

Back to servicing???? My servicing routine is to change the oil every once in a longish time and ignore everything else. I find that an annual MOT tells me when brakes need replacing, usually at more than 2 yr intervals. Other than that, I wait for the warning lights or something to stop working although I do check the oil/ water every 3-5000 miles. Most of my cars end up with 200k plus or die of old age or boredom and I do 30-50k per year. Tyres do 60 - 80K and the only time I have problems is usually something that is inherited when I buy the car or If I let someone I don't know muck about with it and I DON'T DO THAT ANYMORE. The only time I use main dealers if there is a guarantee which stipulates regular servicing. I don't suppose that it would work for everyone but I've arrived at this over years of high mileage use and I do have a local garage I can trust. Ron.

NikpV. It's a much neglected, overused and abused Nov '98, probably 110 with 170K on the clock. Ron.

I couldn't agree more. I have found that my cars, always Ford, have run longer, better, and a damned sight cheaper by keeping them away from main dealers permanently. I do however, use a small local garage for repairs having built up a high level of trust and mutual respect over 20 or so years. Ron.

For what it's worth and if my old wreck of a Gal is anything to go by, these things will start without glow plugs almost immediately at temperatures above 10C and take about 5-10 seconds of cranking at freezing point. I had a fault on mine and it ran for 9 months and 20K miles completely without functioning glow plugs. From a cold start, at current temperatures, they are on for about a second and that's it. No partials or anything else fancy, there's no variable or anything else. At 40-60 amps, I wouldn't think that the electrics would stand much messing about and, short of pulsing the relay rapidly, there is no way of varying the power and I doubt the relay would last very long doing that. I have read a few articles about these things but tests made during and after fixing indicate that it's very simple. They come on for a second or so after switching the ignition on and that's the end of it. I've always assumed that, once fired up, the heat of the explosions is enough to keep the glow plug tips hot. But then again, I'm no expert but always believe that the simple explanation is usually right. Ron.

Eldingo seems to have the right idea. If you block the water flow into the system, there won't be much leakage and a few big fluffy towels will absorb what does come out. More to the point. These tings are ususally high up in the suystem and a partial drain might only mean draining the inflow and expansion pipes, espaecially if you turn off all of the radiator valves. Acombination of these may be the simple answer. Ron.

Re the snaking. I no longer tow but I have some experience of this problem. Rule one is don't listen to anyone who says accellerate out of it. It may help in some cases but if it doesn't...... Rule two is to ignore the caravan, take your foot off the accellerator, point the car into some space and hold the steering wheel steady. I've done that from the passenger's side twice and IT WORKS! Rule three is to buy and fit a stabiliser. Don't be a hero or a smart arse. They make a hell of a difference are for the well informed as well as wimps. None of these is any good if you do not take good advice about setting up a stable rig in the first place.

Hi Graham and welcome to the nut house. I had the same problem but mine's a diesel. For what it's worth, on the diesels the coolant sensor is a double unit. One part drives the teperature gauge and the other is used by the ECU for all manner of things including switching the fans on when you stop the engine if it thinks that the engine is too hot. I replaced mine (about

Thanks folks. Don't you ever stop? I've looked all over my MAF for numbers and the ones I've listed are the only ones on it. I've sent details to 4 different sellers on ebay and drawn a blank so far. Sbb7777 is my last chance then I have to prostrate myself at the local Fraud garage and I think it will be the usual... Blessed is he who expects little for he shall not be dissappointed! :angry: :o