some questions....

you guys are always the best for asking questions thats why im always asking haha! plus i dont know much about cars, i know how to do the regular routine stuff but anything else my uncle does for me...

1. im getting horrible gas milage, 30 miles to the gallon or so if im lucky, i have a 2000 1.3 automatic with 126,000 miles, its the middle of winter here in Maine, but im not doing a huge amount of idling/warming up and im not driving in city/real hilly area's...i just had new plugs put in not long ago, the mechanic that i took it too said i had low compression in one cyclinder, but this dufus also said i had a blown engine and that i wouldnt make it from his garage back to the house...and that was 20,000 miles ago...guy was obviously a retard...the reason i had it taken to the garage in teh first place was that the engine was grinding and i figured it was toast, come to find out the bottom lip on one of the spark plugs broke off and was making its way through the system...yes i know not good, no clue how it happened though...

2. whats the best way to have the compression tested? take it to VIP or a place like that?

3. when i start up the car a decent amount of smoke rolls out of the pipe at at start up but thats just a one time deal before it goes to regular color...smoke is kinda bluish/white...someone said i had a clogged something or rather...dont remember...lost the message...

4. im looking to put some decent aftermarket lights in...im looking at either the Sylvania super whites or the eruodesigns on ebay...anyone have any luck with either of them?

thanks for any incite...


EDIT: so i did a little research and found some information on the site about other people who have had bad mpg...i noticed Leon had a kinked fuel return hose...so im gonna check that out on mine..i also read about PCV valve, Ignition Timing, distributor cap and EGR cleaning...can anyone tell me where these are located and how to go about cleaning/adjusting them...

thanks for the reply, ill get my compression tested and post back :)

another quick question...my interior lights and headlights were dimming out when i was idling if i turned the heater on, put a new battery in it and swapped out the alternator...problem still there...any idea's?

another quick question...my interior lights and headlights were dimming out when i was idling if i turned the heater on, put a new battery in it and swapped out the alternator...problem still there...any idea's?


How tight is your alternator belt? If it's slipping, you won't get enough power. Also, you may be over-drawing, but ussually only if you have after market amps and subs.

Loosen off all three bolts holding the alternator and get out a pry bar, and carefully, so as not to lever against anything but the engine block, push that alternator back with all your force, and get somebody to tigthen it up. Make sure to use new bolts for this, cause they snap rather easily.
I have had success by replacing the two bottom bolts with one long bolt going all the way through and double nutted.

Jai

i do have an amp and subs in my trunk, but i havent been bumping them at all recently for this very reason, and i didnt notice the lights dimming at all when i put them in 2 years ago...seems to be a relatively new thing...