12 replies to this topic

[Elwyn]

Hello

 

1993 L reg SPI Cooper

 

I have replaced the following

• coolant hoses
• radiator
• water pump
• thermostat
• thermostat housing
• heater matrix
• water temp sensor
• Air temp sensor
• Lambda sensor
• TPC thing
• Probably other things I can't remember

I've also had the inlet manifold vapour blasted and refurbished by Roger Carpenter

 

Yesterday, I filled up the coolant system

I expected trouble

I expected air locks

 

No heat in the car or reading on the temp gauge

 

I have squeezed all accessible hoses

Repeatedly 

I have disconnected the heater hoses into and out of the car, in the engine bay and filled that up where the hoses looked dry

Reconnected

Engine on

 

Dash temp gauge still shows no temperature at all

The needle doesn't move

Nothing

 

I have tried the "big funnel" method to give the coolant more volume and a higher head to expand up into

It does expand up into the funnel

Engine off and the levels subside

 

While the engine is running, increasing the revs causes the coolant level to drop slightly

 

Turning the engine off causes levels to temporarily rise / surge 

 

Still no heat in the car or any reading at all on the temp gauge

 

Any ideas / suggestions before I opt for Basil's Fawlty small branch and the damned good thrashing option?

 

Are there any after market coolant hoses with built-in bleeding valves?

There must be an easier way!

 

Thanks in advance

 

 

 

 

 

[genpop]

Disconnect hose from thermostat and close with some cork.

Open the radiator cap. Close heater valve. Push some air into the hose or connect to water hose.  Water should poor out of the radiator. inlet manifold is free possibly socket not connected to coolant temperature sensor.

if no--> intake manifold clogged.

Opne heater valve and squeeze the hose to the inlet manifold.

Same procedure

water pooring ----> heater matrix ok

no water----> valve does not open or matrix clogged

Attached Files

•  Schlauch.JPG   27.08K   9 downloads

[Elwyn]

Thanks

The inlet manifold has been vapor blasted and refurbished

It's as new

Better than new

It's not clogged

The water temp sensor on the inlet manifold is also new and firmly connected

 

I will try the hose disconnections and squeezing

 

Although the heater matrix was new last year, it could be clogged up with crap

 

The inlet and outlet hoses to and from the heater matrix.....is there a bypass or does all water in, run through the matrix and out the outlet hose?

[genpop]

Just test it. I had new silicone tubes mounted and then the inlet manifold was clogged with some celophane.

[Elwyn]

I've disconnected the hoses into and out of the engine bay

The hoses that run into and out of the heater matrix

Clean water in

Clean water out

Not under pressure

A funnel and a jug of water

 

Suggests the matrix is clear to me

 

Unless there's a bypass part of the matrix

But then, that would render the matrix useless, so i assume there isn't?

[genpop]

No bypass known!

What about your thermostat. I know about users they had put it in in wrong direction!

[Elwyn]

Wrong direction?

That's a possibility

Didn't realise there was a wrong direction

Something else to check

[Elwyn]

Simple update

All advice was gratefully received

Including outside / off the Forum from Roger Carpenter (the inlet manifold wizard.....and knower of many, many things)

 

I reinstalled the thermostat

I had in sitting directly on / in the top of the engine block

It's now on the sandwich plate where it should be

I found a radiator overflow tank I didn't know was there 

I topped it up with coolant

I systematically opened up and reconnected a few hoses, poured water / coolant into them

Water / coolant came out where it should to show there were no blockages in the matrix and / or the inlet manifold

All refilled, radiator cap tightly on

I started the engine

I left it running at idle for c5 mins then upped the revs to 2-3k for a couple of minutes

 

Heat in the car and a working temperature gauge

Hooray

 

Thank you, you wonderful people

[Tornado99]

So the only found issue was upside down tstat? I always test them in boiling water when new to ensure they open fully.
Did you say you "filled" the overflow tank? That sounds wrong as it should only get volume when coolant over pressurizes, then gets sucked back into system as it cools. Having it pre filled means no where for excess to move to.

Edited by Tornado99, 14 March 2021 - 05:35 PM.

[Elwyn]

The stat was the right way up, but it was in the wrong position

I had in sitting directly on / in the top of the engine block

It's now on the sandwich plate where it should be

I know the stat was ok because it was new not long ago and it was working in the car until relatively recently

 

I wondered the same about the expansion tank, but it was advice given (and gratefully received) from elsewhere

With nothing else working, I tried it

I don't know whether it was part of the solution or a new problem waiting to bite me later

 

I didn't completely fill the expansion tank, but I did pour some coolant into it down the expansion hose

Following the advice below

 

The other thing you need to get right is the expansion tank, which fits under the wheel arch and is fed off the radiator.

That's an essential part of the cooling system.

What isn't stated anywhere is that there needs to be coolant in the expansion tank when fitted

Doing so allows the cooling system to hit an equilibrium and it'll draw back cooling water etc as intended.

[Elwyn]

Red is wrong 

That's where I had the thermostat

 

Now in the green location

 

Foolish me

 thermostat right and wrong March 21.png   425.9K   4 downloads

[genpop]

When I remember right, red has no milling bevel  so it is wrong in all cases!

But good that you could find the problem.

[Elwyn]

There's a bevel to receive and locate the thermostat on the engine block AND in the sandwich plate

Just to confuse buffoons like me

And it worked!