NatWhey

Hi All,

After losing our first Puma to enforced bankruptcy at the hands of my partners ex "@#!!#@" of a husband; I always swore that once I was able that I would buy her another Puma to replace it.

Well time, work, my business and life got in the way; until that is 6 weeks ago when I fell upon a 75k, fmdsh, Melina Blue Puma at a steal of a price of £350.

Since purchasing the Puma (which my partner knew nothing about until I pulled on the drive with it) I have been busily "sorting it" to give to my partner (I said 8 weeks for completion - but that may have to be extended slightly).

Work thus far (6 weeks - no garage):

1. Out with the old, grubby interior and in with a scrap yard sought full leather interior, including door cards and mirror covers;

2. Complete interior clean - carpets, metal floor sections and headlining - courtesy of DoDo products APC;

3. K-rust sections of the interior followed by coats of hammerite smooth and then soundproofed;

4. Replaced the rear speakers with 4-ways and the front speakers with 3-ways;

5. Completed a full clean of leather interior inc leather restorer and fitted new leather interior;

6. Replaced the heater resistor pack (which was rusted in - so some cable cutting was required and spades attached) - now heater works perfectly on 1-4;

7. Removed the old head unit - with the aim of replacing it with a new double din video screened version (turns out it ain't a double din in the Puma - its a din and 1/2 - bummer) - now looking for a flip up video unit in a single din;

8. Removed the pollen filter box to seal underneath it. God what a ball ache of a job. Did it eventually but not before bending one of the fixing points and had to take the whole lot out to bend it back.

At the same time as doing that I jet washed the engine; removed all the crap from behind the pollen filter and cleaned up the bulkhead area.

9. Replaced the heater control valve as all I had was cold air yet the pipes were hot. Now this seemed to work fine for ages and then today I started losing water in the expansion tank and only had cold air (yet pipes were hot).

Any ideas what's wrong there?

When I got the car home and left it to cool down the water level dropped down to below the minimum line; so I started it without the cap on and the water rose and got to temp yet the heater blows cold.

10. I have a oil leak - had it from day one - but it was very slight - very annoying and only when the oil is hot. Having jet washed the engine - underneath included and dried it off - I started the engine and when hot - still could not see an oil leak.

Oil leak appears to be coming off the sump - drivers side - to the right of the drive belt (when standing in front of the car).

There is no white gunk in the oil.

11. Have jacked up and removed all the wheels and liners; rubbed down, k-rusted everything and tetrosealed everything before replacing everything (although the wheel arch lines have been slightly cut down to reduce rust on the wheel arches and have been jet washed to remove 15 years of dirt;

To do:

1. Replace O/S front tyre (slow puncture - plus tyre looks shagged; spare is very good so will replace the O/S rear tyre with that; then tracking needs sorting;

2. Oil leak and cooling system;

3. Engine re-tune;

3. Replace front discs and pads;

4. Underseal rest of underbody;

5. Replace head unit with video screen single din and add reversing camera;

6. Add various LED aftermarket lights;

7. Add an induction air filter kit;

8. May replace Lambda sensor / MAF???

9. May replace front discs, calipers and Pads with 300mm Ford Focus ST170 and add Ford Focus ST170 rear discs (fpr hubs / ABS)???

Anyway - starting tomorrow - looking at oil and water system followed by starting on the body (rust spots and paint cutting (paintwork needs some serious work) got me electric polisher and Dodo cutting polish).

If anyone has any ideas re: cooling system problems and oil leak possibilities - reply back to me.

Dal_

iTrader: (2)

Love a Melina blue Puma

Did you get a genuine Ford HCV? Ebay specials are known to not be good quality wise and fail a lot. Also check the pins in the electrical connector to the HCV actually mate with it as sometimes they get pushed in or pushed too far apart so don't mate.

Also could be a thermostat has gone pop (fairly common)

You'll probably get more ideas / suggestions if you post up on my forum - link in signature.

Keep up the good work

The Black Count

I have just had to replace the sump on mine, had a crack in it probably from hitting a speed bump or similar. have now fitted a lower strut brace to protect it and improve handling. just a thought

NatWhey

Hi Dal_,

The thermostat is fine - I replaced that a couple of weeks ago - another ball ache of a job.

I wanted to flush the system to see if the problem was thermostat based - plus I had a 6 litre can of waterless coolant going spare.

No, the HCV was purchased off eBay - as you say - a crap copy. I will purchase a genuine one.

STeve

iTrader: (11)

I di love a puma

NatWhey

Ok.

So - I have the oil leak and I have a better idea where it is coming from - either the "O" ring on the dip stick tube has rotted - so I am replacing that anyway and/or the gasket seal needs replacing on the sump. So I have ordered both parts, 6 litres of oil, oil filter, spark plugs, fuel filter, lambda sensor and a new MAF along with a RAMAIR Induction Air Filter Kit.

However my priority is the water in the passenger footwell. I found this today after a bout of rather heavy rain last night and today. It looks like it is coming from the grommet that the wiring goes through on the right side of the car - so I will be sealing that tomorrow. I have already had the pollen filter box out and sealed around that.

What I want to know is - has anyone ever replaced the grommet? and if so, is it only a Ford available part and secondly - the underlay / soundproofing under the carpet is breaking up - so what do I replace it with?

NatWhey

Hi - Update:

Checked the grommets and they are all seated correctly. So purchased some liquid rubber and coated the grommets and that part of the engine bay in rubber. I also coated the seams around where the aircon pipes go into the car. It has since rained quite heavily and so far no leaks.

I have purchased a decent batch of Silent Coat - so when it arrives I am going to strip out the front of the car and re-soundproof the floor.

The oil leak - Update:

Had the car up in the air in my mates garage on Saturday. Cleaned the underside of the engine with brake fluid and an air line and waited with the engine running. Seems the oil leak is coming from just above the sump - right next to cam belt - possibly the vvt assembly (mechanic said that).

Now I would love to strip the engine and sort it properly - but I don't have the knowledge or experience - so for now I have changed the oil, spark plugs, oil filter and have shoved a tin of wynns engine seal into the oil. It apparently takes 200 miles before it works properly. I await with baited breath.

Note - I also changed the fuel filter - which is seems had not been changed since day one - the fuel ran out of the old fuel filter - BLACK - so all that crap is in the fuel lines.

Recommendations thus far are to replace the tank, fuel lines and have the injectors refurbed. Unless there is another way?!

Sorting out the body this week (rust) and polishing - got my G3 and polisher.