2.1dj up in a puff of steam

[mark]

after having a good rummage I find that I have blown the large sensor out of the back of the stat housing
it looks like the hair pin clip had had enough and bid a fond farewell at the traffic lights 2 mins from home. I did run it for about 20 seconds after the red light started flashing, ran a red and parked on double yellows. no oil light, no buzzer, no oily smeg in the header tank, what I did get was a cloud of steam like, the train now leaving platform one for cooked engine, calling at empty bank account and its as good asanewunmate.
I also found that aa men don't like being told to feck off when they ask you to ''start it up so I can see where its leaking from''

FINGERS CROSSED all will be well, because as I peered into the steam I nearly shed a tear, there is/was still coolant in the hoses, not a great deal though.

my questions are, is this a pointer to something more sinister, leaky heads (I cant think of anything more sinister)

I plan to replace the missing clip, fill it and bleed it, is there anything else that I should be looking for?


nb if I had been on the motorway it would be a dead engine now, check the clips people. pics to follow

mark

[Ian Hulley]

Mr Baxter has the thicker plastic replacements for the green hairclips which rust and seep or BOOOSH

http://www.brickwerks.co.uk/shop?page=s ... ory_id=118

Finger's crossed nothing got cooked

Ian

[mark]

thanks for the link ian

I think it would be rude not to order a new sensor and 8 litres of pink gold while im at it

the little fecker



mark

[Ian Hulley]

I run on blue anti-freeze because I do/did around 20,000 miles a year and things wear out within the lifetime of the coolant but I agree ... rude not to really.

Ian

[Mocki]

You should be ok with that , mine did the same a couple of years back, it drops the coolant right onto the zorst with the wind rushing under the van, steams more than you think it should but the time you ran for wasn't terminal I don't think..... Fingers crossed.

Mine popped a hose a couple of weeks ago, and I was not in a position to be able to kill the engine nor stop for a good 5 mins and mine survived....

[mm289]

Reckon you'll be OK Mark, red light would probs have been triggered by coolant level sensor rather than temp and 20 secs, or even a min or two wouldn't be enough to cook at low speeds I reckon.

Refill it all and if you are concerned do a leak down test which will show any head leakage.

Good luck

MM

[mark]

thanks for the advice and crossed fingers
new bits and bobs ordered, I was hoping to take it up to esk valley(near Whitby) at the weekend for a few days, I still will if I get it sorted..... we'll be right at home with the steam trains

mark

[mark]

well I didn't take up to the frozen north, ice, snow, wind and salt put me off a bit, that and the 3'' of snow on the ground and the blizzard conditions before we left meant I wasn't able to attempt the fix. anyhoo bought enough coolant to float a boat, a new temp sensor, seal and hairpin clip. I got 4 1/2 litres of coolant in and 2 and a bit back out I lost about a 3rd of the coolant in about 1 1/2 mins. the only wobbly bit was turning the key to fire it up and it purred back into life as if nowt had happen. bleed it ala baxters method

had a couple of short runs, just up to temp and run back home expecting the worse. nothing untoward as yet . going to use it for work next week so that should sort it out one way or the other. keeping my fingers crossed

mark

[mark]

well after a week of lots of short runs and sitting in traffic, all is well in the land of dj engines (well the hull branch anyroad) not a drop used and still at the brim. the coolant is pink and is transferring between the header and top up tanks

mark