seatkid

5 beeps - crankshaft position sensor fault IIRC

I love my Alhambra! :lol: Its as faithful as an old hound, as cuddly as a kitten, and as cheap to run as a Halfords pushbike (well almost :) ) Its the most reliable car I've ever owned. Of course, not letting it near a garage mechanic helps a lot..... I'll not let it go until it dies of old age.......its ten years old this year......what's that in doggy years?

For

As is often the case with a lot of american products, there are a lot of exagerrated and outrageous claims made, but absolutely no evidence to back it up. This report seems to be a fair evaualtion of this product. I personally use Millers Diesel Power Sport 4, though at about half the suggested dose. I find it does make a perceptible, if subtle, difference to my Tdi engine. The engine does run quieter and smoother at idle and low speeds, which Millers claim is due to it raising the cetane rating of the fuel. However any fuel economy improvement is too small for me to say is real. I conclude that any improvment in economy is down to the "cleansing" of the injectors, the first 3-4 tanks use saw lots of black smoke after which it became very clean. Remember I started using this at about 80,000 miles of gentle motoring. On the other hand it seems to make no difference in my Corsa 1.3 multijet, although as this car is almost new, the engine is not in need of a clean......yet....

Please note it is NOT suitable for PD engines (i.e. MKII Shalaxy diesels) Owners should always consult their car's manual for oil specification requirements and if the oil to be used is suitable. The consequence of using an unsuitable oil is accelerated engine wear/damage.

Oh...I've just remembered that the bottom crankshaft cambelt pulley can sometimes slip...that will throw the timing too. (Not sure if this is a Tdi or PD problem though...)

Ask them to check the camshaft pulley has not slipped - do the 6mm drill bit test according to the Ford TIS instructions with the correct tools. (Ask them how they check the timing) Then you need to agree with them about seeking independent help and who would cover costs.

My back is all wet! :D ...must take a bath..... According to the instructions on the TIS, the camshaft pulley is not keyed and has to be aligned with the camshaft using a 6mm rod (drill bit), hence the possibilty of timing slip if the 3 bolts are not tight enough. A special tool is required to lock the camshaft assembly while the 3 bolts are tightened to 25nm. RIPOFF did say it was going alright until it stopped 3 hours later. Hence my conclusion that something slipped - could also be the tensioner incorrectly installed allowing the cambelt to jump one sprocket, but I guess they would have spotted that.

Woah there sepulchrave!......The timing is derived from the the camshaft position sensor, so you have the have the camshaft pulley in exactly the right position! White smoke possible source is due valve timing according to Ford TIS (2nd possibilty after bad fuel)

Regarding the "chip". It has possibly been lost if they opened the key to change the batteries. It can easily fall out! It is highly unlikely to be faulty as the chip is a passive transponder (does not require power) and is seperate from the remote electronics. Try your spare key. I am not a gambling man.

The basic timing has to be set manually. IIRC only a minute amount of timing adjustment (trimming) can be performed electronically via the diagnostics. White smoke is caused by 1. Glow plugs not working (but only for a couple of seconds after a cold start) 2. Insufficient combustion temperature (usually low compression) 3 Incorrect injection timing. Special Ford/VW Tools are required to set the timing accurately. From the Ford TIS CD after the cambelt is fitted..... When the engine is warm, glow plugs are not required to start the engine. I would say that possibly the camshaft pulley has slipped and the timing is out.

There have been several reports of poorly starter motors giving poor starting. Apparently just one poor winding/commutator strip and the starter motor spins slightly slower - hardly noticeable, but makes it almost impossible to start as a minimum turn over speed is required. Some have suggested a single bleep is due to low battery voltage, which might also lead to slower than required starter motor speed.

How many bleeps? Could just be low battery or a bad battery. 5 bleeps means faulty crankshaft position sensor IIRC.

It's the big nimber on the big sticker on the front panel of the big car outside your house! :23: :lol: Yes, find the big sticker to the right of the bonnet latch with AC and R134a in big letters. There are two weights, the smaller weight is for the standard single a/c and the larger for the dual. As the the a/c can vary from model to model always use the sticker to confirm the correct weight of refrigerant required.

IIRC the sprockets are not keyed on a Mk1 and the correct procedure is to lock the camshaft and pump sprocket in predetermined precise positions and the top sprocket is removed to change the belt. If they have been sloppy then the timing can be out by any amount even a fraction of a tooth. That is almost certainly what has happened.

Kwikfit are usually good at a/c refill. They use a automated machine that is almost foolproof. Just make sure they connect both hoses (hi/lo) and select the correct program/refill quantity for your model. IMO never use a top up can. That is not the way to fill an a/c unit. It may smell because you need a new pollen filter. If not try a can of Dettol airspray as a cheap way to "de-smell" it. Set a/c to recirc on a medium fan speed and spray generously under the passenger side glovebox (that where the recirc air goes). Then switch off and leave the car for half an hour. Basically you try get some anti-bac into the evaporator to kill the germs. Afterwards set the fan on full power/heat for several minutes to try and dry and blast the critters outs.

Mk1 TDi with Manual transmission cambelt change is every 60,000 miles or 5 years whichever occurs first. So you have another 2 years to go. How long a belt lasts depends on many factors, quality of components, installation standards, environmental conditions and useage. It is usually the tensioner that fails before the belt. IIRC Continental brand belts are supposedly lifetime items although no dealer will accept this. If you park your car outside, near the sea and do a lot of stop/start motoring, I would stick to the 5 year limit. IMO its the temperature/humidity cycling that's bad for the components. And salt if you live near the sea. I changed my belt after 75,000 miles/8 years. On inspection, the (original) belt was still in very good condition and the tensioner showed no signs of play and was silky smooth. I drive with "mechanical sympathy" (gently) and my car is garaged. But it may also be luck that my car was built with good parts.

MO4, treat those last two posters with the contempt they deserve....

It that plastic lumpy bit next to where the fog lamp sits on the offside. If you pull it off, theres a towing eye underneath for a tow rope. Often people forget to put the cover back. Water here goes straight onto the PS belt. Spoiler, your aerodynamics will be upset at speed, probably causing the front end to go light at motorway speeds.......could be dangerous.

My pleasure..... Why not help yourself and search the forum. I'm sure the answer is there somewhere :rolleyes: Or, as you now need a new sensor anyway, why not buy one and measure it? Or, .....somehow I think you don't want to hear any more of my suggestions......

must have stopped raining......

There are some on this forum that say that only diesel engined Galaxys are affected by this problem, due to the position of the belt/pulleys. I am not so sure myself. Here is a picture of a modified undertray. Its large, 3 dimensional and I think youd have trouble making one in aluminium.

Of course, the basic problem is you bought a pup that had been illegally doctored. Because this is safety related, I suspect you could still hold the seller liable although your acceptance of "something wrong but I will ignore it" over several years makes your case somewhat weaker. It sounds as if the seller had a serious problem that wasnt easy to fix and therefore went to elaborate lengths to disguise that fact. I don't think a simple sensor problem would have warranted him stripping and doctoring the instrument cluster. You might end up replacing lots of expensive bits before you get things working as they should. Good luck.

You'd be no good at a cruise meet then :( Glad you're OK MO4, don't overdo the stiff drink..... :rolleyes: . I agree 100% that driving without an undertray is an accident waiting to happen. The towing eye cover must also be in place! Also any indication of a loose steering belt should be addressed immediately. I only had PS belt slip happen once on a winding back road, raining and muddy. The undertray was on but the towing eye cover was missing! Almost shit myself. The problem is in the 1-2 seconds it takes for you to realise whats happenning, you can easily wrap yourself around a tree..... Its a serious design fault, and one thats probably caused quite a few accidents, with the owners unaware it wasn't their fault!

Its a known problem on the Mk 1 and is mentioned on the Ford TIS so should have been addressed under warranty. Basically the TIS advises an extra earth wire to be added to the radio loom at the radio end, connecting the 0v supply wire to chassis framework near the radio. This reduces the interference from the engine but doesnt help the poor signal which is due to the rear window aerial being an VHF FM aerial and not a properly designed all band antenna.