changed oil now running hotter

[colouredFunk]

OK cool thanks for that. I thought it was just a cap, didn't realise it had a valve in it too!

Do GSF sell them as well? if so I can get one today and do all the bleeding over the weekend, otherwise it's all going have to wait another week until the one from Brickwerks comes in the post...

Also, probs a dumb question but here we go... What's the point of bleeding the system if I've got a leak.. If the Cap doesn't fix the problem, is it not a waste of time, as I I'm loosing coolant and will be topping up with water only, so consequently loosing the anti-freeze mixture ratio...(which is probably really low now anyway...very scary for this time of year).... But I guess also my point is, if it doesn't work I will probably have to bleed it again very soon when I eventually fix the problem...

[andisnewsyncro]

Personally I'd get the proper one from Brickwerks, there have been a few problems with other suppliers' versions. If you change the cap, which I suspect could be the main problem here, then it may fix your leak too. If the old one is not holding pressure I would suspect that it could be the root cause of all your woes. I may be wrong but it's a good place to start.

When you say the garage told you it was a new pressure bottle, do you know where they sourced it from? Again there are good and not so good sources - as with all things on these vans.. Also check the seal around the low coolant sensor on the top of the bottle, another possile leaky point and the thermostat.

Once you're sure that the system is holding pressure properly and you have it all running properly, then yes, I guess you are going to have to flush and refill it to get your coolant mix right, but you'll be a dab hand at bleeding it by then and wont waste any expensive antifreeze all over the floor

[Ian Hulley]

The GSF ones don't open to allow excess pressure through to the top-up tank and therefore to suck the coolant back to top up the header tank as the syatem cools down. The pressure just builds until something gives ... like a hose, or a sender O-ring, thermostat housing or worse. Our header tank developed a lovely crack Fitted a Brickwerks cap and a new tank, all fine and dandy 8 moths later.

Ian

[colouredFunk]

Ok cool I will do as you say

I might get a new thermostat at the same time.. How are they seal in, do the just screw and unscrew in/out of the tank?

I've read the coolant article and it all makes sense, but just to clarify the draining; open the bleed screw on the radiator, jack the van up from the back and wait?

[andisnewsyncro]

I actually meant the thermostat proper, rather than the tank sensor, is it opening properly? Was it a new one when the engine was replaced or was it an old and unknown one put back on the recon.

Go to the link about bleeding that Cruz & I posted earlier, this one on brickyard. That's the one I followed with no problems whatsoever, and no jacking up of the van.

Fingers crossed for you