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Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 7:49 pm
by Poundboy
Hi there, I bought this fantastic 410 and sadly it ended up sat in the street for the best part of a year not moving. I pushed it around to a local mechanic who fixed the fuel lines, fitted a new radiator cap and thermostat but it's sill overheating. Would love to have a go myself but I wouldn't know where to start and really just want to get her moving asap. The bloke I took it to said he didn't usually touch things more than 10 years old and couldn't do any more with it. Can anyone recommend someone good with fair pricing in my neck of the woods or even better, someone I could pay to teach me how to do it. I'm keen to have a go but don't wanna mess it up any further.
Cheers
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 10:19 pm
by donkeychomp
Yes, but whereabouts are you? London's pretty big...
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Wed Jul 30, 2014 11:01 pm
by Edweird
Poundboy wrote:The bloke I took it to said he didn't usually touch things more than 10 years old and couldn't do any more with it.
That's because he can't just plug in a diagnostic machine and have the car tell him what's wrong; he has to use his brain to figure out the problem.
Could possibly try a rad/coolant flush. What's the rad like?
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 7:31 pm
by Poundboy
Hey Donkeychomp
Good point, it's huge and with the temperature rising so quick I haven't driven it for more than 20mins at a time just in case it blows. I'm over in East London, Hackney so anyone on this side would be great but I can slowly move it across town if required!
Cheers
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 8:09 pm
by AntD
That's depressingly tidy!
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 8:57 pm
by Poundboy
Hey Edweird
Ridiculous right, he also said that cars like mine from the 70's were always a problem! He was a really nice guy but come on... Couldn't look more 80's!
I haven't checked the rad or flushed anything, will look into that!
Cheers
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Thu Jul 31, 2014 10:14 pm
by donkeychomp
According to google maps you are 30 miles from my mechanic, using the M25 and M4. Will it make it that far?
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 12:25 am
by Edweird
donkeychomp wrote:According to google maps you are 30 miles from my mechanic, using the M25 and M4. Will it make it that far?
Could probably just about manage that with NO coolant whatsoever.
Are you sure it's not just the temperature gauge that's not right or does it get seriously hot? My temperature gauge always reads a bit low. If mine gets up past half then I start to worry.
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 2:39 pm
by maxsixpence
Head gasket gone? JAT there`s a garage in Harlow called Ricky`s who`s a bloody good mechanic.Sorted out my exhaust probs a treat.I`ll get his number if you want it.
Re: Recommendations for mechanic in or near London
Posted: Fri Aug 01, 2014 2:47 pm
by twiss
Check for bubbles in your radiator... thats a head gasket probably...
Otherwise you might have an air lock in the system, could have been a result of being refilled while the heater was set to "cold"
If you rev the engine with the radiator cap removed can you see water flowing left to right?
(standing at the front looking towards the windscreen)