Coolant Loss Woes

[kiloran]

Oh dear, not ideal. Not a big job once the head is back, wonder what's holding them up.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Laney760

Still no car! It went in last Wednesday night/Thursday morning, they sent the head off on Friday, they got the head back on Tuesday, they said maybe Weds and then maybe Thurs but I've heard nothing today.

At that rate you should charge them for your lost wages over and above what you were prepared to lose to have the job done!

An extra day is sometimes acceptable but to give you the mushroom treatment and keep you in the dark isn't on.

[Laney760]

As it happens I can't work anyway.

I've got very ill this week with something that started a couple of months back intermittently. I learned this week that when you have a very stressful job/life the adrenaline keeps the immune system fired up and when you finally relax and the adrenaline subsides then so does the immune system. Its done me a favour maybe as we are going on holiday at xmas, better to have found out now that something is wrong and started all the tests and treatment than found myself ill when we go away at xmas!

Edited to say that I could have done with the car tonight though, I've got my Covid booster jab and I've got to go on bloomin trains, too dark to walk along the river I think.

[Laird Scooby]

Sorry to hear you're poorly Ellie, hopefully it's nothing serious and just that as you say, you've caught something simpe as a result of winding down a bit and the adrenaline slowing down.

I don't suppose you could claim sick pay retrospectively to help your wages out a bit?

Either way, hopefully your car will be back with you soon though and you will join it in a return to full health!

[Laney760]

Car is back! Got a phone call this evening. Apparently the local engineers where the head was dropped off at closed due to Covid and my garage had to collect the unskimmed head and take it to another engineers at Bracknell. I can well believe that as I have had a Dr's apptmt cancelled on me this week due to Covid at our surgery, local rates are high at the moment, 2% of the population in South Oxon.

My total bill, for the fitting of the new header tank and pipe, fitting of an exhaust bracket, welding a hole for me in an otherwise sound section of exhaust, supply and fit of new waterpump, new head gasket and cylinder head skim plus a new cylinder head bolt set (originals seized which took some time to remove they said), new exhaust manifold gasket and rocker cover gasket, and new oil and filter (they said it gets contaminated in this job) is £794.91.

All parts supplied by my garage except for the header tank and pipe and the exhaust bracket which I supplied.

Seems reasonable to me.

Labour £455.00, Parts £207.43, VAT £132.48

Edit, it was a coolant to outside leak as thought. I don't think this will have affected my compression much? Therefore I won't have lost or recover many horses from this? Only a 2 mile home journey so no real idea yet of any increase in power. Some of my horses have bolted elsewhere perhaps?

Edit again, cheers by the way Dave, but like most companies we only get SSP which is something stupid like £11 a day and not paid for the first 4 days. Not many companies pay full sick pay these days, mostly because people take the mick with sick leave.

[Laney760]

I emailed my garage this morning to say there is a small issue, no idea why? My steering rack isn't great, hasn't been for years but I only occasionally get that rubbing sort of thing going on but since I collected the car last night there is so much of the rubbing. Garage said it maybe because its cold now and I am noticing it more but I don't get all this rubbing in other winters. I will have to see how it goes?

[kiloran]

I doubt an outward leak will have caused any lost horses, this is purely based on a sample size of one as I hammered back from the depths of rural Surrey to the New Forest on a really hot day with similar. But then mine's only a 2l NA, and I have zero knowledge of the turbos.
Feels like a good price for the work, particularly considering where you're based. I usually get a good deal from my garage too because the old boy likes working on old cars. He's also happy for me to supply parts etc.

[kiloran]

Re the power steering they'll have had all the drive belts off so I'm wondering if it's at a different tension to what you're used to? Mine is a little more noisy on full lock but I'm on brand new belts which are settling in (less than 400 miles) and probably need re-tensioning.

[Laird Scooby]

Originally Posted by Laney760

I emailed my garage this morning to say there is a small issue, no idea why? My steering rack isn't great, hasn't been for years but I only occasionally get that rubbing sort of thing going on but since I collected the car last night there is so much of the rubbing. Garage said it maybe because its cold now and I am noticing it more but I don't get all this rubbing in other winters. I will have to see how it goes?

Good to hear you've got the car back Ellie - the steering problem sounds like it may be the lower universal joint in the column, very close to the turbo. The stiffen up because the lubricant dries out through heat from the turbo, many people have had good results by lubricating them.

[Laney760]

Originally Posted by Laird Scooby

Good to hear you've got the car back Ellie - the steering problem sounds like it may be the lower universal joint in the column, very close to the turbo. The stiffen up because the lubricant dries out through heat from the turbo, many people have had good results by lubricating them.

Is definitely the rack. It has been diagnosed by the Volvo indi and 3 other garages. Its not rubbing but its the nearest I can describe it, I can't find the right word!