BitterBlue is back and purring! A story of disaster and now hopefully triumph.

It's been a while since I was on the forum. Mostly due to a bit of a disaster with "BitterBlue" my much loved and sometimes cursed tf.



Last winter I loaned Bitterblue to friend who needed a car to get to a new job after a period out of work. After many admonishments to pull over if there was even a hint of a quiver on the temp. gauge. off he went.



All was well for a couple of months and then the dreaded call. BitterBlue had overheated, but he had only done 5 miles or so running "hot" so how bad could it be?



Well very. Leading to a period of SORN and much head shaking in the pub and well, indeed, cursing.



Then in April this year the sun came out and my dreams of top down motoring returned. Only 5 miles, surely Bitterblue could be fixed, maybe the disaster wasn't as bad as it could be.



Well after recommendations on this forum I have previously had Jon Norris over to do some work. So, the call was made and the date arranged.



For those of you who don't know Jon travels to where you are to do the work and on the Friday he came, not only was the car in need of alot more work than hoped for, but also it was intermittently clear and then absolutely tipping it down with rain. As the anxious owner I was praying for some good news and that Jon wouldn't just shake his head and stop working.



In that rain I would've quit and come back another day, but Jon is made of much sterner stuff.



Well first off the water pump was absolutely shagged - to use a technical term. Then the cam-belt looked like it had never been changed Bitterblue having travelled a mere 46k - all documented, but no cam-belt change. Then the dreaded head gasket had turned into some kind of strange melty thing.



So then, a big, expensive job to do the lot. Well not too expensive Jon has a package deal to do all 3. So, it was full steam ahead. As the now very anxious owner prayed for some good news.



The head was cleaned, buffed and passed fit for use, relief, woohoo.



Right then time to put it all back together. Run some oil through, coolant, pressure test etc etc. and then would she start. I had been talking to her all day giving encouragement and now was the moment.



Flat battery.



No problem, battery pack attached try again, some smoke but Bitterblue fires up and sits burbling quietly to herself doing fuel things or whatever. Then, oh no, flashing warning light. The battery is so flat Jon even has trouble getting his magic gizmo to talk to the ecu. Finally "missfire cylinder 3". Ok change the plug, start her up again.



Flashing light, "missfire cylinder3".



Has all Jons work in the pouring rain been for nothing?



Change the plug on cylinder2.



SORTED!!



So I am back on the road again, grinning like an idiot and loving every minute.



I will change the oil again this week. To get rid of any residual gunk. Also during her enforced rest the drivers side window has stopped working. Passenger is fine. Am going to try the fuse fingers crossed but any advice or potential fixes very welcome.



So after the disaster came the triumph. The triumph for me of having my beloved tf back on the road.



But mostly the triumph of Jon Norris, who put her back together again in the worst conditions imaginable. I cannot thank or indeed recommend him highly enough.



Finally Bitterblue is back, nothing more needs doing, except getting those new Toyos and finishing the chrome and doing the fog lights and...and..and.



Steve still effing and loving it :)

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