craigowl

Hi, 3corsameal. Crack pipe is called "coolant pipe" in other literature. Transports coolant from between water pump at left and thermostat housing at right. Has a little tap at bottom left for draining coolant. The one I got from Gruvenparts, USA (along with about 10 other guys on here) is a high quality one made of alloy to replace the original plastic one which, we have been led to believe, crumbles away, particularly at the drain tap bit. I found mine to be sound, but have to hold my hand up as being a sucker for, hitec, possibly overdesigned, shiny baubles, particularly when the price is down due £/$ differential!

Modifications to Storm include Samco hoses Gruvenparts alloy crack pipe G'parts radiator neck Goodridge SS brake hoses (no pic) Valeo reversing sensors Home made replica Storm badge (while original stays indoors) Headlight protectors Trickle charge lead Mudflaps removed this year 8) :lol: Pic at Forth Bridges Final pic is Fay Fife a couple of summers ago

Anyway, after replacing water pump, crack pipe, couple of hoses to oil cooler, radiator neck, header tank and new blue cap, G12+ coolant and a brand new (well it was a couple of years ago) VR6 grill badge, I'm feeling in the pink now. :)

Sheesh!....Don't I look butt ugly without my face on!

Once?! :shock: You're puttin' us on, kev! :lol:

I didn't use sealant as I read somewhere that you should not. However, I have also seen that some individuals have used sealant. I preferred not to, as I have worked with sealants for years on household stuff and aquaria and suspected that some of it could come adrift and cause a blockage. That was my thinking, anyway. I had not put all of car front back on initially, so that I could have dismantled stuff again if I needed to. Try it without sealant first, I would say. Maybe those high tech O rings on the crack pipe can hold more comfortably than we think. I decided to try without sealant first and, miracle of miracles - no leak, even on a speedy 130 mile round trip of mixed driving a couple of days later. .

:thumb right: :onfire:

A83 road Arrochar to Inveraray in Argyll. The ruins are now even more ruined and have all retired.

Here are our cars. Storm bought May 2002 (1 previous owner) Peugeot 205GLD bought new in 1990. 185k miles and 29 years between them.

Wiggle it about at all angles while using a pulling action. I was gonna add a few drops of Fairy liquid next but did not need to. You have to try and remember it does not matter if you break it, either, as you will be replacing it with your alloy one. I still have sore arm muscles!

davidwort said: sure, breaking on a bend will do something nasty, but I've always found the Corrado to be very predictable and very stable. Yep - if something goes wrong it will almost always be down to human error/poor judgement. The buck stops with us. :lol:

I believe you have to make sure "joie de vivre" does not get you carried away when driving. It can seriously impair your judgement! In 1969 my wife ended up off the road in a ditch in her Austin 1100. She, too, had been singing along exuberantly to a song on the radio. Around the same time I came off my Honda (50cc :oops:) speeding home from work through wonderful rural Ayrshire on a beautiful spring day and taking a 90 degree bend far too fast.

That is brilliant. In the 1960s, I do not think the need for a new clutch at 30k was unusual.

Sorry to hear this, :( but you have all been lucky as far as the possible injuries are concerned. What a lot of low lifes there are, spoiling it for the vast majority who are decent citizens. :mad:

Yes. Most likely. Not as triangular as I remembered. :lol: By the way, my old crack pipe was a pig to get out. I still have a really sore arm! Also, had to dremel/emery rusty hole in block before fitting new one in (as recommended by others). Hope you find it all good fun.

The roughly triangular one? If so, you only need one.

Thanks for that, Yan. 8)

I have third one (black) but no aircon. :?

Jon_vr6 When you tighten up the thermo housing bolts remember the torque is a low 7ftlbs (10Nm). Dont overtighten or you may crack plastic housing bits, or they may crack when they heat up. Also, make sure the face on the engine block to take the odd shaped rubber gasket between block and housing is cleaned up and sanded down a bit. I found a cheap Ikea shaving mirror I have lying around in the garage greatly helps you to see things properly. Good luck! 8)

Here is pic of my senders last week. Yellow one controls fans.

After cleaning, for protection ordinary furniture wax polish used to be regarded as perfect (before aerosols like Pledge became popular for household furniture). I got a tin of this old style wax out of Sainsburys for pennies and often use it. Many car cosmetic products are vastly overpriced IMO as we cannot resist them (Include me, too!)

Mine are 12-year old 105k mile originals. Never a misfire or falter & 28-34mpg. (VR6). :D

Cheers for that 3corsameal. :D

Anyone have the torque for the allan bolts? Bentley seems to deal with only the distributor models - is that correct? I suspect that - as with the thermostat housing - the value will be pretty low in view of the plastic in the component. Funny how so many owners report cracked thermostat housings (mine was intact after 12 years) and coilpacks. I suspect the great heat coming from the VR6 engine block plays a part, but how many of us (or our high charging garage technicians) are guessing? :shock: I had to buy another torque wrench to do the thermostat housing at 7ftlb. It is by Draper, about £30, but very nice IMO, and a lot cheaper than a coilpack or thermostat housing you gung-ho young bucks out there. :lol: :thumb right:

Pic shows from (right): 1 - sheared engine mount (rear) bolt 2 - original water pump after 105k miles and 12 years. Early generation plastic blades in perfect condition - as was whole of pump and thermostat housing. Even all the O rings were indistinguishable from the new ones. 3 - Box of new pump by Hepu - made in Germany. Metal blades. Cost £33, including VAT and delivery from Herts.