Replacing cooling pipes

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WillScott
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Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

Hello, I have replaced my front to back pipes with the 2 part stainless pipes. Since then I have had numerous leaks from other pipes on the pressure side. I suspect I have connected the hoses at the front to the radiator the wrong way round. I assume that the pressure side feeds the top of the radiator and returns to the thermostat housing from the bottom of the radiator but not sure which is which. The temp is sitting slightly above normal and I think that the leaks are being caused by the system not flowing correctly and generating too much pressure. Any thoughts or comments/advice would be very welcome.
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by TONYT25T25 »

I have the existing plastic pipes and the feed pipe is leaking a bit at the join where it meets the rubber part to the radiator, understand this is a known problem due to corrosion of the metal insert.  Future repair was to replace with either plastic or the two part metal sections you referred to.  Had to look several times to where the rubber parts connect to the radiator as both of the pipes are at the bottom right hand side, at least they are on mine.  To pre-empt questions from others where about are the leaks appearing in the system.
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Mocki
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by Mocki »

There is some confusion about this there are some incorrect . 
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WillScott
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

One of the leaks we have was on the short pipe the goes into the block from the water pump. The first half of the pipe had already been changed with a ss one when the water pump was changed but is linked through a rubber joint to the original plastic second piece, thus started leaking at the joint to the engine which was an o ring, now a metal piece with gasket. Other leak was where bleed rail comes out of the engine on the right hand side and third leak we haven't found yet.
Your front to back plastic pipe that comes out of the engine on the right hand pressure side, what connection does it go into on the rad.
Will Scott
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WillScott
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

Is the diagram representative at the front end attachment to the radiator I.e. right hand side connection for pressure side and left hand connection for return. If this is the case mine us definitely wrong as I've got the hoses crossing over at the front.
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by Mocki »

On Early systems the pipes cross over 
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

So on late models it's definitely right hand connection, on radiator, for pressure and left hand connection for return.
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by Mocki »

Perhaps this is more help 
Image

like I said there are conflicting diagrammed online 
there is no difference in early and later radiators . 
 
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WillScott
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

I have seen this image and it confuses me more, I think I have plumbed mine that way as it actually shows the lines crossing. The right hand connection is the return, which I'm assuming drains the bottom of the radiator and the left hand connection is the pressure which I think should feed up to the top of the radiator in that diagram. The physical radiator doesn't seem to look like this diagram, it looks like the right hand connection feeds up to the top of the radiator, guessing that because the bleed screw is directly above that connection and the left hand connection looks like it comes out the bottom of the radiator. I wish I had been more careful when I swapped the pipes over, assembly is the reverse of disassembly chestnut. Would any one be able to provide a photo of an actual radiator connections and identify which one should connect to the right hand side of engine, pressure side, and which one connects to the thermostat housing.
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

Is this correct
Image
 
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by Mocki »

Yes I think so .
the more info you try to get the more contradicting it seems to be .....

I would go with the Bentley diagrams , and therefore you are correct .
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WillScott
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

Thanks Mocki that's good but I kind of hoped I had done it wrong as it would explain the succession of leak since I've done it. The only thing I can think of now is the radiator is clogged up.
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by Mocki »

Can’t see the rad pipes being the opposite way round causing a leak , the rad is the same resistance in either direction of flow I suspect . 
im thinking that what you have is a coincidence. 
normally leaks come in twos or threes anyway....
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WillScott
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

I think your right but it's really frustrating when you do work to make the van better and end up in a worse place.
I changed the water pump initially last year when it was leaking, my son then took the van round Scotland, had a leak at the front of the main plastic pipe in Oban. A garage did a fix which turned out to be very sound and got him all the way up to Stornaway and back down to Glasgow then back down to Preston with no trouble at all.
I then rebuilt the carb, changed the main cooling pipes and the bleed rail with the rubber Gowesty kit and since then he hasnt managed a trip without a problem. Loosing coolant and overheating, hopefully pulling over before damage, being the main one. Also a fuel breathing problem which a garage in Glasgow solved by drilling a hole in his fuel filler cap, seems to work.
We're left with trying to trace the latest leak and resolve and take it from there.
Will Scott
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WillScott
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Re: Replacing cooling pipes

Post by WillScott »

Hello, further to the overheating problem I had attributed to the changing of the coolant pipes.
My son has been using the van round Scotland for the last 3 weeks with no issues on A & B roads staying below 50 miles an hour.
The only time he has had overheating problems has been after sustained driving of over an hour at speeds above 50 on dual carriageway/motorway.
My current thinking is that the carb overhaul, done at sane time as coolant pipes, and subsequent fuel tank breathing problem is actually the problem. I think the hole drilled in fuel cap has solved the breathing problems at low revs/speed but is leaning out the mixture at motorway speed and causing overheating then emerging leaks.
The question is how do I confirm this. The petrol tank has been reconditioned and internally sealed with POR25 product but may be clogging the internal breathing pipes so I think we'll put in new tank and check all breathers just to be sure. Then how do we check fueling through the driving range without test and potential overheating.
Does this sound feasible and again any advice/suggestions greatfully received.
Will Scott
1989 Autosleeper Trooper
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