Well, having got out of the company car game, I decided that I needed a sensible commuter car to do the motorway run to my new place of work. I looked and looked, weeks came and went, and I still didn't have a car. Options ranged from a late series Range Rover, through Volvo V70's to lotus Elises and 7's. In the end I went up to Gateshead to view a potential car with suspected HGF with a fellow member (who shall remain nameless until I ask if he wants to be named :) . All was good, apart from the suspected HGF, so a deal was struck and it was trailered home.

A day-or-so later a incredibly long day was spent in a luxury garage, pulling the little 1.4 apart, until we were back to the short block. A quick test of the head for flatness and the re-assembly was on. New steel dowels, a spangley multi layer head gasket, head bolts stretched and torqued down to an inch of their lives, a new 82deg thermostat and the timing belt back on. Last job to do was to drop the sump, ditch the last of the grim oil/sludge that was residing in there, replace and fire it up.

Bummocks. Un-seeable from the outside, the sump was cracked. It had been welded, but was found to be sealed around the welded wound with silicone inside, the baffle plate was FUBAR and several of the sump bolts were even missing. I did have another caterham sump on a spare engine, but it was a good hour's round trip away and it was getting late (past 10pm). So, after over 12hours of work we loaded it back on the trailer and towed it back to the ranch to fight another day.

It was around this time that I took a well timed week break. In-between jobs, I was going to drive back on Sat and hopefully fix the car on Sun in time to drive to my first day at the new work on Mon.

This time things got better. The sump was dropped, the baffle plate swapped, new sump on. most bolts back in ;) then fluids. Under the watchful eye of mate Snr, it was cranked over... ...nothing. Then again... ...nothing. A quick check revealed that the HT lead to the coil hadn't been replaced (probably my job). With a full compliment of attached leads, it was cranked again. This time SUCCESS! A quick play with the hoses and all was going well, until the new thermostat opened, the J-hose popped off and let a good dose of the new coolant out onto the floor.

A quick trip to Halfords and £7 later, we were back in business. This time a bit more pressure was put on the jubilee clip and we left the cap of the expansion bottle for a little longer, hoses wiggled, squished, and wobbled. Rad's bled and fingers crossed, or was it the other way round? Result. We were in business, just in time to step out of the garage as the snow fell. An easy trundle down the motorway back home and it held together well. Nice 80 deg temp and good oil pressure. That was in Feb, over 4,000 miles ago, and I am well due an oil change. Which I guess will be the next post.