Odds on this happening to two cars on the same day?

[H6CJF]

Recently both my lads (both on PH) bought MX5 Mk1s.

Friday last week, Ben is heading to Birmingham having been in London for the day and I get a call to say he has a coolant leak... back of the engine.

Check on PH (MX5 buyers guide)
"The o-ring on the CAS sensor on the back on the cylinder head can perish and start to leak. On 1.8 cars the oil will drip onto the coolant feed pipes for the heater matrix, eventually making them burst."

ok so we know what it is - and it was of course.

Two hours later, phone call from James.. "stuck at Tamworth services (en route to York)- coolant leak, back of the engine......."

Both problems were of course due to the heater hoses being contaminated, but I was amazed at the coincidence of both cars having the exact same problem within a couple of hours of each other!

[Mr MXT]

The odds are 1 in 1!

[H6CJF]

Mr MXT said:

The odds are 1 in 1!

oh dear... I knew I should have avoided putting a mathematical slant on the question

Go on, I'll bite, how does that work? or is there going to be a whoosh parrot along any minute

[Mr MXT]

I don't know if its mathematically correct, but on the basis it happened, its a certainty!

Anyway, its certainly unfortunate!

[H6CJF]

ah... now I'm with you!...


awaits arrival of parrot

[rfn]

Happened to my MK1 too... :-)

[MX-5 Lazza]

HTH

[trackerjack]

"Orac what is the probability of the same fault occuring on identical cars at the same time?"

[furtive]

Did they both have the timing advanced recently?

[H6CJF]

No, neither have been touched. It really was just a coincidence, both had horribly swollen & soggy hoses just out of sight behind the cam cover. The part you can see easily, and does not get dripped on, looked fine!

I do hope they are not going to make a habit of developing "sympathetic symptoms"

[PATTERNPART]

My sister's car disappeared in a cloud of steam last winter as a result of this. My car has silicone hoses and no leak at the moment. I have thought about getting a plumber mate to sweat on a couple of copper elbows so that the pipes can be slightly isolated from any drips here.

[towelie]

same happened to mine. got bored of having several hose leaks, so replaced them all with silicone.. had no leaks for a year now.. woop..

[Dustyw536]

Happened to mine today too! haha, bodged it back together at a mates house just round the corner from where I realised it burst.