Club 80-90 Forums

Hi, if my 1900cc petrol was to overheat does the water/steam etc have an escape route other than the half filled expansion tank?
I realise this might sound a dumb question but all vehicles that I’ve previously owned have had a pressure cap on the radiator with an exit point, then once the water/steam needs to escape its directed to the ground.

Expansion tank should be full
There's a top up tank (which should be half full) behind the rear flap connected to the expansion tank via the pressure (darlek) cap, when excess pressure is required to escape it escapes into the top up tank, which has three vent holes on the top so excess coolant/steam is shot onto underside of engine lid and drips down onto road.

Unless you have an alternative engine fitted with 'interesting' plumbing which tehre have been a few wonderful examples of

Thanks Aidan and well explained.
I have jumped the wiring on the two speed cooling fan and it works okay but I was just concerned that although I’ve had the engine running for long periods the fan has never come on so it’s good to know if it overheated I would soon know about it.
Thanks again.