Mr K's Vauxhall Vex

This week it was our Bulwell depot that was the site of heroics and gremlin slaying. It was a busy morning at KAM and the boys were hoisting up the cars onto the ramps to start the diagnosis process. Our power heaters were warming up the workshop and we awaited our next mystery. Just then we received a call from Mr K, an existing customer here at KAM and he was far from happy. “Kev I can’t believe this. I just got it recently and now this happened. What is going on?” Mr K seemed quite upset and he was in need of his trusted KAM team. When I inquired further I was met with an abrupt answer. “I’m stuck Kev.” After some further probing Mr K revealed that he had recently bought a new car, a Vauxhall Zafira, and everything had been going swimmingly. That was until today when he had returned to his car from the supermarket and had found his car to be lifeless. “I am just sat here in the car park and the car won’t start. Please help me Kev.” Mr K was one of our loyal customers and so we immediately loaded up the ‘twuck wid da fwashin lights’ to rescue him. A little while later he returned to the garage and was eager for his car to be fixed. “Kev I have always relied on you in the past and so I am hoping you can offer me the same great service as usual.” We assured Mr K that we would carry out the necessary procedures and that we would find the problem and fix it. He explained that he had bought the car four months ago and that it had been the best car he had ever driven. “But now this has happened and I have absolutely no clue as to why.” We took all of Mr K’s details and then he was dispatched in one of our courtesy cars.
Dan was this week’s mystery solver and was quick to get to work. One of his first tasks was to check the fuel and so he took apart the fuel filter. Now in this car there are two fuel pumps, one is in the fuel tank and is a low-pressure pump and the other is a high-pressure fuel pump, which is connected to the cam belt. After undertaking some primary observations Dan found that there was no fuel coming up to the injectors. Not only that but the fuel inside the fuel filter had some unidentified grit or sandy material in it and had effectively become blocked. “This isn’t making any sense Kev.” Said Dan confused. This would not be a straightforward case and we would need to have a closer examination of the fuel. Dan removed the fuel tank and proceeded to drain the fuel out of it. This was a fairly long process but there lying there in the fuel tank was the answer. “I’ve got it Kev.” It so transpired that there was sand in the fuel tank. The fuel cap had been tampered with and it appeared that someone, perhaps as a harmless prank, had indeed inserted a large amount of sand into the fuel tank. On this occasion it had not caused too much trouble within the car but it could have been much worse.
After a call to our fantastic suppliers the parts arrived and after cleaning out the diesel tank, the low-pressure fuel pump was replaced, the fuel lines were cleaned and we changed the fuel filter. Once the fuel system had been primed and the air bled from the system we then awaited as Dan turned the ignition key and… the car jolted back to life with a gentle purr. “We did it Kev. This car is back on the fast track.”
Mr K arrived later and was ecstatic to have his car fixed and back to its previous vigor. “Wow thanks Kev, I knew I could rely on the KAM team. I guess it’s always better to stick to what you know.”
Remember faithful reader, our team of dedicated and hard working staff at the branches in Sutton, Long Eaton, Bullwell and Belper along with our bodywork shop are open every day of the week, EXCLUDING Sunday’s, while the lads at our Sawley and Heanor workshops are at your service seven days a week, keeping your car where it belongs. ON THE ROAD.
So until next week faithful reader, drive safely and keep it shiny side up.
Dr.Kev.