FlorayG

You want it back Simpo? It's got 2 brand new Pirellis on the front (cost me nearly 200 quid 6 weeks ago ) and had a new distributor last year, has been serviced regularly including oil changes as you told me. Still runs lovely and been washed EVERY WEEK and regularly polished since I got it so bodywork nice too. No rust anywhere. I've still got the aftermarket manifold and springs that came with it I would hate for her to be scrapped...make me an offer...

My Aerodeck failed her MOT dismally today and I can't afford the repairs So just to let you know, keep an eye on ebay, as soon as I have a new motor she will be on there for sale spares or repair. We've had such a lovely time together. (failed on emissions, ABS two sensors broken, one brake assembly calipers discs and pads, a tyre and the front bearings both sides)

Thanks for the suggestions guys but I've had enough - this wide bore exhaust is coming off and an original size one going on with the regular cat. In the long run it is going to cost me less as I plan to keep this car and I keep having to have the exhaust re-attached! I just hope the normal exhaust will fit on the stainless manifold otherwise that will have to be changed as well...maybe I can get a few dollars back on Ebay...

AAARRGGGHHHH I'M SO ANNOYED.........

I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT! Car's in perfect nick, firkin cat is useless, Hickley charge me £70 to tell me what I suspected all along. Bought the thing just before last year's MOT and it obviously only had enough stuff in it to last a couple of weeks and get me through the MOT. Rip-off merchants I hate them. NOW I have to find the invoice for it and see if there's a decent guarantee on it (bet there isn't). Then I have to try and find a decent cat that won't cost me more than the car is worth...

Well I drove her 300 miles on the motorway this weekend and had her on the emissions test machine on the way back and everything still way over the MOT limit. NO symptoms at all, runs fine now so could be anything Going to have to go to Hickleys for diagnosis...

I've got Vtec back now the new distributor is in, it runs fine, goes like a bomb again, just the emissions. You wouldn't notice anything wrong without that da*ned test machine.

Does anyone know for sure?

Would a fault in the O2 sensor show as an engine management light on? (I think I already asked this...) Cos there is no light on now, so if so then it can't be that? If it is the O2 and that doesn't show up as a dash light then how can I be sure? Don't want to spend money I don't need to

I just had a new distributor fitted cos my TDC sensor was bu**ered. I've been driving like a girl for about 4 weeks previous to this as I knew my car wasn't well. Now it runs just fine again but while I was in the garage i had the emissions checked and the CO is waaay high. I've got several possible reasons does anyone have any informed opinion please; 1) everything is just clogged up due to the TDC fault and it will get better now that is fixed (hope hope hope) 2) my cat is no good - how can I test this? It's an aftermarket one. Fitted just prior to last year's MOT 3) my mechanic thinks it's the O2 sensor but how do I check this? Should it show up as an engine management fault?(because that light has gone out at last) Anything else it might be? MOT in 4 weeks Thanks

Right that's all fixed - new distributor yesterday...on to the next problem...

Ho Ho Ho it's all fun isn't it? Finally got the right part number, trawled the Internet for it, found one place in the whole of the UK that stocks it, rang them up, answer machine message says closed for 2 weeks holiday typical. Just hope she can manage to keep running for another couple of weeks. Have lost Vtec but otherwise seems OK fingers crossed then. Thanks for all your help Simpo, I won't charge you any royalties then for still having a cartoon of MY car on your posts What you driving now then?

Just looked at some new ones on the web and yeah, it's a sticker. Long gone from mine... ...will have to chance that it's the listed one for the vehicle and year.

Ok so I've had my head under the bonnet and I can't find a code number on it - you don't happen to know where it is do you? DO I have to take off the cap?

I'm told by Honda that it only comes as part of a whole new distributor is this correct? If not, where can I get one? None of the motor factors near me can get it If I have to buy a new distributor is there anywhere I can get a recon one? I don't fancy shelling out £400 to Honda for a brand new one Thanks

Hi Simpo...thanks, I'll do that (been on holiday for the last week) and let you know the result Still in love with this car even though it's costing me a bit lately! Has been a bit lumpy just now and then this morning so the problem must be getting worse

No it runs like a dream. Haven't noticed any excessive fuel consumption, if it is increased it can't be much if I haven't noticed

Hi I haven't been on this site for ages but I know you guys can help. My engine management light keeps coming on - some days it does, some days it doesn't, some days it comes on in the middle of a trip. My local mechanic says his diagnostic machine won't plug in to a car of this age (1998) and when he rang his computer supplier for advice they told him not to bother with old bangers! (he said he told them not to say that in front of his client ) Anyway what can I do? I really don't want to pay a main dealer prices just to get a diagnosis but is there any other way of finding out the problem? The car is running perfectly well except that the emissions are just above legal at the moment, is this due to the unknown fault? Please help!

my dipped beam went off on the way to work this morning. I've still got sidelights and full beam...is it just a fuse? If so which fuse is it as I don't have the manual to hand here! thank you - need a reply before it goes dark! Woops - just checked - it's not the fuse cos it's a seperate fuse for each headlight. Any suggestions please? thanks

It's my own fault - Simpo told me the wiper motor was on its way out when i bought the car but i kept thinking it would be Ok for a bit longer...a bit longer...finally groaned to a halt on Sunday, yes, in a thundering rainstorm; that was some scary half mile driving and lucky I was close to home. ANYWAY my local Honda dealer wants £160 for a new motor and, worse, can't get me one in less than 3 days. Is there anywhere I can get one cheaper and quicker? I don't mind second hand, after all they don't go wrong very often...do they? I had to come to work on the bus yesterday and today had a bit of string hanging out the window attached to the wiper arm in case of showers

Dur... what's a headunit? Do you mean the original radio? no, I don't have it. But I will try rigging an ariel by a seperate cable this weekend. Trouble is, reception is fine near my house, so I have to drive to a layby on the Quantocks to do it...and i think it's going to snow so it might not happen this weekend. Am I right, the actual length of the ariel makes no difference?

Dur... what's a headunit? Do you mean the original radio? no, I don't have it. But I will try rigging an ariel by a seperate cable this weekend. Trouble is, reception is fine near my house, so I have to drive to a layby on the Quantocks to do it...and i think it's going to snow so it might not happen this weekend. Am I right, the actual length of the ariel makes no difference?

do you think that makes any difference? an ariel is an ariel, how long it is doesn't matter surely? the ariel on my portable radio broke years ago and is now only 2 inches long but it hasn't affected the reception. if it's down to the length of the ariel then i think i'm going to need one of those 3ft CB ones... did you find the reception better before you changed the ariel? PS Simpo did you get another new car yet?

do you think that makes any difference? an ariel is an ariel, how long it is doesn't matter surely? the ariel on my portable radio broke years ago and is now only 2 inches long but it hasn't affected the reception. if it's down to the length of the ariel then i think i'm going to need one of those 3ft CB ones... did you find the reception better before you changed the ariel? PS Simpo did you get another new car yet?

I've got a nice Panasonic CD player/radio in my MC2. Great for listening to CD's but completely pants for FM radio reception - stations sound like they're transmitting from the moon sometimes the crackle and hiss is so bad. Now, radio reception isn't brilliant round where I live anyway but -and I hate to say ANYTHING is better on a Skoda - mostly radio reception was fairly OK on my last car so the fault must be with the Panasonic radio or somewhere in the ariel? Any suggestions what I can do to improve reception?