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.