Kyron Tie rods, or inner tie rods, or track rods as they are also known are prone to wear out, as with all suspension components on all vehicles, roughly at the point they bolt on to the steering rack as this is more or less a universal joint. A ball within a socket that can rotate 360 degrees to allow the hub, to which the road wheel is attached, to move up and down with the suspension, and back and forth (in and out) as the steering wheel pushes it in and out (every direction). For some reason Ssangyong Kyron tie rods seem to tire faster than most. It is a common MOT/NCT road safety test failure point. Whereas tie rods for most vehicles are readily available, this wasn't the case with Ssangyong Kyron tie rods - the only way to acquire one (or a pair, which is what is normally needed) was to buy a complete steering rack from Ssangyong themselves at a high price.
Our company Commonsense Car Parts, based in Dundalk, Ireland, recognised the demand for these components and having been in the motor trade 20 years we were well placed and had the appropriate contacts to obtain a quality replacement component at a fraction of the cost of buying a new rack. These components have proven over the last 4 years to be of a much higher standard than the ones that come as standard on the Ssangyong vehicle. As we acquire these in bulk quantities we can wholesale them or retail them. Contact us at info@commonsensecarparts.com or visit us at www.commonsensecarparts.com . Find us on Facebook
03/05/2015
Sangyong Rexton Inner Tie Rods/Track Rods
Rexton Tie rods, or inner tie rods, or track rods as they are also known are prone to wear out, as with all suspension components on all vehicles, roughly at the point they bolt on to the steering rack as this is more or less a universal joint. A ball within a socket that can rotate 360 degrees to allow the hub, to which the road wheel is attached, to move up and down with the suspension, and back and forth (in and out) as the steering wheel pushes it in and out (every direction). For some reason Ssangyong Rexton tie rods seem to tire faster than most. It is a common MOT/NCT road safety test failure point. Whereas tie rods for most vehicles are readily available, this wasn't the case with Ssangyong Rexton tie rods - the only way to acquire one (or a pair, which is what is normally needed) was to buy a complete steering rack from Ssangyong themselves at a high price.
Our company Commonsense Car Parts, based in Dundalk, Ireland, recognised the demand for these components and having been in the motor trade 20 years we were well placed and had the appropriate contacts to obtain a quality replacement component at a fraction of the cost of buying a new rack. These components have proven over the last 4 years to be of a much higher standard than the ones that come as standard on the Ssangyong vehicle. As we acquire these in bulk quantities we can wholesale them or retail them. Contact us on info@commonsensecarparts.com or visit us at www.commonsensecarparts.com Find us on Facebook.
Our company Commonsense Car Parts, based in Dundalk, Ireland, recognised the demand for these components and having been in the motor trade 20 years we were well placed and had the appropriate contacts to obtain a quality replacement component at a fraction of the cost of buying a new rack. These components have proven over the last 4 years to be of a much higher standard than the ones that come as standard on the Ssangyong vehicle. As we acquire these in bulk quantities we can wholesale them or retail them. Contact us on info@commonsensecarparts.com or visit us at www.commonsensecarparts.com Find us on Facebook.
Ssangyong Rodius Inner Tie Rod End/Track Rod
Rodius Tie rods, or inner tie rods, or track rods as they are also known are prone to wear out, as with all suspension components on all vehicles, roughly at the point they bolt on to the steering rack as this is more or less a universal joint. A ball within a socket that can rotate 360 degrees to allow the hub, to which the road wheel is attached, to move up and down with the suspension, and back and forth (in and out) as the steering wheel pushes it in and out (every direction). For some reason Ssangyong Rodius tie rods seem to tire faster than most. It is a common MOT/NCT road safety test failure point. Whereas tie rods for most vehicles are readily available, this wasn't the case with Ssangyong Rodius tie rods - the only way to acquire one (or a pair, which is what is normally needed) was to buy a complete steering rack from Ssangyong themselves at a high price.
Our company Commonsense Car Parts, based in Dundalk, Ireland, recognised the demand for these components and having been in the motor trade 20 years we were well placed and had the appropriate contacts to obtain a quality replacement component at a fraction of the cost of buying a new rack. These components have proven over the last 4 years to be of a much higher standard than the ones that come as standard on the Ssangyong vehicle. As we acquire these in bulk quantities we can wholesale them or retail them.
Our company Commonsense Car Parts, based in Dundalk, Ireland, recognised the demand for these components and having been in the motor trade 20 years we were well placed and had the appropriate contacts to obtain a quality replacement component at a fraction of the cost of buying a new rack. These components have proven over the last 4 years to be of a much higher standard than the ones that come as standard on the Ssangyong vehicle. As we acquire these in bulk quantities we can wholesale them or retail them.
13/01/2015
Every man's problems......
Over the Christmas and New Year’s holidays of 2002/3 I went
to bed one night and woke up the next day a different person, it’s as simple as that. The week before I had had a little job done –
a bit like laser surgery or a bridge fitted to my teeth…………. something like
that…………..no big deal I was told over and over, nothing to worry about, you’ll
be good as new in no time, different people said.
Roll forward 12 years.
In the lead up to the Christmas and New Year’s holidays of 2014/2015
things were as mad as a bag of frogs on Ecstasy, customer after customer
looking to get sorted, even though a lot of them were told don’t put me under
pressure Christmas week. One day I left
home on top of the world and came home the same day having being to a different
planet and Christ did I feel alien! Sure
I knew by the short breath, back ache, head ache……it is only the flu, 2 Lemsips and the hot whiskey
mix 3 times and by the time I had got a few hours in the cot sure I’d be good as new, no big deal I told myself over
and over. I went to bed thinking
tomorrow I’ll be the finest………….
Tomorrow came and I felt like a comet had hit me when I was in
melt down mode while feeling alien,
doctors/pills/more pills /and 3 or 4 stomachs of projectile vomiting and even more pills later
I now feel like I’m coming back into land again on my own planet……. Planet
Keith, and pretty soon I’ll be back on top of my world again. (Turns out my temperature had skyrocketed to
the point if it hadn’t been caught I was on the verge of sepsis)
It’s being 12 years now since the 2002/2003 Christmas/New
Year break and it has taken the 2014/2015 holiday break and a silly little lung
infection/virus to knock a few things into place. About the holiday break 12 years ago, the little
job that I just had done was the removal of 70% of the biggest aquist newrooma (sic) (Editor’s Note: Acoustic neuroma -brain tumour) ever found in
Ireland, the going to bed one person and waking up another was 3 major strokes
in 6 days with death all around me. Waking
up and finding out I had lost the use of
my entire left side, walking/driving independent living were now all a thing of
the past or so I was told over and over.
The few things that
have fallen into place have left the following carved in my mind:
1 1. I’m a lot
more able in a lot of ways than a lot of people out there – the blind, the
homeless, the elderly and the ill
2. I see laziness everywhere in brilliant people I know, who could be playing a part in changing the world for others worse off than them
3. Most people go down at night taking it for granted they will rise the following morning the same person and life will go on as all they have always known it. One day they may wake up to a new world where they become very ill, blind or homeless………….. it’s as simple as that
4. I know better than most we all have our own lives to live and that every man’s problems are the worst in the world to themselves.
5. I now know that there is nothing in this world that cannot be helped in some way no matter how bad things seem.
2. I see laziness everywhere in brilliant people I know, who could be playing a part in changing the world for others worse off than them
3. Most people go down at night taking it for granted they will rise the following morning the same person and life will go on as all they have always known it. One day they may wake up to a new world where they become very ill, blind or homeless………….. it’s as simple as that
4. I know better than most we all have our own lives to live and that every man’s problems are the worst in the world to themselves.
5. I now know that there is nothing in this world that cannot be helped in some way no matter how bad things seem.
For me the worst problem in the world is knowing nobody has
to be homeless, and that blindness and ill health can be helped or at least
slowed down. I’m not a lazy person,
brilliant maybe, but not lazy, and this year, 2015, I’m going to do all in my power
to help.
06/12/2013
Airbags and brain injuries
Its not the name of a band, its a very real situation, that's
developing and getting bigger all the time. The reality is fake airbags
are now a very common item, being used in the repair of damaged vehicles and
returning to the road all over the world.
There are already documented issues in Ireland where drivers of
vehicles have died following an accident and the surgeons who worked on them
have blamed the lack of a functioning airbag causing the driver to smash his
face off the steering wheel resulting in brain injuries. People need to
take on board the importance of buying their replacement airbags from a genuine
traceable source. The most reliable statement I can offer is if it seems
too good to be true it probably is. If airbags are offered to you as a
mechanic or end-customer at extremely low prices chances are they are fake or
have been modified to 'trick' the airbag system in your car to believe they
will function in the event of a crash - they won't. Keep away from anyone
using the word resistors when talking about fixing your airbag system.
Resistors simply bypass the airbag system circuitry and your airbag will
not 'blow' if you are in a crash.
Your airbag system is not just your airbag - this includes your
seatbelts, which are your first line of defence. There is a
mini-explosion in a ratchet when you are in a crash, causing your seatbelt to
pull in tight pinning you to the seat. Your airbag then stops you bashing
your face off the steering wheel. Neither of these will work if the
circuitry is incomplete or bypassed (think of Christmas tree lights and how one
loose bulb stops the whole set working). Seatbelts that are not
functioning properly will cut you in two like a piece of cheesewire.
For more information and a professional service contact us at
info@airbagsireland.com . You can visit us at our website
www.airbagsireland.com
I know what I'm talking about - I've had a brain injury (from a
brain tumour) and have had 4 brain haemorrhages, all from falls to the ground,
and I've been in the airbags business for 20 years.
12/08/2013
Keith McGahon - Miracle Man
I was born
and reared in Dundalk town, the son of a
long-standing Fine Gael TD. An engineer
by trade I went out on my own in business in the early 90’s , and ran a
successful motor factor business, importing airbags from around the world and
retailing them here in Ireland to the crash repair industry. I was living the fast life, riding and racing
motorbikes, travelling world-wide buying stock, partying and living it up. I
remember overtaking a lorry at speed on my motorbike one night, and thinking to
myself if I ever went under one of them I would surely end up in a wheelchair,
disabled for life. A 40 ft 30 tonne
monster. Little did I know that a silly
little brain tumour would nearly wipe me out in the blink of an eye.
My workload
got heavier in the late 90’s, so heavy that when I started getting ever
increasing headaches I was more interested in the instant relief that
painkillers gave me. After two and a
half years of taking prescribed painkillers from my then-GP, I collapsed in
November 2002, and was rapidly diagnosed as having a large Acoustic Neuroma
(brain tumour). In many ways I was
relieved to know it was a brain tumour because I was starting to feel like a
hypochondriac with my many visits to the doctor. 70% of my tumour was removed in Beaumont
Hospital Christmas week of 2002. I got home 6 days later on Christmas Eve. Having felt weak and tired I put it down to
having spent almost a month in bed awaiting the tumour removal. But unfortunately on Christmas Day I
collapsed, and a couple of days later on my re-admittance to Beaumont National Rehabilitation Hospital
in Dun Laoghaire on the 18th March
2003. I had been told that I would never
walk or drive again. But over the next 6
months I learned to walk again, although my dancing days were over. I can now walk more like a wardrobe, but who
cares! I left Dun Laoghaire
Hospital
I spent the
next few months under the instruction of the Hospital living with my mother,
before on a check up I begged them to take me back – I could no longer do it!
(Just kidding Mum!!) It was then agreed
I had made a good enough recovery to be deemed fit to live alone.
I went back
to work part-time for myself, and mainstream living kicked in once again. My troubles were far from over, as over the
next 6 months I experienced some serious painful times, before it was
discovered that the blood supply to both my hips had been killed off by the
large amount of steroids pumped into my body to reduce the size of the tumour –
a condition called avascular necrosis.
The pain got worse as my right hip deteriorated, but once again I
continued on dealing with the pain in the best way I could, sometimes
forgetting about it completely.
Unfortunately
in August of 2007, my hip locked coming down a flight of stairs, causing me to
lose my step and I fell to the bottom, fracturing my skull and having 3 brain
haemorrhages – 2 external, and 1 internal.
I got over this fast, and was back on my feet in a flash. (Unfortunately – again!) in March 2008 as I
walked down the street there was a loud crack and I collapsed on the
footpath. I at first thought I had stood
on a twig, but was to find out after spending a good hour screaming like a
maniac in pain, that my left upper leg bone structure had shattered – again
related to the overload of steroids keeping my tumour under control in
2002. After one month in hospital and
the total rebuild of my upper left leg with titanium rods and plates, I then
went to spend a month in a nursing home, by choice, as my home was not suitable
to return to, and my parents were too elderly to care for me. While my sisters
and brothers were very supportive, they had their own lives and families to
take care of. It was a learning
experience that I’ve never gathered so much from. All around me were old people in various states
of mental and physical decay. Believe it
or not, it was only then did I become grateful for how lucky I really was, in
many ways.
The summer
of 2008 was good until a joy-rider knocked me down breaking two ribs and
causing me to have a further brain haemorrhage the following evening – my 4th
in 12 months. I met my now-girlfriend
the day before and she came to see me in hospital while I was recovering, and
it was then I realised she was a very good person, and more or less what I
needed to keep going.
In early
December of 2008 after a 4 year wait I had my right hip replaced in the Mater Private Hospital
Looking
back on my experiences over the last few years I realise now I have swam oceans
and climbed mountains in my recovery.
Though I am still waiting for my first state-sponsored physiotherapy
session, or occupational therapy, I am very grateful to all of those who have
helped me – the doctors and nurses, and my family, who I think still struggle
more than I do to understand the impact of my disability. Now 37, my business more or less wiped out by
my illness and the shrinking Irish economy, I understand there is only one way
and that is forward. I have to stay
focused and strong. I am planning maybe
on returning to college, or starting another business – who knows………the way I
see it the day I fell ill, I was down South in Cork City, had I been up North I
could have won the lottery. One thing I
understand now more than ever is Shit Happens, life is short and we must ride
it hard. Every man’s problems are the worst in the world to himself, no matter
how trivial. I’d like to say to any
other sufferers of Acquired Brain Injuries your greatest cure is acceptance and
belief in yourself. These days laughter
is the fuel I run on (ask Frances
Keith
McGahon 2009
Update: 2013. Mum passed away in February 2012, after a tough battle with emphysema - from someone like me who has had to cling to life, don't go down that road. I'm now 41 and going strong. Having fractured a vertebra and dislocated my shoulder in June 2011, when my van ran me over (I kid you not) I found out the Avascular Necrosis had spread. In October 2011 I had my left shoulder
replaced, and the following April my right shoulder. That’s me done for the moment although I will
need to have all the major joints done again at some point in the future. Local rags have tagged me the miracle man - I don't see myself that way, I just think of myself as a regular joe. All’s good.
http://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/news/miracle-man-26933752.html
http://www.independent.ie/regionals/argus/news/miracle-man-26933752.html
26/06/2013
Renault Megane Subframe Bushings
A subframe front or rear basically holds the car's running gear (suspension, shock absorber and springs) or struts (combined shock absorber and spring) and the car's drivetrain (drive shaft and hub). A hub or stub axle as it is known by some people is the part of the car the wheels are mounted to via a drive flange. A wishbone, also know as a bottom arm, keeps the hub in place and attached to the sub frame.
With the help of ball joints, inner and outer tie/track rod ends (which are another form of ball joint but attached to the steering system) allow the suspension and drivetrain to move in a controlled manner. The sub frame must never move at any time in order to keep the geometry of the front of the vehicle locked safely in place and the timing of all these steering and suspension components correct that they will never crash into one another and/or hit the body of the vehicle thus keeping us safe on the roads as we travel from A to B, amongst other cars/vans/jeeps, trucks and motorbikes, never mind people and buildings.
The Renault Megane - all models, 3,4 and 5 door - Scenic and Grand Scenic from 2003 onwards to the new model just released, have two large bushes which locate the front subframe on the car. These bushes are pressed into the subframe behind the steering rack and accurately locate the subframe in place stopping any form of movement caused by vibration, knocks or bangs in every day use.
These bushes break down with old age or high use causing movement and MOT/NCT test failure. You can't buy these bushes from Renault alone, instead you must buy a complete subframe which has the two bushes in it for £400+ .
Until recently this was the only means of purchasing these bushings, but replacement bushings are now available through Commonsense Car Parts Ltd (www.commonsensecarparts.com)
With the help of ball joints, inner and outer tie/track rod ends (which are another form of ball joint but attached to the steering system) allow the suspension and drivetrain to move in a controlled manner. The sub frame must never move at any time in order to keep the geometry of the front of the vehicle locked safely in place and the timing of all these steering and suspension components correct that they will never crash into one another and/or hit the body of the vehicle thus keeping us safe on the roads as we travel from A to B, amongst other cars/vans/jeeps, trucks and motorbikes, never mind people and buildings.
The Renault Megane - all models, 3,4 and 5 door - Scenic and Grand Scenic from 2003 onwards to the new model just released, have two large bushes which locate the front subframe on the car. These bushes are pressed into the subframe behind the steering rack and accurately locate the subframe in place stopping any form of movement caused by vibration, knocks or bangs in every day use.
These bushes break down with old age or high use causing movement and MOT/NCT test failure. You can't buy these bushes from Renault alone, instead you must buy a complete subframe which has the two bushes in it for £400+ .
Until recently this was the only means of purchasing these bushings, but replacement bushings are now available through Commonsense Car Parts Ltd (www.commonsensecarparts.com)
09/06/2013
Local Mechanic vs Giant Manufacturers
Most vehicle manufacturers have been
building cars, vans, trucks for up to one hundred years now - Ford from the
early 1900s, Mercedes, BMW, Fiat and most of the other makes for 60/70/80 years. In that time they have become smart, wise
even, to what is prone to breaking down, what is prone to wear fast, and what is
vital to keep the car moving. They are also
fully aware that maintenance is the key to keeping our vehicles on the road
efficiently.
Most people do not realise that cars like
human beings, animals, food, everything in the world are constantly evolving. The manufacturers have picked up on this and are
constantly trying to adapt their products, produce them more efficiently. All the time, to keep up with this, the
manufacturers of petroleum, gas, petrol, diesel, motion lotion - call it what
you will - are also working hard to keep their products more efficient, more
environmentally friendly, cost-efficient, cost-effective to produce, and in
doing so they must all work together very closely, in particular in areas where
oil is a vital ingredient to keep an engine, gearbox, differential/back axle
all in tiptop condition. In the last 20
years semi synthetic and fully synthetic oils have come on the market. A lot of
people have no idea what these are as they may have no interest. As long as their car takes them from a to b, that’s
all that matters.
Now it’s a different story for
the many people who never service their cars. Others only service their cars
maybe once a year. One particular engine – the DV6 1.6 engine found in all Peugeots
and Citroens from 98 to present (it’s also available in most 1.6 diesel Fords,
Mazdas and Volvos since 2004 forwards) is supposed to be serviced every 3500 to
5000 miles with the correct oil, not just any diesel engine oil. And a lot of the time a genuine oil filter
from the manufacturer Ford or Peugeot or Citroen should be used. When a turbo is been changed on these vehicles
there is a strict code of conduct that needs to be followed in order to add to
the longevity of the turbo. Cleaning of
this engine entirely, including the hydraulic buckets attached the tappets and
nearly every area accessible to oil needs to be cleaned thoroughly. Peugeot, which is the manufacturer of this DV6
engine, say a 5 hour deep clean is needed, along with replacement with new
parts of the oil feed and oil return pipes, including new banjo bolts and sump
gauze. If these conditions are not
followed strictly the new turbo will not last long. Again the manufacturer of
this engine knows this and advises that the troubleshooting and servicing of
these vehicles is carried out by the network of main dealers they have
throughout the country. This work for
their own people in their dealerships is a revenue creator for all involved,
making life harder for the small-time mechanic.
Modern cars are evolving all the
time, with more and more electronic sensors everywhere that pick up faults
within the cars system, and control modules that maintain the use of many
components throughout the vehicle – ABS system, airbag system, electric windows,
air-conditioning etc. These main dealers,
or network of agents attached to the manufacturers, have this software
equipment knowledge and experience of finding these faults and eliminating them. Smaller local mechanics may not have the
equipment, knowledge or money to bring themselves up to speed with every
manufacturer’s capabilities. Then there
is also the care of these vehicles’ suspension and drivetrain components, of
which there are a great many in every vehicle.
Peugeot again have their own suspension
system on both sides at the front of every car in their 407 model range from
2002 onwards. This unique system, made up of an aluminium upright (known as a
hub carrier) held between a top and bottom wishbone, has a bushing at the very
bottom, just where it meets the bottom wishbone which is prone for breaking
down quite fast. You could not buy this
bush from Peugeot on its own - instead you must buy the complete hub carrier at
€360+/£300+. Only recently a company in
Northern Ireland, called KCar Manufacturing, began to make a much a cheaper and
stronger replacement for the 407 bush, without the need to buy the hub carrier. This bush is now available to order exclusively
from Commonsense Car Parts (www.commonsensecarparts.com)
at €50+ VAT each. A whole range of other
replacement components can be found on our website.
14/10/2011
Reconditioned vs Remanufactured - what's the difference?
What’s the difference between a reconditioned turbo and a remanufactured turbo?
Reconditioning involves fixing up your own turbo i.e. it is a repair job. This concentrates on fixing the problem with your turbo, only the faulty part is removed, and you get back an old turbo with the fault fixed. This is usually done by a mechanic or some other mechanically minded person, and in a workshop/garage environment. The main problem with this is that it is still an old turbo, with the potential to experience many more age-related problems. Reconditioning simply extends the useful life of your turbo, rather than giving it a whole new life. As well as this, seals have to be broken and replaced as part of the job, and the non-sterile environment could compromise the future efficiency of your turbo.
Remanufacturing means a turbo has been returned to a remanufacturing plant, fully broken down into its component parts and each part is then cleaned and inspected. If the housing is intact it will be used again, if not it will be replaced. The same then goes for each individual component- if it is in perfect condition it will be used again, if not, it will be replaced. This is done in a sterile engineering environment,
When you buy a remanufactured turbo, you are buying a product that is as close to a new turbo as it can be. It is done on an exchange basis – your own turbo is then sent back to the manufacturing plant so the components can be used to remanufacture a turbo for the next customer. In that way you get a good as new turbo for much less than the cost of a brand new one.
When you buy your turbo from Commonsense Car Parts Limited you are buying a turbo remanufactured to ISO9001 standards with a 12 month manufacturer’s warranty. Visit us at http://www.commonsensecarparts.com/ to request a quote. The same high standard and minimum 12 month warranty applies to all remanufactured car parts we supply – including steering racks, steering pumps, steering columns, brake callipers, alternators, starters, fuel pumps.
19/08/2011
Don't d v 8 from these instructions when fitting your DV6 Turbo
Turbo Part No. 753420-4, 49173-07502/07503/07504/07505/ 07506/07507
Engine codes: 1.6HDI DV6TED4/ DV6UTED Ford, Citroen, Peugeot, Mazda and others
To those in the motor trade, the mechanical repair field, main dealer suppliers and end users (Joe Soaps): this DV6 engine is a bit of a diva - if you don't treat her right she simply won't perform. She's highly sensitive and demands only the finest oil (5W/30), regular pampering (servicing every 3500 to 5000 miles), and will be quick to throw a tantrum if she feels in any way mistreated. Our diva demands a specialised diet- none of your fast food (cheap or inferior oil) - she wants to keep in the best of condition, and poor quality oil and failure to service the engine regularly will result in a build up of carbon (best described as 'killer sludge') and she will be so unhappy she won't think twice about taking the turbo, EGR valve or oil pump out of commission, at a mighty price to you. (And don't even think of starving her of oil (letting oil levels go low) - if your engine is starved she will simply destroy all around her)
Once the damage is done, and the killer sludge has invaded your engine, its almost impossible to eradicate it. Once in it can hide in the smallest crevices, darkest deepest oil galleries, from the hydraulic tablets in the head to the oil lift pipe found in the sump - nowhere is safe. This can cause ongoing problems as even if you replace a component such as a turbo or EGR valve with a high quality replacement, it will be prone to picking up traces of the killer sludge from the engine and its life expectancy will be reduced.
It is extremely important that you read the fitting instructions supplied by us before fitting your turbo. Failure to do so will result in premature failure and you will be declined in the event of a warranty claim.
The PSA 1.6HDi, DV6TED4 engine is a highly sophisticated low emission, high power diesel unit. It is used in many different applications; Citroen, Ford, Mazda, Mini, Peugeot and Volvo.
Due to the engine being clean and powerful, it is designed to operate at high temperatures, which demands the very best lubricants. These lubricants must be maintained in peak condition and PSA have fitted an in-line oil filter to the turbo and an integral oil cooler/oil filter to this engine to ensure this.
Reports in the field indicate that if the engine has been operated with the oil level below normal limits, this may potentially cause a high concentration of carbon in the oil. This may then lead to blockage of the in-line filter, oil cooler and main oil filter, which will eventually bring on premature turbo failure. The vacuum pump may also suffer from this same type of contamination.
However, due to its high operating speeds (230,000 revs per minute) the turbo will usually be the first to show signs of damage. This can happen from 30,000 miles onwards if the oil level and correct oil change intervals/procedure have not been adhered to.
Experience to date suggests that the carbon build up in this application is particularly difficult to remove.
To try to eliminate the potential for further turbo failure, the following MUST be undertaken by the garage, in addition to the normal recommended turbo fitting instructions:
1) Remove the engine sump and check oil pump pick up strainer, oil pump, and all oil galleries for carbon contamination
2)If heavy carbon deposits are identified fit new oil pump, oil pump pick up strainer and clean all oil galleries.
2)If heavy carbon deposits are identified fit new oil pump, oil pump pick up strainer and clean all oil galleries.
3)Fit a new oil feed pipe, oil feed connectors and oil drainpipes and hoses.
4)Remove the gauze filter that is in the new banjo bolt that secures pipe to block.
5)Remove oil cooler and oil filter assembly and clean thoroughly.
6)Remove intercooler, pipes and hoses remove residual oil.
7)Remove the vacuum pump and check for debris/carbon deposits and clean/replace as necessary.
8)Remove the Rocker Cover/Cam Box clean all carbon and sludge deposits from the cover, breather( where fitted) and associated valve gear.
9)Check the Particulate Filter and Cat are not blocked, replace if found to be heavily contaminated with oil from the failed turbo.
10)Clean the Exhaust Gas Re-circulation Valve, induction manifold and all associated pipe work and ensure that the E.G.R. is functioning correctly.
11)A fully synthetic LOW SAPS 5w/30 oil must to be used.
12)Change engine oil after 200 miles and then every 3/ 5000 miles.
13)Ensure that the particulate filter is regenerated frequently and is not blocked. At least one 50 mile continuous journey every month.
14)Check the fuel injector gaskets are not damaged, replace as necessary.
15)Where turbo oil feed pipe bolts to engine block, blow through engine block to clear debris from the failed turbo and any carbon/sludge preferably using a cleaner before the oil pump is refitted.
16)Leave the oil feed pipe detached at the turbo end, crank the engine over without firing until clean oil is flowing from the pipe. It is convenient to catch the oil in a plastic bag or container. When clean oil is flowing connect the pipe to the turbo.
17)Check oil flow:
a) Fit turbo, leave oil return pipe disconnected.
b) Attach an extended oil return pipe and feed into a container.
c) Start engine, idle for 60 seconds and switch off engine.
d) Oil delivery should show at least 0.3 litres of oil.
e) Repeat test to confirm flow is correct.
f) Ensure during the test the engine is not run below minimum oil level
g) Change oil and filter after 20 miles and then after 200 miles as in step 12)
In some instances even after carrying out these instructions not all of the carbon/ sludge deposits will have been removed resulting in further turbo failure. In these instances the turbo will NOT be covered by the warranty as the failure is not due to a faulty component but failure due to external factors.
In life most of us know there are no guarantees - give yourself the best chance of your turbo surviving by following each and every one of the steps above and double checking to make sure all these steps have been followed. Cutting corners or skipping steps with such a sensitive piece of equipment is just not worth the risk. Your warranty is only as good as your fitting of the turbo allows it to be.
Footnote: The only 100% cure to prevent premature turbo failure is to fit a new engine.We sell this turbo with a 12 month warranty but it's a warranty for parts and workmanship, and doesn't cover damage or failure caused by your failure to follow the fitting instructions and have your vehicle regularly serviced.
Commonsense Car Parts
09/08/2011
Carbon build up - killing the vital organs of your car
Unless you are mechanically minded and understand the workings of an engine and the dire need to use the right oils in it, you will find it hard to comprehend the horrific consequences to your engine and many of the components bolted on to it, to aid its performance, of using the wrong oil, or starving your engine of oil.
Think of it like this. Your engine is like your body. It has many components to make it work more efficiently - your oil pump is like your heart, your EGR valve is like your lungs filtering the fuel it takes in, the alternator is a bit like your digestive system - keeping the batteries charged.
Your car needs a balanced diet to run at its most efficient - as the saying goes you are what you eat. Cheap and inferior oils are like the fast food of the motor industry - over time in much the same way as your arteries will clog with cholesterol, the carbon clogs up the oil galleries throughout the engine, oil pump, EGR valve and turbo. Eventually this will cause a total blockage and give your engine a 'heart attack'. As with human beings this heart attack could be minor and affect any of a number of areas - such as the oil pump, turbo charger, EGR valve. If your oil pump fails your engine will most likely sieze - the vehicle equivalent of a fatal myocardic episode (okay okay - heart attack then!)
Your particulated filter (PTF) is like your endocrine system (liver, kidneys, lymph glands) - it provides ongoing filtration of all the toxins that otherwise would clog up the cars system.
In your average journey your engine is probably turning over at 1500-2500 revolutions per minute. I'm not even going to calculate how many times your engine turns over in a half hour journey - lets just say its a lot. In much the same way as you would eat properly before doing a marathon, and would make sure you topped up with nourishing food and fluids along the way, its vital that your engine has a steady flow of proper good quality oils to make sure it performs at its optimum, remains well lubricated and isnt left exhausted by trying to cope with the amount of carbon being produced.
Most manufacturers are designing engines now to produce a lower carbon footprint (emission output) - this means that as the carbon has to go somewhere, if its not going outside the engine, its staying inside. So the better the quality of the oil, the less carbon is produced, and so the less stays in your engine. To help your engine help you, its vital to have your engine serviced on a regular basis with the right oils.
Poor 'food' for your car will lead to poor results, and over the longer term possibly fatal engine problems - its worth the extra few pence to put the proper quality and grade of oils in your car to keep it in prime condition. After all its better to fork out a few quid for some good oil now, rather than having to spend several hundred on a replacement turbo.
http://www.commonsensecarparts.com/
http://www.airbagsireland.com/
Think of it like this. Your engine is like your body. It has many components to make it work more efficiently - your oil pump is like your heart, your EGR valve is like your lungs filtering the fuel it takes in, the alternator is a bit like your digestive system - keeping the batteries charged.
Your car needs a balanced diet to run at its most efficient - as the saying goes you are what you eat. Cheap and inferior oils are like the fast food of the motor industry - over time in much the same way as your arteries will clog with cholesterol, the carbon clogs up the oil galleries throughout the engine, oil pump, EGR valve and turbo. Eventually this will cause a total blockage and give your engine a 'heart attack'. As with human beings this heart attack could be minor and affect any of a number of areas - such as the oil pump, turbo charger, EGR valve. If your oil pump fails your engine will most likely sieze - the vehicle equivalent of a fatal myocardic episode (okay okay - heart attack then!)
Your particulated filter (PTF) is like your endocrine system (liver, kidneys, lymph glands) - it provides ongoing filtration of all the toxins that otherwise would clog up the cars system.
In your average journey your engine is probably turning over at 1500-2500 revolutions per minute. I'm not even going to calculate how many times your engine turns over in a half hour journey - lets just say its a lot. In much the same way as you would eat properly before doing a marathon, and would make sure you topped up with nourishing food and fluids along the way, its vital that your engine has a steady flow of proper good quality oils to make sure it performs at its optimum, remains well lubricated and isnt left exhausted by trying to cope with the amount of carbon being produced.
Most manufacturers are designing engines now to produce a lower carbon footprint (emission output) - this means that as the carbon has to go somewhere, if its not going outside the engine, its staying inside. So the better the quality of the oil, the less carbon is produced, and so the less stays in your engine. To help your engine help you, its vital to have your engine serviced on a regular basis with the right oils.
Poor 'food' for your car will lead to poor results, and over the longer term possibly fatal engine problems - its worth the extra few pence to put the proper quality and grade of oils in your car to keep it in prime condition. After all its better to fork out a few quid for some good oil now, rather than having to spend several hundred on a replacement turbo.
http://www.commonsensecarparts.com/
http://www.airbagsireland.com/
08/08/2011
Why does my airbag light come on when I turn my ignition on?
Every car that has an airbag system (which is nearly every car since the year 2000) has a small airbag symbol, or an airbag light as its called in the dashboard/speedometer/clock area. When you turn your ignition switch on this light should illuminate for 5 seconds only, before going out, along with your other ignition lights (oil, engine etc). This means your airbag system is armed should you have an accident and be in need of your airbags. Basically they will inflate as required, and your seatbelts (which are linked into your airbag system) will tighten up holding you in your seat stopping you from flying forward through the windscreen.
If your airbag light is either on permanently or doesnt come on at all, it means there is one or more faults in your airbag system. No matter how hard your car is hit, your airbags will simply not blow - as I tell people, even if its hit by a jumbo jet they still won't blow. Its a bit like trying to turn your TV on with no fuse in the plug. Too many people have dismissed this light staying on as of no importance. It's only now that NCT laws have changed (since 2009) causing your vehicle to fail its test if this light either doesnt come on at all or stays on, that people are starting to investigate whats wrong.
In some cases with a second hand car when the light does not come at all they find that it has been permanently blocked off e.g a blob of black paint or some black insulating tape has been put between the perspex screen and the actual light so you don't see that its permanently lit. This was a common trick used by rogue vehicle repair people to allow them to cut corners, and keep the overall cost of repairing a vehicle for sale down. In most cases this may simply have been because the second hand airbag kit they purchased came with the wrong airbag module (the brains or control house of the airbag system). Over the years the prices of these have gone up and down and today you can still pay up to €600 for one e.g for a Kia, Hyundai or Honda. Or they may simply not have wanted to replace the airbags at all and will have done a patch up job.
The reason the light would be on in the first place in any vehicle is due to some sort of impact - this can vary from a severe road accident where the airbags and seatbelts have blown, to simply hitting a pothole or kerb hard. You may not even realise you have blown your seatbelts as they may work mechanically, i.e they will roll in and out, but if the light is on chances are they have blown electronically and this effectively breaks the circuit of the airbag system, so the light is your warning that your airbags will not blow up when needed until you get this problem sorted. In many ways your airbag system is a bit like old fashioned Christmas tree lights where when one blows the whole set won't light. If any single component of your airbag system is blown, the rest may as well be as they will not function. So assuming you only have a problem if your actual airbags have blown is a common misconception .
If your light comes on you will need to know what is damaged and what needs to be replaced. Your best bet is to go to your main dealer as they will have the diagnostic equipment, the software to read the faults and the experience to know how to troubleshoot any issues. You may see people advertising that they can offer a diagnostic on your airbag system, and every other joe soap seems to have diagnostic equipment in their garage or shed, but I would recommend you only go to a reputable garage for this service - e.g if you are in the Ballina area we can recommend Luke Donnellan - one of the best in the country. There are others and if you contact us we may be able to direct you to someone reputable in your own location. If you are not sure then your main dealer is still your best bet. You will get a diagnostic report which they can interpret and which will indicate which airbags and/or seatbelts may need replacing. Then you need to go to an airbag specialist to get replacement airbag components which can include your driver and passenger airbags, seat bags, roof bags, knee bags, seatbelts, and even a new airbag module. In some cases your own airbag module can be repaired (reprogrammed) - the crash data or the cause of the light going on will be stored on it and reprogramming removes the stored data and puts it back to how it was before at a fraction of the cost of a new one.
Airbags Specialist
Replacement car parts - new and remanufactured
If your airbag light is either on permanently or doesnt come on at all, it means there is one or more faults in your airbag system. No matter how hard your car is hit, your airbags will simply not blow - as I tell people, even if its hit by a jumbo jet they still won't blow. Its a bit like trying to turn your TV on with no fuse in the plug. Too many people have dismissed this light staying on as of no importance. It's only now that NCT laws have changed (since 2009) causing your vehicle to fail its test if this light either doesnt come on at all or stays on, that people are starting to investigate whats wrong.
In some cases with a second hand car when the light does not come at all they find that it has been permanently blocked off e.g a blob of black paint or some black insulating tape has been put between the perspex screen and the actual light so you don't see that its permanently lit. This was a common trick used by rogue vehicle repair people to allow them to cut corners, and keep the overall cost of repairing a vehicle for sale down. In most cases this may simply have been because the second hand airbag kit they purchased came with the wrong airbag module (the brains or control house of the airbag system). Over the years the prices of these have gone up and down and today you can still pay up to €600 for one e.g for a Kia, Hyundai or Honda. Or they may simply not have wanted to replace the airbags at all and will have done a patch up job.
The reason the light would be on in the first place in any vehicle is due to some sort of impact - this can vary from a severe road accident where the airbags and seatbelts have blown, to simply hitting a pothole or kerb hard. You may not even realise you have blown your seatbelts as they may work mechanically, i.e they will roll in and out, but if the light is on chances are they have blown electronically and this effectively breaks the circuit of the airbag system, so the light is your warning that your airbags will not blow up when needed until you get this problem sorted. In many ways your airbag system is a bit like old fashioned Christmas tree lights where when one blows the whole set won't light. If any single component of your airbag system is blown, the rest may as well be as they will not function. So assuming you only have a problem if your actual airbags have blown is a common misconception .
If your light comes on you will need to know what is damaged and what needs to be replaced. Your best bet is to go to your main dealer as they will have the diagnostic equipment, the software to read the faults and the experience to know how to troubleshoot any issues. You may see people advertising that they can offer a diagnostic on your airbag system, and every other joe soap seems to have diagnostic equipment in their garage or shed, but I would recommend you only go to a reputable garage for this service - e.g if you are in the Ballina area we can recommend Luke Donnellan - one of the best in the country. There are others and if you contact us we may be able to direct you to someone reputable in your own location. If you are not sure then your main dealer is still your best bet. You will get a diagnostic report which they can interpret and which will indicate which airbags and/or seatbelts may need replacing. Then you need to go to an airbag specialist to get replacement airbag components which can include your driver and passenger airbags, seat bags, roof bags, knee bags, seatbelts, and even a new airbag module. In some cases your own airbag module can be repaired (reprogrammed) - the crash data or the cause of the light going on will be stored on it and reprogramming removes the stored data and puts it back to how it was before at a fraction of the cost of a new one.
Airbags Specialist
Replacement car parts - new and remanufactured
07/08/2011
Vanishing Irish Motor Trade
As most Irish Motor Traders, Motor Factors and Vehicle repair people will know, the Irish Motor trade is shrinking on a weekly basis. Is it because people are not spending their money full stop, is it because vehicle finance and small time lending are not available or is it simply because vehicles are so highly advanced that they don't give trouble any more? The list could be endless.
One or two issues are very evident - the cost of running vehicles, the fact that families realise they don't need and can't afford, two cars anymore, the cost of living overtaking the vanity that underpinned a large section of the 4x4, BMW, Lexus and Audi market.
Escalating fuel prices, higher insurance costs, and reckless lack of maintenance of our chariots in the last 10 years as the purchase of a new, higher spec, sparklier motor was only ever just a loan away has lead to massive repair bills by people now desperate to keep their ageing motor on the road.
For example the turbo massacre normally caused by lack of oil, dirty oil, or the wrong or poor quality oil can result in a bill of €1000 to €1500 for the average family saloon, as they find themselves needing to replace this vital part. The Peugeot/Citroen 1.6 Hdi family (407, 307, C4 and C5), Volvo S40, V50, Mazda 3 and Ford Focus from 04 to date, all use the same turbo. From reputeable suppliers this can cost €550 plus €120 for the fitting kit, never mind the oil and air filter and 2-3 hours labour. And thats for a remanufactured turbo, so you can double that if you want the brand new replacement turbo.
Clutch failure now involves the replacement of your flywheel. For the Mazda 6 2l Diesel, a very popular car, this will cost from reputeable motor factors €600 plus VAT for cars up to March 2005. For newer than March 2005 you could double that price. The clutch kit itself could be costing you €400 plus VAT.
For some people these figures represent a 6 month supply of vitamin G (the black stuff) and dirty smokes, and walking to the pub seems a small price to pay. But on a more serious note for others these sort of figures can't even be considered, once the mortgage, household bills and the weekly food have been paid for. As you'll have seen recently 800,000 people in Ireland have less than €80 a month to live on after essential bills.
Car sales were for a time artificially inflated by the Government scrappage schemes matched in many cases by manufacturers offers, all in a bid to move stock and keep things going. But any main dealer will tell you that July has seen figures plummet as people simply cannot afford to buy new cars without the help of these deals. Banks aren't helping matters by increasing charges and loan rejections. Even the bank managers themselves are trying to offload their flash motors, and 4 wheel luxury for more practical and economically kept vehicles.
Revenue into the industry is sluggish as people opt to pay their tax quarterly, and their insurance on a monthly basis, to allow them to keep on the road at all.
Its only a matter of time before there is a resurgence in the popularity of car-sharing or car-clubbing as people try to get to work in the most cost effective manner possible. Nobody can blame people for trying to keep the cost of vehicle ownership to a minimum, but the knock on effect on the industry can't help but be felt by already struggling garages, motor factors and mechanics. Its a bit like an angry polo mint (a vicious circle) as these people become statistics in an economy on a downward spiral. The less people spend, the less money is out there, the more people lose their jobs, the less money the average person then has to spend, and so on and so on - where will it all end!!! Are we looking at a car-less future - no wonder the price of Honda 50s has gone through the roof! Time to call 11850.......
One or two issues are very evident - the cost of running vehicles, the fact that families realise they don't need and can't afford, two cars anymore, the cost of living overtaking the vanity that underpinned a large section of the 4x4, BMW, Lexus and Audi market.
Escalating fuel prices, higher insurance costs, and reckless lack of maintenance of our chariots in the last 10 years as the purchase of a new, higher spec, sparklier motor was only ever just a loan away has lead to massive repair bills by people now desperate to keep their ageing motor on the road.
For example the turbo massacre normally caused by lack of oil, dirty oil, or the wrong or poor quality oil can result in a bill of €1000 to €1500 for the average family saloon, as they find themselves needing to replace this vital part. The Peugeot/Citroen 1.6 Hdi family (407, 307, C4 and C5), Volvo S40, V50, Mazda 3 and Ford Focus from 04 to date, all use the same turbo. From reputeable suppliers this can cost €550 plus €120 for the fitting kit, never mind the oil and air filter and 2-3 hours labour. And thats for a remanufactured turbo, so you can double that if you want the brand new replacement turbo.
Clutch failure now involves the replacement of your flywheel. For the Mazda 6 2l Diesel, a very popular car, this will cost from reputeable motor factors €600 plus VAT for cars up to March 2005. For newer than March 2005 you could double that price. The clutch kit itself could be costing you €400 plus VAT.
For some people these figures represent a 6 month supply of vitamin G (the black stuff) and dirty smokes, and walking to the pub seems a small price to pay. But on a more serious note for others these sort of figures can't even be considered, once the mortgage, household bills and the weekly food have been paid for. As you'll have seen recently 800,000 people in Ireland have less than €80 a month to live on after essential bills.
Car sales were for a time artificially inflated by the Government scrappage schemes matched in many cases by manufacturers offers, all in a bid to move stock and keep things going. But any main dealer will tell you that July has seen figures plummet as people simply cannot afford to buy new cars without the help of these deals. Banks aren't helping matters by increasing charges and loan rejections. Even the bank managers themselves are trying to offload their flash motors, and 4 wheel luxury for more practical and economically kept vehicles.
Revenue into the industry is sluggish as people opt to pay their tax quarterly, and their insurance on a monthly basis, to allow them to keep on the road at all.
Its only a matter of time before there is a resurgence in the popularity of car-sharing or car-clubbing as people try to get to work in the most cost effective manner possible. Nobody can blame people for trying to keep the cost of vehicle ownership to a minimum, but the knock on effect on the industry can't help but be felt by already struggling garages, motor factors and mechanics. Its a bit like an angry polo mint (a vicious circle) as these people become statistics in an economy on a downward spiral. The less people spend, the less money is out there, the more people lose their jobs, the less money the average person then has to spend, and so on and so on - where will it all end!!! Are we looking at a car-less future - no wonder the price of Honda 50s has gone through the roof! Time to call 11850.......
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