JulioJordio2

This past week hasn't been the best for me to begin with, but last night just took the biscuit.

Yesterday I finally got my car back from Scoobyteknix, after having some work done. The work took longer than expected, and has left me without a car for that duration. I am an Estate Agent, so not having transport causes me no end of problems.

So when I picked it up after work, the first thing I did was take it for a spin. I hadnt driven her in a fair few days, so i was really looking forward to giving it a good blast down my favourite B Roads.

I headed out of Blackpool, down some country lanes, down towards Guys Court in Broughton near Garstang, and the plan was to follow these lanes up to Lancaster and back.

Started off lovely, felt great having the Scoob back, and after the amount of cash I'd just parted with, I was really happy to have everything sorted, and be able to enjoy the car again. Nice empty roads, really enjoying myself, no Missus nagging about speed, noise etc etc etc, when I notice my water gauge is starting to climb.......

Pulled over immeadiately, switched off, and waited for the engine to cool down. There is coolant dripping out of my Radiator, its clearly got a small hole in it, and me being on boost has just jetted it straight out when under high pressure.

I had no water with me, and was rather worried about trying to go any further, so I get on the blower, ring a few mates to see if someone can tow me, or bring me some water (middle of nowehere and no RAC cover etc to recover me) and at this point its 7:30 - 8pm.

Couldnt manage to get anyone to help me, sat there thinking, what the f***k do i do now then. No wallet on me, not a penny in my pocket, and I'm surrounded by the biggest swarm of mosquitoes you've ever seen, all happily munching away on me.

So, I start walking..... (closely followed by the mosquitoes from hell) Trying to see if I could find some water somewhere to top up my coolant and try and limp home. There are no passing cars, no idea where the nearest shop is, I'm really starting to worry lol.

I must have walked a good 2-3 mile or so, when I came across a big farm. I try opening the doors at the front of the garden, bolted, so I wander around the side, into the yard. The biggest bloke I've ever seen comes running out of the back with two dogs on chains screaming at me "why am i in his yard" I explain what the problem is, and he was great, gave me water, and even an egg if i wanted to give that a whirl..... lol.

Thanked him profusely and headed back to the car to try and fill her up, and see if the water is being held, or if its just pouring out. Seemed to hold fine, wasnt getting too hot, fans had kicked in, so off i went at 20 mph.

I must have got 1000 yards down this lane, when big cloud of steam, temp shot up, so I again pull straight over and turn off. Its now apparent that the water isnt going to hold, and I dont fancy blowing the headgasket, so I pull out my phone to call a cab, get the car recovered by Scoobyteknix in the morning............. and my phone has died!

Now at this point, I didnt think much could get worse.

So as i'm stood on the verge, thinking do I leave her here and walk to a phonebox, when I hear the distinct sound of....... A scooby! Music to my ears let me tell you!

Brilliant I thought! Surely I could use their phone, rather than walk miles to the nearest phonebox, which I didnt have a clue as to the location of! Bearing in mind, its now getting dark, around 9.30pm, and that swarm of mosqiutoes is like a black cloud over my head, my ears were starting to swell from the bites, it really wasnt a pleasant experience lol.

So I step to the side of the car waiting for this Scooby to come round the corner. My bonnets up, I clearly aint going anywhere, hazards are on, water bottle in hand and what happens?

Silver classic (mine is a red classic) comes past, has a good look, I'm trying to wave him in, and he just kept on going!

So, If that L plate classic driver is on here, you should hang your head in SHAME! I couldnt ever do that to a fellow scoob owner!

As it turned out, I had to walk to the phonebox, which was miles away, and by the time I got picked up by a cab and got home, it was gone 12pm, and I was resembling John Merrick due to the bloody mozzies feasting on me!!!!

So the perfect evening turned into an absolute nightmare

New radiator picked up this morning, being fitted tonight after work, so i'll be back on the road tomorrow

But my god, that was not an experience I'd like to repeat, and thought i'd share with you all lol.

mr_D

iTrader: (12)

feel sorry for you mate. that doesnt sound too nice. shame on the other scooby driver for not stopping though.

dunx

iTrader: (3)

So first lesson learnt is to always do your initial road test at the point of collection.

LeeP had some Brembos fitted to his, and as it rolled of the ramps he had no brake pedal...

Lucky he didn't go for a test drive.

dunx

JulioJordio2

I'd driven it home, pootled to the shops, checked nothing leaking, checked their was plenty of coolant etc.

As soon as I'd hit boost a few times, that pressure built and that hole appeared.

Nothing to do with doing checks before hand

JulioJordio2

I have also had that experience too Dunx, after changing some pads, the mechanic didnt pump the brake pedal on start up, I jumped in, and almost backed into a wall lol.

pslewis

The boost doesn't affect the pressure in the water system ...... it's under pressure simply to raise the boiling point and is constant.

What did the Rad cost you, if I may ask?

JulioJordio2

Radiator cost me 50 quid from Scoobyteknix, its pretty much brand new.

Bad news is, after replacing the Rad last night, and doing an oil change, I've got mayo in my oil, so we suspect i'm looking at replacing the Head Gaskets too

Just when things couldnt get any worse lol.

How much am I looking at for someone like Api to do this?

dpb

The only saving grace of living in the south east perhaps , no mozzies

Leslie

The higher boost will cause the engine to produce more heat which will raise the pressure in the cooling system, ss I found out when I installed a turbocharger on my racer. Spent a lot of time having to fit extra radiators to keep it down to the right temperature.

Les

DYK

Sounds like you will keep throwing money at this one,repair something then another thing breaks...lol mate of mine had similar problems,decided to buy a scoob on his own(not knowing anything about them) within 2 days fuel pump packed up miles from home,then radiator pipes started leaking replaced all of them,new brakes and disks all round/tyres,then the engine was smoking but it was oil getting into the turbo,(Got removed from a petrol station one time because they thought the car was on fire)replaced turbo,failed MOT on emissions,replaced oxygen sensor,gave it another service replaced cambelt,then to top it all off after doing that the gearbox packed up while he was taking it for a spin.. This was all within months of owning it.Thankfully he seen sense and got something decent.Just be cautious if you start having to get your wallet out every other week..

JulioJordio2

[quote=DYK;9374362]Sounds like you will keep throwing money at this one,repair something then another thing breaks...lol mate of mine had similar problems,decided to buy a scoob on his own(not knowing anything about them) within 2 days fuel pump packed up miles from home,then radiator pipes started leaking replaced all of them,new brakes and disks all round/tyres,then the engine was smoking but it was oil getting into the turbo,(Got removed from a petrol station one time because they thought the car was on fire)replaced turbo,failed MOT on emissions,replaced oxygen sensor,gave it another service replaced cambelt,then to top it all off after doing that the gearbox packed up while he was taking it for a spin.. This was all within months of owning it.Thankfully he seen sense and got something decent.Just be cautious if you start having to get your wallet out every other week..[/quote]

This is my concern.....

If I have it repaired, and the bottom end/gearbox goes, i'm in another position like this.

I was thinking about having the repair done, stripping everything off, put the car back to standard, and sell it in standard trim, and sell the performance stuff seperately.

The car is a MY97 UK Turbo.

Has 158k on the clocks, but has had a new engine at 107k. So its only done 51k.

Bodywork will be in good nick, got a wing needing spraying and a door, but thats fine.

It has;

Link G3 ECU (with bob rawle map with below mods)
TD04 Andy F Hydrid Turbo.
Afterburner Vortex Exhaust
Decat up and down pipes
Some other bits I cant remember....

dunx

iTrader: (3)

Unlucky then

dunx

Jamie

Chin up it is the weekend

The Zohan

Julio.

What work did you have done to the car prior to it being picked up?
and
"was the coolant drained or the rad disturbed/removed by the garage?"
questions for the garage idf the answer to the above is 'yes'

Was the coolant system refilled properly, no air locks??
was the rad possible damaged by the garage?
was the car test driven and the coolant then checked, etc?

some questions i would be asking of them.

Terminator X

iTrader: (7)

I wouldn't stop for a random stranger either, too many around.

TX.

jonny_693

iTrader: (5)

What a shame, sign of the times I suppose.

PSL is right in a way, being on boost creates more heat but shouldnt put a lot more pressure on the cooing system. It sounds as though the cooling system is being pressurised through a head gasket leak as you come one boost.