VXOC Astra-J/GTC

Hey, 

I'm new here and been modifying cars for years.

Just picked up a lovely 13 plate Elite, loving the car having had a broken Vectra C for the last month or so. I have always said since i installed xenon headlights in a Volvo years ago i would never go back to halogen headlights and boy with the AFL's that has just made that decision concrete for the future..

I was looking at a 09 plate GTD before this one popped up, with this spec and the cost i honestly couldn't say no.

Specification:
13 plate
AFL Xenon headlights
Full Leather Interior
Heated Seats
Front and Rear parking sensors
Sat Nav (Navi 600)
Dual Zone 

On my previous cars i like to modify by stick with the OEM look with only genuine parts.




Got a few plans for it:
Remap
LED Number Plate Bulb
LED Reverse Bulb
LED White Interior Lighting

If you guys have any advice on the best lights to get, canbus free that actually work, for reversing bulb that would be great.

In addition, i want white number plate bulbs, but not ones that make the car light up like a Christmas tree.

Hi nice motor likes like mine before I started modding it apart from I retrofitted AFL.

In terms of LED number plate lights you'd be looking for a set like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Licence-Nu...SwNsdXRscW

For reverse & fog you'd be wanting these http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/h21w-bay9s-...lbs-white/

Sun visors your want 2 packs of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371043024683?_...EBIDX%3AIT

Other interior lights your want these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151702370542?_...EBIDX%3AIT

Hi and welcome to Vxoc mate, good spec!!


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(26:th-Apr-2017, 07:12:35)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]Hi nice motor likes like mine before I started modding it apart from I retrofitted AFL.

In terms of LED number plate lights you'd be looking for a set like this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/LED-Licence-Nu...SwNsdXRscW

For reverse & fog you'd be wanting these http://www.hids-direct.co.uk/h21w-bay9s-...lbs-white/

Sun visors your want 2 packs of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/371043024683?_...EBIDX%3AIT

Other interior lights your want these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/151702370542?_...EBIDX%3AIT

Thanks for the help this is a massive help!

Got a few of them ordered this morning so just got to wait for them to arrive now!

I'm really happy with the specification of the vehicle, really couldn't ask for more from a vehicle and like i said before much better than the Vectra i had.... still have.

(26:th-Apr-2017, 08:13:27)Tonto Wrote: [ -> ]Hi and welcome to Vxoc mate, good spec!!


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Thanks for the welcome!

Few more pictures before the subtle changes start.

Looking to get some new wipers as mine are starting to judder and squeak... any ideas on the best ones to get for my car?

Bosch aerotwin A585S is the blades I find that are the best for the car.

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Just ordered a full set from China for €10, thought I would give those a try.
Normally you pay 10 euro just for the rear wiper so if that one is OK I'm already happy

Been a while.

Going to be changing the glow plugs shortly as got the service light pop on and a quick diag shows glow plug cylinder 3.

They appear to be around £80 a pop, anyone know where these can be found cheaper?

As you have the stop/start engine £80 is cheap already normally £120+ each.

(3:rd-Jan-2020, 08:55:20)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]As you have the stop/start engine £80 is cheap already normally £120+ each.

Sorry about the late reply.

Thanks for your response. May just bite the bullet.

Had an issue today where the car started, where it like stopped for a second when cranking, and then literally had no power and wouldn't rev over 2k? When i've left it for 30 mins or so and gone back to it, the car is now fine?

Cleaned the EGR valve over Xmas and that wasn't actually too bad, no error lights on dash, but SL is on but that's due to the glow plug.

If it's been fine since I would say just keep an eye on it.

(17:th-Jan-2020, 11:51:09)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]If it's been fine since I would say just keep an eye on it.

Sadly, this morning the car had the same issue and would struggle to rev past about 2k, resulting in me needing the bus. 

Do you have any idea on what type of VCI i need to be able to read live data from the car so I can use my DELPHI car suite to read the ecu?

I've purchased one of these but sadly it doesn't like my car and only gives basic error codes.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/392521071771?ul_noapp=true

it says that doesnt support diesels should try opcom

it looks like the right vci device,but on the web site it says not for diesel cars,so i would look for another programe,somthing like wow wurth 5.12 or buy op com unit

(17:th-Jan-2020, 19:26:12)paula9568 Wrote: [ -> ]it looks like the right vci device,but on the web site it says not for diesel cars,so i would look for another programe,somthing like wow wurth 5.12 or buy op com unit

(18:th-Jan-2020, 08:18:09)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]https://www.op-com.co.uk/store/c1/Featur...ducts.html

Thanks for both your comments, i've tried with both phone software and DELPHI but will get a copy of the OP-COM to see if that works wonders.


The car is running really bad, max 30 in 3rd gear at a push, needed to drive it to get to Euro Car Parts sadly.

It's hard to describe but, when it cold, it cranks... stops cranking, waits a second, then continues cranking the engine and vrooom, no lights on dash on SVS message which has been on for ages.

I have got two error codes now as previously described.

P0193 - Fuel Rail Pressure Sensor, High
And the glow plug cylinder 3.

Car will really struggle to reach and rev past 2500rpm, any ideas? Car has been perfect up to now

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This may help, it will also help cold starting to get that glow plug replaced.

https://workshop-manuals.com/vauxhall/as..._or_p0193/

it looks like your fuel rail sensor is playing up,as only 1 glow plug is at fault that would not make much difference in the running of the engine once its warmed up

Thank for your help guys.

Well replaced the glow plug in cylinder 3 and all is hunky dory again now. Wierd that was the cause of putting it into limp mode, as they only aid in starting the engine I thought.

Will check if the error codes have gone tomorrow.

So same thing happened this morning, started it, struggled to start but started first time, out of the drive and no power. Struggled to rev past 2k and over 15mph was a push.

If it's the glow plug, i'm confused as the I thought this only aided in the initial start of the engine? How could a glow plug be causing this weird issue?

The car is standard other than a few LEDs which I added in the interior when i first got the car, only wiring I have done is a dashcam, but again that was hard wired to glove box fusebox for over a year without issue.

Could it be the cold temperature is causing something in the Fuel Rail to suggest it's shorting? Is it worth just replacing the fuel rail sensor for the sake of £30?

Please note I have seen all these codes prior to fixing the car the first time around. I have now cleared these codes and started the car again and no error codes are present.

The glow plug won't causing the rough running.

The fuel sensor may have ***** blocking it could be worth trying to clean it or replace it, it does need setting up after replacement.

EGR could well need a clean also.

(18:th-Feb-2020, 19:29:26)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]The glow plug won't causing the rough running.

The fuel sensor may have ***** blocking it could be worth trying to clean it or replace it, it does need setting up after replacement.

EGR could well need a clean also.

EGR valve, i cleanred first time around when this happened, we had it off and tested the mechanism off the battery, the EGR opened and closed without issue.

Something really weird today.

So the car started fine this morning on way to work, great! A car that fixes itself!

The way home however, different story, put key in, let all lights go out, key out, key back in, let lights go out, crank, it cranks once, and then stops... like a flat battery sort of death. Wait couple seconds, key back in, a weird padlock sign on the dash, ignore it.. crank... car starts fine. 

Padlock sign remained the whole way home... stopped car, engine off, engine on no padlock sign?

Padlock would be the immobiliser.

I wonder if there is an electrical gremlin with the system could be a broken wire a bad earth point etc.

(20:th-Feb-2020, 19:40:06)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]Padlock would be the immobiliser.

I wonder if there is an electrical gremlin with the system could be a broken wire a bad earth point etc.

After a couple of weeks now of the car performing great, albeit struggling to start on a couple of occasions but still with power, the car once again this morning had an issue and had no power.

Plugged my ODB in and the code again of P0193 reappeared, as this is a common factor before and after replacing the glow plug i'm thinking this could be the cause.

I took the current one out to get a part number of 0281006158.

Is there anyway to clean one of these fuel pressure sensors or wise just to replace? Would replacing this be the solution?

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In addition I have also noticed that i've not put the very small mods I have done so far on this thread.

Really simple ones really:
Insigna Metal Pedal Covers


LED Rear Number Plate Lights - Bought once, lasted 2 years so far!


De light Rear Cluster - After constant bulb failure on the boot lights, I just decided to remove to position lights, gives a unique appearance to the rear. 


LED Reverse Light


LED Internal Map / Reading Lights|

You could try cleaning it first..

(1:st-Mar-2020, 19:21:11)Rusty2009 Wrote: [ -> ]You could try cleaning it first..

Haha, not going to lie, since I left my motoring based job i've not cleaned it on the outside for over 2 years