Re: Cooling issues on 92 SE
Posted: Tue Dec 01, 2020 20:53
I've not been happy with the cooling on my car since the summer. - 3 Issues.
1 / I knew I had red coolant - assume OAT - Not good
2/ I knew from work in the summer the Otter switch wasn't
3/ And I'd been loosing water fairly consistently.
So with a longer journey looming and the cold nights, time to investigate.
I'd suspected the header tank might have been perforated, so removed, rigged up a way to pressurise it and held it in a bucket of water. Bubbles immediately out of the Filler cap ( Not the release valve). Long story short, I eventually got it to seal by wet 'n' dry on a piece of glass on the brass tank flap, and closing up the tabs on the filler cap so it was tighter to put on - Eventual result, all sealed, no leaks in tank and relief valve kicking in around 15 PSI.
Next to the temp sender. Dunked in boiling water with meter attached - Not switching. New Intermotor switch ordered (It's been modified in the past).
So rebuild all, fill with Blue antifreeze, test drive and ..... clear dripping leak from area of Switch - That was all on Sunday.
So today, drained, resealed, refilled --- and leaking. Then repeated and still leaking !!! - How difficult can it be to get a rubber pipe to seal on a clean Aluminium boss? . Began to think there must have been a hairline crack in the switch housing or damaged pipe. - Removed switch housing, with pipe to thermostat attached ( I thought that was the problem connection) stole some parts from teh Elite system and managed to seal up so I could pressurise and repeat the bucket test. Turns out all parts are good, just really struggling to get a seal, so cut the pipe bak slightly to get some new areas in contact.
Eventually rebuilt - Result - Got system warm and no drips or obvious leaks. - Very Happy
Then a transit van pulled up and handed me a parcel - Guess what was in it !!!! Yes, the new thermal switch !!!
It's still in the bag - It's winter and I have an over ride switch for the fan, so I'll stick with a sealed system for now.
Real test is tomorrow morning to see if tank level is still good after the test drive earlier.
Tony
1 / I knew I had red coolant - assume OAT - Not good
2/ I knew from work in the summer the Otter switch wasn't
3/ And I'd been loosing water fairly consistently.
So with a longer journey looming and the cold nights, time to investigate.
I'd suspected the header tank might have been perforated, so removed, rigged up a way to pressurise it and held it in a bucket of water. Bubbles immediately out of the Filler cap ( Not the release valve). Long story short, I eventually got it to seal by wet 'n' dry on a piece of glass on the brass tank flap, and closing up the tabs on the filler cap so it was tighter to put on - Eventual result, all sealed, no leaks in tank and relief valve kicking in around 15 PSI.
Next to the temp sender. Dunked in boiling water with meter attached - Not switching. New Intermotor switch ordered (It's been modified in the past).
So rebuild all, fill with Blue antifreeze, test drive and ..... clear dripping leak from area of Switch - That was all on Sunday.
So today, drained, resealed, refilled --- and leaking. Then repeated and still leaking !!! - How difficult can it be to get a rubber pipe to seal on a clean Aluminium boss? . Began to think there must have been a hairline crack in the switch housing or damaged pipe. - Removed switch housing, with pipe to thermostat attached ( I thought that was the problem connection) stole some parts from teh Elite system and managed to seal up so I could pressurise and repeat the bucket test. Turns out all parts are good, just really struggling to get a seal, so cut the pipe bak slightly to get some new areas in contact.
Eventually rebuilt - Result - Got system warm and no drips or obvious leaks. - Very Happy
Then a transit van pulled up and handed me a parcel - Guess what was in it !!!! Yes, the new thermal switch !!!
It's still in the bag - It's winter and I have an over ride switch for the fan, so I'll stick with a sealed system for now.
Real test is tomorrow morning to see if tank level is still good after the test drive earlier.
Tony