N19

Much less fun sideways in this week's snow. I left to pick up a few bits from screwfix when it was sleeting, by the time I was there it was coming thick and fast. Temperature gauge going quite high on the way back, I think my efforts to stop leaks have been successful, I've been in the habit of topping the coolant up to just above max, when I got home and loosened the cap it puked quite a bit up. Hopefully normality restored... Oh, and I'm off out at 5 to go to work...

First rule of being in a mardy - don't actually try to do anything since it WILL end in tears.

A productive few hours this weekend! The rear windscreen wiper hasn't been working on the Capri for ages - but with lockdown, house move, then other more important faults, it's taken a backseat. And another job that needed doing was the rocker cover - the old one was a bit past it and the lips not straight, hence leaky. Again, a new one had been sitting on my windowsill since June... so last week got it out, picked up a gasket and fitted it... Yesterday, I took it round to the local garage to borrow one of the ramps - they had a quiet Saturday and offered if I wanted to borrow one

Next time we have a flurry of snow I'll try to do better sir!

I was wondering the other day about when the pre-ULEZ purge of anything old and within the NCR will start. Some prime vehicles of interest to these parts will surely be up for sale soon...

I was wondering about using one of those potions, maybe I'm paranoid... Yeah it's with a clip and is all pattern parts. Shouldn't be cracked as it's a newly fitted part!

Of course! It's a car park by a playing field and at 7.45 was dead... ideal!

2.0 Zetec petrol. Coolant temp sensor, housing and one hose replaced thus far...

I wouldn't normally take this out in the snow (and salt) but given that I'm getting a significant amount of welding done next year anyway...

Mondeo is somehow losing coolant slowly again. I really don't understand. The rest of the car is absolutely fine and has given zero issues, but for some reason the cooling system is incapable of not leaking from somewhere at any given point. Frustratingly, it's usually only small leaks and thus very difficult to locate. I'll get on top of it one day, or so I keep telling myself...!

I have chucked one in the Mondeo and Bluebird. Neither leaks or anything, but hopefully will take the edge off any dampness in the cold weather.

Inspired by Mr HubNut's rotor arm... ...how many of us are willing to admit to similarly stupid things they've missed when fault-finding? A couple of years ago I was servicing the Capri. The alternator was failing, and was going to be the next job. So, after having replaced all the service parts (points, plugs, oil, filters etc) and it failed to start, I thought the battery had drained again. I checked (ha) through everything I'd done, then brought the Nissan around to give it a jump... clipped the jump lead to the earth on the engine and wh- oh.... W

I think this calls for a thread, stupidest obvious things you've done!

1; barefoot 2; Craig the Princess 3; Sickboy 4; Rob88h 5: KruJoe 6: Fumbler 7: worldofceri 8: adw1977 9: Stephen01 10: djoptix 11: N19 12:

Got pulled over by a copper earlier - a careless overtake. Fair cop, it wasn't the best piece of driving, I was impatient at someone in front. Fortunately for me they checked out my license/insurance etc, gave me a verbal rollocking and said "Don't do it again", and said if I was seen doing it again today I'd get a ticket. I presume they record the details of the rollocking and if I was pulled over later today the coppers would be able to access that? Certainly put the fear of Darwin into me so I will be driving like a granny for the next few weeks methinks...