Conference terri::cars_uk

    Most likely cause is wheel bearing(s), they make a droning sound when
    shot.  How many miles has the car done?
    
    Paul

    
    Yep, Wheel bearings, or perhaps Diff bearings. I would have thought the
    MOT test would have picked up a worn wheel bearing.
    
    Tony.

    
    
    Hi,
    
    
    
    Sorry I forgot to mention the wheel bearings in .0
    My Father-in-law has checked the wheel bearings and says they're o.k. 
    He knows a thing or two about cars since he was a Mechanic in the
    Gulf GT40 Team, although these "front wheel drive jobbies" baffle him
    sometimes.
                                            
    The car has done a lot of miles, (gone round the clock).
    The car only had it's MOT last month and passed after having a
    steering rod changed, (I think). As I say it's the wifes car and I only 
    get to know about the problems with it normally after the event!
    
    Can you give me more info on the diff bearings. I suppose it's a little
    more difficult to check than just taking the wheel off.
    
    I drove the car again this am, and either the noise is getting worse
    or I'm better at detecting it. It starts of at about 40 MPH, and
    really gets going through 55 to 60, almost as though the noise is
    resonanting. Since 60 is cruising speed it's very uncomfortable
    driving the car with the amount of noise and a fair degree of high
    frequency vibration. Once through to 70 it dies down again, but I dont 
    like to push the Nut-bucket more than 75!
    
    Thanks again 
    
    Graham
    

    Does this sound mechanical or is it some piece of trim/metal blowing in
    the wind? Has the car hit anything recently? Try shaking all the bits
    of plastic etc.
    
    Andrew
    
    PS The other question is "When did this start?" Suddenly, gradually...

    
    
    Hi,
    
    It's definitely a mechanical heavy sound. Not wind or plastic etc.
    
    As to when did it start, this is a question I asked the wife.
    She didn't really notice it till I pointed it out..so it could have
    been like it for ages!
    
    As the little boy says on the AA ad,
    "I'm not being very helpful am I"!!
    
    Regards,
    
    Graham

Maybe an inner CV joint?  Not discounting your father-in-law (or was it your
father?), it might be worth having a closer look at the wheel bearings.  They
may not be loose, but they can still make noise.

Dave

    
    If the car was a front eng rear drive it would almost CERTAINLY
    be the Universal Joints on the Prop shaft. I've experienced exactly
    the symptoms you've described on Viva's Cortina's etc.
    so I reckon .6 has it right. So it will be Whatever prop shaft UV
    joints translate to on your Nova. e.g. CV joints.
    When wheel bearings go the car rumbles like your driving on very
    rough concrete, and tends not to have a resonant frequency like 
    U.V joints do.
    
    My two penneth.
    Matt.

    
    
    Hi,
    
    Thanks for all your views. My Father in law has persuaded a Senior
    Vauxhall mechanic to have a look at it. Since this is being done as
    a favour I'm not sure when it will be but some time in the near
    future. 
    I'll post the diagnosis and cure here....when it happens!
    
    Regards,
    
    Graham

    
    
    Hi,
    
    Update on the "droning sound" from the olde nutbucket.
    
    The man from Vauxhall reckons its the front nearside Wheel bearing.
    So Paul and Tony seem to be correct....thanks!
    
    I say "seem" coz I haven't fitted the new one to prove it yet.
    
    Probably do it this weekend, if I can find the Manual and my set of
    Hammers....(sorry dear I meant Spanners!)
    
    GA

    
    
    Hi,
    
    Final installment.
    
    Swapped nearside wheel bearing. Noise a lot better but still there.
    Noisier when offside wheel is "loaded".
    Therefore I swapped out the offside bearing this weekend and all
    is fine and dandy!
    
    I must say to anyone attempting this, that the Haynes manual is, as
    usual, skimpy on the "essential" info.
    
    I quote, "using a suitable press or mandrel drive out the bearing".
    Yes well not everyone has a press or "suitable" mandrel to hand!
    Fortunately my Father-in-law's place of work had all the gear, complete
    with a "Hot-wash" to clean all the old brake clag off the Steering
    Knuckle before starting work.
    
    
    Regards and thanks,
    
    Graham
    

    recently acquired a b reg nova 1.0 for my wife and have the following
    few niggly problems that I am looking for help on
    
    > The passenger door doesn't seem to fit well ie. you can hear a
    draught when your driving (not too badly but it's there) and it leaks
    the odd drop or three during a heavy rainfall...quite common here in
    sunny south west scotland :-(( .. can anyone offer avice on how to fix?
    
    > The heater is permanently hot . When you move the control down to
    `cold' it doesn't seem to be moving anything behind the control panel
    .How do you go about getting in behind the control panel to see what's
    what or would you not recommend this ?
    
    > over the last few days the handbrake is not releasing on the rear
    drivers side wheel . We were away for the weekend , when we returned I
    had to take the wheel off and `apply hammer firmly and frequently' to
    get the brake to release . Since then every morning I have had to
    gently roll the car forward and back to get the brake to release . Any
    clue as to what is causing this (dampness?) and how to fix ?
    
    Regards ,
    
    F.

    >>Door fit
    
    	The car won't be perfectly quiet, but presuming there really is
    excessive noise either the door seal is kapuut or else you've got to
    ask yourself the question, why is the door bent out of shape? Broken
    into? Crashed? This goes for the leak too.
    
    >> Permanently hot heater
    
    	Get a Haynes manual. Broken cable? I'm not aware of the mechanics
    of the Nova heater, so wouldn't care to comment. As -.1, drive with the
    window open ;-)
    
    >> handbrake
    
    	If the handbrake were seized on, how can you push the car to free
    it ?!?!? Try adjusting the rear brakes and, while you're at it, check
    the brake shoes and replace if necessary. Is the brake drum warped?
    Anything bent? Past history of car (ie. smacked up a kerb or
    anything?!)
    
    HTH.
    
    Dan

>>    Get a Haynes manual. 
    
    Very good advice that and I just happen to have, for sale, one
    careful owner, a slightly oil smudged Haynes manual.
    
    Make me an offer. :-)
    
    
    John O'C

	I get the impression that -1 is not being entirely
	serious.

	Door seals.  When my wife had company cars she always
	had Cavaliers.  The early ones were fine but the door fit
	on the new designs were appaling.  Huge gaps with lots of
	rubber fitted.  After about 1 year the noise level went 
	up as the rubber "tired".  To see if it is that, compare
	the gaps with the other door, note that this is definitely
	*not* precision engineering.  If it is well out, then the
	door is bent.  If not, then maybe new seals would help.  
	However, these will be Vauxhall specials and expensive.
	Maybe a scrappy would be better.

	Brakes not releasing.  Get Kwikfit to have a look.  They're
	generally cheap and ok.  Failing that you can use copper
	grease *sparingly* on the moving parts.

	Dave

Does anyone know how to cure a rattly gearstick. It rattles at about
70mph in top and at the same engine revs in the lower gears. Holding
the gearknob while it is rattling makes it a bit quieter.

The rattle goes away if you go over 70 (yes, it is possible)
(downhill).

Chris

Try tieing a piece of rope to the gearstick. Or a hi-tech sloution would be 
use a bungee (elastic with hooks).

    Actually, using rope or elastic is old hat. Halfords and stores of that
    ilk stock a small gizmo (I forget the name) which uses the gyroscopic
    principle to stop this. The gyroscope spinning counteracts the
    vibrating of the gearstick. The unit's about 1cm square, and 5cm long,
    and fits as high up the gearstick as you can get it without it
    interfering with your hand when you change gear. The only real drawback
    is the fact that it takes those little flat batteries such as one puts
    in a watch, and it can be expensive it one forgets to turn it off when
    the car's stationary.
    
    Cheers, Laurie.
    
    PS. It's about �4.99

    Alternatively you could find the bushes/linkage that has worn out and
    replace it.
    
    :-l

The gearstick rattle was easy to fix. I had a quick look underneath and
it was really the handbrake cable rattling against the exhaust pipe.
I tied it out of the way with a bit of wire.

Chris

    Wait a minute, it can't be, could it!
    Not the ex-German contractor with the Nova....  :-) 
    back in Digital!!!!!
    How are you Chris (& the family!) ?
    Phil.

    I've had a problem with my Nova GSi over the last couple of days...
    
    The car will be driving fine then all of a sudden it will lose power
    all together, there is no shuddering, then the battery light, stop
    light etc come on. The car then starts first time (no misfire) and
    drives away no problem. This has happened three times in the last four
    days. 
    
    The car is an H reg with 53,000 on the clock and a regular service
    history.
    
    Anybody?
    
    Craig.

    
    Knackered coil ? Get a replacement at your local scrap yard - takes 
    about 5 minutes to fit.
    

    See ignition problems note (3353 I think) for dej� vu..... :-)

    Correction 2353 sorry!
    	       ^