DarrenW
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| posted on 28/4/06 at 11:31 PM |
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Im losing coolant - why??
Im not running a header tank on my pinto coolant system. Ive used Micra rad and 13lb rad cap. On a hard run im losing some coolant. Many will say
that the system will find its own level but mine loses a touch more often until the level is below the fan temp sender - ie temp that the fan kicks in
staedily rises until i have to fill up.
The water was very murky and brown. Engine had sat for 2 years before i fitted it. Ive flushed it out with the hose tonight. Ill refill, run for 2
weeks and flush again.
I took the water jacket plug out (below no4 exhaust outlet) a while back ond nothing came out - itwas sludged solid. Had to poke wire in to start
water flow - tonight ive had a good flow of hosepipe water coming out of it so hopefully it is now de-sludged.
Q's:
1. If system is shitty brown will this cause it to get hot and therefore have the tendancy to keep blowing water out of the rad cap?
2. Is the reason more likely to be air lock?
3. How do you fill to avoid air lock?
4. What have you used to flush the system?
5. Does anyone else have a brown water problem that they cant seem to get rid of? (Q applies to iron block users i guess).
Cheers,
Darren.
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nitram38
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| posted on 29/4/06 at 06:03 AM |
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Most Brown sludge is caused by lack of anti-freeze. This might not have been while you had the engine.
The problem you have is more than likely, that the sludge has moved to your radiator and blocked some of its waterways. This would lead to
overheating ang loss of coolant.
I would recommend that you flush that out too. Then buy some rad flush and afterwards, flush out again with a hose pipe.
On my pinto (many years ago) I ran an expansion bottle in the system which also cured my water loss problems.
You may want to fit one of those too.
Lastly, make sure you use the correct mix of anti-freeze as this will help prevent the corrosion in the first place.
Martin
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britishtrident
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| posted on 29/4/06 at 07:28 AM |
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After flushing it out fit an expansion bottle on the system --- non pressurised type, most jap car have them it just catches he the overflow from the
rad and allows it to be sucked back in.
Also check the system has a by pass hose fitted or has a constant water flw through the heater.
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DarrenW
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| posted on 29/4/06 at 05:13 PM |
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oK,
Sludge caused by no antifreeze looks like a feasible reason. Sludge has obviously been compacted to bottom of block over the years.
Last night i flushed it for ages until only clean water ran out (through various pipes etc). Today ive refilled with 33% mix. Ive also bought Forte
coolant flush which i will use in a week or so after the new fill has had chance to circulate and get browned off.
Expansion bottle - is this the basic type with just a push on cap rather than a rad cap on top. Do i connect the over flow bit (just below rad cap) to
this bottle? Does the bottle need to be higher than the rad?
Please explain what a bypass hose is? I dont have a heater fitted. I only have the rad, the engine and some pipes.
Thanks for your help. Only other question to ask is how do i fill and get rid of air locks?
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robertst
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| posted on 29/4/06 at 11:22 PM |
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darren
to avoid air locks, 2.0 pintos have a little screw near the thermostat which is a sort of relief valve, before you fill the system back up again make
sure this screw is out, when water starts to come out of here, tighten the screw back again and continue to fill up. then, with the engine running,
squeeze the hoses going to and from the engine and that should take away any airlocks. worked for me
than again i have an expansion tank which helps to dissipate airlocks but it should work anyway.
Tom
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David Jenkins
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| posted on 30/4/06 at 07:00 AM |
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Darren,
Try reading Dave Andrews' article on Pinto cooling systems here.
I think you'll find that it addresses EVERY problem you describe! 
David
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jos
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| posted on 30/4/06 at 08:27 AM |
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Just to make things more intereting for you darren.
I too dont have an expansion vessel and have never (touch wood) suffered with loss of coolant, infact I checked the level very recently as I was
worried that I hadnt done it correctly and the level was exactly the same as when I first filled it.
Beginers luck I guess.
I filled the system with the hose to the carb detached and filled it (slowly & carefully) from the rad with the rad mounted to the chassis but up
in the air (read above the level of the carb inlet) This way I could tell when water flowed out of the carb that I had minimised my chance of
airlocks in that section. Then (with the assistance of a helper I filled the rest of the system through the carb hose until full and then joined the
carb hose to the carb.
Drop the front end down
Go for a drive top up if necessary from the rad cap, put the body work back on, go for a couple of runs, check the level and it shouldntve changed
.: Motorsport / motor racing circuit / track wall art Apex Traxs :.
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britishtrident
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| posted on 30/4/06 at 07:37 PM |
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By-pass hose circuit is fitted to get an even temerpature gradient within the cylinder block and make sure the thermostast gets some water circulation
around it when it is closed it also helps get rid of air locks. If you get no water circulation around the thermostat when it is closed the thermostat
will open late and may not open when needed.
One 70s Ford the by-pas connection was simply the heater -- Ford used an air blending heater that is hot water circulated continously through the
heater radiator.
On other car models which used a water valve heater a seperate by-pass would be provided between the water pump inlet and either the engine side of
the thermostat housing or the inlet manifold.
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DarrenW
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| posted on 30/4/06 at 08:34 PM |
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Great stuff, thanks all. Great links too. Will have a play after the next major flush.
Ive just completed a 400 mile round trip and didnt loose much colant this time. I think a major contributor this time was less sludge. Impurities in
water raises boiling point etc etc etc.
Thanks for your help. I saw a basic expansion tank today so now have an idea what to fit if i find it necessary.
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