[Healeys] cooling problem

[Mirek Sharp]

Good thought Alan,  I wondered about that as when I installed it I had to 
file a few thou off the rough casting inside the thermostat housing.  With 
expansion from the heat, it may just be doing as you say.  If so, there 
should be evidence on the thermostat body.

Also, responding to Kees, I only ever use a 50/50 mixture of distilled water 
and coolant.

Mirek

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Alan Seigrist" <healey.nut at gmail.com>
To: "Mirek Sharp" <m.g.sharp at sympatico.ca>; "Healey List" 
<healeys at autox.team.net>
Sent: Tuesday, July 21, 2009 6:18 PM
Subject: Re: [Healeys] cooling problem


> Mirek -
>
> The only disadvantage with the sleeve thermostat is there is very
> little clearance between the sleeve and the housing in which it sits.
> I would take out the thermostat and very thouroughly clean the housing
> with a wire brush - I suspect the sleeve is getting caught up from
> time to time when it tries to open or close.
>
> Alan
>
> On 7/22/09, Mirek Sharp <m.g.sharp at sympatico.ca> wrote:
>> Actually it is a heating problem.  A few years ago I was having cooling
>> problems and I consulted Norm Nock's book for advice.  I ended up 
>> removing
>> the
>> rad and heater core and having them cleaned at a rad shop. I back-flushed
>> the
>> engine block, just with the garden hose.  I also fitted an original type
>> sleeve thermostat from British Car Specialists.  I have recently had the
>> temp
>> gauge out and checked its accuracy with a lab thermometer and found it to 
>> be
>> very accurate.  After these changes the car did not overheat, but the
>> temperature was always a bit sporadic, sometimes staying at around 160 
>> and
>> other times closer to 180.  The car has always suffered from "hill boil" 
>> (as
>> Michael Salter told me), the temperature needle swinging up to 212 
>> whenever
>> I
>> am stopped, but never boiling over. I put this down to some irregular 
>> water
>> circulation around the temp sensor when at idle.  I am not worried about
>> that
>> - it has been doing it for 35 years.
>>
>> However, the irregular running temp is getting worse.  Yesterday, driving 
>> on
>> a
>> cool morning, the temp settled in at around 170, but inexplicably dropped 
>> to
>> around 120, where it stayed for the rest of the 2 hour trip.  I can only
>> think
>> the thermostat is sticking open, but why would it function 
>> intermittently?
>> Also, the thermostat is only  a few years old and I do not drive the car
>> regularly.  I plan to pull the thermostat and test it, but thought I 
>> would
>> plumb the depth of knowledge on the list first.  I have no other
>> explanation.
>> Suggestions?
>>
>> Mirek
>> 60 BT7
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>
>
> -- 
> Alan
>
> '52 A90
> '53 BN1
> '64 BJ8