Any Advice, Part 2!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Chris152

I'm getting on with the antifreeze today tho the boy's not here - the weather's looking grim later in the week. At the moment it's sat on the drive, cooling after removal of old coolant and refill with water from hose, and 45 mins drive.

Quick question - once the engine's cool, is it best to remove the bottom rad hose again to drain water and the flushing fluid before removing the thermostat housing? It'd save water spilling all over the shop?

Yes Chris, put a bucket (I use a washing up bowl from £land) under the radiator bottom hose (where the x-member runs) and direct the bottom hose into it. After that (it empties fairly quickly) you can take the thermostat cover off.

Alan

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Chris152

I'm getting on with the antifreeze today tho the boy's not here - the weather's looking grim later in the week. At the moment it's sat on the drive, cooling after removal of old coolant and refill with water from hose, and 45 mins drive.

Quick question - once the engine's cool, is it best to remove the bottom rad hose again to drain water and the flushing fluid before removing the thermostat housing? It'd save water spilling all over the shop?

The amount of water/flushing agent you'd lose from simply removing the 'stat housing to get the 'stat out is minimal Chris.

The flushing agent needs to stay in until flushed out with clean water, hence leaving the hose running for half an hour or more once the water runs clean from the rad top hose stub.

Follow the procedure as laid out and you won't have any problems.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Othen

Yes Chris, put a bucket (I use a washing up bowl from £land) under the radiator bottom hose (where the x-member runs) and direct the bottom hose into it. After that (it empties fairly quickly) you can take the thermostat cover off.

Alan

No! See my response and also the original method Alan!

[Chris152]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

The amount of water/flushing agent you'd lose from simply removing the 'stat housing to get the 'stat out is minimal Chris.

The flushing agent needs to stay in until flushed out with clean water, hence leaving the hose running for half an hour or more once the water runs clean from the rad top hose stub.

Follow the procedure as laid out and you won't have any problems.

Ok, thanks both - and pleased I don't have to drain again tbh, my bucket's a bit tall and I had to jack the front up to get it under the radiator to let the old antifreeze out.

[Chris152]

Job done, all seems to be fine. I took it for a good drive and no obvious leaks or anything disturbing, stat works fine, now parked facing up a slight incline ready for any topping up (the level dropped slightly on the run, but still within the guides).

Thank you!!!

[Othen]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

No! See my response and also the original method Alan!

... what Dave says - my mistake.

[Laird Scooby]

Great news Chris! Like Alan mentioned earlier, as time goes by and you learn things, you'll be the one giving the advice and wondering why you were worried at this stage.
Besides the knowledge which you're gaining fast, it's only confidence holding you back from trying new things and unless i'm mistaken, your confidence should be growing by now and well done you for giving things a try!

[Chris152]

Morning all!
Got delayed the past week by a bug - went for a test Saturday, negative result through Sunday, bit of a relief!

Anyway, we've just sprayed nuts ready for the various ball joint changes, all parts here and raring to go this weekend, all being well.

In the meantime, we want to spray the nuts allowing us to change the headlamp reflectors and hopefully get one housing straightened up (see second pic - larger gap between the lamp and bonnet on the right, we've measured and it's pretty clear the housing position's at fault - tho the bonnet that side is also slightly up in relation to the wing).
Am I right thinking that to remove the headlamp and housing we need to undo the nut behind the plastic covers, as in No 1 in the first pic? And No 2 is for alignment? If so, how come there's a plastic cover on the nut?!

Thanks, C

[Laird Scooby]

The right hand headlamp looks fine to me Chris :



The left one looks like it's dropped a fair bit though, #2 in your pic is an adjuster for the alignment and no idea why those aftermarket-looking covers are on the threads. Presumably someones attempt at protecting the thread from rusting.

I'd completely remove the left hand indicator/sidelight before trying to move the headlamp up though and then refit it afterwards once you've loosened the mounting nuts and pushed the headlamp up and tightened the nuts again.

[Chris152]

Thanks Dave - I'm obviously getting my lefts and rights confused! Tho I think I've finally learned what near and far side mean...