Hairyarse

Thank you for your email about the purchase - you found the thread ok then and you are interested in the group buy! What deal can you do for us as a group - and what quantity do you require? Kind regards Andy

Sits nicely now Sean ;)

Hi Ruggy - I sent you a PM but then saw this thread - I was going to ask to join the queue after Wayne but it looks like it's going to be gone anyway. ;) Don't worry about replying to my PM now :thumbleft:

Oh wow, nice looking kit!! Best I check that thread out then! lol

Thanks for the comments chaps - I did read them but hadn't had time to reply yet!! Yes the video did show removing the thermo housing - in actual fact he removes way more than necessary although in part I think it's down to his oil cooler pipe having snapped off his crack pipe. I didn't remove the filter housing or oil cooler. Anyway - on to today and mixed feelings about the kit bought off ebay to be honest. http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/220505500573?_trksid=p2060778.m2749.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT Only yesterday I saw on a Facebook group Topran parts getting a slating for being bad quality and I didn't think this kit looked bad at all when it arrived. But, here's my saga. Stripping out was dead simple - the only grief was the fact that the pipe clip for the oil cooler hose was facing the wrong way. I managed to release it enough to spin it around and then the garage opposite mine came to the rescue with this rather nifty tool! This made life so much easier - I must get one! A short while later my old housing was off; After assembling the new housing, fitting the sensors and having a general clean around this area of the engine and re-taping some of the loom, I installed the new kit. All went together easily. I did notice that the thermostat that came out of my C was rated at 87 degrees, whereas the new one was 80 - which according to the Bentley Bible is correct. Once back together, I filled up with coolant - at which point I noticed coolant dripping on the floor. It looked like it was coming from the crack pipe where it pushed in to the thermo housing. Grrrr!! Like a fool I had put the coil pack back on and everything else, so on I went with the strip down again. Sure enough, after a bit of faffing around and testing by squirting coolant in to the pipes, it was the crack pipe/thermo housing joint at fault. What I found is that the new one in the kit appears to be too large in diameter! This is the offending part; If I fitted this on to the end of the old crack pipe I could hold the crack pipe up and this elbow stayed in place. If I did the same with the new one it just fell off. So, the old elbow was put on to the new thermo housing. All was put back together, topped up with coolant and no more leaks! (Yay!) The other issue I found is that the coolant drain on the crack pipe was difficult to stop it from dripping coolant. After a little messing about it seemed a case of unscrew it until coolant came out, then slowly tighten until it stopped - and keep checking. There just seems to be a sweet spot where it doesn't leak, as opposed to where it feels nipped up correctly, if that makes sense?! Anyway, job done but was most of the day wasted on this which is frustrating. Hopefully no more leaks now. I'll find out tomorrow as have to go to Uttoxeter. Spare coolant is in the car with me! I hope that the above helps for anyone who has bought this kit and not fitted yet or is planning to buy and hopefully you can avoid these issues :thumbleft:

Welcome Paul! What needs doing to it to get it on the road then? Let's see some pics of it then :)

Yeah could well be, just give it an 'Italian tune-up' - see if that sorts it ;)

Nice Rado mate, and welcome! :)

Well I'm rather glad I purchased the crack pipe kit and thermostat kit that someone posted up on here the other day. I thought I'd get it for a rainy day, given my slow coolant loss. Well that rainy day has arrived as there's a big wet patch on the drive under my car now!! I've just watched a crack pipe replacement video on Youtube and it all looks fairly straight forward. I just wanted to double check, is the removal of the oil filter housing necessary? - and if so I take it that will just be with a minimal oil loss as I don't need an oil and filter change as they've not long been done. Any advice is appreciated, I'll have to tackle this tomorrow now. Many thanks! ;)

Finger crossed for soon then! I bet you can't wait ;)

Exactly - feeling the love! lol So when do you get your car back Wayne?

Your thread has prompted me to donate too Wayne!! :thumbleft: I'd been meaning to for a while but never got around to it. This is a great community and the help I've received has been worth more than the donation - but hopefully every little helps

Seems sensible, you look like you've almost done enough to get at it!

Well for the time being anyway! lol

Ah OK. I get no sraping now but wondered if I would if went the B12 route.

There'll be nowt left to go wrong Wayne ;)

Does your heater matrix need doing whilst you're at it??

LMAO! :lol: You can't beat a bit of boost ;)

Thanks for the B12 update! I'd like to fit the kit to mine when funds allow. I've experience the kit before (have one waiting to go on my MK1 too) and I've always been pleased with it. Any front splitter scraping issues since fitting? Weird on the lower rear end.

Lmao!!

We'll not hear from him when his C is back and working, he'll be too busy out and enjoying it! :thumbleft:

That looks tidy. What did you paint the inlet with?

LOL ^^^ Nice attention to detail ;)

You can't beat a bit of double-DIN - nice one ;)

....and thinking further. Given the cambelt was just changed, the inlet, throttle body etc had been removed. I fitted new gaskets on the inlet and sprayed around to check there were no leaks, but maybe something simple like the intake pipe boot hadn't gone on quite right and has now slipped off? I just can't help think that it's going to be something simple Toby, given how much had been checked and replaced previously.