One MOT, Two Breakdowns and a Tow Rope…
Friday evening saw the initial preparations for the MOT. After the overheating adventure from a few weeks back, I sourced the knowledge of a few guys ‘in the know’ who suggested removing the thermostat… and voila! I also removed the radiator and gave it a bit of a clean out.
Returning to the car on Saturday morning to give it the final check over before the afternoons MOT and disaster stuck. IT WOULD NOT START! No way!. This old thing has been running fine for weeks and now, the day of its MOT, it wont even start - stage fright!.
After about 10 minutes of erratically wobbling a number of wires, connections and plug leads, still no success. I spent the next 2 hours taking various bits off, putting them back on and trying it again. Nothing seemed to make any difference. 10 minutes before I needed to leave I gave it one last try only to find it jump into life! MADNESS!
Not wishing to fiddle too much, I decided to give it a shot and drive and it the 10 miles to Isleworth for the MOT. The Car seemed fine, running temperature a little high but much better than before. On arrival at the garage, I warned Steve it might be a little dodgy but he said he’d give it a go all the same. 55 minutes later and Steve walks out with a MOT pass certificate. I could hardly believe it! He said one of the wheel bearings had a little play in it and the beam pattern needed a bit of adjustment, but that was it. GREAT 
Driving off with a grin from ear to ear, it only took me 10 mins to notice the temperature gauge was going up and up. “Not a good sign” I think. I decided to pull over before it got too bad only to find the engine as dry as a bone, not a drop of coolant to be seen. It seemed to be leaking out of the thermostat housing. A bit of gasket sealer and 12 pints of water later and we were off again!
Sadly, that was not the last of it. 300 meters from home and she conks out at the lights and no mater how hard I try, there’s no starting her. How odd. By this stage it had been a very long day and I wanted some tea so I called a friend and we towed it back to the drive - thanks Caz, I owe you one.
It’s been a day of dizzying highs and dreadful lows… and we’ve not even left the country!
