I took a days holiday yesterday and spend the day working on Clares car, it kept me busy all day but it was quite rewarding. I think the main problem with the car is that it just doesn't go anywhere, it doesn't get used every day and in an average week it only does a few miles if any.

The biggest problem of late is that it hasn't been starting very well, the starter motor has been turning slowly and then the battery has been going flat. The battery was the main culprit and I've changed that for a new one, although it's now starting much better the problem hasn't completely gone away so I think that there may be a problem with the starter motor too, as long as the battery stays charged it starts ok so I'll keep an eye on it.

Another problem is that the heater hasn't been working, it never has worked since we got it. The problem here I think is that the heater matrix (small radiator type thing under the dash) has become blocked over time and the hot water just isn't flowing through it. I drained the cooling system and the water was really dirty (it always is, but this seemed pretty bad) I don't think it has had the proper amount of antifreeze in the past. After much hassle, and taking a chunk out of my finger that made the engine bay look like a crime scene of CSI, I managed to free the pipes that connect to the matrix and confirmed that it was blocked. I didn't really want to change it for a new one before trying to flush it out myself, so I made a device to pump clean water through the matrix and remove the sludge, it consisted on an empty 1 litre plastic bottle with a small hole in the end into which I put the nozzle on an airbed pump. I was able to fill the bottle with clean water and then attach it to one of the matrix pipes, when I pressurised it with the pump it forced all the water through the manky matrix. I flushed it out with a couple of gallons of water and there was plenty of rubbish coming out, I then used a proper cooling system flush and ran that round the engine for a while (a sort of automotive mouthwash). Next I drained the system again, refilled with the proper water/antifreeze mixture and then changed the oil and the oil filter.

I put it all back together just before it got dark, everything works... except for the heater! I think it's a bit better (luke warm air instead of cold) but it's not good enough. I think I need to fit a new one.

It was a good days work and I got a sense of achievement that I no longer get in my normal working life. Next time I'll be fitting new rear brake shoes and a rear brake pipe, watch this space for another exciting installment!

Update: Heater now seems to be working much better, yay me!