[steamship]

Originally Posted by HPsauce

Ah, for those horrible spring band things!
If I encounter those I tend to try and replace them with jubilee clips.

Quite understandable as I don't like them either, but because of where it was I didn't have much choice. After removing the intake pipe to the throttle body, a rubber pipe coming from the SAI and unbolting and pushing aside several shrouded cables, I could just about touch the clip with my fingertips, and I don't have fat fingers.

Originally Posted by MikkiJayne

Rust on steel cooling parts is usually caused by a constant leak which then gets topped up with plain water, or, ironically, the coolant being too old and losing its anti-corrosive properties

"ay, there's the rub" ...and MJ has once again hit the nail on the head. I think it's what they refer to as karma. A combination of little events resulting in disaster.

1. (For those with a good memory) Knowing about an insignificant leak from the radiator so small you can only see a tiny bit of steam coming from the top corner after a long run and not getting around to fitting a new one (which I have sitting here).
2. Topping it up once in a blue moon with said 'plain water' because my garage is a locked shipping container and water is easier to get hold of.
3. Underestimating just how cold it's been these last couple of weeks. I've been living in this house in NI on and off for 50 years and have never seen it so cold (-6 at 9am on the day in question).

We live and learn from our mistakes!