Roger Blassberg

Is that very low compression value on one cylinder or all of them? If it is just one, I would suspect an hydraulic cam follower is jacking up on cold, thick oil and holding the valve partially open. When the oil heats up and gets thinner, it reverts to normal clearance and fully closes the valve. I would be surprised if that diagnosis applied if all cylinders are leaking compression, unless you had all the followers replaced with a faulty or incorrectly specified batch. Best wishes RB

1 horsepower = 33000 ft. lbs/minute = 746 Watts. That is like carrying about 12 full sized bags of cement, plus your own weight, up one storey flight of steps in one minute. Power is the rate of doing work, so there is a dimension of time involved. If you are reasonably fit, you might be able to work at about one-third of a horsepower but not for very long. So, a VR engine works at nearly 600 times the rate that you do, for hours at a time. Lighter wheels have the advantage of reducing unsprung weight, so your suspension is more able to control wheel movements, but as others have said here, most road alloys are insignificantly lighter than steel rims and it doesn't make that much difference. Only ultra-light ones will have a perceptible effect, and will be too fragile for the pot-holed farm tracks we call roads. Basically, it's all about appearance. Larger diameter rims will have a greater radius of gyration and polar moment of inertia, so will need more time to accelerate and decelerate, and will have a greater gyroscopic effect on steering. Best wishes RB

I had the same on 2 Golfs, Mk I and Mk 2 GTi s; it turned out to be the fuel pump relay on both. Best wishes RB

And get new ABS cages. The old ones may well get damaged when you remove them from the old hubs. About £10 each from VAG. Tap them on gently. Clean all the crud off of the caliper carriers, or the new pads will stick. The hub nut is not done up tight - just enough to stop the hub from rocking on the stub axle, which means little more than finger tight. Best wishes RB

We have been here before, quite recently. To control humidity, try to get some silica gel from an electronics manufacturer - it's a desiccant. If you put a few big bags of the stuff inside the cabin it will do the job. If you do that, it's best to shut the windows. Also, lightly spray a domestic fungicide (the stuff your chambermaid does the bathroom tiles with) onto the upholstery and the seat belts. Make sure it hasn't got bleach in it though. If you can, get the wheels off the ground to stop flat-spotting the tyres; alternatively get someone to drive it occasionally. If the engine is started make sure that it is then thoroughly warmed up; the worst thing you can do is just to start it for a few seconds and then switch it off again for ages. If you do leave it for a long time without starting, when the time comes get the oil pressure up without firing so that the cam and crank bearings and the hydraulic followers are fully lubricated under as low a load as possible. Best wishes RB

How do I type an almost silent, mumbled 51..............? Anon

I have just renewed the fully comp. insurance with First Alternative (sister company to esure, backed up by Halifax/Bank of Scotland), on the Internet. This may be of interest to people. Unmodified VR6, clean licence, no accidents in last 3 years, maximum ncd, living in St Albans, car kept on driveway, not a scrap metal dealer etc (although the number of worn out parts I throw in the skip makes me wonder sometimes), of a certain undisclosable age, licence held since before the green paper ones were introduced. Up to 13 000 miles per year. £317. Seems like good value to me. Broker quoted £475 from Highway, £495 from Zenith. Best wishes RB

I thought that the effect of the knock sensors was only on the ignition timing. Best wishes RB

ooooo !! My word !! I get another star. I'll have to put my hourly rate up. Nowhere near the beknighted Kev., of course. 10029 posts in under 2 years, that's an average of about 14 a day. Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread. Feel free to delete if deemed too off-message. Best wishes RB

Have you noticed black smoke at the higher end of the rev range - again that would point to over fuelling. Best wishes RB

May I add something to the write-up? Firstly, there is a small rubber O-ring on the filter drainplug which can eventually get damaged, so have a new one handy. Secondly, replace the filter drainplug before attempting to undo the plastic filter bowl. Its presence will strengthen the bowl and help it to survive the undoing process if it has been overtightened in the past. Best wishes RB

The thing that catches a lot of people out is that there are two (I think) bolts through from the engine side of the bulkhead, in the area of the windscreen wiper mechanism, which help hold the dashboard in position. My garage took 8 hours to do mine, or at least that's what I was charged for..... It has a/c, maybe that complicates things. Best wishes RB

It's all due to these super-duper brake upgrades everyone is doing which is confusing people in ordinary cars behind us. Seriously though, it is very worrying how people insist on driving too close behind, often with mobile phones on (especially women) or just gazing around without a care in the world. Do the Police do anything about it? No. It's so much easier to sit in a lay-by with a speed camera, minting the next pay rise. If we could go as fast as we like, nobody would get anywhere near our back bumpers. It must be time for my medication. Best wishes RB

Is the chain tensioning bolt get at-able without full dismantling (ie gearbox off)? I wonder if this is part of my rattling problem as well. Would the bolt eventually bleed itself, or is it a problem that will remain until rectified by bleeding in the way Kev described. I assume that it would heve been removed when the new head was put in, so maybe it wasn't bled then. Best wishes RB

Don't forget to mention the sore throat to go with the stiff neck. I'm told that that's the clincher in the verification of your whiplash claim. Get well soon......... Best wishes. RB

Those fully synthetic oils are like water. Except for the price. In my local supplier they have the genuine VW 0w30, apparently especially formulated for "modern engines", for about £45 a can. Best wishes RB

This might well be the alternator or the serpentine belt tensioner. Try listening to each with a long socket handle as a makeshift stethoscope. There are also the PAS pump, the water pump and maybe an A/C compressor all down there contributing to the general melee. Actually, a dying tensioner will probably screech rather than chatter; release the tension by screwing an M8 bolt into the thread provided, and check the free-running of the pulley bearing. There are several documented case of the bearing seizing up and shredding the belt; fortunately the warnings are impossible to ignore - rock hard steering and a charge warning light being amongst the more obvious. I get piston slap for a while at low revs, until the engine warms up a bit. It's disconcerting at first, sounds for all the world like a dying bottom end. It disappears after a minute or so though. I like to think that all high performance engines are designed to have maximum clearances for reduced friction.........After 180k miles, I have started to use 15w40 oil and will report in due course on any changes to oil consumption. It wasn't excessive in Syntha Silver 10w40, but it's a bit quieter with the thicker stuff. The idle got lumpier though, more drag generally I suppose, especially when stone cold. Any thoughts on that are gratefully received. Best wishes RB

Does it do it all the time, or only when cornering? The only way that oil pressure will "escape" is if there is a massive external leak, which will manifest itself as a sticky pool under the car, or if the clearances in the bearings are so enormous that the engine is finished. You will hear some dreadful rattles to accompany that scenario. The other alternative is that your oil pump is worn to the extent that it is useless. I suppose there must be a pressure relief valve somewhere as well, but I don't know where. If that is blowing off at too low a pressure, you will get a warning buzz. You have, of course, checked the oil level on the dipstick........sorry, it had to be asked. There is absolutely no need to do your oil filter up more than hand tight if the seal is in good condition; all you are doing is to make it more difficult to remove next time. Best wishes RB

The download is a good basic guide, but in my experience it is a good idea to scrape all the accumulated surface dirt and rust from the guiding surfaces of the pad carrier (ie where the pad backing plate sits in the carrier). This ensures that the pad doesn't stick in contact with the disc when coming off the pedal. Make sure also that the anti-squeal springs are properly located. Finally, this is the ideal opportunity to have a very good look at the condition of your flexible hoses and cv joint rubber gaiters. Also, be critical of the condition of the discs themselves. Best wishes RB

I have heard it said that LUK is the one to go for, in preference to Sachs. I have only replaced one clutch, with LUK, and had no problem. I understand that there have been warranty claims on Sachs clutches. Best wishes RB

I think that it's quite unusual to have pads with wear indicators, although not unheard of. When you say, "my light came on", do you mean the handbrake/low fluid level warning light? If so, you might check the fluid level as well as the pad thickness. Changing the pads is entirely within the capabilities of a competent amateur. The usual safety precautions apply, like getting proper axle stands under the car and not relying on the jack. You do not need any exotic tools for the front brakes. The only slight difficulty can be in pushing the piston back into the caliper, but firm even pressure will do it. What I do is to bolt the caliper back onto the carrier once the old pads have been removes and lever the piston with a small wooden hammer handle against the disc, through the opening in the front of the caliper. There will be criticism of this from some quarters, but so long as you are not heavy handed you wont cause any damage. The alternative is to buy a suitably sized clamp. Make sure you don't push hydraulic fluid out of the reservoir - it is excellent paint stripper. If you have any doubts about your competence though, get it done professionally - it shouldn't take an hour from start to finish on the front. If you are talking about the rear pads, that's a bit more complicated and you will need a special tool to wind the piston back into the caliper - it will not just push back in, it needs to be pushed and turned at the same time with a special clamp, about £20 from Halfords. Good luck Best wishes RB

I have been told that you can get the stem oil seals changed without lifting the head. There is a cunning bit of kit which keeps the valves up by pneumatic pressure via an adapter into the plug hole, so that the springs can be compressed and removed in situ. Sounds like The Work of the Devil to me.......... Best wishes RB

Red G60 being towed by an AA van , 31st Jan. at about 3.30pm in Banbury town centre. Get well soon. Best wishes RB

Must be a Leo with so many lives.. best wishes RB

Warning; The Doctor is now masquerading as a Torquay hotelier !! Best wishes RB