Cooling issues.......again

[Steve Williams]

Good evening everyone

I'm currently having a run of problems with my car. Sorted most of them myself but I can't get my head around my cooling system. Since I had my new radiator & viscous coupling fitted a few weeks ago i've been running hotter. I seem to be getting a leak from my expansion bottle around the brass neck. I've fitted a new 20psi cap just incase but I could see bubbles around the neck. I do think I may of had the bottle to full, well over half way when cold. I spoke to Peter at LD today and he says that it doesn't matter how full the bottle is and that it appears I have to much pressure in the system. He mentioned the dreaded words "head gasket failure" to go with it I also have the gurgling sound you can hear when inside the car. A small amount of water in the v too.

Any suggestions will be greatly recieved.

Cheers

Steve

[Bandit1200]

Steve
Did you have the heater control on HOT when you refilled the system?
Could be some air in the system. Worth checking all the simple stuff before the dreaded head removal.
Steve

[Steve Williams]

Hi Steve

Yes I did have the heather on hot. I didn't get to do the block drain plugs or have the front passenger side wheel jacked up though. I was going to check it all again and buy myself a new expansion bottle until I spoke to Peter about it. LD don't sell them and recommended the header tank conversion and he also spoke about my system sounding like it was under too much pressure. I am going to do the conversion but I wanted to be leak free first. My temp gauge used to sit at half way until I had my radiator troubles.

[martin]

Steve
Did you have the heater control on HOT when you refilled the system?
Could be some air in the system. Worth checking all the simple stuff before the dreaded head removal.
Steve

Hi Steve, as Steve2 says, plus, sometimes the collar on the expansion bottle fails, yours has, and it's not repairable, new one needed I'm afraid. Excessive coolant would normally blow by the cap, that's what it's there for. The simple test, is to get the old girl up to temperature, then let it cool, take the cap off, and if there's still pressure when she's cold you've got a problem. It may only be the inlet manifold gaskets so don't panic yet. Do let us know how you get on. Martin.

[Bandit1200]

Steve
I can recomend the header tank conversion. Fitted it 2 months ago and feel much more secure when driving without constant need to check temp guage.
I've still got original expansion tank, 1976 Mk2, if you want it before committing to expense of header tank. Let me know by PM.
Steve

[Bob Heritage]

If it is bubbling around the expansion filler neck then it is not holding pressure. I would think about fitting a header tank rather than spend money on replacing the expansion bottle. In the mean time, the expansion bottle should be 1/3rd full when cold and make sure you check the rad is full via the radiator filler plug. There are quite a few header tanks that are adaptable e.g Merc or Volvo, the idea being to keep water above the pump level and self bleed the system of air.

[Steve Williams]

Thanks gents. I am going to check the car again tomorrow. I will also go for a header tank conversion for sure. Also my alternator is not I think where it should be. Mine is fitted up high in front of the engine on the opposite side to the power steering pump. This may affect what I can do header tank wise. This may also explain why I have no hot air hose fitted.

[WealdenManinKent]

[QUOTE=Steve Williams;184282]Good evening everyone

...I seem to be getting a leak from my expansion bottle around the brass neck. I've fitted a new 20psi cap just incase but I could see bubbles around the neck...


Steve

You may have a crack in the seam around the brass neck, this may be almost invisible but you say you see bubbles around it? Brazed and soldered joints can suffer fine hairline cracks. A replacement header tank would prove this.
Also for peace of mind it may be good idea to ask a local garage to check if any exhaust gases in cooling system, (to eliminate head gasket) this is easy & quick check.

Roger

[V Mad]

Small amount of coolant in the vee is not significant.

You must leave some space for expansion otherwise coolant will be forced out under pressure, and give a false indication of head gasket failure. Max bottle level 1/2 full when cold.

When refilling the system, you must get all the air out. Warm up the engine then keep topping up at the radiator and revving engine, until it is full (squeeze top hose etc to help).

Also check the thermostat is working OK. Is your viscous coupling working - can you feel a strong air flow when revved up?

[Steve Williams]

Morning

Roger. I do think the bottle has had it so i'm going to invest in the header tank route. If then I still have problems I need to cart her off to a local garage for a check up.

Chris. I do have a new thermostat to fit and i'm going to go through the cooling system again to make sure everything is okay. All of the cooling hoses were changed so I will check all of the clips to make sure they are all tight. My Viscous Coupling is new and that works as you get a large rush of air when revved. Another weekend in the garage it is then. love it.

[Steve Williams]

Okay I am going to commit to the header tank option I think. On the new radiator I had fitted there is a connection 3/4 of the way down the left tank. I have it closed over at the moment with a bit of hose and a jubilee clip. Can I connect straight into this from the bottom connection of whatever header tank I fit? Or do I need to do the whole t piece arrangement around the pump and heater hose area? I understand I need to fit the top connection of the header tank into the filler plug of the radiator. I assume I will need to blank off the old overflow pipe on the rad too.

Cheers

Steve

[Danny]

Hi Steve,

Have a look at my article on fitting a header tank http://www.grampianstags.net/restorations.htm there is a few other interesting and useful technical descripitions on the Grampian Stags website.

My article is also posted on the Technical section of Stag (this) website http://www.stag.org.uk/forum/showthr...-a-Header-Tank

Danny

[V Mad]

Steve, a fitting lower down the radiator is a good place to connect to the header tank outlet. My Sunbeam Tiger was designed like that and works well. The top/inlet to the tank can come from the rad filler boss.

[silverfox]

Hi Steve, I had the same trouble with the expansion bottle. As a stop gap until I fitted a header tank, I plastered araldite around the bottle neck which cured the problem. Terry

[Norfolk Blue]

Steve. You may have already decided on what header tank you are going to fit but if you havent then i can recommend Stagwebbers kit http://stagweber.co.uk/Triumph_Stag_Header_Tank_Kit as it will fit without modification with the Tony Hart alternator kit. I dont know if the header tank will fit with the E J Wards alternator kit but it might. As V Mad suggested I have had an extra fitting added to my radiator so that i can feed it direct from the header tank and not tee into other pipework. Besides being neater it is necessary in my case as i am also fitting Stagdad's external water pump and i did not want the feed from the header tank on the output side of the water pump. I am still fitting everything at the moment and hope to have it finished over the weekend. When i do i will post more details and photos but in the meantime i hope that the following picture helps. Tim

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