AndyR

Hello and welcome. It seems like most members on here are in your neck of the woods. Last time i was in exmouth i was driving a ford. What year is your vectra? I had one of the last cavaliers before they became vectra.

Hopefully. According to the mot tester, I have a good strong car that just needs some TLC. He has given some advice on what to keep my eye out for, but it is mainly general running maintainence. Warmer weather will be here soon, so I can get outside and do some scratch repairs.

I'll be able to do it in my sleep. Just back from re-test, its a pass. My own fault, I hadn't tightened it up properly. But all sorted now.

Yeah, I'm getting there. Slowly but surely. Fitted new rear springs last week, that was an easy job surprisingly. Have had to re-attach front bumper properly, as previous owner had bashed it somehow and bent the front cross member behind bumper. Had MOT friday morning, tester reckons that i have a good solid car, and that apart from doing a little bit of routine maintenance regarding rear brake pipes, which need cleaning and greasing up. Does help that he is a vauxhall man through and through. He said that he has never had to do any welding on the astra g models, he also uses them as courtesy cars. I've just got to do something with the heater now, as its not as good as it was when i first had the car. A good flush through is called for i think.

Well the good news is that my headlamps are fine, didn't need adjusting, they look dim because the previous owner has fitted smoked glass lamps. Bad news is, car failed mot. On front top McPherson strut bush. I only did it last summer.

Normally i would have thought of doing that. This time that idea didn't even enter my head....... I will be going back outside and having another look. MOT is tomorrow morning, if I don't have much luck, I'll ask them to have a look. They're pretty good at my local garage. Thanks for your help.

Is there just the one adjuster? I can't seem to find a second. Its very hard to see behind the lamps whilst fitted due to air filter one side, and pipes and wires the other. I will be having a play tomorrow night. Thankyou for your insight.

Well i finally got around to sorting out the memory on the radio today. Pays not to rush these things. And yes i just swapped the red and yellow wires around, and hey presto its holding all memory. Would have done it sooner but i needed to do more important jobs for its mot. New rear springs, adjust handbrake again, as the self adjuster had moved on one wheel and slackened itself off. But on the bright side the wife is now happy that she doesn't have to keep resetting the radio each time she uses the car. WIN WIN.... Thanks again for all advice given in the past.

Hi all, I'm back with another question. I've replaced rear springs on my car, and now its sitting as it should, and not nose up. My headlamps are now ideal for rat spotting, {shining on the road 3 feet in front}.Not like i previously wrote, upwards. . I need to do some adjusting, but I can only find one adjuster, on the top with a blue cog beside it. Is there another one, and if so which one does the up and down, and which does the left to right please. High beam is just 2 beams shining in to each other. Thanks in advance, pictures would help too. Looked on google, and not very helpful this time. Regards Andy.

Thanks for the tip, i had a feeling that it might be something on those lines, i had an old montego years ago that did the same, after connecting a pipe to the air filter, it cleared up. Going to get all the bits for a service next week, and clean everything out then. And bleed the heater too.

Hi Phill, Glad you got it sorted. I've now developed what looks like head gasket problems. The oil filler cap is covered in yellow custard looking snot. I am not losing any water, and the oil doesn't have any discolouring, and the header tank is still quite normal. I am wondering if its in need of the pipes from the rocker cover needing a clean out.

Hi Phil, I just went to check your video on youtube, but its no longer avaliable. I too have a 1.6 astra twinport. The only sounds i get, which is when i turn off. Is the sound of what i hope is the aircon pump winding down. I would be curious to hear yours, unless you have managed to quieten it down. Regards Andy.

Well i thought i'd found the problem friday, but after last nights journey in the rain, no i hadn't. I noticed that the earth lead on the battery was loose. So i tightened it up, and the light stayed off, well until last nights trip out in heavy rain. I found quite a few deep puddles, and the light came back on and off and on, not as bright as when the handbrake is on, but enough to be noticeable. Could there be wiring under the car slightly exposed to the elements?? I'm thinking along the lines of a bad earth.

That sounds like a good step to try. I was wondering if it could be anything to do with the brake fluid reservoir/level. Or whether the fluid may need refreshing? Must admit that the brakes, (although are all new front and rear), don't seem as sharp as they were when i first got the car. Could that be a fluid problem? I will try the switch idea tomorrow though, and let you know the outcome. Thanks for the advice. Andy.

here goes, hope this works... Oops its upside down. This is also the handbrake light, it is bottom left on the dash, below the temp gauge. Has a tendency to flicker as you are driving along. Is quite annoying at night.

Thank you. As its a twinport would that make any difference to the power output (hp).

I have been trawling through eBay looking for spare parts for my car. When I put in model details it comes up with is it a 1598 ccm 103HP 76Kw (petrol) or is it 1598 ccm 84HP 62Kw (petrol). How can I tell which one I have please. Regards Andy.

Had front wheels off this morning replacing top suspension bearings. There are no wires anywhere near the brake pads. So where do I go from here??

Now I am at a loss..................................................................... Have replaced rear shoes this week, adjusted handbrake to about 3-4 clicks. And all is working well, except the brake warning light on the dash is still flickering whilst driving along. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can cure this please. My Astra is non ABS , so its not as i thought, a sensor breaking down. Now at wits end trying to sort this out. Thanks in advance, Andy.

Hi Neil, welcome to the forum. My name is Andy, i am 53 and live in Norfolk. I have only been on here since April this year. The amount of advice and help I've had from other members has been a blessing. So don't be shy in asking what might seem a silly question. Because if you don't have a clue, someone on here will. I have a 2003 Astra G Mk4 1.6 LS, It has a few battle scars from the previous owner, but i'm working through the list of jobs to bring her back to her former glory. Some i have managed myself, whilst others i have had to ask about on here. Good luck . Andy.

Thanks, will give that a go, but I've got my brake warning light problem back. So could this be letting me know to change the rear shoes? Thinking of doing them anyway, as I have no idea when they were last done. Are they easy to do, as I have not got a manual yet.

sounds like something to try to organise. Maybe the power of facebook aswell as on the club websites could help get the word out.

I guessed as much. Did look underneath and thought that if i jack the car up high enough to leave the wheels hanging , and then spring clamps to remove and replace. There would be no need to disturb the shocks. Which is a win win for me.

Hi, it would be nice if there could be a club meet set up for sometime next year, bringing all Vauxhall owners together. I have been to other owner club meets, J.A.E. at Billing Aqua Drome with my old Datsun. Owners clubs can be such communial , friendly groups.

Now the cars not in use as much, now the kids are back at school, i can spend more time getting these little jobs done. Will be ordering a pair of rear springs next week, 3 children and a boot load of shopping, and i couldn't see the top of the rear wheels. Not good. So glad they are separate from the shocks, should make life easier on changing them.