andy

We're all in the same boat here....... Is there any claim to be made from Royal Mail? Quite a few of us have just lost £15, surely Royal Mail owe us the money.

Don't know if its any use but I'm fairly sure I've got a spare couple of Clifford Fobs, I don't know how much they vary between models or if any fob can be synced to any system? Any use/anyone know?

For a VR6, anyone got a spare laying around? Can't be doing with another £20 on a new one at the moment. Just the one that drives the digital readout. The one nearest the engine out of the three sensors on the oil filter housing.

When you say your alternator isn't working, what do you mean, no output voltage?

Run away from the 1.7 TDi Vauxhalls, they are good until they get some miles on them. Then, WHEN the diesel pump goes they cost more than the car/van itself is worth to replace. The pumps are like gold dust second hand too. There are loads of 1.7TDI vehicles in scrap yards just from this very fault, it effectively writes them off. I'd go old Audi all the way.

:confused4: haha thats briliant! :D

Good work, I've had my VR 6 years and not a single failure, they really are quite good in that respect!

I'd try some more bulbs too mate. 3 blowing especially when 1 was a cheapy might be a coincidence. You've done the right thing checking the alternator output.

If you mean the whole strut is able to move up and down a bit, yes thats normal. Weird but normal on these cars.

How many bulbs have you blown, is it always the same element, both sides of the car?

Mine was a 70A luckily, loads of space :D

As an update, got my alternator out today, don't need to take the front of the car off. I removed off-side headlight, air filter housing (BMC in my case but shouldn't make any difference.), belt tensioner and front grill. I then took the nuts/bolts off the front and rear engine mounting and jacked the engine a couple of inches. You can then remove the 2 bolts holding the alternator on. Afer levering the very seized alternator out (it had grown in!) you can get to the electrical connections and remove them. Without rusty/seized bits/bolts shouldn't take more than 1/2 hour. Mine is in a right state, rusty, casing split, regulator goosed. So I have decided to buy a new Bosch one from GSF for £100. Giving my BMC a proper clean whilst its out too!

Amazing what can happen at 30 mph! :eek:

150 miles? Nothing to worry about, its no more likely to go wrong than on any other drive, as others said, if thats a long run for you then the car will probably thank you for it!

Me neither. :confused4:

Cool! Yeah, hacking through the nerves! :gag:

Probably just on here I think, I do read a lot of suspension threads! I find my H & Rs a little on the firm side and always wondered about the Nothelles that have been mentioned a few times. I guess they're not really generally available then. Ok, cheers for that. ;-)

Watched 127 hours the other night, new film about the chap who trapped his arm under a boulder, down a canyon whilst out climbing etc. 127 hours being the time it took him to decide to cut his own arm off with a blunt knife in order to survive/escape. Gritty stuff. I really enjoyed it, some cool scenery, inspiring.

Keep hearing about Nothelle Springs, anyone know what rate they are, are they softer than H & R equivalents. Also where does anyone get them from, I can't seem to see anywhere?

I'd get your rear bushes done if you think they need doing, no suspension (shocks/springs) will feel any good with knackered bushes.

Yes, bottom end swap/head refurb/chain replacement!..... Not urgently, just desirable sometime in the future. On a more serious note, yes I need to rewire my oil temp switch as the wire has broken, redo my headlight relay wiring (5 years of weather has taken its toll), blue temp sensor must need replacement by now and a coolant swap (easier without front on) , so yes a few other jobs to do while its out. Mines not been off, certainly in the 6 years/60k miles I've owned it, possibly never (150k/16 years), I'll get the plusgas/wd40 ready!

Looking at how difficult the alternator is to get out, you may have the preferable option! Maybe running a voltage guage into the car temporarily would help to see if its intermittent.

Still not received anything? Anyone else?

Indeed, she's been running really well too. I'm surprised the ECU is so resilient (he says, touching wood!).

Just across the battery, 12V without engine running, 16V ish with it running, should be more like 14V. 2 min job.