MR2 Roadster Owners Club

Hi all,
I've been having problems week getting the car to start - turns over smoothly and continuously, but doesn't fire.

Had to abandon the car at work last night as it wouldn't start and I needed to get home! Today, I called the AA out to look at it (who not so helpfully arrived with nothing to tow my '2).

I have a new code, P0340+, the camshaft position sensor. After much playing with the wiring loom (which looks a bit bodged) we still couldn't get it to start and the AA chap said it seemed pretty secure so seems unlikely to be a loose connection. Tried disconnecting and reconnecting the sensor to no avail.

Prognosis - new camshaft position sensor. Of course the car is 50 miles from home. Tried the only local garage that people here know about (it has to be somewhere I can get to on public transport so I can pick the car up again!), with a view to phoning the AA *again* and getting them to tow it down the road. The garage wouldn't take it. First of all they (with scepticism dripping from every word) wondered why on earth I would think it was this sensor. When I explained, they said - 'Well, it might not be that, though. We'll have to do the diagnostics on the wiring.' I asked if they'd be able to replace the sensor, and if that didn't fix it, to then look at further diagnostic work. Response? 'We've just checked and we don't have the diagnostic tools for the Toyota MR2. So we can't help. Bye'

(Needless to say I was not very impressed)

Two questions then...
1) Will I need a brand new sensor, or are second hand replacements 'OK' - if new, any help on specifics/where I can get one from would be great (I am quite sure I would get the wrong thing)

2) This is the really cheeky one - once I've got the part is anyone located near to Solihull who might have an hour to spare to fit the part? (And the right tools... also a code reader to clear the code, but I can borrow one of these) I would be happy to pick you and bring you here. In return for beers/eternal gratitude etc? The AA chap said it was an easy job that could be done in the car park. (I hope this is true!) Or alternatively could anyone recommend a mobile mechanic in the area?

My fall-back will be to call out the AA again, take more time off work and get it towed 50 miles to my local garage. I'm pretty much at the end of my tether with garages though - apparently my local garage cross threaded one of the screws that secures the engine cover when they replaced the spark plugs - I am not best pleased with them.

Thanks all!  s:) :) s:)

I'm pretty sure a member on here could send you a 2nd hand sensor, maybe for a fee or to just try.

As for Solihull, there must be someone around there who could give you a hand ... I just can't remember how easy it is to get to the sensor.

I got a sensor you can have. It easy to get to. Its on the gearbox side of the head at the back. I would change it for you if only you were a bit nearer

I also would volunteer - if I was nearer!

If you know anyone with a 10mm spanner, no matter how mechanically inept (well, within reason), they should be able to change this part.
It's one 10mm bolt, that's it.  Did the AA man point you in the direction of the sensor?

You just:
Unplug the sensor
Undo that one bolt
pull the sensor out
Put new sensor in
Put bolt back in
plug sensor in

P.S.  I also know from experience that this sensor, if unplugged, produces the effect you describe, so worth a try.
Of course it could be something else, but if the diag said this sensor, give it a go.
Dick2ski will no doubt have one, I paid a tenner for one 2nd hand in the past (not from Dick though).

I dont keep any, and dont have a car here to strip just now. Ive got one coming in next week.

Matt is only 13 miles from Solihull and has sensors. He is busy though. If someone local could pick up a sensor from him, he could show you exactly how to swap it.

Thanks all. Richard, I'm sending you a PM!  s:) :) s:)

Good luck with it mel, hopefully you'll get a result on this problem that won't cost you very much. Your luck has to improve after this.  s;) ;) s;)

Quote from: "loadswine"Good luck with it mel, hopefully you'll get a result on this problem that won't cost you very much. Your luck has to improve after this.  s;) ;) s;)

Thanks... I hope so!!

Hi Mel, I'm often to be found somewhere along the M42 & I have been known to wield a 10mm spanner before on occasion, I also have a code reader.

Let me know when you get the sensor and I'm sure we could meet up if that helps ( I do work variable hours though).

Update...
Got a mobile mechanic to come and look at my car this morning after nearly two weeks of it being stuck at work. I got the new camshaft position sensor fitted, but the car still won't start. No codes are now showing (I had to disconnect the battery for the last week so that it didn't run down).
Mechanic says it may be the fuel pump but he doesn't know. I'm now considering whether the best option is to get it towed to Mr T (in which case I wouldn't be able to afford a new fuel pump, I wouldn't have thought - but might be a better solution if it's electrical?) or to a local garage. Any advice/opinions welcomed.
What sort of prices do second hand fuel pumps go for?

it still in the tank but i got a fuel pump. but before it goes that far try turning it over for a few minutes then take a plug out and see if its wet. if wet fuel making it to the engine so you need to look at spark. as long as you got some compression, fuel and a spark it will run. also have you checked for imobiliser.

Best local mechanic to look at it would almost certainly be Matt (Mattperformance on here). I think he's based near the NEC, so he can't be far away

Cheers. I've arranged for it to be towed to my local garage today by the AA. At least it will be near home then and they can hopefully do a proper diagnosis.
Richard - not sure how I would check re: the immobiliser as I don't have a spare key, however I don't think it's that as I did manage to get the car to start a couple of times when this all first kicked off, but it sounded like it was really struggling to start. Am presuming it would just not start if it was an immobiliser problem?

Quote from: "MelBee42"Cheers. I've arranged for it to be towed to my local garage today by the AA. At least it will be near home then and they can hopefully do a proper diagnosis.
Richard - not sure how I would check re: the immobiliser as I don't have a spare key, however I don't think it's that as I did manage to get the car to start a couple of times when this all first kicked off, but it sounded like it was really struggling to start. Am presuming it would just not start if it was an immobiliser problem?

nope if it trying its not the immobiliser. so next check to see if the plugs get wet and if you got a spark. get that checked and then come back and ill have a think on where to look next.

I thought you didn't like your local garage. Matt is considered a foremost MR2 expert and is currently probably only about 2 miles from your car.

No, no problems with my local garage bar them not being able to find a leak a while back, it's walking distance from my house and they can look at it this afternoon. I've already had two qualified mechanics attempt to diagnose it in the car park without success so it seems best to send it to a garage now.
Car left on the back of an AA truck an hour ago so it's probably already there now anyway!

They are going to be pleased to see you again  s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

Quote from: "nathanMR2"They are going to be pleased to see you again  s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

Shame they don't offer a loyalty reward scheme!

If there was a prize for the unluckiest owner I think you'd win hands down.  Good luck.

Quote from: "smarty2072"

Quote from: "nathanMR2"They are going to be pleased to see you again  s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

Shame they don't offer a loyalty reward scheme!

If there was a prize for the unluckiest owner I think you'd win hands down.  Good luck.

Hahaha. Too true, too true!

Happily, Nath, the garage were pretty sympathetic to my woes, though somewhat incredulous that I could be having so many problems in so short a time!

It's a shame I'm still at work and my car isn't, though!

Quote from: "MelBee42"it's walking distance from my house

you like that it's local then   s:) :) s:)  .

Hope they can get you sorted without too much hassle.

Given how near your workplace is to where Matt is based it just seemed to make sense to let him have a look.

Might be worth bearing him in mind in future   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

It has been suggested throughout her ongoing issues

You can take a horse to water, fellas...  s:D :D s:D

Must admit had similar problems with my Mk2 last year - starting was a no-no - Turned out that oil was leaking into the sparkplug pots - they (plugs) were literally "awash" with oil!!
I guess you and Vikface are vying for top slot in the "Woes" League!!

Quote from: "KTM_RIDER"

Quote from: "MelBee42"it's walking distance from my house

you like that it's local then   s:) :) s:)  .

Hope they can get you sorted without too much hassle.

Given how near your workplace is to where Matt is based it just seemed to make sense to let him have a look.

Might be worth bearing him in mind in future   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

As I said, it needed to go to a garage as a diagnosis in the car park was unlikely given that two mechanics had already looked at it, nor was I in a position where I could speculatively wait for someone else to look at it. And yes, I would much rather it be local as it needs to be somewhere I can get to to pick it up.

It's still throwing up the camshaft sensor code so I'm guessing either the second sensor isn't working or it's faulty wiring....

unless something has happened during storage of that sensor it is working as it came off my oil burner which apart from lots of oil drinking was running well. on that basis it is most likely going to be wire problem. maybe when the head was taken off to do the head gasket the plug was not nice at coming off so they pulled the wires a bit to much if you can get a picture of the connector i got an old engine loom i can cut the connector off and post to you so the garage can change the connector.

Cheers - yeah, I asked them to look at the wiring this morning. Not able to get a picture at the moment - but will see what they say when they call back. The wiring looked pretty bodged actually when we put the engine in.

Mel, why didn't you use Mattperformance, he one of the best known person to know everything about the mr2.

I am sure that a garage wouldn't know half of what Mattperformance knows  and i am sure he wouldn't charge you a bank load of money.

while Mattperformance was there, i am sure he would check any other concerns you have had, and there have been many as you know.

Remember a garage charge for every think they do and check, even if its not fixed, still charge for their time.

You keep throwing money at garages but they're not mr2 specialist like Mattperformance , its your opportunity to get the job done or know what the real problem is with your car once and for all.

I am sure that Mattperformance dose not expect the world when fixing someone's car
not like a garage does.

hope you all the best mel.

regards redarrow.

Actually it was only seriously suggested after I had already arranged for the car to be towed, and by then it was already too late. Previously there had been one mention but also with the qualifier that 'he's busy' so I pressed on with getting a mobile mechanic to fit the part which is what the AA suggested to me would fix it. Obviously it didn't, but neither I nor the guy from the AA could've predicted that without trying it.
My local garage does not charge for diagnostics, actually.
They are currently waiting for a part but unfortunately they're not sure if it will fix it as they have checked all the obvious things (replacement sensor is fine, wiring is all fine, etc...).
As you can probably tell I've been having an awful lot of trouble with the car, it's been very stressful, and whilst I appreciate that you're trying to be helpful (and I really, genuine do appreciate everyone's help on here), I really don't find it very helpful to say 'why didn't you do this?' a week after it's already done. Thanks though.

So what's the update Mel. What part they waiting on?

Hi Richard. Something to do with the actuator, but nothing expensive. I'm going to give them a call again tomorrow and see what's going on. I think they're a bit stuck to be honest so I need to develop a new plan of action if they can't fix it. Made a bit difficult since I don't have the facility to tow a vehicle and of course, mine still won't start...! Any advice much appreciated on a way forward. I've managed to borrow my parent's car for a bit but will need to give that back soon.

Quote from: "MelBee42"Any advice much appreciated on a way forward..

Ask MattPerformance.  Simples.

Quote from: "stargazer30"

Quote from: "MelBee42"Any advice much appreciated on a way forward..

Ask MattPerformance.  Simples.

Thanks... sorry, I should have been more specific! I may need to arrange for the car to be towed (maybe to Matt if he'll have a look at it, or somewhere else I haven't thought of yet, if not!) so I wondered if maybe anyone in the East Mids had some time & access to a tow who could help, or alternatively if someone could recommend a reasonably priced company who'll tow it for me who are reliable.  s:) :) s:)  The last company I used were a bit of a nightmare.
Thanks!  s:) :) s:)

Just so you know Mel, these guys are not on commission from me  s;) ;) s;)
If you're at your wits end and you want me to have a look at it try Shiply.com for a shipping quote to B46 1NS (have had a couple of customers use this service - very good value).  I'm flat out at the moment but I'm sure I can find time to do the basics.  Thing is, I have spares of every engine sensor, engine part, loom, you name it - loads of stuff to try without delay and the risk of buying unwanted parts.  I'm sure the garage you're using are perfectly capable (and they'd undoubtedly "knock me into a c0cked hat" on other types of cars) but I have a big advantage on the MR2s.

Thanks Matt, that's really helpful. Time is of the essence for me really. I'll let you know as soon as I have a better idea what's going on with the garage.
I've put in my details for a quote on the website you mentioned so I will see if any companies come back to me - thanks for the tip. I would prefer to use a company on a recommendation (if possible) so if anyone can suggest someone reliable that would still be really good.  s:) :) s:)

Quote from: "MattPerformance"Just so you know Mel, these guys are not on commission from me  s;) ;) s;)

Yeah right, he's cost me a freakin fortune lol   s:D :D s:D    s:D :D s:D    s:D :D s:D

Quote from: "stargazer30"

Quote from: "MattPerformance"Just so you know Mel, these guys are not on commission from me  s;) ;) s;)

Yeah right, he's cost me a freakin fortune lol   s:D :D s:D    s:D :D s:D    s:D :D s:D

He's damn good though   s:D :D s:D    s:D :D s:D

Mel cant you push the car into the road and get the AA to recover you to Matt's or better still tow it a short distance from the garage in case they have a record of recovering you there then call them out.

Quote from: "E"Mel cant you push the car into the road and get the AA to recover you to Matt's or better still tow it a short distance from the garage in case they have a record of recovering you there then call them out.

I can't use the AA to call them out for the same fault as they've already towed it once, unless they do a towing service that I can pay for separately. (Which they might so I will give them a call to see!)

I see what you're saying about moving the car but it would be very disingenuous of me, I can't really do that. Thanks though.

mel you can join the relay of the aa, there help for a extra cost on your membership.

Hope you get it all sorted.

You have been so unlucky unreal.

regards redarrow.(dont worry i am sure it get done soon finally)

(when it comes to price, here in the uk london, £80 per hour normal, so matt charges are not a lot, if your into paying heigh prices any way, i am sure member stargazer30 only joking and got a grate deal)

Thanks redarrow - as I have said, the AA have already towed the vehicle once and will not tow again for the same fault (yes, I have relay as part of my cover already).
I'm not sure why you're mentioning price as a factor, my local garage is very reasonable, the mobile mechanic I used was very reasonable, and I'm sure Matt's prices are very reasonable as well. (I wouldn't pay anything even remotely approaching £80 per hour!!)
As a general update, my garage *think* they have fixed it and that it was down to lots of bits of faulty wiring which wasn't obvious when they first looked. However, to make sure (so that I don't end up stuck miles from home again) they have been firing it up throughout the day just to check it is starting reliably. It's been fine so far today, so if it continues to start OK I'll pick it up tomorrow. Fingers crossed!

Fingers crossed from all of us Mel, just make sure that they move the car around a bit in case movement of the engine dislodges their fine work.
A bit of a saga eh!   s:flame: :flame: s:flame:

That good news mel, I mention price because another member said matt was expensive not true.

regards redarrow.

(I wouldn't pay anything even remotely approaching £80 per hour!!)

you dont live in london or visit much then .

Quote from: "Wabbitkilla"Fingers crossed from all of us Mel, just make sure that they move the car around a bit in case movement of the engine dislodges their fine work.
A bit of a saga eh!   s:flame: :flame: s:flame:

Thank you  s:) :) s:)  Yeah, it really has been a saga. I'm sure my local garage is really sick of my car! It's just a shame that random things keep going wrong... none of the problems are really even connected, it's all just a long protracted series of unfortunate events... Oh well. Fingers crossed for the future. Fingers crossed that this problem has actually been fixed...!  s:) :) s:)

Redarrow... I lived in London for four years (West London). By the way, I suspect Stargazer was joking!  s:) :) s:)

Hello all.
Finally picked up the car this morning. It's now starting fine (at the moment - fingers crossed - again!).
I'm probably going to sound like some sort of massive car hypochondriac now (I promise I'm not!), but the brakes feel quite odd in a way they didn't before. When braking there's a bumpy sort of feel to the pedal (as if I were driving on a bumpy/lumpy surface, but the 'bumpyness' is only felt through the pedal). It still brakes ok, if a little sluggish.
Braking was smooth before, so I'm puzzled. I think I need new brake pads anyway (having it serviced in a few days so I'll find out then I guess) but I don't know whether this is related or something entirely different. Any ideas...?

That sounds like the ABS is kicking in.

Possibly rust on the inner edge of the disks.

Quote from: "E"Possibly rust on the inner edge of the disks.

Cheers. New discs probably then? Luckily since I'm getting it serviced in a few days they'll get checked out anyway.  s:) :) s:)

Don't think it's the ABS. It's a slow, constant, bump-bump-bump rather than a fast pulse, and it's all the time.

Glad to hear good news mel. if you feel a bump in the pedal i would think warped disks, which will also reduce braking power. best way to test is to see if the bumps are faster the faster you are going before braking.

Quote from: "rbuckingham"Glad to hear good news mel. if you feel a bump in the pedal i would think warped disks, which will also reduce braking power. best way to test is to see if the bumps are faster the faster you are going before braking.

Thanks - the bumps are definitely faster when I'm going faster.
Guess it's likely I need new discs then - will order some in in time for the service so I can get everything done at once.  s:) :) s:)

Definitely good to hear you are having some good news at last Mel.

At least the brakes problem seems easily identifiable and a stra.ightforward fix.

Know you can really start to enjoy your car

Jack up the car and spin each wheel one by one.

Further update. Despite getting in fine this morning from the garage (and having given them £177 for the privelege) the car will now not start again. so it's once again stuck at work and i'm back to square one.... unbelievable.  s:( :( s:(

Blimey Mel, I'm gutted for you. I don't have any clever tech suggestions right now, just sympathy.  s;) ;) s;)

Can't belive it Mel. If it bad wiring do you want me to see you a spare wire loom? Other than my only sugestion is get matt to look at it and either get money back from the garage as it not fix or get them to collect and fix it.

Thanks both. The garage won't collect it but say they'll look at it for free (Too right they should!!). However they clearly can't fix it so there's no point taking it back to them. I'm going to get in touch with matt and see if he has time to look at it early next week, and see if the AA will tow it for a fee. currently doing the three hour jpurney back on public transport.  s:( :( s:(

Quote from: "E"Possibly rust on the inner edge of the disks.

Same symptoms on mine was rust on inner edge.

Sympathy from me too.  I can't believe your bad luck.   s:( :( s:(

Mel what exactly did the garage do?

The charge was for 2.5 hours of labour fixing the wiring, one battery and one camshaft position sensor. I had a bit of an argument with them about the sensor as they ordered it despite me telling them not to order any parts without telling me. In the end they knocked £50 off the bill.
They said the cam sensor that I got fitted was not working but thought that it had probably been shorted due to the wiring still being faulty at the time. Hence them fitting another one. In any case, they *said* that they had been testing it to see if it fired up for two days and said it did every time, after they'd worked on the wiring and then fitted another sensor.
Symptoms remain the same as before though - turns over smoothly and continuously until I give up. Doesn't try to fire.

Ok sounds like they def not sure. You say they worked on the wiring. Did they change any plugs to the sensors like the cam position sensor. I'm thinking that the wire in the plug broken.

They said the connections themselves were fine, but then, they haven't fixed it so I can't say whether that's right or wrong! I've sent mattperformance a PM so we'l see if he has time to look at it. Hopefully also the AA will offer a towing service I can pay for as I'm assuming they won't do it for free (I'll see what they say though!).
Just can't believe after ten days at the garage it's back to being stuck at flipping work again!

They will offer a towing option, it will be pricey though. I have friends that have picked up SORN cars doing this.
There are plenty of other people about though, so get some quotes to see how uncompetitive/competitive the AA are.

The fact you had a bill saying it was fixed the AA might tow it as a new fault for free unless you used your 5 free year tows

Thanks both.  s:) :) s:)  It's easier for me if the AA do it as I'll trust them to take it without me going with them. But if it's cost prohibitive I guess I'll try to make other arrangements.
Richard - yeah, I was just going to explain the situation and see what they say. I'm sure being honest does me a dis-service sometimes but I'd rather do that than be economical with the truth. As you say, it was supposedly fixed so maybe they will tow it after all.  s:) :) s:)

Mel the AA should recover you for free as it is genuinely a seperate breakdown, it's been supposedly fixed you have driven it to work and its broken down again, that's what you pay your fees for.

Just remember as far as you know it might be something else, and they probably would not care and just tow you

Well. just to give everyone an update on this....
I have no good news to report really. I did manage to get the AA out without extra charge and get it to Mattperformance.
It appears the garage who fitted the head gasket (£760+) have made a proper hash of it. The head gasket is leaking and when they put the engine back in they made a mess of connecting it back up which may well have led to these additional problems. (I'm sure I mentioned I also paid them £177 to try and fix the non-starting problem, which they obviously didn't) Matt has sorted out the connections and replaced the crankshaft sensor (seemed to be crankshaft not camshaft despite the code on the reader) and the car now starts although don't think it's been tested on the road yet.
As the brakes felt odd I asked for an MOT to be done to see if there are any more obvious problems (and additional costs!). MOT fail and a few advisories. Handbrake cable seized and a few other more minor things. Total bill to sort including MOT,the crankshaft stuff and swapping front brake discs pads (I have a spare set) is around £460. Probably about half of that ish I have already committed to so far based on work already done.
If you've been following my calamties on here for the last few months you'll probably know that including the new(well, OK, from a facelift breaker) engine, I have now already spent getting on for £3k just on repairs on the car in the last six months. And that was pretty much all I had.
I've already called the garage twice to shout at them who say they'll 'look at it' but certainly no refund. It feels like the most I can hope for from them is that they will totally mess it up again for free this time. So even if I get it fixed to MOT standard and get it to them I'm worried any work they do will leave me with further problems and I'll be no further forward.
So do I borrow the money to get it past the MOT and risk taking it to the original garage? Or cut my losses now and sell it for scrap (leaving me without a car for work and no money to buy one...!!!)? Or exciting option number three which I haven't thought of?
I would do a frowny face at this point but it seems like a bit of an understatement given the circumstances.

Take the garage who messed up to small claims court. I did this when a garage many years ago, completely messed up my carburettor. I got a letter from the people who fixed it properly, to say what the other lot had done wrong, and started a claim which only cost me £30. They settled before it even went to court. This might recoup some of your money.

I am no expert re: whether to sink anymore more money into it, so others will be able to advise you better. Either way I think you are going to have to borrow some money, either to fix it or buy another cheap run around.

Sorry to hear of all your woes. I am not sure I should ask, but how did your date go the other day ?

Hi Mel,

The money you've paid the garage for the iffy work is I'm afraid what we call in the project management world, sunk costs.  Gone, no value added, not comming back.  I would not let them anywhere near your car.  

Oh BTW if it makes you feel better I'm willing to bet I wasted more cash than you on my first MR2!  I Still feel like an utter **** for stripping the turbo and selling it.

David

Thanks - I think to do that I would have to give them an opportunity to make good the work, which would mean taking it back to them, probably have them making a mess of it again, before I could attempt to take them to court? In any case I'm not sure I could cope with the stress at this point as it's been one stress after another since I bought it.
It might be unwise to borrow money in my situation (I'm being made redundant in two months).
Date was cancelled!
Sorry, I'm definitely full of doom and gloom at the moment... thanks though. Any comments are much appreciated.

David - getting Matt to fix the head gasket is way out of my price range. That's around £700, plus the £450 of other repairs/MOT, and I don't have that nor can I even borrow that much money so unfortunately that's not an option.  s:( :( s:(

No, you don't need to give them the chance - I just took mine to another garage who fixed it and then took the other lot to small claims court. Not much stress involved, as all you do is fill in forms and submit evidence and it runs itself from there.

If you do scrap the car, could you maybe get a little run around for the money ?

I am afraid I have no other suggestions. The situations really sucks though !

Quote from: "MelBee42"Or exciting option number three which I haven't thought of?.

I have an option 3.  The head gaskett is mostly labour not parts, and your a single lady right?  So you could date a mechanic   s:crazyeyes: :crazyeyes: s:crazyeyes:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:   win win situation!

Okay.... I'll get my coat....

I do have a serious option 3 as well but it costs more.  Trade your knackered car in against a decent MR2.   Matt will have a nice red one for sale soon.

Bit of a random thought, as you are a member of the AA have you spoken to their legal services for some advice? or maybe trading standards can help you, see if they have any complaints against the garage in question.

I would deffo be going after them for the dodgy head gasket job and I would not let them anywhere near your car ever again! You have had it verified from an independent specialist that they f****d it up.
I understand that this is all very stressful and with you impending redundancy (really sorry to hear that)it makes things even worse.

I'd be happy to help you out with things like changing over the brakes, even have a go at the handbrake cable as I am sure it will be the caliper and not the cable.
Not sure I have the experience/time/equipment to help with the head gasket though.

CHRIST ON A BIKE !!! you poor girl !! if you know what is wrong with it now, what about a good old fashioned car fixing party !!!(obviously the beer and pizza comes afterwards !haha) its a bit far for me but if you have no other option, just a thought ? we do it in my other club !

Quote from: "StuC"I'd be happy to help you out with things like changing over the brakes, even have a go at the handbrake cable as I am sure it will be the caliper and not the cable.

Don't be too certain about that, mine turned out to be cable and not the calliper as suspected.

actually the mk2s suffer from that too ! the little boot on the end perishes lets the crud in and jams it on ! if you get to to it quick enough though you should be able to free it off and then what i did was copper slip it and made a new boot out of a couple of heavy duty rubber glove fingers doubled up and held in place with some stainless steal wire ! stiil going stong a year and half later !   s:D :D s:D

Quote from: "StuC"...as I am sure it will be the caliper and not the cable.

SURE???????
With statements like that you've got me thinking that perhaps you did the head gasket repair for her!   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  
You are as wrong as you are sure!!!

Quote from: "MattPerformance"

Quote from: "StuC"...as I am sure it will be the caliper and not the cable.

SURE???????
With statements like that you've got me thinking that perhaps you did the head gasket repair for her!   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  
You are as wrong as you are sure!!!

No, I am not totally sure and you are right to point that out.
I was extrapolating a observation made on here frequently. Would it not be easier to check the calipers than to replace the handbrake cables though?
It's where I would start based on the knowledge on here.

Quote from: "StuC"

Quote from: "MattPerformance"

Quote from: "StuC"...as I am sure it will be the caliper and not the cable.

SURE???????
With statements like that you've got me thinking that perhaps you did the head gasket repair for her!   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  
You are as wrong as you are sure!!!

No, I am not totally sure and you are right to point that out.
I was extrapolating a observation made on here frequently. Would it not be easier to check the calipers than to replace the handbrake cables though?
It's where I would start based on the knowledge on here.

You're not totally sure but you were happy to say "I'm sure..."!!  How does that work then?????
You'll notice in previous posts that "based on the knowledge on here" several members suggested Mel bring her car to me, because I would know how to fix it, and of course I did.  Those recommendations are not solely based on the fact that I know how to diagnose a seized hand brake cable!!

In my second post, I was trying to acknowledge that you were right and I had made a statement that I couldn't back up with my own experience.
You have far more experience in this matter, which is why I had suggested to her that she come to you. Again another opinion based on knowledge on this forum.

I was trying to show some support for someone that has clearly been through the mill, that's all.

Quote from: "StuC"I was trying to acknowledge that you were right

It wasn't about me being right, it was about you being wrong  s;) ;) s;)
My point is that trying to help someone by giving them wrong information is rather counter-productive, no matter how good your intentions.
From my point of view, the whole episode is really disappointing:  I was setting out to become the knight in shining armour (and as far as the starting issue was concerned, I was, briefly), but now I seem to have become the harbinger of doom!  Sorry Mel.

As a trader then, what is your take on what the other garage have done and any potential come back on them?

Matt more like the guy that had to disclose an unpleasant truth   s:( :( s:(  


Through no fault of yours or Mels her car has been butchered at least by you looking it over she has the facts from a reliable source and can now make a decision .


Mel really hope you get some good news.

Quote from: "StuC"As a trader then, what is your take on what the other garage have done and any potential come back on them?

On the face of it I think there's a cast iron case against them.  I don't have full details of the extent of the work they carried out (for example, did they replace head bolts...) but the mode of failure of the head gasket would not appear to be overheating (which would be their standard defence) since the leak is external.  There is enough evidence surrounding their work (bodged wires/ connectors, loos bolts, mis-routed pipes/ lines) to support a claim of incompetence/ negligence.  For such a small claim (i.e approx £1,000) they would not choose to implement their public liability insurance so I reckon a small claims proceeding would stir them into offering a settlement.  The trouble is, that could require a court-recognised engineering expert which requires more money and, paradoxically, I suspect no "expert" would be willing to make a definitive statement about the HGF until the engine is stripped!

I'd also like to challenge the previous HGF diagnosis.  HGF seems to be extremely rare on these engines so I'd be very interested to see how they came to the conclusion and the evidence supporting it.

Quote from: "MattPerformance"

Quote from: "StuC"As a trader then, what is your take on what the other garage have done and any potential come back on them?

I'd also like to challenge the previous HGF diagnosis.  HGF seems to be extremely rare on these engines so I'd be very interested to see how they came to the conclusion and the evidence supporting it.

With b******t baffles brains probably.

Really feel for you Mel, You've had nothing but problems with your car but keep coming back for more. just shows how much you must love the MR2 and really don't deserve what's happened.

Small claims court might be the way forward if you can find the money to fix it and face the hassle. Totally understand if you just want to draw a line underneath the whole experience and sell it though. I certainly wouldn't take it back to them and don't think you would need to anyhow (hasn't it been back already?).

Try and keep your chin up and channel all your gloom into getting even with the garage.  s:evil: :evil: s:evil:

I didnt think it sounded right when they suggested it was HGF.

Maybe a threat (or suggestion) of legal action might be enough for them to sort the car out without actually doing it

Crank sensor makes sense as it wouldn't know where tdc. As for repairs yes you can take them to court but the question is. Is it worth the stress time and money. As for a third option as a club im sure we could get together to fix all the issues. I don't mind doing the head gasket, they not complex to do, just something its best to take your time doing.

I was about to suggest the same ! A well writen letter giving them 2 weeks to do something about it or else !!!!!!!!
There you go.Mel ! Anymore takers ?????

Thanks guys. It definitely was the HG failing though, the engine overheated twice in a rather spectacular smoking incident. OK the garage might have done a rubbish job in fixing it (I wouldn't know) but I jhave no doubt it was fubarred. That was due to a coolant leak which the garage said they had kind of fixed but weren't sure. I checked the coolant every other day for a couple of weeks and it was fine. Topped up a little but not much. So eventually I didn't check it for three days (I think??) and it was not fine. And overheated. I pulled over and topped it up with coolant and it ran fine again. The garage said from the sniff test the HG was definitely gone. Kerching £760.
I loved my car to bits and I have invested around £6k in it (cost of purchase and repairs) and I have no more money to spend on it.I have only owned it for 9 months! It's very. very sad and I'm really upset. pathetic though that might sound. I'm going to try to get it back to my house and yes, any help would be really appreciated. I genuinely have no more money left.  s:( :( s:(
Obviously as some people have suggested, I could threaten the other garage with action, however, they have offered to repair it. I'm not willing to let them  butcher it further but legally as their work is guaranteed I need to allow them the opportunity to make good the works. Which I have no faith that they will.
Might just have a bit of a cry.

Awww Mel there's no need for that hon ! There's always light at the end of the tunnel !  s:) :) s:)
What else needs doing ?

I've been crying all evening mate. There's no light at the end of this particular tunnel. I'm going to have to borrow money to even pick the car up. Matt is more qualified to say what remains to be done than me, but leaking head gasket, seized brake cable, and er, some other stuff.

Awww I can imagine ! My toni didn't get to drive hers more than about 100m and it went wrong ! In the space of a week She went from the cat that got the cream (a new job, became an aunty,and got the car she'd always wanted !) To devastated ! Cried plenty too !  s:( :( s:(  I'd be offering too but I'd better fix hers first ! Haha but you'll get in sorted I'm sure ! Keep your chin up !  s:) :) s:)  how far has it got to go,couldn't ya find someone to help ya tow it ?

Just read this thread   s:( :( s:(   Don't know what to say Mel apart from ((((((big hug))))) You really are stuck between a rock and a hard place. Only saving grace you have is having these guys advising and helping out.  Truly hope you get some money back from the garage at some point and that you get your car back on the road.

What work from the garage is under warranty?

If you return it to them what are they promising to do without any further charge?

I posted previously that I wouldn't take it back, but you sound as though you have nothing to lose.  Perhaps a vistit/enquiry with citizens advice to see where you stand.  Get a report from Matt if you can about the non-starting fault that they didn't fix and what needs putting right (that they put wrong).  If they manage to sort the head gasget and wiring to your satisfaction then great.  You could then ask for a refund for the £170 for the work they didn't rectify.  You could even mention the extra recovery costs you have incurred as a result of their incompetence.

If you haven't fallen out with them yet then just explain your situation and how they have a duty to put it right. Then you can fall out with them and ask for money back for the non starting fault.

It's just an idea, give it some thought.  You sound like you've hit rock bottom, only way is up now   s:D :D s:D

If they are offering to put it right and you havent got the money to get anyone else to do it or your not willing to fight the garage take it back to them.

Then just the hand brake issue needs sorting.

Once the jobs done get Matt to check it over and if its ok result. If not off to court you go.

Actually, thinking it through, Nathan seems to have the solution. At the minute you are stuck due to lack of money, without a working car.
Only people who can attempt to put it right with no extra cost is the original garage, they either fix it or they don't. If they do then all is well, if they don't then you are no worse off than you were before and go down the court route.

The handbrake cable is about £30/£35 and perhaps a friendly club member would be willing to fit it for you.

This is a really shocking situation you find yourself in through no fault but trusting a garage to do what they were paid to do. I've been watching your story with a growing sense of unease about these cowboys. I call them cowboys because I find no better way of describing what they've been doing to you, all well and good that they've taken care of you with no charging or low charging at times but Matt's report is pretty damning.

Nathan has come up with a great suggestion, I firmly believe you are owed an apology from the garage and recompense for all the time and heartache involved plus putting the botched work right and refund.

A visit to Citizens Advice would be in order too, just to get some official guidance and coaching.

you can also call a cowboy a "ye ha" as thats the sound cowboys make.

sorry i know not time for jokes but just couldnt help it.

nathan has had a good idea and if it still all bad after all that then im sure an event to come fix all your cars problem will end up happening as we can all see how much pain this is causing you now.

Quote from: "Stephster"Actually, thinking it through, Nathan seems to have the solution. At the minute you are stuck due to lack of money, without a working car.
Only people who can attempt to put it right with no extra cost is the original garage, they either fix it or they don't. If they do then all is well, if they don't then you are no worse off than you were before and go down the court route.

The handbrake cable is about £30/£35 and perhaps a friendly club member would be willing to fit it for you.

Didn't Nathan make the same suggestion I did?

Do you ever feel that no ones listening?
I said "DO YOU EVER FEEL THAT ONES LISTENING?"

I'm only joking, just want Mel to get it sorted.  I don't think she has much choice really. Two possible outcomes.

1, It gets fixed with no further charge.
2, They mess up again.

If they mess it up again your case will probably look even more compelling in the small claims court.

It's already been said that a head gasket is not THAT difficult to replace and should be well within the abilities of someone claiming to offer 'garage services'.

Good luck (if you can hear me that is, I'm off to sit in the corner and sulk now!)  s:( :( s:(

SMARTY..... SMARTY... come back and stop sulking ! Sorry, to have missed your post on this. Here have a hug <<<<Smarty>>>>. P.s. what colour smarty are you ?

Quote from: "Stephster"SMARTY..... SMARTY... come back and stop sulking ! Sorry, to have missed your post on this. Here have a hug <<<<Smarty>>>>. P.s. what colour smarty are you ?

Green of course - The incredible sulk!

I did waffle a bit, but that point was in there.

Quote from: "MelBee42"I could threaten the other garage with action, however, they have offered to repair it. I'm not willing to let them  butcher it further but legally as their work is guaranteed I need to allow them the opportunity to make good the works. Which I have no faith that they will.

The best way forward from this IMO, is to actively Project Manage the garage repair.

Quote from: "smarty2072"It's already been said that a head gasket is not THAT difficult to replace and should be well within the abilities of someone claiming to offer 'garage services'.

Not that difficult to replace, but sadly not that difficult to mess it up again.

The fact that they messed it up first time around is all the justification needed for you to take a much more active interest in how they attempt a HG fix this time. Their competence may have been called into question, but it is surely in their best interests that the HG repair is done to your satisfaction, so they should be happy to allow you to take a more active role in managing that repair.

You may feel you lack a bit of the relevant knowledge but that's where MR2ROC comes in   s:) :) s:)  


Some points to consider:


Will they be fitting new stretch bolts? (As mentioned by Matt above)

If no, then for £25 you could consider buying and supplying these for them to fit (and asking for the old ones back as evidence that the new ones were fitted):

 m http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEAD-BOLT-SET ... 1408wt_754 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HEAD-BOLT-SET-TOYOTA-MR2-1-8-99-07-VVTi-RAV4-1-8-00-06?item=160637846112&cmd=ViewItem&_trksid=p5197.m7&_trkparms=algo%3DLVI%26itu%3DUCI%26otn%3D5%26po%3DLVI%26ps%3D63%26clkid%3D7203512277275083640#ht_1408wt_754) m

Will they be getting the cylinder head skimmed?

Whether or not that is just good practice anyway, some more opinions may be along in a minute, however the service limit for flatness is 0.05mm so,

You could insist that they are able to demostrate to you that the head meets this specification prior to installation

Or, if they insist it doesn't need a skim, but you remain unconvinced you could just ask for the cylinder head, once they have removed it from the car and give it (and £40) to a cylinder head specialist:

 m http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cylinder-head ... 1769wt_934 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Cylinder-head-skim-skimming-head-gasket-failure-ally-cast-iron-heads-/251019069441?pt=UK_Cars_Parts_Vehicles_Other_Vehicle_Parts_Accessories_ET&hash=item3a71e70801#ht_1769wt_934) m

So, if through your active Project Management you have ensured that a  nicely flat and clean cylinder head is about to be installed with nice new stretch bolts (I think we'll trust them to use a new cylinder head gasket   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  ) then the next key point is correct torque tightening of the cylinder head bolts, so I would also want as far as possible to ensure that:

they use the correct torque values

Which I believe are 49Nm plus a further angle tighten of 90 degrees

in the correct sequence

might let someone else describe that   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

with a suitably accurate torque wrench

 m http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Inch-D ... 1277wt_934 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Sealey-Inch-Drive-Calibrated-Micrometer-Torque-Wrench-AK628-/220981694752?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3373891120#ht_1277wt_934) m

(so you could ask if their torque wrench has a certificate of calibration, or consider borrowing one from a club member to ask them to use, or ask them to double check each reading with a different wrench etc. etc.)

A last point to consider, is that you may wish to seek their written agreement that they accepted that the stretch bolts / cylinder head skim / torque wrench / torque values you supplied / arranged (if applicable) were also done to their satisfaction, in case despite your best efforts they still mess it up and then try to blame your bolts/wrench/skim etc. etc.

Good Luck

Thanks Allan, but my concern isn't really that they won't fix the hg problem, but that they will not put the engine back right - mess up the connections, disturb other things - which is what they did last time. Having tried to speak to them about the technical details of repairs before, I can also assure you they will not listen, because I am a) a girl and b) I'm never allowed to speak to any of the mechanics anyway, it's always the receptionist. I do not trust them any more nor would I trust the car after they'd touched it again!
In any case the handbrake cable would need sorting first before it went to them. At the moment, I can't get that done. (Sadly I don't have any offers from people to do it for free either!)
Smarty - already tried asking for the money back, (for blowing money on the non-starting fault, and the hg) and they've refused.
For those who think I have nothing to lose from taking it back to them... what about my sanity?!!
Ultimately I've had a problems with the car continuously since I got it last June. There's really only so much I can take!

random suggestion, can you pay matt a consultants fee to act as middle man and have the sensible conversation?

Mel if you could get the car to me all you would have to pay for is parts otherwise foc

I feel your pain Mel, and I hate to say this as I don't want to upset you further,  but it appears you have now reached the "yes but" phase for any suggestions made to you.
Unless someone pays for the parts and fits them for free, it seems that there is not a lot else that can be done. You don't want to take it back to the garage, sue the garage, or have the money  to pay Matt to repair it. So, the only other option is to sell it - I think apart from that everyone is out of ideas.

Quote from: "markiii"random suggestion, can you pay matt a consultants fee to act as middle man and have the sensible conversation?

A good idea in theory.

In practice I think it could make it hard to prove their liability if they still mess up the repair

Why does the handbrake cable need sorting before it goes back to them?

As far as I understand it you don't really have an alternative.  You have a car that you can't use and don't have any money or alternatives to get it fixed.  Matt seems to have fixed the starting problems so drive it to the garage (assuming it is driveable - you don't really need the handbrake to drive it).  You may as well give them the chance to put it right (if they've agreed to do it again foc).  It's not going to fix itself!

As for your sanity, it may actually help to dump it at the garage and try to forget about it for a week or so.  You don't seem to have any immediate plans for it.

Quote from: "rbuckingham"Mel if you could get the car to me all you would have to pay for is parts otherwise foc

A very generous offer indeed.  I don't think you'll get a better one Mel.

ok i can't stand by anymore ! i've only been on here a few days but i'll do the cables and anything else if you can get it to sible ? i might even be able to get them working again without replacing them ? like i did with my own mk2 but get them anyway just in case ! you can take them back if i can ? i'll need a pair of rubber gloves for the home made boots ! and a benchvice rich ? as i am new here i did used to be a mechanic all be it semi qualified, im sure between us we could get most of it sorted !!!  s:) :) s:)

wow, well after reading this I am quite taken back, in this club there is a huge wealth of knowledge and its a massive shame that mel is going through this, I know the whole head gasket thing has been convered, but I also had a very similar thing happen to me, car drank its coolant, overheated a few times, basically the same as you, got recovered back home by the AA or actually to a local garage to diagnosed instantly that it was apparently the headgasket. I refused to believe this, took the car home, stripped the front end, and found the radiator was nackered, took it out and had re-cored for £40 and its been spot on ever since. so on that basis and from  what matt says about it being so rare for a headgasket to go. I would maybe say it was the radiator. I would check yor radiator to see if it looks new.

Quote from: "kidkarter"ok i can't stand by anymore ! i've only been on here a few days but i'll do the cables and anything else if you can get it to sible ? i might even be able to get them working again without replacing them ? like i did with my own mk2 but get them anyway just in case ! you can take them back if i can ? i'll need a pair of rubber gloves for the home made boots ! and a benchvice rich ? as i am new here i did used to be a mechanic all be it semi qualified, I'm sure between us we could get most of it sorted !!!  s:) :) s:)

Got a vice. As for cables best to get lots of wd40 down the inner cover. However due to pain of getting them out might be best for new.

Quote from: "dj2k21"wow, well after reading this I am quite taken back, in this club there is a huge wealth of knowledge and its a massive shame that mel is going through this, I know the whole head gasket thing has been convered, but I also had a very similar thing happen to me, car drank its coolant, overheated a few times, basically the same as you, got recovered back home by the AA or actually to a local garage to diagnosed instantly that it was apparently the headgasket. I refused to believe this, took the car home, stripped the front end, and found the radiator was nackered, took it out and had re-cored for £40 and its been spot on ever since. so on that basis and from  what matt says about it being so rare for a headgasket to go. I would maybe say it was the radiator. I would check yor radiator to see if it looks new.

I think Matt has confirmed that the hg NOW needs replacing (leaking).  Whether it did before it was butchered is another question.

Hi,

Tried to post this yesterday, but don't know where it went!!

This is my take on all this coming from the "legal" side (albeit Scottish "legal" in a previous life!) and this is what I would consider doing:

1)   Ask Matt if he would be prepared to write Report on what he thinks has been damaged in car and what the state of the car is? He would obviously have to state
      what qualifications he has to write the Report.
2)   Go to Trading Standards (either with or without Report) - DO NOT go to CAB as you have to remember they are just volunteers.  TS may well already have complaints
      about this garage.
3)   Consider speaking to a Solicitor for advice and, possibly, to send a letter to the garage stating the details of your complaint and giving them say 14 days to refund
      your money before you raise a Small Claims Action against them.  If you are a member of certain Associations/Societies/Unions, you may well get free or discounted
      legal advice from a Solicitor (thinking, in particular, of the AA here!).
4)   If you do go down the Small Claims route, make sure you read all the literature you can about doing so!  Sadly, I could have helped you in Scotland but don't really know
      anything about the procedure in England and Wales. Also, I don't know about the size of this garage?? Does it appear that they would be able to pay if you are
      succesful in a Claim?
5)   Also, do an online search on the garage to see if any others are complaining about their work & just in case there is anything online that would lead you to believe that
      they could not pay you if you are successful in your claim.
6)   Make sure you keep notes about all that has happened (and the dates that anything happened) and copies of all correspondence & invoices etc.

Good luck!
Caroline

Perhaps Mel will correct me if im wrong but i get the impression that given the garage is so local she is reluctant to rub them up the wrong way. I cant see that she is going to want to commence legal proceedings against them.

Other than the HG bodge which is clear and evident i think the garage are going to consider they have reasonable arguements that they checked things over and they 'looked' ok at the time. Any mechanical faults after this time is not down to them and could have happened a period of time after they checked it.

The garage have offered to resolve their poor workmanship so they need the opportunity to do this. I think any legal advise would suggest this unless you have a concrete case that what they have done could have caused danger to you or someone else.

Im not sure how Mel's been getting on with the coolant since the repairs were done but i get the feeling that it wasnt the HG that was the route cause but something else that they missed that caused it to overheat and the HG to go. Perhaps the water pump or a leak from the rad.

Im not sure if the handbrake can be release so she can at least get the car home or to that garage for them to sort the HG and im sure some of us can help her out sorting the handbrake cable.

Quote from: "rbuckingham"

Quote from: "kidkarter"ok i can't stand by anymore ! i've only been on here a few days but i'll do the cables and anything else if you can get it to sible ? i might even be able to get them working again without replacing them ? like i did with my own mk2 but get them anyway just in case ! you can take them back if i can ? i'll need a pair of rubber gloves for the home made boots ! and a benchvice rich ? as i am new here i did used to be a mechanic all be it semi qualified, I'm sure between us we could get most of it sorted !!!  s:) :) s:)

Got a vice. As for cables best to get lots of wd40 down the inner cover. However due to pain of getting them out might be best for new.

Yeah of coarse rich, new would be best just thinking from cost point of veiw, and I've not seen how they come off yet, that's what I had to do to my own mk2 ones to get them unjamed and they I thought were relatively easy to remove ! Belly pan down and with a little swearing off they came, Haha the hard part was getting moving again ! I had too put the stuck end (caliper) in a vice after they'd been soaking in oil for a few hours !! Haha and i should add the cables themselves were still ok with no fraying !

Sorry for the delay in replying, I wanted to not think about it for a bit and also see if I could get the car back to mine safely (which I now have).
First of all thank you very much to everyone for your kind words, and for particularly for the offers of help. I did seriously think about trying to get the car to Essex, but not sure it would make it there to be honest!
I've given the whole thing a lot of thought and sometimes, I believe, there just comes a point when you reach the end of your tether with something and have to draw a line under it and move on. I cannot justify (or afford) to spend anything more on this car now - bearing in mind that I've spent more than £3k just in repairs since I bought it last June. I don't have the energy to start any kind of a dispute with the garage nor do I have any confidence that the garage are even competent enough to fix things properly.
If it had just been the hg problem then no doubt I would have taken it back to them (and given them a lot of stick while I was at it!) but it's been non-stop problems since I bought it, so to me, enough is enough now with the whole thing.
I have arranged to borrow my parents' car for two months which will last me until I finish my job (although it is a Citroen C2...hate it!!) and at that point, I can probably live without a car for a while.
As for my '2, now that it is back at mine I will (with help!) break it for parts, as well as selling all of the various bits and bobs I've accumulated from this very forum since I've been here. Hopefully I can put all this towards getting a car in the future.
I'll start a thread on the bits and bobs/breaking car stuff soon.
Thanks again to everyone for their kinds words and support. Feel free to buy a bit of my car and put it to good use!
Sad day today as it was my last drive in it, and given I was worried all the way back about it overheating, it probably wasn't as fun as it should've been! Ah well. C'est la vie...

Sad stuff Mel, but I wish you all the best with selling bits on, if that's what you have decided.  s;) ;) s;)

Quote from: "loadswine"Sad stuff Mel, but I wish you all the best with selling bits on, if that's what you have decided.  s;) ;) s;)

+1 You've had a rubbish ownership experience.  All the best Mel.

Don't suppose you'll thank me for pointing this out, but if you are going to break the car anyway, you'll probably get a fair bit more for your engine if you sell it in one piece with the HG fixed, so it kind of still makes sense to take it to the garage as you would have nothing to lose (as surely even they can only add value?)

Of course, going back to the garage could be more stress, but now that you've essentially given up on getting the car back on the road, in theory there's not really anything to get too stressed about?   s:) :) s:)  

Just a thought

+ 1

Mel if you like it might take longer to get it done but how about I come to you get the head lifted and to save time I'll get my old head skimmed so its ready to bolt on straight away. Also I know it not what you want to hear but stripping a motor takes alot of effort and normally only a third of it will sell.

Quote from: "rbuckingham"Mel if you like it might take longer to get it done but how about I come to you get the head lifted and to save time I'll get my old head skimmed so its ready to bolt on straight away. Also I know it not what you want to hear but stripping a motor takes alot of effort and normally only a third of it will sell.

Ill come and give you a hand if it helps

More hands the better, but it really if Mel wants to. I can understand where she lost the will to go on, but after all she has put into the car it would be ashame to let it go now.

I could lend a hand also if I'm around (currently spending alternate weekends in Yorks.)

And whilst these guys are sorting your car.....i'll take you for lunch somewhere
to take your mind off things...  s:) :) s:)

You are all very nice people indeed.  s:) :) s:)
Well the car's not going anywhere now, so if anyone has the time and fancies a trip to Nottingham/Beeston (I can put money towards petrol/buy you dinner etc... unless you've driven from Scotland...!! And maybe once I've been paid and am vaguely solvent again!!) to have a tinker you are more than welcome to. If it doesn't behave you are also welcome to kick it.
In Beeston's favour, there is a very nice pub five minutes walk from here that does real ales and lovely food.  s:) :) s:)
I really don't want to put anyone to any trouble or have them massively go out of their way for me though, nor do I expect it (my original post definitely wasn't a begging one and I've kind of said goodbye to the car in my head now anyway). But I won't say 'no' if people would like to try. Not to worry if not though, I'll get the likely-to-be-valuable bits taken off it and get the rest to a scrapyard somehow. I have space in our car park so as far as breaking it is concerned there's no hurry.
Thanks again everyone. x

Mel

you have offers of help off at least three good guys near you to help you out take them up on this help and get some lunch with Chris  s:mrgreen: :mrgreen: s:mrgreen:  


It`s a way for you to get the car back on the road and get some enjoyment from it rather than heartache.


As for you guys well done for the offers  s:bowdown: :bowdown: s:bowdown:

My car was a pain and I've spent silly money on it but now it's perfect (apart from the chassis flex)!!!

Quote from: "rbuckingham"Mel if you like it might take longer to get it done but how about I come to you get the head lifted and to save time I'll get my old head skimmed so its ready to bolt on straight away. Also I know it not what you want to hear but stripping a motor takes alot of effort and normally only a third of it will sell.

That's a cracking idea rich if you have one !!!!   s:D :D s:D  if you don't mind driving I'll come with !!

well i get the head up to a mate either this week or weekend and get it skimmed ready.

kidkarter not sure on what motor i will be going in yet as ill have to work out what tools i would like to bring

mel if you can get a 1zz head gasket and a set of head bolts (which shouldnt be more than £50)

once we got everything in place we will arrange an ROC fix mel's car day.

now question is who wants to attack the handbrake cables????

Richard. I've never encountered any ill effect in re-using the head bolts on the 1zz. They're not part of Mr.T's overhaul kit and Toyota rebuild guidance only advocates replacement if they're broken or deformed.

I understand the logic but I don't feel its appropriate to commit someone else's money on parts unless/until its confirmed as an absolute necessity and that its something that they actually want to spend their money on.   s:? :? s:?   JMHO

Quote from: "spit"Richard. I've never encountered any ill effect in re-using the head bolts on the 1zz. They're not part of Mr.T's overhaul kit and Toyota rebuild guidance only advocates replacement if they're broken or deformed.

I understand the logic but I don't feel its appropriate to commit someone else's money on parts unless/until its confirmed as an absolute necessity and that its something that they actually want to spend their money on.   s:? :? s:?   JMHO

good point ste

on that note just a gasket will do mel

my normal practice with any head gasket is to replace those bolts as well as its what the manufactures say to do. but if toyota's idea is not then that fine. in fact thinking about it the torq on the head very small so that be why toyota reuse.

so yes just a head gasket mel and we can reuse the rest.

Ok fair enough again just thinking of total cost for Mel its gonna add up if we're not careful ! So i'll say this I'm happy to do what evers needed cables and anything else I can get done foc but ! It'll cost me £90+ in fuel for I'm guessing a 10ish hr journey (there and back, its about 3hrs to Birmingham) which I just don't have spare ! So the offer is there if no one else is closer ?  s:) :) s:)

Quote from: "kidkarter"Ok fair enough again just thinking of total cost for Mel its gonna add up if we're not careful ! So i'll say this I'm happy to do what evers needed cables and anything else I can get done foc but ! It'll cost me £90+ in fuel for I'm guessing a 10ish hr journey (there and back, its about 3hrs to Birmingham) which I just don't have spare ! So the offer is there if no one else is closer ?  s:) :) s:)

Meld in Nottingham still a 2-3hour drive tho. We will work it out in time I just need to eye up what motor is best to take. Might even bring the engine crane.

yeah i know rich sorry, i was just using birmingham to guesstimate cos i know its good 3hr drive from me,(your a good 45mins further up the rd than me don't forget) and then nottingham i'm guessing is roughly an hr further up the m1 ? take into account rd works and traffic in general i could be looking at close to 5hrs each way ! haha its gonna have to be an early start to get anything done !!! haha i'm glad the clocks have gone back too ! haha   s:D :D s:D  

an engine crane   s:shock: :shock: s:shock:  haha did i miss something ? would you need one ?

um ok with the help of google maps it appears i may have over guesstimated just a little bit rich !!! 2hrs 32mins to beeston !!! lol   s:oops: :oops: s:oops:  never let it be said i wont admit when i'm wrong !! lol i was so sure a friend had said it takes him 4hrs to get to his daughter who lives in nottingham ???   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  


there's some more good news too !!! so supprisingly good i nearly spat me tea out !!!!!!   s:D :D s:D  

i've been contacted by a club member ! who wants to remain nameless but feels for mels plight so much they have very very kindly offered to donate some of they're hard earned money (£50 !!!! yes 50) to (i think its only fair!) as they called it "MELS PROJECT!!"

SO WE NOW HAVE A  "MELS PROJECT POT" TO HELP MEL OUT WITH COSTS OF GETTING HER CAR BACK ON THE ROAD !!   s:bounce: :bounce: s:bounce:  

So if anyone else is feeling charitable an email to me mel or rich i guess ? or post saying so would i'm sure be gratefuly recieved !

now bless her, i guess mels not really gonna like being a charity but i say if you want to help thats your bussiness and if not ? well thats your bussiness too ! and just in case we do end up with too much ? we could give it to the club or to charity or something ? what are everyones thoughts on this part ?

should i start a new thread with this do you think or be a bit too much like begging ?

Labour one thing to give. But some people are never keen to accept money. I think Mel needs to be asked in private about this matter to see if she's happy before it goes any further.

Also if it was to go further then for sence of security and Rogers and club mods permission to put it through the club.

Hi there,
Thanks everyone for their replies. Kidkarter, I really appreciate you trying to help and I also very much appreciate you offering to spend your time helping to fix the car.
Whilst I'm happy to accept offers of time from those who fancy a weekend of car-tinnkering, I really would rather not accept any money or financial assistance in any way. It's not as if I can't afford to eat or pay rent or anything like that. It's just a car at the end of the day. Yes, it's sucked up all my savings into some kind of car money-pit but I've actively decided it's not worth going further into the overdraft on this one particularly given my job situation.
That's different from having nothing at all and there are a great many people worse off than me. It's really kind that people want to help but please, give money to an actual charity.
Thanks!

sorry mel, everyone, it seemed like a good idea at the time ! pming you to explain hon

I think it is amazing that people are offering to jointly try and get this car back on the road.  What a brilliant club at it's very best.    s:bowdown: :bowdown: s:bowdown:  

Perhaps the £50 donated could be used to feed the hungry men with hot dogs or something?  I am Nottingham too so if I can help in any way during the project (not in a care repair way!!   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  ) but in another practical way am happy to.   s:D :D s:D

It is very lovely indeed. I will provide sustenance and refreshments though, donations of any kind are very sweet in principle, but not needed. (I may as well make myself useful anyway and I might know nothing about cars but at least I can cook!)

All I ask is to have the coffee keep on coming. I must confess im a caffine addict.

Quote from: "rbuckingham"All I ask is to have the coffee keep on coming. I must confess I'm a caffine addict.

I have coffee... I even have bathroom facilities!  s;) ;) s;)  
I also have a reasonably sized car park to work in - no garage though.  s:( :( s:(

yorkshire gold for me please mel ! i don't drink any old dishwater ya know !! i'm from the posh part of essex !!!  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

And when they all finally get it working, you can plug in my unichip   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Good luck with it Mel xx

Thanks all.  s:) :) s:)  I am ordering a head gasket (and some tea for Kidkarter since I don't drink it!).
Richard, let me know when you're ready to talk dates.  s:) :) s:)  
My 'current' MOT expires 24th April, not sure if after that point I need to SORN it, change the insurance (I've temporarily borrowed my parents' car) etc.
I'll muddle my way along somehow I guess though!

when i got the head done then we will talk dates. if the mot runs out you can keep it taxed but it must stay insursed to keep the tax. hopefully we will be able to do it before the mot, but i do have to work it round a week holiday.

edit just looking at my calendar the sat 21st might be the day if thats ok with you mel????

Thanks Richard, that would be fine by me, I can book Monday off then so that I can take it for an MOT straight away (not to my local garage!).

Guess I need to order a new handbrake cable as well - is it just a cable I need to ask for? Sorry to sound thick.

Thanks again.  s:) :) s:)

I'm can't be sure till I see them I'm affraid Mel ? I hope I'll be able to repair them as i did with mine, It depends what condition they are in ? And if Mr T has to order in you'll prob have to pay up front and see if they will refund if we don't need them, they would be good to have available obviously in tryin to get as much done in one day as possible but I'm not sure what mr T policy is on stuff they have to order in ? Matt performance has seen them perhaps he could comment-advise ?

Just a right side cable needed as i understand it

well matt was sure it was a stuck cable, and i dont think anybody will argue with him. now it might be possible to fix the cable ie free it up. however once water has got in and rust has started to form, even if you get it free it might get stuck again. now it just depends on cost if they really cheap then sod it might as well, but if they want a packet for them maybe try and free them off and look at fixing them at a later day. if you do want to get new then just ask for the handbrake cable. basically it will be a metal cable with a plastic cover round bit except for the ends which will have fittings on.

on a note of you booking a day off let me sort the head out first as i wouldnt want you to book everything and find out we need to move the date.

Standard cable is £35 - I know this 'coz I just had mine replaced. £30 if you have a mate in the trade who can get it at trade price. Do you need both sides or just one side, 'coz then obviously you'd have to buy two.

Quote from: "nathanMR2"Just a right side cable needed as i understand it

  s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

Quote from: "nathanMR2"s:wink: :wink: s:wink:

  s:roll: :roll: s:roll:

ok so lets be sure on everything.

we need
1. head gasket (order by mel)
2. offside (drivers side) hand brake cable (mattpermormance to confirm this is the case, mel to order when matt has confirmed) **right side more confusing as it depends if you look from the back or front

if you know of more things we need to go over mel please just add them to the list

MOT states: offside rear parking brake recording little or no effort
Parking brake efficiency below requirements

So a right side cable then I'm guessing, as Nathan says? Matt said a new one was definitely needed, and that the old one could not be repaired/freed. As it was the reason for the MOT fail I would definitely need to get that sorted before the 24th/going for another MOT.

 s:) :) s:)

ok post above updated and we will class it as replace on matts recommendations.
so only 2 things to fix, not to bad.
also whilst i think of it has anyone got an antifreeze that mel could use. if not mel you will have to get some as we wont be able to save the water im afraid.

I could prob get a couple of ltrs of anti foc
What about stretchbolts ? I hate to add expence but do you really want to chance it ? On a motor thats been monkey'd around with like mels ? what if ones about to snap ? And its the reason the headgasket went the second time ? Matt did say it had gone in a wired place ! And what about the first time it went ? Is there any preventative maintenance we can do while the heads off ? Maybe check if the thermostat is working ? Has anyone got a spare by any luck ?

Its all down to cost. Its one of those things that can build in price quick. A thermostat of say £10, headbolts probably another £30. A thermostat could of been the cause for over heating. For me to cut costs as much as poss im just going to change the gasket, but if Mel wants the other bits done I can change those bits as well

On a happier note head will be picked up on sat all skimmed, and they might be making my new exhaust manifold.

yeah i know rich cost is key, i don't know ? i know its not my job to do but its been picking at me cos personally i wouldn't dream of re-using a stretch bolt ! and yet toyota go and say; yeah its fine, re-use them, it'll be fine ! haha theoretically it should be a quick easy job because its all been had apart very recently and you have a head ready to go straight back on !  s:D :D s:D  
 
we could check the stat is working for her maybe if there's time ? we'll see what she wants to do and how much time there is?

on a simular note ! don't spose anyones got one of those coolant system pressurising kits have they ??? you can't beat them for finding a small leak !!

That could be really handy if someone did

Mel had a leak down test done twice. If it overheated due a part and not the gasket it will be the thermostat

Or a spare res tank cap, or just a cap that fits ?? And we could prob make our own !
Oh did she I missed that Sorry ! Yeah true, can we assume they checked the fan is working too then ?

All things we can check but I wonder if knew how to bleed the coolant system properly too ?? maybe they gave it back to her with an air lock ??

I know the garage's word is rather questionable to say the least at present, but they invoiced me for a new thermostat. (£10 I think)
I drove the car approximately 2,000 miles since it was with the garage for the head gasket 'fix' without losing any coolant (in fact I did top it once a bit but next few times I checked, the level had gone way up. Coolant level seems to fluctuate a bit on it naturally!).
Prior to that I was topping it up regularly (though bizarrely, intermittently as sometimes it didn't lose any).
In other, related news, I've also found a leak myself just now, went to start clearing stuff out of my car so opened the bins, everything is swimming in coolant (literally). I had two bottles in there that were mostly full and are now empty. I got something out of the bins just before I took it to Matt's and everything was dry so I am assuming they were leaking whilst he had it upended/at an angle looking at the connectors.
I'm sure I'm probably wrong and I'm sure this is a stupid question but I have sent Matt a PM just to check if this could in fact be the leak, although to be honest I have no idea where the gasket is so I wouldn't know whether it's even feasible that the coolant has been leaking from the bins somehow and made it look like it was leaking from elsewhere. (Although if someone could enlighten me that would be very helpful!)

If i understand this correct...

You had some bottles of coolant in the bins.... They are now nearly empty with coolant in the bins.

Sounds like the bottles have leaked to me

Er, yes, obviously that's what's happened.  
My question was if the car is upended and the bins are full of coolant, can coolant leaking out of the bins drip down and make it look like it's leaking elsewhere.

Probably also worth mentioning I've taken the side plastics out of the bins as well to create more room. Coolant has *definitely* leaked out of the bins - to somewhere. Hence my question...

Possible...

Whats more concerning is the amount of wiring and electronics under the bins and if its managed to seap through to there  s:? :? s:?

I think there is a small drain, at least under the passenger side bin. That would allow any spillage to flow out and under the car.
 I'd have thought that if Matt has said the HG is leaking, then that is what was happening.

so am i right in thinkin that, you think maybe the coolant you or mat saw leaking out was infact coming from the bins instead of the cooling system so there may not be a cooling system leak at all ???

indeed loadswine i think he said it running down the side of the engine block ? which was unusuall for these engines ?

No tests were done so far as I know (I wasn't paying for the HG to be checked, after all!), Matt said that there was evidence of coolant in the general area (which there would be if the bins had leaked when up at an angle, I'm guessing??), and he said that someone else from the garage said it appeared to be dripping from that area. I know he also said the coolant level had dropped, but it does tend to go up and down quite significantly. I'll see what he says, anyway.
I know it sounds silly and probably unlikely but it would be pretty dreadful to pay for all the parts and drag everyone up here to help if it was actually the bins! I don't want to waste anyone's time. Is there any way I can check this somehow? The coolant level hasn't dropped while it's been here and I didn't lose any on the way back from Birmingham (it's still overfull!).

well a pressure test should show up any leaks,
but its still overheating isn't it mel ?

Overheating - no, definitely not! It did overheat *before* I took it for the HG 'fix'. No overheating since.

sorry, so whatts the problem with the engine again ?

edit: scatch that ! just had a read !

obviously i haven't seen the car at all so i am goin to tread very carefully here but maybe we should if it hasn't been proven already ? get hold of a pressure tester just to be absolutely sure of where the leak is coming from ?

Matt said he thought the HG was leaking. Which it might be, I am just double checking that the car being at an angle and this bizarre set of coolant coincidences hasn't led to coolant dripping from the bins to the engine and making it look like the HG was leaking.
So far as I'm aware he didn't check it close up (I'm sure he'll correct me if I'm wrong), as I was only paying him to fix the wiring connectors (as I hadn't noticed any evidence of a leak so I wasn't expecting there to be one!).

Ok by the sounds of it apart from botch wiring it might be an ok head. Asuming there is no oil in the water and the water level not gone down, last check is a sniff test to see if any exhaust fumes are in the water. If all that ok then I think we jumping the gun. :-S

see edit above mel !

i may be able to borrow a pressure tester i'm not sure ? but if i can't ? maybe we should look into trying to hireshop one for the day ????

i have a compression tester that should fit ?

Just to recap...!  s:) :) s:)
Sequence of events is thus:
- Late October last year, facelift engine put in. Rob/Russ commented on the wiring loom on the engine as it did look dodgy
- Intermittent leak present in November - topped up a fair bit, but checked frequently
- All of a sudden, lost a lot of coolant, car overheated. Pulled over very quickly. Topped up. Drove on, everything seemed fine.
- Took car to garage in late december (or early January, apologies, don't know where all my paperwork has gone!) to check for a leak. They said there seemed to be a small leak from the nipples on the pipes that run to the radiator (I think that was how they described them). Washers changed.
- Kept checking but seemed to be fine for a couple of weeks
- Didn't check for four days (my bad!), overheated, stuck in crawling/stop-start traffic, no-one would let me pull over (*****!), did my best but definitely ran too long hot. Did manage to pull over eventually though, waited for it to cool, topped up, was fine the rest of the way
- Took it straight to the garage. They did a sniff test and said it was the HG that had blown
- They sent the head off for skimming, replaced the water pump, thermostat, etc, the works (or so they said) - £760
- Took it back to garage 600 miles later for a check up. Pressure tested, (they said) and no leak
- Late Jan - new spark plugs, replacement of UJ, by the same garage - £100
- Checked frequently but didn't appear to be losing any coolant. (I do 600 miles per week)
- Mid-Feb now - car won't start. Very long story already gone through in this thread...!
- Mid-March - after the car being stuck at work a couple of weeks, changing the camshaft sensor etc, 10 days and another £177 at the garage, etc etc, car still not starting but with the AA's help I make it to Matt's
- While at Matt's, possibly while car was at an angle, 3litres worth of coolant in bottles leaks into the bin
- This coolant leaks from the bin to elsewhere
- MOT fail on handbrake cable and a few other minor things
- HG reported as leaking, noticed while fixing other things (garage clearly not done a good job of putting the engine back as wiring is stuffed) - not investigated further (so far as I know). Coolant level dropped while at Matt's (but it does tend to fluctuate up and down all the time, don't know why)
- Monday - got car back to mine. Not lost any coolant on the way back, or while it's been standing here
- Today - I discover the coolant/bin mess.

hows the heater working mel ?

The heater works fine.
On the two occasions that it overheated that I mentioned in the above 'history', the heater stopped working just before it overheated. But the heater has been fine ever since the car went in for the new HG.

This could be good news, there is indeed a drain from the middle of the passenger side locker which exits from a small pipe through the fire wall  (fairly low down though) so without actually seeing where the coolant was on the engine it is only a guess that at a steep angle the coolant could have leaked from this pipe onto the engine. Im sure Matt will confirm if the coolant he saw could have come from the lockers fingers crossed anyway.

Cheers.  s:) :) s:)  Before you say anything Nathan, yes, the lids were on the coolant bottles, I didn't leave them off!! They must just be rubbish bottles...  s;) ;) s;)

i'm just wonder ? if it could be just an airlock ? cos they didn't bleed the system properly ? might explain the level inconsistancy and when it gets up to temp could be overcoming the relief valve in the cap if there is one and blowing coolant everywhere ? oh ok probably not that then haha

Well, because of the coolant level going up and down, I have accidentally overfilled it in the past (when I was worried about a coolant leak). Certainly there will be coolant deposits all over the place I would have thought - I also left the lid off the coolant once late last year, topped it up, forgot to put the lid back on, what an idiot - hence my above jokey comment about me definitely having put the lids on the bottles! But it would be old residue.

If the garage did a sniff and then say it need a hg then they right to do it. I'm thinking the current hg is fine, do the checks I said and they all ok then so is the hg. But you do need to find out, maybe take the car for a drive local get it warm and see if it trys to overheat.

when you say the coolant level flucuates ? that isn't just between the 2 level lines is it ?

i think we still need to leak test it rich ? any part of the hg could be leaking ?

Don't think we do mate as coolant levels on the 2 always changes. As long as it never goes below the min it fine

Quote from: "rbuckingham"If the garage did a sniff and then say it need a hg then they right to do it. I'm thinking the current hg is fine, do the checks I said and they all ok then so is the hg. But you do need to find out, maybe take the car for a drive local get it warm and see if it trys to overheat.

Well, I drove it back from Matt's 40 miles on Monday, and the temp was as it should be all the way. (Matt did top the coolant right up before I left though)

Kidkarter... no, not just between the lines. Sometimes (cold or hot) it'll be below the min line (but not by much) and then the next day it might be normal or above the full line. It does seem a bit all over the place.

So - I'm still waiting to hear from Matt, but do you think I should:

- Purchase handbrake cable
- Take to a different garage (not the one that did the HG, that's for sure) and ask them to pressure test and sniff test
- IF all OK ask them to fit the cable, and front discs/pads (I have a set, bought one previously as the brakes do not feel right)
- Try another MOT?

(In that order....!!!)   ???

Getting another garage to pressure test the system and sniff test it be a good start. If that all ok drive to mine to give it a good run, I'll then fit the cable pads and disks then drive back for mot. Now if it makes it to and from mine and no water loss or overheating I think you can sleep happy

Awww, thanks.  s:) :) s:)  I will see if I can book it in somewhere for last thing Friday or Monday. Guess I need to try and find another garage somewhere near here...!
(Unless Matt messages me telling me my suggestion is totally crazy!)

yeah i know rich it will on any car, just trying to work out if mel knew that dude

well cable and discs- pads we or i can do ! think you should fire till you speak to matt after all he's the only one who's actually seen the car ! i think it would wrong for us to try and diagnose over the interweb !! haha

Im pretty sure Matt will say the HG will need doing

oh ok or you could do what rich said ? haha


that was ment to be hold fire !! haha

As pointed out no one but matt has seen the car so we can't comment to much, but it still won't hurt to have the tests done.

All the same Nath, given the very unusual circumstances with the bins full of coolant, I don't see the harm in checking by getting a garage to test first before asking people to come all this way and buying a new HG etc.
Provided I can find somewhere that won't charge a fortune of course, but I'm assuming it won't take them long to do.

Edit: what rich said.  s:) :) s:)

nope it wont rich i agree ! it never hurts to get a second opinion ! and if its ok then perhaps you could give it a good thrashing very local to home just to see if it will cope ? any overheating will surely rear its ugly head !

Lol, I won't be 'giving it a good thrashing' until I have the brakes and handbrake fixed!!! I'm not a lunatic (honest)....  s;) ;) s;)

the handbrakes for parking mel !! haha well mostly !    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  actually your right best get the cable free'd off first ?

If the head gasket is screwed wouldn't it be a problem all the time, not just when it feels like it.  My coolant level fluctuates far more than on any other car I have owned, as do many other owners cars.

Having said that Matt is really highly thought of on here and is the only one to have seen the car, was he aware of the leaking coolant bottles in the bins? Is it possible that he mis diagnosed it (for what it's worth when you read this Matt im not questioning your expertise, just seems a weird problem).

Smarty - no, he didn't know, I only found out myself tonight when I went to clear out the car. I had the same thought, that it's such an unusual thing to happen, that no-one would ever have thought that there was a leak originating from the bins. Again, like you say, I'm not questioning anyone's expertise. Just think it's worth doing the tests given the weird circumstances. I had no idea myself, the bottles were full and fine and the bins were dry before I dropped it off.

KidKarter - lol, yes, but the other brakes are for braking, so quite important! :p Need to get them sorted. Handbrake cable has already been disconnected by Matt, and left side locks when used, so it still works on hills (thankfully).  s:) :) s:)

 s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

The suspenders are killing me !  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  come on Matt give this poor girl some good news !!! Got my fingers crossed for you mel !!!

Quote from: "rbuckingham"mel if you can get a 1zz head gasket and a set of head bolts

A friend has these parts for his 1zz Celica. He eventually sold the car instead. Will they fit?

Should be able to mug him and get them cheap.

Quote from: "dcod"

Quote from: "rbuckingham"mel if you can get a 1zz head gasket and a set of head bolts

A friend has these parts for his 1zz Celica. He eventually sold the car instead. Will they fit?

Should be able to mug him and get them cheap.

parts wise yes i think they are the same as there are 2 types of 1zz but the only real difference is the size of the valves in the head which wont effect the gasket. however we might not need these depending on the water situation.

Cool, let me know if/when you need them. What's the age of MelBee's car so I can check with Toyota that they are the same.

Quote from: "kidkarter"The suspenders are killing me !  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  come on Matt give this poor girl some good news !!! Got my fingers crossed for you mel !!!

Lol. I'm going to get it tested anyway, I think given the unusual circumstances it is best to do a proper check.
Cheers dcod, will let you know. (My car's 2001)  s:) :) s:)

But its a 2005 engine!

Good point nath well spotted !

2005, message received and understood, Gung Ho! Gung Ho!

Quote from: "nathanMR2"But its a 2005 engine!

Lol, yeah. 2004 actually.  s;) ;) s;)

Quote from: "dcod"Cool, let me know if/when you need them. What's the age of MelBee's car so I can check with Toyota that they are the same.

head gaskets and stretch bolts generally advertised on ebay as '1ZZ' rather than vehicle specific, so would be very surprised if Toyota say they are different.

Applicable Models

2000-2002 Chevrolet Prizm 1.8L VVT-i DOHC 16 Valve L4 Engine Code "1ZZ-FE", VIN Code "8"

2003-2008 Pontiac Vibe base 1.8L VVT-i DOHC 16 Valve L4 Engine Code "1ZZ-FE", VIN Code "8"

2000-2005 Toyota Celica GT 1.8L VVT-i DOHC 16 Valve L4 Engine Code "1ZZ-FE"

2000-2008 Toyota Corolla CE/LE/S/VE 1.8L VVT-i DOHC 16 Valve L4 Engine Code "1ZZ-FE"

2003-2008 Toyota Matrix base/XR 1.8L VVT-i DOHC 16 Valve L4 Engine Code "1ZZ-FE"

2000-2005 Toyota MR2 Spyder 1.8L VVT-i DOHC 16 Valve L4 Engine Code "1ZZ-FE"

Good job guys ! Personally i would much rather it got a set than not just to be sure and if we can get a new set cheap well !   s:D :D s:D

This is what monkeywrenchracing say about the head bolts.

QuoteHead bolt and washer set for all 1ZZ and 2ZZ engines. The head bolts are torque to yield meaning they stretch when installed and because of that they clamp less if they're reused. To avoid possible head gasket failure upgrade to ARP head studs (recommended for all modified 1ZZ/2ZZ engines) or replace with these new OEM toyota head bolts if doing a stock rebuild.

The fact that the BGB doesn't mark them as Non-reusable parts (while it does mark many other parts as such) implies to me that they're not torque-to-yield as MWR say..

Also, the headgasket has multiple part numbers depending on year, for example:
11115   GASKET, CYLINDER HEAD
11115‑22040    (12/1999 - 06/2002)
11115‑22041    (07/2002 - 07/2002)
11115‑22041    (08/2002 - 01/2003)
11115‑22050    (02/2003 - 08/2005)

As do the head bolts:
11101A   BOLT(FOR CYLINDER HEAD SET)
90910‑02134 (-2002)
90910‑02152 (2003-)

That's not to say that aftermarket parts (e.g. ebay) don't eschew the differences, whatever they may be.

Ok so its debatable ? and please excuse my frankness, But it is my firm belief that they are not re-useable ! No matter what toyota or any parts list has to say ? It's what I was taught over 2 years of city and guilds courses (which i did pass with honours and distinctions) and i stand by it ! also we have day ! To put mels car right ! Do we really want to cut the corner that could be the cause over a few quids worth of bolts ??? And worse still leave her with her car in bits !!!!

Just phoned Toyota and they list the part numbers as the same for 2004 MR2 and my mates parts.

They also said that new bolts are used if they don't torque up to the correct values. They advise to replace them to remove any doubt ... but they would wouldn't they   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Quote from: "kidkarter"Ok so its debatable ? and please excuse my frankness, But it is my firm belief that they are not re-useable ! No matter what toyota or any parts list has to say ? It's what I was taught over 2 years of city and guilds courses (which i did pass with honours and distinctions) and i stand by it ! also we have day ! To put mels car right ! Do we really want to cut the corner that could be the cause over a few quids worth of bolts ??? And worse still leave her with her car in bits !!!!

[edit] You know what, I can't even be bothered to argue with you on technical issues, knock yourself out. But please knock the attitude off. "Excuse my frankness" is no excuse for being an ass.

ok guys we still dont know if we actually need to lift the head yet. but it looks like mel has a cheap set she can buy if needed thanks to dcod

have never replaced a car cylinder head gasket, but done it quite a few times on motorcycles, I always reused the old bolts and I  never had any issues.

just thought i'd throw that in there   s:) :) s:)

Some heat bolts are stretch bolts (my Isuzu for one) you use them and bin them, as Aaron says, others are reusable, let's find out for sure before we get Mel to spend even more money!

I apologize if I put your nose out of joint Aaron ? But its something I think we should be doing, be doing on any headgasket change with an alloy head, and on mels or not as the case may be ? I tryed the soft approach, And that was me trying to be as polite as possible, I think the point needed to be made ! I was trying to get myself heard that is all.
 "please excuse my frankness" I ment it !

Timeout.

Quote from: "dcod"Timeout.

+ 1 million

lets just wait for matt's responce

Quote from: "rbuckingham"

Quote from: "dcod"Timeout.

+ 1 million

lets just wait for matt's responce

Yes, no news yet i take it Mel ?

Re the stretch head bolts:  I have (up until now) only ever seen one HGF on an MR2 1zz and that was immediately after a rebuild by me re-using head bolts that had previously only been used at the factory for initial build (and therefore which should have been serviceable).  Consequently I will never re-use head bolts again.
As for this failure, the head gasket is leaking externally (there is a weep from the exhaust manifold side around No 1/2 cylinders.  How severe it is is not altogether clear but given the recent rebuild for HGF it clearly merits repair (theoretically by the original repairing garage).  Since the re-repair under warranty is not an option I have suggested using a K-Seal as a potential cure - it's not something I would normally recommend but given the nature of the HGF I believe it could make a lot of sense.  A sniff test will not reveal anything (I suspect) but a pressure test will as long as they have the right adaptor to pressurise the system properly.

Ok Matt thank you for that ! Very helpfull ! Ok Mel what would you like to do ?


Ps. Think i best just leave it there ! Haha

K-seal ? What is that ? Like a bars-leak or rad-weld ?

Yes, but reckoned to be better I think.

 m http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K-Seal-Perman ... 1323wt_700 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/K-Seal-Permanent-Coolant-Leak-Repair-LIMITED-TIME-/190656902645?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item2c640975f5#ht_1323wt_700) m

Ah, ok

Hello all.
(No fighting, please!  s:) :) s:)  )
Here is my current plan of action. (It is only a partial plan)
- Buy handbrake cable from Matt tomorrow morning.
- Take the car for a pressure test tomorrow afternoon. It will only take a half hour and should confirm the leak.
- Attempt to persuade Rob to replace the handbrake cable for me (lol. Don't know if he has the time but worth a go!)
- Replace wipers (I think even I can do this)
- Take for MOT (probably get them to adjust the headlight as well)
- Stick in some K Seal
- Plan gets fuzzy after this. Still needs an oil change, brakes replacing, and not sure how much I should be driving it if the HG is still leaking as I don't want to make things worse. My journey to work is 46-56 miles (depending on what site I'm at). Possibly HG fixing party still required?!

ok I promise LOL

Ok but i would stick the k-seal in first and run it for maybe a day and then pressure test to see if it has worked ? I think we can reliably say it is leaking now,  can't we ?

K seal very good at sealing but can sometimes block things, so just try half a bottle at first. Anyway the head will be finished being skimmed on sat, so it be ready when or if you want the hg done.

oh one more thing mel ! last one i promise ! haha rear pads ? be prepared, the jammed cable may have worn them down ?
best of luck hon !! still got my fingers crossed for you !!!     s:D :D s:D

Ive got some spare new pads you can have

there you are,  good man nathan !   s:D :D s:D

He is indeed a good man. I have a whole spare set of brake pads and discs though, front and rear (plus Matt said the rear were fine). Thank you though.  s:) :) s:)  I'm still pretty jittery about spending any more on this car, I don't want to go any more into my overdraft given that I only have a couple of paychecks left. Equally I shouldn't really drive the car unless it's to go for repairs (I think that's the legal stance?) so I although I can certainly add K Seal I don't think I can just drive it around to see if it's worked? (Also isn't it possibly a temporary fix?)
I guess getting the car to MOT standard is probably the first priority and then sort out the HG if needed? Nath... any good with handbrake cables???

ok fair enough with the money worries, but um sorry you've confused me a little with the next part ? legal stance ? are you thinking about takin it back to your local garage to let them re-do the hg ? as for the leak i can only offer advice on the info we have obviosly ! but matt who has seen your car says its a minor leek or weep, now obviously no one can say for sure how much worse it could get ? but if it is as smaller leak as it looked to matt it is possible that the k-seal (not the whole bottle remember !haha) could permanantly plug the hole ? as he suggested. now its not really the right way to do it but under the circumstances it's certainly the cheapest !! and worth a try ! and if you keep an watchfull eye on the temp for the time being you should be fine untill your sure it has worked ! by the sound of it you may even be able to see the leak for yourself and keep an eye on that too ? but ! it is of course your car and what you decide to do is entirely up to you !  s:) :) s:)

KK, re: 'legal stance', I think we're talking about nothing more sinister than the limitations of driving a vehicle following a failed MOT?

Mel's thoughts on going forward appear bang on to me - get the car MOT-worthy and retested before opting into K Seal territory or cross-country jaunts and heavy spannering sessions.

ah of coarse ! that makes more sence ! haha

Edit: think i speak for everyone in saying we're still behind you what ever you want to do ?   s:D :D s:D

I have thought, poor old Mel must be totally bewildered to have the sorts of dramas going on with her car, followed by masses of postings on this thread urging her to do this or that. Now,its brilliant that the offers of help have formed up and folks are ready to jump in and help, but she might just want to think about things for a little bit and see how she's going to tackle all the things that are going on for her.
Looks like she has a plan of action as Ste has mentioned and also Mel herself, which is ace. We also have a band of volunteers ready now too, so most bases are now covered, which is pretty cool.
Take your time to do what you want Mel and have a good weekend!  s:) :) s:)

Good and fair point Laodswine, hope it sunny up there !   s:D :D s:D    s:D :D s:D

Thanks all.  s:) :) s:)
Well, I picked up the handbrake cable and some K Seal from Matt this morning.
Yup, I was referring to the fact that it failed an MOT and therefore is not technically 'road worthy'. I just need to think how I can get the handbrake cable fitted cheaply now to get it through its MOT. Contacted another garage yesterday (also local) and they are 30% more expensive than the garage I used to use (the one I have fallen out with!). Rats.
Then I can look at trying out the K seal, getting other stuff done etc. (Maybe!)
KK - I can't see any leak, the car is not leaking when stationary (no coolant on the ground, coolant level not changed since it got back to mine on Monday).

I sure Matt said the HG was only seaping so its unlikely your going to find coolant everywhere and even more unlikely you'll see it on the floor given the plastics underneith.

Ive never had to tackle a hand brake cable and i havent been able to find a How to...

Have you had chance to speak with Rob Mel given he's so close?

ok well Matt used the weep which generally means a very small leak, It'll more than likely be just a dribble or even the stain left by a dribble ? It'll be on the right hand side of the engine, running down it underneath the exhaust if that makes sense ? You might need a torch ? Mind you don't burn yourself if its been running ?  s:) :) s:)  or what nath said ? Haha

By the sound of it nath loosen the fuel tank and rest it on something and its relatively easy to get to ?

Quote from: "kidkarter"By the sound of it nath loosen the fuel tank and rest it on something and its relatively easy to get to ?

"Relatively" is a loose term.
Remember the tank has been strapped in place for quite a few years and may need some persuasion   s:wink: :wink: s:wink:  
It warms me to see people crouding around ready to help another member in need, please remember it is Mels decision how this gets done and how comfortable she is with donations for anything. I, personally, would rather see money being spent on parts than on people travelling voluntarily to help as it seems ludicrous to pay for someone's jaunt across country which should be more about good will.

I'm pretty sure Rob & Nathan are capable of sorting out the cable, and I'm hoping the K-Seal is all that is needed for the weeping around the head.

We not charging Nic. Me personnaly I am not even charging Mel the £25 it cost me to get my old head skimmed.

Quote from: "rbuckingham"We not charging Nic. Me personnaly I am not even charging Mel the £25 it cost me to get my old head skimmed.

Sorry Richard, I didn't realise you had spent any money. I can refund you that.

Nath - no, not heard back from Rob, he's down south with Russ at the moment I think anyway.

I'll check again tonight but there was no evidence of coolant staining underneath the car or liquid near the exhaust etc last night. (I don't have an undertray) Is it not possible that it's only leaking when it's running?

Spent quite a lot of time sponging the pool of coolant out of the driver's side bin. Not a pleasant job. Passenger side bin was strangely totally dry. On a side note, someone mentioned there was a drain in the passenger side bin - there seems to be one in the driver's side too, part way up at the back. Or at least, I have a hole there, and I'm presuming it's supposed to be there!!

Quote from: "rbuckingham"We not charging Nic. Me personnaly I am not even charging Mel the £25 it cost me to get my old head skimmed.

That's not what I meant, I whole heartedly applaud your spirit in helping Mel out   s:D :D s:D

Its only likely to leak/weap/seap under pressure. When the engine is in use. The more pressure the worse it would be

I hope you get things sorted soon Mel and decide to keep your 2?
Slightly off topic, but while we're on the subject of woeful experiences, does anybody know if Vikface ever managed to sort her problems with the yellow peril?

http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=36088&start=180

I did offer to remove her O2's and have a peek at the precats but I never heard back?

it ok mel its good to have parts never know when you need it  s:) :) s:)

Well I hope you don't mind me asking ? But who was that aimed at, cos it sounded like it was me ? And if it was may i draw you attention my post concerning cost and my offer being there unless someone is closer on p5 I think ?
The point of this project above all else is to find "thee" most cost effective way to get her car back on road and keep it there, or at the very least till she gets herself sorted out ?

I think we are all trying to do the best we can for Mel who has some rotten luck !
It's why i suggested the car fixing party in the first place

might be a rusty orange colour stain making a sort of squiggley line coming down from behind where the exhaust attaches to the engine mel, mind you it might be so small that its only visible looking up from underneath too. in which case don't worry about trying to find it ! haha

edit: if you checkout mike,v's oil leak thread there a picture of where you should be looking, inbetween the 2 exhaust manifold tubes on the left of the picture !

No orange marks mate as they ally blocks instead of cast

 s:oops: :oops: s:oops:   are they really !! i stand corrected ! beg ya pardon ! haha i did say might though ! haha

Well I disconnected the battery this evening. Did a good check for any evidence of leaks but as Nathan says, must only be leaking when under pressure. Would've tried revving it then checking but really I think the priority is finding a cheap way of getting the handbrake cable done.
Wasn't able to leave work early so couldn't get it pressure tested today anyway. It's a real PITA working so far away from home, six days a week, it's really difficult to get anything sorted, which has made everything an additional headache over the last few months!

must be real small then mel would,ve thought you'd be able to see some sort of sign otherwise, do you know how much the new garage wants to fit the cable yet ? just wondering would it be cheaper to ask one of us instead ? convienence and time it would take to come and do it would have to be taken into account too obviously

Lol, looking at towards £100 just to fit a cable. Hence me waiting to hear back from Rob. When you've spent as much as I have just on repairing a car every little bit extra seems like a lot!

yeah of coarse every penny saved is a penny earnt !    s:D :D s:D

Rob thinks it is too involved a job for doing on the driveway. I'm going to try Plan G (I think that's how many plans I've gone through now!) on Monday.

plan g ? haha

Well, quick update on this ridiculous saga! Going to risk driving the car to work on Thursday and a mobile mechanic will fit the handbrake cable (and front brakes/discs) for a good price and then put it through another MOT. Will then try K Seal ad I'll see how I get on....! Will let you know on Thursday how it goes...  s:) :) s:)

Still got my fingers crossed for ya  s:D :D s:D  

Oh and my consultancy bill is in the post by the way !    s:wink: :wink: s:wink:    s:lol: :lol: s:lol:  

Don't make me send the boys in the range rover round eh !    s8) 8) s8)     s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Quote from: "AckersMR2"I hope you get things sorted soon Mel and decide to keep your 2?
Slightly off topic, but while we're on the subject of woeful experiences, does anybody know if Vikface ever managed to sort her problems with the yellow peril?

http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=36088&start=180

I did offer to remove her O2's and have a peek at the precats but I never heard back?

Vikface was on here yesterday - Still has her woes but is hanging on in there -Her situation is causing stress but it sounds as if she has the steel to go forward and get the trader by the jugglar (legally!- I hasten to add)

Right - I have an update, and sadly it is not a good one.
Got a mechanic to fit the new handbrake cable today.
It has made no difference. The chap says it is without doubt the rear off-side caliper, not the hand brake cable, that is the problem.

FML.

Additionally he told me not to use K-Seal as he has seen it cause problems with blockages. He told me he's used Steel Seal quite a few times before and says it works.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steel-Seal-permanent-gasket-cracked/dp/B004FTUBY2/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1333626054&sr=8-9


Ultimately this means another £100+ spent for no reason at all and I'm no closer to getting the car fixed.  s:( :( s:(  Sorry if I sound somewhat miffed, I'm pretty hacked off to say the least.   s:cry: :cry: s:cry:    Unbelievable.

So, a couple of questions...
1) Does anyone have a spare off-side rear caliper for sale? I can't afford a new one.  s:( :( s:(   How easy are these to fit?
2) Does anyone have any advice re: Steel Seal? Bearing in mind it's pretty expensive.   s:? :? s:?  

Thanks all. Need to get this sorted quickly really because both my sanity and the MOT have almost run out...!

I may have a spare caliper but it would need a rebuild! I'll check when I get home.

Caliper as long as its good is easy to change only a couple of bolts etc. Also Mel before you jump in a stick stuff in the water, have you actually noticed any water dissapear from the bottle

Cheers guys.
It's definitely not losing coolant while standing, and I haven't been driving it apart from today - am going to check levels before I head off home.
Rob might have a spare caliper but it depends if he can get the wheel off (no key for the locking wheels). A plan B, caliper-wise, would be good.  s:) :) s:)

good method for locking wheel nuts is find a close fitting socket , then hammer it on with a big hammer(friction fit)  and unscrew with the ratchet (1/2" drive is best)

Thanks, Rob knows what he's doing though!
Checked coolant levels. No change in level (done about 150 miles since it left Matt's).

well that has be good ? haha taiterboy says he has calipers ? didn't see wether they need rebiulding or not though ?

Quote from: "MattPerformance"

Quote from: "StuC"...as I am sure it will be the caliper and not the cable.

SURE???????
With statements like that you've got me thinking that perhaps you did the head gasket repair for her!   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  
You are as wrong as you are sure!!!

I can feel a "told ya so" coming on from StuC.  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

I don't want to stir things up, but I would still trust Matt to be correct.
In any case, hope it gets sorted rapidly Mel.  s;) ;) s;)

Thanks. All I can tell you is that this mechanic told me it was most definitely not the handbrake cable at fault, and that replacing it has not fixed the problem or improved it. He said (something?!!) was pushed down really far and would have given the impression that the cable was seized.

hmmmm, did he leave the old cable behind by any chance mel ?

Quote from: "life of bryan"

Quote from: "MattPerformance"

Quote from: "StuC"...as I am sure it will be the caliper and not the cable.

SURE???????
With statements like that you've got me thinking that perhaps you did the head gasket repair for her!   s:roll: :roll: s:roll:  
You are as wrong as you are sure!!!

I can feel a "told ya so" coming on from StuC.  s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

LOL
Now that's put a smile on my face. Thanks Bryan  :-) :-) :-)

Quote from: "2 of the left"

Quote from: "AckersMR2"I hope you get things sorted soon Mel and decide to keep your 2?
Slightly off topic, but while we're on the subject of woeful experiences, does anybody know if Vikface ever managed to sort her problems with the yellow peril?

http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=36088&start=180

I did offer to remove her O2's and have a peek at the precats but I never heard back?

Vikface was on here yesterday - Still has her woes but is hanging on in there -Her situation is causing stress but it sounds as if she has the steel to go forward and get the trader by the jugglar (legally!- I hasten to add)

Hi Mel, I have only just caught up with your sorry saga   s:( :( s:(  I really do feel for you and I have been amazed by the generosity from all the guys and gals on here... Well done you lot!   s:bowdown: :bowdown: s:bowdown:  

Ackers - Sorry I'm so lame   s:? :? s:?  I am most grateful of your kind offer, Thank you   s:D :D s:D   Hopefully we can sort something during the Windsor meet on Sunday?

As for my car... Well lets see if a 200+ ROC round trip doesn't use up all the sodding oil this time!! Grr...Then its back to Mr T's for them to tell me whats wrong with it. Then once I have a price, I can start the legal side of things...    s:crazyeyes: :crazyeyes: s:crazyeyes:  

Oh... Sorry for high-jacking this thread! x

OK, so unfortunately Rob can't get the wheel off. So I am looking for a rear off-side caliper which doesn't need a rebuild (wouldn't have the foggiest what that would involve!). Can anyone help?

Rear drivers side caliper in working condition is what you want.

I thought that's what I said!

taiterboy no good mel ?

I had a look but couldn't see anywhere where he said he had one. I'll try PM-ing him. Cheers.

yeah do that. he mentions calipers in his mr-s breaking (revised prices)  s:) :) s:)  thread on the 26 march so hopefully still there ? search for "rear calipers" in the private sale bit and you'll find it !  s:) :) s:)  he is up in scotland ?  s:( :( s:(

Cost new if you can't find one is £67.50 + VAT. I only know this 'coz mine is being replaced whilst I am away this week !

I was quoted a lot more than that Steph - can you recommend somewhere I can get one from? I'm still going to hang on to see if I can get a second hand one as I can ill afford a new one, but it would be good to have an emergency plan B.

It was through a friend - I will see him on Wednesday to collect my car back ( as am in Germany at the minute ) and inquire if he can get another one.

Thanks Steph.  s:) :) s:)  I have a week and a half to get it sorted before my current MOT expires. :/ I'll keep looking in the meantime. (Taiterboy only has front ones unfortunately)

 l viewtopic.php?f=11&t=32514&hilit (http://www.mr2roc.org/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=32514&hilit) l

Quote from: "MelBee42"(Taiterboy only has front ones unfortunately)

dam it !   s:( :( s:(

Another brief update. Have found a second hand caliper from someone so am just waiting for it to arrive...

Quote from: "MelBee42"Another brief update. Have found a second hand caliper from someone so am just waiting for it to arrive...

Good stuff ... fingres crossed for you Mel   s:D :D s:D

Quote from: "MelBee42"Right - I have an update, and sadly it is not a good one.
Got a mechanic to fit the new handbrake cable today.
It has made no difference. The chap says it is without doubt the rear off-side caliper, not the hand brake cable, that is the problem.

FML.

Additionally he told me not to use K-Seal as he has seen it cause problems with blockages. He told me he's used Steel Seal quite a few times before and says it works.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Steel-Seal-permanent-gasket-cracked/dp/B004FTUBY2/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&qid=1333626054&sr=8-9


Ultimately this means another £100+ spent for no reason at all and I'm no closer to getting the car fixed.  s:( :( s:(  Sorry if I sound somewhat miffed, I'm pretty hacked off to say the least.   s:cry: :cry: s:cry:    Unbelievable.

So, a couple of questions...
1) Does anyone have a spare off-side rear caliper for sale? I can't afford a new one.  s:( :( s:(   How easy are these to fit?
2) Does anyone have any advice re: Steel Seal? Bearing in mind it's pretty expensive.   s:? :? s:?  

Thanks all. Need to get this sorted quickly really because both my sanity and the MOT have almost run out...!

I have heard nothing but good things about Steel Seal
Cheaper here  m http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STEEL-SEAL-HE ... 1433wt_952 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STEEL-SEAL-HEAD-GASKET-REPAIR-ENGINE-BLOCK-STEELSEAL-/251032201857?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item3a72af6a81#ht_1433wt_952) m

I just replaced a rad in the trooper with a new one, flushed it, filled it and I still have loads of golden particles everywhere!
Steel Seal doesn't use that sort of stuff.

Steel Seal™ is a unique blend of several chemicals. Steel Seal™ is a clear formula that contains no fibrous materials or particles that could clog engine coolant passages. We don't rely on floating particles to do our job. Steel Seal™ relies on science and chemistry for its strength.

Quote from: "uktotty"I have heard nothing but good things about Steel Seal
Cheaper here  m http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STEEL-SEAL-HE ... 1433wt_952 (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/STEEL-SEAL-HEAD-GASKET-REPAIR-ENGINE-BLOCK-STEELSEAL-/251032201857?pt=UK_Car_Accessories_Car_Care_Cleaning&hash=item3a72af6a81#ht_1433wt_952) m

I just replaced a rad in the trooper with a new one, flushed it, filled it and I still have loads of golden particles everywhere!
Steel Seal doesn't use that sort of stuff.

Steel Seal™ is a unique blend of several chemicals. Steel Seal™ is a clear formula that contains no fibrous materials or particles that could clog engine coolant passages. We don't rely on floating particles to do our job. Steel Seal™ relies on science and chemistry for its strength.

Good stuff - thanks for this, Russ. Assuming that I can get it to pass its MOT I'll keep monitoring the coolant levels and if it looks like it's losing any I'll get some of this stuff. (Last thing I want is to cause more problems by blocking everything up!)

Also don't forget

Money BACK Guarantee - Guaranteed to make a repair or your money back!

That's what they claim on their website!

Even better!  s:D :D s:D

Steel Seal good stuff the mgf community use it daily lol.

just slap a new head on. MLF guilty

sorry to say sounds like the head might of wrapped ,therefore your need a new stripped head.
(all that means you send the top head to a place to get machined, this gives the surface a new flat face,)

steel seal is suppose to block any imperfections on the head that causing the problem.

you can get a die test to test the head only £10 from most places, also do a self test. your no if the head gone or going,Have a look at the dip stick. if there a mayonnaise looking substance on it,then it could be the head, if you then look at the coolant lid if the same mayonnaise substance is there in the lid then 80% sure it the head, if the coolant is going down then 90% head, if blue smoke is also present  then 100% it the head.

the only way to fix a blown head is fix the head gasket where it gone.

i recommend the following as a proper job in fixing a head gasket problem.

new head.
new stretch head bolts.
new water pump.
new gaskets all round.
new coolant and a good bleed.
new thermostat

around £90 for above parts all in.(there no magic solution for head gasket i am afraid sorry)

labour can cost from £400 to £900 for a decent job done.


if you added while there.

new pistons.
new valves.
x4 new bores.

you got a bran new engine.

Redarrow, I appreciate that you're trying to help, but the hg issue has all been covered in great length and detail by the many posts in this thread.
The hg is definitely not leaking internally. If there is an external leak it is a small one. I won't bore everyone by repeating what's been said about it in this thread already.
To everyone else... caliper has arrived apparently (at my parents). Just need to sort it getting fitted now and fingers crossed it might even pass the MOT.

Quote from: "MelBee42"Got a mechanic to fit the new handbrake cable today.
It has made no difference. The chap says it is without doubt the rear off-side caliper, not the hand brake cable, that is the problem.

I'll grant you that it is possible that the caliper could have failed as well as the cable having seized but make no mistake, that cable was seized.  
The cable was seized in the "hand brake on" position so without attaching a new cable it is impossible to say for sure whether the caliper is working properly or not.  Presumably you have the displaced cable? Check it and you'll see that it is tight/ seized.  Has the caliper been reset after the cable was fitted?

As for the head gasket weep, it sounds to me that sleeping dogs should be left to lie.  Two people checked the engine bay when I had the car and the HG was definitely weeping at the time (and the water level dropped and I had to top it up), but if it's not weeping now then it may not need fixing at all.

Matt, I can only tell you, as I have already said in this thread, what the facts are as I know them, ie whether the car has been fixed or not and what various mechanics' diagnoses have been over the last few months.
The cable went in the bin (my bin) at the time. I see no benefit to me in trying to rake over what previous problems might have been and I have offered no personal opinion on here as to any particular mechanic's diagnosis as I don't think it's appropriate to do so on a public forum.
I'm sure you understand I am only interested in just getting the car fixed and ultimately that is what I am focussed on doing now.

Clearly, everyone wants you to get your car back on the road as quickly and as cheaply as possible.

The benefit in raking over the the history is to learn from it.  You brought the car to me from a workshop who was unable to fix the car.  Within 2.5 hrs I had it fixed.  At that point you asked me to get the car MOT'd but it failed, most notably on the O/S hand brake efficiency.  I diagnosed the fault but at the time it was not viable for you to have me do the work.  Now somebody else is working on the car and making comments that just don't ring true.  Can you see where I'm going with this?!

Checking a displaced component (to confirm its failure) is the most basic of fundamentals for any mechanic, not least of all because we all know that problems can have more than one cause.  If this wasn't done, and no attempt was made to reset the caliper, then whoever is working on the car isn't fit to do so.  I'm not saying that the caliper is not defective, just that it might not be (oh, and the fact that the cable definitely was but the evidence has been conveniently disposed of  s;) ;) s;)  ).  The caliper would have needed to have been removed to do this.  Was it?  You could be about to spend even more money that you don't need to.

I'm not willing to go into this further on a public forum. As I have already said previously, there is no benefit in discussing this because (as stated just a few posts up) I have purchased a replacement caliper.

Quote from: "MattPerformance"You can take a horse to water...

I could do without unhelpful comments such as that and I will not be goaded into having an argument with you about what the current diagnosis is and why, and I'd rather you didn't make further comments about the competence of my mechanic (who I know).
I have a replacement caliper and the next order of business is to a) get the caliper fitted, and then b) get it MOT'd and then assuming it passes c) monitor coolant levels and if it is losing fluid at all (hasn't been since I had it, in fact it is very overfilled at the moment), add steel seal.
If anyone has any comments, help or advice specifically on those things that would be very welcome. Otherwise I'd just ask that the mods close this thread. In fact, given the last few comments, I think locking the thread would be a good plan.

Mod - Locked at ops request