Thank goodness for cable ties!

[teamster1975]

Travelling down the A3, 1/2 a mile from the M25 junction and suddenly the revs drop. Press the accelerator and nothing happens
As sod's law dictates I'm in the fast lane so I coasted it to the "hard shoulder" thinking sh1t sh1t sh1t!
The throttle linkage had fallen off! The cup had worn away and it wasn't gripping the ball on the sprung throttle cable carrier.
Having reversed the link and the same bloody thing happenning on the M25 7 miles on I found a couple of cable ties in my toolbag; zipped them tight around the ball-joints and tied the ends together. It got me around the remainder of my jobs today!!

Now I've got anti-freeze stains around what I think is the thermostat housing having just replaced the bottom hose at the weekend
And the bottom engine mount has just about failed; it sounds as though the engine is trying to part company with the rest of the car from the amount of knocks and clonks up front

Edit: And I've got traces of Mayo on the oil filler cap
I'm glad Niz said the head gasket is an easy job on the tubby!
Compression test next; starnge thing is I've got no loss of power or white clouds coming out of the eggsauce

[Welly]

Ooo dear Teamy - good job you had the cable ties are you geting as new set of linky's?

I "bit" of Mayo can be normal from sort journey's etc. and the draining/refilling of the coolant has un-earthed an old leak on the T-housing, this shoud take up on it's own if it's not really a gusher.

Why not try the "James" engine mount conversion and mash in some off-cuts of engine hose into the gaps

[teamster1975]

Ooo dear Teamy - good job you had the cable ties are you geting as new set of linky's?

Damn right I am! In theory they shouldn't be too expensive I'm just glad it happenned while I was driving and not Emma with the kids

I "bit" of Mayo can be normal from sort journey's etc. and the draining/refilling of the coolant has un-earthed an old leak on the T-housing, this shoud take up on it's own if it's not really a gusher.

I can't tell you how relieved I am to hear that Welly! It's a headache I can really do without.

Why not try the "James" engine mount conversion and mash in some off-cuts of engine hose into the gaps

Oh I missed that one, definitely worth a go!

Thanks for your answers Welly, I can't afford to have the car off the road at moment, you've put my mind at ease!

[Welly]

Thanks for your answers Welly, I can't afford to have the car off the road at moment, you've put my mind at ease!

I would just keep an eye on things for a while with the water and oil etc but I wouldn't panic - the head gasket only craps out if you are running higher boost and temperatures IMO.

[mjb]

Ooo dear Teamy - good job you had the cable ties are you geting as new set of linky's?

Damn right I am! In theory they shouldn't be too expensive

BZZZZT!

Guess what? You can't buy them - just the whole throttle body . Guess what I happen to have sitting around at home though? PM me your addy and I'll return the trip computer connector favour

[teamster1975]

I've just found that out, £67 for the bloody thing
Matt you're a star!

Thanks for your advice Welly

[neildavies]

All you need is improvisation and you can fix a car with anything

Ask Puggy about cans of Strongbow Super Strength....

[puggy]

i'll second that

[teamster1975]

Ask Puggy about cans of Strongbow Super Strength....

I'd heard about that one, ingenious! Makes a good sig too!