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Pinto cooling system help ?
nick-york - 6/9/17 at 08:50 PM

Hi all .I'm really struggling to find all the answers I need here .It's a 2 litre ohc on carbs and I have a heater plumbed in .my radiator has sprung a leak so needs replacing .I think it's a mk1 escort one with the filler cap on .so here are the questions - 1 .I want to replace it with a easier obtainable substitute .so what are the alternatives please ? I'm after one without a filler cap on .2 I want to fit an expansion tank so I can check the level and top up easier .now I think I'm correct in saying the bottom outlet of the tank connects to the bottom hose from the radiator via a t connection .but where does the top pipe on the expansion tank go to please ?3 .I want to fit a sensor to monitor the temperature of the coolant .nothing too flashy and expensive because next year I intend to redo the dashboard and instruments .any suggestions please ? That's all ! Well for now ! Cheers - Nick

JeffHs - 7/9/17 at 08:35 AM

I converted my Pinto with Mk1 Escort rad to Polo rad plus header tank. Bottom hose has a T piece in the run to the water pump. Header tank from scrappies (Corsa? can't remember) has two connections - larger pipe to to T in bottom hose which goes from rad to water pump, second smaller header tank hose to small connection on rad Top hose to thermostat housing. Radiator comes complete with a boss to install a temperature gauge.
I don't have a heater but used the heater connection from water pump as a bleed point for filling - short hose with an old brass radiator bleed housing clamped in the end.
All works perfectly, probably a bit over-cooled compared with Escort rad. Only problem is the silicon hoses. They weep at the joints and stain everything red from the antifreeeze - you must use one that is compatible with iron block and ali rad.

theduck - 7/9/17 at 09:10 AM

Honda Civic alloy rad with shroud and fan are available on eBay for about £70-80 and are very good.

benchmark51 - 7/9/17 at 09:33 AM

quote:
Originally posted by theduck
Honda Civic alloy rad with shroud and fan are available on eBay for about £70-80 and are very good.


Seconded. I used one and it works very well. Has a rad cap, but my header tank is higher ( on the bulkhead) and has a pressure cap so use that to fill.
Cooling fan on the engine side, sucking air through.

nick-york - 7/9/17 at 08:16 PM

quote:
Originally posted by JeffHs
I converted my Pinto with Mk1 Escort rad to Polo rad plus header tank. Bottom hose has a T piece in the run to the water pump. Header tank from scrappies (Corsa? can't remember) has two connections - larger pipe to to T in bottom hose which goes from rad to water pump, second smaller header tank hose to small connection on rad Top hose to thermostat housing. Radiator comes complete with a boss to install a temperature gauge.
I don't have a heater but used the heater connection from water pump as a bleed point for filling - short hose with an old brass radiator bleed housing clamped in the end.
All works perfectly, probably a bit over-cooled compared with Escort rad. Only problem is the silicon hoses. They weep at the joints and stain everything red from the antifreeeze - you must use one that is compatible with iron block and ali rad.
hi .when you used the expansion tank did you have to get a special cap for it that lets pressure in/out ?or was it just the cap that came with the tank ? Cheers - nick

JeffHs - 7/9/17 at 09:36 PM

The cap on the expansion tank is sealed unlike a normal radiator cap. The expansion tank has a big air space above the water level that takes care of changes in pressure and volume. There is no cap on the radiator. So it's a completely sealed system.