Club 80-90 Forums

Well i finally got round to ditching my old antifreeze and putting fresh in yesterday. Thats where the problem started.

The old stuff that came out was v brown and rusty lookin. Looks like the previous owner didnt like to keep it fresh. Will this have caused any major damage internally? Consequently the new stuff has murked up due to the crap within despite me flushing it for a long time.

Followed the process for bleeding as in the wiki but all does not seem well. It all looks fine with the expansion bottle full and water coming out of the rad bleed but when I drove it back from my mates the red water temp light kept flashing on and off - not continuously though. Its a journey of less than a mile. I checked the expansion bottle and it'd dropped a little so i topped it up again. The red light only came on when driven and not when fast/slow idle when stationary.

I'm guessing there's still air in the system so am gonna re-bleed it tomorrow.
Anyone any ideas?

Also the rad bleed screw will not tighten up properly anymore - does this mean a new rad required or can it be fixed?
Cheers
Jamie

Hi Jamie,
re the bleed screw...have you got a copper washer underneath it?

Em
x

Em,
There is a washer underneath it. As to whether its copper - it probably was once. LOL
I've bled it again today and it now seems fine albeit the nut will go hand tight but then if you try to nip it up with a spanner it just spins. I'm guessing the thread has gone on the rad. If i could get another washer beneath it may work but there isnt a lot of clearance there between the bracket and where the bolt sits on he rad. Plus i guess i'd be storing a problem for later.
May have to bite the bullet and buy a new rad or try have this refurbed.
Cheers anyway
Jamie

Hi jamie,
we nipped up a bolt toooooo tight, and managed to split the casing!

Needing the van, we offed to hafords and got some liquid metal stuff. That held for 3 years until I ran it out of water, and the pressure blew the joint....think it would still be there if I had taken more care with fluid levels

Em
x

Well,
Took the rad out today and have re-tapped where the bleed screws in and put in an oversized bolt. If that works when i put it all back together tomorrow then i'll leave it til i have some spare cash. If not i'll have to bite the bullit and get a new rad.
Fingers crossed for 2morrow,
Jamie