Hi there.

Just thought I'd update you on what happened with my 'Not head gasket' problem: I got a new thermostat (complete housing) and my neighbour kindly fitted it for me on Sunday.

The old thermostat housing sounded like it had loose change jangling around inside! It was certainly very, very broken indeed! My neighbour thought the loose metal may have also have been creating some kind of charge or electrical shorting in the water/coolant, adding to the problem. Not sure I quite understood it completely, but he thought it was possible.

Anyway, we also drained and flushed out the coolant system and replaced it with a fresh batch. The good news is that that having done a couple of longish runs, the car is now working fine - The temp gauge is normal within a few minutes, the heater is once again efficient , (thank heavens!) and the Engine Management light has switched itself off. I checked the oil cap & expansion tank this morning and - NO 'mayo'! Great news all in all!

The only thing I didn't take a look a t was the engine breather filter. (I didn't like to ask my neighbour to look at anything else - he wouldn't take anything for changing the thermostat etc as it was.) I may take a look myself - just to satisfy my curiosity. I'm not quite sure where it is though - Do I follow one of the two pipes coming from the top of the engine where the oil filler cap is located?

Anyway, that's for another day - I think my immediate problem is now solved. (Fingers crossed!)

Thank you once again fellow members, for your spot-on advice and insight. Brilliant!

Cheers. Sharon.

Glad it's sorted - the breather is the wide-ish rubber hose running from the oil filler to the throttle body cover (the plastic slug thing):

No filter as such, but it can clog anyway (ignore the yellow oval, by the way...)

Thanks! I'll check it out to be on the safe side.

Glad it's sorted - the breather is the wide-ish rubber hose running from the oil filler to the throttle body cover (the plastic slug thing):

No filter as such, but it can clog anyway (ignore the yellow oval, by the way...)