Sorry for a stupid coolant question!

[Ads1987]

Hi Guys,

I replaced the coolant pipes on my van due to the usual corrosion issue, it's a 1.9dg early type. I'm having trouble bleeding the system, I've read the guides online and also backfilled the system from the radiator and split the pipe at the join over the engine bay so plenty of water in the system.

The bottom of the radiator is warming up but the hose that joins to the side of the thermostat is still cold, almost like the Stat isn't opening but I didn't have this issue before. The temp gauage is reading just over 3/4 and I stopped as I don't want to damage the engine.

I'm at work so don't have my Haynes, can someone just confirm the layout of the pipes, I just suddenly wondered if I'd been stupid and connected the lm the wrong way round. I'm sure it's not the case as they were labeled etc. Just can't get any pressure in the system, I clamped off the dalek pipe for now as that wasn't holding pressure and I've got a new one on order. I could do with knowing if the pipe that comes out the bottom of the radiator goes to the Stat side exit or not?

Thanks for your help,

Adam.

[jas915]

On a diesel the pipe from the rad goes to the thermostat, which I always think is weird. It's maybe not hot enough yet to open, it takes a while on a fast tick over.

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[Ads1987]

OK I'm just a bit paranoid as I was watching the gauge get nearer and near to the top and the pipe leading to the thermostat felt very hot and the other pipe was still cold. Maybe I just need to persevere a bit!

If I open the header tank cap there's no pressure release which is why I wondered if maybe something was incorrect but as you say maybe it's still not hot enough so I'll try and get a temp reading directly off the thermostat housing instead

[Ads1987]

Hmmmm still struggling! If I leave the header tank cap off it's just splurging coolant out on idle, water just doesn't seem to be circulating around

[Mocki]

If it’s air locked water won’t circulate , leave the rad bleed open, and keep the revs up at 2000 rpm for a few mins , as you rev the water should drop in the headertank as the pump,takes the coolant away .

Early cooling system so the temp gauge is takeoff the temp actually at the water pump and thermostat . Engine side of the stat

If in doubt stop , let it cool and start again, filling, squeezing the pipes as you fill , make sure the heater control is set to hot .

[jas915]

Hmmmm still struggling! If I leave the header tank cap off it's just splurging coolant out on idle, water just doesn't seem to be circulating around

So will come out ig the cap is off, van ticking over as the coolant expands as it gets warmer.

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[TONYT25T25]

I had the same worry when I first refilled and bled mine, the temperature gauge was to the far right with nothing coming out of the radiator bleed tap, I stopped let it cool and tried again and eventually got there, is the front of the vehicle raised so its higher than the back and have you opened the bleed screw in the engine compartment if it has one that is.

[Mocki]

Don’t worry about the bleed in the engine bay , it’s too low to do any good on a early system and likely to break

On a late it only releases the air trapped in the dome at the top of the thermostat housing , if any is trapped there

[Ads1987]

Thanks for the confidence boost guys! Managed to get it sorted finally. Although now absolutely stinks of fuel, I lowered the tank and replaced the breather pipes and 3 grommets on the top but forgot about the filler seal so had to reuse and I don't think its sealing properly now.

I backfilled the system at the rad bleed screw and also at one of the pipe joins in the engine Bay, started it from cold and it instantly lowered the level in the bottle which it hadn't done before. I also found the radiator bleed screw wasn't allowing air out properly as the thread was rusty so I removed it fully.

Never ending fun with these vans eh? :p