Conference terri::cars_uk

    Funny you should ask.
    
    36000 is the recommended replacement interval.
    
    However, it is NOT a standard service item.
    
    Because I didn't know it needed doing, I didn't ask for it to be done
    on my Digital lease car (SRi).
    
    And at 38000 miles... it broke. (On holiday in France, but that's
    another story.)
    

    
    My Astra manual agrees with the previous answer, ie. 36000 miles. I too
    am contemplating changing it as the mileometer is registering 40000
    now, and I don't believe anything has already been done.
    
    Any tips about required tools or whatever would be welcomed.
    
    - Ian (Who doesn't trust Haines manuals as 1)they miss out too much and
    	   2) everythings done with the engine out!)

    Hi,
    	I recently changed the timing belt on my MK1 Astra 1300s. Its not to
    difficult, execpt that the belt adjustment is done by turning the water
    pump, which in my case was rusted in, thus making it a rather long and
    difficult job.
    	As regarding tools required, you just need a socket set.
    

    I've done this job on a Cavalier 2.0. There were two problems:
    
    1. The water pump on this particular engine is secured by allen
    bolts (not the ordinary bolt shown in Haynes). This meant buying
    straight allen key with a half inch drive (to attach a torque wrench
    for re-assembly). This lead to clearance problems, and I had to
    adjust the length of the allen shaft (not easy!). 
    
    On other engine sizes or models this clearance problem might not
    arise.
    
    2. Turning the water pump is not easy. I think Haynes said to use
    a spanner, but it would need a spanner of about 2" af, a handle
    of no more than about 6", and with a crank in it!!! - I made a special
    tool out of lengths of aluminium strip bolted together.
    
    
    Apart from that, its not too bad.
    
    
    With the correct tools to hand, this job should take no more than
    2 hours, but add in the time to buy tools/make them/swear a lot,
    it took me about 12 hours! 

    
    	Hi.
    		Has anyone sold there mkII Astra,and are willing to sell
    there Haynes manual?I've got a 1987 Astra SR and as i've still got my
    Haynes manual for my Nova,and i don't need it,i wonderedif anyone has
    there manual just hanging around gathering dust??
    
    	Anyone????
    				Cheers ANDY....MUFC
      

    
    	Hi again.
    		Has any one ever owned or driven an Astra SR,1987 MKII?
    Have you ever found that when you drive along and press your foot hard
    to the pedal the car will hesitate for a second and then accelerate?
    Also i had a bit of a head-to-head with a Peugeot 205 i.6 Gti,and as
    i changed from first to second and accelerated i hit about 5000rpm
    the cars power seemed to be cut for a second,and then continued to
    accelerate.This only happens at about 5000revs,and most commonly occurs
    in second gear.
    
    	Any help?
    			Cheers...ANDY....MUFC

    
    > Peugeot 205 i.6 Gti
    
    I thought the GTi was a 1.9
    
    

    
    Calling all Astra MKII drivers!!
    
    	If you come back from a drive and park your car,do you find that
    your idling speed is slightly higher than normal?(about 1000 rpm).
    If you leave the car for a few seconds the idling speed drops,and if
    you turn the car off straight away then the car suffers from
    pre-ignition.Could this be down to the fact that I switch from leaded
    petrol to unleaded petrol quite frequently?
    
    	Any suggestions welcome.......
    
    
    		Andy...MUFC
    
    

    Replace the engine with a Ford unit :^)

    
    	Which Ford unit were you thinking of?
    		Perhaps the Fiesta's extra gutsy 1.1cc engine.
    	But maybe i'm just to young to handle all that raw power.
    
    
    Andy....Rumbelows-cup winner.....MUFC
    

    Na I was thinking more in terms of the old 950cc torque-spouting, tree
    trunk uprooting power plant. Should provide adequate performance at
    idle speed (which is where your problem lies, and I'm sorry for not
    knowing the cause of it :-)
    
    Gary.

    
    You really do know your everything about Fords more powerful plants.
    	It's nice to see people with a good sence of humour,after all
    you must expect Ford drivers to have a good sence of humour.
    
    
    	Cheers 
    
    	Andy....MUFC.....
    
    
    	P.s which of Fords donkeys do you drive....?????
    
    
    

    
    re: .12
    
    I assumed they were talking about a REAL man's engine - you know the
    1117cc side-valve unit out of the Ford Pop ca 1955.
    
    It had a 3 speed gear-box and vacuum driven windscreen wipers, so they
    slowed down gradually as you went up a hill!
    
    Mike H.
    

    Andy the "Ford donkey" I drive is a 197bhp adjustable Konied Escort RS
    Turbo. I'm quite pleased with the performance, but am looking for that
    little bit of extra zip... that's why I'm considering the peppy 1.3 
    Fiesta engine as a replacement :-)
    
    Gary.

    
    	Gary,why settle for the 1.3 fiesta engine,when you could have my 
    DOHC,24valve,ABS,Injected,Turbo,Intercooled Lawn-mower engine,guaranteed 
    to produce 1bhp of raw power.
    
    Give me a ring and i'll arrange a test drive.
    
    
    Andy...MUFC
    

    Only 1bhp from that set-up ???
    
    Are you sure you haven't the boost turned up too high... and the turbo
    on back-to-front ? ;-)
    
    Gary.

    
    The turbo's on the right way round,but if I can get this timing problem
    sorted out then i'm sure that the bhp will increase to about 90.
    (The lawn-mower engine is in my Astra)     8^)
    
    	Andy...The RS conquerer......MUFC
    

    Well I was only inquiring because it strikes me that a company like
    Vauxhall who can't put the letters RS on their cars the right way round
    may well fall into the trap of bolting on the blower back-to-front :-)
    
    Mine stands for Rallye Sport, what's SR stand for ?
    
    Gary.

    
    Sport Rally?
    
    Pity Ford having got enough QC to get the spelling on their badges
    right, though! :^)
    
    Mark

>>                         -< Rallyeeeeeeeeeeeee Sport! >-
>>    Pity Ford having got enough QC to get the spelling on their badges
>>    right, though! :^)
    
    But then again, they seem to have forgotten how to go rallying too...
    
    J.R.   ;-)

    Well I think the new Escort Cosworth could change all that, but fraid
    it can't put this topic back on the subject of an Astra timing belt.
    Perhaps it should be replaced by a Ford(e) item ? :-)
    
    Gary.

    
    	SR stands for Supercharger racer (or something like that)
    
    	Tell me more about the Adjustable 197bhp on your mule.
    
    	Andy.....MUFC
    
    

    Note 1500 tells all Andy... except that perhaps I have added adjustable
    Koni dampers and BBR springs too.
    
    I'm really pleased with it and it does go very well indeed!
    
    Gary.

I thought SR standed for Sales Rep.

Guess I've been wrong before and will be wrong again.

Rob.

    SR = Spell Rong
    
    Perhaps it might have something to do with grammar....
    
    SRi = Strange Rattle inside
    
    Gary. :-)
    
    PS. What DOES the SR in SRi stand for...and come to think of it what
    about all the other letters about....L, LX, X BX, TGD, DTR etc..
    

    A few suggestions :-
    
    SR		-	Sport Rallye
    GT		-	Grandisimo Tourine
    L		-	Luxury
    X		-	extra
    GL		-	Greater Luxury
    RS		-	Rallye Sport

    I thought SR was Sports racer (a colleague say's sports roadster).
    
    Citroen levels were/are:
    E		economique
    RE		riche economique
    RS		riche sportife
    TRS		tres riche sportife
    RD		riche diesel 
    DTR		diesel tres riche (it should have followed as TRD, but
    		think about it!)
    
    TGR		tres grande riche
    TZS		By now I think they've run out of superlatives, so they've 
    TXD		started putting X's and Z's in just to differentiate!
    		(or maybe tres zippy saloon??? :-)  )
    
    Which is why I think they've gone to names for the levels in the ZX
    ??? (can't remember)
    avantage
    aura
    volcane
    
    
    Richard

    RE. astras and cavaliers..
    
    SR stands for Sports Ratio  coz they got close ratio gearboxes.
    
    from when the cavalier SR first came out, with a bog standard CD engine
    but with close ratio box.
    
    Huw.

    so what's CD (or is Corps Diplomatique too obvious?)
    
    Richard

    And what's GLS?  I've been driving a Cavalier GLS for seven years now,
    but it's one of those things one always wanted to know but was too
    embarrassed to ask ...
    
    Ken

    
    	It stands for "Goes like S***"
    
    		Or something like that.
    
    	Andy....Sports Ratio......