Topic

So, it's been a couple of months and I've been using the car...not at all.

I was driving home one night and suddenly felt a loss of power followed by a sweet coolant-y smell and steam hissing out of the boot vents. Oh bollocks.

And to top it off the AA recovered me on a dolly behind a van so I didn't even get to go in the big lorry.


Anyway the suspected head gasket failure turned out to be a split hose. So I did what I anyone would do. I didn't fix the problem and sorted a load of other not-important stuff instead.

Firstly, so the AA could tow it I had to remove the front bumper so whilst it was off I decided that blacking out the front lights (as per trophy models) was important.

Now:-

Secondly, as the car was up in the air, I thought it would be sensible to whip the exhaust off and heatwrap the rest of it. That and fit (another) new Lambda sensor to try and cure the overfueling problem once and for all as after
hooking it up the diagnostics again the lambda readings were odd. Long and short is it worked. Must have been a duff sensor.


Now for the knackered hose. New oe ones seemed to be difficult or expensive to get hold off so I took a risk and ordered a set of three used hoses from eBay. This worked out ok. Although they were a bit grubby the rubber was in good condition and there was no cracks, unlike the ones that came off the car. A quick rub with some rubber cleaner and some new jublee clips and they were fitted.

Now, the reason I was out in the car in the first place when it died was to pick up a mk2 centre console which I also fitted:

So, now the 'F is fully operational again. I taxed it online yesterday and filled and bled it's coolant today. Have a picture I like of it in celebration:-

Thanks for reading.

Well done Steve! like the Mk2 interior mod, I have a Mk1 and keep considering this change.

TB

Thanks! I've also got a full set of pristine late model plastics to go in as soon as I get a spare weekend.

and all ready for the Summe...err. Well done.