I'm just curious, before you bought this car, which for most of us is our 2nd biggest expenditure next to the house, did you even google it, or, did you just kick the tires saying yep, this is the one for me?? 😁

1 hour ago, Zippy020171 said:

Looks like your mechanic is also a crook. As @unofix said above it is not possible to inspect the belt. He's telling porkies.

Is this just a tyre & MOT type garage?  He might be mistaking the aux belt for the cambelt if he doesn't get involved with engine work.

Not sure I'd trust his eyes anyway, that split in the cat flexi should have also been an MOT fail.  You can see the soot where it must have been blowing for a while so not caused during removal.

Obviously it's your choice but I absolutely would not trust that garage to change a wetbelt.

51 minutes ago, StephenFord said:

I'm just curious, before you bought this car, which for most of us is our 2nd biggest expenditure next to the house, did you even google it, or, did you just kick the tires saying yep, this is the one for me?? 😁

that's the point I keep pressing home in many of my posts - the world changed - but few noticed 

a ford with good economy, cheap road tax and these days is loaded with toys, should be the most simple and sensible choice you can make - there SHOULD BE no research necessary - it should last for 25 years with a annual oil change and that’s it

 

1 minute ago, Botus said:

it should last for 25 years with a annual oil change and that’s it

Good, I have another 5 years left on mine

1 hour ago, StephenFord said:

I'm just curious, before you bought this car, which for most of us is our 2nd biggest expenditure next to the house, did you even google it, or, did you just kick the tires saying yep, this is the one for me?? 😁

I lived in London and didn't have a car for 8 years, didn't need one and didn't want another.

When I moved and got a job as a bus driver, again I relied on public transport and then thought, what If i'm the first bus out the garage, so to be honest it was look and buy with no real time. I normally do my homework but didn't have the time and its come and bitten me in the ar5e.

I can't believe it 😞

50 minutes ago, mjt said:

Looks like your mechanic is also a crook. As @unofix said above it is not possible to inspect the belt. He's telling porkies.

Oh don't say that! 😞 😞 😞

1 hour ago, TomsFocus said:

Is this just a tyre & MOT type garage?  He might be mistaking the aux belt for the cambelt if he doesn't get involved with engine work.

Not sure I'd trust his eyes anyway, that split in the cat flexi should have also been an MOT fail.  You can see the soot where it must have been blowing for a while so not caused during removal.

Obviously it's your choice but I absolutely would not trust that garage to change a wetbelt.

Merityre doing the MOT.

Mechanic was a recommendation through a friend as I didn't have one near me after the move in April.

13 hours ago, Zippy020171 said:

Merityre doing the MOT.

Mechanic was a recommendation through a friend as I didn't have one near me after the move in April.

Ok, well as above there are only two ways to visually check the belt on this engine.  You can either remove the coil packs, the fuel rail some wiring and unbolt some air piping in order the top plastic cover.  That gives you a view of just one side of a small top section of the belt.

Or you can remove all that plus the auxillary belt, the crank pulley and the engine mount in order to remove the metal panel which covers the entire side of the engine for a look at the full belt.

It seems very unlikely that he did either of those things without you having to pay a considerable labour charge in addition to the other work carried out.

 

Or there is another option, and your mechanic is in fact Clark Kent 🤣

Finally I have an MOT pass certificate. Cost a small fortune!!

Readings look good now and so they should!! 

Catching up with an auto electrician next Thursday. Gonna have a look at the dashboard for me... EML etc

nice re MOT - lets hope it was just a numpty with black tape as DaveT70 suggested - but still look out for dodgy solder joints

Hey guys, is this rubber easy to replace on the rear offside door? 

 

The official answer is "no" and it costs almost as much as your car to replace it.

There are at least 2 threads somewhere on the forum regarding this issue. Your best option is some impact adhesive.

20 hours ago, unofix said:

The official answer is "no" and it costs almost as much as your car to replace it.

There are at least 2 threads somewhere on the forum regarding this issue. Your best option is some impact adhesive.

Really??? 😨 

That's not on the door.  

The rubber was only available as part of the rear quarter glass.  You can try and find a used one but most will be starting to split by now.  The glass needs to be cut out with cheese wire and the replacement bonded in with windscreen adhesive.  Check whether you have original privacy glass or whether it's aftermarket tint film if you do choose to buy another window.

FORD FOCUS QUARTER GLASS O/S/R 5 DOOR MK3 2011 - 2014 | eBay

Hey guys. 

Thought I'd share some good news with you all.

I finally had time today to remove the cluster and take it apart. Fortunately the cowboy who had it before me decided to cover the EML LED with tissue, so it was a straight forward fix. Hopefully it may have fixed the rev counter issues too but we'll have to see. 

Thanks for all your help. 

A tissue!?  

Not often I see new bodges nowadays but that's a first for me!

1 hour ago, Zippy020171 said:

Hey guys. 

Thought I'd share some good news with you all.

I finally had time today to remove the cluster and take it apart. Fortunately the cowboy who had it before me decided to cover the EML LED with tissue, so it was a straight forward fix. Hopefully it may have fixed the rev counter issues too but we'll have to see. 

Thanks for all your help. 

What a cowboy.

I would be planning my revenge

2 minutes ago, DaveT70 said:

What a cowboy.

I would be planning my revenge

Makes me wonder whether the previous owner was a melt or the garage bloke was a complete crook. Either way, it's good to have it finally working...

10 minutes ago, Zippy020171 said:

or the garage bloke was a complete crook

👍

 

4 hours ago, TomsFocus said:

A tissue!?  

Not often I see new bodges nowadays but that's a first for me!

I think It has fixed the rev counter issue too having removed the tissue........ fantastic!! 

41 minutes ago, Zippy020171 said:

I think It has fixed the rev counter issue too having removed the tissue........ fantastic!! 

Excellent, nice to see a free fix after the previous expense!

Just now, TomsFocus said:

Excellent, nice to see a free fix after the previous expense!

Well, that's a fix we'll certainly not forget in a hurry. Though to be fair, the next guy that posts a 'fault' with their instrument cluster will really think we're taking the p*ss if we suggest checking it for bits of tissue 🤣