Couple off Q's

surrey_man · Post by **surrey_man** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 10:39 am

Hi all ok first question

Why wont my car start lol its not kicking over it sounds like its got a flat but yet its got a new 1 week old batt on it any ideas? (and Alt is under 2 years old)

Question 2

Is it safe to jack car up in low hight?? its on the lowest setting and am keen to replace front wheel and underseal under the boot as i can see rust starting to apear

Would like to do this before AA man comes out to look at car this morning as ive got nothing to do for 1-2 hrs untill cars started

Rob_e (UK) · Post by **Rob_e (UK)** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 12:01 pm

I might be a bad earth connection stopping the starter from taking enough current to turn it over properly, or perhaps the starter motor itself is worn out. When my starter motor went it just took a few attempts before it would engage with the engine and was quite slow to turn.

I am sure someone will correct me if I am wrong. But I can't see any reason why you can not jack the car up with it on the lowest setting. the main problem would probably be getting a jack under it when it is low down

I guess the only thing to watch is that if it is low as you jack it up there may be more sideways force on the jack so I would be careful the jack doesn't slip out from under the side of the car.

Rob

surrey_man · Post by **surrey_man** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:21 pm

I feel so silly the car was part in gear but not enough for it to jump forward

I normaly check am not in gear and today i did not (in a rush) and now i wish i did lol AA man thought it was funny thou

Just done wheel put car in high and jacked it up seemed ok

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:44 pm

surrey_man wrote:I feel so silly the car was part in gear but not enough for it to jump forward

It was either in gear or it wasn't. Sounds like it was actually in gear. The car won't jump forward as the handbrake works on the front wheels on a BX, hence you lock the driveshafts directly, and as you were in gear, the gearbox too.

surrey_man · Post by **surrey_man** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 1:49 pm

Arh i never knew that so are the back wheels free ? and where would i tighen the handbrake cable from then the front?

Post by **docchevron** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 2:28 pm

The handbrake cables are adjust on the front calipers. Given that thats where they go!
They rarely need adjusting though.
If the lever is coming up along way then release the handbrake and with the engine running stand very hard on the foot brake. That will adjust the handbrake for you!

surrey_man · Post by **surrey_man** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 4:29 pm

did that earlyer worked a bit

I think the pads are very low a warning light keeps pop on now and again so when the better weather is here ill change the pads

AndersDK · Post by **AndersDK** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 7:07 pm

Better still :
with engine running, car secure not to roll off, then pump the brake pedal slowly but hard against the bottom stop. You will notice the pedal can move approx ½ an inch further down, when pressed hard enough. This is the handbrake adjusting pressure.

Alternatively press and hold the pedal hard, then work out the handbrake lever.
You will notice how the lever gets harder and harder to move up.

If this does not happen, then the cables are adjusted too tight at the caliper lever arms, preventing the auto adjust mechanism to move (inside the caliper piston). The cables should just barely start to take up the springforce on the caliper lever arms, when handbrake is released. This ensures the cables are just exactly NOT slack.

NOTE : the function (onset) of the handbrake must never be adjusted by the cables to compensate brake pads wear. This must only be done as pr the above description.