Printable Version | Subscribe | Add to Favourites
New Topic New Poll New Reply
Author: Subject: 1300 x flow engine/cooling system problem
myke pocock

posted on 8/6/08 at 12:11 PM Reply With Quote
1300 x flow engine/cooling system problem

My second post on this Forum and in two days! I have a 1300 x flow fitted and when it gets up towards the red line on the temperature gauge (standard Escort so compatible with the engine) the coolant rises allarmingly in the header tank and then overflows. I havnt overfilled the tank. When it is rising it is visibly bubbling into the tank. Also evident is air coming from around the dip stick neck (slight bubbling) and a slight trace of emulsification part way down on the dip stick. I have a long, flexible dip stick fitted. There is no evidence of emulsification within the oil on the bottom of the dip stick. As the engine cools the header tank empties and despite trying an experiment and running with minimum coolant in it to see what happens, when it drains it is virtually dry. My gut feeling is that I may have a cracked head that is pressurising the cooling system. Any thoughts?
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
trialsman

posted on 8/6/08 at 12:49 PM Reply With Quote
Sounds like a head gasket or cracked head to me. I am not an expert by any means. I hope it is just the gasket. It is a lot easier to find 1300 xflow parts where you are than I can for mine here in the states.
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
rusty nuts

posted on 8/6/08 at 01:21 PM Reply With Quote
Do you have an electric fan ? is it cutting in?what temperature is the thermostat? is a heater fitted ? if not do you have a bi pass hose between the inlet manifold and the water pump ? before stripping head off it may be worth getting it tested for head gasket failure although bubbling into the header tank is probably due to head gasket failure. The bubbling around the dip stick could be oil boiling?
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
myke pocock

posted on 8/6/08 at 02:20 PM Reply With Quote
I do not have a heater fitted and have blanked off the inlet manifold and water pump take offs. Do you think that is affecting the water flow Mr Rusty Nuts as you appear to have good knowledge of the x flow engine? I do have an electric fan fitted and it is cutting in and working well but am not sure of the thermostat temperature. The head gasket is new as I rebuilt the engine but I wonder if it is the correct one for a 1300 although I would have made a visual check when fitting it anyway. That was some time ago now though.
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
rusty nuts

posted on 8/6/08 at 03:35 PM Reply With Quote
Its possible you have an air lock due to water not being able to circulate from manifold which is the highest point of the engine although I'm sure someone will be along shortly to say otherwise Does the car overheat when driving or when stationary with the engine running? Have you checked ignition timing, mixture, air leaks etc? It would only take a few minutes to test for head gasket failure using a block tester . Did you check the head surface for distortion? use a torque wrench when tightening the head bolts down?
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
myke pocock

posted on 8/6/08 at 07:56 PM Reply With Quote
The car isnt on the road so overheating is at standstill. Timing, mixture and air leaks are OK. Cant remember checking the block or head but that was two years ago or more when I built the engine up. What is a block tester and where do I get one? I did torque the head down as well.
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 8/6/08 at 09:00 PM Reply With Quote
quote:
Originally posted by myke pocock
I do not have a heater fitted and have blanked off the inlet manifold and water pump take offs. Do you think that is affecting the water flow Mr Rusty Nuts as you appear to have good knowledge of the x flow engine?


You shouldn't blank off those connections - run a length of pipe between them. This bypass is required when the thermostat is shut, and it generally helps with the water circulation.






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
82 Locost

posted on 9/6/08 at 10:46 AM Reply With Quote
1. Does the radiator get hot before the car overheats? It the radiator stays cold it could be the thermostat not letting the hot water from the head flow to the radiator. If the rad doesn't get hot, maybe it's worth taking the thermostsat out and seeing if that makes a difference.

2. Is the system correctly pressurised? I had a Rover that used to overheat EXACTLY as you're describing because the expansion tank cap was broken and didn't hold pressure in the system, so the water boiled at 100 deg rather than 120 deg.

3. Don't discount head gasket. A Locost racer recently found that a brand new head gasket had failed.

4. My cracked head caused a lot of water to go into the oil, resulting in serios emulsification. However, every crack will probably be different.

Eliminate what it isn't, and what's left, however unlikely, is the cause. (or so Inspector Poirot says)

Finally, let us know what it was when you find it as it may help others.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
myke pocock

posted on 9/6/08 at 08:56 PM Reply With Quote
Well tonight I have fitted a bypass hose between the manifold and water pump and the same problem occurs. Bubbling into the header tank is evident when the engine is just starting to heat up. I did not check it when I first started it up. The radiator is also getting warm to answer one question on here. When I turn it off and leave for some time the header tank then drains and returns to its normal level or similar. Is the head gasket the same for all x flows or could I have mistakenly fitted a wrong 'un. To my cost, I have witnessed the effects of water in the cooling system on my Skoda Estelle trials car. Dont 'arf take some shifting from the engine!!!
View User's Profile E-Mail User View All Posts By User U2U Member
David Jenkins

posted on 9/6/08 at 09:12 PM Reply With Quote
If there's no sign of oil in the water, and the oil isn't emulsified, then it's unlikely that the 2 are mixing. The only other possibility is cylinder pressure blowing into a waterway, but then you'll probably see steam in the exhaust.

It may not be your problem, but I and many others on here have found the x-flow a real so-and-so for holding onto air locks. I have developed a technique for getting the air out as I fill mine, but that depends on how you've plumbed things up. My engine behaved a lot like you described until I finally got it sorted. I managed a 2 metre high fountain out of the overflow tank's vent several times!

Also, watch out for air getting trapped under the thermostat - it holds the water off the wax capsule so the thermostat doesn't open, so the air doesn't get cleared. In the end I took advice from forum members and drilled a 2mm hole in the thermostat's fixing plate to let air past. This also helps to shift airlocks.

As for the head gasket - I believe that there's only 1 standard type, although there are high-performance, over-sized and/or specialist ones. You didn't enlarge any holes in the gasket, did you? Or make new holes where it looks like it would block passageways? It's tempting, but the gasket is meant to cover some holes and restrict others!

[Edited on 9/6/08 by David Jenkins]






View User's Profile Visit User's Homepage View All Posts By User U2U Member
rusty nuts

posted on 16/6/08 at 08:22 PM Reply With Quote
Sorry for the delay getting back to you . A block tester is a liquid that is used in a device that draws air from the cooling system. Any combustion gases in the cooling system cause the liquid to change colour. Probably not worth buying for a one off job although you may be able to borrow or hire one from a garage?
View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
britishtrident

posted on 19/6/08 at 06:56 AM Reply With Quote
Head gasket failure is rare on the kent engine but it can occur, it can be tested for by chemical test, however my gut feeling is this is an air lock problem.

Fit a new thermostat but before fitting drill a couple of 2.5mm holes in its valve plate, this will do two things it will allow any air trapped in the system to bleed through and allow the thermostat to open more quickly as the engine warms up.

The other thing that can cause problems are radiator pressure caps --- you should only have one on the system. The reason for this is they act as a two way valve drawing air back in under vacuum to prevent a repeat of the oild school physics "crushed can" experiment happening to the raddiator.

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member
Deckman001

posted on 19/6/08 at 03:17 PM Reply With Quote
Where abouts in the world are you ?, you might have someone close who could take a look and spot any obvious points of issue .

Jason

View User's Profile View All Posts By User U2U Member

New Topic New Poll New Reply


go to top






Website design and SEO by Studio Montage

All content © 2001-16 LocostBuilders. Reproduction prohibited
Opinions expressed in public posts are those of the author and do not necessarily represent
the views of other users or any member of the LocostBuilders team.
Running XMB 1.8 Partagium [© 2002 XMB Group] on Apache under CentOS Linux
Founded, built and operated by ChrisW.