Supernaut

"I'm ready for my oil change now..." I thought about cropping out the wheelie bin, but this is Autoshite!

You have indeed.

That's what we want to see! It was only showing the first block on the temperature gauge before. The car came with fuck all service history, so it's a bit of timing belt roulette. The mileage suggests it's about 40% through its second belt. I had a look under the timing belt cover. It's rubbery and belty, with no cracks or signs of perishing. It can stay. I just put some fresh 5w30 fully synth in it too, plus an air filter. The new oil filter I got was 10mm too narrow! The filter on there seemed fairly recent and in good condition. Good enough for the girls we date, as Derek says. The air filter I took out wasn't even too bad, but I had a new one anyway. It then got the obligatory Opie Oils strong as fuck air freshener hung from the mirror. I should really get hold of a drill brush and give the seats a good going over. Perhaps I should investigate the light rattle from the front suspension too. Sounds like a drop link. One of those rattles you only hear but can't feel.

One could almost argue that getting set off by somebody calling Fords over rated is also a form of brand snobbery, sorry, loyalty. For the interests of balance, despite owning and enjoying a BMW from the 1990s I wouldn't touch one from after about 2005 with somebody else's bargepole. They're, in my opinion, vastly over rated junk.

I did run it briefly after filling it with coolant earlier. Just to move it back to its hiding spot in the corner of a paddock. I got distracted by going out in the Kia Sorento with the trailer on the back to get half a tonne of compost. As you do. Anyway, the Megane doesn't seem to be leaking or anything. I'll leave the heater set at full when I next drive it. Until it gets up to temperature anyway!

Meanwhile the rear calipers on my E36 are alright, but I replaced the fronts because they kept sticking! Have a look at RTG Group on eBay for brake stuff.

That was about a medium amount of fuckery to do. Did some small plastic clips that hold hoses get launched into orbit? Maybe. Did I pummel the plastic slam panel with my magnetic torch because seemingly the entire engine bay is plastic so I couldn't get the torch to stay anywhere? Once or twice. I still need to pour some coolant in there, but it's lunchtime. The thermostat housing even has a wee cap like a tyre valve on the side. I assume for bleeding the coolant through. Very thoughtful of them.

We need to start compiling all these jakebullet tales into a book. It would make any reasonable person's toes curl.

Nah. You're just going over to mumsnet and making stuff up based on a cocktail of their latest topics. There's no way one person's life is so full of drama and sheer fucking stupidity.

Oh, come on! You know it makes sense. It also needs an absolutely filthy lumpy cam, with a hidden but very free flowing exhaust system.

No. I'm calling it. Jake is actually a joke account trying to wind us up.

Aye, just like a PC. I'm gonna liquid nitrogen cool it, then overclock it.

2 citybugs and 2 grand loaded onto a fuel card.

Fair enough! All useful info. Like I said, I had a proper good nosey at it and it definitely looks like the earlier thermostat housing. I've already ordered one. This has been an expensive morning, as I also ordered oil, an oil filter and an air filter for the Megane. Plus oil (all 7L of it) and an oil filter for the BMW. The air filter on it is spotless so can stay. That little lot topped 3 figures from Opie. However, most other places want £50-odd just for the 5L of oil for the Megane alone, before adding anything else!

Having had a good look under the bonnet, it appears to have the standard thermostat housing. One pipe in the back, one pipe out the front, and a sensor plugged into it right next to one of the pipes. Not the Eco style one with the sensor coming out the side there.

Remember how I posted about a month ago about having a tooth extracted? Guess what just happened today? The first one was right at the back and mostly filling, so I don't really miss it. The one today was in the middle, and was a several year old root canal that had run its course. It fucking hurt when it came out!

The thing is, even with it running cool for a modern eco diesel it still somehow kicks decent heat out of the vents.

After a good 20 mile drive... Aye, time to order a thermostat. It feels like almost every car I buy needs one.

I wonder if there's a subtle* clue in the thread title...

It has the Eco sticker in the rear window, so I'd belive it!

I'm not ordering one yet, but depending on the results from using Torque on it tomorrow... https://www.autodoc.co.uk/ridex/15800178 Aye, why not at that price? Only the finest* parts for this car. 🤣

Aha. I thought there was something thermostat-y looking there when I was poking around earlier.

I will also add; I just advertised the Astra on gumtree for £250 spears or rapiers. Just for a laugh, like. I'll scrap it in a week.

Aye, I'll get Torque running when I take it out tomorrow and see what it says for coolant temp. I just spent about half an hour going over it with dashboard cleaner, glass cleaner and polish. I strategically targeted the sun cream hand prints on the exterior. They're all gone now and the inside is an order of magnitude nicer to spend time in now. I reckon a proper polish plus a set of decent trimz will transform it. Oh. I also went to the local tyre place and paid a whopping £14 to get the fourth matching tyre resealed. That's now back on the left rear and the shitey Landsail is in the spare wheel well. I checked the oil. It's at the top but is black as the night. I may be placing a large order with Opie oils soon, as the BMW is due about this time of year too.

Fuck knows! I guess it probably does. I should look into the thermostat etc but it seems happy enough for now.