And a bad week too
As you may have noticed, I've not been around for a week. That's because I've been on a break to North Devon.
The Elite has let me down in the following ways:
BOTH camcover gaskets let go during the trip. That'll bloody teach me to use the gaskets that came in the headset (eg non-gen)
Lots of smoke from engine bay, and stink of oil. I had to get the bugger home though, so probably need new plugs and leads now too, as well as a gasket change and another full breather check / clean
Temperature - It was stable all the 150 miles down there, with plenty of use of the gas pedal and sport mode! However, when in the country lanes, the needle hit 100 a couple of times. I didn't sweat, because it soon dropped again. Once it hit 100, and started rising more back at the campsite after some serious hill-pulling. 10 mins cooling down time, and it stabilised on 92.5 again. Then it was fine all of the 150 miles home, ragging it's nuts off. Guess another full coolant flush, HBV change and stat change for good measure is in order
TYRES - when glancing under the car, noticed the inner edges of one of the the rears were on the canvas!! Very slack of me, but I was trying to have a week off cars. Not wanting to compromise safety, or have an encounter with the law, I drove to nearest town, Barnstaple, for 2 new tyres. B@stards had me over a barrel - £214 just for 2 tyres, on a car that cost me £175
They also messed with my front wheels / alignment when NOT instructed to do so, now my steering wheel is about 20 degrees off-centre
(covered in a seperate thread soon)
Worsening exhaust blow in manifold area - b@stard passenger side. This really worried me, so I had a look, thankfully I've determined is only the downpipe round gasket. Probably as a result from being off and on so many times while changing gearboxes, etc etc. So not too bad to do.
All easily do-able stuff, but could do without it at the mo!
To say nothing of the Northbound M5 accident by bridgewater, so I had to do the rest of it on A roads, feeling like cr@p
Just on an even more of a downer, I think I've blown a few gaskets myself
Having spent a week in a tent, in gale winds almost and heavy rain, I feel absolutely full of fever. I've been in bed all afternoon, taking sudafed and painkillers, this is the first time I've been able to stand up. Feel absolutely manky.
On a brighter note, I was impressed with the 30mpg going down and back with my lead foot. Not so impressed with the 14mpg down there, but the lanes were VERY windy and hilly, around georgham / woolacombe / croyde, so not too upset about it. Whole trip cost me £150 in petrol.
Anyway, chin up, Shake off the temperature, and roll up the gloves I guess!!! Then get the 2.0 polished and on eBay, to recoup some costs!!
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Topic: Bad, BAD Elite :( (Read 1611 times)