Fuel filter

The fuel filter is located under the car, just forward of the RHS wheel »”>rear wheel. The fuel pump is also located there. It is important to change the filter regularly – say evey 12,000 miles. Otherwise the fuel pressure may fall, and even worse, dirty fuel may enter the injection system.
The filter is held in place by two rubber “bobbins”. These mountings will probably fall apart as soon as you try to undo them, so it’s a good idea to fit new ones.

Remember, the fuel system is pressurised, so be ready to catch any fuel when you undo the pipes.

Remove any ignition source, such as an inspection lamp!

If the fuel tank is full, you may need to clamp the fuel pipe to stop the petrol siphoning out. Replacing the filter is easy enough – just make sure you put it the right way round (pointy end towards the pump).

Thermostat

The thermostat is not part of the cylinder head. Instead, it’s a seperate (sealed) unit mounted at the front of the inlet manifold. If you suspect the thermostat is faulty, proceed as follows:

First, make sure the engine is cool. Then detach the hoses, and arrange to catch any coolant that escapes. With the thermostat removed from the car, inspect it. The valve should be fully closed. On my car, there was a gap of a few millimetres, which explained the cool running. No amount of prodding with a screwdriver could get it to close properly, so I forked out for a new one.
When refilling the system, it is important to use a good quality anti-freeze. An aluminium engine will corrode quickly (and expensively) otherwise…

With the thermostat working correctly, my car holds a constant 80°C. Much better…