JohnPic

Guys thanks for the help. Guess a pillar drill and a lot of hassle would be the best way, though think we are looking for a hub.

Hi Insanitybeard Thanks I have not seen it, its 30 miles from me, but bolt has sheared and remaining thread is locked solid, even welding a nut on the stud and it won't come out. Guess it needs drilled out. Presume that means taking the hub of and finding a pillar drill which he does not have or getting a second hand hub. I know he was looking for a hub on the net. Seems that is the way forward. The job was to big for me to tackle just now, just have an open car part to work in and far to much work for next two weeks then supposed to be away for two weeks. A car would be a good thing to have so gave it to him to sort.

Removing the front off side strut on an 03 Alhambra diesel. Friend has cut out the top mount but cannot undo the bolt holding the strut to the steering knuckle. He has heated it up, welded on nuts and got not even a full turn before the nut has gone. Have thought about drilling it out but that seems destined to fail. Is the best thing just to tighten it up and snap the bolt holding it to the knuckle, can it be cut? Any suggestions please. Secondly the new strut has come without the two nuts at the top. Does anyone know what thread and size they are to get new ones? Thanks for any help.

Have an O3 Alhambra 145,000 miles, new to me last summer. Have a knock going over bumps from the front off side suspension. Not all bumps but most. It does not relate to steering just to a bump. I have had a look and cannot see anything obvious. I have replaced anti roll bar bushes - which has greatly helped the handling but not the noise. Have replaced the drop link, which seemed fairly OK and no improvement at all. Does anyone have any suggestions of what to check and how to check. Car is in the open and maintenance gets done in the open, been OK so far!

Hi Wheels need to be: 59 off set at 7 inch wide. Increase the off set for wider wheels, increase by half the width increase. Wrong off set will upset the steering balance. Mk1 wheels may not fit Mk2. Steels should be OK but alloys may foul the larger front discs on the Mk2. 16 in is the normal size but 17 should be fine if the offset and wheel width correct. Off set appears to be the same for Mk1 and Mk2, varying only by wheel width. You need to consider Tyre diameter as well, larger wheels = larger diameter which can be compensated by lower profile. You may need to check the tyre you want is available in a suitable size and speed loading rating - limited winter tyre availability in some sizes. To large an increase in diameter will mess up your speedo reading. Obviously a small change is fine. I use slightly larger which means my speedo is almost spot on and odometer reads a bit low. Have a pair of Mk 1 16inch alloys and 2 more available if you want them. There are tables on the net for tyre size but you will find a lot of misinformation about wheel offset. Only sure way is to read what is written on the wheel itself. Alloys seem to be clearly marked on the inside. Only sure way if the size is OK is then to fit and make sure there is sufficient clearance.

Thanks, Will bear these in mind

Front bushes now fitted and all went together OK. What a difference they make. The bus no longer handles like a boat. Still not wonerful but so much better. Still detect a slight knock which is where / why I got started. A knock on the front off side. It appeared to be the nut for the drop link fouling the body work as the anti roll bar had shifted slightly. Did try to get it centred OK so think that is not happening any more. But of course new bushes have dampened the front making it all less clear. The drop link seemed OK but perhaps that has to be changed. Give it a few miles and hope it will all become clear.

Thanks Insanitybeard. You got me checking and seems the front is normally 17mm and these are marked 16mm, marked for a Galaxy. Wonder if they are for the rear though they are ridged the same as the front. Anyway back to the shop! Further checking suggests 16mm fit a 2litre petrol type 1 Galaxy. The rest seem to be 17 mm. Intriguing how all these Galaxy, Alhambra and Sharan are meant to be the same and turn out not to be. Like some Mk 1 wheels do not fit a Mk2, brake calipers a different size despite all folks say.

Am trying to change front anti roll bar bushes on an 03 Alhambra 1.9 tdi. I have jacked up front and put it on axle stands, removed front wheels, disconected drop links, cleaned bar and fitted new rubber bushes. When offering up the bar with the new bushes I cannot compress the bushes enough to get the retaining bolts started. Am I missing something? Does anyone have any suggestions of what to do, what I may have missed or over looked please? Thanks

Thanks Paul. That clears it all up. Even the Seat parts guy did not realise the problem. Now looking for 16 in wheels from a Mk 2.

Does anyone know whether Mk 1 16 in wheels should or should not fit a Mk 2. I have a Mk 2 Alhambra which had been fitted with Audi 17 in wheels, wrong offset and I want winter tyres which really means refitting 16 in wheels. I bought a set of Galaxy 16 in wheels which due to the design I reckon are Mk 1, others have definitely had my design wheels on a Mk1. Anyway on the front they foul the disk calliper. Everyone I have asked has said they should fit, but they do not and the old steel spare 16 wheel does fit (just). So the callipers look correct so having been suspicious I now do not think they have been switched. So the callipers foul the Galaxy 16 inch wheels with my new tyres on them! Is it the Mk1 wheels and therefore finding Mk2 wheels would sort it? Or should I be looking for something else?

Thanks mumof4. Do you still use 2 stroke oil and if so for how long? Do you use basic £5 a litre stuff or fancy oils?

Thanks for your thoughts. It is the issues around the pressure in the injectors and break up of the oil that concerned me. Seems no one has taken the risk - or wants to talk about it. So I wont be doing it either!

Hi Seatkid Thanks for your comments especially on cetane. But your trust in the standards being in our interests as owners of diesel motors is something I do not share. Yes i know diesel complies with the standard. That is precisely why 2 stroke oil could be helpful. The standard removes sulphur which gave diesel its essential lubrication. I had contact with people selling on the reconditioned engines from VW testing ten years or so ago. They had large numbers of failures attributed to the changes in diesel fuel. It goosed the test engines. So yes of course diesel complies with the standard. The standard is set to meet emission controls not to meet the needs of diesel engines. Modern diesel is a compromise. My question is: does the addition of two stroke oil to diesel change the compromise sufficiently for my benefit for my motor in the longer term? Please don't try the "they have it all planned out for the best". The compromises in diesel design and emission control are significantly inefficient. I had a Citroen AX ie indirect injection very old technology which regularly gave 65 mpg. An early 1.9 di Fabia which normally gives 65 to the gallon. The modern ones cannot match that even though they have 13 years of "improved" technology. A Ford Focus diesel barely does much over 50mpg; achieved by the first relatively poor Escort diesels when they first came out. That must be 30 years ago. The rumour is that "a large German auto Co." tested additives demonstrating no advantage. BUT came out quietly with the view that 2 stroke was useful. Broadcasting that result would be politically unacceptable: to government, fuel companies, the environmental lobby and shock the private motorist. As well as opening a can of worms about all the current changes. Much better not to rock the boat. But I am quite happy to rock my boat. Does 2 stroke help? Again: does the addition of 2 stroke change the compromise which is modern diesel in my favour, helping preserve my engine and components for the next 100,000 miles. And after deciding on 2 stroke comes thoughts on egr and cleaning the inlet manifold and removing the cat when the exhaust needs done.

Hi All Does anyone add 2 stroke to their diesel and any thoughts on doing so with a PD engine: 130 bhp 1.8tdi. The idea is that modern diesel has poor lubrication properties since it is so low in sulphur. I found adding 2 stroke to diesel in my T4 left it quieter, perhaps smoother. Any thoughts from anyone.