Hi wonder if anyone can help with my ABC 2.6 v6 coupe...
Over the last month my battery has started to play up, I.e would go almost flat when I listened to the stereo for about 5 mins with engine off. This week I started the car up as usual, but it was idling very badly which had only happened before when I had to jump start the battery from another car. After a 10 min drive I turned it off, then when I went to start it again nothing happened, just a click from the relay (?). I jump started it from another car then drove a few miles into town (and yes it was idling very badly - at 1500rpm which was a nightmare in traffic), and when I switched it off and went to restart it the battery was flat again.
Last night I thought that jump starting it again then leaving it to idle for 15 mins would help charge the battery, and sort out any idling problems. It didn't. After 10 mins I sat in the car and smelt something burning so switched it off and popped the hood. The exhaust down pipe (drivers side, coming off the manifold) was very hot, with part of it glowing red and burning the engines under tray (which itself is coated in a thin layer of oil/whatever).
I've spoken to a few garages and their opinion is that there's a valve sticking in the engine which causes the overheating manifold, and that the alternator is not working which is causing the battery to die.
I don't want to spend a fortune fixing the old girl up (she's done 173000 miles), but also don't want to send her to the scrappy. She's a bit tatty (dented bonnet and split bumper splitter) so isn't worth a great deal, and to be honest I've been trying to sell her anyway due to the cost of fuel. Another part of me wants to keep her though, and cut down on other bills (Tesco value beans on toast anyone?)
Will this be any easy fix, or shall I cut my losses and strip the car for spares?
Over the last month my battery has started to play up, I.e would go almost flat when I listened to the stereo for about 5 mins with engine off. This week I started the car up as usual, but it was idling very badly which had only happened before when I had to jump start the battery from another car. After a 10 min drive I turned it off, then when I went to start it again nothing happened, just a click from the relay (?). I jump started it from another car then drove a few miles into town (and yes it was idling very badly - at 1500rpm which was a nightmare in traffic), and when I switched it off and went to restart it the battery was flat again.
Last night I thought that jump starting it again then leaving it to idle for 15 mins would help charge the battery, and sort out any idling problems. It didn't. After 10 mins I sat in the car and smelt something burning so switched it off and popped the hood. The exhaust down pipe (drivers side, coming off the manifold) was very hot, with part of it glowing red and burning the engines under tray (which itself is coated in a thin layer of oil/whatever).
I've spoken to a few garages and their opinion is that there's a valve sticking in the engine which causes the overheating manifold, and that the alternator is not working which is causing the battery to die.
I don't want to spend a fortune fixing the old girl up (she's done 173000 miles), but also don't want to send her to the scrappy. She's a bit tatty (dented bonnet and split bumper splitter) so isn't worth a great deal, and to be honest I've been trying to sell her anyway due to the cost of fuel. Another part of me wants to keep her though, and cut down on other bills (Tesco value beans on toast anyone?)
Will this be any easy fix, or shall I cut my losses and strip the car for spares?
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