Managed to kill the car ...

Core plug back in, engine running just fine. Still have a water leak somewhere, but will sort that this week. Until then I will drain the system down, then it can't freeze :lol:

As for the "how to", it was really technical. Remove distributer cap for access, clean up plug with emery paper, some haematite red (or silicone) around it, and tap back into place until flush with the head. Took about 10 minutes to do.

Im scared to say :dance:

just in case again :shock:

think i'll drain mine it's gonna be a few weeks till its run when i get a new battery and i'll chuck a few blankets over it wrap it up nice and warm with hot chocolate :lol:

Lucky bugger is all I gotta say.

Mechanics 101 ...

How to tell when your water pump is knackered ...

bit of blue tac and it'll be fine :lol:

Disintegrated a tad :wink:

well done Jay, bet that's a relief.

Glad i read your post twice as i thought you said you need to paint the core plug with "Red Hammerite" :shock:

Now that would have gave everyone a laugh :lol:

Looking at the water pump, I think it probably jammed in the housing when I tried to start it (it was wobbling around very well in there), and that had the effect of pulling the camshaft pully around (those cam belts are tough things!).

As of now, I have a new water pump and new cam belt, the engine is running spot on and it doesn't seem to be losing water any more. I have 4 litres of antifreeze in, so all being well that's that saga sorted ... Just need to sort the heater matrix now, as driving around in this weather with little to no heat coming out of the blowers isn't much fun! (And before anyone says it, I know about flushing the matrix, or reversing the pipes to the matrix ... but that all involves emptying the cooling system again ... and I want to make sure the leak is gone first! :lol:

)

Sit Jo in it with the hair drier on an extension, before you leave for work :dance:

Think i'll have to get one of these! :lol

or this [linkurl=http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=120358729992&ssPageName=_RSCC_Pr4_PcY_BIN_IT&_trksid=p2718.m184&_trkparms=algo%3DDR%26its%3DS%252BI%26itu%3DUCI%252BSI%26otn%3D4]HEATER[/linkurl]

Now there is a thought :lol:

Sorry Daft Question here Guys :oops:

But if the water pump was going don't you get some kind of noise with that plz? The reason why I ask is that, When mine was going ( which at that point I didn't know what was wrong) it made a funny noise, so I just turned up the stereo a bit more :oops:

and eventually it stopped dead on me

Regards Roo :lol: