After a good 2 yr storage, 16v turbo come back to life and see the day light, immediately a few issues need to be sorted out.
1. water temperature is stuck at 70~80c, suggesting thermostat is screwed.
2. Generator doesn't have electricity output unless I give it a good blast after warm up, after that the generator behaves normally until the next cold start.
3. the fuse protector above the strut has disintegrated, exposing the bare wire and fuse, a real fire hazard.




Will have some works to do over the remaining summer.

Re the alternator: I bet when you turn the ignition on, but don't start the engine, the battery warning light is *out* - that's because if the bulb dies, there is no control voltage to the alternator... and it won't charge.

So check the bulb, but first, try the easier check: sometimes the spade connector at the alternator (which is the other end of the wire that starts at the battery and goes through the battery warning light) breaks away from the cable.

The 'fuse connector' is actually the ABS connection from the wheel hub. The connector is part of the ABS sensor on one side and the loom on the other, and can't be replaced except with a different type (e.g. a two-pin waterproof Tyco/AMP connector pair) and that only by a competent auto electrician. If you don't feel confident to do that yourself (and if you get it wrong you'll stop the ABS working) then use self-amalgamating tape to insulate and waterproof the joint.

The water temperature (once warmed up) should indicate around 70-80 - the engine runs at 79-82 degrees. If it's indicating that as soon as the engine is turned on, then it's a wiring or sensor fault. It'll usually rise to 102 degrees (but indicating 90-ish) before the fan comes on.

Thanks Barnacle, how are all coupers going to survive without you!

Steady on, he might be ancient but could hardly be thought of as terminal

/me scratches head while /me tries to work out whether Simon is being cheeky or not, and if so, whether his transformer bee should disappear again!

Sir, sir, he's picking on me again

Knowing that Simon will blame someone else

He's learning...

Sir, sir, it was him ^^