Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Talk about your cars etc here. Keep it sort of sensible and on topic please.
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Hooli
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by Hooli »

Scruffy Bodger wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:55 pm
Hooli wrote: Tue Jun 21, 2022 12:50 pm Cheers.

Been saying I'd get one for ages & need one now to get the Jag's boot open as even a battery charger isn't getting enough power into it.
Something in there starting to smell too much and time to do something about it?
I can't comment without my solicitor....

It's more there's two sizes of battery listed & I want to confirm what's in there before getting another.
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by paulplom »

I've used my little jump pack to test and power 12v stuff too. Including wiring up the extra usb charge things in the van. Did the dash cam too. Cut the cigarette lighter end off and soldered a usb one on instead. I used it to check I had the wires the right way around.
I ummed and ahh'd before buying it but I'm glad I did.
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by Bangernomics »

Tetleysmooth wrote:I have a '99 W202 C200. It has for its diagnostics, a system called Star, I believe. Does anyone know of a diagnostic disc which is downloadable to a laptop? These diagnostics seem to be a bit of a dark art with these cars.
Star diags or c1,2,3 etc are downloadable but are right pita to get working plus you need a specific mux device. I think I still have the disc images for the old c2 and the bespoke hardware c3 somewhere as did some bits for a thieving bastard merc specialist a few years ago.

Laptop was an ibm cigar box model.


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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by Missy Charm »

'Ought I to worry?' is the silly question. The week before last I carried out a routine light check on my car and found that the nearside dipped headlight was not illuminated. The fault was taken to be a blown bulb and a decision made to purchase a replacement the next day. The car was checked again immediately prior to the journey to the factor and the nearside bulb illuminated. The car has been checked again a number of times and the bulb has lit on all occasions. The car was driven some distance last night, during the hours of darkness, and all lights worked normally.

Since then, for want of a better suggestion, both headlight units have been checked, the bulbs have been re-seated in their holders and plugs and prongs have been cleaned with contact cleaner. Car is a mark two Focus.

This might be one of those things. It might be a mistake on my part, perhaps the bulb actually was lit during that first check and I didn't see it properly. I'm convinced it was out, however. The only other thing that adds credence is some driving at night done a week or so before the first check. The lights seemed weak, somehow, during that trip; it may have been the case that one wasn't working, but it was late and I just wanted to get home etc. The lights were much better during last night's journey. At this end of the year I do very little driving in the dark, so the lights hardly get used. I hope it's not the appearance of a gremlin.
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by BusmansHoliday »

If it's working OK now, leave it alone. Bad connection that sorted it's self when you hit a bump is possible.
You only need to worry when traveling along at speed on a Lincolnshire road at night and all the lights go out. Remembering that you've a dodgy connector under the dash and frantically playing with it at speed to make the bastards come back on before you find a bend doesn't half make you go cold.
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by Scruffy Bodger »

Missy Charm wrote: Sun Jul 03, 2022 8:12 pm 'Ought I to worry?' is the silly question. The week before last I carried out a routine light check on my car and found that the nearside dipped headlight was not illuminated. The fault was taken to be a blown bulb and a decision made to purchase a replacement the next day. The car was checked again immediately prior to the journey to the factor and the nearside bulb illuminated. The car has been checked again a number of times and the bulb has lit on all occasions. The car was driven some distance last night, during the hours of darkness, and all lights worked normally.

Since then, for want of a better suggestion, both headlight units have been checked, the bulbs have been re-seated in their holders and plugs and prongs have been cleaned with contact cleaner. Car is a mark two Focus.

This might be one of those things. It might be a mistake on my part, perhaps the bulb actually was lit during that first check and I didn't see it properly. I'm convinced it was out, however. The only other thing that adds credence is some driving at night done a week or so before the first check. The lights seemed weak, somehow, during that trip; it may have been the case that one wasn't working, but it was late and I just wanted to get home etc. The lights were much better during last night's journey. At this end of the year I do very little driving in the dark, so the lights hardly get used. I hope it's not the appearance of a gremlin.
First thing I'd do is check all earth points you can find and clean them up, battery terminal and main earth straps to chassis included.
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by Hooli »

Then the fuses if it's got one for each dipped beam.
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by bub2006 »

The focus has developed an appetite for sidelight fuses. Changed passenger side fuse twice and now the drivers said have gone. All I can think of is maybe the LED sidelight but s have some issue caused? I've known fuses blow on my dad's car when towing before as the extra load of caravan has blown a fuse but I sold our caravan a while back.
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by Hooli »

LEDs are lower resistance so might be affecting things. Put proper bulbs back in and see if it behaves.
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Re: Stupid questions about motorised conveyances

Post by mercrocker »

I've changed about five bulbs in three years on my Mk2 Focus and never fail to be unimpressed by the crapness of the fittings and seatings. I've got a box of spares in the car but I am never, ever, ever changing that fuckity fuck glovebox one again. I just chucked a freebie LED torch in there.....
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