Dear All,
I've been very quiet of late, since all the things that have gone wrong
with my cars over the past few months have been things that I have been
able to diagnose and fix myself. This is no longer the case. I would
be grateful for any suggestions that you guys might be able to come up
with - I'm stumped...
Symptoms
I drove Carly (the Spit) up to London yesterday, with the heater on, and
just as I neared my destination, the heater started blowing cold air,
and the engine temperature began to rise - fast. Normally, the
temperature gauge in my car reads about 1/4, but it rapidly went up to
3/4. I parked up, and came back to the car a few hours later. I
checked the coolant level (a trifle low, but I was able to top up using
considerably less than a pint of water), and consistency (watery - no
sign of emulsification). I checked the oil (oil-coloured, and correct
fill level). I then drove for about two miles at 40 mph, by which time
the temperature gauge was over the 3/4 mark. The top of the radiator
was too hot to touch, but the main body of the rad, and most of the
hoses, were cold. I fiddled about sticking screwdriver blades up the
hoses at the side of the road, trying to see if there was a blockage I
could clear, and eventually decided to remove the thermostat. Having
done this, I was able to drive the 70 miles home at 60 mph with the
temperature gauge reading 1/2.
Treatment
Today, I flushed the cooling system with cold water at mains pressure
(in both directions, and using as many orifices as I could, including
the heater hoses); I checked the fan belt tension (which was correct) -
it is rotating correctly in any case; I removed the water pump and found
it to be in as-new condition and rotating freely (so I put it back on
the car, with a new gasket); I tested the 'stat, and found that it was
opening and closing correctly at 73 degrees (so I put it back on the
car, with a new gasket); I removed the heater control valve, and pulled
out several bits of orange rubbery stuff (the remains of some DPO's
Instant Gasket which was used on the water pump housing). I then
refitted the valve. Next I drove the car around the block. Still no
heat from the heater. Engine temperature still rising to 3/4 on the
gauge. Radiator now getting warm on the inlet side, and all hoses
except heater hoses getting warm too. Additionally, and unfortunately,
there is now a hole in the radiator, through which coolant is spraying
onto the fan. This was not the case before. Either I punctured the
rad getting the water pump and fan assembly off, or the water pressure
in the system has punched its own hole.
I don't want to buy and fit a new radiator, only to have the first
problem blow a hole through that as well, but I cannot work out what
that problem can be. It must be a blockage somewhere in the system,
I'm sure, but flushing shows that water flows right the way through the
system without any trouble. Can you help? Please?
Thanks in advance for anything you can suggest.
ATB
--
Mike
Ellie - 1963 White Herald 1200 Convertible GA125624 CV
Connie - 1968 Conifer Herald 1200 Saloon GA237511 DL
Carly - 1977 Inca Yellow Spitfire 1500 FH105671
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