seatkid

Maximum thermodynamic efficiency is around 1900 rpm which is where the PD engine can develop max. torque (at max. accelerator position) and has its lowest Specific fuel consumption measured in grams/kwh (not to be confused with fuel consumption - mpg or l/km) Lowest fuel consumption (cruising) is dominated by rolling resistance,wind drag and transmission losses all of which go up with road speed. The lower the speed, the lower the consumption up to the point at which the efficiency of the engine drops off dramatically which in the case of PD would probably be 1200 rpm or less. The answer to your question is "as slow as your engine will allow in top gear". The curve below is not a VW engine (its a Mitsubishi diesel) but it shows the idea.

No! Just unplug the electrical connector - no change or an improvement in performance points to a faulty MAF (if no change check those vacuum pipes just in case!)

looky here

First suspect for drop in performance is always the dreaded MAF, but first visually check the vacuum piping (and theres quite a lot) before you change the MAF ;) , any leaks and you lose turbo boost. Of course an air filter change won't hurt, but they've got to be pretty well completely made up before the performance drops. The old MAF plug out test might point you in the right direction. Never heard of cambelt causing performance issues, esp at 40K. Remember MAFs are now cheap(ish) at places like GSF. Strictly speaking, any sidewall damage will be an automatic MOT failure, but if the damage is very minor and superficial, the tester may allow it through. Ask him to look before he tests it.

Italiastar, yours is a VRS, mines a 1.2 petrol. They do fixed price servicing, 10k costs

What gearbox oil did you use? If, as I think, you have the Ford VXT 75 gearbox, it requires very special oil, looks like ATF. Using conventional oil will lead to rapid gearbox failure, the crunch is a symptom of the wrong (too thick) oil. Only if you have the optional dual A/c climate control. This can be identified by having roof vents in the back which blow cold air, which I doubt you have. Dual temp control does not mean you have dual a/c climate control.....

:o Well blow me down! Dealer said "ah don't worry, we'll sort it...." :D only

S***! Put the Fabia in for 1st service (warranty work) - borrowed a second hand estate to try out - parked in Sainsbury's to get a loaf of bread (2mins) - came out and already some b*****d has dinked the rear offside door! B) What the..........!!!!**!!. lets see what the dealer says :)

You mean like my Seat ALhambra? [smug grin]

Do you have to pay them to talk to them? Sheesh... :ph34r:

Yes, its highly probable its been overfilled,leading to the clutch slipping briefly when starting the a/c. Total failue of the clutch is on the cards if you don't get this fixed. Don't use your a/c, take your car back and complain. Ask them for documentaion to prove the correct amount was put in, ask them to reweigh the gas and report the amount to you. The amount needed is on a sticker under the bonnet, use the lower amount if you have the standard single a/c. The higher amount is for the optional dual a/c which is for cars that have cold air vents in the roof at the back of the car (rare) - NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH DUAL TEMP CONTROL ON C/C which is standard.

It means that disease and environmental change has dessimated the seal population... :ph34r:

Yes there would be damage, IMO the likey scenario with 1.5L overfill is that oil is churned by the main rotating bit leading to rapid overheating and the oil would deteriorate, loss of protection (in your case clutch packs) may follow. This box uses clutch packs and not brake bands.The clutchpacks cannot be adjusted - they are multiplate hydraulic clutches. In your case, I would say symptoms are either the clutchpacks are worn or it could just be wrong/knacked oil and slipping. You first need to drain all the ATF as best you can and refill correctly with the correct fluid. As you can only get half the oil out in one go. Its going to take two or three goes. (run it a while in between changes) Remember to move the selector to all positions after you refill with the engine running to fill all the oilways, then check the oil level. Be carefull when removing/refitting the overflow pipe as it is plastic and easily damaged. From the TIS its looks as if the clutch packs can be changed once the gearbox is removed.

eeek! Try and isolate the noise before doing anything drastic. When you say loud grating, are you sure its not the "kettling" noise you get with low refridgerant pressure? It may also be the tensioner on its way out. Even belt slip. If you really want to clean the compressor clutch, use spray brake cleaner, but allow to dry before starting the car. Don't be over zealous, avoid the belt and the compressor bearing end.

Whats wrong with that? AFAIK Galaxies have always had a speed sensitive volume control. 3 flashes is Euro directive but sensible, how many times have you seen one flash followed by a hazardous manouver? I always seem to switch to intermittent when I stop anyway.

Complain under warranty. If its low gas then get them to fix the leak under warranty. It may also be heater flaps not retracting fully, there is a procedure to recalibrate the cc unit somewhere......

How did you check your sensors? It certainly sounds like open or (less likely) short circuit sensor or a wiring/connector problem. Also check the wirng to the ABS solenoid block and the solenoid(s) themselves.

Yep, you got in one. The disc is one of a number that form a multiplate clutch, half are connected to the compressor shaft, half connected to the pulley drive, when power is applied they lock together and turn. Sometimes the clutch burns out and you lose mechanical drive to the compressor, but this is usually accompanied by a strong smell of burning (slipping clutch). As the visible disc is connected to the compressor, I would say its OK, but check it is spinning at same speed as the drive pulley (some paint marks may be called for). :lol: How could he say that when the air wasn't getting cold?

Is there nothing Dellboyt's magic leads and plugs can't do? :lol: quantum entanglement is a wonderous thing....spooky even....

If you didnt change the discs, it'll be a while before they bed in, you need to be quite brutal to get the pads to the same shape as the disc. In my experience, if the discs are badly worn you will never get back to the same braking level. Don't be fooled by the soft/hard experience. Pumping the pedal exhausts the servo and the pedal goes hard but you also get vastly reduced braking effort. The brake pedal is normally "soft" but what you're getting is reduced braking performance due to only a small pad/disc contact area. (so you press harder to compensate etc)

ouch!

I suppose Ford own engineers are also armchair theoreticians...

Pipe failure apparently is common .. :blink:

Sounds dear, shop around. DIY shouldn't be difficult, (wind back tool required)

You must have still have had oil on the discs or pads.