ExigeEvan
Premium
- 17,192
Ask GTP About Your Car Problems/General Questions
- Thread starter nd 4 holden spd
- 1,479 comments
- 84,289 views
- 27,218
- United Kingdom
I'd heard that duct tape might not be too great on the paint (unhelpfully, a number of months after I'd "installed" it) but the paintwork is in pretty good condition anyway there, no rust, so hopefully when I remove it, it won't be too bad. I'm gonna need to touch up the paint and generally tidy the car a bit anyway.
From a quick look around the internet just now, most people seem to find that it doesn't damage the paint at all as long as you're careful removing the glue residue. I'm not a complete eejit so I should be fine. Unhelpfully, the weather here is forecast for heavy rain on Saturday, so I'll have to wait till Sunday to remove it and see what's what.
Thanks for the tips though. General consensus seems to be to find new seals as opposed to a whole new sunroof. Definitely the cheaper route too.
From a quick look around the internet just now, most people seem to find that it doesn't damage the paint at all as long as you're careful removing the glue residue. I'm not a complete eejit so I should be fine. Unhelpfully, the weather here is forecast for heavy rain on Saturday, so I'll have to wait till Sunday to remove it and see what's what.
Thanks for the tips though. General consensus seems to be to find new seals as opposed to a whole new sunroof. Definitely the cheaper route too.
- 3,770
- Boss-Barracuda
My friend and I are having quite a bit of trouble with a coolant leak in the hippie van. We've practically taken the front off but we still can't figure out where it's leaking from. The radiator itself sits on a piece of metal which you can see is where the coolant is coming from and leaking down, but when we undid the fan shroud to look at the radiator it's perfectly dry, as well as all the lines going into and out of the radiator. It's a pretty substantial leak once it gets going, but everywhere we look it's perfectly dry. Could it be that there is a leak on the bottom of the radiator somehow? Any suggestions would be great.
- 23,800
- Philippines
What's the condition of the hoses? Sometimes, old rubber hoses can develop pinhole leaks that aren't visible (or even moist) upon inspection, but once you put enough pressure into the system, they'll squirt.
The best way to pinpoint the leak is to run the vehicle while parked, giving it some revs until it starts leaking.
The best way to pinpoint the leak is to run the vehicle while parked, giving it some revs until it starts leaking.
Keef
Premium
- 25,104
- Dayton, OH
- GTP_KeefRacer
- GTP Keef
I suggest replacing the seals with new ones, preferably from a (Citroen?) dealer. If your sunroof is built anything like mine you're going to have to take all the pillar moldings out of your interior and take off the interior roof panel to get the sunroof mechanism out. At least that's how a Honda works. Once you get the thing out you might want to check the tubes that run through the pillars that evacuate water.
- 27,218
- United Kingdom
Citroen? Ford man, Ford! 
I was wondering how difficult it would be, but looking at my repair/service manual it does seem quite simple. They make no mention of needing to unscrew anything or remove any bits of trim. It appears you just open the sunroof fully (it's only a tilt one, doesn't slide, isn't electric etc), push down a metal tab in the mechanism which releases the screw handle, push the whole lot vertical and then remove it. From that, it sounds like the unit comes out as just the glass roof itself, not any of the seals.
At the very least, if I remove the thing I'll be able to have a closer look at the rubber seals.
My worry is that if you google "mk4 fiesta leaks", there appear to be about a dozen different causes of water in the passenger footwell. I do think I solved it when I blocked up the sunroof though, so hopefully there aren't any more issues. Though I'm tempted to have a closer look today.
- 23,800
- Philippines
It has to be under pressure. Just having fluid in them won't show all the leaks (unless you can flex the hoses around to enlarge the hole).
If the leak is that bad, it's likely the seal between the hose and the radiator, or the bottom of your radiator is coming apart. Good luck with that... not a fun thing to spend a weekend doing...
If the leak is that bad, it's likely the seal between the hose and the radiator, or the bottom of your radiator is coming apart. Good luck with that... not a fun thing to spend a weekend doing...
- 8,480
- P_Balance
You can also get radiator pressure testers, which is basically like an air pump you put on your radiator, and you'll have antifreeze coming out where ever you have a leak. This way the engine doesn't have to be hot.
- 1,101
- GTP_EA11R
My sister has gone off to Italy for a semester of college, leaving her New Beetle (Winful bucket of fail, thank you) parked out front. For 4 months now.
We tried to take it out for a drive and discovered a combination of facts: (A) The doorlock mechanisms aren't mechanisms at all, but electronic, and (B) a battery somewhere is now officially kaput. We put the key in the lock and it just spins round and round. We can't get into the car to open the hood, I haven't figured out how to crack the remote (in case that's the issue), and we can't get the car to a Volkswagen dealer because we can't get into the thing.
How do I get into my sister's car, or at the very least dismantle the switchblade remote?
We tried to take it out for a drive and discovered a combination of facts: (A) The doorlock mechanisms aren't mechanisms at all, but electronic, and (B) a battery somewhere is now officially kaput. We put the key in the lock and it just spins round and round. We can't get into the car to open the hood, I haven't figured out how to crack the remote (in case that's the issue), and we can't get the car to a Volkswagen dealer because we can't get into the thing.
How do I get into my sister's car, or at the very least dismantle the switchblade remote?
- 8,480
- P_Balance
Breaking the windows also works, but is much less fun.
- 3,008
- You're crazy if you think
- I can afford either of these.
Where's Brad??
- 87,271
- Rule 12
- GTP_Famine
My local friendly Bentley technician laughed at you.
Then said "Try the passenger side - sometimes there's a blanking cap over the lock there. Also try lifting the door handle at the same time.
But there's no manual entry on a Conti GT if the battery goes flat. And that's also a VW."
(though on those they take the rear undertray off and charge the battery up through the rear air suspension electronics)
His suggestion?
"Jack car up, remove undertray, get battery charger, put neg onto engine block/gearbox or something else metal. put positive onto big thick lead on starter motor"
Then said "Try the passenger side - sometimes there's a blanking cap over the lock there. Also try lifting the door handle at the same time.
But there's no manual entry on a Conti GT if the battery goes flat. And that's also a VW."
(though on those they take the rear undertray off and charge the battery up through the rear air suspension electronics)
His suggestion?
"Jack car up, remove undertray, get battery charger, put neg onto engine block/gearbox or something else metal. put positive onto big thick lead on starter motor"
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- 3,534
- London
opelgt1969
Premium
- 2,246
- Bristol,Va USA
- opelgt1969
- 27,218
- United Kingdom
Pressure washers cut right through. The front wheels on my parents' Saabs get absolutely caked in brake dust but a buzz with the pressure washer and it comes right off. Try and spray it so it comes off away from you though, brake dust can be nasty stuff.
- 3,534
- London
Or you could just spray your wheels matt black 
- 7,666
When polishing a car, is it imperative to follow up with a wax? I've spent all day putting scratch remover and glaze on the GTI and my hands are getting tired and light is fading. Do I have to suffer through it and apply a coat of wax or will the car be fine with just a glaze?
I've been not able to get into the GTI with the remote (for reasons I have not figured out) before, and using the key to get into the driver's door worked find for me. If the key is just spinning, maybe the lock is broken?
I've been not able to get into the GTI with the remote (for reasons I have not figured out) before, and using the key to get into the driver's door worked find for me. If the key is just spinning, maybe the lock is broken?
- 1,101
- GTP_EA11R
The lock is electronic, not broken. The same thing happens with the trunk lock. That said, commendable that you've tried to avoid a wierd solution to an obvious problem. But it's a bit worse than that...
I haven't access to the car right now, so it'll have to wait until the work week.
I haven't access to the car right now, so it'll have to wait until the work week.
- 27,218
- United Kingdom
Here's the thing:
This lovely, rust-coloured lump above is my sump. Albeit not a very good picture of it. A couple of times when I've had the car MOT'd or serviced in the last few years, the garage has told me that my sump was getting pretty rusty and it'd need replacing soon. A couple didn't tell me this too though, so I wasn't sure who to trust. Regardless, I factored it into my list of things I might need to do before I sell the car. My guess is that sumps are made of reasonably thick metal, aren't they? As in, the above is just surface rust? My car certainly doesn't leak, never has in my ownership.
Anyway, I was reading my workshop manual on the car and came across the following line:
"The Endura-E engine [mine] replaces the HCS engine fitted to earlier Fiesta models and, apart from an aluminium sump and modifications to the inlet manifold and inlet system, is virtually identical"
As you can see from the photo above, the sump on my car is clearly not aluminium. It's very much a steel sump. What I'd like to know is, with a look at that rather blurry photo, how serious that rust looks, and does it really need replacing or should I just attack it with some wet&dry paper and Hammerite it?
I'll try and grab better photos tomorrow, the above was taken hastily before I drove to work.
What I am considering as opposed to spending a possible £150 on replacing it at an independent garage (a main dealer would charge £200+), is actually buying a replacement sump and gasket set (circa £40 including postage), buying some car ramps (as little as £20) and maybe even a mechanic's trolley (as little as £10) and doing the whole thing myself. The manual reckons it's only a 2/5 difficulty and gives very clear instructions. I can then of course use the trolley and ramps again in the future, which is even better value.
So GTP... worth it? Worth even replacing it in the first place? I can grab better pictures tomorrow if it's too difficult to roughly assess it's condition from the crappy pic above.
This lovely, rust-coloured lump above is my sump. Albeit not a very good picture of it. A couple of times when I've had the car MOT'd or serviced in the last few years, the garage has told me that my sump was getting pretty rusty and it'd need replacing soon. A couple didn't tell me this too though, so I wasn't sure who to trust. Regardless, I factored it into my list of things I might need to do before I sell the car. My guess is that sumps are made of reasonably thick metal, aren't they? As in, the above is just surface rust? My car certainly doesn't leak, never has in my ownership.
Anyway, I was reading my workshop manual on the car and came across the following line:
"The Endura-E engine [mine] replaces the HCS engine fitted to earlier Fiesta models and, apart from an aluminium sump and modifications to the inlet manifold and inlet system, is virtually identical"
As you can see from the photo above, the sump on my car is clearly not aluminium. It's very much a steel sump. What I'd like to know is, with a look at that rather blurry photo, how serious that rust looks, and does it really need replacing or should I just attack it with some wet&dry paper and Hammerite it?
I'll try and grab better photos tomorrow, the above was taken hastily before I drove to work.
What I am considering as opposed to spending a possible £150 on replacing it at an independent garage (a main dealer would charge £200+), is actually buying a replacement sump and gasket set (circa £40 including postage), buying some car ramps (as little as £20) and maybe even a mechanic's trolley (as little as £10) and doing the whole thing myself. The manual reckons it's only a 2/5 difficulty and gives very clear instructions. I can then of course use the trolley and ramps again in the future, which is even better value.
So GTP... worth it? Worth even replacing it in the first place? I can grab better pictures tomorrow if it's too difficult to roughly assess it's condition from the crappy pic above.
- 5,230
- Buckeye Nation
homeforsummer
take oil pan off,take it to somebody who does walnut shell blasting (have it done - it does not cost very much either) go out and buy a can of "etching primer" (this stuff actually penetrates the surface),let it setup,repaint it,good to go. 👍
take oil pan off,take it to somebody who does walnut shell blasting (have it done - it does not cost very much either) go out and buy a can of "etching primer" (this stuff actually penetrates the surface),let it setup,repaint it,good to go. 👍
- 27,218
- United Kingdom
Nice one, I'll have a check to see if anyone nearby does that, and how much it's likely to cost. I'd not considered that actually.
- 5,230
- Buckeye Nation
Well,here on the stateside you can have it blasted for under $20 and a can of "etching primer" (not regular primer), depends on where you get it , around $10-$15 p/can.
hope this helps ya.
