Day one...

[Quinten]

So, story so far.  Collected Westfield on Saturday, enjoyed it for a bit on Sunday, dropped it off at Northampton Motorsport on Monday and collected it again on Thursday.

 

All dressed up for the occasion, I went on my merely way at 7am towards work.  Was poodling along doing 50mph following other cars on a minor road when all of a sudden the car bottomed out and the footwells filled up with smoke instantly.  Pulled over quickly, shutting down the ignition as I rolled to a stop and put the hazards on.

Opened the bonnet and was greeted with an empty coolant reservoir and an engine bay full of pink :(

 

Called the recovery service and 3.5 hours later they finally showed up.  Thank god it was still dry and not too cold.  What a stupid, stupid idea of me to do this on a daily basis...

Diagnosis is that the sump caught the ground and pushed the thermostat housing against the chassis and smashed it. Solutions offered are different engine mounts to try and raise it slightly, install water-rail and shorten the sump. If only I was made out of money then I could have picked them all!

[KugaWestie]

Damn that's bad luck.

I guess we won't see you Sunday now!

[Mark (smokey mow)]

Unlucky indeed, but you're not the first zetec owner that has happened to and i'm sure wont be the last either.

Options are to fix it like for like and drive carefully or splash out on some early xmas presents for yourself

[alexander72]

Quinten, Thats bad luck mate - so sorry to hear that happened - hopefully no lasting damage done.  Did you hit a speed bump?

[Captain Colonial]

Really very sorry to hear it Quinten, and no, it's not a stupid idea to drive it on a daily basis, just a bit of bad luck.  What on earth did you hit?  Did the sump get damaged?  And 3.5 hours waiting...was that the AA?  Ridiculous.  Curse a bit, bite the bullet and get the water rail - as Smokey says, not the first, won't be the last, but make it's YOUR last time it happens.  Good luck and don't get discouraged.

[Norman Verona]

Bad luck Quentin. Can only agree with all above. Don't let it put you off, the pleasure you will have with your car will make the memory fade away in a few days.

 

Get the rail and then you know it won't happen again. Just let everyone in the family know you want cash for Christmas this year.

[M444TTB]

Oh b*******! As above though a water rail will guarantee it never happening again. Dunnell make a really nice one, which I have on my 1.8 Zetec. Took me a while to work out the required hoses for it earlier this year.

[peet]

That's really bad luck !! Especially to happen so soon.

Do the job right though and hopefully you'll get the daily driver you want! If it makes you feel better mines still in bits though it is getting nearer to being used for work!

[Steve_Farrimond]

just put a shortened sump on and cut the bell housing to the same height. you'll not hit the floor then.

 

i've got the standard thermostat and never had a problem. so i wouldn't waste your money on the water rail.

[Tom Frankland (T3OMF)]

Did the same thing to mine when I brought my car in the first couple of weeks (speed bump in Halfords car Park)

First thing I brought was a dunnel short sump but I just brought and fitted a raceline shortend sump as it's a casted unit.

The water housing is easy to replace.

Since having the shortend sump, I have never done it again

[Doug Dastardly]

If the sump hitting the ground caused it, I'd be sorting the sump first rather than messing about with a water rail

[Quinten]

Thanks guys. I've asked NMS to look at the Scholar sump, they would normally recommend a Race Line, so it may take a few days. At least I have the Vectra to fall back on. Having also spoken to a friend he also recommends the sump first, before anything else...

[pickmaster Andy Lowe]

I feel for you so soon

I'd also swap the sump you can loose the water and stop quick

But you can't loose the oil and stop before major expense if you smash the sump open

[SootySport]

That's damn unlucky Quinten.  From the photo I guess there are no speed humps there.  I can only guess that your sump is a standard Ford version and maybe the shockers are set very soft so the car had more suspension travel,  therefore the undulating road made contact/.

[Young Pretender]

O dear, that's horrid luck Q. It's in very good hands now though, you will get good advice.

 

Must remember to fit that raceline sump I have - still running a standard sump too.  Albeit mounted lower in the block than standard so the engine is raised a bit.

 

Ps Do you know that Scholar have a supply?  Might be worth checking because when I bought the raceline sump 6 months back I enquired with Scholar and they were basically waiting until the odd standard sump came in to modify (because they are modified standard sumps) but didn't sound very promising.