Post #202
Ok so time had marched on since it first dropped its coolant at 60. I had moved house (had to get my old one ready to rent - mission) and am about to move back from rented housing to my own place so will need to move it again. Been on holiday, got the golf, sold the HDi, had the inlaws over from SA etc. Time soon passes you by!
Ghetto.. I had it moved to Rugby on a transporter as I didnt dare risk it for the 60 quid it cost. I then had no real time to do anything with it due to unpacking etc until after my holiday - as the mrs is still in South Africa I seized the chance. Took rad off, realised that the feet were incorrect so swapped the rubbers out to elevate it a touch, refitted the original rallye lower hose not the one from the xsara engine (as there seemed to be a sharper point to the 3 prongs against which the clip sits), then made 125 percent sure the c-clip seated and also added a little jubilee though i'm not sure how much help it offers. Ive taken it out these last few nights and all seems well so far, done maybe 50 miles with no coolant issues. Why Peugeot didnt just fit a spring clip ill never know. To have done all that work and be scuppered by something so simple, and yet so difficult to do different was very frustrating. In fact the car on the whole was frustrating as it was firstly a cambelt issue, then a water pump issue, then the coolant issue, all stemming from a precautionary cambelt change. Even now the genuine water pump is quite noisy, but sod changing that again.
Lots of things I can be doing now without making a major mechanical change. it still has super flat paint but I can now start to give it tlc. I wont do too much to it mechanically as our house purchase completes next month and she will need to relocate up the road. Aim is just to keep doing a few miles here and there and keep checking. It has 100 percent water in atm which obviously needs changing. Has a few random clunks at low speed but ill work those out later!
Oh and some petrol on a rag worked wonders on the battle scarred rear quarter. Polisher up next!! Bumper deffo needs some touching up though, nobbers!
OK so I have started to take steps to make this thing look a bit more presentable. The car has had horrendous paint finish from the day I bought it, very matt with absolutely zero shine to it (except the drivers door which was changed early on). I had treated myself to a number of detailing products over Xmas with this car in mind, sort of a good benchmark to practice on. This will drag on over a few posts as I don't have the time in the evenings to do everything atm.
Lots of wonderful paint contaminants:
Went over the car with Auto Finesse Iron Out to get these sorts of things out.. Quite effective, and expected really: (Purple is iron based particulates reacting)
Even the wheels got in on the action, but this is of course expected given the immediate proximity to the brake pads..
Whilst waiting for the Iron Out to do it's thing I used some Auto Finesse Citrus Power bug and grime remove to go around the boot and clean all the moss and ming out of the shuts, and did the scuttle panel too which was growing things.
After that I whipped out my Megs G220 polished and used a Lake Country cutting pad with some Menzerna PF2500 to bring about some shine on the first panel. I popped the indicator out the front wing as I had the arch liner out anyway, and proceeded to turn this:
Into this:
Bit of a difference, and highlights what i'm faced with across the whole car. I called it a night here as I had other things to get on with. This is a 50/50 type shot on the roof after trying to polish a small spot..
See how the shine just completely disappears lol..
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I'm Si btw
Night Blue VW Golf GTD
Bianca LBSC Rallye - Track/Road Slag
Project Thread
Sparkling Silver Mini Cooper D -
Super Dooper 
- (The other half's wheels)
tvrfan007
Posted 12th Feb 2014 at 07:32
[Fun car] >>
