Paul67

Thanks. I spent a few hours yesterday looking through the forum for photos of those with the same third brake light and who had fitted a boot spoiler, didn't think to read the thread as well, though I did today and noticed the issue had already been discussed Anyway, I went to the breakers today and got myself a boot spoiler and a few other bits and pieces.

I know I'm digging up an old post Dave but wanted to ask you if fitting a boot spoiler which obscures the break light in the back window is ok legally, I mean in terms of MOT etc? I have the same low level break light and can get a boot spoiler for my MB2 but not sure how I stand if I fit it. Don't want to take it off for each MOT.

How much have you lowered it by? Looking forward to seeing some photos with the back lowered too!

This guy in the video uses an 'engine stethoscope' to find where a noise is coming from; ..you can use a hose pipe (or even a short broom handle) as a makeshift engine stethoscope to help you find where the noise on your car is coming from. Like this other guy had done; Hope that helps!

Well, the same thing happened today. It wouldn't turn over, so I left it a few minuets and then it started fine... Following your advice, Dave, I started cleaning the connections and after checking the earth, which looked good, I immediately noticed the live connection on the battery, although secured very tight, looked like it needed a very good clean. So I cleaned it and, after reconnecting the battery back up, I noticed my interior light seemed brighter. So somewhat convinced this bad live connection would have been causing the problem, and before I went through all the other connections.., I decided to park up on a steep hill, turn on my headlights, put heater fan on full, radio on, rear demister, hazards and every thing else on inside the car too, for a several minuets before attempting to start the car, and yet, despite the extra strain I put on the battery, it started up without any problem! It definitely would not have done that before I cleaned the live connection! So, it certainly looks like my intermittent starting problems are now fixed. Having said that, when I get the time I will check all the connections/grounding point etc, and also do what you recommend as well, Ryan. Thanks for all the advice, it's saved me spending about £60 on a battery I didn't need! Happy Days!!! 1"£££$££"!!

Cheers Dave! Will do those things a little later when I get the chance. And no, there are no other symptoms. Simpo, do you mean the main relay in the fuse box under the bonnet, and if so wouldn't I hear it clicking if it was faulty?

I have an intermittent problem starting my car. It's only happened twice in the last few weeks, both times after starting the car from cold and driving to the local corner shop and then trying to re-start the car minutes later. I turn the key and the dash lights up but wont start or turn the car over even. Both times I have checked and cleaned the earth connection on the battery and then it starts up fine. Since then I've read a bit about car batteries and cold cranking amps, so today, while visiting my parents, I was going to test the battery with my father's multimeter to see if the voltage dropped very low while starting the car. I first tested the voltage with everything off and it showed about 13 volts. I had to wait a while for a second pair off hands to come and start the car while I tested the battery so while I was waiting I decided to test the battery with the radio on and the heater fan on but the engine off, as I sometime start the car with these on. This time the voltage was about 11. Then when the second pair of hands (my nephew) eventually turned up I was ready to test the battery as it was being cranked but the bloody thing was too week to even turn the engine over let alone start the car! It seems me putting the radio and fan on earlier had sucked out that little bit of power I needed to start the car. Anyway, I had a suspicion the car may start if I left if for 10 minutes, and it did, but was then to afraid the turn it back off the test it on a multimeter while restarting in case it didn't restart afterwards and I had to leave my car parked in my parents drive overnight! I could possibly retest it again tomorrow (this time while parked on a hill ready to jump start it..) but was wondering if this sounds typical off a bad battery or perhaps even just a bad earth? The latter, of course being, a lot cheaper to fix... and I don't want spend money on a new battery if I don't need one quite yet, not least because the weather will be a lot milder next month and wont need as many cranking amps to start the car. Any advice is much appreciated, thanks!

As Didjeridave suggested before, you could try identifying where the noise is coming from by using a piece of hosepipe held to one ear and point the other end around the engine bay, maybe starting with the alternator. If its not that move on to other areas eliminating one thing at a time. Good luck, and don't forget to let us know what it is when you do find it.

As I said last week, the sound you can hear may just be resonating through the air intake and actually have nothing to do with the intake or the resonator box itself. This guy had a similar problem for him it turned out to be a problem with the power steering pump..

Probably a silly question but it's not your radiator fan on constantly it is?

My guess is the air resonator box is just resonating/amplifying the sound coming from elsewhere, just like an acoustic guitar does through its sound hole. The actual problem could be a thrust bearing...??? Does it sound like this?

No, it is not is connected to engine directly, it is only there to take air in. Try removing the air filter to see if the noise goes away. A blocked or dirty air filter could be causing the noise as the engine may be struggling to breath - just like an asthmatic attack causes a person to wheeze when they try to breath in.

I think that's where the engine take air in from. The black trumpet looking piece that comes off to change the headlamp is the inlet which goes down to the air resonator box and then back up to the air filter box and on to the throttle body. The noise is probably just the engine taking in air..

Happy days. Thanks for the reassurances!

I have a suspected dodgy o2 sensor, so today I've done the paper clip method of ECU fault code reading using the blue 2-pin service plug in the passenger foot-well. However I didn't get any blink codes - the EML and SRS lights just stayed on constantly during the test...?!? I turned the ingintion off, removed the jumper wire and the EML and SRS are off as they usually are. Not sure if the lights are meant to stay on during the test though... Can anyone advise me if that is how the test works if there are no fault codes stored?

Thanks Yasar. I took the car to get the codes read but the guy doing it (an old mate of mine) accidentally closed the door on the two small blue plugs, crushing them in the process.. So, now, after reading a bit more about them, I'm going to replace the o2 sensor because, like you say, it's probably coming to the end of it's life anyway, even if it has completely failed yet. I can pick one up locally for £50 and no doubt I get that back in the fuel I save by replacing it. Thank you to everyone for their input in this thread, it's very much appreciated!

Ah, ok! I take it then I have to short the two pin female connector with a wire, turn on the ignition and count the flashes of light on the dash to get the codes, as oppose to plugging in a OBD tool to a scart type socket ? Suits me if it is, because I can do that myself rather than pay someone with a OBD reader. BTW, I forgot to mention I reset the ECU today (because I'd changed the fuel filter on the weekend and it had made so much difference to how the car drove), so should I drive the car for a few days before checking for fault codes?

Thanks! I only saw two small blue plugs in a clear soft plastic cover/shield there when I looked earlier, they looked as if they were something to do with the heaters. I will have another better look tomorrow. Just to add, I used up the last of the petrol in the tank today and have calculated I'm now getting 28 mpg after changing the fuel filter instead of 20 mpg before... and that's not taking into account about 1/3 of the fuel was used with the old filter fitted, and the fact I had, at times, driven the car at far higher revs than I would normally. So it looks like my poor fuel consumption was mainly, if not entirely, down to a dirty fuel filter. I will know for sure when I calculate the mpg I get from the fuel I put in today.

Does anyone where the OBD plug on is the car, and whether it's an OBD2 or not? Thanks!

hhhhmmmmmwwwwwaaaaaaaarrrrrrpppppppp! Something like that I seem to remember.. lol

I had to look on google maps to see where Tattershall is. Living by the motorway does have it's benefits then, lol. I suppose one of them is I was able to go for drive on the M4 earlier to use up whats left in the tank so I can compare mpg better after changing the fuel filter. Trouble is I wasn't really going over 2,500 rpm... and the gauge wasn't moving... so I then took a spin on some quiet A roads which are very popular with the bikers around here... I took it to 5,500 rmp quite a few times and heard the car make quite a nice sound for the first time....I didn't seem to use up much petrol though, lol, but at least it should help clean they fuel and exhaust system out.

Once I get the mpg back up to mid 30's (driving around town) I will try different types of petrol to see what the car likes best for performance and mpg. Hopefully I can get checked for faulty codes very soon. Having said that though, I changed the fuel filter today and it's made hell of a difference to the car. I was perfectly happy with the way it drove before, but I'm even happier now. It's starts off the key almost before I've finished turning the ignition on, and I don't seem to need 1st gear anymore. Now I only have to lightly touch the throttle and it's away and pulling far better in every gear. That's got to be the best £6 I've ever spent! I wouldn't be at all surprised if my fuel consumption improves significantly after changing the fuel filter. But will definitely get the codes check too! Leicester is a bit far for me to pop it into DynoDaze. I'm in Swansea. But with the help of Civic5 I'm sure I'll getting running close to perfect! 1"£££$££"!!

Cheers, thanks for the advice!

Massive thank you for the tips! 1"£££$££"!! The car is immaculate inside and out, (bar a tiny dent on the near side rear quarter which can't really be seen from 10 foot away - looks like a shopping trolley dent..) The bloke I bought it off in November was asking £700, but we settled on £500, as it needed 2 new CV joints and had a short MOT. Subsequently, I paid £130 for 2 new CV joints to be fitted when I bought it and it flew the MOT this month. I bought the unmarked hairpins off Gumtree for £140 with the almost new 205-50-16 tyres fitted to them (I love a bargin lol ) or else I would have gone for 45 side walls to keep the rolling radius well within the 3% industry standard... as I had read that increasing the radius would effect the MPG - but never though it would be by very much.. I intend to complete the service ASAP, including oil, oil filter and fuel filter (hadn't heard of HAMP oil filters so cheers for that!). There doesn't appear to be any fuel leaks anywhere. Ive checked it over and he garage I use checked the car over for me when I bought it and got the CV joints changed, and again when I had it MOT'd. The wheels are fine too (PCD, ET and bore all spot on!) Also, 100% sure the air filter, box and intake hose is in top condition. I reset the ECU after changing the plugs and air filter when I first got the car and will again when the service is complete. There's no unusual noises or behavior and the exhaust is in perfect condition. I will however now get it checked for error codes...thanks to your suggestion! I've been reading a bit around the subject and I wondering could a faulty o2 sensor cause over fueling...and thus increased MPG??? I take it there are no MASS sensors on our cars...??? Anyway, thanks again! I now have a good idea where to look to solve the problem. BTW, the 99 octane 100% definitely improves to performance of the car. With 95 octane the car drives like your average 1.3cc...but with 99 it drives like an average 1.6cc - 1.8cc...altogether far more responsive! All I can think is VTEC's must be nuts to drive!

I hear you, but petrol has only increased by a couple of pence in the Tesco filling station I go to, so the big drop in number of miles I get per £20 has made me calculate my actual mpg. The 20 mpg was calculated using pence per litre, total spend and distance (www.fuel-economy.co.uk/calc.shtml) I use momentum 99 octane @ £1.35 per litre. And as I said, it's got new plugs and air filter. But I'm yet to change the oil, oil filter and fuel filter.