Long Cold Winter...

[MattF]

It does make a noticeable difference to the regulation with no 'stat in, doesn't it.

I have been planning on refitting a stat, but just not got round to it yet, gotta have a surf day this week though, got a few things i wanna play with.

One thing that may be worthwhile considering if you're paranoid over temps is fitting a slightly lower temp 'stat. Normally, it's swings and roundabouts if you go too low, but parrasurfa on the Oz site has posted a part number for a genuine 82 degree 'stat for the 2.4. It's only 6 degrees below the standard 'stat temp, so may be a worthwhile consideration. As to whether it keeps the engine temps otpimal, I honestly couldn't say, as I haven't checked the thread for awhile, but the info is on there.

[MattF]

Then got Tony to change the stat because I wouldn't know how......

You're still the master of everything mechanical then?

[Sancho]

You're still the master of everything mechanical then?

Well, strangely, fixing stuff like hoovers, doing bits of carpentry or plumbing, building flat pack stuff and telling people how to build blocks of flats all come naturally. There's just too much stuff in engine bays, too many possible causes and too much money involved if I c0ck it up.

Don't forget the V6 has even more stuff and even less space too.....

[Ski_Extra]

And what about the water pump? Is it working? Does your engine go 'eek eek eek eek' when it's running.

Engine has a mouse in it?

I haven't had it checked. And I haven't noticed a squeeky noise, although I have replaced all of the drive belts and when it first starts there is a noise that is sounds like 'eek eek eek eek' for a very short while when it's rev'd then all goes quiet.

Water circulates, that as far as I got with understanding if it works or not.

What do I do? Whip the water pump out and take it to the garage?

The radiator looks to be in OK repair so get it re-cored rather than buy a new one?

[coolsv650]

Engine has a mouse in it?

What do I do? Whip the water pump out and take it to the garage?

You could do... but a garage is unlikley to know what to do.

There should be no disernable play in the shaft (no waggle in the shaft).
check the impellor blades do not foul the body, and that there is still some impellor blades still there. Also just double check any passages in the block aren't blocked with crud!

or

Whip out the old one, lob it in the bin and replace it with a new one!!

[MattF]

If you're whipping the pump out to check it, may as well have a new one there, (for what they cost), and replace it regardless.

With regards to recoring the rad, I personally would have it recored, but that's because I trust the chap who does my rad repair work more than placing trust in an unknown quality new one. If you have no local specialist you trust that implicitly, it's upto you which way you go on that one.

[pirate-storm]

Yoda is still over heating!

After a new head the over heating has got worse. I've flushed the system and burped it real well. No thermostat and new rad cap. And it still goes in to the red with any real effort!

Being in Switzerland we're kinda stuck. The missus even called the s$$$$ dealer but they wanted to charge us to take it away (wish they'd take my missus).

So I've got permission to stick it in the garden for winter. Work is about to start big time for us and I'll have no free time until April.

The plan is to have another go in the Spring (should be warm enough to work outside then too).

Any thoughts on how to protect it for the 5 months of winter? I can park it under a couple of trees and then rig a tarp up so not to sit on the paintwork. Both batteries will come in to the warm...

Any other thoughts? Brick it up to take the weight off the tyres? Ta.

seen this on ebay if any good
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Awning-Canopy-...QQcmdZViewItem

[Ski_Extra]

Pirate-Storm nice looking portable shed! Bit posh for me... I've scoped out the parking spot, I can easily rope up a tarp from some trees and branches.

I'll see what happens in May about the radiator. I've found a garage that I trust, so if they can't get it re-cored I'll take a risk on a new one.

I'll see about a new water pump next year too.

I'm seriously considering importing the Surf to Switzerland as there just can't be any value in driving it back to the UK to sell it. It costs 14% of it's current value (about £30 I think!), pass a few tests (exhaust gas might be a problem), replace the headlights and I'm off Surfin again. I'll look into the costs over the next couple of weeks before it goes in to hibernation. Then in Spring when I sort it out I can just whip the plates off our new Seat Alhambra and drive the Surf! Love Switzerland.