Knit 1, Pearl 1 - the book.
Sooo, I decided to service the Astra and also fix the tiniest of water leaks from the thermostat housing. It was barely visible and the only tell-tale sign was a slight reddish smear on the head. Thinking ahead, I rang the Vauxhall dealer to see if they had a thermostat housing gasket.
Thursday:
*ring*
"Hello main dealer, have you got a thermostat housing gasket?"
"Yes, it's £49."
"WTF? How much?!"
"Yes, it only comes with the thermostat."
Bloody hell, I knew main dealers were dear, but that's taking the p.
*ring*
"Hello local motor factors, have you got a thermostat housing gasket?"
"Yes, it's £79."
"WTF? It's £49 at the main dealer!"
"OK, we'll do it for that, I'll order one for you."
Friday:
I took the day off for the job. Servicing? Easy. Even doing the fuel filter with those bloody stupid clip things was easy.
I removed the thermostat housing and then the penny dropped (or £49 even), the thermostat is the housing, the whole damn caboodle is in one piece - ally housing, thermostat and rubber seal gasket!
Something said to me "Luke, check the thermostat". OK, it was the Haynes manual really. So, armed with a pan of boiling water I found that it opened, but never closed. Bugger. Now I have to fork out the £49, and, because the car's in bits, I have to train it to town and walk to the shop.
"Hello, me again. Have you got that thermostat I ordered?"
"Yes. Is that the old unit?"
He took one look and with a deft twist of two thumbs, removed the old unit from the housing. "I remember these now. QH200K. Hang on." Five minutes later I had a new one fitted to the old housing.
"That'll be a tenner. You can have the new gasket for free."1
I fitted everything back together, filled up with coolant and fired her up. It ran beautifully, not just OK, but perfectly, and, and, the temperature gauge worked for the first time since we've owned the car - about 6 years.
I ran the Astra round the block to test it and noticed the tiniest of drops of water on the floor under the radiator.
"Hello, me again. Have you got a radiator?", "Yes", "See you in the morning."
Saturday:
I picked up the new radiator and at the end of the round trip to town to pick it up, water was pouring out from the seams. It took me four hours to take it out because one of the air con radiator mounting bolts had rusted up and the incredibly stupid design meant that the plastic bracket on the rad wouldn't hold the nut and it just spun where it was. I cut the old radiator off the nut. I gave up for the day and went out.
Sunday:
I put it all back together. I took all the old crap down the tip to recycle the boxes and on the way back, doing 50mph, the engine cut dead. I restarted it, drove another two miles home and it cut dead again. Each time, all the dash lights flashing madly. I took all the relays out to test them and promptly broke the orange speed controller which isn't a relay at all but a sensitive piece of electronics which doesn't take kindly to having 12v poked up its output. I ordered one off eBay.
Monday:
"Hello main dealer, what could be wrong?" - expecting a 'bring it in and we'll charge you shed loads (again)'
"Were all the light flashing?", "Yes", "It's your immobiliser in the key, just keep the spare key with you in case. Bye".
While putting back the radiator, I noticed that the top & bottom hoses were looking a bit wafty. I have ordered new ones, they will be here tomorrow in time for the weekend...
1Someone else now has a new complete housing less a rubber seal...
Thursday:
*ring*
"Hello main dealer, have you got a thermostat housing gasket?"
"Yes, it's £49."
"WTF? How much?!"
"Yes, it only comes with the thermostat."
Bloody hell, I knew main dealers were dear, but that's taking the p.
*ring*
"Hello local motor factors, have you got a thermostat housing gasket?"
"Yes, it's £79."
"WTF? It's £49 at the main dealer!"
"OK, we'll do it for that, I'll order one for you."
Friday:
I took the day off for the job. Servicing? Easy. Even doing the fuel filter with those bloody stupid clip things was easy.
I removed the thermostat housing and then the penny dropped (or £49 even), the thermostat is the housing, the whole damn caboodle is in one piece - ally housing, thermostat and rubber seal gasket!
What am I bid? £49?, no £79
"Hello, me again. Have you got that thermostat I ordered?"
"Yes. Is that the old unit?"
He took one look and with a deft twist of two thumbs, removed the old unit from the housing. "I remember these now. QH200K. Hang on." Five minutes later I had a new one fitted to the old housing.
"That'll be a tenner. You can have the new gasket for free."1
I fitted everything back together, filled up with coolant and fired her up. It ran beautifully, not just OK, but perfectly, and, and, the temperature gauge worked for the first time since we've owned the car - about 6 years.
I ran the Astra round the block to test it and noticed the tiniest of drops of water on the floor under the radiator.
"Hello, me again. Have you got a radiator?", "Yes", "See you in the morning."
Saturday:
I picked up the new radiator and at the end of the round trip to town to pick it up, water was pouring out from the seams. It took me four hours to take it out because one of the air con radiator mounting bolts had rusted up and the incredibly stupid design meant that the plastic bracket on the rad wouldn't hold the nut and it just spun where it was. I cut the old radiator off the nut. I gave up for the day and went out.
Sunday:
I put it all back together. I took all the old crap down the tip to recycle the boxes and on the way back, doing 50mph, the engine cut dead. I restarted it, drove another two miles home and it cut dead again. Each time, all the dash lights flashing madly. I took all the relays out to test them and promptly broke the orange speed controller which isn't a relay at all but a sensitive piece of electronics which doesn't take kindly to having 12v poked up its output. I ordered one off eBay.
Monday:
"Hello main dealer, what could be wrong?" - expecting a 'bring it in and we'll charge you shed loads (again)'
"Were all the light flashing?", "Yes", "It's your immobiliser in the key, just keep the spare key with you in case. Bye".
While putting back the radiator, I noticed that the top & bottom hoses were looking a bit wafty. I have ordered new ones, they will be here tomorrow in time for the weekend...
1Someone else now has a new complete housing less a rubber seal...
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