Magnet

Hello Gez, To give meaningful advice regarding increasing wheel diameters, you would really need to let the forum know the width and profile of the factory tyres, and the same information regarding the tyres which will be fitted to the larger diameter wheels. The logic is that the combined outside dia. of the new wheel and tyre must be the same as the factory fitted wheels and tyres, to ensure the gearing remains the same. You would also need to inform your insurers that you are fitting non standard wheels to the car - wheels which are a factory option. I would also question the effect on warranty claims. I understand car values have plummeted since the Covid 19 situation. Are you really going to proceed to purchase this car? If so - at the previously agreed price? Kind regards, Gareth.

Who were they then Jon? Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Charlie, Disconnecting batteries and leaving them disconnected for comparatively lengthy periods is not good news, and may ( just may) lead to issues with remote locking etc. If this were mine, I would be starting it twice a week and letting it run for around half an hour - assuming you can get it to the exit of your underground car park - so you don’t cause dangerous emissions issues for yourself or others. This procedure is a relatively simple, doesn’t involve any spannering, and is a no hassle way of ensuring the car will start when necessary. If you do get any battery issues then you can then remove the battery , charge overnight and refit. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Mick, I think you are actually in a very strong position if you bide your time. Buying the one you have in mind - possibly sight unseen? Personally, I would be running away from concluding any deal in these troubled times. As I understand it, the desirability/value of used cars has (understandably?) plummeted, and it might be well worth entering the registration number of the car you are interested in into We Buy Any Car, but sit down first. Yes, I know that WBAC prices are near/below trade values, but it will give you a good indicator. Of course, I assume you don’t have to buy a car now, but if you do, I would only be doing so in your own locality - assuming dealers are open, and most aren’t. And if you do have to buy, you hold the ace negotiating card. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello ? Welcome to the forum. It might have helped if you had filled in your location, but you probably didn’t, since you are aware that you are advised not to have visitors to your property in these troubled times. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Chris, I take it you don’t want to pay for a new one and minimise any hassle - assuming you can find a dealer who is open. If I’m right, and you want to buy secondhand, then you could register your want with on-line car breaker search sites such as Partsfinder etc. You enquiry will be circulated to participating breakers who will respond to you if they have what you want - again, assuming they are operating in these troubled times. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Richard, The simple fact is that you had one working key and remote before the locksmith worked on the car. I cannot understand why he would have needed to do anything with that remote, but whatever he has done has resulted in it not working any more. With the exception of an highly unlikely coincidence, whatever he did caused the malfunction of your original key, so it becomes his responsibility to at least get your back to where you were. In my book, yes, get him back. Of course, current circumstances may result in him not working. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Keiren, The poster has not visited the forum since June of last year. I think your best option would be to send him a PM. Kind regards, Gareth.

Not for me to recommend - but for someone in authority who runs this forum? Is it time to recommend ( not a strong enough word) that anyone who has a vehicle fitted with these tyres gets them professionally checked at a tyre retailer without delay? Surely this has been going on long enough, and in sufficient reported frequencies, to deduce there is something significantly and dangerously wrong here - to an extent where this is life threatening. Not to do so would be remiss (again not a strong enough word). Kind regards, Gareth.

Are you looking at genetic on-line motor factor sites and listings?

Wrong kit? Where did you get it from?

Hello Nick, Good question. You must not (in caps) use your ‘old’ conventional 6 amp charger to charge your AGM battery. These batteries need to be charged with what I would term intelligent chargers which tailor the charging cycle and duration, to the requirements of your battery. You mention CTEK, which I understand are good quality (expensive) intelligent maintenance chargers which can be left permanently connected while the car is not used - ensuring the battery will be up to scratch when the car can be used again. These are fine if your car is garaged and you can leave it plugged in, but I wonder about their use for say someone who just wants to charge the battery on a fine day when the car is outside. This situating is more likely to require an intelligent charger with a greater output over a shorter period. I would reinforce:- DO NOT USE an older standard charger to charge modern AGM and stop/start technology batteries. If in any doubt - Stop - do not use a charger, and simply start the car say twice a week and leave it run for around 15 minutes - disabling the stop/start if fitted. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Paul, Many thanks for the helpful additional details. No apologies necessary, it’s my ignorance of cam bridges etc. which is to blame! New territory to me I’m afraid, and in terms of the mesh filter. I was going to suggest a look at the PCV system, but as with most other possible suspects, you seem to have been there done that. I feel I am at a loss here to suggest other possible avenues, but one I would have suggested (in better times) would have been to nip it around to your local friendly MOT station and cadge an emissions test, which might just give a better pointer towards the effect, or indeed eliminate fuelling as the culprit. I guess it’s finding such an MOT station now is the problem in these troubled times. I asked how long you had owned it incase the issue had come to light very quickly after. Not that this is going to help you at all, but intermittent faults can sometimes be associated with bad electrical connections. Clutching at straws here, but worth giving all visible connectors associated with fuel and ignition systems a squirt of contact cleaner and a wiggle? I know this is not where you want to be Paul, but sometimes it worth investing in an hour’s experience of a trusted independent. Such folks have often come across the same issues before and solved it via. the hard way of try this try that. Sorry I’m not helping you, but certainly interested in developments. Kind regards, Gareth.

Sorry Paul, Could you clarify meaning of:- Cam Bridge. Oil transits. Missing filter mess (mesh I guess). Kind regards, Gareth. p.s. How long had this car been with you before it started being problematic?

Am I missing something here - who is going to be able to go travelling responsibly in the near future then?

Hello Paul, CTS and temperature indications:- More often than not (but yours?) the temperature gauge sender is a separate component from the often closely located CTS. Upshot can be that the gauge does not show any abnormality, but the CTS may still be at fault and calling for incorrect fuel mixtures. As I said, normal failure mode is to set (rather than temperature variable) resistance which is not rich enough for instant cold starts, and too rich for hot starts. Having said that, cars usually start, but only reasonably well, so I would not like to offend your wallet and recommend changing it, and it does not solve the problem. Sorry Paul, I’m running out of ideas, but it’s certainly interesting. Not the right word to describe it for you, but... Could you keep us posted. Kind regards, Gareth.

Many thanks for coming back Paul. If you are trying relay replacement then it’s worth keeping in mind that relays used may well be common to others for different functions on the car, so you could try swopping from a circuit which is not at fault. CTS - have tried replacing this? Kind regards, Gareth.

‘....If I cant sell the car......I’ll just hang on to it and enjoy it....’ Absolutely Kevin. ‘........Judging by the number of posts made you must have plenty of time....’ To me, time is not really an available commodity which you chose to use or not -as the case may be. It’s on the shelf at the moment, but it has a zero shelf life! Use it to the full, and if you can help someone along the way as well, then that’s a bonus. Of course, many posts can equal a greater risk of boring folks, but there you go eh!? Everything has its risks, so you post and be dammed, or not post and risk minimum responses in general. I really hope you sell the car for the price you want, to an appreciative buyer. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Steven, Sorry to put a dampener(pardon the pun) on your new toy, but please, please leave this High Pressure, pressure washer, safely in its box, if you have any respect for your car’s paintwork, and the lacquer coat in particular. You could have saved yourself some funds by simply buying a bucket, sponge and some good quality shampoo and using a hosepipe. A much more practical toy. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Geoffrey, Many, many thanks for coming back and letting the forum know the resolution to your issue. Such feedback really is invaluable, and the in depth detail makes it even more useful. Piggy back connections can be a pain - and I have ‘a thing’ about crimp connections (possibly nothing to do with this) - I just don’t trust them. Shorter than desirable spades on replacement fuses = x number of additional fuses being possible from a set length. Where do you find consistently good quality aftermarket components these days? OK things are cheap, but..... Anyway Geoffrey, you must be understandably pleased with the positive outcome. All very much justified, but remember you didn’t do it on your own - it dependent on the assistance of your good pal Percy Verance. He’s been a great help to me on many occasions. Many thanks again and kind regards, Gareth.

‘Banned!’ Oh blinking heck - ‘...passed test in 1961.....’ Nearest and dearest issue restrictions on the degree of tinkering which is allowed. Come on catch up Peter! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello? ( why are we having a spate of anonymous posters?) - Sorry! Anyway, I feel for your plight in selling your car in these very troubled times. They always say there is always a buyer for anything, but if what I read is correct, the used car market is already on its knees - and that is before any official lockdown on movements which may be enforced. What I understand is that you should be sitting down before entering your registration number on the We Buy any Car website. Such is the dramatic drop in prices since these worrying times have been announced. Yes, I know their prices are low at the best of times, but they do have a significant influence on the used car market. Of course, whatever price decrease affects your car, will also affect your proposed purchase so it’s back to the old important but often ignored ‘ cost to change’ . So it may not be all bad news. As much as we may worry about the values of our cars - if we have to sell them - it’s worth bearing in mind the concerns that used vehicle retailers must have about this year’s rapid growth and stock levels of used vans. Now there’s a worry if you are stuck with these. Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello? Many thanks for the post. It seems you are just another victim of this potentially life threatening saga. If I read you post correctly - and apologies if not - you have been affected by this on three occasions. Wondered what course of action and investigation/reporting you have carried out to date? I had a boss who used to say ‘They will have to do something about this’. Never did find out who ‘They’ were, leave alone what if anything ‘they’ did about the issue, but..... Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello Praveen, Thanks for coming back on this. Personally, I wouldn’t see any issue about using a LUK flywheel and a Saches pressure plate - both reputable brands. A 40k gearbox should be fine, and coupled to a complete new reputable- brand clutch, all should be well, but unfortunately it isn’t. Warped pressure plate? - already commented on, and never too old to learn, but whatever way you look at it Praveen, the problem is likely to need to be investigated by stripping, so any possible cause can only be assumption. If it were mine, I would want to have complete confidence in the dismantler’s ability to investigate and fault find this issue. Certainly one clear step ahead fromsimply stripping an old unit out and fitting a new one in. Although I can understand your frustration with this, and you would like to come up with an explanation, I think there is potential in getting too involved in the ‘whys’ before we know the route cause. Perhaps you could keep us updated Praveen. Interesting! Kind regards, Gareth.

Hello ? (Sorry, but you don’t list your name). Until someone comes up with the definitive answer for you :- Special tool? Don’t know, but he wouldn’t be referring to a clutch alignment tool - would he? Could you check and let us know. It’s doubtful he is referring to this, since this would be a ‘tool’ which most most mechanics would have in their tool kit. Judder? Are you intending to replace the (dual mass?) flywheel? If not, it could be false economy. What make clutch kit are you using? Perhaps you could come back to us on all the above. Kind regards, Gareth.