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 Editorial Martyn Knowles, Editor
Email martyn.knowles@kelsey.co.uk
Follow us on Facebook @ Car Mechanics

Project Mondeo
 In 2022, Ford decided to stop taking
orders for its Mondeo after a run of
nearly three decades. The Mondeo
name will be lost forever in Europe.
So, we thought we’d take on a
Mondeo as a project car as we pass 30
years since the first Mk1 models came
off the Belgium (Genk) production line.
Many of you reading this may possibly
have owned/driven a Mondeo over the
years – sales were strong and have slowly
declined since around 2005, largely
thanks to motorist buying habits, as MPVs
and SUVs took over (Kuga and others).
You’d think it would be easy for me to
buy a suitable Mondeo from the auctions,
wouldn’t you? But I had a bit of trouble
for a few reasons... We wanted a Mk4
version (2007-2014), so I started looking
at the BCA app in early December,
noting prices and ‘watching’ a few. Our
ideal choice of a Mk4 was the 2.0-litre
EcoBoost petrol model. That mainly sold
with Ford’s PowerShift gearbox fitted – a
twin-clutch system operating much like
the VAG DSG gearbox. The PowerShift
doesn’t have the best reputation for
longevity, although I was viewing cars
with 100,000-mile plus. Oil and filter
changes are required every 30,000 miles
to keep a PowerShift in good order, but
even then, the electronics can give up.
Two versions of the EcoBoost are
available – the early cars have 200bhp,
then two years later a 240-brake model
emerged. 0-60mph came in 7.3 seconds.
I did put in bids on a 2010 EcoBoost
mid-December. The auction price
continued above the CAP Clean figure,
so I pulled out after a few more bids. It
looked like the EcoBoost engine had a
strong following.
As we approached Christmas, BCA’s
stock of cars dwindled down below
Get to grips with
10,000 and Mondeo’s with the EcoBoost
weren’t even listed. Now I had to widen
my search – turbodiesel engines too.
Of course, the TDCi engine was a
favourite in the Mk4, and my choices
increased to about 60 cars as we went
beyond Christmas, towards New Year –
BCA conduct sales on Sundays too...
I did watch a 2014 TDCi with
PowerShift and 148k. A non-runner and
the auctioneer didn’t mention why. Had
the engine blown, the transmission, or
both! The first time this car went on sale
I missed it, but it was back a couple of
days later and stopped at £950 – no sale.
It came back a third time – one bidder
bought it for £500 (plus fees).
The BCA non-runner sales are
interesting to watch (eye-opener) – we
will take a brave pill one day and bid
on a non-runner project potential to
see if we strike lucky – or not, as the
case may be!
The day after Boxing Day, I became
aware of a 2.2 TDCi. Two versions were
offered by Ford, the early engine from
2008 had 175PS and the later 200PS,
which ran to 2015. This clean 59-plate
car (Grade 1 on the bodywork, which
is usually unheard of at this age of
car), with 113,115 miles. Cap Clean
equalled £2075. I found myself still
bidding at £2850 and decided to
pull out. That’s crazy money, although
probably an ideal seller’s car.
Then our 2010 Titanium X model
appeared – a TDCi 140 in Thunder Grey
Metallic with a manual six-speed – so
no PowerShift. It didn’t look bad on
paper – three owners, last since 2016,
nearly 118k, five main dealer services,
then more annual garage invoices to
November 2019. A CAP Clean of £1600
– though I had to frighten off other
Thanks
go to
 With time
against me,
I needed to organise for someone
to lift our new project Mondeo
from BCA Bedford. Mark Shipman
at AES York Ltd would look after our
car for the first few weeks, where
we could get it up on a ramp, carry
out some repairs and perform a
road test (off-road).
I searched the internet for a car
transporter company in the York area
– I’d like to say a big thank you to JC
Transport and Recovery for a great
service, running down south and
back to north of York before 3pm.
Find them at jctransport.uk or
07895 262110.
bidders by going to £2000 (plus fees).
Although not a facelift model that
came in late 2010, it still looked the part.
You can easily spot facelift cars by the
fitment of daylight running lights in the
front bumper, just above the fog lights.
As you will see from page 28, our
Mondeo requires a new clutch – it’s
probably the original Ford clutch as I’ve
heard they usually last to 120-140k – the
timing belt change has gone beyond
the 10-year renewal period, with general
wear and tear items needing attention
too. It should be a good one. Let me

BODYWORK
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 SUBSCRIBE
Contents We are sorry, but apart from material sent to Help! or
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SEE
FEATURES 28 PAGE
80
6 Keep your Cool REGULARS
You might think that cooling systems have
not changed but as we find plenty of them 5 Peter Simpson column
can catch out the unaware DIYer.
40 Dealer’s Diary
46 Past Innovations
We have a bundle of nostalgia this issue as 50 Driving towards 2030:
we look at those automotive designs that More ways to go electric
didn’t quite last the test of time.
60 Help!
Your motoring problems answered.
46
WORKSHOP 68 Diagnostics Doctor
22 Tales from the Workshop Your diagnostics-related problems sorted.
Real-life workshop problems, and how 76 Our Cars
they were fixed. Steve Rothwell’s Skoda Fabia needs a new
54 Service Bay: blower motor, while Andrew Rolland fits
Kia Sportage 2.0 CRDi new rear struts to his BMW 5-series.

62 Electronic Diagnostics: 82 In My Humble Opinion

Mike Humble wonders if it’s ever worth
PROJECT CARS Citroën C4 HDi being neighbourly sometimes.
28 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi 71 Take a Brake
Part ONE: We’ve bought a 2010 TMD Friction talk about Mintex pads. 76
Titanium X model from the auctions –
what could possibly be wrong!
BUYING ADVICE
34 Fiat Panda 100HP
Part FOUR: Assessing the awful 42 Buying, Owning:
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 The
Peter Simpson
We’ve all heard of reconditioned and remanufactured
engines, gearboxes and so on, but now it seems that
complete remanufactured cars might be on the agenda.
 Manufacturer-supported remanufactured components
have been around since – well, in the UK I can trace activity
back to the 1950s! Back then major components like engines
and gearboxes often needed rebuilding at 60-70,000 miles,
and the engine would almost certainly have needed a ‘decoke’
or top-end overhaul at about 30-40k.
To support this, manufacturers provided their own in-house
factory reconditioning services. The best-known of these was
probably BMC/BL’s ‘Gold Seal’ scheme which provided engines
and gearboxes that were rebuilt to totally as-new standard.
They also came with the exact-same warranty as brand-new
components, albeit that was only a year back then.
Another well-known and well-used scheme was the Lucas
B90 overhaul process for components such as dynamos/
alternators, starter motors, wiper motors, control boxes and
so on. As with schemes such as BMC’s Gold Seal, Lucas B90
components were accepted within the trade and by motorists
as being every bit as good as new, but cheaper.
In recent years though, manufacturer-backed reconditioned
components have become less common. There’s much less
demand for fully-rebuilt engines due to massively longer
service lives, and while components are rebuilt, these days
rotating electricals and so on are generally supplied through
aftermarket suppliers rather than manufacturer-supported
ones such as main dealers. However, it seems that some
manufacturers are looking at reconditioning – or, as they’ve
historically preferred to call it, ‘remanufacturing’ – again. This
time, though, there’s one big difference...
Rather than individual components, it seems complete
remanufactured cars might well be on the agenda! Toyota
and Renault are already on the record as having schemes that
are well beyond being just ideas, and it’s known that other
manufacturers are looking at it seriously.
This is, of course, something that’s linked to the switchover
to electrically-powered cars. These have far fewer components
anyway than petrol/diesel vehicles, and things that are carried
over such as transmissions are a lot simpler. It’s also now
perfectly possible to make bodyshells that don’t corrode.
The main expensive EV components which does, though, have
limited life are the traction battery and the traction motor, plus
stuff like wheel and transmission bearings. Manufacturers are
already supplying remanufactured traction batteries, and motor
rebuilds require similar techniques to alternators and so on.
Still at an early stage
Relatively few details have been revealed and what has been
disclosed is liable to change. However, Toyota have said that they
are looking at taking a car back to a factory “after its first use cycle”
– generally considered to be a three, four or five-year lease term.
There, it will be remanufactured “to the best standard”
with a fully refurbished as new battery and routine wearing
components such as brakes, steering and rotating bearings
renewed as a matter of course. After that it will either be sold
or leased for its second cycle of ownership. Toyota also say
that cars may well be put through this process again after the
second cycle, but after that the manufacturer will “turn their
attention to recycling the car responsibly.”
It is also suggested that improvements might well be
incorporated into the remanufacturing process. This would
further differentiate factory remanufactured cars from more
run-of-the-mill new ones.
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COLUMN
Rebuilt Traction Batteries are readily
available; could the next stage be
complete reconditioned cars?
This is all very interesting indeed, and certainly very, very
different from what we have been used to up to now. However,
the switchover to electric cars for daily transport is going to
happen, and to pretend otherwise is to ignore reality. This is a
massive change, and as such it’s bound to result in huge changes
in how motoring, and the industry that supports it, operate.
There’s also likely to be an increase in demand for EVs in the
run-up to the 2030 ban on new petrol and diesel car sales. It’s also
likely that used EVs will be in high demand, though there will also
be concern about battery life, and against that background,
a car with manufacturer refurbished and manufacturer
guaranteed drivetrain could well be an attractive package.
In this context, it’s worth noting that the worst thing for any
rechargeable batteries – including the Lithium types used in
EVs – is to be left idle. They need a regular cycle of charging
and discharging, and therefore the low mileage only used
once a week EV, which in petrol form is usually very desirable,
might well be a far worse prospect than an EV which has been
doing 200 miles a day.
I suspect, though, that the biggest issue might be one of
perception. Over many years, the motoring public has become
accustomed to three-year-old used cars costing far less than
new ones. Typically, a car has lost around 70% of its value by the
time its four-years-old, and by seven or eight years – the point
at which Toyota are envisaging a second ‘remanufacture’ its
value is down to under 20% of its cost new; our eight-year-old
Kia Sorento cost around £55,000 new, its retail market value
is now around £11k. Proper remanufacturing to a standard
worthy of the title is going to cost much, much more than that.
Will buyers who have been used to buying three-year-old
used cars for 40% of their cost new, be prepared to pay up to
twice that for a car of the same age that has been through a
manufacturer’s remanufacturing process?
My gut reaction is that it could be a hard sell, though not an
impossible one. I say not impossible for two reasons. Firstly, it’s
been suggested that the leasing market, rather than outright
sales, will be targeted, and if remanufactured cars can be
leased with a much-reduced upfront payment, it could be
an attractive way in for people who want an electric car but
haven’t got £3-5000 to put down as a deposit.
The other thing to bear in mind is although rapid
depreciation from new has been around for as long as many of
us can remember, it hasn’t always been the case. Up until the
mid-1960s – when car ownership was still far from universal
– a typical three-year-old car would probably still be worth
around 75% of its new value. Maybe, just maybe, the electric
car market will develop in the same way.
Car Mechanics
February 2023 5
INSTANT EXPERT
You might think that
cooling systems have
not changed but Rob
Marshall finds plenty
of them that can catch
out the unaware DIYer.
E
ven the most ardent internal
combustion defender cannot
deny that burning fuel to power a
vehicle is relatively wasteful. Even
the latest motorcar diesel engines struggle
to achieve a thermal efficiency of over
40%, meaning that comparatively little of
the total relinquished energy drives the
wheels. Admittedly, not all of this heat is
undesirable. Warming shivering occupants
is made much easier, with a plentiful
supply of heat being made available to
the cabin that would have been shed
otherwise. Yet, as excessive temperatures
will damage the engine severely, the
basic cooling system retains the obvious
function of transferring and moving heat
energy, using a water-based coolant.
When CO2 emissions became more
prominent, carmakers needed to get
their engines up to that most efficient
temperature quicker than ever. The
cooling system’s role of not overcooling
the engine and transferring heat energy
to other parts of the running gear also
became increasingly important. Therefore,
a modern engine’s cooling system has more
than a single role, which is why ‘thermal
management’ is relatively new terminology
that describes the system’s function more
accurately. Precise thermal management
is also essential for high-voltage vehicles,
a topic we shall set aside for now.
What goes wrong?
If the engine is overcooled, or overheated,
your running costs will increase because
of reduced efficiency. While overcooling
damages the engines slowly, overheating
causes rapid catastrophic destruction.
6 Car Mechanics February 2023
Therefore, thermal management system
checks should be part of your service
schedule, even though it is mentioned
rarely in official literature.
Coolant is better at seeking-out escape
routes than pure water. Apart from
puddles being deposited on the floor,
dampness and coloured crystals are
obvious tell-tale signs of minor leaks.
Should the level in the translucent
expansion tank bottle be close to the
minimum mark, do not add tap water. The
different mineral content and pH values
will upset the coolant’s delicate balance.
While pre-mixed coolants are easy to
dose into the system, provided that the
engine is cold, it may be cheaper to buy
concentrated coolant and dilute it with
distilled water. Even so, a mix stronger
than 50/50 can reduce the coolant’s heat
transfer properties.
Follow Rob on Twitter:
#CarTechJourno
Cooling systems may appear unchanged
but DIYers should appreciate the
detail differences, to conduct accurate
diagnostics and repairs.
Failure patterns
and fitting tips
While modern thermal management
systems share the same basic setup
as vehicles made many decades ago,
subtle developments have crept in over
the years. Therefore, the following advice
should give the novice DIYer an idea
of what to expect and update the more
experienced vehicle owner about relevant
changes that are not reported widely.
THERMOSTAT
 Most commonly, the thermostat
prevents overcooling, by stopping
coolant from being diverted to
the radiator, before it reaches a set
temperature. It works using a wax-filled
capsule, which expands and contracts
as it heats and cools to open and close
a spring-loaded valve. For greater
control, many modern engines add an
electric heating element to the capsule,
allowing the engine management
system to melt the wax prematurely.
Some engines, such as Ford’s 1.0-litre
three-cylinder ‘Fox’, possess more
than one thermostat. Yet, some do
not possess any, such as those fitted
with a Thermal Management Module,
described later.
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THERMAL MANAGEMENT COMPONENTS
While these systems on ICE-engined vehicles have become more complicated, they retain the same core components:
COOLANT This is the water and
1 anti-freeze mixture that must
be of a certain concentration to
ensure adequate anti-freezing and
anti-corrosion properties.
WATER PUMP The heart of the
2 system circulates the coolant
around the circuit and maintains a
specified flow rate.
HOSES A mix of metal, plastic
3 and rubber pipes allow coolant
to pass to different parts of the circuit.
RADIATOR Mounted at
4 the front of the vehicle for
maximum airflow exposure, the
minute metal tubes carry the
coolant. Delicate metal fins create a
large surface area for efficient heat
dissipation into the air. Hot coolant
enters the top tubes and works
downwards as it is cooled. Some
Coolant is a mix of pure water and chemicals that
reduce the temperature at which the coolant
freezes. Measuring its specific gravity, with a cold
engine and using an inexpensive hydrometer,
allows you to assess the concentration.
Thermostats tend to fail in the ‘open’
position, meaning that coolant will
flow through the radiator permanently,
causing over-cooling. While fuel
consumption will increase, most owners
notice poor cabin heating, first. Electronic
map-controlled thermostats can also
fail in the ‘closed’ position, causing
more serious engine overheating. The
electronics can also fail, which may trigger
a fault code in the engine management
system but the issue may not be serious
enough to cause a Management Indicator
Lamp (MIL) to appear on the fascia.
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radiators contain extra circuits, such
as one for the transmission oil.
FAN Modern cars employ
5 electric fans to force air through
the radiator, should the airflow be
insufficient to support adequate
cooling. These tend to be multi-speed
units with control gear that regulates
the coolant temperature with one, or
more, thermal switch(es).
HEAT EXCHANGERS While the
6 radiator is a liquid-to-air heat
exchanger, other types transfer heat
into the coolant so it can be shed.
Typical examples include EGR coolers
and automatic gearbox coolers.
EXPANSION TANK Apart
7 from being useful to check
the coolant level when cold, this
translucent reservoir accommodates
changes in coolant volume as it heats
When heated, rubber expands 20 times more
than metal. A metal hose clip can set in its
expanded position, whereas rubber contracts
again. This situation causes leaks at joints.
Therefore, use the correct-sized hose clips
and ensure that they are neither under, nor
overtightened.
Unless removed, thermostat faults
are difficult to see. However, you
can use an infrared thermometer to
assess the temperature differences
both before and after the thermostat.
COOLING
and expands. Some types possess
a single hose; others have separate
inlet and outlets.
CAPS The expansion tank
8 will possess a removable
cap; as do some radiators. As the
coolant pressure rises to permit a
slightly higher boiling point than
that possible under atmospheric
pressure, some caps incorporate
a safety valve, allowing excess
pressure to vent out from the system.
HEATER MATRIX Located within
9 the fascia assembly, the air is
blown through this mini radiator’s
core, transferring the heat from the
coolant into the vehicle interior.
THERMOSTAT This regulates
10 coolant flow through the
radiator primarily, to ensure a rapid
warm-up.
Additives within the
coolant that inhibit
corrosion deplete with
time. Change periods
vary between two and
five years, generally.
With the engine at
normal operating
temperature, set up a DC
multimeter as pictured.
If over 0.4 volts are
measured as passing
through the coolant, the
anti-corrosion additives
have been exhausted.
For weight-saving and efficiency reasons,
modern thermal management systems can
have very small capacities, making them less
resistant to leaks. Today’s engines tend to be
less tolerant of overheating, too. Therefore,
address any discovered seepage immediately.
With the engine started from cold,
the temperature difference should
be considerable, until the thermostat
opens, after which point, the variance
should stabilise.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 7
COOLING
ROB’S TOP TIP
Never remove an expansion/

THERMOSTAT RENEWAL radiator cap from a hot engine.

The steam can burn you.

If your car has a map-controlled

A1 This car suffered from over-cooling.
Identify the thermostat’s position.
Usually, it is sited close to the top radiator
hose. Ensure that it is accessible; remove, or
relocate, any nearby parts within the working
area that could become damaged.
A2
thermostat, ensure that the ignition is
switched off, before locating, disconnecting
and inspecting the electrical cabling and the
contacts. Consider if any corrosion, or other
damage, may be responsible for the fault, not
the thermostat itself.
A3 With a cold engine, remove the
expansion tank cap. Disconnect the
bottom radiator hose, by loosening the
clamp. Try not to pull the hose off alone;
rotate it while easing it from the stub gently,
to avoid damaging the radiator.

 Direct the coolant into a

A4 suitable receptacle and ensure
that it cannot be swallowed by a
curious approaching animal, or child.
Remove the radiator top hose, using
the same method as described earlier.
This car uses spring-loaded hose
clamps; manipulate them out of the
way, before disconnecting the hose.

 Repeat Step A3 on the other

A5 end of the top hose, which
connects to the thermostat. Draining
the coolant first prevents it from
splashing over the engine/transmission.

 Most thermostats are

A6 retained by several lightweight
nuts, or bolts. If there has been a leak,
they risk corroding into place and
their restricted location could present
you with difficulties, should you snap
either the stud, or bolt. Be patient and
work carefully.

 Once removed, inspect the

A7 thermostat for rust and deposit
build, which indicates aged, or incorrect
coolant. Corrosion may also be caused
by inadequate bleeding, a deteriorated
pressure cap, or even overheating.

Inspecting the new thermostat against Refitting the thermostat is the

A8 This thermostat was also responsible
for a minor coolant leak, due to the
congealed jelly-type build that has formed on
the mounting face. Note that no gasket is fitted
here. The mounting face must be clean and
undamaged, before installing the new part.
A9
the replacement part reveals that the
blue O-ring has deformed, due, most likely, to
old age. Comparing the old and new parts is also
a good idea, to verify you have the correct part.
Note that the thermostat opening temperature
is printed on the old part’s top (arrowed).
A10
reverse of removal. In this case,
no paper/cork gasket is needed. Unless
the fitting instructions advise, do not add
sealant, overuse of which is a common cause
of system contamination. Never overtighten
the fixings: observe their torque settings.

8 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 COOLING

THERMAL MANAGEMENT MODULES TMM

 Designed to reduce costs, complication, ENGINE INLET SECOND ROTARY VALVE
space and CO2 emissions, this electro- & RETURN FOR ZERO & SMALL
CONNECTIONS VOLUME FLOWS
mechanical co-development started
between Schaeffler (INA) and the Volkswagen ENGINE OIL
Group and was used first on the 1.8-litre COOLER RADIATOR FEED
CONNECTION
TFSI engine. Bolted directly to the water TO THE REAR FAILSAFE
pump, the TMM not just controls coolant THERMOSTAT
temperature but also flow. This allows the
thermal management system to predict
cooling requirements, rather than being
reactive. It does this by evaluating engine
load and speed, via the engine management
ECU. The TMM can even cut coolant flow
completely, to warm both engine and cabin DC WATER
in the shortest time possible. It also directs MOTOR PUMP
coolant to the engine and transmission oil MATING
heat exchangers, when required. FACE
At the TMM’s heart is a pair of rotary slide GEARING
valves that control coolant flow, both of
which are linked and operated by a single
drive motor. Later-generation systems are
used on BMWs and MINIs as well, which have
their valves controlled independently of each POSITION
SENSOR CONNECTION FOR
other. One valve is positioned on the water TRANSMISSION
pump outlet to control coolant pressure, FIRST ROTARY HEAT EXCHANGER
including reducing it to zero, if required. SLIDE VALVE & HEATER MATRIX
It replaces the conventional thermostat
and allows the coolant temperature to be RADIATOR
RETURN
controlled accurately between 80°C and
110°C. A fail-safe conventional thermostat is also installed. The second valve distributes the coolant through the appropriate outlet.

 While this is a good time to consider

A11 flushing the system, top-up with fresh
coolant, rather than reusing drained fluid that
may be contaminated, or exhausted. Never
deviate from the specifications recommended
by the car manufacturer.
 As the system has been dismantled,
A12 you need to bleed out air bubbles.
Find out where the screws are situated. Run the
engine during the bleeding process and ensure
that the thermostat opens before the engine
overheats, detected by the radiator warming
suddenly. Allow the cooling fan to cut in twice,
before switching the engine off. Monitor the
coolant level for several days, post-repair.

COOLANT VARIATIONS
 Aside from freezing increasing the viscosity of the coolant,
the expansion rate can be up to 9%. This creates forces that
are sufficiently strong to crack the engine’s castings. Should
you suspect freezing, check that the engine’s core plugs have
not been pushed out of their apertures. Core plugs can also
corrode and the resultant leaks can be hard to spot.
While the anti-freezing quality is not hard to comprehend,
coolant also has vital anti-corrosion and lubrication functions.
Corrosion causes leaks and internal blockages and it is these
inhibitor additives that deplete over time, which means that
periodic coolant replacement is essential.
Yet, consider that manufacturers use an increasing variety
of metals within their engines, which has dictated that anti-
corrosion inhibitors have had to keep up. Therefore, one
‘universal’ coolant is not suitable for every engine.
The basic advice is not to deviate from the recommended
coolant that is mentioned in the handbook. Dyes in the
coolant are useful to identify leaks but never take colour
to be a standard specification indicator. The traditional
technology coolant (IAT – or Inorganic Additive Technology)
uses phosphate-silicate additives that form a protective layer
over the internal passageways. Unfortunately, this plating is
temporary and tends to dissipate after two years. Typically,
these are used on classic vehicles.
Organic Acid Technology (OAT) additives promote
chemical bonds with vulnerable metal surfaces that create a
relatively thin but more stable and longer-lasting corrosion
protection. Alternatives include PHOAT (Phosphate Hybrid
Organic Acid Technology) and HOAT (Hybrid Organic Acid
Technology), which uses silicate additives. Whichever type
your car uses, always replace like-for-like.
Coolant changes are relatively easy to conduct from home
but do not leave fresh, or old coolant exposed. Children
and animals can be attracted to its sweet smell and added
bittering agents do not always dissuade them. When ingested,
coolant causes rapid kidney failure.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 9

COOLING
ROB’S TOP TIP
Use the manufacturer’s

TO FLUSH OR NOT TO FLUSH recommended coolant. Never

deviate from, or mix, specifications.

 Most DIYers appreciate that, if the thermal management system has been contaminated severely, it should be flushed.
Various additives are available that can remove emulsified oil, or scale, but follow their instructions. Blockages are not
especially easy to cure by running chemicals through the system alone. Should you work on a car that is over a decade old and
the thermal management system appears to be clean, consider that not all contaminations are easy to identify. Sand, minerals
and small metal particles are not obvious; yet, they can all be present within an elderly but otherwise well-maintained circuit.
Various flushing tools are on the marketplace, which uses compressed air to pulse water through the engine block, heater
matrix and radiator. Their costs have fallen recently and prices start at around £50.

RADIATOR
 Hot coolant passes through the top hose into the radiator.
As it travels down through the radiator’s thin metal tubes, it is
cooled by incoming air that either flows through the grille, or
is sucked through the fins by the cooling fan. The coolant flows
through the bottom hose, out of the radiator and into
the engine again.
The radiator is situated behind the air-conditioning
condenser (if fitted), which looks very similar, so do not
confuse them. A separate intercooler radiator that cools
incoming air before it enters the turbocharger can be situated
in front of, or adjacent to, the engine radiator. Again, do not
confuse it for the engine radiator and, if it is plumbed into
the liquid thermal management system (which is unusual but
possible – especially on some Volkswagen Group models);
check it for coolant leaks, too.
While removing the radiator is fairly elementary, we shall
focus on how to identify radiator failure modes, which should
help with DIY diagnosis.

TYPICAL RADIATOR FAULTS

A bulging radiator tends to indicate that the system is over-

B1 Overheating results if air cannot pass through the radiator.
If the cooling fins are blocked on the outside, clean away the
contamination, taking care not to damage the thin metal. If the
situation was caused by an oil leak from a neighbouring component,
resolve the underlying cause.
B2
pressurising. The cause might be fairly simple, such as an incorrect,
or faulty expansion/radiator cap, although more serious cylinder-head
gasket failure may also be responsible. Either way, the radiator must be
replaced. Check also that the plastic expansion tank has not split, which
causes leaks and/or steam to be emitted as the engine warms.

 While impurities can contaminate the

B3 thermal management system due to corrosion,
you can also introduce foreign bodies into the thermal
management system accidentally, as you fill it with
coolant. Such restrictions will reduce its efficiency.

 For cost, weight saving and design reasons,

B4 most modern radiators possess plastic tanks.
Careless transportation, handling, fitting and removal
can break these mouldings. Should you source a
replacement radiator, ensure that all mounting points
are in the same place and are of the same design, by
comparing it side-by-side with the removed part.

 If bodge attempts to repair broken

B5 plastic mouldings do not cause leaks,
they may reduce the system’s pressure,
which decreases the coolant’s boiling point,
increasing the overheating risk.

 Coloured coolant makes leaks

B6 relatively easy to spot. The cause
could be external, such as prolonged contact
with road salt and moisture. Internal
corrosion might have resulted from incorrect Continued
on page
coolant being added, or running elderly
coolant with depleted corrosion inhibitors. 12

10 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

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COOLING ROB’S TOP TIP
Draining, flushing and
 Again, improper and/or refilling coolant is vital
B7 elderly coolant enhances scale preventative maintenance,
build within the system, which reduces not a problem solver.
efficiency. You can also identify scale,
by inspecting the radiator filler neck,
should one be fitted.

 Severe scaling increases

B8 flow restrictions within the
circuit and, therefore, heightens the
over-pressurising risk. Typically, extra
minerals are to blame, introduced
from the system being topped-up with
tap water. Distilled/deionised water
should be used, such as that extracted
from the air by dehumidifiers.

WATER PUMP
 Dependent on the vehicle, you will encounter three main
water pump types. While they all comprise a shaft, on which
an impellor is mounted, the drive method differs. The two
mechanical types can be driven by either the timing belt, or
the Front End Auxiliary Drive (FEAD). Some of these pumps are
switchable, too. The third type is powered by an electric motor
and is more likely encountered on cars with split thermal
management systems, plus certain hybrid and electric vehicles.
Over 60,000 miles, the typical water pump handles over 1.5
million litres of coolant. Unsurprisingly, they are not everlasting.
Perhaps the most common complaint is bearing wear, although
the resultant noise is difficult to detect. Should the bearing seize,
the timing belt can shred its teeth, risking severe engine damage.
Leaks pose a further problem that can damage the belts, too.
The following pictures give an overview of water pump types,
plus removal and installation tips, and typical wear patterns.

WATER PUMP CONSIDERATIONS

 This water pump is driven
C1 by the FEAD drive. Should
you need to remove the pulley, it
is easier to slacken the attachment
bolts, while the belt is under tension.

 If the car has covered

C2 over 90,000 miles, or you are
renewing the belt, consider servicing
the FEAD drive, including tensioners
and alternator pulley, if applicable.

 Slacken the tensioner

C3 medium and remove the belt.
Belt wear is indicated not just by
perished material but also by the
rib depth, which becomes deeper
over time.

 Remove the fixings that

C4 secure the pump to the block
and separate them carefully. Do
not lever the castings apart with
a screwdriver, or you will damage
the facings.

Leaks at the weep hole indicate that the

C5 bearing seal has failed and coolant is
washing the lubricant out of the water pump
bearing. However, minor seepage on new
pumps is normal, provided it ceases within
30 minutes of the engine running.
Not all water pumps require a separate
C6 gasket. Where one is specified,
ensure that it is supplied and used with the
replacement pump. During refitting, use
sealant only if the fitting instructions dictate it.
Ensure that the engine block mating
C7 surface is clean and any lingering
gasket, or sealant, is removed. Avoid any
remnants falling into the water pump impellor
aperture, which will contaminate the system.

12 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 COOLING

RUBBER HOSES EXPANSION

 Moulded rubber pipes transfer coolant not just to the radiator,
thermostat and water pump but also turbochargers, throttle bodies,
CAP TESTS
oil and EGR coolers. Many of them are moulded to fit around tight
spaces. This limits your replacement options but consider that
some aftermarket companies (such as Gates, or First Line) can be an
alternative to main dealers.
While material quality has improved, basic standard-specification
hose construction has not changed significantly. These comprise the
basic tube, with reinforcement cords that prevent it from rupturing
under pressure, plus the outer cover that provides physical protection.
Interestingly, some suppliers recommend a four-yearly (or 60,000
miles) replacement cycle. In reality, this costly exercise tends not to be
followed. This situation places greater emphasis on checking hoses
carefully during an annual service. Aside from leaks, renew hoses
immediately that show evidence of abrasion, splitting, and swelling. Oil
contamination breaks down the chemical bonds within the hose, causing
the hose to soften. Squeezing the hose also allows you to evaluate
electrochemical damage, which weakens the hose from the inside, out.
Aged coolant can be responsible. However, some replacement hoses
are sold as electrochemical resistant, which are worth considering.
 With the radiator/
expansion tank cap
removed, inspect the rubber
seal for integrity. Vented
caps can have three: the
main seal, and ones for the
pressure and return. Check
also that the printed pressure rating matches
the car’s specifications. The other check you can
do is to depress the pressure spring to see if it
has not weakened but this is a very blunt test.
Professional pressure testing tools are available
but, because caps are relatively inexpensive, it
is worth replacing one, should you suspect it
has weakened. Apart from engine overheating,
suspect a failed vented cap, if you notice collapsed
rubber hoses when cold, leaks from a split
expansion tank, or if the radiator is bulging.

Some of the experts we consulted insist

C9 that the thermal management system
is flushed before a water pump is renewed.
Ensure that all pump fixings, including
Compare old and new parts, before fitting. Many parts incorporate upgrades, based mounting dowels, are refitted and tightened
C8 on how the original parts wear. For instance, this new pump possesses an improved evenly. Heed the correct torque-wrench
impellor design to that fitted originally. settings. Never strike the pulley, when fitting.

 Reassemble the FEAD drive, with

C10 new parts if appropriate, and be certain
that the correct tension is set. The next stage
is refilling the thermal management system.
Never start the engine with a dry pump. If you
can, rotate the impellor by hand with coolant in
the system, so the pump seal is lubricated.

C11  Driving the water pump via the

timing belt provided carmakers with
fuel efficiency improvements. Quality suppliers
offer timing belt kits, which include the water
pump and any ancillary parts, plus those
required to service the timing drive.

C12 Water pump leaks can be disguised
by oil leaks. However, when removing
the lower plastic timing belt cover, look for
any clues of old coolant leaks. The pink jelly
here is evidence of a long-standing issue.
Do not attempt to remove the water
C13
pump without replacing the timing belt
and associated tensioners. It is a false economy
and doing so might damage the existing belt. As
severe engine damage is probable, should the
belt slip, or break, the risk is not worth taking.
Unlike the pump, pictured in Step
C14
C4, this design bolts to the side of
the block, with the outlet water outlet pipe
running across the back of the engine. This
pump comprises two halves; a metal outer
casting and a plastic rear moulding.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 13

COOLING

For ease of fitment and to reduce

C16 production costs, many modern water pumps have replaced
Some pump kits include extra components; such as this rear gaskets with rubber O-rings. Avoid using sealant, unless the
C15 section of the pump that upgrades the original plastic part. instructions say that it is needed. Excess sealant is one of the most
Compare their mounting points carefully to be doubly sure of compatibility. common causes of thermal management system blockages.

When fitting these split water pumps,
C17 bolt the rear section to the engine
block and connect up the rear water pipe (not
pictured). As with any fixings, use a torque
wrench to ensure that the bolts are neither too
loose, nor excessively tight.
C18 Where necessary, ensure that any
O-ring(s) are located correctly in their
groves, before fitting the water pump’s front
half into position and replacing the fixings by
hand, before applying the required torque.
Conduct the remaining timing belt
C19 change, replacing the belt and
tensioners. Note that the engine must be
stone cold (preferably after an overnight stop)
otherwise, you risk not setting the tension
correctly. Then, service the FEAD drive.

Examining the old pump gives you vital

C20 clues about the system’s health. Pumps
can leak, caused usually by radial water seal
failure – see Step C5. Yet, they can also leak from
joints, due to gasket or O-ring deterioration.
Water pump bearing damage and engine
overheating are the main consequences.
This picture highlights the radial seal
C21 location. It is lubricated by coolant,
so neglected changes and contamination are
likely to reduce its life. This is an extra reason
why you should not start the engine with any
(or insufficient) coolant in the system.
While the water pump bearing is
C22 damaged by radial seal failure,
excessive belt tension also harms it. Both the
belt and water pump may whine as a result
before failing.

 Water pumps need to be located

C23 squarely onto their mating surfaces,
so heed the position of any dowels. Installing
the assembly at an angle, or overtightening the
screws, create stresses that might fracture the
casting, coolant leaks being the most likely result.

 Corrosion indicates insufficient

C24 anti-freeze concentration (in which
case suspect potential frost damage), or coolant
with depleted anti-corrosion additives. Leak Continued
risks rise, as does wear to other components on page
within the thermal management system. 16

14 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 w w w. s e a l e y. c o . u k

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COOLING

ONDEMAND
WATER PUMPS
 To decrease engine warm-up time, car manufacturers have
integrated electronics into the thermal management system.
These have been employed for well over a decade, so the
following overview covers the main changes.

Cavitation is a water pump killer: look for pitting in the metal

C25 surfaces. Some carmakers use plastic impellors, which are
more resistant to cavitation. The cause is air bubbles that collapse,
causing minor pitting. Suspect poor bleeding, or air leaks into the
system from another component.

1.4 and 1.6-litre Prince-engined Citroëns, Peugeots, BMWs and

D1 MINIs employ a water pump that is controlled by a separate
switching mechanism on the FEAD drive. When the engine has warmed,
a small motor within the mechanism moves the pulley wheel into
contact with the water pump pulley.
Using silicon sealant, where is it not specified, or applying
C26 too much of it where it is required, risks not only clogging the
system but also damaging the water pump’s radial seal.

BLEEDING HELL
 The final repair task of bleeding air from the system can be
annoyingly arduous but do not underestimate its importance.
Be familiar with the location of the bleed screws on your car
and follow any filling advice. Some older cars dictate that the
screws are open, to help expel air as you add new coolant. Pictured is the switching unit, removed
Modern thermal management systems may need their D2 from the engine. Note the electrical
filling mode activating diagnostically, via the EOBD socket, connections that power the internal motor
to ensure that any valves are kept open, or the appropriate and gearing. The pulley bearing can become worn and noisy, plus its
electric water pump(s) are activated, when required. Again, internal tension spring weakens, reducing the necessary force applied
you must research these considerations, before starting work. to the water pump pulley wheel, which can cause engine overheating.
The engine should then be run (not driven) as the system is When replacing the unit, renew the water pump pulley too, which
bled further, following the manufacturer’s instructions. possesses a dedicated friction coating.
Large air pockets impede coolant flow, causing localised
This switchable water
overheating at the very least. This is more of an issue with D3 pump is popular
modern cars that possess heat exchangers that transfer on Volkswagen Group
heat energy to and from the coolant. models, which uses an
To be effective, these units contain very thin aluminium electrically-moveable
walls. Should air be present, localised overheating causes shroud (arrowed) that
the aluminium to crack. In the case of an automatic DSG covers the impellor,
transmission coolers, for instance, an internal breach thus preventing
would permit coolant to enter the gearbox, risking rapid coolant from
destruction of the internal friction coatings. Alternatively, circulating.
As these
transmission fluid could also contaminate the thermal
units are
management system. reputed not to be entirely
Should you find that your coolant level is falling and reliable, some aftermarket
you cannot fathom why, do not snap-diagnose a faulty producers sell solid pump
cylinder-head gasket. Look closer at these heat exchangers conversions. Yet, fitting
and be extra vigilant to bleed out as much air as you can, one will lengthen engine
when conducting a coolant change. warm-up times and
increase fuel consumption.

16 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 COOLING
From whom
should you buy?
 The consequences of buying low-
grade cooling components could be
disastrous. Therefore, buy from sellers
whom you trust and who offer decent
guarantees. We also recommend that
you seek-out brands that lent their
considerable expertise to this feature.
These include:
Dayco Gates MAHLE MEYLE
Nissens Schaeffler/INA Valeo

As an aside, you may discover shared

D4 pumps. This BMW unit is used on certain
1.8 and 2.0-litre models that combines the
water and power steering pumps, the drives of
which mesh together to form a single assembly.
Yet, the slotted drive dogs wear, causing failure
of either pump. Therefore, replace both pumps
together, rather than just one.
Electric water pumps offer the simplest
D5 method of offering not just switchable
but also fully-variable coolant flow control.
They are engine management controlled
and used in internal combustion, hybrid and
electric vehicles.

EGR VALVES
EGR module

Before bolting on a new cooler, inspect it

carefully for physical damage and give it a
shake; there should be no rattles. As with
all new components, compare it against the
old part, so you are sure that it is the correct
replacement. Check that the rest of the
thermal management system is leak-free;
To reduce NOx emissions, some exhaust gases are recirculated through the inlet system and back if possible, conduct a pressure test. Once
into the engine cylinders again. This cuts the combustion temperatures at which these pollutants replaced, bleed the circuit thoroughly and
form. To reduce them further, the incoming hot exhaust gases can be cooled. This task is check the engine management ECU for any
performed with an air-to-liquid heat exchanger that utilises the thermal management system to lingering fault codes.
remove heat energy from the exhaust gas as they approach
the EGR valve. You will find EGR coolers fitted to some
Euro 4 cars but they are more common in later vehicles.
 Like other heat exchangers within the thermal
management system, the EGR valve possesses hollow
passages and thin aluminium walls so heat energy can
transfer quickly to the coolant. The cooler is stressed not
just by the continuous heating and cooling cycles but also
the varying pressure of incoming gases from turbocharger
engines in particular, which increase in the event of
blockages, as pictured.
Failing EGR coolers tend to leak, causing coolant to enter
the engine. Apart from a falling coolant level, look for
excessive white steam from the exhaust and even increased
engine ‘knock’. You may also notice performance reductions
and even a lit MIL on the fascia. These symptoms, which also
include bubbling coolant, may lead you to suspect expensive
head gasket problems, when the EGR cooler is responsible.
As the EGR cooler tends to be sited at the highest point
within the thermal management system, they are vulnerable
to air bubbles forming, which promote failure.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 17

 CM Insider
Ben Hackney-Williams brings you another month
of news and reviews from the automotive industry

Ignoring oil essentials is a slippery slope

 Wherever possible, financial pressures
on households shouldn’t distract from
the need to keep on top of essential
oil changes and top-ups, according to
lubricants trade body, the Verification of
Lubricant Specifications.
Although many drivers haven’t covered
as many miles over the past few years due
to the pandemic, the VLS is highlighting
how crucial it is that motorists stick to
the recommended service intervals
to maintain and protect the vehicle.
This is especially true as the majority of
vehicles are considerably more valuable
than the cost of an oil change.
“Research from companies like
Halfords and BookMyGarage.com
shows that up to 40% of motorists feel
that they can’t afford their next MOT,
and the numbers for more expensive
servicing are likely to be even higher,”
explains Mike Bewsey, chairman of VLS.
“Postponing or skipping oil changes or
ignoring the oil warning light is a risk we
are asking motorists not to take.
“Doing so could starve the engine of
vital lubricants, risking increased wear
and, at worst, lead to a catastrophic
event like an engine seizure and a much “Frequent short trips can be even
more expensive repair later on. more detrimental to the oil than higher
“OEMs set oil change schedules for a mileage due to the accumulation of
reason. They know their engines, how water and fuel, and the formation of
they run on certain fuels and in specific sludge during start/stop and cold phases.”
regions, and they know how the engine For more information, to find advice on
oil, as well as other consumables, how to buy the right oil for your vehicle,
perform over time and mileage. or to join the VLS, visit ukla-vls.org.uk

Powerful anti-theft solution Clarke says

from Launch chest is best
 The X-PROG3 from Launch Tech UK is a powerful
reprogramming tool that supports garages, technicians and
for storage
locksmiths with key, engine, and gearbox programming across  So, you got all the tools and
a wide range of vehicles including the Volkswagen Group, gadgets you asked for over the
BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Christmas period? Now you
The aftermarket diagnostics equipment supplier launched just need somewhere to put
the device in part for any independent garages looking for them. Clarke’s got you covered,
support reading and programming immobilisers, and for courtesy of a range of tool chest
rewriting data to new keys. options that can be bought for
Supplied with all the required adaptors and connectors, individual use or combined for
the X-PROG3 is flexible, stable, reliable and suitable for the ultimate storage solution
in any garage or workshop. CBB213C
professional users. Other features include: read/write EEPROM,
read/write keys, read/write MCU, read BMW engine ISN code, The new CBB205C HD Plus five-
read/write BMW CAS4+ and FEM chips, key simulator, read/ drawer tool chest features four £191.98 (CBB205C)
write Audi fifth-generation steering drawers measuring 575×261×49mm £298.80 (CBB312C)
column chips, VW Fourth-generation £666 with the fifth at 575×261×64mm, £359.98 (CBB213C)
Dump Mode All Keys Lost, read launchtech.co.uk plus a lift-out tote tray. All drawers machinemart.co.uk
engine in BENCH have a capacity of 35kg. The same
mode, and more. weight limits can be found in the CBB312C 12-drawer chest
set, too. However, this time the drawer count is made up of
nine smaller drawers measuring 170×361×49mm, two drawers
at 575×361×49mm and then finally one larger
drawer which measures at 575×361×64mm. CBB205C
Last but not least, the
CBB213C HD Plus three-
drawer tool cabinet has two
584×380×73mm drawers
and another measuring
584×380×152mm, all of which
can be locked simultaneously,
while there is a separate lock
for the up-and-over cabinet
front. Four castor wheels
provide confidence-inspiring
movement with two fixed and
two swivel wheels fitted.

18 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

Have a new product to market? Send details to cm.ed@kelsey.co.uk CM Insider

This is the X BOX you really want

 OBD X BOX Ltd has launched its unique Selective OBD code Deleter. Supplied to industry professionals
only, it’s a brand new two-stage diagnostic concept. As the Technicians Tool is initially used, it auto
refreshes at up to once per second, both pending and registered fault codes. These can be automatically
deleted and allow limp-mode to be temporarily overridden for diagnostic purposes.
Overriding limp-mode can be used to help clean blocked DPFs, while also solving any sticking
turbochargers and EGR valves. Some Emergency Breakdown Services, for example the AA, RAC or Green
flag, will find the OBD X BOX useful in keeping vehicles driveable while reducing their recovery costs.
The much smaller low-cost Fix Assist module is programmed by the Technicians Tool to also
delete selected OBD codes; this can be temporarily or permanently installed to the vehicle. Should
a further non-selected fault code appear, the OBD X BOX pauses deletion allowing the EML to come
back on. This alerts the driver that some new and maybe more important fault codes may be present.
The OBD X BOX records individual DTC frequencies and can be set to pause deletion when a selected max code
delete counter is reached. This assists Garages in when to re-book vehicles for repairs based on their DTC re-occurrence.
Its unique DTC Alerter feature bleeps when a DTC occurs, which alerts the technician or customer to make mental notes of
precisely when an intermittent fault occurred. Analysing under what engine temp, load, RPM and driving conditions a pending
fault occurred (even without the EML on) can often help technicians to re-produce and fix the fault.
Bert Clegg Managing Director says this remarkable new tool takes fault diagnosis to a new level.
Full technical details and video are available at obdxbox.com
News in Brief
News in Brief Extensive catalogue
just got even bigger
 Increasing an already comprehensive
product portfolio, First Line has
introduced 48 new references in an
expansion that brings its component
Starline steering count to over 40,000. The additions To be or not to BTCC?
to success  After almost a decade
also include products for the
 LKQ Euro Car Parts has in the sport with some
introduced a new range of
aftermarket specialist’s Borg & Beck great success, Laser Tools
steering and transmission Braking range, too. Racing has announced it is
products under its Starline The new First Line additions include withdrawing from the British
brand, including driveshafts, Vauxhall/Opel Insignia 1.5, 1.6, 1.6D, Touring Car Championship
CV-joints and universal and 2.0, 2.0D 2017> Front Wheel Bearing and will not be contesting
tailored-fit boot kits, as well Kit L/R (FBK1578), Renault Grand the championship in 2023.
as a selection of 700 bearing Scenic, Megane 2015> Lower Front Laser joined BTCC in 2014
and wheel hub kits, for 90% Suspension Arms L/R (FCA7898/9), as an independent team
of the UK car parc. Each Nissan Qashqai, X-Trail, Renault with driver Aiden Moffat,
part features a three-year before Ashley Sutton joined
Espace, Grand Scenic, Kadjar,
warranty with, for example, in a second car for the 2020
every bearing component Megane, Scenic, Talisman season, picking up the
produced to the tightest 2013> Rear Engine Mounting Drivers’ Championships in
tolerances and undergoing (FEM4450), Alfa Romeo Mito, Fiat his inaugural year while
measuring and inspection 500, Punto 0.9 2012> Thermostat Kit the team also achieved the
through a 23-point quality (FTK515), and Mercedes CLS, E-Class, Independent Teams’ trophy.
control process to guarantee G-Class, S-Class 2.9d 2017> Water In addition to the 2020
safety. More info on Starline’s Pump Kit (FWP2496). success, the following year
35,000 products visit https:// The Borg & Beck range Laser dominated the field
bit.ly/3Ijvkqm and won the overall Teams’
expansion features
Championship. “We’ve had
There’s no stopping Mintex references including Toyota a great nine years in the
range expansions Prius 1.8H 2019> BTCC and I am particularly
BECKTEC Coated £POA
 TMD Friction has proud of the 2021 season
expanded its range of Front Brake Discs webcat.firstline.co.uk/Home and
as winners of the Teams’
Mintex brake pad, disc, and (BBD5645), Hyundai webcat.borgandbeck.com/Home Championship and Drivers’
accessory kits. The additions i10 1.0, 1.2 2019> Championship in the
are available for Audi, BMW Air Filter (BFA2666), Jaguar same year,” explains Martin
and Rolls-Royce cars, with E-PACE, Land Rover Discovery Smith, chairman of Laser
new disc references fulfilling Tools. “I would like to take
Sport, Range Rover Evoque
all friction needs for MINI, this opportunity to thank
Mazda, Nissan and Renault 1.5, 2.0D, 2.0 2017> Activated COMPETITION everyone involved with the
vehicles. All of the new Carbon Filter (BFC1347), WINNERS team during our years of
references have been added Toyota RAV4 2.0, 2.5, 2.5H competing in the BTCC – it
to the Mintex Brakebook.
With new parts added and
2018> Tie Rod End L/R
(BTR6226), and Vauxhall/Opel
GAS HEATERS really has been a ‘team’ in
the true sense of the word,
ranges expanded on a
A BOWMAN
Insignia 1.5, 1.6, 1.6D, 2.0, 2.0D and everyone involved
regular basis, you can search J FERGUSON over the years, in whatever
2017> Rear Wheel Bearing Kit
the entire product range, B HARBIN capacity, has my heartfelt
L/R (BWK1579).
a selection of products or Q The Little Devil II has a thanks. I would also like
If the above isn’t enough fixed maximum output
even for special models. For to thank other partners
more info visit mintex.com/ for you, further details can of how many BTU/hr? who have joined us in this
online-catalogue be found on the company’s A 35,000 success story.
online catalogue, WebCat.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023Car Mechanics 19

 Tales from
the workshop
Fixing advice from our garage proprietor Steve Rothwell

VAUXHALL CORSA

Wandering steering
 When I first opened my garage in 1987, the
average age of the vehicle I saw was between
four to 12-years-old. Newer vehicles went to the
main dealer and older vehicles were normally
maintained by the owner or just not worth
spending money on.
Now, the average age still starts at around
four-years-old but stretches much further – vehicles The exhaust and subframe need to
at 20-years-old (and over) are not uncommon. be dropped to allow the removal
This in my mind is far more environmentally- and refitting of the steering rack.
friendly than throwing away a perfectly good
vehicle just because it is not quite as efficient as
a newer model.
This 2005 Vauxhall Corsa needed a steering rack
due to the excessive play – the job time is given as
2.9 hours, but that of course doesn’t allow for the
problem bolts that may be encountered dropping
the front exhaust pipe and the subframe.
Thankfully a few oil leaks over the years had
helped keep the bolts coated and so the job didn’t
go too bad, ensuring this Corsa was back on the road and with a new MOT ready for a few more years of motoring.

FORD FOCUS SKODA ROOMSTER

Dangerous wiring Silent horn at MOT test

 At 20-years-old, the owner was quite accepting of the fact  Unnoticed until the MOT, the horn on this 2009 Skoda
that things go wrong, and provided the motor was safe, he Roomster 1.4 was totally silent. No amount of pushing on the
was happy. He was aware that the rear wiper had not been steering wheel pad would produce any sound from the horn.
working for a while, and now he had discovered that the Testing the actual unit itself proved that the problem was
heated rear screen was not operating, this was a little more of not with the actual horn – this is quite unusual as 99% of the
an inconvenience, but wasn’t the reason for him asking me to time, a failed horn is down to the actual unit which either gets
have a look into the problems. waterlogged or corroded.
The reason for this was that with the MOT due shortly, he Tracing the problem back, I concluded that the fault was in
had discovered that the centre brake light had also failed. I was the push mechanism on the steering wheel. The problem here
expecting to see a couple of broken wires in the short loom is that to remove the airbag and horn push, the 12V battery
between the rear hatch and the body, but when I began to needs to be disconnected, and with the battery disconnected
investigate, I discovered that the broken wires had also shorted it is difficult to test the horn operation.
out, and the wiring back into the vehicle had begun to melt. The It can be done of course
job had grown, and it was now down to the local auto electrician using a multimeter, and
to give a price, and for the owner to decide if it was worth doing. thankfully the problem
turned out to be a simple
Once I started to investigate the problem the burnt wiring was poor connection which
found, indicating that the job may have to go a little deeper. was revealed once the
airbag had been removed.
Once all fitted back in
place and with the battery
connected again, the horn
was emitting a nice loud
beep at every press.
The connection in the steering wheel push pad
was the source of the inoperative horn problem.

20 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 Tales from the Workshop

The front panel along with BMW 5SERIES

Road test
the front of the vehicle can
be stripped off making
the engine removal and

mistake
replacement an easy job.

 The owner of this 2017

BMW 520i was complaining
of a problem with the
ESP (Electronic Stability
Programme) warning lamp
showing up occasionally.
According to Autodata, this
can happen when the driver
inadvertently allows a foot to
rest gently on the brake pedal.
After checking and clearing
the fault codes, with no other
apparent problem I decided
that giving the BMW a good
test to ensure that all was
going to stay clear was a good
FIAT 500 idea. There is a very good

Coolant loss leads to disaster stretch of dual carriageway

not far from me and so I set
off in a sedate manor with
 The old adage ‘a stitch in time saves nine’, is often very true when it comes to motors, and the the intention of giving the
owner of this 2012 Fiat 500 1242cc, was cursing that they hadn’t stopped the second they saw BMW a good road test.
the steam billowing from under the bonnet. Instead, they chose to keep driving, ignoring both Driving up the road which
the steam and struggling performance of the little Fiat until it would drive no more. By this leads to the dual carriageway
time the damage had been done. I spotted the rear end of a
The source of the problem was a cooling hose which was attached to the coolant housing on van sitting in a lay-by, and as
the end on the cylinder-head making a break for freedom and blowing off. Once the coolant I approached, I realised it was
had begun to pump out, continuing to drive the Fiat was a big mistake, and one that was now a mobile speed camera unit.
going to cost this owner the price of a replacement engine. I also realised that the sedate
The consolation for the owner was that as the engine is easily accessible with the front panel 37mph I was travelling at
removed, the job time for the replacement is only four hours, and with a second-hand unit was not permissible as the
sourced the Fiat was back on the road before the weekend. road had been changed
from a 40mph to a 30mph
limit a year or so ago.
VOLKSWAGEN GOLF Having lived in the area for
thirty years, I was more used

Going nowhere to traveling at 40 on this

stretch than 30. No excuses
after being redirected by
 Having driven over to pick his
girlfriend up in his 2004 VW Golf with the owner of the BMW (who
no apparent problems, our customer I had informed) the notice of
jumped in with his girlfriend in the prosecution dropped through
passenger seat, only to release the the door a few days later, but
clutch and go nowhere. Just five it was accompanied by the
minutes ago when he had parked offer of dropping the points
up everything had been perfect, the and fine if I instead opted for
clutch was operating as it should and the speed awareness course.
at no time had appeared to slip. This offer I took up, and
Red faced he decided to get a cab to after completing the course,
take his date out, and then returning I can say it is very enlightening
later got the recovery people to tow and certainly better than
the Golf to my garage. It was left three points on my licence.
outside with a note saying that it either
had a failed clutch or gearbox.
Retrieving the keys from the The problem was a failed
letterbox I jumped in and started the driveshaft joint and
looking closely I could
golf up and after putting it in gear,
see this had pushed out
slowly released the clutch, a light of the boot slightly.
whirring sound could be heard, and
I was at this stage pretty sure what had happened.
Pushing the motor in over the pit, I went underneath to look at the driveshafts, and sure
enough one of the driveshaft was spinning freely in the outer joint. The remedy which was a The rural road had a 40mph speed
new CV joint worked out a lot cheaper than the clutch or gearbox the owner was expecting. limit for years but was recently
changed to a 30 catching me out.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 21

Tales from the Workshop

The biggest concern was to ensure that that none of the dirt
and muck fell into the fuel tank when the pump was removed.

SUBARU IMPREZA

Fuel pump failure

 When this 2001 Subaru Impreza 2.0 auto began to stutter the owner was aware of an impending problem and got over
to the side of the road just before the engine cut out completely.
Once recovered back to the workshop, it was found that the in-tank fuel pump was the source of the trouble, and this
needed to be renewed. Lifting up the rear seat to access the top of the tank the first thing I noticed was the amount of
dirt and grime around the top of the tank unit.
I was sure of one thing at this point, the top of the tank needed to be cleaned off before undoing and lifting off the
tank unit, otherwise this was going to enter the tank and would cause a new set of problems.
Dusting and hoovering the debris from around the tank unit, it was then removed, and the new unit fitted into place.
Connecting the plug and checking the fuel gauge and listening for the sound of the pump running was reassuring, and
starting the engine confirmed that all was now well.

AUDI A3 KIA SEDONA

Messy cooling system Gear cable fun

 The owner of this 2003 Audi A3 1.9 TDI had owned the
vehicle for the last 10 years and had clocked up a large
percentage of the 200,000 miles now on the odometer.
Servicing had been carried out to the letter with the oil and
filter being replaced every 10,000 miles.
Because he was consciences, he quickly noticed the fact
that the temperature gauge was showing a little higher than
normal, and then the next morning when the engine had
cooled down, he checked the coolant to ensure it wasn’t low.
Removing the cap he saw a brown mess of emulsified oil in
the header tank, and thought the worst, phoning me he asked if
I could check it out as he believed the head gasket had blown.
Getting the motor along to the garage via his breakdown
service, I had a quick look and soon confirmed that it was oil in
the coolant, but this was not necessarily the head gasket.
Allowing me to investigate further, I remove the cooling hoses
going to the oil cooler, then flushed out the system and bypassed
the cooler to run the engine up. Sure enough, after a short time
oil could be seen coming from the cooling outlets on the oil
cooler, confirming this was the source of the unwanted oil.
The oil cooler itself takes
less than an hour to change,
but the flushing and checking
took a little longer. The owner
was happy though as his A3
will be able to rack up a few
more miles now.
 It was only around a week after I had answered a question from
a CM reader with regard to the difficulty of replacing the gear
change cables on a Kia, that one of my customers with a 2004
Kia Sedona phoned me to ask if I could look at the gearchange
on her vehicle, as she was having difficulty selecting gear.
I expected that when I saw the vehicle, I would be saying
that the problem was with the clutch, as this is often the
case, but the clutch on this Kia was in good condition and
operating perfectly. The fault was with the gearchange. I have
often heard a sloppy gearchange described as “like stirring a
pudding” and that would certainly apply to this Kia.
Further investigation revealed that one of the cables in the
pair had frayed and was barely hanging in place.
This meant I now had the fun of the job I had been
describing to the CM reader only the week before. I just hope
that when our reader carried out the replacement it was not in
the boiling hot sunshine that I was working in.
The centre console
needed to be stripped
out to gain access to the
cables, which were not
an easy job to change.

Oil was running from the outlet hoses

on the oil cooler, confirming that this
was the source of the problem.

22 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 Tales from the Workshop

FORD FIESTA JAGUAR STYPE

Treacle Oil leak

trouble worry
 The owner of this  Most of the time my
2008 Ford Fiesta was customers will listen to the
complaining of a light advice I give and have the
chuffing noise. The fact repair or work done guided
that the vehicle hadn’t by my advice. Some like to
been serviced for around skimp a little and others
two years did not appear like the owner of this 2006
to be important, he was Jaguar S-TYPE like to go a
very proud that the little bit further.
Fiesta 1.4 TDCi had sailed The work in my mind was
through the last MOT and The black treacle unnecessary but the owner
thought that this was all like substance insisted. The Jaguar 3.0 V6
the attention it needed. surrounding petrol engine had developed
I did talk him into the injectors is a slight oil leak, which was
having an engine service a sure sign that
misting the top of the engine
whilst it was in, and gasses have been
leaking from in oil. After a good clean
I was fairly sure I knew the compression down, I found that the culprit
what the chuffing sound chamber out via was the rubber O-ring around
was going to be. Once the injector seals. the camshaft actuator.
I had the air filter and My advice was to remove
inlet manifold removed, I could see the result of what had been a leaking injector washer in the cam covers and renew
the form of a thick black treacle around the top of the cylinder-head. This needed cleaning the O-rings and the cam
off before the injectors could be removed, not only to access the injector fixings, but also to cover gaskets The owner,
prevent any of the thick deposits entering the engine when the injectors were out. though, wanted the
The cleaning off the residue took longer than the lifting out and fitting of the new washers, actuators replacing as well.
but once the new washers were fitted, and using new bolts the injector clamps were tightened There was really no reason
down to the 15Nm + 70° specified. that the actuators would be
giving trouble, and the leak
was certainly from the seal
and not the actuator, but the
MINI COUNTRYMAN Removing the complete engine owner insisted.

Engine
and gearbox from the vehicle,
As the removal and
has quite a few advantages when
larger jobs need to be carried out. replacement of the cam

out time
covers is a couple of hours
work, I suppose adding an
extra £80 to the bill to add
 With just over 120,000 miles on the a couple of new parts may
clock, this 201 MINI Countryman 1.6 be an investment – the
petrol turbo had found its way to me customer is always right!
with a failed head gasket. The owner
had also been complaining of a light
rattle when starting up, so the plan was
to whip the engine out and cover both
problems in one go.
With the engine out this made the
whole process a lot easier, and the time
taken removing the engine is easily
saved in the easy access now available
when removing the cylinder-head and
the timing chain.
Plus, the engine bay could be cleaned
out whilst the engine was removed
ensuring that once back in place all
would look good as well as work as it
should. I also took the opportunity to The oil mist was seeping around
deal with a few small areas of corrosion the seal on the VVT actuator, but
on the front subframe making the best the customer wanted the actuator
use of the opportunity. changed as well as the seal.
After having the cylinder-head refaced
the engine was reassembled and the Follow Steve on Twitter:
new timing chain and tensioners fitted. www.twitter.com/cmtips
Slipping the engine back into place, it
was now good to go.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 23

 COMPETITION

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Model Size Desc. (mm) exc.VAT inc.VAT KG
shelves shelves
1 CBB306 36" 6 Dr Chest 910x305x47 £209.00 £250.80 PER SHELF PER SHELF
2 CBB315 36" 5 Dr Cabinet 927x416x985 £439.00 £526.80
CBB228B 41" 8 Dr cabinet 1126x468x1000 £619.00 £742.80 Dims exc. inc.
CBB224C 41" 14 Dr chest 1045x415x486 £389.00 £466.80 FROM ONLY
CBB231B
CBB230B
56" 9 Dr chest 1460x615x490 £659.00 £790.80
56" 13 Dr cabinet 1503x622x1011 £979.00 £1174.80
42
£ DOUBLE
.99
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
Model WxDxH(mm) VAT VAT
150kg 800x300x1500 £42.99 £51.59 339
CWB1700P £ FROM ONLY.00
DOUBLEEXC.VAT
DOUBLE
£406.80 FOOTER
inc.VAT
1.5M TALL FOOTER
£51.59 inc.VAT 350kg 900x400x1800 £59.98 £71.98
32694
 TURBO AIR COMPRESSORS DRILL
8/260
PRESSES
Range of precision bench
& floor presses for
enthusiast, engineering &
Superb range industrial applications
ideal for DIY,
FROM ONLY
hobby & semi-
professional use SUPERSTORES 99
£ DOUBLE
DOUBLE
.95
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
£119.94 inc.VAT
B = Bench
mounted
NATIONWIDE F = Floor
standing
CDP102B
FROM ONLY
HEADER
£
129EXC.VAT
.98 Motor (W)
£155.98 inc.VAT

Model Motor CFM Tank exc.VAT inc.VAT

Britain's Tools & model
CDP5EB
CDP102B
Speeds
350 / 5
350 / 5
exc.VAT
£99.95
£115.95
inc.VAT
£119.94
£139.14
8/260 2HP 7.5 24ltr
11/260 2.5HP 9.5 24ltr
8/550 2HP 7.5 50ltr
£129.98
£149.98
£179.98
£155.98
£179.98
£215.98
Machinery Specialist! CDP152B
CDP202B
CDP352F
450 / 12
450 / 16
550 / 16
£209.98
£269.00
£349.00
£251.98
£322.80
£418.80
T CDP452B 550 / 16 £349.00 £418.80
11/550 2.5HP 9.5 50ltr £209.98 £251.98
27
£FROM ONLY
.99
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT JUMP STARTS CDP502F 1100 / 12 £789.00 £946.80
16/550 3HP 14.5 50ltr £279.00 £334.80 DOUBLE
FOOTER
£33.59 inc.VAT
16/1050 3HP 14.5 100ltr £349.98 £419.98 Provides essential home,
WORKSHOP garage and roadside
INDUSTRIAL AIR AIR TOOLS PGF14 FROM ONLY assistance Integral HEAVY DUTY
COMPRESSORS CAT131 94
£ DOUBLE
DOUBLE
.99
EXC.VAT work light 910 includes Honda & PETROL
Top quality belt driven air compressors for industrial &
FOOTER
£116.39 inc.VAT air compressor Long life Diesel NEW POWER
commercial users inc; garages, factories, workshops battery engine WASHERS
and farms. 10 bar/150psi max working pressure models PLS265B
Peak Max in stock CAN
69
£FROM ONLY
.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
DOUBLE
BEST Model Boost Engine exc.VAT inc.VAT DRAW
OWN
FOOTER
£83.98 inc.VAT SELLER 910 900 3L £96.99 £116.39
EXTRA BEST JS1100C 1100 3L £94.99 £113.99 WATER
SELLER STARTS VEHICLES 4000
LONG 1m 1500 6L £164.99 £197.99
LEADS UP TO 6L JS12/24 1000 8L £179.98 £215.98
HUGE CHOICE
IN-STORE/ONLINE
FROM ONLY
HEADER
CAR CREEPERS ENGINE MICRO
FROM ONLY
STANDS JUMP
£
279EXC.VAT
.00
• Oil resistant vinyl covered padded 74
£ DOUBLE
.99
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FROM ONLY
39
£ DOUBLE.98 £334.80 inc.VAT
backs & headrests • Swivel castors FOOTER
£89.99 inc.VAT Rotates STARTS DOUBLE
£47.98
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
inc.VAT Pressure Engine
for easy manoeuvrability through 360˚ Power packs
Fully tested to JSM200 Model BAR/Psi HP exc.VAT inc.VAT
CES680F proof load Peak Max Tiger1800B 110/1595 3 £279.00 £334.80
Model Boost
inc.VAT Engine exc.VAT Tiger2600B 180/2610 4 £399.00 £478.80
JSM180 £47.98
360A 3L £39.98 Tiger3000B 200/2900 6.5 £419.00 £502.80
XEV16/100 FROM ONLY PLS195B 180/2640 5.5 £529.00 £634.80
exc. JSM200 £67.19
400A 4L £55.99
FROM ONLY
HEADER †V-Twin *230V
39
£ DOUBLE.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
O
ALS MECHANICS Model Capacity VAT inc.VAT JSM300 £83.98
500A 6L £69.98 PLS220 230/3335 9 £699.00 £838.80
FOOTER
£47.98 inc.VAT SEAT ONLY £45.59 JSM350 £105.59
500A 6L £87.99 PLS265B 225/3263 13 £799.00 £958.80
£
589EXC.VAT
.00
AIR.
£706.80 inc.VAT
CES340
CES450
340kg
450kg
£74.99 £89.99 *Folds for
£87.99 £105.59 storage JSM400 £119.98
800A 6L £99.98 PLS360 248/3600 13 £998.00 £1197.60
DISP MOTOR AIR Model Description exc.VAT inc.VAT CES560 560kg £109.98 £131.98
MODEL CFM (HP) RCVR EXC.VAT INC.VAT CMC36 Car creeper £39.98 £47.98 CES680F 680kg £139.98 £167.98 579
£ FROM ONLY
.00
DOUBLEEXC.VAT
DOUBLE
£694.80 FOOTER
inc.VAT
XEV16/100 (OL)†* 14 3 100ltr £589.00 £706.80 CMC45 With adjustable headrest £56.99 £68.39
XEV16/150 (OL)†* 14 3 150ltr £659.00 £790.80 CMC60 Car creeper reclining £53.99 £64.79 BATTERY CHARGERS INTELLIGENT HARRY 2
XEV16/200(OL)†* 14 3 200ltr £719.00 £862.80 seat & mechanics seat /ENGINE STARTERS
XEV16/150(400V)† 14 3 150ltr £699.00 £838.80 Ammeter BC210C
BATTERY HOT WEIGHS
XE18/200 (OL)†* 18 4 200ltr £759.00 £910.80
ANGLE GRINDERS Multi-position CHARGER/ ONLY
WASH 27KG
XE36C200† 30 7.5HP 200Ltr £1189.00 £1426.80
XE29/270†* 28 2X3HP 270Ltr £1389.00 £1666.80 CON1150 INC. DISC charge regulator MAINTAINERS
XE37/270 (OL)†* 36 2x 4 270ltr £1459.00 £1750.80 & HANDLE Overload FROM ONLY 145 Bar
SE46C270† 40 10HP 270Ltr £2079.00 £2494.80 protection
on charging
19
£ DOUBLE.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
£23.98 inc.VAT
IBC20
2103 psi

FROM ONLY cycle

AXLE STANDS 29
£ DOUBLE.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT FROM ONLY ‡ WAS £59.98 inc.VAT
FOOTER
£35.98 inc.VAT 93
£ DOUBLE.99
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
Model
Max.
Volts Charge exc.VAT inc.VAT
Ratchet action FOOTER
£112.79 inc.VAT
for quick height £FROM ONLY Model Disc (mm) Motor exc.VAT inc.VAT IBC4 6/12V 1A/4A £19.98 £23.98
adjustment 17
DOUBLE
.99
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
CAG800B
CON1150
115 800W £29.98
115 1150W £35.99
£35.98
£43.19 Msx Amps
IBC7‡
IBC15
12/24V
12V
7A
15A
£45.99
£49.98
£55.19
£59.98
Sold in pairs £21.59 inc.VAT
CAG2350C 230 2350W £69.98 £83.98 Model Charge/Boost exc.VAT inc.VAT IBC20 12/24V 20A £69.98 £83.98
BC125 20/120 £93.99 £112.79 IBC25 12/24V 25A £97.99 £117.59
HEAVY BC190 38/180 £112.99 £135.59
*Aluminium DUTY BC210C 25/200 £149.98 £179.98 SANDBLASTERS
LONG REACH WBC180 35/180 £175.99 £211.19
WBC240 45/240 £194.99 £233.99 Heavy duty steel construction
Max Min/Max JACKS CTJ2GLS WBC400 60/350 £239.00 £286.80 sandblasters for the quick PARTS
Model Tons Height exc.VAT inc.VAT BC520P 50/510 £259.00 £310.80 removal of surface rust, paint, WASHERS
CAX2TFB 2 235-360mm £17.99 £21.59 dirt/grease etc. CPSB100B FROM ONLY
CAX3TPB 3 325-490mm £33.99 £40.79
CAX-3TBC 3 300-430mm £31.99 £38.39
Model Tonnes exc.VAT inc.VAT
TAP & DIE SETS
High quality tungsten steel
INCLUDES
SANDBLASTING GUN,
62
£ DOUBLE
.99
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
£75.59 inc.VAT
CAX-6TBC 6 400-615mm £48.99 £58.79
CAX3TAB* 3 295-395mm £59.98 £71.98 FROM ONLY
HEADER
CTJ2GLS 2 £269.00 £322.80 Supplied in metal DELIVERY HOSE, 4
storage case (except
£
269EXC.VAT CTJ5GLS 35 £349.00
.00 CTJ3GLS
£469.00
£418.80
£562.80 16pce)
CERAMIC NOZZLES
AND SAFETY HOOD
CW2D
GARAGES/WORKSHOPS £322.80 inc.VAT CTJ10GLS 10 £639.00 £766.80
FROM ONLY FROM ONLY
HEADER
FROM ONLY
HEADER IDEAL FOR RAIN &
CAR RAMPS 22
£ DOUBLE.99
DOUBLE £
189EXC.VAT
.98 CW1D
289EXC.VAT
£ .00 EXC.VAT
SUN PROTECTION FOOTER
£27.59 inc.VAT
£346.80 inc.VAT
• Lift cars safely £227.98 inc.VAT
and quickly Model Tank Cap. Type exc.VAT inc.VAT
• Tough FROM ONLY
CW2D 10Ltrs Bench £62.99 £75.59
angled 39inc.VAT
£ DOUBLE
DOUBLE
£47.98
.98
EXC.VAT
PER Model
Tank Flow Rate
Volume Req. exc.VAT inc.VAT CW1D 45Ltrs Floor £159.98 £191.98
steel PER PAIR Type exc.VAT inc.VAT CPSB100B 32 litre 6-25 cfm £189.98 £227.98 CWM20 22.5Ltrs Floor £209.98 £251.98
LENGTH construction CHT203 16pce Metric £24.99 £29.99 CPSB200B 63 litre 6-25 cfm £249.00 £298.80 CW40 75Ltrs Floor £239.98 £287.98
UP TO Model Capacity exc.VAT inc.VAT CHT302 24pce UNC/UNF/NPT £22.99 £27.59
40' CHT303 28pce Metric £29.98 £35.98
CR2 2000kg £39.98 £47.98
CHT304 33pce Metric/UNF/BSP £36.99 £44.39
CORDED IMPACT 10 TONNE BODY
CRW25 2500kg £47.99 £57.59
CHT527 32pce Metric £54.99 £65.99 WRENCHES REPAIR KIT
BRIGHT WHITE CHT775 52pce Metric/UNF/BSP £59.98 £71.98 ONLY
HEADER
FAST ACTION
INTERIOR CHT776 76pce Metric £79.98 £95.98 CEW520 £
179EXC.VAT
.98
£215.98 inc.VAT
PUMP
Ideal for use as a garage/ DIAGNOSTICS AUTOMOTIVE
workshop Extra tough triple FROM ONLY CS10SBRK
layer cover Heavy duty powder ZIP CLOSE DOOR 29
£ DOUBLE
.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
WHEEL DOLLY SET Ideal for
coated steel tubing ‡ WAS £1390.80 inc.VAT FOOTER
£35.98 inc.VAT AWD1 garage mechanics FROM ONLY
Ratchet tight tensioning # WAS £3900.00 inc.VAT
PRO EOBD FAULT INC 17, 19, 320 56
£ DOUBLE.99
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
Model size (LxWxH) exc.VAT inc.VAT CODE READER
FOOTER
£68.39 inc.VAT
21, 22MM
CIG81212 3.6 x 3.6 x 2.5m £289.00 £346.80
CIG81015 4.5 x 3 x 2.4m £309.00 £370.80 Model exc.VAT inc.VAT SOCKETS Nm
CIG81216 4.9 x 3.7 x 2.5m £359.00 £430.80 EOBD Fault Code Reader £29.98 £35.98 & CASE
CIG81020 6.1 x 3 x 2.4m £389.00 £466.80 Professional Engine Diagnostic & £87.99 £105.59 BIG 66
£FROM ONLY
.99
EXC.VAT
DOUBLE
£80.39 inc.VAT Model Power Torque exc.VAT inc.VAT Fast
CIG81220 6.1 x 3.7 x 2.5m £429.00 £514.80 EOBD/OBD ll Fault Code Reader 3" CASTORS PER PAIR CEW520 1/2" 520W 320Nm £56.99 £68.39 snap connector attachments for quick & easy as-
CIG81224 7.3 x 3.7 x 2.5m £539.00 £646.80 Four non-marking castors for easy CEW1000 1/2" 1000W 450Nm £74.99 £89.99 sembly Hydraulic pump, ram & hose with various
CIG1432‡ 9.7x4.3x3.65m £1099.00 £1318.80 2 & 3 TONNE movement in confined spaces Heavy duty steel tubes, pieces & connectors Includes metal case
CIG1640# 12x4.9x4.3m £2998.00 £3597.60 TROLLEY JACKS construction - load rating 500kg per dolly
FROM ONLY
ALUMINIUM 44
£ DOUBLE
.99
DOUBLE
RACING JACKS
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
£53.99 inc.VAT PRO SANDER/ BEST
Quick lift Non-marking POLISHERS 18V ½" SELLER
nylon wheels IMPACT
Rubber contact 450NM
pad - helps
LOW
ENTRY
WRENCHES 1 TONNE
protect vehicle ONLY 79
£FROM ONLY
.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
DOUBLE
3 forward and
reverse gears
BRUSHLESS FOLDING
undersides 85MM FOOTER
£95.98 inc.VAT
CP185 FROM ONLY WORKSHOP
CTJ1250AC JACKS ALSO IN CTJ2250LP
Inc. hook &
180MM loop backing 99
£ DOUBLE
DOUBLE
.98
EXC.VAT CRANE
STOCK UP TO 5 TONNE PAD DIA.
pad and
FOOTER
£119.98 inc.VAT Folding and fixed
wool polishing CIR18LIC frames available
Model Type Tonne exc.VAT inc.VAT

2 2AH
FROM ONLY Robust, rugged
bonnet
£
129 EXC.VAT
DOUBLE
.98 CTJ2L Long 2 £44.99 £53.99
X ONLY
HEADER construction
DOUBLE
£129.98 FOOTER
inc.VAT CTJ2000LPB DIY Low Profile 2 £46.99 £56.39
CTJ2250LP* Low Profile 2.25 £52.99 £63.59 Dual action
£
239EXC.VAT
.98
£287.98 inc.VAT
Overload safety valve
CTJ3000GB Pro Garage 3 £109.98 £131.98 combines rotary & Model Desc Batteries exc.VAT inc.VAT
Model Lifting Cap. exc.VAT inc.VAT CTJ3000QLB Quick Lift 3 £119.98 £143.98 orbital motions to 150MM
CTJ1250AC 1.25T £129.98 £155.98 CCIW160 Cordless 2X 2AH £99.98 £119.98
CTJ2QLP Low Quick Lift 2 £162.99 £195.59 produce an excellent PAD DIA.
CTJ1500QL 1.5T £109.98 £131.98 LI-ION
Fully tested
CTJ1800AB 1.8T £199.98 £239.98 * CTJ2250LP has a 2.25 tonne capacity, has a
low entry of only 80mm and includes 2 sockets
polished finish
CP150
69
£FROM ONLY
.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
DOUBLE
CIR18LIC Cordless, 2X 2AH £119.00 £142.80
Brushless LI-ION to proof load
CFC100
CTJ2500QLGB 2.5T £179.98 £215.98 FOOTER
£83.98 inc.VAT
33133LH
 PAY Monthly FREE 484 PAGE
NOW O
VER
21,000 CATALOGUE
Spread the cost over 12,
24, 36, 48 or 60 months
PRODUCTS ONLINE!
For 15,000 hard-to- OUT NOW!
Any mix of products find, specialist items
visit the • IN-STORE
over £300 5 MIN • ONLINE
14.9% APR, APPLICATION! • PHONE
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machinemart.co.uk 0844 880 1265

BRITAIN’S NO. 1 FOR WELDING

TURBO FAN GAS 2kW
Offering low cost, HEATERS FAN FROM ONLY
efficient heating HEATERS £36
DOUBLE
.99
DUAL
VOLTAGE
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
£44.39 inc.VAT MIG GAS/NO GAS WELDERS
Max.
230& Model Output kW exc.VAT inc.VAT Professional type torches
“Excellent machine and exactly 135TE
110 Devil 2000PTC 2 £36.99 £44.39 Easy to set up & use
VOLT
IN STOCK FROM
FROM ONLY
94
£ DOUBLE.99
DOUBLEEXC.VAT PROPANE
Devil 2850
Devil 2800PTC
2.8
2.8
£43.99 £52.79
£56.99 £68.39
as described. Easy to set up
and comes with everything you
£
294
DOUBLE.99
EXC.VAT
239.00 FOOTER
£353.99 inc.VAT
£226.80 inc.VAT FOOTER
£113.99 inc.VAT GAS FIRED need to start welding straight 90AMPS

Model
Max. Output
kW exc.VAT inc.VAT
ELECTRIC
HEATERS
out of the box”
See www.machinemart.co.uk BEST 144
£ FROM ONLY
.99
Little Devil II 10.3 £94.99 £113.99 BEST DEVIL SELLER MIG 102NG
DOUBLEEXC.VAT
DOUBLE
£173.99 FOOTER
inc.VAT
Devil 700 15 £116.99 £140.39 SELLER 6003
Devil 900 24.9 £159.98 £191.98
Devil 1600 36.6 £189.98 £227.98 FROM ONLY
Devil 2100
Devil 4000
49.8
131
£269.00
£479.00
£322.80
£574.80
DEVIL 69
£ DOUBLE
.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
£83.98 inc.VAT
7003
DIESEL/PARAFFIN Heat
FROM ONLY
HEATERS Model Voltage Output exc.VAT inc.VAT 150AMPS
Devil 6003 230V 1.5-3kW £69.98 £83.98
229EXC.VAT
£ DOUBLE.00
DOUBLE
£274.80 FOOTER
inc.VAT
Devil 7003 230V 3kW £76.99 £92.39 MIG145
Devil 7005 400V 5kW £98.99 £118.79
Ideal for fast Devil 6009 400V 4.5-9kW £124.99 £149.99
efficient Devil 7009 400V 9kW £152.99 £183.59
heating Devil 6015 400V 5-10-15kW £189.98 £227.98
Extra-long Devil 7015 400V 15kW £229.98 £275.98
run fuel tanks 239
£ FROM ONLY
.00
DOUBLEEXC.VAT
DOUBLE
£286.80 FOOTER
– up to 53 litres SOCKET SETS inc.VAT
Variable heat output XR80 Min/Max
with thermostat control Top quality chrome
PRO360 Model Amps exc. VAT inc.VAT
model MAX output exc.VAT inc.VAT vanadium steel. MIG102NG* 35/90 £144.99 £173.99
XR60 14.7kW £229.00 £274.80 18 Sockets 8-32mm MIG106 40/100 £179.00 £214.80
XR80 20.5kW £279.00 £334.80 Reversible ratchet MIG145 35/135 £239.00 £286.80
XR110 29.3kW £329.00 £394.80 Comfort grip handle PRO90 24-90 £239.98 £287.98
XR160 46.9kW £419.00 £502.80 ONLY MIG196 40/180 £279.00 £334.80
XR210 61.5kW £479.00 £574.80 LIFETIME
29
£ DOUBLE
.98
EXC.VAT GUARANTEE
DOUBLE * no gas 135TE Turbo 30-130 £294.99
£259.98
£353.99
£311.98
FOOTER
£35.98 inc.VAT 135TE only 151EN 30-150
MIG240 50/240 £499.00 £598.80
HUGE RANGE OF 130AMPS 175TECM Turbo 30-170 £489.00 £586.80
DRILL RATCHETS, SPANNERS 205TE Turbo 30-185 £539.00 £646.80
AND SOCKET SETS
PRESSES 1/2" TORQUE
Range of precision bench
MMA80 MMA & ARC/TIG
& floor presses for
WRENCH - CHT141 INVERTER WELDERS
5" Extension AT165
enthusiast, engineering & bar 1/2" - • Compact & lightweight
industrial applications 3/8" adaptor • Efficient inverter technology
28-210 Nm • Variable output
ONLY
B = Bench
FROM ONLY mounted 29
£ DOUBLE
.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT

99
£ DOUBLE
.95
DOUBLEEXC.VAT F = Floor
FOOTER
£35.98 inc.VAT
£119.94 inc.VAT standing
FOOTER
HYDRAULIC 94
£FROM ONLY
DOUBLE
DOUBLE
.99
EXC.VAT
Motor (W) PRESSES CSA4B FOOTER
£113.99 inc.VAT
Model Speeds exc.VAT inc.VAT PROFESSIONAL QUALITY
CDP5EB 350/5 £99.95 £119.94 Built for tough daily use
CDP102B 350/5 £115.95 £139.14 in automotive/industrial
CDP202B 450/16 £269.00 £322.80 workshops Min/Max Electrode
* Available with/without 7 INC.
CDP352F 550/16 £349.00 £418.80 ELECTRODE Output Dia.
CDP452B 550/16 £349.00 £418.80 CDP102B pce pin, bracket & pressing
HOLDER, Model Current (mm) exc.VAT inc.VAT
plate kit safety screen MMA80 20A-80A 1.6-2.5 £94.99 £113.99
EARTH
# Economy
PETROL model BEST 219
£ FROM ONLY
.98 CLAMP, &
BRUSH/
AT133
AT162
10A-130A 2.5/3.2
10A-160A 2.5/3.2/4.0
£139.98
£166.99
£167.98
£200.39
GENERATORS SELLER DOUBLEEXC.VAT
FROM ONLY
HEADER DOUBLE
£263.98 FOOTER
inc.VAT HAMMER AT135 10A-130A 2.5/3.2 £189.98 £227.98
PG3800A Model Tonne exc.VAT inc.VAT AT165 10A-160A 2.5/3.2/4.0 £219.98 £263.98
239EXC.VAT
ACCESSORIES
£ .00
£286.80 inc.VAT
CSA4B# 4 £174.99 £209.99
CSA10BB* 10 £295.00 £354.00 FROM ONLY
HEADER HUGE
CSA12F*# 12 £379.00 £454.80 £174EXC.VAT
.99
CSA20FBT 20 £499.00 £598.80 £209.99 inc.VAT
RANGE!
AUTO GWH4 FROM ONLY
115N ARC WELDERS
DARKENING For home user,
BENCH BUFFERS/
POLISHERS WELDING 11
£ DOUBLE
.99
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
£14.39 inc.VAT
automotive and industrial
applications.
HEADSHIELDS FROM ONLY
FROM ONLY GAS 69
£ DOUBLE
.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FROM ONLY
84
£ DOUBLE
DOUBLE
.99
EXC.VAT
39
£ DOUBLE
.98
DOUBLE
EXC.VAT
FOOTER
£47.98 inc.VAT
FOOTER
£83.98 inc.VAT
#Turbo fan cooled
FOOTER
£101.99 inc.VAT
CHECK FRAME TYPE Honda engine 7 MODELS Model Amps exc.VAT inc.VAT
WHEN ORDERING models available For a IN RANGE EA165 65-160 £69.98 £83.98
Model KVA HP exc.VAT inc.VAT brilliant shine WIRE 115N 30-110 £96.99 £116.39
PG2500A 2.2 5.6 £239.00 £286.80 Model Dia. (mm) exc.VAT inc.VAT FROM ONLY 0.6, 0.8 EA200 60-200 £84.99 £101.99
FROM ONLY
PG3800A
PG3800ADV
3
3
5.6
5.6
£299.00 £358.80
£329.00 £394.80
CBB150
CBB200
150
200
£84.99 £101.99
£99.98 £119.98 5
£ DOUBLE
.99
DOUBLE
FOOTER
£7.19
EXC.VAT
inc.VAT
& 0.9mm
SIZES IN LEATHER 6DOUBLE
£ DOUBLE
.99
EXC.VAT
SEE THE FULL
RANGE
160N
190N
40-150 £99.98 £119.98
50-185 £119.98 £143.98
ONLINE & IN-STORE
PG6500ADVES 5.5 9.7 £579.00 £694.80 CBB250 250 £179.98 £215.98 STOCK GAUNTLETS £8.39
FOOTER
inc.VAT 235TEN# 40-210 £169.98 £203.98
V
VISIT YOUR LOCAL SUPERSTORE OPEN MON-FRI 8.30-6.00,
SAT 8.30-5.30, SUN 10.00-4.00
5 EASY WAYS TO BUY...
BARNSLEY Pontefract Rd, Barnsley, S71 1EZ 01226 732297 EXETER 16 Trusham Rd. EX2 8QG 01392 256 744 NORWICH 282a Heigham St. NR2 4LZ 01603 766402 SUPERSTORES
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0121 7713433
GATESHEAD 50 Lobley Hill Rd. NE8 4YJ
GLASGOW 280 Gt Western Rd. G4 9EJ
0191 493 2520
0141 332 9231
NORTHAMPTON Beckett Retail Park, St James’ Mill Rd 01604 267840 NATIONWIDE
NOTTINGHAM 211 Lower Parliament St. 0115 956 1811
BOLTON 1 Thynne St. BL3 6BD 01204 365799 GLOUCESTER 221A Barton St. GL1 4HY 01452 417 948 PETERBOROUGH 417 Lincoln Rd. Millfield 01733 311770
BRADFORD 105-107 Manningham Lane. BD1 3BN 01274 390962 GRIMSBY ELLIS WAY, DN32 9BD 01472 354435 PLYMOUTH 58-64 Embankment Rd. PL4 9HY 01752 254050 ONLINE
BRIGHTON 123 Lewes Rd, BN2 3QB
BRISTOL 1-3 Church Rd, Lawrence Hill. BS5 9JJ
01273 915999
0117 935 1060
HULL 8-10 Holderness Rd. HU9 1EG
ILFORD 746-748 Eastern Ave. IG2 7HU
01482 223161
0208 518 4286
POOLE 137-139 Bournemouth Rd. Parkstone
PORTSMOUTH 277-283 Copnor Rd. Copnor
01202 717913
023 9265 4777
www.machinemart.co.uk
BURTON UPON TRENT 12a Lichfield St. DE14 3QZ 01283 564 708 IPSWICH Unit 1 Ipswich Trade Centre, Commercial Road 01473 221253 PRESTON 53 Blackpool Rd. PR2 6BU 01772 703263
CAMBRIDGE 181-183 Histon Road, Cambridge. CB4 3HL 01223 322675
CARDIFF 44-46 City Rd. CF24 3DN 029 2046 5424
LEEDS 227-229 Kirkstall Rd. LS4 2AS
LEICESTER 69 Melton Rd. LE4 6PN
0113 231 0400
0116 261 0688
SHEFFIELD 453 London Rd. Heeley. S2 4HJ 0114 258 0831 TELESALES
CARLISLE 85 London Rd. CA1 2LG 01228 591666 LINCOLN Unit 5. The Pelham Centre. LN5 8HG 01522 543 036
SIDCUP 13 Blackfen Parade, Blackfen Rd
SOUTHAMPTON 516-518 Portswood Rd.
0208 3042069
023 8055 7788
0115 956 5555
CHELTENHAM 84 Fairview Road. GL52 2EH 01242 514 402 LIVERPOOL 80-88 London Rd. L3 5NF 0151 709 4484 SOUTHEND 1139-1141 London Rd. Leigh on Sea 01702 483 742
CHESTER 43-45 St. James Street. CH1 3EY 01244 311258 LONDON CATFORD 289/291 Southend Lane SE6 3RS 0208 695 5684
COLCHESTER 4 North Station Rd. CO1 1RE 01206 762831 LONDON 6 Kendal Parade, Edmonton N18 020 8803 0861
STOKE-ON-TRENT 382-396 Waterloo Rd. Hanley
SUNDERLAND 13-15 Ryhope Rd. Grangetown
01782 287321
0191 510 8773
CLICK & COLLECT
COVENTRY Bishop St. CV1 1HT 024 7622 4227 LONDON 503-507 Lea Bridge Rd. Leyton, E10 020 8558 8284 OVER 10,500 LOCATIONS
SWANSEA 7 Samlet Rd. Llansamlet. SA7 9AG 01792 792969
CROYDON 423-427 Brighton Rd, Sth Croydon 020 8763 0640 LUTON Unit 1, 326 Dunstable Rd, Luton LU4 8JS 01582 728 063
SWINDON 21 Victoria Rd. SN1 3AW 01793 491717
DARLINGTON 214 Northgate. DL1 1RB 01325 380 841 MAIDSTONE 57 Upper Stone St. ME15 6HE 01622 769 572
TWICKENHAM 83-85 Heath Rd.TW1 4AW 020 8892 9117
CALL & COLLECT
DEAL (KENT) 182-186 High St. CT14 6BQ 01304 373 434 MANCHESTER ALTRINCHAM 71 Manchester Rd. Altrincham 0161 9412 666
DERBY Derwent St. DE1 2ED 01332 290 931 MANCHESTER CENTRAL 209 Bury New Road M8 8DU 0161 241 1851 WARRINGTON Unit 3, Hawley’s Trade Pk. 01925 630 937

SAME DAY
DONCASTER Wheatley Hall Road 01302 245 999 MANCHESTER OPENSHAW Unit 5, Tower Mill, Ashton Old Rd 0161 223 8376 WIGAN 2 Harrison Street, WN5 9AU 01942 323 785
DUNDEE 24-26 Trades Lane. DD1 3ET 01382 225 140 MANSFIELD 169 Chesterfield Rd. South 01623 622160 WOLVERHAMPTON Parkfield Rd. Bilston 01902 494186
EDINBURGH 163-171 Piersfield Terrace 0131 659 5919 MIDDLESBROUGH Mandale Triangle, Thornaby 01642 677881 WORCESTER 48a Upper Tything. WR1 1JZ 01905 723451
33133RH Calls to the catalogue request number above (0844 880 1265) cost 7p per minute plus your telephone company’s network access charge. For security reasons, calls may be monitored. All prices correct
*
at time of going to press. We reserve the right to change products and prices at any time. All offers subject to availability, E&OE. Terms & conditions apply see machinemart.co.uk/finance for more details
 Monde o 2 . 0 TDCi
Project Ford

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PART ONE: Rob Hawkins breathes a sigh of relief as we finally

manage to buy our next project vehicle in the nick of time.

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28 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 CM project 2010 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi

H
ow hard can it be to buy one
of the UK’s most popular
family saloons or hatchbacks?
Having decided on a third-
generation Ford Mondeo (known to
us in the UK as the Mk4) as CM’s next
project vehicle, we didn’t anticipate the
challenges ahead in buying one.
Browsing through online auction sales,
there were plenty to choose from, but we
were often outbid. For instance, editor
Knowles gave up on a 2.2-litre diesel
model that had a CAP Clean price of
£2075, that ended at £2850 plus fees.
He was cautious with a 2011 EcoBoost
model that sold for just over £3k, and
wondered what bidders were thinking
when an early 2014 non-runner had a
reserve price of £1000 plus fees.
Both of the last two examples were
equipped with Ford’s PowerShift
automatic gearbox, which was developed
by Ford and Getrag, featuring wet
clutches. It should be serviced every
three years or 37,500 miles to help
avoid contamination-induced failure,
though the service kit (oil and filter)
costs £100-£200 – we spoke to a
gearbox specialist who fixes these on
a regular basis and charges upwards of
£3000 for drive-in, drive-out repairs.
And when CM looked at the Mondeo
in general over two years ago in the
January 2021 issue, under Used Car
Focus, Chris Randall mentioned similar
costs, explaining that failure can
be caused by contamination due to
debris, whether that’s through a lack of
servicing or the damper plate’s plastic
inserts for its springs (within the dual-
clutch mechanism) exploding. Suffice to
say that we wouldn’t have minded taking
on a PowerShift gearbox repair, but only
if such a car came up at the right price.
Fortunately, we remained calm and
eventually found the 2010 hatchback
pictured here, which is a Titanium X
model and equipped with a six-speed
manual gearbox. The engine is a 140bhp
Duratorq (not to be confused with
the lesser-powered 113bhp 2.0-litre),
which costs £220 per year in road tax.
Editor Knowles won the bidding at
£2000, which was £400 over its CAP
Clean price, but for a car that originally
cost nearly £27k when new, at almost
13 years old (registered on March 8th
2010), we bought it for less than 7.5%
of its original value. Looking online
at selling websites, we found plenty
of cheaper examples, but usually with
higher mileage (ours has covered 118k),
bodywork damage or having been
written-off and returned to the road.

✘ ✘
JOBS LIST

REPLACE CLUTCH AND DMF SERVICE ENGINE

✘ CHANGE TIMING BELT AND WATER PUMP
✘ REPLACE REAR COIL SPRINGS, BUMP
STOPS AND TRAILING ARM BUSHES
✘ REPLACE NSF SUSPENSION DAMPER
✘ REPLACE FRONT BRAKE DISCS AND PADS
✘ FIX CONDENSATION IN HEADLIGHT
✘ REPLACE FRONT TYRES
✘ FIT A NEW FUEL FILLER CAP
✘ REPAIR PAINT DAMAGE TO FRONT BUMPER

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shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 29
CM project 2010 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi
Ford added a 2.0 badge on the nearside
front wing only. The badge was dropped
completely with the 2010 facelift model.
For the chop
It’s reassuring to know that the Mondeo
is a popular family car, especially
considering Ford axed it last year and
don’t have a replacement for the typical
average-sized saloon or estate for the
average family that made the likes of
the Cortina and Sierra so popular. These
vehicles proved there’s nothing wrong
with being average and the Mondeo was
undoubtedly a huge success.
Our Mk4 project vehicle first appeared
in 2007 and claimed Auto Express
magazine’s Car of the Year award at
the same time. Ours was manufactured
before some minor facelifts were added in
October 2010, including LED rear lights,
an integrated rear spoiler and revisions
to the bumpers, front grille and valance.
Ford also added blind-spot alerts, lane-
departure steering-wheel vibrators, a
rear-view camera, automatic headlight
Rusty rear coil springs have been noted at previous MOT tests.
Most of the corrosion is around the bottom of the springs.
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30 Car Mechanics February 2023
dipping, a speed limiter and LED daytime
running lights. However, that’s not to
say our Mondeo is low spec, as it comes
with climate control, heated seats, front
and rear parking sensors, half-leather
upholstery, Bluetooth connectivity and
electric folding door mirrors.
More importantly, the service history
looks promising, with five main dealer
stamps up to February 2016 when there
was almost 59,000 miles recorded,
followed by five more non-dealer
services up to 103k back in November
2019. We’re assuming the oil and filters
are over three years and 15,000 miles
old, although the recommended service
interval for the air filter is every three
years or 37,500 miles.
We’re also doubtful the timing belt
has been replaced, which should be every
10 years. Whilst the Ford stamps in the
service book don’t reveal much and only
A common issue on the Mondeo is perished rear trailing arm bushes,
resulting in poor handling. Ours need replacing on both sides.
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go up to 2016, the receipts for servicing
between September 2016 and November
2019 are very detailed and were
completed by the same independent
garage. It appears that the engine oil and
filter were refreshed at every service, the
rear discs and pads were changed in 2019
when the two front tyres were changed,
and the air, fuel and pollen filters were
last changed in December 2018.
The online MOT history for this
Mondeo doesn’t reveal any nasty
surprises. From March 2020 onwards,
the mileage has increased by 3000-
4000 miles between yearly tests and a
series of advisories have accumulated,
including rusty-looking rear coil springs,
deteriorating reg-plates, close-to-the limit
front tyres (perhaps those new tyres fitted
in 2019 were swapped to the rears), worn
and pitted front brake discs and a leaking
(misting) nearside front suspension
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 CM project 2010 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi

2.0-litre DOHC turbodiesel 143PS engine has

been routinely serviced, but now requires a
new timing belt. Brittle plastic access cover
for the battery terminals has broken and is
now secured with gaffer tape.

According to the invoices supplied, the air
filter was last changed in December 2018.
Judging by the state of the fastenings for
the lid of the housing, we may need lots of
penetrating fluid and patience to undo them.
Bonnet locking mechanism was noted as
being deteriorated at the last MOT test. We
wondered what all the fuss was about until
we found we couldn’t lock it. Still, better than
being unable to unlock it.
The original 2010 spacesaver spare wheel and
unused Continental tyre are still within the
boot area. Along with the toolkit and tow hook.

Rear exhaust hanger over the axle was noted at the Front discs have been noted at previous MOT
MOT test and seems to have recently been repaired. tests. They definitely need to be renewed.

damper. Whilst it may look worrying that
these issues have not been addressed, it
doesn’t necessarily mean the owner has
been neglectful because the MOT tester
may have advised them to wait until the
problem definitely needed fixing.
The condition of the exterior grey
metallic paintwork seems to be good for
the car’s age. The nearside corner of the
front bumper has had a scrape, but aside
from a few stonechips, the bodywork
and paintwork are in good condition.
With 17in alloy wheels all round, they
have seen better days – they could do
with a thorough clean to assess whether
they need refurbishing.
On the ramp
Our Mondeo project began with it being
delivered to AES near York (01904 780149
autoelectricsyork.co.uk) so that it could
be checked over and a list of repairs and
servicing devised before ordering parts
from our sponsors Autovaux, who sell just
about everything we should need. Mark
Shipman at AES found the first major job
that will need sorting, when he tried to
manoeuvre the Mondeo into his workshop
– the clutch. Switching between first and
reverse was sometimes difficult and at one
point, impossible. Plus, the travel on the
clutch pedal wasn’t much, so we’ll need

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CM project 2010 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCi
to investigate further, but suspect the
clutch will need renewing.
A look around the exterior confirmed
some of the advisories raised at the MOT
test. The front tyres don’t have much
tread remaining, although they are road
legal. The nearside headlamp contains
lots of condensation, which was noted
at the MOT but classed as not hindering
illumination. Mark pointed out that
the cover on the back of the headlight
has broken, which results in moisture
getting inside. We’ll need to find out if a
new cover can be purchased, or whether
it’s supplied with a headlight unit, which
if affordable, may be the easiest solution
to having a headlight that isn’t wet or
dirty on the inside (drying out the old
one may take some time and effort).
One problem that surprised us was
a missing fuel filler cap. After opening
the flap on the offside rear, there was no
sign of the cap or its tether.
Upon opening and raising the bonnet,
With nearly 118,000 miles on the clock, the
service receipts for this Mondeo show it has
been looked after for most of its life, but it
has not had any attention for the last three
years and 15k.
Weeping from the nearside front damper is clearly
visible and was noted at the last MOT test as an advisory.
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32 Car Mechanics February 2023
we wondered what all the fuss was about
at the last MOT test, when an advisory
was raised about deterioration of the
bonnet locking mechanism. Then, we
tried to close the bonnet and discovered
why - the latch was seized.
Raised on the two-post ramp at AES,
we started at the rear, looking for the
MOT advisories. The first concerned the
exhaust hangers. The one near the rear
axle was noted for its corrosion and we
could see a blob or two of weld where
it has been repaired. All of the exhaust
hangers are rusty.
Looking at the rear coil springs, we
wondered at first whether they had been
replaced, but upon closer inspection, we
could see the corrosion. This opened a
small can of worms because Mark spotted
the two rear bump stops were ready to
fall off. Then he noticed the large bushes
for the trailing arms were perished, which
will result in poor handling. So, there are
a few jobs to complete at the rear.
Nearside front headlight is full of
condensation because the rubber protection
cover on the back of it is missing.
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At the front, the brake discs look
worse on the inside than from the
outside, and the inner brake pads are
excessively worn. We’ll need new discs
and pads at the front.
The weeping nearside front damper
noted at the MOT test is still evident, and
we could clearly see it from underneath
and over the top of the nearside front
tyre. We’ll need a new damper unit.
Other than the issues we’ve
highlighted, and remember that we’ve
yet to test-drive this Mondeo, we reckon
we have a reasonably good project
vehicle. Many of the jobs we’ve identified
are typical of a 13-year-old vehicle, and
some of them may point to why this
Mondeo was sold on by its previous
owner – a clutch and timing belt renewal,
not to mention those rear springs, front
tyres and brakes could easily cost as
much as the value of the car at some
garages. Hopefully, we’ll be able to revive
this Mondeo for a more affordable price.
Paintwork scrape around the nearside front
corner of the bumper is the largest area of
cosmetic damage.
Half-leather
interior is clean
and in good
condition.
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 Panda 1.4 100HP
Project Fiat

Bumper deal
in association with

BUY ONLINE OR CALL US ON

0121 626 7971
PART FOUR: Our 2008 Panda 100HP is basically
a wreck bodywise – it’ll never be a minter, but
we can at least tidy it up. Andrew Everett
starts on the most difficult part of this project.

T
his episode of our Panda 100HP
restoration job is going to be
a short one, only because we
haven’t made as much progress
with the bodywork as we had hoped.
When the car was dropped off to Body
Motor Works in Chesterfield, an order
was put in for a new rear bumper as
ours was smashed beyond any kind of
economical repair. A crack in a bumper
can be fixed but ours was shattered and
repair would have probably exceeded the
new cost of a whopping £313 – a waste
of time then.
Then after a week or so the news came
back to us that even though Fiat could
give us a price for a new bumper, they had
already been discontinued and there were
none left anywhere. Fiat and Alfa have
always been bad for this along with many
other manufacturers. There is the oft
quoted ten-year rule for car parts supply
but that’s not law – Fiat can still supply
essential bits of course up to a point but
they and other manufacturers – Ford
is another one – take the view that the
aftermarket can deal with all those pesky
owners of old cars once they’ve sold the
JOBS LIST
rights for parts remanufacture. A short- ✓ RENEW Part 2
DAMPERS DEC 22
sighted view perhaps but hey. And no,
none of the aftermarket companies make
✓ RENEW FRONT Part 2
DISCS & PADS DEC 22
the unique 100HP rear bumper. Brilliant. ✓ RENEW REAR Part 2
WHEEL BEARING DEC 22
✖ TIMING BELT AND Part 3
Finding 100HP bumpers WATER PUMP JAN 23
We tried everywhere for a used one and ✖ SORT BODYWORK Part 4
were considering getting a cheap used PAINTWORK, ETC FEB 23
standard Panda rear bumper, cutting ✖ ENGINE SERVICE
it about and grafting on the black trim ✖ RENOVATE INTERIOR
bits – but luckily, I found a used 100HP
rear bumper in grey metallic on eBay looking, yet undamaged bumper.
– and it was only £60. A shame it was To try and keep costs down I also did an
hundreds of miles away with a round aerosol can restoration job on the driver’s
trip to Suffolk, but I clicked ‘buy it now’ side lacquer peel which has been quite
in order to own it and we’d worry about successful along with the door handles
logistics later. As it happens, a mate was and the boot handle which was slightly
passing that way three days later and as less so. Even so, it avoids us professionally
a result, we have a slightly secondhand painting the driver’s side of the car.

REAR BUMPER REMOVAL

Start this job off by removing the row
1 of T25 Torx screws that secure the rear
bumper cover to the edge of the tailgate slam
panel. A couple of them were very rusty and
needed a bigger spline drive hammering in –
I obtained a few nice clean replacement ones
from a scrapyard Panda.
With the back of the car jacked up and
2 the rear wheels removed, it was very
easy to locate and remove the cross-headed
self-tapping screws that secure the Panda
100HP rear bumper outer plastic spats to the
rear arch liner – you’ll find a similar set up on
the standard Panda as well.
With the rear arch liner panels
3 removed, all that’s now holding the
rear bumper to the car are a couple of 10mm
nuts that screw onto captive studs. With
those two removed, the rear bumper can now
be jiggled off and put somewhere safe – well,
the plastic skip in our case.

34 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME


REAR LIGHT REMOVAL
Panda rear lights are dead easy to
1 remove which makes a change for once.
A couple of crosshead screws (Torx on some
cars) secures the light unit to the rear C-pillar
as well as a pretty strong clip – when removing
it requires enough force to make you think it
might break – it won’t!
FRONT BUMPER REMOVAL
Front bumper removal pretty much
1 mirrors the rear bumper. Start off by
removing the row of 8mm self-tapping bolts
that secure the upper part of the bumper to
the bonnet slam panel. Ours were all in good
condition and came undone easily – you’d
think they’d be rustier than the rears.
shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME
CM project 2008 Fiat Panda 1.4 100HP
After about an hour’s work our Panda is looking a bit sorry for itself. We didn’t remove
2 the driver’s side rear light unit as we aren’t painting that side apart from a DIY blow in.
Notice how the rear bumper reinforcing/crash bar is body colour and not just black or plain
aluminium – it’s steel anyway.
Here, the bumper has already been removed but with it upside down you can see the slots
2 where the row of 10mm securing bolts fit – they locate it onto the front undertray and air
intake plastics. The two crosshead screws seen in between the bolt slots don’t need to be removed.
Again, with the bumper removed to show it more clearly, the sides of the bumper are
3 fixed to the front wings with two fixing points. The outer one is for a small bolt and a
washer whilst the inner one uses a black plastic rivet that is carefully removed with a trim tool
and can be reused. All easy enough.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 35
CM project 2008 Fiat Panda 1.4 100HP

HEADLIGHT REMOVAL

Removing a Panda headlight annoyingly involves either removing The upper headlight retaining bolts are clearly visible and easy
1 the front bumper or at least partially so in order to access this 2 to remove after which the lamp unit will jiggle out easily enough.
10mm side retaining bolt. It’s not a major drama though and with plastic There are still the headlight connectors however, but these are simple
headlights how often would you be removing them anyway? enough to disconnect as shown here with a small flat-bladed screwdriver.

DIY AEROSOL CAN LACQUER PEEL FIX

Lacquer peel on modern red cars seems
1 to be a real problem these days – our
ex-project Peugeot 207 CC and MINI Clubman
were terrible in this regard and our Panda isn’t
much better. Because it’s had more paint than
the Sistine Chapel, we’re not sure if the driver’s
side doors are factory or have been repainted.
Here, I am using 800-grit wet and dry
2 and a long sanding block to try to
feather the flaking lacquer without breaking
through the red basecoat – if I can avoid that,
I can mask up and just relacquer these areas
using Halfords clear lacquer in an aerosol
can. But I wasn’t that lucky!
Ideally, these rubber and plastic door
3 window sealing strips need to come
off, but they proved very difficult to shift –
instead, I managed to move them up slightly
and just enough to enable me to mask them
up and clean out any dirt hiding underneath
them. Not easy though.

Lacquer peel on the plastic door

5 handles was terrible but I managed
to flat them both back to what I think is the
original factory primer. Masking up was a bit
Either Fiat didn’t put much paint on at the factory or this side was repainted in the past – we of a nightmare and what I should have done
4 think it’s the latter. Either way I broke through the red basecoat very easily to reveal beige really was to do the upper door bits first and
primer beneath, meaning that I needed to use a can of Halfords Pasodoble Red – how annoying. repainted the door handles later.

36 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 PROJECT COSTS
PURCHASE £600.00

USED BUMPER

PARTS COSTS
Front dampers (each) £100.42

 We were Front top mounts £19.07

incredibly fortunate Rear dampers (each) £49.96
to find a replacement rear Front discs (pair) £26.77
bumper at any price let alone
£60 – we were about to pull the trigger Front pads £17.00
on a new one at over £300 had they been Rear discs (pair) £22.33
available. If you own a Panda 100HP, we Rear pads £16.34
advise you to start finding and hoarding
used 100HP specific parts now. Rear wheel bearing £35.71
Timing belt kit £53.00
Water pump £26.71
USEFUL CONTACTS
GSF Car Parts 0121 626 7981 gsfcarparts.com Auxiliary belt £15.46
Body Motorworks 01246 864803 bodymotorworks.com Used rear bumper £60.00
Paint & materials £32.00
TOTAL £1074.77

The rear boot handle was also very bad but I was able to sort this out without having to
6 remove the handle. On a standard Panda this and the door handles are a plain black plastic
finish thus avoiding all of this. Here, I’ve rubbed it down and painted it with aerosol red oxide primer.

When using aerosol paint, bear in mind

7 that it is very thin because of its high
thinner content. Better to dust it on in lots of
light coats and flat and polish it later rather
than lather it on and get runs. It’s imperative
to have a warm environment – cold and damp
will cause it to bloom.

NEXT
MONTH
We continue
with the Panda’s
battered
Here, I’ve masked it up, using expensive bodywork. It’s
8 self-adhesive masking foam strips across going to be
the top edge to avoid a sharp masking edge. The emotional.
first couple of coats of red have gone on to the
door with a light coat of red oxide primer on the
handles – ideally, they needed more, however.

 The finished job looks alright and will

9 look better again in a couple of weeks once
it’s fully cured and it’s been flatted and machine
polished. I didn’t bother with a clear lacquer.
However, don’t expect to get a professional glossy
gun finish with rattle cans – it just won’t happen.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 37

Mechanical mishaps
MECHANICAL MISHAPS
We all make mistakes, but the secret is to learn from
them. Here’s some valuable lessons that CM readers
have learned over the years.
A spanner in the... steering column
 One mishap – and which still leaves
my blood running cold – was when I
had finished working on my MG Midget
many years ago. On the test drive later,
I approached a road junction and to my
horror found I couldn’t turn the steering
wheel to the right. It was locked solid
due to a stray spanner jamming itself
Lose one’s thread...
 Many-many years ago, when I was an
impecunious student, I ran an Austin A35
and because of lack of funds I taught
myself how to do maintenance and
repairs on it – something that has stood
me in good stead over the years since.
This car developed oil leaks from the
solid rear axle into the brake drums,
which I later found out was due to a
blocked breather – but that’s another
story. I resolved to replace the hub oil
seals myself, researched the job and
hired the requisite hub puller and axle
nut spanner.
On the A35 the rear hubs ride on
bearings that are located on the
outside of the rear axle tube and
are secured by nuts large enough to
allow the half shafts to pass through
them. I set to work on the driver’s side,
removed the brake drum, oil-soaked
brake shoes, half shaft, hub nut and
then used the puller to remove the hub.
I then replaced the oil seal and put it all
back together. Success! Now all I had to
do was the passenger side.
This also went smoothly until I got to
undoing the axle nut. This just would
not shift, even with a long length of
38 Car Mechanics February 2023
between the pinch bolt at the bottom
of the steering column. Luckily I was
more or less stationary, but to this day
I shudder to think if it had happened at
speed on a tight right-hander.
A lesson to be learned – count your
tools back into the box!
Pete Gardner
pipe applied over the spanner. Having
fought with it for a couple of hours
I eventually drilled down each side of
the nut and split it with a chisel. This off
course necessitated a trip to the spares
department for a replacement nut. As
soon as I asked for it, the partsman said
“yes squire, right-hand or left-hand
thread?” Duh... of course what I had
overlooked was that, on the passenger
side, hub nuts were left-hand threaded,
so that normal forward rotation of the
wheel would tend to tighten rather
than loosen them.
A valuable lesson – engage brain and
seek info before applying brute force!
Chris Phillips
Flying metal
 Back in the mid-1960s whilst in the
RAF and stationed in Berlin I bought
a secondhand Hillman Super Minx
estate on which a rear half shaft needed
renewing. No problem as we had a very
good motor club with excellent facilities.
I found that the hub puller I had was
too short to pull out the half shaft. A
visit to MT section and I was able to
borrow a hydraulic puller, but this also
proved to be too short for the job. Being
young and innocent, I found a piece of
round metal which I put between the
puller and the half shaft. Now hydraulic
puller produce a lot of pressure and as
we know half shafts can suddenly come
free. This happened and the piece of
metal flew through the air and hit me
on the hand. No bones broken but my
hand turned blue. Had it hit my head
I would not have been writing this today.
When I was not so young and about
fifty cars further on, I bought a used
Mercedes-Benz 190. This developed a
groaning in the front suspension/steering
which I decided to investigate. Out came
the trolley jack, pushed it under the sump
as I had done many times when raising
engines, and started to pump up the jack.
Wrong! The 190 has a cast alloy sump
– it cracked and the jack went straight
through. Oh dear. You live and learn.
David Theaker
Have you ever made a daft or
embarrassing mistake while working on
your vehicle? Don’t be ashamed: tell us
about it! Send your confessions and pics
to martyn.knowles@kelsey.co.uk
shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME
BIKE EQUIPMENT CAR EQUIPMENT
Mission Street, Heywood OL10 1HY

01706 620082
E: info@cjautosheywood.co.uk

www.cjautosheywood.co.uk

MB03X CT03
GT56

33
CL33 CL01-2

SB20
B350XW

MB0

CL22-1

MB C1
MW08A

GT06D

CR3680

MB06W WSR2A

WS02A CM03
MB07

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 39

 Peter Simpson provides us with an insight into
the automotive sales trading world – and beyond.

Quality
sells
 I’ve sold the Lexus GS 450h I talked
about last month, and despite the
double whammy of paying top
price AND having to shell out for an
unexpected hybrid battery rebuild,
I came out the right side. The profit
wasn’t huge, but it was there, just about
worth having, and a very good result
really, all things considered. ‘All Things’
included a new hybrid battery being
priced around £2500!
Two factors made that happen. “What I did get, though, was three genuine enquiries from people
The first was that the original battery
could be rebuilt by an independent
asking sensible questions and who were clearly very genuine buyers.”
specialist rather than replaced, and said aforementioned guarantee intact, swap for utter junk. Nor, to my surprise,
specialist provided a worthwhile written I was able to advertise the car at top did I get any ridicule from people who
guarantee. This was important, as it price – plus a bit. But despite strong couldn’t see beyond the price.
negated any question of the cheaper pricing, it attracted plenty of interest What I did get, though, was three
repair being an inferior one. I knew and sold within four days! genuine enquiries from people asking
that it wasn’t, and that Hybrid Battery Deliberately NOT competing on price sensible questions and who were clearly
Solutions battery rebuilds are every bit can sometimes take a bit of nerve. For very genuine buyers. The car also sold
as good as buying a new one, but when starters, it works ONLY if what you are straightaway to the very first of these
something costs around half as much, selling is, genuinely, very special. And in to view; a Director for a well-known
most people’s natural expectation is this context, it’s worth bearing in mind company based in Milton Keynes who
that it’s only half as good. that low ownership and or/low mileage lived in Yorkshire and wanted a nice
What mattered much more though on their own aren’t enough. The car has luxury car for his weekly commute
concerned the rest of the car. I’d paid to be in really good condition too. But down the M1. He had done his research,
strong money in the first place because if it is special, then you don’t need to and after asking a couple of sensible
everything seemed right about it – two try and compete on price with people questions, told me he was coming down
private owners from new, 18 stamps offering cars that aren’t as good. and if the car was as described he would
of main dealer service history (more Additionally, good cars tend to definitely be buying.
than one a year on average), top-spec attract a better class of buyer – when Which it was – so he did – and I didn’t
and top condition! All of which meant I advertised the Lexus I didn’t get any of even have to knock much off the Lexus
that, with the battery fixed, and the the usual “wots lowest ud tk” or offers to asking price!

TOP TIP
 This is the time
of year when many
cars start behaving a
little differently, and
people who haven’t
had that car through
a winter before might
contact you with
queries. One such
can be water dripping from an exhaust
which is almost always condensation that’s
formed in the system. One that I had the
other day concerned a mystery orange
warning light that had suddenly appeared
on the dash showing a snowflake with a
line either side. It was, of course, the low
outside temperature/ice warning!

40 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 Dealer’s Diary

A bumper year!
 Car Dealer Magazine published their annual Top Dealer listings
for profitability for 2021 in mid-December, and it certainly made
very interesting reading; to put it mildly!
The big news which will surprise many is that the retail motor
industry as a whole had a hugely profitable year – a ‘Carlsberg
Year’ according to one industry observer! Total profits across the
top 100 firms were £2.6billion; up by a massive 55% on 2020,
which was itself a good year and up by 40% on 2019.
Even more interesting, and perhaps surprising, though was
that it was franchised dealers who also sell new cars that saw the
biggest increases. 90 of the top 100 firms were franchised dealer
groups, and just ten independents. Why is this, given the well-
publicised shortages of new cars during 2021?
Several factors have been suggested. Firstly, the shortage
of new cars, and the waiting lists for many, have meant that
demand for new cars exceeds supply, and dealers don’t have
to discount, meaning greater profits. There’s also far less loss-making activity such as pre-registration to meet sales targets and
converting new cars into nearly new demonstrators or ex-management cars. In a nutshell, while they can’t get as many new cars
as normal, every single one that they can get will earn a decent profit.
Franchised dealers also benefited from the massive increase in used car prices during 2021. In fact, in many ways they gained more
from it than used-only independents, because many of the traditional ways in which the latter obtained late delivery mileage and
young used stock were restricted. Many of these cars were actually manufacturer and/or main dealer surplus stock, and at a time when
stock is short anyway, not many manufacturers or franchised dealers will want to punt what stock there is out to the independents!
But despite this, the independent sector has also done well, being up by 39% year-on-year, with Motorpoint the most profitable
listed, making £32.3million from a turnover of £1.3billion. These figures, and a look at the current stocklist of firms like Motorpoint,
suggest strongly that despite all the stock supply issues, these firms are still able to source some decent stock though, perhaps
unsurprisingly, the price advantage of buying nearly new from car supermarkets isn’t as great as it once was.
Among the franchised dealers, Arnold Clark is the overall most profitable business, having generated a massive £398million
profit from a turnover of £4.7billion. Sytner Group (American owned and including the Carshop car supermarket brand, as well
as Guy Salmon) are in second place in terms of profit, having made £246million from a £5.7billion turnover. Sytner claim that
they, rather than Arnold Clark are biggest, which they are on
turnover but not profit. Pendragon (£191million), Lookers
(£161million) and Vertu (£117million) are in third, fourth and
fifth places. Marshall Motor Holdings, with £106million, are
sixth, a strong performance which it will be interesting to see
how new owners Constellation Automotive develop.
Of the independents, Car Giant are number 17 in the
top 100 (£30.3million), and Trade Centre Group number 28
(£20.6million). A lot of regional/local dealership groups have
also done well, with privately-owned TC Harrison (Ford) earning
£24.3million from a £279million turnover, and fellow Ford
dealership John Grose Group generating £6.8million from
£158million turnover.
Few expect 2022 figures to be as strong as this, given the
way in which the cost of living and inflation have impacted. As
for 2023 – well our crystal ball stopped working some time ago!

Case for convertibles February is traditionally a good time to buy a few

convertibles, and though the seasonal difference in values
 I’m writing this just before Christmas when, as you may isn’t now what it once was, it’s still worth considering.
recall, it was a bit cold outside – to put it mildly. But by the
time you read this, February will be here, and though it
may well still be cold outside, spring will be only a matter
of weeks away. And this is when I usually try to buy a
convertible or two. Don’t go mad for them though – not
least because you won’t be the only person doing it. Don’t
abandon all your usual pre-sale checks and purchase
criteria either, not least because people buying convertibles
are more likely to be enthusiastic and/or knowledgeable
than someone who just wants family transport.
There’s also less seasonal price difference than in the
past, because most modern convertibles, especially steel have already bought their stock, a convertible can still
top ones, are perfectly viable/useable in winter. But if, for finish quite low. And if the dealer rep has had a good day
example, it is a bit cold outside, and you’re getting towards with a high sale-rate and a few cars that have exceeded
the end of a Thursday or Friday sale, and most traders expectations, a low bid might well be accepted!

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 41

 Buying, Owning
& Improving
Ian Cushway
searches out
new and used
parts prices

VOLVO XC60
Space, comfort and safety are the plus points of this stylish, supremely
capable and now affordable mid-sized SUV. So, what are you waiting for?

P
osh, off-road looking compact XC60. It’s a car that does everything firm’s best-selling models to date.
SUVs are still all the rage its rivals do, albeit in an altogether less As well as being admired by family
these days – and there’s plenty showy and more understated package. car buyers, the motoring press liked it
of choice out there. In fact, As one of the pioneers in this category, too. Indeed, they were quick to extol the
the used marketplace is awash with the XC60 broke cover in 2008, at about XC60’s many virtues, commenting on its
possibilities, ranging from the capable the same time as the Audi, a year before refined, comfortable and controlled ride,
and versatile Range Rover Evoque to the the X1 and three years prior to the the good level of fit and finish inside, its
Audi Q5 and BMW X1. Evoque and received a largely cosmetic big boot and generous amounts of rear
An often-overlooked contender in the refresh in 2013. The second-generation passenger legroom.
mid-size SUV class, and a car that easily XC60 arrived in 2017 and having been They particularly appreciated one of
equals any of the above when it comes treated to a facelift in 2021 remains the its unique safety features – City Safety
to kerbside current model. – which was able to detect a potential
Engine component prices kudos, is the Suffice to say, the Mk2 further collision and activate the brakes
OIL FILTER stylish and bolstered the success of its predecessor automatically if travelling at less than
Main dealer £16.56 refined Volvo making the XC60 one of the Swedish 20mph. That said, they were less keen
Independent from £10.99
WATER PUMP
Main dealer £100.80
Independent from £52.99
EGR VALVE
Main dealer £621.60
Independent from £369.99

NOTHING COMPARES TO THE ORIGINAL

OE REPLACEMENT FROM GERMANY’S PREMIUM OEM

42 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 BILSTEIN range
 Bilstein replacement dampers
are available for the XC60 range.
Which model? Bilstein B4 – Gas Damper 19-232638
 You won’t feel short-changed when it comes to spec as even the lowly The original mono-tube gas pressure
first-generation S model has alloys, climate control, cruise and a multifunction shock absorber. Rear axle for vehicles
with standard chassis £103.68 (ea).
steering wheel. If looking at a Gen 1, we’d be inclined though to go for the SE Lux
which adds easier to clean leather seats (which are heated up front) and parking Bilstein B4 – Gas Damper
22-232618 & 22-232625
sensors. For the sheer abundance, the D5 diesel is the engine of choice. Front axle, left and right for vehicles with
If you can stretch to the second generation XC60, the D4 makes sense, and standard chassis £158.40 (ea).
from the various spec levels (Momentum, R-Design and Inscription, subsequently Bilstein B6 – Sport Damper
Core, Pulse and Ultimate from 2022) the entry-level trim, which includes leather, 24-254892
is more than adequate. If you’re lucky you’ll find one with the Pro upgrade which Rear axle for vehicles with standard
added a heated steering wheel, bigger alloys and air suspension. chassis £150.48 (ea).
Bilstein B6 – Sport Damper
on the sluggish performance from the servicing can spoil things, so be sure to 35-254874 & 35-254881
Front axle, left and right for vehicles
2.4 diesel, its slow steering and fiddly go in with your eyes open when buying.
with standard chassis
switchgear. Needless to say, issues The parts prices here relate to a 2012 £232.85 (ea).
such as this were addressed and largely 2.4 D4 model.
Bilstein B12 –
ironed out on newer models so are Pro-Kit 46-264343
unlikely to be a major niggle for bargain Springs and
hunting buyers today. Engines dampers. Lowering
Built in Ghent, Belgium the first- Early XC60s were offered with either vehicle 25mm front
generation XC60 shares technology with a 3.0-litre petrol and a 160 or 178bhp and rear £1137.42
the same era Land Rover Freelander which 2.4-litre diesel. A more efficient D3
is hardly surprising given both Land Rover 160bhp diesel came along in 2009 at Only 2.0-litre four-cylinder engines
and Volvo were owned by Ford at the time. the same time as the introduction of a graced the post-2017 XC60 which
The second-generation car, developed after 202bhp D5. included the 187bhp diesel, the 250bhp
Volvo had fallen under the umbrella of The T6 was the hot one; its six-cylinder T5 petrol and the T8 384bhp plug-in
the Chinese Geely empire, was assembled 299bhp petrol engine could propel the petrol-electric hybrid. Things get more
in Sweden and was based on a scaled family wagon from rest to 60mph in a confused after September 2020 when a
down version of the platform used by its ridiculously quick 7.1secs. From 2011 a range of mild-hybrid options were added
90-series sibling. Both generations enjoy 236bhp 2.0-litre T5 was added to the range to the range, including the 194bhp B4
a strong track record when it comes to and the D5 was upgraded to 211bhp. At diesel and 246bhp B6 petrol. Oh, and
reliability which is reassuring for potential the time of the 2013 facelift a 2.0-litre there was also
owners; as always though, age and missed 160bhp D4 diesel also became available. a 335bhp T6 Steering/suspension
component prices
FRONT SHOCK ABSORBER
Main dealer £243.60
Independent from £107.29
STEERING RACK
Main dealer £1171.20
Independent from £349.99

BILSTEIN B3
Replacement spring range to OE spec

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 43

 Buying, Owning
& Improving
What to pay
CONTINUED  Early XC60s are now tantalisingly
cheap; believe it or not, £4000 will
be enough to buy a high-mile Mk1.
First-generation interior With just over double that in your
is smart and subtle but pocket you’ll be into post-2013
is beginning to look a
little long in the tooth facelift territory, while the last of
compared to the Mk2. the Mk1s (we’re talking about a
2016 SE Lux with less than 80,000
miles) will be £15,000.
You’ll need upwards of £19,000
for a second-gen XC60 with 80,000-
100,000 miles under its belt, while
mid-£20k will get you a nice, low-
mileage example with a full history.
Petrol models are generally dearer
than the diesels. That said, we
spotted a clean looking 2009 3.0 T6
SE with just 61,000 miles on the clock
at £10,990 which represented a lot
of car for the money considering the
new list price was £37,590!
The plug-in hybrids kick off at
£25,000 – but given that real-world
MPG is reportedly much less than
the official figures would suggest,
you’d need to do the sums first
before taking the plunge.

soots up, namely prompting fault code

PO4D900 and P241300 and potentially
putting the engine into limp-home
mode. Here it’s a case of cleaning it, or
buying a replacement.
Transmissions are generally good; the
Second-generation
XC60s (from 2017) majority of cars for sale having either
were much more six- or eight-speed autos.
swish inside. There’s lots of firms offering remaps
– Celtic Tuning’s map, for example, can
‘Recharge’ hybrid in the line up from which had a tendency to clog with boost Mk1 D5 power from 160 to 235 with
early 2021. carbon causing it to melt on some XC60s an accompanying 100lb ft extra torque.
Assuming the service schedule (yearly made between 2013 and 2016. The
or 18,000 miles) has been adhered to, consequence of this would be the engine
reliability shouldn’t be a problem. The check warning light coming on – or, at Suspension/steering
cambelt change interval on petrols is 10 worst, a small underbonnet blaze. We’d Comfort on long journeys is an ace card
years/144,000 miles and 10 years/90,000 like to think affected cars would have with the XC60 although an often-heard
on diesels so bargain accordingly if a car been rectified by now, but it’s worth criticism is that the steering can feel a
you’re looking at needs it doing. checking with a main dealer. little unengaging at times. Our advice
There was, however, an issue The EGR valve and EGR cooler on then, if you want a ‘driver’s’ SUV, is to
concerning the plastic inlet manifold the D4 can also cause issues when it pick the sportier Jaguar F-PACE instead.
The R-Design variant from 2010
Running costs had a stiffer chassis and damping to
accompany its colour-coded bodykit,
 Diesels are the way to go when it comes to keeping costs down, with so if you like a more sporting feel, this
front-wheel-drive only models in manual guise being the most fuel efficient. could be the answer. Better still if it has
Not wanting to scare you, but be warned the T5 petrol won’t do much more the optional air suspension fitted.
than 22mpg driven enthusiastically. Bear in mind too that many XC60 owners Bilstein can offer OE equivalent
struggle to achieve the manufacturer’s official MPG, with D5 owners reportedly replacements – its B4 gas dampers are
saying 32-38mpg is to be expected.
made for 2008-2017 models. Or the
Insurance won’t be cheap with Group 28 being the going rate for the D3
B6 range offers a sportier damper for
diesel, with the T8 topping the risk scales at Group 42. Annual road tax ranges
increased power reserves and service life,
from £165 per year to as much as £510 for the high performing hybrid T8.
even when pulling trailers or caravans.

BILSTEIN B4
Comfort for over 60 years

44 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 Brake component prices
FRONT BRAKE DISCS PAIR
Main dealer £288
Independent from £109.98
FRONT BRAKE PADS
Main dealer £127.20
Independent from £36.49

XC60 named overall

winner of the Towcar
Awards 2009.

Other component prices

AIRCON COMPRESSOR
Main dealer £889.20
Independent from £494.99

USEFUL CONTACTS
Bilstein
bilstein.com/en
DC Performance 0333 0143237
www.dcperformance.co.uk
Celtic Tuning 0333 6000 669
www.celtictuning.co.uk
Western Power Steering 0117 960 2906
shop.westernpowersteering.co.uk

of the electronics on this car, it’s

Boot has good access
with a low lip height to essential then to check everything works
aid loading. It’s not as big as it should. And that includes functions
as the Audi Q5, though. such as the climate control; if it’s blowing
warm air all the time, go to a specialist to
is plenty strong enough to haul the big diagnose the fault. If it’s the compressor,
Brakes Volvo up safely, but DC Performance do they’re not cheap from Volvo.
The was a recall in late 2019 regarding a big brake kit with 8-pot calipers and
problems with the autonomous emergency 356mm discs at the front for £1949 in
braking system on XC60’s made between case you wanted ultimate stopping power. Verdict
February 2019 and March 2020, so it’s  Spacious, safe and supremely
worth checking the required work has comfortable. Seriously, what’s not to
been carried out if necessary. Apart from Other issues like about the XC60?
the electronic handbrake button being There were two recalls on the second-gen This family-friendly Volvo more
in a stupid place, there’s nothing else to cars; one concerning the tailgate sticking than holds its own against its
contemporaries and if you look in
report regarding Volvo stoppers. in freezing conditions and the other with
the classifieds, you’ll discover it’s
Generally speaking the factory setup connectivity. Considering the complexity now pretty affordable, too. Main
dealer parts aren’t cheap, though,
Mk1 Mk2
VOLVO XC60 2008-2017 VOLVO XC60 2017-on
so it’s a case of shopping around for
the best prices.
D4 D5 (2011) T6 T5 D4 T8 While those on a budget will
Engine (cc) 1984 2400 2953 Engine (cc) 1969 1969 1969 appreciate the bang for your buck
of the first-generation XC60, if you’re
Power (bhp) 160 211 299 Power (bhp) 250 187 384
able to push the boat out, the 2017-
0-60mph (secs) 10.0 7.8 7.1 0-60mph (secs) 6.6 8.1 5.3 on car is more modern and so much
Top speed (mph) 124 130 130 Top speed (mph) 137 127 140 nicer inside. As always, you pays your
Average fuel (mpg) 53 53 26 Average fuel (mpg) 38 39.1 92 money and you takes your choice.

BILSTEIN B6
Performance OE replacements

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 45

Past innovations

GREAT EXPECTATIONS Where would motoring be if

visionaries didn’t think outside
the box – like Vauxhall more than
50 years ago with its futuristic
mid-engined SRV family four-
seater concept? Many forward-
thinking ideas have changed the
shape of motoring for the better
but others were perhaps more
misguided than marvellous – as
Alan Anderson reveals.

DUNLOP DENOVO Tyre’ seemed to allay such fears. Denovo

RUN-FLAT TYRE
 It’s half a century since Dunlop
invented what potentially was just as
vital as the safety belt. Having a tyre
blowout at speed is still a big worry for
many but Dunlop’s radial ‘Total Mobility
featured a special rim with an inbuilt
canister sealant so allowing a motorist
to keep control and drive on at reduced
speeds uninhibited until the tyre could
be repaired or replaced.
Denovo’s first recipient was British
Leyland, who made them standard
fitment on the Mini 1275 GT (albeit it
with 12in wheels) and an option on the
P6 Rover saloon. Later models included
the Princess and the Maestro but never
Jaguar – and here’s why. A laudable idea
but sadly excessive road noise and a too
harsher ride were some of Denovo’s side
effects which were never ironed out.
Dial in higher replacement costs and it
led to many second or third owners to
revert back to conventional tyres.

JJD TWIN TYRE

CONCEPT
 Like the twin-blade razor, two cutting
edges are better than one and after
being outdragged in the wet by a skinny
shod Citroën 2CV, it gave wheel-spinning
Lotus Esprit driver Jerry Juhan the idea
that two thin tyres were better than a
single big one for optimum traction.
Other benefits included better wet
weather grip and a lessening of the
chance of aquaplaning or a complete
blow out. The tyres (Avon and Toyo)
were said to have been simply reinforced
motorcycle types mounted on a special
Despite ride and noise issues (some which still remain), Dunlop’s single (Speedline) rim to accept them.
Denovo paved the way for today’s run flat tyres. Pic: Magic Car Pics Launched in the mid 1980s, yet the
idea was nothing new as Grand Prix

46 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME


Jerry Juhan with his revolutionary
twin tyre concept although Audi
tried it first in the 1930s on its GP
racer – ditto Ferrari 40 years later.
Pic: VWVortex.
racers of the 1930 first used ‘twin rears’
to contain their immense power and
despite quite favourable press reports,
the JJD (Jerry Juhan Development)
concept, never gained traction –
excessive weight and the cost of eight
tyre replacements were sticking points
of the worst kind.
AUDI PROCON-TEN
 What would you sooner have in the
event of a major crash – airbags or thick
industrial winch cables to save you?
Well, the latter is what Audi offered as
a more reliable and cheaper alternative!
Procon-Ten (Programmed Contraction-
Tension) sounds sophisticated but
from the manufacturer that prided
itself on ‘vorsprung durch technik’, it
was in effect a rudimentary system of
cables and cranks to ‘pull’ the engine
away from the driver while pushing the
steering wheel forward out of harm’s
way and tightening the seat belts for
good measure.
Crude, complicated but effective,
Audi used the system from 1986 to 1994
until it followed the trend and fitted
airbags, although the carmaker still
owns the patent.
Procon-Ten (Programmed Contraction-Tension)
was Audi’s way of side-stepping airbag adoption
but had to admit defeat and follow suit. Pic: Audi
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Cars lacking a clutch pedal were unashamedly
aimed at women drivers back in the 1950s but
take up was poor and quickly dropped.
Pic: Alamy
CLUTCHLESS MANUAL
GEARBOXES
 There’s definitely a shift in fashions
because, for the first time ever, sales
of new automatics surpassed those of
manual transmissions in 2021. However,
there’s always enthusiasts who believe
that nothing beats DIY cog swapping
which is why there’s been several
attempts to combine the best of both
worlds. They’ve finally succeeded, but
only after many false starts dating back
to the 1950s. Hillman and MG were
the first with the Automotive Products’
Easidrive and Manumatic semi-
automatic transmission respectively.
Essentially the clutch pedal was
replaced by a touch sensitive solenoid
on the gear lever, a couple of operating
servos and perhaps the first adoption
of a ‘black box’ to control the electrics.
“With the aid of the Manumatic
Transmission System, a perfect gear
Past innovations
change requires no other action than
the appropriate movement of the
gear lever” was MG’s sales pitch who
unashamedly implied it was essentially
aimed at women. “She’s driving the car
but the selective automatic is doing
the work” hailed the advert... Hillman
Easidrive was identical under another
name as was Vauxhall’s Newtondrive.
A 50s fad (only 594 MG Magnettes were
so equipped, the bulk going to the
US), the idea was rekindled during the
mid-1990s by a variety of carmakers
such as Saab with its Sensonic system.
The principle was broadly the same,
relying on a centrifugal clutch operated
by hydraulics, but made more refined
and reliable. It worked well too, during
normal driving at least, but the age-old
problem remained, chiefly at walking
manoeuvring pace when the system
demanded more throttle than desired
to get the car rolling. We know from
experience that parallel parking could be
quite unnerving – even for a bloke!
BMC JACKALL
 You could argue that thanks to the
demise of the spare wheel, in favour
of ‘get you home’ sealants, not many
younger motorists have even seen
their car’s jack let alone used it – and
let’s face it, who can blame them? BMC
thought much the same thing more
than 70 years ago and offered a clever
alternative called Jackall – or to be more
precise, the Smith’s Jackall System. Fitted
to numerous models, standard or as an
option, such as on the MG Y-Type saloon,
it featured four hydraulic rams connected
to the chassis, enabling the front, rear or
even all four wheels to be raised by using
a lever to operate the controlling cylinder
which was located in the engine bay.
BMC’s built-in jacking system suited cars with
separate chassis as it was quickly ditched once
monocoque construction was adopted and
more’s the pity. Pic: Author
Simple and effective, the system was
dropped once the monocoque MG
Magnette ZA and Wolseley 4/44 were
introduced but amazingly service parts
are still obtainable via MG specialists.
And you must wonder why after all the
advancements in automotive design a
crude, meek piece of metal continues
to do the same job today.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 47
Past innovations
FLUID SUSPENSION
 Even Citroën finally had to admit defeat,
after half a century, and concede that
steel was the real deal. The pioneering
DS of 1955 proved the undoubted
advantages of a hydraulic suspension that
conventional spring designs took decades
to equal let alone exceed but once that
milestone was reached it signalled the end
of the legendary hydro-pneumatic system.
Mini designer legend Alex Issigonis
latched on to its potential with his not
dissimilar Hydrolastic set up in 1962 which
morphed into Hydragas for the Allegro,
Princess and Metro before yielding to
conventionality for the Maestro.
However, this was not the end
as Hydragas found a most unlikely
bedfellow in the MGF. The advanced
mid-engined roadster used the Metro
system to superb effect, endowing the
roadster with not only great, utterly
predictable handling (no easy feat in a
mid-ship sports car) but also a Lotus-like
ride. When the MGF evolved into the MG
TF in 2002, its new conventional chassis
may have given it a handling edge, but
the ride was ruined, so much so that a
‘comfort pack’ was quickly offered to
satisfy the many disgruntled owners
who wanted to be stirred – not shaken.
LIQUID
PETROLEUM GAS
 LPG should still be a fracking good
idea, but in fact its popularly is in
freefall. LPG has been around almost
as long as the internal combustion
engine and enjoyed a major resurgence
in popularity at the start of the New
Millennium, thanks to the Green
movement. This in turn lead to an
increasing number of carmakers getting
in on the act offering factory-converted
Bi-fuel vehicles that happily ran on both
brews at the flick of a switch. Now, with
the exception of Dacia, it’s down to zero
as electric propulsion takes over.
LPG is a mix of propane and butane
gas that escapes the clutches of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer due in part,
to its ‘Green’ credentials, although most
motorists remain more interested in
Despite being half the cost of unleaded, LPG
never caught on like it should have done and
electric is surely the final nail in its eco-friendly
coffin. Pic: Volvo
48 Car Mechanics February 2023
WANKEL ENGINE
 Possibly the best known
‘What if’, Felix Wankel’s super
smooth rotary engine finally did
away with the conventional up-
down movement of the pistons
and looked to be the cylindrical
shape of things to come, no
more so than when fitted in
the revolutionary NSU Ro80 of
1967, which incidentally also
employed a clutchless semi-
auto transmission.
Yet it was the former which Arguably the biggest ‘what if’ in the history of the
caused the most trouble and automobile, the rotary Wankel should have changed
horrendous warranty claims the face of engine design – yet didn’t. Pic: Mazda
ultimately bankrupted NSU,
leading to a VW takeover. Citroën also tried out its own engine, (Birotor) which
was equally unsuccessful in the early 1970s, but Mazda preserved, honing out
the engine’s inherent design problems of fast-wearing rotor tips to make it
durable enough to win the legendary Le Mans 24 Hours race in 1991.
However, even this historic victory wasn’t enough to convince wary buyers
in sufficient numbers for Mazda to overcome the engine’s other main faults,
namely excessive emissions and an equally rampant thirst for petrol and oil.
the cheaper fill-up costs... So what went than the Allegro’s more rounded Quartic
wrong? Leading protagonists Shell, who design. The Mada wheel was principally
offered (Calor) Autogas UK at many of its intended for sports cars, like the
forecourts up until 2021, simply blamed Midget and MGB, where legroom is at a
a shift in motorists’ buying preferences premium, whereas British Leyland cited a
and added that well under 200,000 safety factor as it encouraged holding the
bi-fuel vehicles existed on UK roads. tiller correctly at the ‘ten-to-two’ position.
Apart from decreasing site availability, Neigh on £10 – the equivalent of £165
most LPG adaptations demanded the
need for an additional fuel tank, while
in today’s money – was a lot to waste
on a gimmick and Quartic was quashed
aftermarket conversions cost up to £2000 after little more than a year.
to install. Even with LPG typically saving
the average motorist £600 a year, break-
even point was at least three years away.
STICK ON TACHO
 Back in the good old days, only the
lucky few GT-owning motorists enjoyed
SQUARE WHEELS sporting a rev counter and they were
costly aftermarket add-ons for the less
 No, British Leyland didn’t invent the
privileged. Not so the Rev-O-Speed stick
square steering wheel for the Allegro;
on tachometer which, for the princely
aftermarket accessory manufacturer
sum of under 50p (equivalent to £8 back
Mada did some three years earlier with
in the late 1960s), was the next best thing,
the Torino – it was rather more abrupt
especially for go-faster Minis. Essentially
it was a carefully, cleverly calibrated
transparent transfer which allowed the
speedo’s needle to correspond with the
approximate engine speed. On the face
of it, not as daft as it first appears but
the idea never caught on.
How can a wheel be square you may ask? It
flopped in the Allegro, yet flat-bottomed By having all the vital information within
steering wheels are becoming increasing a single eye-shot Rev-O-Speed was not as
popular! Pic: Alamy daft as it first appeared. Pic: Author
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 G
DRIVINDS
TOWAR Qashqai uses the same engine, motor and battery

2030
set-up as the Japanese-market Nissan Note, shown
here. Below is a closer look inside the clever engine.

The choice of electrified cars grows on an almost

daily basis, and here Chris Randall highlights
some clever engineering from Nissan and Honda.

I
f you’re not yet ready to go fully electric, or a plug-in hybrid still
doesn’t quite meet your needs, then two Japanese carmakers
have introduced some alternative ways to experience
electrified motoring. Their systems employ some very clever
technology that promises to cut fuel consumption and emissions
without what some driver’s may see as the compromise of
having to plug in and recharge.
The first of them we take a closer look at is Nissan’s e-POWER
set-up, launched back in 2017 on the Japanese-market Note and
now available in the ever-popular Qashqai. Consider the powertrain
as similar to a range-extender and you won’t be far wrong, the
system blending a 1.5-litre 3-cylinder turbocharged engine with
a 140kW electric motor and a 2.1kWh lithium-ion battery. The
innovative tech starts with that petrol engine which optimises
performance and economy through the ability to vary its
compression ratio – an actuator alters the length of the piston
stroke resulting in a ratio of between 8:1 and 14:1. But the most
important thing to note is that the petrol engine never directly drives
the front wheels. Instead, the electric motor is the sole source of power

50 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 D R I V IN
TOWAR G
2030
to the wheels and at low
speeds it receives energy
DS
from the battery.
When higher speeds are
called for the engine acts as a
generator, sending electricity
via the inverter directly to
the drive motor and to the
battery for recharging, and
should maximum acceleration
be needed the electric motor
draws power from the both
the engine and battery.
Nissan say that a couple of
miles should be possible on
electric power alone, but that
in reality the engine will be
working most of the time.
And to make the driving
experience feel as natural as
possible Nissan’s engineers
developed a system called
‘Linear Tune’ which
progressively increases
engine speed as the motor requires it automatically selects one of three modes That said, it’s worth pointing out that
energy. The result is greater connection with the aim of maximising efficiency Toyota’s Corolla hybrid claims broadly
between engine noise and road speed, without the need for driver input. similar economy and emissions figures,
avoiding the soaring revs that can often Low speed urban driving sees the so which you go for is probably a matter
accompany CVT transmissions. system select EV Drive where the of personal preference.
A regenerative braking system also electric motor draws power from the Cars such as these can be considered
feeds energy back to the battery, and battery to drive the wheels, while as representing yet another stepping
allows ‘one-pedal’ driving where little Hybrid Drive is chosen for greater stone towards a full battery electric
use is made of the hydraulic brakes. It’s performance and sees the engine act vehicle, and for some buyers the
all clever stuff and the result is claimed as a generator to provide power to the promise of frugality and ease of use will
fuel economy of 53.3mpg and CO2 electric motor, while also providing make them ideal. But it’s worth bearing
emissions of 119g/km. Those figures charge to the battery. The third setting in mind that, if you’re happy to charge
might not sound as impressive as you’d is Engine Drive which, as the name a car yourself, a plug-in hybrid has the
hope, but compare them to the 44.5mpg implies, sees the wheels driven by the potential to offer even greater efficiency
and 143g/km claimed for the 138bhp petrol engine (with some assistance than the pair we’ve looked at here. Put
1.4-litre DIG-T unit that’s also available from the electric motor as necessary) such considerations aside, though,
in the Qashqai and they represent and is the mode adopted for constant and it’s hard not to be impressed
useful improvements. speed such as motorway driving. by the technology contained within
Honda don’t really say how far the Civic these cars, and a clear sign that as we
will drive in EV mode alone, and while the head towards the 2030 electrification
Honda Hybrid small battery means it’s unlikely to be far deadline engineers remain hard at work
That brings us to the latest version of there’s still the potential for some useful developing ever-more innovative ways
the Honda Civic, a model that’s now fuel savings if you can make the most to make internal combustion motoring
in its eleventh generation and one of the sophisticated hybrid powertrain. cleaner and more efficient.
that also provides drivers with a clever
way of experiencing hybrid motoring.
Termed e:HEV, it’s the only powertrain
offered on this latest model and claims
to provide some impressive efficiency
figures of 56-60mpg and 108-114g/km
CO2 emissions.
So how does it work? Well, up front is a
2.0-litre DOHC engine featuring Honda’s Motor Motor Engine Motor
well-known i-VTEC variable valve timing
and lift tech and it’s a unit that runs on Inverter Inverter
Power Inverter
the more efficient Atkinson cycle.
The maximum electric motor output Battery Generator
Battery Battery
is 181bhp and 315Nm of torque, while Power Generator
the battery is a 72-cell lithium-ion unit
delivering 1.05kW. But there’s a key
Engine
difference compared to the Qashqai’s
arrangement, which is that the engine Driven by motor Driven by motor Driven by engine & motor
is able to drive the front wheels directly.
High-output motor High-output motor Low-output motor
What sets the e:HEV system apart is that

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 51

 Service Bay
Overall
difficulty
rating

2011 KIA SPORTAGE

THANKS GO TO
2.0 CRDi

AWD P
AES York Ltd
01904 780149
autoelectricsyork.co.uk

roduced between 2010 and easy access to change the oils for the

SUV
Rob Hawkins services
the all-wheel-drive Kia
Sportage and discovers a
mixture of awkward and
straightforward jobs.
2015, the third generation of
the Kia Sportage transformed
what was previously regarded
as an off-road vehicle into a stylish
SUV for the masses. However, its
specification still kept 4x4 fans happy,
especially the model we are servicing,
which includes all-wheel drive, a six-
speed manual gearbox and a 134bhp
2.0-litre diesel engine (there was also a
181bhp diesel). Underneath the all-steel
bodywork, there’s a relatively simple
layout of mechanical components with
engine, gearbox, transfer box and rear
differential. The cabin filter couldn’t
be easier to replace, hidden behind
the glovebox, whereas the fuel filter is
concealed behind the ECU and battery!
Regular readers of CM will no doubt
recognise the Sportage in our photos. It
was a project vehicle for the magazine
from the August 2022 issue onwards.
This Service Bay squeezes a lot of
information in, but if you need to know
more about the Sportage, follow the
project series in the back issues.

Underbonnet 12V BATTERY Rob says

layout FUSES
 The build quality
of the Kia Sportage is
incredibly good, so don’t
COOLANT BRAKE
EXPANSION FLUID accept rattles or squeaks
TANK RESERVOIR as a sign of wear and
ENGINE OIL tear. Find out the cause
DIPSTICK
and try to fix it because these cars are
very refined if properly maintained and
looked after.

Equipment required
› jack › axle stands (or ramp) › oil tray
ENGINE
OIL › oil filter strap › 10-24mm sockets/spanners
FILLER › 6-10mm Hex/Allen keys › pliers › screwdrivers
SCREENWASH CAP › picks › wheel brace › pry bars › battery tester
or voltmeter › antifreeze hydrometer
COOLANT › brake fluid tester › spray grease › penetrating
PRESSURE AIR FILTER fluid › petroleum jelly › brake cleaner
CAP HOUSING › tyre pump/gauge › torch › torque wrench
› clean jug › water pump pliers › hand pump

Oil droplets under the car?

Motor Oil Saver regenerates brittle seals

52 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME


UNDERBONNET CHECKS
1 REMOVE ENGINE COVER
Whilst most of the checks inside the engine
bay can be conducted without removing the
top engine cover, it’s worthwhile taking it off
to look for fuel and coolant leaks. The cover is
clipped in position and needs a strong pull to
release it from its three locating lugs/points.
4 CHECK SCREENWASH
Top-up with screenwash. Operate the
windscreen wipers to check they spray over
the glass and headlights. Test the rear wiper
as well. Afterwards, inspect the condition of
the wiper blades.
7 SQUEEZE HOSES
Check all of the coolant and boost hoses that
can be seen inside the engine bay, looking
for signs of perishing, leaks (coolant residue)
and insecure clips.
Official approvals by the car manufacturers
are the highest quality seal for motor oils.
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Service Bay 2011 KIA SPORTAGE 2.0 CRDi AWD
2 TEST BATTERY
The battery is located in the nearside rear
corner of the engine bay. Check the terminals
are clean and secure – apply a smear of
petroleum jelly. If you have a voltmeter or
battery tester, check its voltage.
5 CHECK LEAK-OFF HOSES
Inspect the leak-off hoses connected
between the fuel injectors across the top of
the engine. Look for signs of fuel leaks. The
short lengths of hose can be replaced, but
only fit a hose that is suitable for fuel.
8 CHECK BRAKE FLUID
The brake fluid reservoir is on the offside rear
of the engine bay. It’s a translucent reservoir,
so shine a torch on the side to check the level
against the MIN and MAX markers.
3 CHECK FUSES
There are two fuseboxes on the nearside of the
engine bay. Release the plastic clips for their
lids, then lift them off to look inside. Check for
water ingress and corrosion. Make sure all the
fuses and relays are fully seated and secure.
6 CHECK AUX BELT
The auxiliary drive belt can be inspected
from the offside of the engine bay. Look for
cracks across the ribs. Try to twist the belt – a
quarter of a turn is sufficient tension.
9 CHECK & TEST COOLANT
The engine coolant expansion tank is located
in the offside rear corner of the engine bay.
Look at the side of it for the MAX marker.
Top-up with whatever has been used before.
Use an antifreeze hydrometer to check its
cooling and freezing capacity.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 53
Service Bay 2011 KIA SPORTAGE 2.0 CRDi AWD
10 CHECK PRESSURE CAP
There’s a coolant pressure cap on the top of
the slam panel (offside). If the engine is cold,
release the cap and check the seal on the
underside. If you are unsure of its condition
and age, replace it – if it fails, it can result in
a coolant leak.
13 REMOVE INDUCTION HOSE
Slacken the clip that secures the induction
hose to the turbo (10mm bolt), release a
breather hose at the back of the engine bay,
unclip the lid of the air filter housing, then
remove the entire assembly shown here.
16 DETACH FILTER PLUGS
There are three electrical plugs attached to
the top of the fuel filter housing. Carefully
release all of them, squeezing their tags to
detach them. This can be awkward, especially
if the plastic is brittle.
Concerned about E10 petrol?
The E10 Additive mitigates the problems
54 Car Mechanics February 2023
AIR & FUEL FILTERS
11 REPLACE AIR FILTER
If you do not need to replace the fuel filter,
release the two clips on the nearside of the air
filter housing, lift the lid a little and extract the
old air filter. Clean inside the housing before
fitting a new air filter, then position the lid.
14 REMOVE BATTERY
The battery needs to be removed to access
the fuel filter. Detach its two terminals (10mm
nuts), undo a 12mm bolt for its securing clamp,
then carefully lift it out and store it aside. The
battery is heavy, so be careful when lifting it.
17 RELEASE FILTER HOUSING
The fuel filter housing is secured to the
suspension turret with three 10mm nuts.
Undo all three. Do not undo the larger 12mm
nuts near the top of the fuel filter as this
won’t help with removing it.
12 REMOVE FILTER LID
If the fuel filter needs to be renewed, then the
lid of the air filter housing plus its induction
hose need to be removed, along with the 12V
battery. Start by detaching the electrical plug to
the airflow meter (on the side of the induction
hose attached to the air filter housing lid).
15 RELEASE ECU MOUNTS
The ECU is also in the way of the fuel filter, but
only needs to be moved aside. Undo two 12mm
bolts along the base of its mounting bracket,
followed by a 10mm nut for a steady bracket
attached to the nearside suspension turret.
18 REMOVE FUEL FILTER
Release the two fuel pipes connected to
the top of the fuel filter (pinch the plastic
connectors). Wipe up any fuel that spills out.
Carefully lift the filter out. Remove the metal
cage/clamp from around the fuel filter.
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19 UNSCREW WATER SENSOR
Carefully unscrew the sensor on the base of
the fuel filter. Pete at AES says this can easily
break if it becomes brittle, so only undo it by
hand. Fuel will leak out, so discard it – do not
reuse this old fuel that may contain water.
CABIN FILTER
22 RELEASE GLOVEBOX
The cabin filter is located behind the
glovebox, so open it, release the short gas
ram on the nearside and unclip the stop on
the offside to let the glovebox drop down
and access the area behind it.
OIL & FILTER
25 REMOVE UNDERTRAY
The engine undertray is secured with 12mm
bolts threaded into rivet nuts and several
plastic trim plugs. The heads of the trim plugs
may have rounded, so prise them out with a
flat-blade screwdriver. The rivet nuts may spin,
so they may pull out with the bolt.
Seized injectors, glow or spark plugs? Injector
and Glow Plug Dismanting Aid is the answer
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Service Bay 2011 KIA SPORTAGE 2.0 CRDi AWD
20 UNSCREW FUEL FILTER
Wrap an oil filter strap around the old filter
and either secure the top of the housing in
a vice or ask someone to hold it with water
pump pliers. Unscrew the old fuel filter,
then fit a new one, tightening it by hand.
21 REFIT FUEL FILTER
Refit the sensor into the base of the new fuel filter,
then offer the entire assembly into the metal cage/
clamp and back into the engine bay. Refit the ECU,
battery and air filter lid with the induction hose.
Switch on the ignition for 10 seconds and repeat this
six times to prime the fuel filter. Start the engine.
23 RELEASE ACCESS PANEL 24 REPLACE CABIN FILTER
Look for a plastic oblong-shaped access panel Extract the old cabin filter and any dirt inside
behind the glovebox. Squeeze two plastic the housing. Check the new filter is the
tabs to the left of it to release this panel. same shape and size and look for the airflow
Fully remove it to be able to see the edge of arrows on the side to make sure they are
the cabin filter. pointing in the correct direction.
TOP TIP
The engine
should hold
8 litres of oil.
27 DRAIN FILTER
26 DRAIN OIL Whilst the oil is draining from the sump, use a
Position a large drain tray underneath the 6mm Allen key to undo the drain plug on the
sump, then slacken and remove the 17mm base of the oil filter. A small amount of oil will
drain plug. Leave the oil to drain for several drain from the filter upon releasing this plug,
minutes, then replace the drain plug with a so have a container ready to collect it. Do not
new washer and tighten it to 39Nm (+/- 5Nm). refit the drain plug yet.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 55
 Service Bay 2011 KIA SPORTAGE 2.0 CRDi AWD
OIL & FILTER CONTINUED
28 REMOVE OIL FILTER
After the oil has drained from the filter, use a
24mm socket to remove it. Some oil will leak
out when unscrewing it, so collect this and wipe
up any spills. Oil will also drip into the socket.
TOP TIP
The six-speed
’box holds 1.8
litres of oil.
31 CHECK GEARBOX OIL
The oil level inside the gearbox can be checked
by undoing a 17mm filler/inspection plug
on the side of it. For a manual ’box, top-up
with GL4 75W-85 or whatever has been used
before. If it needs changing, the drain plug
requires a 24mm socket.
34 DRAIN DIFF OIL
If the diff oil needs to be changed, release the
filler plug first, then undo the 24mm drain plug
and collect the oil in a container. There should
be around 0.7 litres of oil, so it shouldn’t take
long to drain. Afterwards, refit the drain plug.
Restore the original performance and efficiency
of the engine with Injection Cleaner
56 Car Mechanics February 2023
29 REPLACE SEALS & FILTER
Use a pick to extract the seals around the
filter’s drain plug and the body of the filter’s
housing. Extract the old filter and click a
new filter into the housing. Refit the filter,
tightening it to 35Nm (+/- 3Nm). Refit the
drain plug on the bottom of the filter.
32 CHECK TF BOX OIL
Use a 10mm Allen key to undo the filler/
inspection plug on the side of the transfer box.
Check the oil level inside is below the hole. Top-
up with GL5 75W-90 or whatever has been used
before. It holds 0.6 litres. If it needs changing,
the drain plug requires a 24mm socket.
35 REFILL DIFF OIL
Use a squeezy bottle, a syringe or hand pump
to refill the rear differential with GL5 75W-90
or whatever is recommended. Top-up until
the oil starts to seep out of the refill hole,
then refit the 24mm plug.
30 REFILL ENGINE OIL
There are various recommended engine oils
for the Sportage depending on climate. We
used eight litres of 5W-30 fully-synthetic. After
refilling, check the level on the dipstick and if
it’s OK, run the engine. Switch-off, check for
leaks and check the dipstick level again.
33 CHECK REAR DIFF OIL
Undo the 24mm filler/inspection plug on the
back of the rear differential (the oil inside the
diff’s torque transfer clutch is sealed for life, so
cannot be checked) to check the level inside.
Top-up with GL5 75W-90.
UNDERSIDE CHECKS
36 INSPECT EXHAUST
Check the rubber hangers along the exhaust
system for perishing and damage to ensure the
exhaust components are securely mounted.
If it’s safe to run the engine and check the
exhaust system, listen and feel for leaks.
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 Service Bay 2011 KIA SPORTAGE 2.0 CRDi AWD

37 SQUEEZE BOOTS
Check the condition of all rubber gaiters for
the steering track rods, suspension balljoints
and driveshafts. Look for splits in the rubber
that could let dirt and water inside and lead
to premature wear.
38 INSPECT COIL SPRINGS
The front coil springs can be visually inspected
over the tops of the tyres. Look for fractured
coils and leaks from the dampers. The rear coil
springs can be inspected from the underside
along with the separate dampers.
39 CHECK BRAKES
There should be room to measure the thickness
of the brake pads and discs without having to
remove the road wheels. Look for corrosion on
the discs and a lip around the outer edge, as
shown here. If you are unsure, remove the road
wheels to inspect the brake discs and pads.

SERVICE SCHEDULE
EVERY 20,000 MILES or
12 MONTHS
 Change engine oil and filter
(CM recommends every 10,000
miles or 12 months)
 Check coolant level and test
concentration
 Check tyre condition,
pressure and tread
 Top-up screenwash fluid
 Check battery
 Check wiper blades and
washer jets
40 TEST SUSPENSION BUSHES 41 WIGGLE DROPLINKS  Check all underbonnet
Use a pry bar to lever against the suspension Grab a hold of the anti-roll bars at the front components and hoses for
bushes for the front lower arms and the four and rear and shake them to feel for play in the fluid leaks
suspension arms at each rear corner. Clear rubber D-bushes and droplinks. Also, wiggle  Inspect brakes
the drain holes from where the coil springs the droplinks. Any movement may result in a  Check steering and suspension
sit at the rear. knocking noise when driving the vehicle. components
 Check auxiliary drive belt

Don’t forget to also  Inspect exhaust system and

mountings
 TIGHTEN THE  Check operation of all electrical
WHEEL BOLTS to systems
98Nm (+/- 10Nm).  Lubricate all locks and hinges
 CHECK FOR  Check brake fluid for
FAULT CODES moisture content
OBDII socket is
under the driver’s
EVERY 40,000 MILES or
dashboard.
24 MONTHS
 GREASE LOCKS  Replace fuel filter
and hinges.
 Replace air filter
 CHECK TYRES
 Change brake fluid
tread, sidewalls
and air pressures.  Replace cabin filter
42 CHECK PROPSHAFT  WIGGLE WHEELS
Rotate the propshaft back and forth by hand top-to-bottom EVERY 60,000 MILES or
to check for play in the universal joints and the and side-to-side. 36 MONTHS
centre mount. Excessive movement in these  CHECK FUEL  Change engine coolant
areas may result in a knocking sound when FILLER cap seal (then every 40,000 miles)
setting off or lifting off the throttle pedal.

Which oil is the right one? Check out

the online oil guide at www.liqui-moly.com

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COMPLETED
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 Help! Your non-diagnostic
vehicle-related problems
solved by Steve Rothwell

FORD FIESTA

Expansion tank hose

FORD FOCUS
Q
My question is with regard to the hoses connecting to the coolant expansion
tank on my 2014 Ford Fiesta Titanium X 125 1.0-litre EcoBoost. There are three
MOT concern – the lower rubber hose is, I understand, the main connection to the cooling
system for filling and expansion, the middle rubber hose is the degas hose from the

Q
Hoping you can help me a problem
on my son’s car that lining-up to
be an MOT failure? It’s a 2008 Ford
Focus 1.8 TDCi estate. He noticed the driver’s
side, mirror mounted, repeater had stopped
working. We opened it up and changed
the bulb out but it made no difference. We
substituted the bulb for a working one in the
passenger mirror (and checked our new bulb)
and the problem stayed – it’s not the bulb.
turbo. My question is, what is the upper (top) thin plastic hose for? it seems to disappear
into the top front of the engine left-hand side when viewed from the driver’s seat. My
concern is that earlier models had a plastic degas hose and this could split leading to
sudden loss of coolant and engine damage – this hose was replaced with a rubber type
(as on my car), but I wonder what the thin
plastic upper pipe is for and do these have
a history of splitting also?
Mark R Dawson

I put a voltmeter on the driver’s side and
measured no voltage; although the meter did
appear to catch a regular +0 to -0. Not sure
if I was being an idiot, I checked the working
side and measured a healthy on/off voltage.
I checked the connector in the wiring loom
at the junction with the mirror and for good
measure disconnected it and reconnected
it. Still no luck. I’ve read cars of this age don’t
have relays and I couldn’t find one in the
handbook to be able to look at or substitute.
Further diagnosis is beyond me and if
this is a CAN system, I imagine there could
be all sorts of tricks it’s playing me that
I wouldn’t expect. An auto-electrician or
local garage will want £65 just to look and
I’m not even sure which would be most
likely to be successful. Any suggestions on
what I might check and then if that doesn’t
work, who I should go to?
Kevin Marlow
FORD FIESTA
A
The three pipes from the
expansion bottle go to the
radiator (the lower hose), the
turbo (the middle rubber hose) and to
the rear of the mechanical cooling pump
The readers photo of the coolant
(the top thin plastic hose). This top thin tank hose he was concerned about.
hose is connected to a coolant junction
between the mechanical cooling pump, the radiator and the thermostat housing.
The reason the system needs the third pipe from the expansion tank is due to
it being a three-circuit cooling system, and during initial warm up the coolant
flows first through the exhaust side of the cylinder-head only and does not
circulate through the engine. By placing the third pipe to the expansion tank, this
allows for any air to be expelled without the need for the full flow of the cooling
system to be in operation.
The system also incorporates an electrical cooling pump and this is used to
ensure the turbo has a constant feed of fresh coolant when needed.
As you have noted the degas hose from the turbo did suffer from sudden
failure and was modified. This is due to the extreme temperatures of the coolant
exiting the turbo. The small pipe connected at the top of the expansion tank is
not subjected to these temperatures, and is unlikely to fail in the same way.
for the sump plug is 25Nm and the

A
I would first check the wiring in
the loom between the door and
the body. The short length of loom
torque setting for the oil filter is 15Nm.
Oil service I have heard of no problems with
performing an oil change on the Ford,

running between the two hinges is often
the cause of many such problems due to
its constant flexing as the door opens and
closes. This is slightly backed up by the
fact that although you did not measure a
voltage at the bulb you did find a pulse.
If the fault were with the relay/module
then the rear indicator would also have
failed as they come from the same circuit
(terminal 33 of the multifunction control
module). From the diagram I have, the
wire should be blue/red.
The outer sheathing will need to be
removed to inspect the wiring, but
I would expect you to find the problem
in this area, if there is no problem in the
loom between the door and the body.
The next step would be to check the loom
where it exits the multifunction control
module from the passenger side fusebox.
Q
I’ve offered to service a neighbour’s
car – a Fiesta MkVI (I think), petrol
1.0-litre. I believe it takes a 5W-20
oil. Can you confirm this? Also, any special
oil qualities or specifications? I’ve heard
that some Fords have an oil change quirk
whereby the sump has to be filled very
quickly after draining. Is this the case with
this engine? Plus, what the sump capacity?
Do you know if it is fitted with Iridium
plugs from the factory and what is the
change period?
Gary Mills
A
As you supplied the registration
number, I can confirm this is a 1.0
petrol engine. The oil is as you
have mentioned 5W-20 synthetic (Ford
specification WSS-M2C948-B) and the
capacity is 4.6 litres. The torque setting
and a routine oil change does not often
present any issues. The draining and
refilling of the sump I suspect may not
be the concern, but the changing of the
oil filter.
It can be the case that leaving an oil
filter off, for an extended time, can allow
the oil in the gallery to drain back down
emptying the oil pump. This can then
cause the oil pressure to take longer
to build up, and this is an issue I have
come across in the past. For this reason,
I always recommend that the new filter
is put on as soon as the old one has been
removed, to prevent the possibility of
this occurring.
From the data I have supplied to me
by Autodata, the spark plugs should be
replaced every 75,000 or six years, which
would suggest that they are Iridium plugs.

60 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME


Car starts and runs perfectly. Looking
FORD FOCUS online I can see other people with similar
Smart charge
situations but no real answers. I understand
the philosophy of the software for energy
efficiency but cannot see why it would
and MOT allow the voltage to drop so low.
I’ll leave these two thoughts with you
Help!
possible up to the set limit.
This causes a drain on the engines
resources and so the smart-charging
system was designed. This uses an
alternator with an internal regulator,
but which is controlled by the smart
charge control unit (PCM). Any failure in

Q
I haven’t written before but and thanks again. the smart-charge system will normally
I wondered if you might know the Steve Lukey default the charging back to 13.7 volts.
answer to the current situation Ford were one of the first to adopt

with respect to the issuing of vehicle
emissions results with the MOT certificate?
I have received one of these for every
certificate for some time now but was told
by the tester of my car this week that they
are no longer issued.
This is not a great problem of course
so long as the car passes but I am always
interested to see how the engine condition
deteriorates over time and mileage and
this is a really good annual way of seeing
it. I have tried to find out online if there has
been a recent change to the certification
policy but cannot find anything relevant.
Perhaps with your contacts you may be
able to solve it?
Whilst writing I can’t resist asking if
anyone can clear up the question of how the
Ford Smart Charge system works in detail.
I have a 2011 1.6 EcoBoost Focus and
it had a new battery four years ago. The
Stop-Start system stopped working some
time ago and the run-on time for the radio
reduced right down. I took it to be checked
at a garage who said the battery was OK but
needed charging. I did this and the system
worked fine for a couple of weeks but was
then back down to no Start-Stop again.
Checking the voltage was 12.2V and
another battery check said OK again but
low on charge (alternator is working fine).
FORD FOCUS
A
The MOT regulations have
changed and a sheet showing
emissions results does not need
to be issued, in fact from the August 26,
2021 a pass certificate does not need to
be issued. The gov.uk website states:
“The requirement to issue a paper VT20
pass certificate will now be optional. You
may continue to issue a paper copy if you
wish however there is not a requirement
to do so, unless the customer makes a
specific request to have one.
A paper VT30 fail certificate must
always be issued, including those
generated as part of a PRS. Customers
can download and print certificates from
the Check MOT history service. They will
need the vehicle registration number
and the 11-digit V5C reference number.”
To explain the smart-charge system it
is probably easier to start with a normal
charging system. This uses an alternator
which has normally just two wires, the
main battery feed and the control wire
going to the ignition warning light.
Providing a voltage is sensed at the main
battery feed, the alternator will then put
out a charge regulated by the speed of
the alternator, and the internal regulator.
As soon as the alternator begins to
spin it will pump out as much voltage as
the smart-charge system, and there
are now quite a few variations. This
becomes even more complex with the
introduction of hybrid vehicles and the
Ford Smart Regenerative Charge System.
The general principle of the normal
smart charge system is that by using an
extra two control wires the alternator
will sense the load and the condition of
the engine. The alternator uses the main
battery connection and a three-wire plug
on the rear of the alternator. The three-
wire plug is connected as follows: Pin 1 =
Alternator Feedback, Pin 2 = Alternator
Load Request, Pin 3 = Reference Voltage.
When the vehicle is first started the
control unit takes into consideration
the engine coolant temperature, as
well as the air intake temperature, and
knows that the engine is cold. It will
then boost the battery charge, pulling
it back as it calculates the under-bonnet
temperature coming up. It is often
thought that the smart-charge system
boosts the voltage only in response to
load, but this is not strictly true.
The system is easily tested but will
need a ’scope, as the fluctuations and
wave forms need to be tested.
The basic checks are as follows:
Using a ’scope to test pin 1 – this is the
feedback from the alternator and must
show a constant square wave pattern.
If this pattern mirrors the one on pin 2,

Corrosion in fusebox
the smart-charge part of the alternator is
faulty, and a new unit is required.
Testing pin 2 – this should show a square

Q
I have a question that I hope is easy to deal with – the vehicle is a 2007 Ford wave pattern that will change as the load
Focus 1753cc Diesel. In the process of changing the pollen filter, it required the request changes. Putting on the HRW,
removal of the fuseboard from the passenger footwell. We then noticed some lights, etc, should show a change in this
corrosion to one of the connector plugs. pattern. If there is not a change in the
I have taken five photos. 3a and 3b are the identification label attached to the wires.
pattern this indicates that there is no
Can you advise me if this is serious? Can a replacement plug be sourced, and what
request from the control module, and
electrical circuit it might affect?
that would be where the fault lies.
Andy Nash
Pin 3 – is the battery voltage and can be
Readers photo showing the corrosion checked with a voltmeter.
in the fusebox and the plug to the As mentioned, the newer Regenerative
interior lighting circuit. Charge Systems get a little more
complex, but the alternator still has the

A
The plug is to the
loom that feeds the three control wires marked AS (Sence),
circuits in the headlining, so the interior lamp and circuits. As the circuit RC (GenCom), LI (GenMon) and it tested
does not appear at this stage to be affected, I would first try cleaning the plug and in a similar way.
socket connection with a switch cleaner such as this one bit.ly/CMjbsCs giving the Ge Getting back to your personal
plug a good clean and if possible using an old toothbrush to disperse the visible situation, the battery charge rate and
verdigris. Then spray again – that should ensure that the connection remains clean level will drop, if the smart-charge PCM
and the corrosion will be removed. is not operating correctly, as this will be
Whilst plug kits are often available from Ford, if the problem persists it may too low to maintain the levels required
be a better option to obtain a replacement plug from a breakers yard, and then for the vehicle and the battery.
connect it to the existing loom, but I would expect that a thorough clean should You may need to find a garage who
be sufficient to remedy the problem. will be able to fully test and diagnose
the fault using an oscilloscope.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 61

Help!
and inspect the cylinder-head threads for
any damage. If the threads are damaged,
thread inserts should be fitted.
The threads on the timing chain upper
guide retaining bolts should then be
cleaned and locking compound applied
to the threads before refitting and
VAUXHALL CORSA tightening to 8Nm.
no evidence of chafing or crushing – nor
is there any evidence of repairs, re-work or
alterations to the harness.
During my wiring checks, I inspected
the main under-bonnet fusebox and the
passenger compartment fusebox, located
next to the glovebox. According to the
data I can find, which matches the fuse

Tappet noise
As this is a known problem I would identification label on the inside of the
return to the dealer and point out that passenger compartment fusebox, the two
this may be the case with your Corsa. uppermost 7.5A fuses should control the

Q
I bought a Vauxhall Corsa – a SRi
VX-line 1400cc Ecotec petrol (non-
turbo). It is just coming up to 10,000
miles. Every so often there is a loud tapping
noise on the engine when hot on tick-over.
As an ex-mechanic, I would say that it
was a tappet that needs adjusting, that’s
what it sounds like. I have been back to the
Attending to the problem now, should
save further damage from occurring.
VAUXHALL MOVANO
Tail lamp
left-side and right-side lighting circuits. To
verify this, I removed these fuses, yet the
left-side and right-side lights still operate.
As far as I can tell there is no other auxiliary
fusebox installed. There is no auxiliary
power into the load compartment.
I have made an emergency repair by
providing a new separately fused circuit to

Vauxhall dealer under the warranty and
they say it is the characteristic of the vehicle
which I don’t think is the case at all.
The engine runs fine. It does not do it all
the time. When I took it back two weeks
ago, it was not tapping – typical.
David Scarborough
Q
We have a 2017 Vauxhall Movano-B
2.3 with a Luton body. Currently on
its second owner, I understand that
the first owner was a major parcel carrier.
The current owner asked for advice with a
non-working left rear tail lamp. He’d checked
the bulbs and fuses and then came to me.
I rechecked the bulbs, the bulb sockets, the
wiring and harness connectors under the
the left rear tail lamp, which is controlled by
a relay, switched from the front left side light.
This will be durable and reliable – the owner is
not interested in delving any deeper because
of the cost, but I would be interested to find
a circuit diagram for the lighting circuit on
this vehicle to find out which fuses do actually
control the lighting circuits and why the

A
I would not expect a loud tapping
to be a characteristic of the
engine, and as the cam followers
are hydraulic, any noise from this area
may be indicating a loss of pressure.
Autodata does mention a problem that
can occur on your engine which is that
the timing chain upper guide retaining
bolts can come loose. When this occurs,
it reduces the oil pressure to hydraulic
tappets. If this were the case the resulting
tapping sound would be a consequence.
The remedy given is to remove the
timing chain upper guide retaining bolts
VAUXHALL MERIVA
load bed and found no fault except absence
of power to the left rear tail lamp. The
wiring check included the condition of the
intercept harness which was installed during
the Luton conversion to provide a breakout
feed for the side body marker lamps, which
are powered when the rear tail lamps are
lit. At the moment this breakout harness
is not connected while I get to the root of
the rear tail lamp issue. I also made a visual
inspection of the vehicle harness between the
rear lamps and the fuseboxes and can find
no evidence of heat or mechanical damage,
indicated fuses apparently do nothing.
I was having a chat with the parts
manager at my local Vauxhall dealer to find
out if there was anything interesting flagged
up on his parts system for this chassis, and
he indicated that the auxiliary fusebox is
not fitted, and he also said that he thought
that the side lights will be directly switched
and fused internally by the body control
unit inside the engine bay fusebox. If this is
correct, there is potentially a failure within
the body control unit. A lovely prospect, but
if I can make a continuity check from this
unit to the rear lights, I can dig a little deeper.
Any information, I would be very grateful.
Tim Baker

Starting issues A
From the wiring diagram I have
supplied by Autodata, the feed
for the rear lights does come
Q
My wife has a 2013 Meriva B 1.4 16v petrol. It has had intermittent starting
issues where it sounds like the motor spins but does not turn over the engine. from the body control module. The circuit
I was planning to replace the starter but there’s seems quite a discrepancy in is quite simple and after leaving terminal
power outputs of what is available and therefore 14 of the control module, the wire goes
the price of each item. Do you have any advice on directly to the rear lamp module.
how to spec a starter motor? From the tests you have already
John Tyrell carried out, it is possible that the control
module itself has failed, and I suspect
this may be due to the load imposed on

A
Thank you for kindly supplying me
with the registration number of your it from the extra lighting fitted when the
wife’s Meriva. From the details I have, vehicle conversion was carried out.
the starter motor should be 12V 1.1Kw and can From the fuse diagram I have from
have either 9 or 10 teeth – the number of teeth The Vauxhall Meriva starter Autodata, the side light circuit is not
can alter due to the diameter of the pinion. motor which may be faulty. fused separately and is controlled by
One point that I should also add is that Autodata note a common problem the body control module. The diagram
on the Meriva which can cause problematic starting, and this is due to a high I have indicates that the two uppermost
resistance battery earth lead. A modified lead (part number 13365856) is fuses in the interior fusebox control the
available to rectify this and may be worth considering when replacing the starter. interior lamps and the trailer socket.
The job time given to replace the starter is 0.5 hours, and so this is a relatively The body control module is located
easy job, the starter is fitted from below the engine and so this time does in the nearside of the dash area besides
presume that suitable access from underneath is possible. Fitted at the rear of the the glovebox, and starting at this point
engine, the starter is held in with two bolts – the lower one also accommodates checking the output from terminal 14 of
the fixing for the earth strap. the unit may help confirm the problem.
The process is otherwise straightforward. From the details I have this should be a
blue wire.

62 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 Help!

FIAT PANDA

Sticky clutch pedal

Q
My daughters 2004 Fiat Panda 1.2 petrol had a new clutch fitted two years
FIAT PANDA ago – it has done about 5000 miles since. The clutch pedal sticks to the floor

Fast idle
intermittently and it is doing it whilst driving as well.
I’ve checked the pedal pivots and return spring and lubricated them. Checked slave
and master cylinders – no leaks – and lubricated the push rods. Fluid is at max and looks
problem clean. The local garage have looked and can’t see anything obvious. I’m stuck, are you
aware of any common faults with the Panda? I will bleed the system in case it’s air, but

Q
Can you shed some light on a fast-
idle problem I’m having with my
2009 Fiat Panda 1.1 with a cable-
controlled throttle body? It has 45,000 miles
on the clock. From a cold start the engine
reaches normal working temperature
quickly, but the idle speed is excessive
when the engine is hot. If I switch off the
engine and wait a couple of minutes before
restarting, it idles correctly.
I ran the engine with the air filter housing
off and sprayed catalyst-safe carb cleaner
down the idle speed control valve aperture
to clear any blockage, to no avail. The throttle
butterfly closes properly and if I block
the idle speed valve aperture the engine
stalls, so there do not appear to be any
air leaks. The vehicle is well serviced and
fully-synthetic oil is used. The EML is not
illuminated and there are no stored fault
codes. Connections appear to be good. The
engine starts promptly hot, warm or cold.
The fact that switching off and leaving
the engine seems to rectify the fast idle
seems to suggest that rising heat could be
affecting the temperature sender unit. Is
this a possibility or do you think it may be a
throttle body or ECU fault? If you think it’s
the throttle body, is this a dealer-only part
or can you recommend a quality make?
Colin Rider
I am doubtful. What concerns me is that it could be the release bearing or clutch fork.
I don’t really want to start changing cylinders on a whim but I don’t know where
to go from here. My daughter needs the car but is obviously worried about driving it
especially on A-roads. Any pointers you can offer gratefully received.
David Bennet
A
The most common
reason for the clutch
pedal sticking
down on a hydraulic clutch
system, is that the pressure
from the clutch plate which
The hydraulic release system is very
should be pushing against likely the cause of the problems.
the release bearing is not
being felt by the clutch master cylinder and returning it to the up position.
Many clutch pedals do have a spring attached and this on occasions can
overthrow when the pedal is fully depressed and actually hold the clutch pedal
down when the return pressure is low. Lifting the pedal back up with your foot will
often rectify the situation, restoring the clutch operation.
As you have checked the pivots and ensured that they are all free, then the
next step would be as you intend to do, to bleed out the clutch. If this does not
remedy the problem, then It may be the master cylinder drawing in air during
the operation. This is not always easy to diagnose, as after a couple of uses of the
clutch, this can then be disbursed again.
I would not expect it to be the release bearing or fork pivot, as this would
normally be something that is easily checked, but It is of course possible.
example – although I cannot get it to do
FIAT 500 it by pushing downwards on the quarter
Service light
panel. It sometimes lets off five burps within
a few minutes. Should I worry about this?
Steve Hammett

A
As you have said, there are
three likely possibilities. The
temperature sender could be
reading incorrectly and, if you have
suitable equipment, I would advise
checking the actual reading of the
sender using live data when the engine
is hot. The other two possibilities are
that either the ECU has a problem or the
throttle body itself is faulty.
Autodata advises that there was a
common problem with your Panda
regarding the ECU causing poor idling
from cold, which would also cause
the engine idle speed to drop during
gearchanges. However, this is not the
problem you’re suffering from.
I would first check the temperature
sender reading, then consider talking
to the dealer to see if the ECU software
requires updating. If neither of these
steps rectifies the problem, I would
send the throttle body off to be tested
at either ecutesting.com or bba-reman.
com. If a new throttle body is needed,
actronics.eu can supply a replacement
for approximately £205.
reset procedure
Q
The service reminder light is
flashing on our 2010 Fiat 500 1.3
diesel, which we have owned for
two years and currently has 93,000 miles.
We had the car serviced at an independent
garage a year ago, but they didn’t know how
to stop it. It is now due for its next service.
The car has just had its MOT and the
mechanic advised that the engine didn’t
sound right, but he didn’t know why and
advised us to take it to a Fiat garage or a
diesel engine specialist. You can’t hear the
noise inside the car, but it is obvious with
the bonnet open – it is a constant tinny
rattle that sounds like its originating from
the upper part of the engine.
Are you aware of any common issues
with a 500D at this age? I’ve noticed the
car consumes a little bit of coolant, but
the oil level is OK. The car failed its MOT,
due to “an offside rear shock absorber with
an excessively worn bush”. A new shock
was fitted by the garage, but the car now
‘burps’ or sounds like a frog croaking while
stationery – when entering or exiting, for
A
On the Fiat 500, the service
light can only be reset using a
diagnostic scanner. Most good
independents should have this facility.
The noise you describe sounds as
though it may be a timing chain rattle.
It is quite common for the chain to have
stretched sufficiently at around 80,000
miles to begin to rattle lightly.
The coolant loss could be from many
points around the engine, but I would
check the base of the water pump for any
tell-tale signs of leaking coolant, as well
as the base of the radiator. A wet patch
may not be present, but a pink stain left
by the antifreeze may be visible.
The noise from the shock absorber
could be the result of the locating bolt
being slightly loose, so I would tighten all
the bolts. If the problem is not with a loose
bolt you may have a faulty shock absorber.
The noise may not be detrimental to the
operation of the shock absorber, but
it may indicate a problem that would
shorten its life. For this reason, I would ask
the garage to replace it under warranty.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 63

Help!

with the basics. Replace the fuel filter
and check the condition of the fuel in the
filter, ensuring there is no contamination.
I would also ensure that the engine and
body earths are clean. Next, check the
induction system and confirm that the
CITROËN RELAY leak-off pipes are clean and dry – any
wetness here will indicate escaping
A
One of the problems that I have
come across with the Citroën
clutch operation is that the release
bearing can fail, and this may be in one
of two ways. Either the bearing itself will
begin to fail causing a judder in operation
or the centre of the bearing may wear, and
this also causes the guide tube to wear.

Poor starting fuel and that air could be getting in the

system. Provided none of these have any
This would cause the type of judder
you have explained, and it is possible

and running
signs of problems, cleaning the EGR valve that the clutch will need to be replaced in
may help. The EGR valve on your Citroën the not too distant future.
has an electronic position sensor that The cable-operated clutch system is

Q
I am having problems with my 2008
Citroën Relay 2.2 HDi. It has difficulty
starting sometimes and it runs OK
but will not rev over 2500rpm. Do you think
it’s the EGR – and, if so, how do I go about
sorting it – or the fuel pressure regulator?
Stuart Anderson
would normally flag up a fault code. good at transferring the vibrations from
the clutch mechanism to the pedal and
some of the C1 gearboxes were fitted
CITROËN C1 with a bearing buffer to try and reduce
Clutch judder
this effect.
CITROËN BERLINGO
Q
I have a 2006 Citroën C1 which has

A
You do not mention if you have
any fault codes present. Even if
the engine management light is
not on, I would interrogate the ECU for
any pending codes. This may give a good
indication of the source of the fault.
While the EGR may be at fault, the
source of the problem could be a few
other components. Autodata states that
two common problem areas are the fuel
pressure regulator solenoid and the
software in the ECU. If the software is an
issue this would need to be upgraded by
the manufacturer. Another common cause
of starting problems on many diesels is
the failure of the crankshaft sensor.
Depending on what actions have
already been carried out, I would start
CITROËN DS3
covered 120k miles, and in the last
few months I have noticed that the
clutch pedal sometimes vibrates/judders
quite noticeably, particularly in low gears
at low revs. At higher revs in all gears, or
at any revs in high gears, the vibration is
almost unnoticeable.
At idle in neutral it seems normal,
although you can feel some vibration if you
touch the pedal with your hand. If the pedal
is depressed slightly (but before the biting
point), the vibration disappears. There is
no noticeable vibration or noise at or near
the biting point or while changing gear.
I have checked the mounting bracket for
the pedal, and it all seems secure, with little
play. Any ideas are most welcome!
Ian Gabbott
Heater vents
Q
The windscreen heater vents on
my 2016 Berlingo are positioned
on the dashboard, below a storage
trough where the dashboard slopes
towards the windscreen. The trough is
used to hold small items, keys etc. Problem
is, there is no grille on the vents and such
items can slip down the dashboard incline
and disappear into the vents. I have lost at
least one valuable key this way.
Can you advise me of a way to retrieve
such items? I have had a mechanic look at
the problem but he could see no easy way
and suggests taking out the heater but that
seems like using a sledgehammer to crack
a walnut.
Sean Mone

A
The only easier route that may

Auxiliary drive belt allow you to access the lost items

would be via the pollen filter
housing. On your Berlingo the pollen

Q
My daughter has a 61-plate Citroën DS3 1.6 e-HDi 90bhp with Stop-Start fitted.
It had a new aircon compressor fitted a couple of months ago and today the filter is housed to the offside of the
alternator belt came off. Can you please send me a diagram of the belt run so heater unit and the filter is removed by
that I can refit it? I believe it has two tensioners fitted for the belt and I will check them unclipping the small door just above the
to try and find out why the belt came off. Is this a known concern on this engine? clutch pedal. It is possible that this may
Thank you in advance for any help you can give me. give access to the section of the heater
I then received a second email box where the lost items have gathered.
Further to the previous e-mail. I have taken off the covers and found the belt has It will at least give you another direction
snapped. Everything looks and feels OK with the tensioners, alternator and aircon to attempt to fish objects from the heater
compressor. The belt has only been on for approximately 10,000 miles so I can’t without going to the extreme measure of
understand why it has snapped. I have attached a photo of the belt. removing the heater altogether.
I have asked my daughter if anything happened before the battery light, etc., came Access where the vent ducting from
on and she said the Stop-Start function had just operated – so it looks like that caused the front screen enters the heater is quite
the belt to snap! The break in the belt was a clean snap. limited but it may also be possible to
Craig Christie retrieve any objects at this point.
One problem is that the route of the
ventilation ducting is not direct and any
A
From the picture of the
belt you sent, this is a 6PK lost items may get caught between the
1020, and from the details top vent and the heater unit.
I have from the Gates catalogue, The readers photo of the snapped auxiliary drive belt. As a preventative measure it may be
this is the correct one to fit the possible to fit a strip across the dash which
DS3 with Stop-Start and aircon – so this is the correct application. may stop objects from rolling downwards
The break is as you say a clean break and would appear to be a failure of the towards the gap of the vents. Something
belt. Having checked the pulleys I can see no other reason for the failure and like the self-adhesive weatherstrips used
I would contact Gates customer support at this link Contact Us (gates.com) and ask on front door frames may, if placed
for their opinion on the matter. across the width of the dash, be sufficient
to block the way off any such objects.

64 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 Help!

PEUGEOT 107

Dash warning lights

Q
I have a problem on my wife’s 2010 Peugeot 107 – all the indicators work as
PEUGEOT 407 normal but the light that shows they are working on the dashboard doesn’t

Engine swap
work. The hazard lights all work yet the light on the hazard switch doesn’t
operate. I have changed the indicator stalk without results.
All the rest of the vehicle works as normal. Are there

Q
A friend of mine lives in France any fuses or relays that only cover the warning lights
and has blown the engine in his on the dashboard?
Peugeot 407 SW 2.0 HDi auto. I have Richard Pittaway
a replacement engine with the same RHR
code, but are these engines the same for

both manual and auto gearboxes? Also, are
there any major pitfalls to watch out for on
an engine swap or is it a straightforward job?
I would also like to change the timing belt
and water pump whilst the engine is out, but
I can’t lock the crankshaft with no flywheel
attached – is there another way to lock it?
Roy Fisher
A
The hazard lights and the indicators are
covered by one fuse one your wife’s 107
along with the warning lights and so if
this fuse had blown, then the indicators and the
hazard lights would not operate.
The problem you have is very likely the result of
a failed dash panel and this is one of the common
scenarios which can occur when the dash panel fails. The 107 dash which may be the
There are companies such as this one https://bit.ly/ problem causing the indicators
to not flash the warning.
CMfhinW which can repair the dash for £99. This does

A
From the data I have, the RHR
engine has only one crankshaft
option, so it will accommodate
either a flywheel or driveplate. The
flywheel will need to be attached to
enable the camshaft belt to be changed,
as the timing locking pin needs to be
located in the flywheel through the
recess in the block casting. While it
may be possible to replace the belt by
marking the pulleys before the belt is
removed, the timing cannot then be
checked until the flywheel is fitted.
Removal of the unit requires the front
bumper, panel and subframe to be
detached. The engine and gearbox should
be removed as one assembly, before then
splitting the gearbox off from the engine.
The job time for replacement is 11.1 hours,
require the dash being removed and sending off, but is a cost-effective option.
Test by a Peugeot code machine showed
number four cylinder to be misfiring but
eventually the battery was charging at
about 14 volts and the RCZ continued.
The warning lights disappeared, and the
everything proved to be OK again.
It has been fine since then – I was told
by the mechanic that the warning lights
are very temperamental, and it could be
various things, ie. exhaust output or battery
that would make the warning lights appear.
Would you please give your considered
opinion? The vehicle has done less than
55,000 miles and has been serviced regularly.
George Kemp
investigated. Your vehicle went into
limp-mode and I do not feel the garage
have done you any favours by clearing
the codes and sending you on your way.
Unfortunately, the nearest garage
to you in the CM Good Garage Guide
is around 50 minutes away, but I have
included the details for you as an option.
I would suggest finding a garage who
may look further into this for you.
PEUGEOT 207
Code reader
Q
I am trying to solve a problem

but without the Peugeot engine support
frame I would allow a little longer. When
the new engine is fitted and first started
up, it will require a short drive before the
ECU sets the correct parameters for the
engine to run and idle smoothly.
PEUGEOT RCZ
Warning lights
A
You have not mentioned if any
remedial work was done to rectify
the problem with the number
four-cylinder misfire. This was obviously
the reason for the engine management
light coming on and the loss of power.
I would suspect that the code for the
misfire set the ECU into limp-mode.
The battery may be at fault and again
if nothing has been done to rectify this
problem then action should be taken
to investigate the cause – it may be the
with the ABS warning light being
illuminated on a Peugeot 207. After
paying large amounts of money to a Peugeot
garage with no result, I am investigating it
myself and would like to buy a code reader.
Which would you recommend?
Andrew
A
You do not mention the year of
your Peugeot, but I am assuming
it is a 2006-2014 model. As you
want to interrogate the ABS system, an

Q
I have a 2012 Peugeot RCZ GT 1.6
petrol which has been extremely
good up to a particular day last
week when being driven at a slow speed –
and moderately fast one – the engine had
no power at all. The engine management
light appeared and stayed on.
The temperature reading was not normal
– a bit below the 90 mark, though the
coolant was at a sufficient level, though the
cooling fan came on. I was told it doesn’t
normally do that.
I pulled into my usual garage about
half-a-mile away where I had purchased
the vehicle from and the battery was flat,
although I had done 100 miles the previous
day to the problem occurring.
alternator or the battery itself.
The warning light can sometimes be
illuminated for reasons that have little
effect on the running of the vehicle,
and this can often be due to an over
sensitive 02 sensor. Though in your case
there was a specific problem with the
engine which was being flagged-up by
the warning light. This should not be
ignored as it will occur again.
The misfire on number four cylinder
could be for a number of reasons and
this may be an ignition/spark plug
related problem or a fuel injector fault.
I would suggest that if not done so, the
spark plugs should be changed. Also
the source of the problem is properly
EOBD code reader will not be suitable
as these will only cover the engine
management system. You will need a
dedicated reader for the ABS and
I would recommend the Foxwell NT614
All Makes 4-System scan tool at £199
from this link: https://bit.ly/2Jxyn11
This will read and clear engine, SRS,
ABS and auto transmission codes on
your Peugeot, as well as more than 60
other makes of car. It comes with free
lifetime updates, meaning it will be of
use for many years to come.
The next step up would be the Foxwell
Pro NT624 ALL System Scan Tool at £289.
This covers a few more systems and also
comes with free lifetime updates.

shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME February 2023 Car Mechanics 65

Help!

A
The problem is most likely due
to one of two things. The first
is that the speed sensor in the
gearbox may be failing. The reason the
speedometer begins working after the
self-test may not be because of the test
RENAULT CLIO but because the vehicle has been stopped.
A new speed sensor (part no 7700418919)
when I plugged in a diagnostic reader was
‘DF102’. I have read that it could be a faulty
cam sensor, crank sensor, MAP, air temp, air
mass or coolant temp, but I’d rather not go
down the road of throwing parts at it and
spending fortunes.
Do you know of any common faults with
cars with these symptoms and any solutions?

Speedo costs £32, although a pattern part is

available on eBay for around £10.
Scott Hanlon

A
Renault fault code ‘DF102’
operation
The other possible fault is the dash pod
itself, even though the self-test appears refers to ‘Cylinder 4 injector
to suggest the unit is operational. This circuit, combustion too strong –

Q
My son has a 2000 Renault Clio
1.2. For no apparent reason,
the speedometer needle will
suddenly drop to zero and the mileage
stops recording. This is usually when he is
travelling at a higher speed, say around
60-70mph. When the fault occurs, the engine
management light will flicker or stay on.
I was about to remove the instrument
panel to look at it when I realised it was
not the old cable-type speedo, but the
more up-to-date electronic version, which
I remember reading about in the feature
on repairing instrument clusters in August
2015 issue of CM.
I did carry out the self-test specified in
the Haynes manual and all the instruments,
including the speedo, worked perfectly.
After the test, the speedo went be back
to normal for a few weeks, then the same
problem returned.
is somewhat supported by the fact that
the EML illuminates when the problem
is present. Before condemning the dash
pod, it would be worth disconnecting
and cleaning the electrical connections
to ensure that this isn’t the problem. If
the dash pod is the cause of the problem,
then ecutesting.com or bba-reman.com
can supply replacement units.
To conclude, I would check the
connections and, for the cost of around
£10, try replacing the speed sensor in the
gearbox as a first move.
RENAULT GRAND SCENIC
Tickover
problem
permanent fault’. If this is the cause
of the failure to tickover when cold,
I would expect it to also affect running
when the engine is warm.
The most likely cause of the problem
is the temperature sender. This can
be checked using a diagnostic reader
to ensure it is giving the correct
temperature readings to the ECU. If
the temperature sender is operating
correctly, the next step would be to
clean the throttle body. These can gum
up and can be rectified by a good clean
using a carb cleaner aerosol. Finally,
I would check the electrical connections
to the MAP sensor, as well as the sensor
itself, using an electrical switch cleaner
to clean both the connecting plug and
the sensor. Ensure it is totally dry before
refitting and attempting to start up.

I would be quite happy to leave it, given
the age of the vehicle, but it’s worrying
my son as it means he has no indication
of speed and that he will have to stop the
car to do the self-test. Could it be a faulty
connection behind the instrument panel or
at the ECU?
Q
I have a problem with a 2005
Renault Grand Scenic 1.6 petrol, RENAULT CLIO
which cuts out on starting when
cold and won’t tick over until it has heated Intercooler
repair
up, after about 4-5 minutes of revving the
engine. The variable cam gear was rattling
on start-up, so I replaced it with new, but

Q
Antoine Cousin it is still the same. The only fault code I got I have a great little 2003 Clio
turbodiesel with the 80bhp engine
and 75,000 miles on the clock. Since
RENAULT MEGANE I bought it about a year ago, I’ve noticed
that it seems to smoke quite a bit under

Noise from front acceleration and the turbo seems noisy to

me (you get the faint turbo whistle but also
a louder whine under heavier acceleration).

Q
Can you help? I have a Renault Megane Coupe 2.0 on a 54-plate. It has started
to make a noise from under the driver’s side – it seems near the steering The car starts and runs very well, giving
column. The noise is like a kid’s tommy-gun – it does about six times then about 65mpg on average. I believe in its
stops. It makes the noise when you move the heating or A/C or recirculation, and it past it was only doing short local journeys,
only last about six times. but now it will be doing about 15,000 miles
The heater flap actuator which a year, with many longer journeys.
Graham Moore could be the source of the noise. It was suggested I use a diesel treatment,
which I did and it made little difference.

A
From your description it sounds as though the
noise is coming from inside the vehicle and I then took it to my local garage, which carried
is the actuator for the heater control flaps. out a smoke test. They told me that there
These have a tendency to become either loose was smoke coming from two intercooler
or can lose position. The constant tommy-gun pipes – the area where the rubber sleeves
type noise you can hear is normally the actuator attached to the intercooler seemed to be
attempting to achieve the desired position on the perishing. Apparently to rectify this I need
flap but either overthrowing or slipping back. two new intercooler pipes from Renault
After of a number of attempts, the actuator will costing about £300. However, the mechanic
then stop trying until then next movement of the heating said that if just the rubber sleeves could be
controls or when the ignition is again turned on. sourced and replaced, it would do the job.
It may be possible to find the actuator and check its operating but the access Do you think this would solve the smoke
under the dash is limited. and turbo noise problem and have you
If you can find the faulty unit you can then try resetting it by removing and any idea where I could purchase these
then refitting ensuring it is in the correct position. Whilst off you should also intercooler pipe sleeves? I’ve tried several
ensure that the airflow flap is fully operational. sources and got nowhere.
Keith Billson

66 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME


RENAULT SCENIC
ABS sensors
Q
As a reader of CM for over 50 years I would like to ask for some help for the first
time! I have a 2002 Renault Scenic 1.9 RX4 dCi and cannot locate new rear ABS
sensor cables from any of my suppliers. As you may know they have sensor
ends which are encased in a stainless sleeve which rusts solidly into the rear swing arm.
Can you recommend any suppliers, otherwise I will have to
scrap the vehicle.
Paul Depledge
A
From the details I have this company
https://bit.ly/CMOKRbs do have
the sensors in stock at a cost of under
£30 each plus delivery. The sensors have a lead
which is 445mm in length, and this may differ
slightly from the original cable, but the actual sensor is the same.
These parts come from Germany so expect a wait of up to 10 days for them to arrive.
A
The symptoms you describe can
be caused by an air leak in the
intercooler pipes, and as the
smoke test has shown a leak in this area
it seem to confirm the diagnosis. This
may not cure the turbo whistle and this
will have to be reassessed after replacing
the intercooler pipes.
The hoses are normally thought to be a
Renault-only part, but First Line do supply
the hoses under part numbers FTH1272,
FTH1268, FTH1281 and FTH1476. By
registering as a vehicle owner at www.
firstline.co.uk you will be able to access
the catalogue with illustrations to enable
the correct hoses to be purchased.
Another option would be to source
secondhand pipes, although you may
be looking at the same problem within
a short length of time as the integrity of
secondhand parts cannot be guaranteed.
RENAULT CLIO
Immobilised
Q
My wife parked and locked our
Renault Clio Mk1 1.4 auto and,
on her return 20 minutes later,
the remote system failed and the car was
immobilised. It has been stuck in the car
park ever since.
How do I bypass or override the
immobiliser system? I know a common
fault is the infrared receiver in the head
lining which is prone to corrosion, and
have cleaned this. I also took out the alarm
unit and sent it to BBA Reman, but they
couldn’t test it, although they said there
was nothing wrong with the circuit boards
that they could see by eye.
Jason Windle
A
The alarm and immobiliser
systems are integrated with the
ECU and bypassing the system
is not possible. The system can only
be reprogrammed using diagnostic
equipment. However, there is a way to
shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME
The ABS sensor and lead that was
required for the Renault Scenic.
disable the immobiliser providing you
have the four-digit code as detailed on
the vehicle security card. There are two
possible methods for doing this:
1) With the doors closed and the ignition
on, the immobiliser light will flash if
the system is blocked. Press down on
the accelerator pedal and hold it down,
after which the light should extinguish.
Now press the trip button, the number
of times of the first number of the
security code. The warning light should
illuminate each time the button is
pressed. Once you have entered the
number of the first digit, release the
accelerator pedal. Now depress the
accelerator pedal again and enter the
second number by pressing the trip
button. Repeat these steps until all
four digits have been entered.
2) The second method uses the central
door locking button (CDLB) found
inside the car. With the doors closed
and the ignition on, the immobiliser
lamp should flash rapidly. Press and
hold the CDLB for five seconds. The
immobiliser light should go off, then
come back on and slowly flash. These
flashes correspond to the security
code, so when the first number of the
code has been flashed out, release the
CDLB. Now press it in again and release
it when the second number has been
flashed out. Continue this until the
complete code has been flashed out.
If you have entered the code correctly,
the IMMOLED will illuminate for three
seconds and then go out for three
seconds. It should then illuminate for
30 seconds. It should now be possible to
start the vehicle.
If you do not have the four-digit code,
you may be able to get it from your local
Renault dealer. If you cannot find the
code or either of these methods do not
work, you may need the services of an
auto-electrician/locksmith, who should
be able to interrogate the system using
suitable diagnostic equipment.
Help!
Have a
problem vehicle?
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Sourcing vehicle manuals
 Most CM readers will know that
Haynes publish the bibles for automotive
mechanics with their authoritative line of
owners workshop manuals. The Haynes
website at Haynes.com should always be
your first port of call when searching for a
manual. And if there isn’t a specific manual
available for your particular model, it’s
worth checking whether your engine was
fitted to any other vehicles, as this will
give you basic servicing and maintenance
advice. It’s also worth emailing Haynes
and asking if they have a manual in the
works for your vehicle. And bear in mind
that Haynes are now producing video
tutorials for various makes and models.
Failing that, you may be able to find
a workshop manual online that you can
download. Although there are a number
of sites offering this service, care must be
taken to find a reliable source. We have
found the website emanualonline.com
is a trusted source of digital manuals.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 67
 Diagnostics Doctor
Steve Rothwell answering your ENGINE MANAGEMENT queries

ALFA ROMEO GT

Running problems
Q
I would like to hear your opinion on a problem with my 2007 Alfa Romeo GT 1.8. Twin Spark. It has done
137,000kms. The problem occurred three times in last six month. The car does not like not to be used, let’s say, for a week. Once
in Italy, when it was very hot; once in Holland when cold; it refused after 5-6 days to run on all four cylinders. After 20-30 seconds
the engine started running normally. Since then, I start the engine each day for a few minutes, to get the oil circulating.
I forgot to do that last week. And, again, after four days, it refused to start normally. But this time it did run on all four cylinders, but (in
one cylinder?) a valve-adjuster rattled like a machine gun for half a minute. When I switched off the engine and restarted all was normal.
My guess: when standing for a longer period one (or all) automatic valve-play adjusters drain
themselves of oil. But then: why not run on all four cylinders?
On the other hand as a local garage suggests there may be a carbon built up in the valve-
adjustment mechanism (of one cylinder). They say using a cleaning agent and running the engine for
some time, may help. I would appreciate your opinion.
Rolf Knijff
Netherlands

A
This is actually a problem which is detailed by Autodata as being a common issue. The
source of the trouble is due to the Camshaft Position (CMP) actuator draining after
The camshaft position actuator
standing for a long period. The reason for this is that an oil non-return valve was not
which may be the problem.
included in the actuator at manufacture.
The remedy will depend on the engine number of your Alfa, for engine numbers up to 3575550 the remedy is as follows:
 Remove cylinder-head. Fit non-return valve to oil gallery of camshaft position (CMP) actuator.
 Refit cylinder-head. Fit modified camshaft position (CMP) actuator. Fit new cylinder-head cover gasket.
For engine numbers above 3575550 the remedy is slightly easier
 Just fit the modified camshaft position (CMP) actuator. Fit new cylinder-head cover gasket.
The part numbers of the modified items are:
Camshaft position (CMP) actuator – 71738360. Non-return valve – 60677899. Cylinder-head cover gasket (JTS) – 60669492.
Twin Spark cylinder-head cover gasket – 60655592.
Once the modification is completed the problem should be rectified.

BMW X1

DPF regeneration
Q
I have a 2013 BMW X1 2.0 sDrive 1.8d (engine code N47).
I think that the DPF now needs replacing as I have replaced
the MAF sensor that was preventing the vehicle from
going into regen. If you could take a look at the screenshot that
I have sent to you please, can you give me your opinion if it needs
replacing or can you suggest some other things to check before
I carry out replacement of the DPF.
Actions so far: rough running earlier this year, MAF sensor renew,
regen status checked sometime after MAF replacement, 480A fault
code and ~2500km since regen.
Request regen with diagnostic. Drive, not regen. Request regen.
Drive, no regen. Cleared fault, request regen. Drive, no regen.
DFP fuel additive. Checked regen status a couple of weeks later,
~600km since regen. 480A present. Cleared fault, request regen.
Drive, no regen. 481A and dash warning light on. Request regen
and drive a couple of times, no regen. JLM Foam DPF Cleaner used.
Drive, no regen but no dash light.
Checked ~2000km since regen. Dash light and 481A error. Code
cleared, drive, “Regen Active” showed on diagnostic but soot level not
reduced and light back on. Long drive, cleared code, 481A back on.
Leon Pratt
the full reason for the codes showing is known.
The DPF should normally regenerate, and as this is not the
case, then there may be contributing factors that should be
investigated before the replacement.
You have already renewed the MAF sensor and so this can
be eliminated, but the induction system should be checked
for any leaks. The integrity of the engine temperature sensors
should also be checked to ensure the reading are accurate – the
regeneration of the DPF is dependent on the temperature. The
gas temperatures showing on the screenshot you have sent
before the DPF of 64.36°C is below the 75°C required to begin
the regeneration. The upstream exhaust-gas temperatures will
be between 280 and 350°C during the regeneration.
The pressure sensors should also be checked to ensure that
these are reading and operating correctly.
There is also a common problem that can occur on your X1
with a failure of the EGR system, and again this may prevent
the regeneration from being performed. A blocked DPF is
usually the result of a problem not the source, and so by
replacing the DPF you may be able to remove the codes, but
the underlying problem may remain. At just over 70,000 miles
the DPF should not need replacing, and I would be reluctant at

A
The codes 480A and 481A as showing on the diagnostic
scan photo you sent, do indicate that the diesel
particulate filter is blocked and that an excess back
pressure is present, but the DPF should not be replaced until
this stage to carry this out without first identifying the source
of the problem.
It may be worth trying a forced stationary regeneration
which should be possible with suitable diagnostic equipment.

68 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

 Diagnostics Doctor

VAUXHALL ZAFIRA

Engine management light

Q
I have a Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 petrol with 38,000 miles –
Engine code A18XER. Occasionally the engine management
light comes on – the codes given are: P0068, P1101 and
P0171. The engine appears to run normally. Each time the light has
come on I have recorded the freeze-frame data and reset the codes.
Only one code brings the light on, and often at least one if not two
of the other codes are pending.
As the code P0171 appeared I initially thought there could be
an un-metered air leak but having sprayed the engine bay in brake
cleaner and having the short-term trim running on live data
I couldn’t see the engine speed pick up.
This engine appears to only have an inline air temp sensor and
MAP sensor with no MAF sensor. I have also checked the fuel tank
evaporation control valve on top of the engine. Removing it you
can’t blow through it and disconnecting the hose on the input side of the valve and having the live data running it appears to operate
when the car commanded and you can hear and feel the air flow through, and stop when closed.
The light is always triggered less than one minute from start up. To me the MAP sensors barometric pressure looks correct, the inline
temp sensor I think is also correct. Also, I think the data from the O2 sensor pre-catalytic converter looks correct (video attached).
I have included the pictures of the freeze-frame data from each separate event.
I have also tried looking at the live data while someone else drives and noticed on a couple of occasions the short-term trim hit 19%
positive, but it does seem erratic as can be seen in the freeze-frame – sometimes it can be 15% negative.
I’m thinking the problem is either with the throttle pedal or the throttle body. I assume it’s motorized on this car? If I have the key
on, engine off, and press the accelerator, the throttle position D & E both move exactly the same – I believe they should both read the
same and they just verify the pedal position. As for throttle position B, relative throttle position and absolute throttle position I don’t
know what these should read or what they mean? I have attached a video. Do these engines have an EGR valve?
If the butterfly in the throttle body is motorized and sticking/gummed up could this be the cause of these codes?
Is there any way of testing this?
Any help, thoughts or advice would be a great help. The MAP sensor
Matthew Fliege which may be at the
heart of the problems.

A
From the information I have on your engine, this does not have an EGR valve.
The system code P0171 does as you know indicate system too lean on bank 1,
but this can trigger due to an air leak in either the induction or the exhaust system.
If not already done, the integrity of the exhaust should also be checked as it can be the case that a
very small air leak into the exhaust which does not always create a blow, can be to blame. Another
source of the code can be due to the MAF or VAF sensor which, as you say, your Zafira engine does not have.
If we then also add into the equation the code P0068 which is indicating that there is a MAP/MAF sensor throttle correlation
problem, then this could point to more of a MAP sensor problem than the earlier indicated air leak possibility.
The throttle body on your Zafira is as on most vehicles motorised now, but this is not a direct connection from the throttle
pedal, but is operated by the engine control unit in response to the details from the throttle pedal as well as the input from
the engine sensors, and so the throttle position B, relative throttle position and absolute throttle position will not mirror the
action of the throttle when the engine is stationary. The engine control unit will make adjustments on the required throttle to
correlate the airflow perceived and the fuel input.
In the case of your engine without a MAF sensor, the perceived airflow will be from the details given by the MAP sensor.
The third code P1101 is somewhat of an anomaly as this is not a listed code for the vehicle, and I can see that this is also
indicated on your scanner as not in the database.
When this occurs it can be because the translation on the hexadecimal code from the manufactures data does not always
equate to a generic code. On earlier engines this code would translate to an airflow problem, so this is in the same area as the
previous two codes, but the generic details of the code would normally refer to the MAF sensor.
Presuming the basics have been covered and the air filter is in a good condition and nothing is restricting the airflow, then
the MAP sensor should be tested. This is tricky to access on your engine being located down the back of the inlet manifold.
Your MAP sensor has three wires, and these should be brown/green, green/white and black/white. This needs to remain
connected during the test procedure.
The first test is to ensure that with the ignition on the brown/green wire is correctly going to earth. This can be done using
an ohm meter to ensure good continuity through this circuit. The next wire to check is the black/white wire which should have
a 5V feed with the ignition on. The third wire is the output signal from the sensor to the ECU and this needs to be tested using
a vacuum pump on the sensor. The reading from the sensor should be 4.7-volts at rest, dropping to 3.9-volts at 5 in Hg, then
3-volts at 10 in Hg , and at around 1.1-volts at the maximum of 20 in Hg.
Any anomaly in these figures would be reason enough to replace the MAP sensor which I believe is the most likely source
of the problem.
Only after fully discounting the possibility of an air leak in any area or the failure of the MAP sensor, would I move on to
consider a throttle body problem or a low fuel pressure situation which is a less likely scenario.
I would also suggest that a smoke test may help to ensure that the inlet manifold and induction system is airtight, as the
brake cleaner spray test may not always show up such a problem.

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 Diagnostics Doctor
Diagnostics Doctor

CONTINUED Diagnostics Doctor

Diagnostics Doctor is a FREE helpline
service for CM readers – including
VAUXHALL INSIGNIA trade readers – who are struggling
with diagnostic/engine management
Bag of bolts The combined
related faults. Steve Rothwell will
answer all your queries. He will need
glow plug and
Q
We have a 2011 Vauxhall Insignia as much detail as possible: MAKE,
2.0 CDTi automatic. It’s running like cylinder pressure MODEL, YEAR, ENGINE CODE and
a bag off bolts. I have got the fault sensor fitted to the Insignia. NUMBER PLATE of your vehicle –
codes P039D, P03BI, P03BB and P03A7 but there is no engine management and the type of management system
light on. I am not sure where to start diagnosing on this one. DPF is at 71% at installed. Obviously, Steve will not be
the moment with no black smoke. The engine is knocking a lot and hunting on idle. able to assess the vehicle up close, so
Really need your help on this one. Many thanks. his answer will be on the basis solely of
Mark Deane your description. This is a FREE service
and it may take some time to respond
to certain problems. If you would like

A
If we start with the codes, P039D is indicating Cylinder 1 - pressure
variation high, P03B1 is indicating Cylinder 3 - pressure variation high, to receive a personal response via post,
P03BB is indicating Cylinder 4 - pressure variation high and P03A7 is please enclose an SAE.
e-mail:
indicating Cylinder 2 - pressure variation high. So, these codes are all indicating
cmdiagnostics@yahoo.co.uk
pressure variation in the cylinders.
The possible source of the codes is the same for all four and may be either the Write to:
wiring, cylinder pressure sensor or an ECM fault. The pressure sensor is part of the DIAGNOSTICS DOCTOR
glow plug. CAR MECHANICS,
The following tests are recommended. With the ignition off and the glow-plug KELSEY MEDIA
terminal disconnected, test to ensure the resistance between terminal 1 and earth THE GRANARY,
is below 5 ohms. The terminal 1 wires are all brown with a tracer and so will be DOWNS COURT
coloured brown/violet, brown/grey, brown/blue and brown/white. YALDING HILL,
Providing the readings are good and within tolerance the next test is to ensure YALDING, KENT
that the terminal 3 with the ignition on has a 5-volt feed. The terminal 3 wires are ME18 6AL
all black with a tracer and will be coloured black/violet, black/grey, etc.
If there are no apparent wiring or circuit problems, then the control module or the
sensors may be at fault, but I would suspect that the chance of the control module Common abbreviations
being at fault is far greater than all of the glow-plugs/sensors being at fault. ATS Air Temperature Sensor
AFM Air-Flow Meter – not a MAF type
(see below). It could be, for example,
VOLKSWAGEN TOURAN a vane type

High tick-over
CAS Crank Angle Sensor
CPS Crank Position Sensor
CTS Coolant Temperature Sensor

Q
I have a 2016 VW Touran 1.6 BlueMotion diesel – it’s done 104K and
ECT Engine Coolant Temperature
is on its original battery. Recently it’s developed a slightly high tick-over. This is a
ECM Electronic Control Module
relatively small problem, but one I’d like to fix before I sell the car. From cold, the
ECU Electronic Control Unit
engine turns at the normal 850 or so revs – but when I get going this rises to around 1000
to the effect that I can get to 30mph in 5th gear – foot off the accelerator pedal. My basic EGR Exhaust Gas Recirculation – meters
exhaust gas back to the intake manifold
code reader shows no codes.
EML Engine Management Light
I read somewhere that these engines, or the like, over rev like this to compensate for a weak
EMS Engine Management System
battery – I don’t know if there’s any truth in this. The battery shows 12.37V, vehicle at rest.
EPC Electronic Power Control
Also please, should I need a new battery – would this need to be coded in upon connection?
Peter John Ayton FCR Fault Code Reader
HT High Tension – ignition output to the
spark plugs

A
There is one problem that is common to your vehicle, although it does
IAV Idle Air Valve
normally give a slightly different problem, and this is the throttle pedal
connection between the harness and the throttle pedal itself. As this is quite ISCV Idle Speed Control Valve –
usually operated by a motor controlled
a common fault, I would start by checking the connecting plug and terminals for any by the ECU
corrosion or joint problems. LOS Limited Operating Strategy – if the
If no problems are found in this area, then it would be worth checking the live data ECU detects a malfunction, it runs a
programme to allow the car to still go,
on the engine sensors, air and coolant temperature, etc., to ensure that the ECM is not but at reduced efficiency
receiving false information causing the rise in tick-over speed. I would also check the
MAF Mass Air-Flow meter
intake manifold air control actuator to ensure this is not sticking.
MAP Manifold Air Pressure
Other causes of the rise in tick-over speed such as an injection fault would normally
MIL Malfunction Indicator Lamp
give other symptoms such as excessive smoke and uneven running, so I do suspect this
is a more likely to be a sensor which at some point is giving out incorrect information. PCV Positive Crankcase Ventilation – takes
crankcase gases and recycles back to
If the battery does need changing, there is no resetting procedure needed but the the inlet system
following process should be observed. TBPS Turbo Boost Pressure Sensor – used by
 Erase any trouble codes. the ECU to regulate turbo output
 Switch the ignition on, then wait 30 seconds before switching the ignition off again. TPS Throttle Position Sensor
 The ignition can then be switched on and the engine started. VSS Vehicle Speed Sensor
You will also find that the TCS/ESP warning lamp will illuminate – this will be WOT Wide Open Throttle
extinguished after a short drive.

70 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

TMD Q&A braking session
Take a Brake
TMD Friction provides best-practice
braking tips this winter
 Scott Irwin MIMI, Head of Technical Training at TMD Friction explains the impact that winter conditions can have on
the proper functioning of the braking system, providing the most relevant advice and support to take best care of it.
How does poor weather
affect brake pipes & hoses?
Particular attention should be paid to
vehicle brake pipes and hoses, both
rigid and flexible. Under the influence
of slush and snow, old brake fluid
with a lot of moisture in the system
can be a harmful influence on these
parts, as they can start to corrode
from inside or outside.
To verify a brake hose defect,
technicians should carefully examine
the hoses and their metal terminals
for leaks, rust or mechanical damage.
The hoses need to be in good
technical condition, as they act as
the carrier of the brake fluid and
are therefore crucial for the proper
functioning of the brake system.
And what about brake fluid
– how can you be sure it’s
sufficient for purpose?
The operational efficiency of the
brake fluid itself can be checked
using a special tester, such as
-MTL1000 from Mintex, which allows
the technician to determine the
exact boiling point of the brake
fluid. As the car battery heats the
brake fluid, the probe will take the
temperature, which typically takes
around 30 seconds.
Manufacturers recommend
replacing it on average every two
years or 60,000km, whichever comes
first. When replacing the brake fluid,
we must remember that boiling
point is not everything – for proper
operation of all systems, such as ABS/
ESP, it is not enough that the fluid
does not ‘boil.’
It must have the right viscosity,
which ensures sufficient fast
pressure changes in the system. It is
important to choose not only the DOT
classification by number, but also the
proper viscosity (e.g. DOT4, DOT4LV).
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What braking components
are particularly susceptible
to rust?
ABS plugs and rings are another
element susceptible to adverse winter
conditions. Some replacement plugs
do not have factory seals, for example.
In this case, the most dangerous
element is the moisture, which can
cause corrosion of electrical connectors.
The problem of rust can also
apply to calipers, brake pads and
discs, which means in all places
where moisture gets. The brake
pads can corrode together with the
guides, which will prevent their free
movement during brake operation.
The winter period is conducive to
these phenomena due to the increased
humidity. For example, a characteristic
rust coating may appear on the surface
of the brake disc. If these are trace
amounts, when braking, the driver
will hear the characteristic sound of
scraping, similar to that of grinding
steel with coarse sandpaper.
After a few braking operations, rust
will come off and the specific noise
will stop. In extreme cases, after a long
standstill, corrosion can permanently
damage the structure of the disc, so
it is important that the technician can
access high-quality parts and the owner
is advised to drive the car regularly.
Don’t forget to check
the handbrake cables
On the rear axle, the most common
fault is the corrosion of the handbrake
cables, which, if not used too often,
tends to corrode faster. If the cable
has a broken shield, water will get
inside it. This causes contamination
and progressive corrosion of the
All Mintex tools can be found here https://mintex.com/wp-content/
uploads/2016/04/Mintex-Tools-Brochure-LR.pdf
mintexbrakes
cable, especially of its ends, which in
conditions of negative temperature
can lead to a blockage.
If the water in the cable shield
freezes, it may not be possible to
release the handbrake in the cold.
Why is correct assembly
& maintenance of the
braking system so
important in winter?
In order to avoid problems with
the braking system during winter,
first of all it is recommended to
check regularly its condition and
if necessary to replace individual
elements with new ones.
From the point of view of the
correct operation of the brakes,
assembly and maintenance of the
system is very important.
It should be remembered that
the appropriate points should be
protected against corrosion with a
dedicated ceramic or synthetic grease,
depending on the purpose, such as
Mintex Ceratec – MINCERA01 (75ml
tube) or MINCERASACHET (5ml sachet).
It is also worth using the vehicle
manufacturer’s operating instructions.
At mintex.com you can find
information about lubricants and other
products from Mintex’s vast range.
mintex_official www.mintex.com
February 2023 Car Mechanics 71
 Electronic CITROËN
C4
Diagnostics 1.6 HDi
Tracing and fixing faults in electronic engine management systems
Rob Hawkins visits Mark Shipman
of Auto Electrical Services near York
to discover some of the common
engine management issues on
the diesel engine Citroën C4.

R
aising the bonnet of the 2008 Citroën
C4 1.6 HDi that was manufactured
between 2004 and 2011, Mark Shipman
at AES points out the failed seal for
injector number one (the nearest one to the
offside of the engine bay), which can result in
catastrophic damage should a build-up of carbon
deposits get into the engine and block the oil supply
to the turbocharger. He also assures me that between
the back of the engine and the bulkhead, there’s an air
filter, recalling how when he worked at a dealership, they
had figured out a quicker means of changing it by supporting the Tech Specs
engine, undoing the offside engine mount and moving the engine to gain access – Engine code 5FR
the official method involves removing the scuttle panel trim. Engine oil 5W-30 fully-synthetic
Neglectful servicing is inevitable when a component as simple as an air filter is (recommended grades
so hard to access. The fuel filter is similarly awkward and can result in running issues vary according to climate)
if it’s not renewed on schedule. Oil capacity 3.8 litres (with filter)
Mark comments that the recommended service interval for the C4 when it was new Coolant capacity 6.5 litres (Glysantin G33)
was a staggering 20,000 miles, even for an oil change! What with the aforementioned TORQUE SETTINGS
components being difficult to access and the value of these vehicles dropping after Sump plug 25Nm (+/-3Nm)
a few years, it’s not that easy to find one that has been looked after, not to mention Oil filter 25Nm
one that has been serviced more than the recommended intervals. As you’ll see over Road wheels 100Nm
the following pages, there are plenty of potential problems to be aware of.

1560cc 4-cylinder turbodiesel 110PS 12V FUSES

BATTERY & ECU
FUEL FUEL FILTER
HAND UNDER
PUMP INDUCTION
PIPE

INLET AIR
TEMPERATURE
SENSOR

BOOST
PRESSURE INJECTORS x 4
SENSOR

THROTTLE
BODY
WITH
POSITION NEGATIVE/EARTH
SENSOR TURBOCHARGER CONNECTION

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 Electronic Diagnostics CITROËN C4 1.6 HDi

Typical Citroën C4 COMPONENTS

 If you need to connect a boost
1 pack to the vehicle (useful if you are
connecting a fault code reader and need to
avoid inconsistent readings due to a voltage
drop), there’s a negative/earth connection
along the nearside of the slam panel.

 The main fusebox is located

2 on the nearside of the engine
bay. Release and remove a black
plastic lid to see several main fuses
and large plug connectors. The
ECU is in front (on the left of our
photograph) and there’s a live main
feed connection between them. The
glow plug relay is in front of the ECU.
Below the battery, there’s a separate
3 control unit for the gearbox (Magneti
Marelli), which in this case is an automatic
6-speed EGS (Electronic Gearbox System)
automated manual.

With the small engine cover removed (it sits in four locating
The fuel filter is hidden underneath the brake fluid reservoir on 5 dowels, so prise it up and off), the four injectors are clearly
4 the nearside of the engine bay. It’s an awkward job to replace, so visible. See Fault 2 for further details on one of the most common
often gets neglected, which can result in running issues – see Fault 1. problems associated with these engine components.

The turbo actuator is located below the turbocharger and visible

7 from the front nearside of the engine bay. It’s vacuum-operated
Access to the turbocharger couldn’t be any better on the C4. and the valve that controls it is inconveniently located at the back of
6 Mark reports that it’s reliable but is let down by other issues the engine. The valve is known to fail, resulting in a lack of power and
that starve it of oil, resulting in failure (see Fault 2). sometimes raising faults relating to boost pressure regulation.

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Electronic Diagnostics CITROËN C4 1.6 HDi Thanks to
AES York Limited
01904 780149
Typical Citroën C4 COMPONENTS autoelectricsyork.co.uk

On the opposite side of the exhaust There’s a coolant temperature

Underneath the turbo actuator is
8 an exhaust gas temperature sensor.
Mark has found this component is reliable
on the C4.
9 downpipe (offside), there’s a DPF
pressure sensor outlet. This is routed around
to the front of the engine (the offside of the
engine bay), where the sensor is mounted
above the alternator.
10 sensor between the battery and the
engine, on the nearside of the engine bay.
There’s also a useful bleed valve above
it, which can help when refreshing the
coolant and extracting any trapped air.

On the offside of the engine bay, there are three sensors to be

11 aware of, all within close proximity of each other. The first and
largest is the throttle body with a position sensor, intended for smoother The inlet air temperature sensor is next to the throttle body
gearchanges and to prevent the engine shuddering after switching off. 12 and secured to the induction/boost pipe with a single bolt.

Access to the OBDII socket is from inside

14 the vehicle. First, extract the ashtray
from the centre console (forwards of the gear
selector/stick) to see the socket behind it.

On the opposite side of the boost

13 pipe, there’s a boost pressure sensor,
which is also located with a single bolt.

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 Electronic Diagnostics CITROËN C4 1.6 HDi
Typical Citroën C4 FAULTS
INJECTOR SEAL – Failure of one or more injector
seals is common according to Mark at AES, which FAULT
can lead to a string of catastrophes. From the top
of the engine, look for a build-up of carbon around
the injector, which sits inside a tube in the cylinder-
2 whenever the fuel filler cap is released – there’s a
head. If there’s a sufficient amount of carbon created
from the failed seal, it can harden and drop into the engine,
potentially blocking the oil strainer and feed for the turbocharger
(and it can block the vacuum pump). Note that when identifying
an injector, number one is on the nearside (closest to the gearbox)
– the one that has failed in our photograph.
AIR FILTER LOCATION – With the air filter at the
back of the engine bay and concealed, it’s not only FAULT
neglected during a service, but if it is changed,
the rubber doughnuts that its housing is located
in usually break, so they should be replaced. If they
4 CUTTING OUT – If the engine cuts out under load
are not, then the air filter can move around, rubbing
against a hard plastic coolant pipe, which eventually creates a
leak and coolant loss. If the coolant loss isn’t caught in time, the
engine can overheat and cause further problems, such as head
gasket or even engine failure.
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BLOCKED FUEL FILTER – The awkwardness
FAULT
of accessing the fuel filter means it’s rarely
changed, not to mention having to use the
hand pump at the back of the engine bay to
prime it, or if that isn’t fitted, to release the fuel
1
line shown in the photograph below (the one with
the green tag), which Mark at AES says he has to connect a
vacuum bleed system to bleed air out. A blocked fuel filter
may result in a fuel pressure fault under hard acceleration.
ELOY ADDITIVE – A bag of Eloy should last
for around 100,000 miles, but it’s only applied FAULT
magnet inside the filler cap and upon unscrewing
and removing the cap, you should be able to hear
3
the Eloy being squirted into the tank. If you only add
five or ten quid of fuel at a time, then the Eloy may run out before
the 100k mark. There are no sensors to warn of this, so without
the additive, which helps to lower the burn point to remove the
soot inside the DPF, the DPF can block up.
RATTLY HEATSHIELD – Check the heatshield at the
front of the engine bay is securely fitted. It covers FAULT
5
and protects the DPF and turbocharger. If it’s loose,
it can rattle and vibrate against the oil cooler,
resulting in a leak and a much bigger problem.
and/or is difficult to start, check the live data for
fuel pressure and also inspect the 5V live wiring to FAULT
6
the EGR valve and the fuel pressure sensor. They
share the same live feed, which can short-circuit
if water gets into the electrical plug for the EGR
valve – check the plug for damp and corrosion.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 75
 Our Cars
The wheelarch liner was also
removed to give a bit more room
Andrew to get the strut out. I ideally want
a roll cab to help keep my tools
Rolland neat when I’m working outside.
Special Contributor

Shocks
are shot

T
he advantage of being a
driveway DIYer is I am poking
around my 2013 BMW 535i
that often I can spot any
looming issues and be ready to rectify
them before they get serious. When
I had my head under the offside rear
wheelarch carrying out brake bleeding
(see CM Oct 2022), I spotted that the
shock absorber was leaking, which is
a sure sign that it is not perfect – and
most likely an MOT failure. It was a
serious enough leak for me to smell the
hydraulic fluid that was leaking out.
Six years ago, whilst my car was still consequently any other components to replace something else. And for example,
under a BMW warranty, I had the offside be replaced just adds to the parts cost when I’m taking them apart, I discover
front coil spring replaced at 38,000 rather than the labour time. Therefore, that the top mounts are worn, I’m then
miles. Three years ago, I replaced the after a bit of soul searching, I decided to not waiting for more parts to arrive or
nearside rear coil spring on this car not just replace the pair of rear shocks worse, having to take it all back to bits
at 50,000 miles and it was a bit of a but to go for completely new rear stuts again in a short space of time to renew a
wrestling match. To replace either the on both sides – as in top mounts, bump part I should have purchased originally.
spring or shock absorber on this F10 stops, spring pads and coil springs. Some of the other rubber components
model, the whole strut needs to be I might as well do everything – that way on my nearly 10-year-old BMW are
dismantled into its component parts, I won’t ever have to go back in again and showing their age, so it’s a no-brainer

With a single 21mm spanner or socket, it’s so much safer and easier to
compress a spring with this tool than with the smaller threaded types.

Access to the
strut top mounts
is under the rear
speakers on the
parcel shelf, but
to access that,
As usual with febi, the packaging gives the corresponding BMW part I must move the
numbers which ensures a straightforward reliable fit. kiddie seats.

More than 47,000 spare parts

partsfinder.bilsteingroup.com

76 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME


for me – just bite the bullet and replace
the lot. Besides I suspect I’ve got a
creaking front top mount, so the rears
may not be far behind. Within a short
space of time, I had everything I needed
to replace the struts including a pair of
shiny febi top mounts and pair of very
white febi bump stops. I wonder how
long they will stay white for?
Since you read about my efforts in
replacing a front road spring in the June
2022 of CM, I have acquired a better set
of coil spring compressors. I opted for
the large single screw with variable yokes
type which I could mount in a vice and
work safely to build up the struts.
There is just insufficient space to get a 15° arc
needed to get one click from my Teng Tools
torque wrench ratchet.
Search more than 62,000 different articles.
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Our Cars Andrew Rolland
The reason I complained about doing
this job is that the lower strut bolt is
quite tricky to access – the car needs to
be quite high up to allow you to get a
sufficiently long enough lever to undo it
from being tightened up to 250Nm. With
the car’s backside sticking unnaturally
high above my driveway on a pair of axle
stands to allow the suspension to fully
drop, both lower stut bolts came undone
easier than expected. It’s then a simple
case of undoing the three top mount nuts
and with a bit of wriggling and levering
the hub down with a pry bar – and the
old strut is out from under the car. On
the second strut I removed the rear anti-
roll bar link to give me a bit more room to
help get the bottom of the strut out from
under the vehicle. Much easier this time.
New ramps
Refitting is a reversal of removal, except
you must tighten that lower strut bolt to
250Nm with the weight of the car sat on
its wheels so the rubber bush in the shock
absorber’s lower mount is not stressed
up when the suspension is at its normal
position. I’ve invested in a pair of heavy-
duty scissor ramps (from CJ Autos) which
allows me to have the car high enough
up in the air with the suspension at its
normal position, so I can get a decent
length of torque wrench to tighten the
bolt. With the car sat at its normal ride
height, the position of the lower strut bolt
is higher up in relation to the gap between
the lower suspension arms and driveshaft
than it was when undoing the bolt.
Using a digital torque adapter between a
universal joint and an extension bar with a
750mm long breaker bar – and after much
grunting, I heard it beep at 250Nm.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
My torque wrench
that is big enough
to torque to 250Nm
has only 24 teeth on
its ratchet, meaning
I need a sizeable space to swing it more
than 15° to get a turn of the bolt and
back again for the next turn. There just
isn’t enough room as the gap between the
suspension arms and the driveshaft does
not permit a big enough angle of swing
when the suspension is at its normal
position. There are very few options
here to tighten that bolt and keep the
suspension at the correct position. I can’t
access from the wheel side obviously and
there is another pair of upper suspension
arms that prevent access from over the
top and the exhaust silencers also don’t
help. Thankfully I had a special gadget in
my toolbox for just such an occasion.
With the tough bit over, I could breathe
a sigh of relief and tighten the top mount
nuts to a mere 28Nm. This was straight
forward, except I managed to drop my
13mm socket into the speaker recess in
the parcel shelf and I could not see it nor
feel it with my fingers. Oh bother. That is
only going to potentially rattle and annoy
me. Plus, it’s the only 13mm ⅜in-drive
socket I have. However, on the test drive
I soon forgot about the missing socket
as the ride was noticeably firmer, with
the back end feeling more planted on the
local twisty B-roads.
Happy days. Should I now change the
front shocks too?
When a borescope failed to locate my 13mm
socket, I resorted to removing the various trim
panels from in the boot to see if I could find it...
...with no sign of the socket from the boot,
I had to remove both C-trim panels to allow
me to pull forward the parcel shelf to discover
it lurking behind the seatbelt inertia reel.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 77
 Our Cars
Steve
Rothwell
Technical Editor

Blower
no blow

H
aving just arranged to look at
the 2007 Fabia 1.4 TDI that
I bought cheap last year –
and having ensured that the
brakes were good for the winter and the
upcoming MOT, a couple of weeks past
after having completed the work, when
I then get a call from my granddaughter
who is using the Skoda, telling me the
heater blower isn’t working. So I ask, is
it working on full speed? No, she says it
isn’t working on any speed.
So, I then ask, was it noisy before it
stopped? No, she said it was OK, then
it wasn’t. It was working OK, then the
next time I tried nothing.
Arranging for her to come along and
see me, I spent a short time contorted
under the passenger side of the dash
with a test light probing the feed wires
to the motor after which I could confirm
that yes the feed was good to the motor,
but no it wasn’t working! It could only
be the motor that had failed. This
was a slight surprise to me because in
most incidents it is the blower motor
resistor that fails, and the fan motor
will normally chug on and on, becoming
noisy before it finally fails, but having
checked this one out, it was without
doubt, the blower motor that had failed.
Ordering parts
The next step was to arrange getting
one, and I was pleased when I went on
the partsfinder.bilsteingroup.com
website to find out that febi bilstein
did indeed have a heater motor and fan
assembly that they could supply.
This was a pleasant surprise because
I am sure that like many people, I normally
associate febi bilstein with service items
and suspension parts – I would say it is
certainly worth checking out the wide
range of parts that they actually do supply.
The fan assembly arrived by next day
delivery and so it was time to get my
granddaughter back to fit the unit.
I had studied the VAG electronic
service information system and was
pretty confident of the steps I needed to
take to remove the old motor and fit the
new one into place. The problem was,
the dash shown on the electronic manual
had a nice glovebox on the passenger
side, and by simply removing this, access
to the heater motor was granted.
My 2007 Skoda was, it appeared,
a base model without the luxury of a
glovebox. This instead is fitted with
a couple of cubby holes located in the
same position. I thought that this would
mean the panel containing the cubby

The new fan

unit from
febi bilstein
ready to fit.

Instead of the glovebox there was a panel with two

cubby hole which I had presumed could be removed.

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78 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME


A single screw hidden at the rear of the cubby
hole was I suspected securing it in place.
holes that was sat in the same place as
the glovebox on the standard model,
would be removable in the same manner
as the glovebox. I was wrong!
After a short time of further
contortionist activity under the dash
I realised that this was not the case. The
panel was secured to the main section of
dash by plastic fixings which had been
melted into place, integrating this section
with the main dash panel. This section
was not going to be removed on its own
and the dash needed to come out, to gain
full access to the heater motor fixings.
I do not enjoy removing dash panels
– often, as in this case, opt to release
as little as possible. The heater blower
motor is held onto the heater ducting
with four small screws, and two of these
were easily visible from below the dash,
the other two of course were not. My
plan was to gain enough access to these
screws to allow the removal of the fan,
without removing the dash.
I began the process of stripping out
the bolts securing the dash into position
to allow it to move forward sufficiently
to replace the blower motor without
With the passenger airbag removed there was
quite a good view of the blower motor.
Searching becomes finding!
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Our Cars Steve Rothwell
Looking at the rear of the section containing
the cubby holes, I realised that it had been
secured to the dash with melted plastic fixings.
having to completely strip out the dash.
Removing the passenger airbag gave
access from the top, whilst removing
the radio and surround gave access to
the right, with the end panel off there
was then access to the left side of the
blower assembly.
But even with the access to the screws,
the dash still needed to be moved away
from the body to give enough room to
remove the motor from the housing –
I did, though, achieve this without the
full dash removal. Was this the quickest
way, well that may be debatable.
Awkwardness
Once out, the new fan assembly was
slipped into place and positioned. Then
the job of refitting the screws began. It
is a fact that it is easier to remove an
awkward screw than replace it. Slowly
and with a nice long ¼in-drive extension
and a universal joint, the screws were
gently fed into position securing the new
motor in place.
Before getting too excited, the next step
was to plug the motor in to be sure all
It was possible to remove the old unit without
totally stripping out the dash assembly.
IN ASSOCIATION WITH
I needed to contort
myself up under
the dash to remove
and replace the
blower motor.
was now OK. This produced a lovely rush
of air from the vents, allowing a smile.
Even though I had tested the feed to
the motor and confirmed this was good,
there is still always an element of doubt,
until the motor is actually spinning.
Having powered the motor up, I could
now be confident that once the dash was
all secured back into position all would
be well. Pushing the dash back into place
and replacing the securing screws was a
straightforward process – this part of the
job took very little time.
Just as I was finishing, my
granddaughter also commented that
a brake light was out! This was a nice
easy bulb replacement and was carried
out in no time, although I have already
replaced the same bulb three times
now – the last time I used a bulb from a
different source, just to be sure I hadn’t
picked up a bad batch.
Thankfully, she is good at carrying out
her vehicle checks, and so picked up the
problem quickly. I just hope that this
bulb lasts a little longer, otherwise I will
be investigating the reason for the short
life of the brake light bulbs…
Using a ¼in-drive set with a good universal
joint, the top and most awkward securing
screw could be removed and replaced.
February 2023 Car Mechanics 79
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 In my
Humble Opinion
Mike Humble wonders if it’s ever worth being neighbourly sometimes.

Sometimes, it pays to stay away!

 I have touched upon this before on here I’m sure about
trying to avoid doing those jobs and favours involving friends
and families. So often I hear of proper fall outs hence I try,
unless it’s an emergency or financial desperation kicks in,
not go anywhere near – sometimes it does not warrant the
heartache. A little while back when I resided in the County
metropolis of Bedford, I had one of those chats with
a near neighbour that was having difficulties with his
mum’s car. It transpired that she had been widowed
for a couple of years and lost some confidence when
it came to driving on her own. Time had passed and
she was looking to get mobile once again. She owned a
1.6 Maestro that had been parked idle for a little while.
I recall giving him a hand for beer money helping him
change the exhaust front pipe which requires the dropping
of the front anti-roll bar from the clamps prior to booking it in
for an MOT. After that, I didn’t see him for a number of weeks.
As is often the case in this world, once the requirement of
your usefulness ends, you see neither hide nor hair of folk. “As is often the case
Then akin to the shopkeeper in the cartoon Mr Benn magically
appearing, he was ringing my doorbell one evening.
in this world, once
His mum had mentioned that everywhere she left the car, it the requirement
left a business card behind in the form of an oil leak. Standing
on the porch I told him for sure it would probably be the
of your usefulness
rear crankshaft pulley seal behind the flywheel. He seemed ends, you see
adamant it was the sump though I did mention it was a pretty
common issue on cars that have been parked up for long neither hide nor
periods idle. More to the point, the ‘S’ series engine this car was
fitted with is extra known for doing this during ownership of
hair of folk”
mega low mileages. Off he went again convinced he was right, coming home from work, my then partner told me of a heated
and I never saw Tim for another couple of weeks. discussion she’d had with the owner of the Maestro.
He nobbled me on the front: ‘I think you’re right’ he quipped, In a nutshell, I was being threatened of being sued if I did
‘changed the sump gasket and it made no difference. If anything not put the car right. Angered by this I called in to Tim’s first –
it’s getting worse’. Further intelligence found that the clutch was and pretty-much dragged him by his ear to his mum’s house. It
now juddering owing to oil contamination in the bellhousing. transpired the Maestro was running rough, refusing to rev beyond
I should have backed away at this point, but something found 3500rpm without coughing, popping and banging. Just by
me offering to lend a hand for beer money if he needed help. hearing the car run, I knew EXACTLY what was amiss. Removing
the 8mm nut that holds the crank sensor into the bellhousing,
I pulled it out noting the tip was bent to some 25 degrees off
Low-cost parts kilter. I asked Tim if he rammed a big screwdriver into the teeth
Being convinced we could punch this job out in well under a of the clutch cover to fully tighten the cover plate to crank bolts
day, we set to it the next Saturday morning. My younger brother – a common bodge in the day. Dumb silence meant he had.
used to work for EBC before moving to Cosworth Racing so a What happens is one or two reluctor teeth that give the ECU
clutch kit was sourced by him for little more than cost plus 5% – a correct timing mark get bent and as the revs get higher, if the
I recall the bearing, plate and cover costing me something like sensor too is damaged or bent, the ECU cannot get an accurate
£18 all in. One of my workmates had a brand-new crank seal reading causing massive misfiring and poor running. The only
lying in a toolbox tray, so that cost nothing. You tend to find fix is to remove the gearbox, carefully bend the teeth straight
that time-served fitters of a single brand tend to have more new and renew the crank position sensor. By now Tim’s mum was
parts sitting in toolboxes than what you’d find in the stores. looking daggers at him and profusely apologetic to me and
The gearbox was pulled out and the seal replaced in asked what it would take for me to put right the wrongs. Divine
no time, to which I told Tim to re-assemble the clutch and intervention was my reply, I’d inadvertently fallen out with all
flywheel while I popped home for lunch. Upon my return, he parties, I was seriously p***ed off with the whole affair and
was puffing away refitting the gearbox and I was relieved of turned about and walked the 400 yards home.
my services when he told me would finish off. He weighed After a day of cooling down, I got in touch with Linda and
me in for the parts supplied plus a few notes for my troubles told her to bring the Maestro into the dealership the next
and I put my tools away, threw them into the car and went Saturday where I went at it – and I never uttered a word to
home a few quid better off than I had been a few hours earlier. that bloody Tim again.
Once again, nothing was heard about until one day after Favours for friends and neighbours? – You’ve been warned!

82 Car Mechanics February 2023 shop.kelsey.co.uk/subscription/CME

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