Ian Barkley

Had continuing problems with poor idle and stalling engine, tried carb cleaner etc which seemed to help a bit but was variable. Finally fitting a new battery cured the problem! Ian

Recently the rear lights failed, and on investigation both brake/side light bulbs had a hole in the glass! I fitted new bulbs and it appears that the side lights turn on the brake light filament and vice versa... I assume this is an earth problem [or some strange sabotage with a soldering iron] Where do I start to erradicate this problem? Thanks Ian

Cheers Guys... A little ignorance goes a long way... I've just had a birthday and have some beer tokens to spend so I think a digital meter is an urgent purchase. Then I'll try your suggestion, thanks Ian

Thanks jj, bit ignorant on these fancy modern engines... where is this IACV? will an ordinary analogue voltmeter do? and do I connenct it across the terminals of the IACV? 🤔 Ian

Is there a relationship between battery voltage and tickover on the K series? My 7 has had a very variable tickover for a while, sometimes working OK, others stalling at every opportunity unless duditious heel & toeing was used to keep the engine revving. I had to fit a new battery and it started ticking over perfectly! One exception only when I had been stuck in stop/go traffic for a considerable time, immediately prior to parking for the day, when I set off for home [presumably the battery was a bit low on charge] the lumpy tickover returned until I got on the open road for half an hour - charging the battery - then running sweetly again... Ian

Thanks I'll give it a try, the skip should be gone tomorrow... Cheers Ian

RJ it is a K series, I've tried the inertia switch but I'll try the fuses, thanks [i'm a bit scared of injector systems, and don't know what to do with them] Thanks Ian

Any thoughts? Been busy since I got back from France a few weeks ago 3000miles to Provance, La Foie and back, put the car in the garage and it will not fire on turn over... I've charged the battery and the starter is turning it over OK. There seems to be petrol in the tank but not a squeek! I've got a skip at the end of the drive but would like to get it working for the week end. Ian

Thanks Norm, I've disconnected the cable to the valve and that allows more movement which turns it off completely. Means diving under the bonnet to turn it on but hey, it's summer! Still thinking about the icecubes though... Ian

Not really time to strip out the engine etc Norman, with work getting in the way. Setting off to France in a couple of weeks... I'll have a fiddle with the valve first and see if I can turn if off more fully. [still like the idea of the ice cubes!] Next problem is the starter not turning over when its hot... wires... solonoid...relay... Do you think it'll be warm in Provance and the Loire Vally in the next few week? Ian

What with hot footwells et al and a heater system which never fully turns off the hot water. I was wondering if I bypassed the heater with a short piece of heater hose and possibly put ice cubes in the space above the heater matrix, with the blower on full on... would this make hot weather running a delight? There could be the bonus of cold water dripping into the footwell! Ian

Stephen I'm after a pair of chrome 7" front rims only and would be very interested if you end up with a surplus? Thanks Ian

Thanks John I'll have a look, I don't understand these 'modern' engines at all. Cheers Ian

The tickover has been unreliable for a while, it seems since the supersport cam was fitted, cutting out when stopping at lights etc. and even when held a little fast on the throttle, the revs rise and fall spontaneously. Sometimes it runs absolutely perfectly completing a journey with no problems at all. I have tried pumping the accelorator 5 times with the ignition on but without the engine running, I have also used carboretta [spelling?] cleaner in the little plasticky bit [at the top of the engine which has a pipe running from the air cleaner fitting bit] as reccomended. It still seems ok sometimes and rubbish at others and it would be nice to sort it before this summers grande tour. Any suggestions please Ian

Thanks Den... Ian

Could anyone tell me the part number for a thermostat for a K series 1600? The trained money at H**fords was unable to help and it's become very urgent! Thanks in anticipation Ian

Cagey H I'm definately going to fit a bleed valve, thanks Ian

Hurrah! Thanks to ALL your help I think I've sorted it - been for a run and the temp. stayed at just above 80 so I think I've got the last of the air out. Thank you again I really appreciate your comments. Roll on Cadwell Park - is anyone else going? 19 March Bookatrack? Cheers Ian

Hi Allen I did manage to bleed the system a while ago, it does have a heater which seems to complicate the system, maybe I need to be a bit more patient with it. I presume once an airlock is there the thermostat is not opening because it is not heating up and because there is no flow it remains. If only the thermostat housing was made of metal and I could play a blow torch onto it! Regards Ian

Thanks very much Griff & Elie: it's started up now... but... still overheating! I thought I had got the air out - do thermostats fail-safe? [ie open] If I took the thermostat out would it a. run OK but take an age to warm up? - not the end of the world. or b. do some harm? Regards Ian

Good idea Sweeny I'll try the plugs It's a K series 1600 Ian

A catelogue of disasters... 1. Got 7 back from service where coolant was changed... 2. Tried car yesterday - boiled over after a couple of miles: airlock in system - answerphone at garage[ which is 50 miles away] 3. Drained system, jacked up nose of car, refilled system 4. Lowered car and tried to start engine to check and circulate coolant, not a spark... 5. Flattened battery trying to start car 6. Hooked up booster leads to other car - made no difference to starter motor speed? checked leads? No change. 7. Come in out of the snow with the battery on charge 8. What should I do? Has something happened to the electrics because of overheating, boiling over? it did restart yesterday after allowing it to cool to get home Any thoughts gratefully recieved... Might watch the Grade Prix and calm down before retrying... Thanks for reading Ian Edited by - Ian Barkley on 12 Mar 2006 16:21:13

Thanks Trevor for the re-assurance, I'll keep my fingers crossed. I havn't used the garage before, I was a bit stuck because Richard Scrivener who usually looks after the car was too busy. They aren't open today - or presumably tomorrow - and I want to put it right in good time for Cadwell Park next Sunday. I'm not sure I trust THEM to put it right anyway! I've managed to find some Comma green stuff so I think I'll drain the system and start again. Cheers Ian

Just had my 7 'serviced' this week: took it for a run just now and coolant everywhere!!! They have changed the coolant to an attractive green colour, but have not bled the system, the bottom hose to the thermostat and the bottom of the radiator stone cold while the tempreture soared to 120+. Can anyone tell me what the coolant is? can I top it up with water? do I need to buy some more green liquid before I bleed the system properly? Finally what are the chances that I've done for the head gasket??? Shortish run only with engine HOT. Thanks Ian PS I've got a trackday next sunday - so I need to sort it.