LongGone

Hi Mk2vr6, I know what the TIS says, I read it carefully before starting out. However, I BELIEVE it is out of date IR the drawbolt because:- The bearing kit comes complete with the old-style drawbolt (and circlip), which is a MUCH smaller thread diameter and head size, and has an integral "washer". There is only one torque setting given in the TIS for this operation, which with the original small bolt must take the bolt material past its elastic limit hence rendering it a single-use component. The MK2 has a 27mm hex on the bolt, and a MUCH larger thread diameter, with a thick ground separate washer. Hence there is a much more effective torque conversion to draw-force for the same applied torque, and a very much reduced stress in the bolt. This needs clarification by someone in Ford Service but I would be very surprised if this new style bolt is a chuck-away. Can anyone get clarification on this issue? John Nowadays most bolts used in critical situations are use once only stretch bolts and generally are tightened by the torque\ angle method. (In extreme situations such as engine conrod bolts this method is a no go). Simply put the bolt can only be stretched once, and should be discarded.

Good Lord, he gets about a bit. He's always here when I mess up to.

My pleasure. Does God really shout?

When my wife was ill and I tried cooking. I didn't admit defeat either. but neither did I eat it. I also referred to the previous repairs! You made no mention of renewing the snap ring or wheel hub retaining bolt both of which must be renewed. Tie rods also require new nuts. Vehicle repairs are a serious matter to most of us, so if your narration of events is written in the manner you adopted you cannot expect to be taken seriously. It is a technical forum after all. Now retiring from this post.

You maybe the only driver, my thoughts concern the other road users in your vicinity should fate someday intervene. As a matter of interest what Uni's did you attend. On first appraisal I thought resurrection was true and Einstein was once more in our midst.

JohnR: I can't believe what I've just been reading. If your serious, your vehicle, from what you have described, and assuming any other repairs you may have carried out are to the same standard is nothing less than a lethal weapon.

I admit there are a lot of things written about not using Anti-Seize on wheel nuts on the web, but on the other habnd, also a lot about using it. Here's just a couple:- JDF: Looks a very impressive product. Perhaps I should have been more specific and said any wheel\tyre\vehicle manufacturer. You probably know but as a matter of interest all commercial\contractors plant vehicles over a couple of tons GVW have left hand threaded nuts on the near side wheels because they have an inherant ability to come undone with predictable results. I've also witnessed anti-seize put on the w\studs of a car in a garage and torqued up with the usual air wrench (and as usual probably set at max.) It stripped two studs before the fitter cottoned on. The actual torque setting on wheel studs is always, to my knowledge, stated to be with "Dry" studs. Anti seize would probably increase the manufacturers settings by a factor of? If it doesn't strip the thread there and then the over torque can cause the stud to shear off at a later date. Have to admit that I use anti on everything else though and in many times thanked my lucky stars that I had.

I've been trying to locate a new thermostat for a 1.9 TD (2002) without resorting to Fords. So far I've drawn a blank, well nearly.Found a million for the house rads. Anyone help?

NikpV: Is Tis the official Ford product? If so they probably assume that a qualified employee would carry out this "best practice" as a matter of course without having to have it laid out in black and white.. An additional advantage in bleeding whilst winding back the brake pads is that if the pads are well worn and the reservoir has been kept topped up to its maximum level there is no spillage of brake fluid.

JDF: And the same mechanics who do coat wheel studs with an anti seize agent were probably ordering a new wheel centre, wheel nuts and studs two minutes after the vehicle left. If anyone has seen or read of a publication advising this practice I would be very interested in seeing it

Well I'm back from good and bad times. Set off for the Gower with the Galaxy pulling like a train. Hardly felt the caravan at all. Didn't last though. Went into "limp" mode after half an hour or so, but carried on to a motorway service station below Cardiff. Stopped for 30 minutes for refreshments. Started off and everything back to normal, cruising along at 55 mph in fifth, and 60 mph in sixth on flat, (caravans are 60MPH max) but after fifteen minutes it was limp mode again till we got to the Gower. Next day set off for a drive around and everthing back to normal again. She's run perfectly ever since. Sheer joy driving back, more I drive her, the better I like her. (and to think I've rubbished the MPV concept in the past). Anyway back to the serious stuff. Anyone any ideas? suggestions? as to whats going wrong. All I know is it's intermittent and self repairing. I've come to the conclusion that without Vag-Com I'm going to be doing my proverbial nut, so I'll be shopping around shortly. Initial internet search suggests a Vag-Com or Vag-Com Professional on a laptop. Anyone had experience of them and there compatibility with the Galaxy? Looking forward to any help. Bob

What is your car? If it's a turbo diesel, this sounds like 'turbo lag'. It's quite normal. Edit - I've just read your profile, and I think you know about diesel engines. Sorry to patronise. B) No apology needed. Yes, I'm familiar with turbo lag but this just doesn't seem to fit. I've explained badly I think. An example maybe better. Say your creeping along in slow moving traffic, 1st gear, just ticking over. Traffic speeds up slightly, you gently increase speed accordingly. Normal for a few seconds, then starts to increase speed, just as if the turbo is starting to cut in, but it feels a bit to sudden for that in relation to the fractional amount of increased throttle. Off to the Gower early tomorrow to give her another try at pulling the caravan. Perhaps something more concrete will materialise over the week. Post on return. Bob

Can anyone tell me if this is normal. Start off in a normal manner, gently, several seconds pass by and say twenty yards travelled, then you can feel the engine want to accelerate much quicker. There's nothing wrong, just this slight lag with what I call a normal take off. If I take off more aggressively you don't notice the lag. This is my first Galaxy, so I've nothing to compare this to. My first thought was that it might be the accelerator pedal position sensor, my second was use your head and ask those who know and you might save yourself a lot of grief. In anticipation, Bob

assuming that the hose wasn't leaking air in before complete failure then changing the maf can be a huge difference especially if you've to 50k+ miles One of my reason's for changing the MAF before contacting Andy was that I had read posts that stated the MAF deteriorated around 40+km, so in the event that the MAF was not at fault, I would not be wasting money. i.e. it could well start to fail anytime, and since degradation appears to be a gradual process, I might not notice it happening until the drop in performance was to obvious to miss. The savings I would make in MPG therefore, might well cover the MAF purchase. Renewal should surely be included in a service schedual.

Recently purchased a 1.9 TDI (02 Reg) to tow the caravan. Quite taken with it in the first week running round geting used to it solo. However, after setting out with the caravan hooked up and ten miles down the road and a mile down the M50 the speed started to drop and from there to the Gower at Swansea it managed 45 MPH tops and often 2nd gear up some of the longer inclines. Had a quick look round on arrival. Nothing obvious, so decided to leave it alone till we got back home a fortnight later. From the posts on here by the resident experts I changed the MAF, after carrying out there recommended check, but no different. Purchased TIS off the internet and after some research? decided it confirmed my opinion that the turbo was not functioning as it should i.e. not at all. Made a call to Andy, the one man car sales firm that I bought it off, gave him the history, and was told to bring it in and he would have it sorted. Lent me a courtesy car and said mine would be ready by late afternoon. Considering some of the horror's I've read about on here, I thought this might be a trifle optimistic. I did mention to Andy that from perusal of a forum on the internet I suspected it might be longer, and did the courtesy car have a full tank? Told me that he only dealt with genuine people who knew their stuff backwards, that he couldn't afford otherwise. Turned out that the auto electrician (self-employed) on the diagnostics goes round most of the local dealers\distributors (all makes) solving the problems they can't. Couldn't help leaving with the feeling that I can't be this lucky. Had a call at 4.15pm telling me it was ready and I could collect anytime. Needless to say I was off like the proverbial rabbit. Believe it or not but it goes like a bullet, appreciably better than before it played up. The fault proved to be the vacuum pipe from the turbo charger vane adjustment vacuum diaphragm which had come adrift. The whole diagnostic system was checked etc, nothing was found and no codes had to be cleared. I liked it before the fault but now I'm very impressed. I'm inclined to think that the extra performance is down to th MAF renewal. Opinions? I just have to give it a run with the caravan on so we'll be off down the Gower again, for a week, on the 29th. Post the findings on return. Bob