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View Full Version : fir feck sakes more cooling problems, with added RAC assistance



Paff
02-10-2007, 19:48
Bloody car, almost had enough of it now.

noticed a cloud of steam the other day. then the temp creeped up.

Ended up stopping on the A48M in the rain.

Bloody freezing was not the word. Just over 1hour 20 mins later the rac turned up. The guy was a nice chap and concequenses were not his fault really but the procedure he had to follow.

Well he started towing old rusty off to a safer location using a bar and guess which eye. Yep the one I said will usually fall off if you try to tow on it so really should use the lower ones, unfortunatly the bar he had wouldn't work with those eyes and as it was one of those mini motorways the car had to be moved asap.

Well get round 1 roundabout fine, on to the next. All going well another 100 yards and we could get into a layby and sort it out properly.....

Fingers crossed......

he pulls onto the roundabout... I don't. bugger.

Yep ripped the eye clean off in a pile of rust.

Got it the rest of the way on a rope.

Had a quick look nothing obvious could be seen at first glance plus it was raining and trying to trace a water leak on soaking roads with a soaking car aint the easiest so he got the protable trailer out of the back and we went the rest of the way with that. Had a good chat on the way back and he said he might take a look at the site sometime.

So I've just been out to assess whats happened.....

One of the pipes feeding from the engine to the rad had managed to disconnect itself, ahh lack of water issue solved.

Connect pipe back up and fill system back up, all excited I'd get to drive the V6 again......... bollocks to that idea.

When the towing eye came off, not only did it leave me with a nice hole where my rust used to be and a nice bent support bar underneath (not really too worried bout that bit tho) but, it looks like the bar managed to smack a hole in the rad I fitted ooooh maybe a few months ago. nice little stream of water is now firing out of the front.

Now have to see if we can get any money for the parts that wern't damaged at the start of the tow. I can't really say anything wrong about the guy who turned up, I was glad to get in the warm and he couldn't believe they had left me so long on the stretch of road it was, and he was genuinly a nice chap following their procedure. But the extra effort I now have to put in to fix it just annoy me a little.

now wheres that hammer gone I need to vent some frustration.

Oh add to everything I'm skint, just got the tax and mot sorted but will need a new tyre soon, the front tyre on the bike is at the limit and the chain needs replacing its really not going well at the mo :(

it almost wants to make you give up.

adamh
02-10-2007, 19:59
that sucks mate, how about some rad weld?

OlberJ
02-10-2007, 20:00
Chin up Paff, it's only teething issues.

You'll be right as rain in no time. No pun intended. :mrgreen:

Marksman
02-10-2007, 20:09
My track day rad is sitting on the floor not doing anything...

O.S.

Garbe
02-10-2007, 21:15
aleast you sussed the water leak issue - the hard way though!

Good show owen:thumbsup:

Goldy
02-10-2007, 21:38
These things happen matey, I had a run of bad luck with the mk2 overheating etc.... You'll get it sorted out and you'll be happy. Chin up at least you've got an MR :-(

Paff
02-10-2007, 23:06
Adam, rad weld is no good I'm afraid, tis a nice dent and a split. water comes out quicker than a race horse pisses.

Owen. I might tke you up on the offer of the spare rad until I know whether the RAC will pay and I can get a new one. Tis a most generous thought. Do ya think I could pick it up when I visit ya tomorrow, could possibly fit it while you are at the pod if the rain eases up.

I know these things happen it just annoys me, driving the fiesta just aint much fun :(

and Goldy, you'll get another mr just make it a mk1V6 next time.

I'm glad all you guys are here to make things seem a little better, I'd have surely gone insane by now if it wasn't for the support off TB and the members.

Oh and I just realised something......

This thread has made it almost a whole page without someone taking the piss out of someone else, has gotta be a TB record. Wheres Johnny with his mk1 always falling apart comments :)

Gotta take a look at the pipe that popped off as well, check if there is anything that might stop it happening again

OlberJ
02-10-2007, 23:09
Is it possible the pipe is a bit short and has been pulling slightly when the engine moves?

Paff
02-10-2007, 23:16
Don't think its too short mate, there a fair bit of flex in it but tis def worth a look.

Besides have you seen how much these V6 engines don't seem to move :)

OlberJ
02-10-2007, 23:36
Mine has no torque mounts yet, it's like a ruddy swing park in there lol

snowtigger
03-10-2007, 01:08
look on the bright side at least u have removed a little more weight of the car by getting rid of the towing eye and the pile of rust so it should go quicker rotflmao

Sponge Bob
03-10-2007, 01:12
Can't you weld up the knackered channel on the rad... that works a treat if it's only a couple that have gone...

Tear the metal fins out where the damage is done, and then crush the water channel with pliers until it is dead flat - then apply lots of weld :) it's worked for me on my corolla!!

Paff
03-10-2007, 07:23
Tis true snow tigger :)

Ash I'm afraid that wont work, its not the fins that got crushed its actually right on the side, you know the large water channel section. Fraid it is a past tense rad :(

Sponge Bob
03-10-2007, 09:12
Oh... big bummer then..!!

I did the same as you re the towing eye, on a roundabout - they pulled, I didn't... was horribly embarrasing lol plus it damaged the metal strip under the bumper too :(

Paff
03-10-2007, 18:29
yep that strip is bent but repairable with force.

My old dear phoned the rac today and they said to take it to a garage and get a quote and then they can see about processing the claim further, who knows I may get a new bumper and rad and have the opportunity to strip the front down for rust removal/repair earlier than I planned

jasper
03-10-2007, 19:10
You should be able to claim off them Mate. The AA did the same to me about 10 years ago. They ripped the whole fucking bumper off by attaching the winch to the towing eye. They ended up forking out for a new front end.

welsha
04-10-2007, 22:27
RAC and AA know not to tow old cars using the towing eye and what usually happens is what you described. Their fault = they pay for the repairs