TPS is https://www.thetradepartsspecialists.co.uk

To carry on my little saga of the thermostat & housing, I wrote to my supplier and they said:

 

"Hi Jon, You are correct. Apologies. Our listing is in error - we are revising it now. The thermostat is correct, but the cover is not. We have no source for the correct cover. We are refunding your purchase. Please keep or dispose of the parts as you see fit. Our apologies again."

 

Well obviously this is nice because I got a new thermostat for free, but do I need to change the housing in that case? If so, where can I source the correct one?

 

Cheers

 

Nice, you don't need the housing anyway.

Cheers all. Actually Supulchrave I've taken your advice and just bought the items from the links you've sent me! Well all bar the ECT. The links you gave for the spark plugs...were they Iridium? It didn't seem to say. Oooops, bought them anyway!

Cheers all. Actually Supulchrave I've taken your advice and just bought the items from the links you've sent me! Well all bar the ECT. The links you gave for the spark plugs...were they Iridium? It didn't seem to say. Oooops, bought them anyway!

 

No, they're not Iridium but they are OEM spec. NGK's, Iridiums were silly money from ECP and these will work just fine, you did remember to order four of them?

Ah that's okay, they weren't too expensive the ones you specified. Yes, I ordered four so hopefully changing the plugs/cables/ignition coil is easy. Would you be okay to run me through it though please? (Feeling like a right noob here!)

It's a doddle, half the ignition coil does cylinders 1 and 4 and the other half does 3 and 2, cylinder number 1 is furthest from the coil and is therefore at the cambelt end, 4 is right next to the coil.

You'll need a 5mm Allen key to remove the coil, flip the battery cover lid up so the catch is out of your way unplug the ECU multiplug from the coil and undo the 3 Allen screws holding the coil to the cylinder head, the screws are too long to remove so fiddle the coil up and out with the screws flopping around in the coil then remove them, you can then easily see what I mean about the coilpack actually being two coils moulded together with an igniter module clipped on top, look closely and you should see that each HT terminal is numbered from 1-4 so you can't get it wrong. Just copy the old lead arrangement with the new coilpack and leads and then rip all the old crap out and bin it. Change the plugs, bin the old ones and refit the new coilpack and leads, reconnect the multiplug, push it hard until it clicks then start the engine to make sure all is well before popping the airbox back on, don't forget to reconnect the breather hose to the airbox.

 

Bingo.

Awesome, thanks for all that!! Am I right in saying I need a special tool to remove the spark plugs?

You just need a spark plug socket for 10mm spark plugs and a long extension for your ratchet, any socket set will have this stuff in the box.

Hey guys, just to say all is sorted.

 

- Changed the thermostat;

- Changed the coils/plugs/leads

 

MPG is back in the 40's, it accelerates, the annoying murmur has gone and the temp gauge reaches 12 o'clock.

Thanks all, especially sepulchrave and mrdaf! I'm back on the road!!

Edited 6 August, 201411 yr by jonboyuk