1988 OPEL VECTRA flat tire

2Also check the security and condition of all
the engine related pipes and hoses. Ensure
that all cable-ties or securing clips are in
place, and in good condition. Clips that are
broken or missing can lead to chafing of the
hoses, pipes or wiring, which could cause
more serious problems in the future.
3Carefully check the radiator hoses and
heater hoses along their entire length. Renew
any hose that is cracked, swollen or
deteriorated. Cracks will show up better if the
hose is squeezed. Pay close attention to the
hose clips that secure the hoses to the
cooling system components. Hose clips can
pinch and puncture hoses, resulting in cooling
system leaks. It is always beneficial to renew
hose clips whenever possible.
4Inspect all the cooling system components
(hoses, joint faces, etc.) for leaks.
5Where any problems are found on system
components, renew the component or gasket
with reference to Chapter 3.
6Where applicable, inspect the automatic
transmission fluid cooler hoses for leaks or
deterioration.
7With the vehicle raised, inspect the petrol
tank and filler neck for punctures, cracks and
other damage. The connection between the
filler neck and tank is especially critical.
Sometimes a rubber filler neck or connecting
hose will leak due to loose retaining clamps or
deteriorated rubber.
8Carefully check all rubber hoses and metal
fuel lines leading away from the petrol tank.
Check for loose connections, deteriorated
hoses, crimped lines, and other damage. Pay
particular attention to the vent pipes and
hoses, which often loop up around the filler
neck and can become blocked or crimped.
Follow the lines to the front of the vehicle,
carefully inspecting them all the way. Renew
damaged sections as necessary.
9From within the engine compartment,
check the security of all fuel hose attachments
and pipe unions, and inspect the fuel hoses
and vacuum hoses for kinks, chafing and
deterioration.
10Where applicable, check the condition of
the power steering fluid hoses and pipes.5Steering and suspension
check
2
Front suspension and steering
check
1Raise the front of the car, and support on
axle stands (“Jacking and Vehicle Support”).
2Visually inspect the balljoint dust covers
and the steering rack-and-pinion gaiters for
splits, chafing or deterioration. Any wear of
these components will cause loss of lubricant,
together with dirt and water entry, resulting in
rapid wear of the balljoints or steering gear.
3On vehicles with power steering, check the
fluid hoses for chafing or deterioration, and
the pipe and hose unions for fluid leaks. Also
check for signs of fluid leakage under
pressure from the steering gear rubber
gaiters, which would indicate failed fluid seals
within the steering gear.
4Grasp the roadwheel at the 12 o’clock and
6 o’clock positions, and try to rock it (see
illustration). Very slight free play may be felt,
but if the movement is appreciable, further
investigation is necessary to determine the
source. Continue rocking the wheel while an
assistant depresses the footbrake. If the
movement is now eliminated or significantly
reduced, it is likely that the hub bearings are
at fault. If the free play is still evident with the
footbrake depressed, then there is wear in the
suspension joints or mountings.
5Now grasp the wheel at the 9 o’clock and 3
o’clock positions, and try to rock it as before.
Any movement felt now may again be caused
by wear in the hub bearings or the steering
track-rod balljoints. If the inner or outer balljoint
is worn, the visual movement will be obvious.
6Using a large screwdriver or flat bar, check
for wear in the suspension mounting bushes
by levering between the relevant suspension
component and its attachment point. Some
movement is to be expected as the mountings
are made of rubber, but excessive wear
should be obvious. Also check the condition
of any visible rubber bushes, looking for splits,
cracks or contamination of the rubber.
7Inspect the front suspension lower arms for
distortion or damage (Chapter 10, Section 5).
8With the car standing on its wheels, have an
assistant turn the steering wheel back and
forth about an eighth of a turn each way.
There should be very little, if any, lost
movement between the steering wheel and
roadwheels. If this is not the case, closely
observe the joints and mountings previously
described, but in addition, check the steering
column universal joints for wear, and the rack-
and-pinion steering gear itself.
Suspension strut/shock
absorber check
Note:Suspension struts/shock absorbers
should always be renewed in pairs on the
same axle.9Check for any signs of fluid leakage around
the suspension strut/shock absorber body, or
from the rubber gaiter around the piston rod.
Should any fluid be noticed, the suspension
strut/shock absorber is defective internally,
and should be renewed.
10The efficiency of the suspension
strut/shock absorber may be checked by
bouncing the vehicle at each corner. The body
will return to its normal position and stop after
being depressed. If it rises and returns on a
rebound, the suspension strut/shock
absorber is probably suspect. Examine also
the suspension strut/shock absorber upper
and lower mountings for any signs of wear.
6Driveshaft gaiter check
2
With the vehicle raised and securely
supported on stands, turn the steering onto
full lock, then slowly rotate the roadwheel.
Inspect the condition of the outer constant
velocity (CV) joint rubber gaiters, squeezing
the gaiters to open out the folds (see
illustration). Check for signs of cracking,
splits or deterioration of the rubber, which
may allow the grease to escape, and lead to
water and grit entry into the joint. Also check
the security and condition of the retaining
clips. Repeat these checks on the inner CV
joints. If any damage or deterioration is found,
the gaiters should be renewed as described in
Chapter 8.
1•10Every 9000 miles or 12 months
6.1 Check the condition of the driveshaft
gaiters (A) and clips (B)
5.4 Check for wear in the hub bearings by
grasping the wheel and trying to rock it
A leak in the cooling system will usually
show up as white or rust coloured
deposits on the area adjoining the leak

Glossary of Technical Terms REF•23
JJump startStarting the engine of a vehicle
with a discharged or weak battery by
attaching jump leads from the weak battery to
a charged or helper battery.
LLoad Sensing Proportioning Valve (LSPV)A
brake hydraulic system control valve that
works like a proportioning valve, but also
takes into consideration the amount of weight
carried by the rear axle.
LocknutA nut used to lock an adjustment
nut, or other threaded component, in place.
For example, a locknut is employed to keep
the adjusting nut on the rocker arm in
position.
LockwasherA form of washer designed to
prevent an attaching nut from working loose.
MMacPherson strutA type of front
suspension system devised by Earle
MacPherson at Ford of England. In its original
form, a simple lateral link with the anti-roll bar
creates the lower control arm. A long strut - an
integral coil spring and shock absorber - is
mounted between the body and the steering
knuckle. Many modern so-called MacPherson
strut systems use a conventional lower A-arm
and don’t rely on the anti-roll bar for location.
MultimeterAn electrical test instrument with
the capability to measure voltage, current and
resistance.
NNOxOxides of Nitrogen. A common toxic
pollutant emitted by petrol and diesel engines
at higher temperatures.
OOhmThe unit of electrical resistance. One
volt applied to a resistance of one ohm will
produce a current of one amp.
OhmmeterAn instrument for measuring
electrical resistance.
O-ringA type of sealing ring made of a
special rubber-like material; in use, the O-ring
is compressed into a groove to provide the
sealing action.Overhead cam (ohc) engineAn engine with
the camshaft(s) located on top of the cylinder
head(s).
Overhead valve (ohv) engineAn engine with
the valves located in the cylinder head, but
with the camshaft located in the engine block.
Oxygen sensorA device installed in the
engine exhaust manifold, which senses the
oxygen content in the exhaust and converts
this information into an electric current. Also
called a Lambda sensor.
PPhillips screwA type of screw head having a
cross instead of a slot for a corresponding
type of screwdriver.
PlastigageA thin strip of plastic thread,
available in different sizes, used for measuring
clearances. For example, a strip of Plastigage
is laid across a bearing journal. The parts are
assembled and dismantled; the width of the
crushed strip indicates the clearance between
journal and bearing.
Propeller shaftThe long hollow tube with
universal joints at both ends that carries
power from the transmission to the differential
on front-engined rear wheel drive vehicles.
Proportioning valveA hydraulic control
valve which limits the amount of pressure to
the rear brakes during panic stops to prevent
wheel lock-up.
RRack-and-pinion steeringA steering system
with a pinion gear on the end of the steering
shaft that mates with a rack (think of a geared
wheel opened up and laid flat). When the
steering wheel is turned, the pinion turns,
moving the rack to the left or right. This
movement is transmitted through the track
rods to the steering arms at the wheels.
RadiatorA liquid-to-air heat transfer device
designed to reduce the temperature of the
coolant in an internal combustion engine
cooling system.
RefrigerantAny substance used as a heat
transfer agent in an air-conditioning system.
R-12 has been the principle refrigerant for
many years; recently, however, manufacturers
have begun using R-134a, a non-CFC
substance that is considered less harmful tothe ozone in the upper atmosphere.
Rocker armA lever arm that rocks on a shaft
or pivots on a stud. In an overhead valve
engine, the rocker arm converts the upward
movement of the pushrod into a downward
movement to open a valve.
RotorIn a distributor, the rotating device
inside the cap that connects the centre
electrode and the outer terminals as it turns,
distributing the high voltage from the coil
secondary winding to the proper spark plug.
Also, that part of an alternator which rotates
inside the stator. Also, the rotating assembly
of a turbocharger, including the compressor
wheel, shaft and turbine wheel.
RunoutThe amount of wobble (in-and-out
movement) of a gear or wheel as it’s rotated.
The amount a shaft rotates “out-of-true.” The
out-of-round condition of a rotating part.
SSealantA liquid or paste used to prevent
leakage at a joint. Sometimes used in
conjunction with a gasket.
Sealed beam lampAn older headlight design
which integrates the reflector, lens and
filaments into a hermetically-sealed one-piece
unit. When a filament burns out or the lens
cracks, the entire unit is simply replaced.
Serpentine drivebeltA single, long, wide
accessory drivebelt that’s used on some
newer vehicles to drive all the accessories,
instead of a series of smaller, shorter belts.
Serpentine drivebelts are usually tensioned by
an automatic tensioner.
ShimThin spacer, commonly used to adjust
the clearance or relative positions between
two parts. For example, shims inserted into or
under bucket tappets control valve
clearances. Clearance is adjusted by
changing the thickness of the shim.
Slide hammerA special puller that screws
into or hooks onto a component such as a
shaft or bearing; a heavy sliding handle on the
shaft bottoms against the end of the shaft to
knock the component free.
SprocketA tooth or projection on the
periphery of a wheel, shaped to engage with a
chain or drivebelt. Commonly used to refer to
the sprocket wheel itself.
Starter inhibitor switchOn vehicles with an
O-ring
Serpentine drivebelt
Plastigage
REF