bignev

Managed to scan part of my book, shows that in theory 10w 40 is totally suitable for our climate. But as mine is petrol, I have just read onwards, see this about the diesel oil - sorry to put the cat amongst the pigeons as it were, but Chrysler recommend 10W-40 for diesels, see the second page below. Oil Grades.pdf

If you have the original handbook (of any car) there is an interesting chart which shows the crossover ambient air temps of the oil grades. As Qinteq says we don't exactly have real extremes of cold (2 years around 2008 ish excepting I believe). But as 5w 30 is thinner it helps get round quicker on cold starts, and less drag on running. One of the several reasons almost all stuff uses it now - fuel economy. And people used to warm up engines before driving, a long time ago hey! But as an old school engineer I used t worry how it could do its job when it was like pee when pouring it in, but it does. I did try 10w 40 for a week in my 3.3 petrol as a flush through, didn't sound or feel or start any different. Back to Magnatec after that. On another point, lots don't recommend it, but I've used actual "Flushing Oil" on a few occasions in my 2.5 diesel van. It takes 8 litres! Followed by a sacrificial oil change before putting the proper oil in. It looked like new through the filler for ages, and ran and sounded better too. Just an interesting point, the motor factors tried to sell me 5w 30 full synthetic for it, after 6 years of 10w 40, their data base had changed. So I carried on with the 10w 40 semi it was built with. Had it just short of 10 years, and about 20 oil changes - because it can do lots of short trops some weeks which means repeated cold starts and the usual sooty diesel oil.

Yep, sounds just like my rear discs. Didn't have to take hub off though, managed to back off the adjuster, and get brutal with a lump hammer on the discs.

Never had a problem with rain on side windows, without deflectors. Whats going on there then? Something to do with the small channel at the side of the screen to the A pillar possibly. Those deflectors look fine to me too.

Cheers Semmysonic! All 3 did / do the same so probably some strange Chrysler wonderous thing.

Hi guys, I've used 28" on mine for nearly 4 years, as that's what mine had on it. Until this very weekend, when on the way back from Anglesey (Sea Zoo with the kids) my less than a week old Bosch 28" touched, the drivers side just catching the underside of the passengers as it came down. That then presented a bit of a problem as it buggered up the end section of arm. Anyway the up shot is that the Bosch are approx 1/4" longer, and that was enough to cock it up. Have previously bought pairs off ebay for £3.95, very good for the dosh, don't last as long but jolly cheap. Am now running 28" passenger and 26" drivers!!! Compromise hey! Cheers fellas, Nev

Thanks for that, appreciate the effort. The fans come on when the gauge is on the mark below the halfway one, and full temp on mine is literally just under the halfway mark. Our first GV with LPG TECH used to not change over until it was a fair way up, but obviously in winter that could be a while, so my guys adjusted it so it swapped to gas at about the quarter line or just under - but hot enough so it heats the gas to work properly. Which is around where our "new" one with BRC does it. One or 2 very hot days in summer it started up and immediately went to gas, but wouldn't drive on it - just got a bit warm sat under the car port in the sun!!! Only 30 seconds of fast idle and it was away though.

Hi Peter81, did you get it sorted? Were the central locking controls up the shoot too? Nev

Unless your fuel gauge / warning light are pessimistic for some reason. I wouldn't want to risk it on your diesel (mine's petrol - LPG), but if you carried a couple of 5 litre cans of diesel with you and ran till it stopped, then filled it, that would confirm it. I wouldn't risk that though, I don't know but should guess bleeding the fuel through would be a git. Unless of course it's really really bugging you then if you have it you could call your breakdown cover to get it running again. My Renaul Master Van has a 100 litre tank, but for the first 2 years it thought it had a 60 litre one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Light would come on and I would fill up with around 55 litres to the top!!!!!

They aren't on all the time, work normally when hot, in traffic cutting in / out, same with AC when it's on, (mostly it's not). And it doesn't do it all the time. But definitely noticeable when not going anywhere on the drive as I said.

On all 3 cars? My code reader (that has read others on it) has never shown, any or pending, codes.

Cheers!!

Yep I've had the ring changed on our 2002 GV, the ABS was kicking in all the ruddy time so had nearly no brakes!! And when my mrs kept driving through puddles in it to amuse the kids the ABS pump drowned, Easy fix, took the fuse out till it dried out.

Hi there, seems good money to me for that lot! My guess would have been the disc pad JUST touching the disc making the noise instead of the bearing, but same result anyway, cause being the bearing having a tiny bit of play. Good luck with the job, my rear discs were a git to remove because of the handbrake shoes. And these not so lightweight automatic cars do have an appetite for front pads hey! My mrs kills them faster than my 3.5 ton van does!!! Nev

Hi guys, Anyone else with a 3.3 V6 have their cooling fans come on before it's up to normal operating temperature? Just thought I'd ask, it's always done it. In fact all 3 of my GV's have. It's difficult to notice really, but a bugger on cold days when I notice it. It does it wether it's been driven, or idling on the drive say for oil changes, or just to run it if it's been stood. If I turn the engine off and start it up again they stay off. Cheers, Nev

Excellent! Had to do mine too, but had done water pump, tensioner, and belts before that (water pump was leaking and had a blade broken off!!!). Got one that wasn't quite right, plastic and in theory replaced the correct part, but the Mopar bearing I got from the US wasn't that dear. I think it was part number 04792581AB.

Ah that explains it, seemed very strange!!!

Hi Semmysonic how's it going? Could be a few things, bearing as you suggest, the start of the alternator "grumble", or maybe just the ancillary belt for the steering / water pump / alternator. If it starts when you put it in gear it may possibly point toward the alternator. Mine started just like that, a bit of a rattly sqeak, at any time, then built up to a "wuh wuh" grumble when in gear or air con on - worse with both! When it gets worse it will be easier to find!!!! If it is the alternator don't panic, it's not too bad a job, my other posts on here around September describe it, "noisy engine when in gear" but the belt is a bugger on your own! And when I changed the alt, the bearing on the old one felt fine, but the new one was quiet, so that's what it was. Cheers, Nev (05 GV 3.3)

If I read that right minus 40 c then no it won't kick in. What the outside temp? Not too relevant really. The system and aslo the refigerant gas won't do its job at that cold a temperature If its plus 40 C then you could have lots of differnt problems, simplest is low on AC gas. We are all a bit late on a reply for this, from August!!!!

Cracking that well pleased for you!

Yes I'd def want to keep it too. And if it's on your drive (like ours was) you are in a bit of a better position. Our insurers wanted to move it to "Safe Storage". Having had a motorcycle damaged a lot further by their so call safe storage people we said sod off. So when they asked for all the documents - including service receipts! - to scrap it - it was a good position to be in to tell them to get lost. Hope it works out for you, keep us posted! Cheers Nev

We used to have a Subaru Impreza, similar incident but front end dsamage too. It's a few years ago (2007) so things change, but we were paid out, with a deduction for the value of our car. I repaired it at my leisure, took it for an MOT, and becauswe it was CAT D had to have a VIC - Vehicle Identy Check. Then got on with driving it again. Hope this helps, but someone with more recent experience would be better. Will the insurers tell you what they would want to happen - or are they not being very helpful, as usual! And if you don't keep it what condition of car could you buy?! - if yours is good I'd say better the devil you know.

Sounds brilliant, sadly nothing like that near me.

Hi guys, My GV's are both LPG. But on the diesel subject I have a 9 year old Renault Master van that I've had from new. Long wheel base high roof - big rascal. Weighs in a 3.1 tons with my kit in it, and does 35mpg on a run, 30 round town. (Less in winter) I use Millers diesel enhancer. And it was backed up by unprompted comment from my local diesel injection specialist - who doesn't sell it - how he can tell the difference when they are working on a system that has used it. It's now called diesel power ecomax - branding upgrades!! Engine is slightly smoother with it (no matter who's fuel it's running - supermarket or big brand) and a couple more mpg. When I run out and have been without for as short while it just doesn't feel quite as "nice". A 500ml bottle at around £9 treats 500 litres. And at each MOT test the emissions are very low, never yet a problem on the smoke test, always a long way under the limit, nearly nothing. Yes it does get "an Italian tuneup" on occasion. But however it also does a lot of short work depending where my work is that week. Another bloke I know who runs a specialist black cab maintenance garage suggested "Cataclean" for one off cleans. Made a couple of MPG difference to our newest GV when we first got it and was still on petrol for a while. And if a manufacturer dared to recomend one additive I would guess the others may just have something to say about it, and then of course questions would be raised as to why their engines aren't good enough without it, why are they saying fuel isn't good enough, etc.

Definitely not!! Total bargain price that is. The best I can do is when we need anything that Morrisons supermarkets sell gift vouchers for, including Amazon, Halfords, Currys and loads more, we can save a packet on the next fill up. Just had to buy a new washing machine, got the cheapest deal from Currys, bought £230 gift vouchers. Had already spent £150 on Christmas presents at Toys R Us, so then saved 38p ltr on my next fuel up!! The downside is their gas price is 51p ltr at the moment. But paying 13p ltr made me smile a lot.