maureenandtom
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This tale might not be unusual but I think it is = I'd not heard of it before. It might be useful to know of it.
My base vehicle is a 2004 Fiat Ducatto with a 1997cc JTD engine. Not a week ago - last Sunday - the speedo stopped working. At the same time the engine went on a go-slow. It still worked but it lacked the power and it became frightened of hills. Going up them, anyway. It seems these things are possibly connected.
I was astounded to discover that there is no longer a a cable working this instrument but an electical sensor at the gearbox which transmits information to a little motor in the dash panel which works the needle. My researches led me to believe that it was this sensor at fault though there were horror stories of possibly needing a new instrument panel. Looking at prices for a sensor produced some alarming figures – if the problem was the sensor. From Fiat, google produced a sensor (called a VSS) for £100. Amazon produced the same sensor for £48. Ebay offered me the same for £4.50 if I waited for it to be delivered from China.
Not really knowing what's wrong I thought to buy one from China but when I logged on to Ebay to do that, it offered me one for £11.95 and with me the next day. The clincher was that the supplier was not a quarter of a mile from me – but there was no answer to his telephone. Big substantial premises though – I went to look. And I thought that 12 quid wasn't too much to lose if it was no good.
Well, it was good. Speedo now works and the engine has abandoned its go-slow. It seems that this sensor also speaks to the computer that runs the engine room and it had been missing vital information.
Everything is now well and the fitting if it was simple. Or that's what my usual garage who put it in for me said. I asked them to do it; they were happy to do it. On the spot, right now. No need to wait for something so simple. The ramp is free right now. And for such a little job there was no charge.
So this disastrous job turned out to be not so disastrous and not so expensive. £11.95. Though I'll provide a little something for the garage.
My base vehicle is a 2004 Fiat Ducatto with a 1997cc JTD engine. Not a week ago - last Sunday - the speedo stopped working. At the same time the engine went on a go-slow. It still worked but it lacked the power and it became frightened of hills. Going up them, anyway. It seems these things are possibly connected.
I was astounded to discover that there is no longer a a cable working this instrument but an electical sensor at the gearbox which transmits information to a little motor in the dash panel which works the needle. My researches led me to believe that it was this sensor at fault though there were horror stories of possibly needing a new instrument panel. Looking at prices for a sensor produced some alarming figures – if the problem was the sensor. From Fiat, google produced a sensor (called a VSS) for £100. Amazon produced the same sensor for £48. Ebay offered me the same for £4.50 if I waited for it to be delivered from China.
Not really knowing what's wrong I thought to buy one from China but when I logged on to Ebay to do that, it offered me one for £11.95 and with me the next day. The clincher was that the supplier was not a quarter of a mile from me – but there was no answer to his telephone. Big substantial premises though – I went to look. And I thought that 12 quid wasn't too much to lose if it was no good.
Well, it was good. Speedo now works and the engine has abandoned its go-slow. It seems that this sensor also speaks to the computer that runs the engine room and it had been missing vital information.
Everything is now well and the fitting if it was simple. Or that's what my usual garage who put it in for me said. I asked them to do it; they were happy to do it. On the spot, right now. No need to wait for something so simple. The ramp is free right now. And for such a little job there was no charge.
So this disastrous job turned out to be not so disastrous and not so expensive. £11.95. Though I'll provide a little something for the garage.
