The grumpy thread

[bub2006]

Wife's vectra just threw it's toys out the pram. Key turned to start and starter wouldn't engage. Not what's needed on Lowestoft sea front. Got it going and it's running lumpy. 4 or 5 fault codes on pedal test now too. Today isn't the day for 1.8 vauxhalls eh beko1987?!

[beko1987]

No, my comiserstions for your plight daz!

 

I don't think there's any warning lights, she said it was going rrrr rrrr rrr which doesn't help, then she tried to show me but her phone noise canceled it all out. When I first did it, I left the hose off that I later broke, and it idled like a bastard so I'm hoping* that that's the issue, but I won't know until she's back. I've got a replacement pipe in my watch list just in case,and she's got her aa card in her purse

[bub2006]

Just re checked all codes on the vectra and they are all sorts not linked to each other which apparently points to cim module. Not cheap. She had it 4.5 years and it's got over 160k on clock. She needs to work out if it's worth it. Could cost up to 500 quid and yes it's a 14 year old vectra but it's not failed an mot in all time she had it, water for nothing and had cambelt, clutch, water pump and replaced gearbox a couple of years back/15000 miles ago.

[beko1987]

Or spark plugs? The meriva was coding out doom of most of the entire ignition system until I changed the plugs.

 

The gooner cries of ignition system failure when trying to crank with a dead battery too

[bub2006]

Battery seems fine, doesn't seem slow on a cold morning and no alternator lights. Is it possible to check it any other way? Plugs are fine, car not long been serviced.

[andy18s]

See if you can borrow a battery you know to be a good one Bub

It's possible to have 1 show a healthy voltage but may have dropped a cell inside....

[beko1987]

Buggar, amys just phoned, shes got warning lights up now as well. I lent my obd reader to a mate yesterday too ffs. She's carrying on, she's only 3 miles from home.

 

It must be something I've done though, hopefully I've not plugged something back in, or the split breather pipe

[bub2006]

See if you can borrow a battery you know to be a good one Bub

It's possible to have 1 show a healthy voltage but may have dropped a cell inside....

Just nipped to kwik fit Lowestoft for battery test. Fingers crossed.

Beko1987, good luck!

[beko1987]

I'm hopefully sorted... The noise amy heard was ferocious suction. Like electrolux z500 levels. The pipe I split, then taped up to stop and potential oil dribblage is actually some sort of vacuum pipe, nearly took my finger in as I put it on the hole

 

 

Ill tape the shit out of it later, then buy a new one... Whoops.

 

Good luck daz, I still have the oil leak so I'm can't be too cocky!

[bub2006]

Battery test came back fine. Battery voltage good and everything checks out. Next!

[beko1987]

Is that pipe split on yours?

[bub2006]

No pipes split. It's just a worn out high miler

[Hendry]

Stupid question but does the horn work on the Vectra, and does it still work with the headlights on. This is usually the easy way to tell if the CIM on a Vectra is wrecked.

 

That said my dads had 232,000 miles on it, ran into the ground, and utterly fucked and the CIM never caused a problem. CIMs were only ever a problem on Astra H/Zafira Bs. What year is it? up to 05 are only half can, 05 on (including 05 prefacelifts) are full canbus. 

[Hendry]

PS Beko, can you see where oil is leaking from, my pals Astra 1.8 VVT Z18XER had a leak from the Oil Pump Gasket but looked like it was coming from elsewhere, Vauxhall fixed it under warranty and told him that was a common place for the 1.6/1.8 VVT XER engines to leak.

 

But hey its a Vauxhall, their engines are meant to leak or burn oil, its not a proper Vauxhall if it doesnt!

[bub2006]

Horn and lights work fine. Just gone to take laddo to arcades in Lowestoft. Gone back to car and now have a padlock on the display and car won't start. Fucking wonderful. Looks like immobiliser gone dicky. If aa can't fix it Mrs and laddo will go back to van and I'll go with car back to derbyshire and come back down in the c2.

[bub2006]

Stupid question but does the horn work on the Vectra, and does it still work with the headlights on. This is usually the easy way to tell if the CIM on a Vectra is wrecked.

 

That said my dads had 232,000 miles on it, ran into the ground, and utterly fucked and the CIM never caused a problem. CIMs were only ever a problem on Astra H/Zafira Bs. What year is it? up to 05 are only half can, 05 on (including 05 prefacelifts) are full canbus.

This is a 53 pre facelift half canbus with 6 buttons on steering wheel.

[Aston Martin]

My evening... I have to park halfway down the street as some twat had stole my space... phone just rang "two coloured lads are breaking into your car"

 

I see nothing, but the neighbour "scared them off"

 

So I dunno.

[FakeConcern]

I want to buy this

 

http://www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201705195625915?radius=1500&make=VOLVO&aggregatedTrim=T5&postcode=tn401dp&onesearchad=Used&onesearchad=Nearly%20New&onesearchad=New&sort=sponsored&model=C30&advertising-location=at_cars&page=1

However I really want to run the C4 VTS up to 200k but it's only on 193K ATM! Also not yet taken my pension and really need the lump sum to get a new car with as living on savings for this year.

[eddyramrod]

I'm down.  Very down.  Don't know if this is the right place, or "What's wrong with you" over the other side.  Let me work on it.

[Hendry]

Horn and lights work fine. Just gone to take laddo to arcades in Lowestoft. Gone back to car and now have a padlock on the display and car won't start. Fucking wonderful. Looks like immobiliser gone dicky. If aa can't fix it Mrs and laddo will go back to van and I'll go with car back to derbyshire and come back down in the c2.

 

Is the key on the way out? In my experience with Vauxhalls and immobilisers its usually as simple as that, their immobilisers are usually pretty reliable. 

 

Trouble with the CIM is, if it is that, sure you can go to a breakers and get another from another Vectra cheaply, but if Im right the steering wheel and airbag etc need to be removed, and the new CIM will need coded to the car with a Tech 2 (dealer diagnostic and programming tool, although some indys may have one now as later Vauxhalls dont use that system and its been around years so quite a common tool) CIM failures dont usually throw faults like what you describe, its usually unusual and random erratic electrical faults, they dont normally throw fault codes for mechanical faults if they are failing. 

[Bucketeer]

Hey Eddy, I'm giving you a virtual man hug. Flipping useless I know but I am wearing a soft fleecey cuddly jacket. Just keep your hands to yourself.

Anything else I can do, please shout.

[bub2006]

As it stands at the minute with the vectra I'm on my second recovery truck just outside of Mansfield so nearly home. Wouldn't start in town so Mrs and son took a cab back to the caravan and I had the car recovered to derbyshire. Pain in the arse now as I've got to get it unloaded and in driveway, go to storage unit in the c2, fetch the roof box and get back to Lowestoft before my son wakes up as he was worried last night that I wouldn't be back.

Eddy, thoughts with you mate drop me a message any time to chat to

[beko1987]

That doesn't sound good daz. Good luck!

 

Hendry - it's leaking from the front left corner, around the cambelt cover. There is a sensor that goes in at that corner that I keep meaning to have off and see if I've upset it. It's also still weeping from the join in that front corner, moar tigerseal might be deployed, it's just a weep.

 

Its not gushing out, but it dribbles onto the manifold hestshield so smokes a bit

[bub2006]

Got home at ten past 4,left at around 445 and arrived in Lowestoft at about 835. Bloody knackered now

[Aston Martin]

Bloody hell mate, is that a usual day for you?

If youre on containers you always get fucked, things take 3 times longer than they should.

 

Today I'm back on curtainsiders, which I love, no pissing about and I'm alot lighter. You usually get tipped faster.

 

I left work at 5:40am, I stop for a quick Costa. I arrive in Northampton at 9:10 for my 9:15 delivery.

 

"Nope, you were due at 7:45, drive around and leave the site"

 

I don't know who I upset this week, or if there's a gypsy curse on me or something, but this isn't a normal week.

[HillmanImp]

Reading this article about 5 poor souls who got topped by a lorry on the M5.

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-40026153

 

Five people have been killed in a collision involving a lorry and a car on the M6 in Staffordshire.

Four females and a male, all believed to be adults, in a Nissan Micra died in the crash between junction 15 for Stoke-on-Trent and 14 for Stafford. [...] 

A man in his 40s travelling in the Micra suffered multiple serious injuries in the crash at Seighford, West Midlands Ambulance Service said.

He was taken by ambulance to Royal Stoke University Hospital.

 

 

Er,,,that's 6 peeps in a Micra on a Motorway. Confirmed further down.

 

 

An ambulance service spokeswoman said: "When emergency services arrived they discovered a car with six occupants inside which had been involved in a significant collision with a HGV.

"Sadly, it quickly became apparent that nothing could be done to save the driver and four passengers. All five were confirmed dead on scene."

 

Now I have absolutely no idea what happened, who was at fault etc but I have to ask, how the fuck do you fit 6 adults into a Micra? Were they all anorexic or something or was one in the boot? You would have trouble sitting on anyone's knee unless you were a midget wouldn't you.

 

 

[dollywobbler]

Jeepers. I'd assumed when I heard the number of fatalities that it must have been a people carrier... not good.

[Bobthebeard]

In other news, some more neighbors have moved in to surround us with grumpy barky dogs.. No big deal in the greater scheme of things though. All things considered.

[Aston Martin]

I assumed Zafira.

[Negative Creep]

More of a cringe than a grump, but popped down to see my Mum today, who asked me to check a box of books she'd found in the loft since she didn't know if they were mine or my Dad's. Opened it and didn't recognise the top layer but thought I'd check underneath anyway - which duly revealed his stash of 1980's porn mags