ridway

Forget my last entry. I think its too much hassle to create a hard wired connection between the lap top and the rds 5000. If I start poking around with a soldering iron I'm bound to break it. So I've been looking at these FM modulators; halfords apparently sell them and theres a few on the net, ebay etc. These plug into the audio out on the laptop PDA or mp3 player and send the signal to the FM radio receiver in the rds 5000. Cool idea. Does anyone use or has tried one of these? Does the sound quality degrade much by going through the radio? Whats the best make to go for? What is the range? Would it reach between two vehicles in convoy for instance? Rich

I know there is a principal here but these items, in their standard form, are suprisingly cheap to replace if the warrenty period has passed. Rich

I want to take the output from a laptop 3.5mm stereo jack and feed it into the car stereo primarly to listen to MP3s off the hard disk of a lappy and watch DVDs for the kids. The Radio is the RDS 5000 with the 6 disk auto changer. I know this can be done but has anyone tried and found the easiest way. My thoughts were to modify the unit and utilise the cassette tape head to accept the input as the cassette player is never used in our car. This mod seems quite intrusive, though I think it would be cool if its done right. Does anyone suggest an easier way; the audio feeds from the CD autochanger for instance. Im open to suggestions Cheers Rich

1. I quite like this idea of flipping the screen and roof mounting the laptop. I endorse the concerns about the mounting security though! Where can we get hold of the screen inverting software? Is it a freeware program? Does it work OK with DVD playing software? 2. Power supply. I got hold of an 800 Watt inverter off Ebay for just under

I got this problem of a noisey belt when the engine is warm and it only happens in winter. It is probably a lot more noticable on the petrol; there very quiet when idling. This is not the loose belt squeal but a mild irritating scuffing noise. This year I had a closer look and found no problems so I have just sprayed some belt dressing on it and the problem has gone and never returned to date, 4-5 weeks. I suspect it could be contamination from road salt, there was evidence of salty white specks around the pully fronts. Time and conditions will tell. Rich

Its got to be either a busted switch stalk thingy or a sticking relay unless the wiring has been chaffing or damaged in some other way. I'd try the relay first, swop it with another of the same type, see if that cures the problem. Failing that it looks like a drudge around with the old multimeter and diagram checkng voltages. Best of luck Rich

I read alot about these cubby holes under the front seats filling with water for one reason or another and damaging whatever may be stored or fixed in them. Is there any reason why a couple of small drain holes can't be drilled? At least it might give the bits in there some chance if it floods. Or would we just get water coming in the other way when driving in heavy rain? Rich

Laser tools, available from good motor factors part No 1314. The caliper piston has to be wound in as it is pushed back because, unlike the front ones, it is on a threaded shaft which allows handbrake self adjustment for pad wear without the need for h/b cable adjustment. The job can be done using grips as mentioned but the tool really does make the job very easy to do. Retails about

Mine is a Mk11 2.3 petrol and changing the pollen filter was as exactly as you've illustrated, I saw nothing different (with exception of the engine). This is presuming the MK11 is the 2000ish to 2004ish model and not the very latest chromed facelifted one? Rich

I think the clue to your problem may be the fact it will bump start ok. While cranking, the system voltage will drop off, when doing a bump start it won't. The system voltage will certainly be less while the starter is running. To what extent will depend on battery condition, temperature, lead resistance etc. You say the problem persists even with extra current from a second battery. It may be worth checking the condition of the battery primary leads and main earth points to check they're not dropping the voltage while cranking. Have a good feel at the terminal bolts and earth points after cranking a few times to see if they're warm or hot if the problem is bad. No matter how much cranking power is available from the batteries if there is a resistance in the leads to the system the voltage available for the system will be lower than it should be. I dont know what the threshold supply voltages are for the ECU to work correctly but there must be a level at which problems can start to occur. Is there a fault code for undervoltage? It could be a combination of the HT problems as already mentioned and at what I hinted at with system voltages. Another bit that should'nt be overlooked is the ignition module or coil pack that could be on it's last. You have the worse kind of fault there, I wish you luck Rich

Yep, I've always avoided fuses. Fortunatley I have'nt had the need to change one yet (touching wood). I really don't understand what these levels are that the TIS info refers. I know it is one of those things that I will have to sort out if things go wrong so any pre knowledge would be helpful to me as well Rich

The main coolant radiator and aircon condenser fans are controlled by both the cooling system temperature and the aircon system pressures which are proportional to condenser temperatures. These running at high speed immediately on switch on suggests there is a fault. Given the information you have supplied my first checks would be to find out if the electric solenoid clutch on the aircon compressor is activating. If it is, this suggests there is refrigerant gas in the system. The difficult part is determining whether this is the correct amount. Two weeks of successful operation and then a failure does suggest you still have a leak, somewhere. You may have slowly been loosing the gas over this period. I would suggest that you ask your AC specialist to recover and weigh the gas in the system and check it tallies with the amount introduced a fortnight ago. If it is down then further leak checks need to be carried out using a dye or electronic sniffer. Do not attempt to keep using the system if it is low on refrigerant because moving parts within the system do not get lubricated successfully and can quickly damage the compressor. As a general rule of thumb when the aircon is switched on, the compressor clutch should engage and run more or less constantly if there is a maximum demand for cooling and it is a warm/hot day. It is however, normal for the clutch to drop out occasionally under automatic system control. What is not normal is for the compressor clutch to fast cycle on and off in a very short period of time (< 5 seconds). This can indicate both a lack of refrigerant, blockage, moisture, too much of a charge and several other faults not discounting the electronics and control. If the compressor is not engaging then it is almost certain that you ref gas has leaked away and the pressure switch has shut down the system. Look for the centre of the pully turning on the compressor to determine if the clutch is engaged. Still = off, rotating = on. This sometimes fools the unaware into thinking that because the outer pully is turning the compressor is running. From what you say I think you still have a leak. Once fixed I think the analogue and digital bits will sort themselves out and the fans will work as designed. Best of luck Rich

Might sound a daft question but are the wheel nuts tight. If they are try swopping the spare with each in turn if you think it may have been badly kerbed. It could be a bent wheel, specially the steel ones. I'd have a look at the CVs, may be one has partially seized. Jack the front and secure safely with good stands and chock well at the rear. Run slowly in gear and watch for any run out of the running gear and wheels. A problem like that should show itself quite easily. If it is worse under overrun or accelaration then it could be the mounts as suggested. Good luck Rich

Interesting, didn't know the Gal had one.

Is the tiptronic gearbox similar to what you get in the Honda Accord, sort of semi automatic a bit like the F1's? Rich

As an aside to this thread and those who may be interested. The strange and seemingly unrelated symptoms of engine power and brake vacuum made me think of a strange occurence I had with a Ford Orion diesel some years ago. I used this orion for several years commuting and did many cheap reliable miles. I was particularly alarmed one day while approaching a roudabout on the A1 to see the oil warning light illuminate. Using the brake to slow for the coming junction, I found the brakes to be non exsistant, there was nothing, or very little. Fortunatley, heart in mouth, I negociated the roundabout and pulled in the first layby some 100 yards hence, slowing using the handbrake (sorry Ivor). Rolling to a stand still I could hear the knock of the bigends protesting at the lack of oil. I switched off and began my investigation into why I had had two major failures at the same time. I could find nothing, Oil level, brake fluid level integrity of all pipes. Everything was spot on. I tentatively started the car and immediatley the oil light extinguished and the engine sounded normal, bigend knock gone. Totally puzzled, but slightly happier my thoughts turned to the brakes. Rolling backwards in the layby I found that the footbrake was perfect. Slighty happier again but even more puzzled, I needed to get off the A1 on to a side road and try and get my head around this. Getting onto a quiet country lane I tried everything possible to make either or one of these problems re-occur. I even drained a cup full of oil into my thermos flask cup to see if it was some sort of oil level indication problem. Nothing. I was totally lost for an answer. Using the back roads I rightly or wrongly carried on at a much reduced speed, trying the brakes every second as you can imagine. Faultless, got me home, not a hiccup. Explained to the local garage what had happened. I got the the impression they did'nt beleive me - I was begining to disbeleive myself. They found nothing and could not give an explaination. The commuting continued for several months uneventfully, even had a new clutch. Then one cold morning just pulling onto the carpark at work the same thing happened again. I was pleased in a way especially this time because the bigends still knocked when I stopped the engine and restarted it and the brakes still did not work right. Luckily we had a vehicle work bay at work and a helpful manager who was as intrigued as his mechanics to see the problem when I explained. They and I persued the mystery for most of the morning and eventually found the problem. It was the servo vacuum pump. On the 1.6 diesel unit the pump was driven off the cam shaft. It had its own eccentric lobe on the cam to drive a push rod through the cylinder head to an external vac pump. The push rod returned under coil spring pressure to follow the cam lobe. Although the pump itself was never stripped down it was obvious that my problem was caused by it sticking mid travel. The push rod shaft passed through the head and was lubricated by an oil feed from a main oil gallery. The push rod had a cut out to allow oil to briefly flow into the shaft guide. It was unfortunate that the sticking pump was stopping the shaft in a position that allowed the full pressure of the oil feed system to be dumped straight back to the sump via the cut out. So the brakes, or lack of and the loss of oil pressure were both caused by a strange set of circumstance. The Orion has almost, long gone, especially the 1.6 diesel model. I dont know whether a recall for this problem was ever issued by Ford. I suppose it could be a serious problem but I never heard or read about any other incidents. So the moral of the story is always expect the unusual, however vague and unrelated. Thanks for reading, perseverance preserved my sanity in this case. Rich

Use the left foot, my brakes always work a lot better! Rich

Its seems you may just have a knacked chimer. I can understand your frustration with it. It is one of those niggly faults that will irritate forever until fixed. It is just a pain gaining access to substitute a new bit not knowing for sure that it will cure the problem. Then of course you need some way of testing it, giving the right temperature to the sensor. My experience of this device is that it only chimes as the temp falls through 4 deg C. It does not chime when the temp remains below 4 deg C but the display does flash briefly when the ignition is switched on. Best of luck with it Rich

The chime alert sounds as the temperature probe detects a falling temperature through 4 deg C. This I presumed to be correct as ice can exist at any temp below this 4 deg C point. The chime is accompanied with a flashing display at 4deg C. No other warning is given when below this figure. HNY Rich

It is a question I thought I had asked before and did have a quick search to check, obviously missed it. Its an age thing you know, cheers anyway. Since posting I've had a real good look around and there are no vents externally so you're right it must by re circed. Going on from this. Where does the air from the front blower exit when not in re circ. Again there does not seem to be any exit vents at the rear? Does it rely on the positive pressure caused to just force its way out through various gaps, door seals, light clusters etc? The situation may be related to windscreen misting due to poor air throughput reported in another thread. Rich PS Thanks fred, have read the "read this". I remember now

Does the rear heater just re-circulate or does it pull in fresh air? Rich

Wife sent on a mission tommorrow for some for my work truck - nice one Martin

Similar mileage Mike, only mine is petrol. No problems so far - keep changing the oil & filter B) Merry Christmas & Happy New Year Richard

I had a similar warning when I braked hard on one or two occasions. The ABS seemed OK though, and there was no clunking noise. The fault warning was found to be because the fluid level was down due to the brake pads being all warn (74,000 mile) to their limit. Fitting new pads solved the problem. The noise you are getting could be due to wheel tramp/ bouncing triggered by the ABS coming into action, under heavy braking, the suspension is very soft on the front. Failing that it could be a ball joint or bush wear.

I cant comment directly on the diesel version because mine is a petrol and warms up quite swiftly. I do however have a diesel Ford Ranger which suffers similar symptoms to what are described in this thread. I live quite high up and in the winter months when I leave for work early in the morning my journey is nearly all downhill, not steep, but on cold frosty mornings it is nearly all engine braking for several miles. I have to make a point of taking my gloves because the engine just does not get warm. When I arrive the temp gauge has only just started to move. Normal driving and going home, i'm as warm as toast The designers of the derv Gal obviously had foresight when they incorporated the aux heater, I think its a great idea and I wish I had one in my truck. I suppose that the situation highlights the relative efficiency of a diesel engine under low load conditions. I think both petrol and diesel both exhibit these sypmtoms but it is perhaps more noticable in the Gal because of its small efficient diesel engine and the large cabin area.