nta16

Please note - I am not a mechanic or expert in anything. Always with servicing and maintenance many start with one of the least important parts of the car. Priority should always be given to brakes, steering and suspension (all three included tyres) then on to visibility (see and be seen, lights, wipers, glass, number plates, etc.) and safety electrics (wipers, heater blower, horn, hazards, etc.). I go along with what Murdockman has put plus a forgotten but important air filter, if you're looking at and the spark plugs every two years you might as well renew the air filter at the same time. I'd also look at changing the gearbox oil on a manual box particularly as it's so easy. Also look after your battery and main cables and connections, keep the battery from getting too low charge and all cable and wire connections clean, secure and protected. If you're going to be doing a lot of short journeys, say under15- 20 miles, and very few much longer journeys then you might want to consider buying an appropriate battery charger or maintenance charger. As put before don't overlook the tyres even if they have plenty of tread above the legal minimum (which is only really good in dry warm weather) tyres get hard with age and/or lack of use and can deteriorate particularly if the vehicle is kept outside and as I put tyres are an important part of the vehicle's braking, and steering and suspension. The most important things to keep clean (and clear) are windows, lights and number plates. Good luck.

Fair enough, I can't think were I saw this plate I think it was in a car park or something. That's most modern cars to me as I sit closer to the road than most.

I don't know if that'd actually work but I'd have thought it does draw attention to the vehicle from a Police perspective, sort of advertising - "please check me and my vehicle over to see if I'm above any other laws".

I didn't notice they weren't the iron on type, should have noticed as my car has individual characters, recently I saw a 57 plate car with them (smoked finish too) so do I guess that's another fashion now (for off-road use of course).

Not for me, but extracting some information (modifications) was a bit like visiting the dentist that pulls one tooth a visit. 😄 I'm glad you've found improvements and have perhaps relearnt some of the basics you might have forgotten about with the passing of time and introducing changes from standard on your car. I am not sure if your cold start issue has been fully resolved or will be fully resolved, for that you may have to wait to see for up to another year's time but to me your overall fuel consumption seems very good. Despite what many seem to think and say here not all issues are black and white and with cut and dried solutions, even if you were to take some of the information in this thread to put up in sperate subjects threads I think rightly or wrongly any results, findings and solutions would be over open to question, debate and argument.

Can't remember that fashion being around down my way, perhaps it was and I can't remember. You were lucky to find a spare plate with the right letters and numbers, just goes to show what's about if you look hard enough.

I'd go a bit further and be add proper draining (as I'm not a paid mechanic) flushing, cleaning particularly if the vehicle's had previous owners and/or been serviced by others. I've seen lots of photos of glup and gawd-knows what from the coolant systems of over-priced, over-valued old cars that (shouldn't at least) have been eating oats. You can throw in stuff to find leaks anyway, if the red riverlets aren't enough here. 😄 I must admit I was wondering how cold it might get on Kharl's mountain excisions and whetherhe could just use water and an additive of corrosion inhibitor and, I'm going to use the word whether it technically the correct terminology, lubricant. Water is perhaps? less expensive for testing and to top up if leaks additives are easy to top up. I hope the lid is still on your blood pressure monitor. 😆

Yes I know, unusually for me I did correctly read your post, I wasn't referring to you, stand down soldier there's no battle. I'm not disputing your experience or eyesight and I noted your qualification. I am surprised sometimes at the certainly in some posts given all the possibly variables and lack of possible information that can be or is given in previous posts and think, as you did, some qualification is best included, though I often forget myself.

No, it's me that the problems are with - I thought you were referring to the hyperlink reference, I've just looked on page two of this thread. 🤣 🤣 I put the hyperlink to the info so that you can learn for yourself - and then you might be able to teach me! 🙃 Don't think answers and solutions are always straightforward or that any button on the car or these magic electronic tools will instantly solve things, that's were the likes of Keith's training and experience (possibly in life too) and some on here comes in very useful but even they can be caught out by the very unlikely that can happen or be the cause. Good luck with the MoT. Do bear in mind the MoT is only one trained person's opinion and testing of the car at one point of time only, to say that it meets the minimum requirements of the statutory test at that point, it doesn't fully relate to how good the car is or how well it is running.

Sorry I missed your post, I think my internet/computer/me is/are having problems at the moment. (ETA: Wrong -) As long as the Engine wotsit light isn't on for the MoT, they won't be looking for error codes (unless they're looking for work?). If the code returns take your car to Keith and get him to look it over and plug in a proper diagnostic scan tool. I was typing a post about not ignoring these error codes and car gauges and readings but if you've had the car a good while driving in all sorts of conditions to also trust your experience of the car as there can sometimes be codes and there nothing wrong car enough to worry about at least, or flipside you may feel there is something wrong with the car and there is despite error codes not showing.

So do you have a error code now?

It's top of the list on that hyperlink.

Those error code readers are like me they contain (and retain) too little information to be of much help often but they sometimes can point to issues so perhaps not always to be ignored unless it's a thing that leads nowhere each time or you can get further information elsewhere. It's like having extra gauges and readings for the car, sometimes they just give you more to worry about, this is where experience (time driving the vehicle over a range of uses, environments and situations) helps you decide how much and when to worry about the information.

Yeap when things are produced correctly they work correctly, subject to sufficient research and development (and a crystal ball sometimes). I was more just highlighting that coolants have chemicals and with the likes of chemical and oil companies it's very difficult sometimes to get consistent information and answers but this "red" stuff over years stuff may be less benign than other makes/types/colour/specification/code/number coolants. Some say these VW spec coolants (they have so many) are backwards compatible and others say they're not. - https://www.glysantin.de/en/faq/are-glysantinr-products-backwards-compatible I know of an instance when a highly recommended head gasket has failed because of some sort of production problem causing coolant leakage, water only overnight in this case. If only everything in this world had the binary comforting certainly some of the lads here seem to think they do.

Might do, might not, might be other stuff too, in addition, or might be single cause - that's the thing with cheap error code readers they don't always tell you much. What is on page 2 of 2? Have you tried clearing the code to see if it returns? As it shows P0171 is a generic code. - https://vwtuning.co/vw-audi-p0171-engine-code/

George (copied & pasted for spelling) your change from image to photo in your profile info at the side of posts (no idea what those are called) caught me out first time I saw it back as my mind was on a younger face from dancing on that Fiat. At the time of looking at that photo I wondered if it was just the angle of the photo or whether you were perhaps legless in more than one sense, I think I know now. Very strange photo of the Cortina . . . why the square plate on grille?

Correct. Just one commonly available (G12+) example in UK - Comma Super Long Life Red Anti-Freeze - https://www.wilcodirect.co.uk/product/coolant-antifreeze/super-long-life-red-anti-freeze-5-litre-co-sla5l/CO-SLA5L 17760.pdf I speak English (of a sort) and I cannot think of the correct words or technical terms but from my experience and knowledge I know one (some?) type of coolant (not VW specification stuff as it is not used in a VAG vehicle) that will more easily than others find it's way out, leak(s), this leak(s) can be isolated or localised and not coming out of everywhere it flows. Note in the Comma Technical Data Sheet, inserted above, it has - "Remove spills from paintwork immediately." There seems to possibly be at least one other instance on this site of G12 being possibly 'corrosion' (or wotever the correct word or technical term is) but this possibility was over a number of years. There are many instances of manufacturers making mistakes with their products' production and then even fake/counterfeit products getting to suppliers shelves, and also it is not difficult to imagine dishonesty in legal businesses in the chemical and car trades. And what else goes on on different parts of the world or where their products are manufactured or supplied from I do not know.

That sounds a really great figure., well done. Yes I should think you are. Any idea if a single or couple of changes contributed most to the improvement?

Personally I use a manual foot pump and that Halford 2015 separate pressure gauge, I don't like the electric pumps but I understand others may need to use them or prefer them. If you have one do remember to check your spare tyre and keep it fully inflated ready for use.

I'm not a big fan of Ring products as they don't always seem to be very long lasting on reliability and function even given their price points. Viair 70P Portable Compressor Kit 12V 100 PSI for Passenger Car Tires w/ Twist-on Tire - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/303726177395 Here's a model up, Viar's model 84P with "press-on air chuck" and analogue gauge, with 15 amp draw (see pdf of User Manual). - https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/293792153620 For an accurate pressure gauge. - Halfords LED Digital Tyre Pressure Gauge 2015. - https://www.halfords.com/tools/garage-equipment/tyre-inflators-and-pressure-gauges/halfords-led-digital-tyre-pressure-gauge-2015-171805.html

Changing your 'Location:' from Halifax to Cornwall might bring you more local help and connections if you live there full time you may find rates are more reasonable than other parts of the country.

Fair enough, you gave it a go. 40 years ago you must have must have been driving vehicles with automatic-choke or forgotten how it is to drive those with manual chokes, before injection and ECUs. With my manual choke I would be sitting waiting a very long time for normal idle. It's a matter of what you are used to and best for the car. My car on carbs ticks over at an indicated about 1,000 rpm which might be a 100rpm less in reality, but on a slower journey might tick over at an indicated 800rpm which sounds too low for my comfort, I don't have car computers to please so I can set the tickover at what I please and not even to factory as the engine is slightly modified. Be interesting to see your comparative figures.

I think that could be considered introduced bias to results, really you should not be doing the tests as you have an interest and bias to the results, or even really know what the tests are but just driving in a consist manner, but if the differences are marginal you might as well still to whatever method you prefer but this only relates to fuel consumption for the starts, and at this particular time of year and weather conditions. If you gave it a fair try no more could be asked for from you and you have tested confidence in your method for you and your car (conditions as above). Some people forget the world is full of variations and differences and think thigs instead are very binary.

Just to confirm what is the mm/yy date to this battery?

The flip side might be that it retains more heat to the cylinder head. If you are only waiting 1 minute perhaps the differences will be marginal, I thought you were waiting the 3:40 or whatever for the idle to drop before pulling away, whatever at least three tests of each method and you have some minimum information but it's your car to do with as you please, you've kept it 20+ years so you must be doing things right generally.