A month ago, I was driving along, minding my own business when the radiator exploded. The coolant actually came up under the bonnet and showered the windscreen as well as making impressive clouds of steam. Turned out, the top part of the radiator is made of Bakelite, and after 154,000 miles, it had given up the ghost. The top outlet had disintegrated and the rubber hose popped off (centre of picture):
The radiator (and replacement air con fan) were easily sourced and arrived within a couple of days.
What was a bugger was buying new lower hoses to connect the (automatic) gear box to the radiator (the old ones couldn't be shifted and had to be dispatched with a Stanley knife). None of the usual sources had a clue how to get hold of them, except MX5 City who ordered them for me, fresh from the factory in Hiroshima. £67 incl. postage, VAT, duty, blah blah blah and a two week delivery time. An outrage for two bits of rubber tube, but saved several hours faff.
TBH helped me replace it all today (that is to say, he replaced it all and I helped him). I now have a shiny new radiator plus bits:
That's it, car sorted, it will run smoothly for the next decade and/or 50,000 miles. Which is what I say after every repair, as Her Indoors will confirm. One day it will be true!
Debate Magazine
