Club 80-90 Forums

oddnumber wrote:It's certainly a possibility on our van, the coolant was a right old mess. We backflushed it on Saturday though so should, in theory, have gotten rid of most of it. The gauge had sat at about a quarter way up, which is what prompted the thermostat change as I thought it was staying open. New thermostat in and the gauge sits higher now. it could be a faulty thermostat, or the temp gauge is reading high (and the old thermostat worse than I thought).

This dribbling coolant issue is now compounding the problem though!

did you test the old thermostat?
reads like the new one isn't opening enough!

The annoying thing is that the van served the last owner well, and now I'm fixing bits that needed doing, I'm hitting problems!

Still, I guess you can obsess about these things. As long as it gets me where I need to go without overheating, setting on fire or costing too much for fuel I'll be happy

kevtherev wrote:

oddnumber wrote:It's certainly a possibility on our van, the coolant was a right old mess. We backflushed it on Saturday though so should, in theory, have gotten rid of most of it. The gauge had sat at about a quarter way up, which is what prompted the thermostat change as I thought it was staying open. New thermostat in and the gauge sits higher now. it could be a faulty thermostat, or the temp gauge is reading high (and the old thermostat worse than I thought).

This dribbling coolant issue is now compounding the problem though!

did you test the old thermostat?
reads like the new one isn't opening enough!

The new one is opening - water is getting to the radiator, return pipes are warm - but it sits at 3/4 on the gauge when warm. The old one opened but took ages to close, and didn't quite close fully when tested.

oddnumber wrote:

kevtherev wrote:

oddnumber wrote:It's certainly a possibility on our van, the coolant was a right old mess. We backflushed it on Saturday though so should, in theory, have gotten rid of most of it. The gauge had sat at about a quarter way up, which is what prompted the thermostat change as I thought it was staying open. New thermostat in and the gauge sits higher now. it could be a faulty thermostat, or the temp gauge is reading high (and the old thermostat worse than I thought).

This dribbling coolant issue is now compounding the problem though!

did you test the old thermostat?
reads like the new one isn't opening enough!

The new one is opening - water is getting to the radiator, return pipes are warm - but it sits at 3/4 on the gauge when warm. The old one opened but took ages to close, and didn't quite close fully when tested.

did you test the new one before fitting it?
I had a new one not open fully

just trying to eliminate the easy stuff before you buy a rad

Oh no

kevtherev wrote: just trying to eliminate the easy stuff before you buy a rad

Kev I didn't suggest he bought a new rad just yet but merely pointed out the possible unpleasantries which may be contributing to his ailments My coolant was clear as a bell and regularly swapped but the old rad (even when thoroughly drained) was still 1/2 as heavy again as the brand new thick one Plus the difference in the cooling is phenomenol.

Ian

@ Jim

Didn't test the new one at all Kev. Might be worth replacing any way I guess, just to rule it out.

Ian Hulley wrote:Kev I didn't suggest he bought a new rad just yet but merely pointed out the possible unpleasantries which may be contributing to his ailments

I know that mate, it's just me talking from the top of me 'ead.
I am looking at a Baxter rad purchase mesen..

I would just test it, Mr oddnumber.. and use a thermometer

kevtherev wrote:

Ian Hulley wrote:Kev I didn't suggest he bought a new rad just yet but merely pointed out the possible unpleasantries which may be contributing to his ailments

I know that mate, it's just me talking from the top of me 'ead.
I am looking at a Baxter rad purchase mesen..

I would just test it, Mr oddnumber.. and use a thermometer

Cheers Kev. Bit of a nightmare draining the coolant again and refilling and bleeding afterwards, but there you go

Just out of curiosity what do you guys use to catch your coolant in when you drop it?

I wouldn't be draining it to change a stat

Right then chaps, had a good look over tonight. From what I can see, the leak is coming from the pipe that has been cunningly repaired using blue hose in the pic. It's not leaking from that repair but rather further down, from what I can tell. Does anyone know if this pipe is readly available, or is it a case of making another repair to what's there?

I'm hoping the coolant is coming from there because I can't see anywhere else for it to come from! Until I get the crankshaft pulley off I'll not know, and I've lost my big adjustable spanner so that will have to wait until tommorow. I'm hoping that comes off easily too

Is there anything else down there that could leak?

no nothing else.
IIRC the pipe pulls out of the pump housing, once the other end is disconnected.
the hose allows you to bend it

Awesome, cheers Kev

Just seen your erlier reply - surely some coolant has to drain when you remove the stat?

yes some will come out but not all of it
removal of the pipe will mean more coolant loss though
I use a 25lt jerry can cut in half to catch it

Just been pondering this a bit more - why would the leak only happen when the header cap was taken off? Is that suggestive of a further problem with the cooling system/pressure?