iani Posted January 5, 2023 Share Posted January 5, 2023 Engine is 2000 Mk1, standard spec', CD150's, nothing fancy. Car has seen very limited use in recent years from what I can tell, I'm recommissioning it really. I had the engine idling for a good hour during the cold snap before Xmas, the temp gauge hardly moved and there was no sign of coolant circulating, the radiator wasn't getting particularly hot and the heater wasn't working at all. Today I fitted a new water pump, the one in the car seemed ok on removal, I fitted a new 82C thermostat and some new hoses, rad top & bottom & elbow to inlet manifold. Again, no sign of water circulating, however, there was an odd surging noise & feeling through the top & bottom hoses, on removing the 'stat the noise & surge stopped. The engine was idling for a good hour+ with the 'stat in place, the temp gauge didn't rise above 1/3. I'm stumped, on removing the rad bottom hose, coolant gushed out, suggesting the rad is clear. Any thoughts as to what could have been causing the surging with the 'stat fitted? when I removed it immediately on turning the engine off it was fully open, it then closed fine on cooling down, I don't believe it is faulty. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 I suspect there is air stuck in there. i tend to fill my MK1 via a heater hose as the heater is higher than many other Triumphs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
standardthread Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 1 hour ago, thescrapman said: I suspect there is air stuck in there. i tend to fill my MK1 via a heater hose as the heater is higher than many other Triumphs. Or remove the top heater hose with the engine running. I fitted a bleed valve in the metal pipe at this point. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 The thing is though that air in the heater shouldnt stop flow through the radiator. It does sound like there was some air in the system however if the engine was run for a good hour and didnt overheat I think there must have been some circulation although I never found it easy to verify this. With the cold temperature at that time and on tick over I wouldnt expect the gauge to get to its normal position... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foshi Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 must have had some flow would have boiled up running a hour . a air lock that sorted itself or stat Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 2 hours ago, foshi said: must have had some flow would have boiled up running a hour . a air lock that sorted itself or stat The radiator isn't heating up, only the top 1/4, however, remove the bottom hose and water gushes out quickly so a blockage seems unlikely Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 As I say I wonder if with those temperatures and tick over thats all you can expect - dont forget that in the old days people used to cover up part of their radiators on cold days (radiator blinds anyone?).... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 23 minutes ago, glang said: As I say I wonder if with those temperatures and tick over thats all you can expect - dont forget that in the old days people used to cover up part of their radiators on cold days (radiator blinds anyone?).... I'm hoping to drive it home next week, it was due to come home today but a bad air leak was identified on a test drive so the manifold gasket needs changing. The tech also suspects at least one valve might be suspect, I was planning an engine swap, it might be happening sooner than I'd intended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rutty Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 Is the metal pipe that runs from the back of the water pump housing behind the exhaust manifold blocked or badly corroded. If it is the system won’t bleed properly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted January 6, 2023 Author Share Posted January 6, 2023 44 minutes ago, Rutty said: Is the metal pipe that runs from the back of the water pump housing behind the exhaust manifold blocked or badly corroded. If it is the system won’t bleed properly. I was wondering same as it is very corroded on outside, I have SS replacement on its way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 I cant see it as that pipe is only the return from the manifold and heater (if valve open) so if blocked coolant still goes from the pump through the block, to thermostat and radiator. Your heater and manifold heating wont work but the engine should cool ok... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rutty Posted January 6, 2023 Share Posted January 6, 2023 1 hour ago, glang said: I cant see it as that pipe is only the return from the manifold and heater (if valve open) so if blocked coolant still goes from the pump through the block, to thermostat and radiator. Your heater and manifold heating wont work but the engine should cool ok... On my Vitesse that pipe was blocked solid and caused all sorts of strange problems. I fitted a new pipe and the problems all cleared. Also the correct triumph thermostat does not have a bleed hole and the bleeding is done via that pipe. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 Ive looked closely at the cooling circuit and the heater/manifold heating is just a loop going from the pump discharge through the small rubber connection round and back to the pump intake via the steel pipe. Any air in the system has to be evacuated through the block to the thermostat and onto the rad so I cant see a blockage in the heater circuit causing a problem and have actually put a small valve in the aforementioned rubber hose so in the summer it can be shut and all the pump output only used for engine cooling.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPearce Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 9 hours ago, Rutty said: Also the correct triumph thermostat does not have a bleed hole Pete Lewis would take issue with that statement. Most of the after-market ones don't have the bleed hole but the proper one should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted January 7, 2023 Author Share Posted January 7, 2023 32 minutes ago, RobPearce said: Pete Lewis would take issue with that statement. Most of the after-market ones don't have the bleed hole but the proper one should. The issues have been present with two ‘stats, one with a poppet valve, one with just a hole and again without a ‘stat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foshi Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 can still be rad had it myself , water flowed out bottom hose removed exchange rad fine , does it boil up heater hot ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RobPearce Posted January 7, 2023 Share Posted January 7, 2023 I think, if the only reason for believing there's "no flow" is that the bulk of the radiator stays cold, then it's probably flowing absolutely fine. At idle, there's not that much heat going into the rad, and if the rad's in good condition then it can easily dispose of that heat within the top quarter, especially if it's still got a mechanical fan running. I had a 2500S with an electric fan that seized up. I didn't even notice until I'd been stuck in stationary traffic for twenty minutes after a good blast. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted January 7, 2023 Author Share Posted January 7, 2023 1 hour ago, foshi said: can still be rad had it myself , water flowed out bottom hose removed exchange rad fine , does it boil up heater hot ? Interesting, I need to flush it through for a start, I do have a spare rad here that I can have reconditioned. When we removed the 'stat housing after running the engine for a long time, the coolant was very pressurised & the 'stat was fully open, the rad was mostly cold, it might well be suspect Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
glang Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 I would just get out and drive it, that'll give the system a flush through! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thescrapman Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 14 hours ago, iani said: Interesting, I need to flush it through for a start, I do have a spare rad here that I can have reconditioned. When we removed the 'stat housing after running the engine for a long time, the coolant was very pressurised & the 'stat was fully open, the rad was mostly cold, it might well be suspect If you are going to get rad rebuilt, might as well do a flat top, in readiness if you go 2.5. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted January 8, 2023 Share Posted January 8, 2023 Ian, have you an infrared temperature gun, take readings along the water jacket, I wonder if the block is silted up, GT6/Vitesse suffer from this as the engine is longitudinally angled, as the Saloon engine is tilted over??? Does water/coolant flow out of the engine water tap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted January 8, 2023 Author Share Posted January 8, 2023 1 hour ago, Tim Bancroft said: Ian, have you an infrared temperature gun, take readings along the water jacket, I wonder if the block is silted up, GT6/Vitesse suffer from this as the engine is longitudinally angled, as the Saloon engine is tilted over??? Does water/coolant flow out of the engine water tap? Haven't got to try the tap yet Tim, I haven't had the car home, I had it delivered to EJ Ward as I was having work done on my Mk2 PI and the bits coming off that have gone onto the Mk1. I am sure there is a blockage somewhere, assuming I can get the car home this week, I will investigate next weekend, backlashing, prodding the drain plug etc, the rad has a drain plug on this car, I'll pop that off too, I have a new one if that is blocked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted January 8, 2023 Author Share Posted January 8, 2023 4 hours ago, thescrapman said: If you are going to get rad rebuilt, might as well do a flat top, in readiness if you go 2.5. The spare rad I have here is a flat top, unfortunately no radiator places nearby, have to take it to Northampton. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tim Bancroft Posted January 9, 2023 Share Posted January 9, 2023 Be careful with the radiator drain plug, often seized, resulting in damage to the bottom tank when attempting to undo the tap. If the bottom is flowing, think its fair to say the tap will be fine...reckon issues are in the engine block. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iani Posted January 9, 2023 Author Share Posted January 9, 2023 (edited) 1 hour ago, Tim Bancroft said: Be careful with the radiator drain plug, often seized, resulting in damage to the bottom tank when attempting to undo the tap. If the bottom is flowing, think its fair to say the tap will be fine...reckon issues are in the engine block. I have some Restore Plus here, I have used it to good effect before, hopefully get this in over the coming weekend. Edited January 9, 2023 by iani Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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