Heater update.....not good :(

48pop · Sep 18th, 2007, 21:42

Well, pulled the thermostat out tonight and half of it was missing.....Ahh I thought, that was an easy fix, and popped in the new thermostat, buttoned it all down and filled up with water, started it up. The needle rose immediatly and the heater was nice and toasty......Unfortunatly, the needle kept rising ! Within a few mins it was off the scale.

The top of the radiator was pretty hot, but the bottom was cool to the touch. I opened the drain and cool water came out....I drove a round the block and the needlecame back a tiny bit..., but it still was above the top mark.

What do you think....Blocked rad? Worth flushing it or is a rebuild in order??

The rad cap also fell to bits in my hand....

Put the old, open unit back in for the moment

All in all, not a very sucessful night...What with getting nowhere with the brakes

Cheers
Gerry

Mike Arnold · Sep 18th, 2007, 22:33

Whenever I drain my Amazon it always gets an airlock that causes the temp to go off scale. If you leave it for a day it seems to clear.

I have also tried (with some success), leaving the rad cap off and keep topping up with water on fast tickover. And again, pumping (squeezing) the top rad hose to force water past the thermostat.

Leave the heater on full so that water is flushing through it.

48pop · Sep 18th, 2007, 22:40

So it could have just been an airlock??? WHen I popped back in the open thermostat, the temp dropped, (though I did refill it with the engine running..)

BillKat · Sep 18th, 2007, 23:34

Sounds like an airlock esp if the needle moves quite quick. If it goes up/down/up quite quick, sort of fidgety (?) thats usually a sign of an airlock. I found jacking up the front helped while doing the usual run till the stat opens with the header cap off. I added a bleed tap into a heater hose but it didn't seem to help a whole lot really; bleeding/jacking and then going for a drive, and doing it again just to be sure, sorted it.

Pigeon · Sep 19th, 2007, 00:13

I have recollections of taking a heater hose off to sort this problem - messy but effective.

222s · Sep 19th, 2007, 10:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mike Arnold

I have also tried (with some success), leaving the rad cap off and keep topping up with water on fast tickover. And again, pumping (squeezing) the top rad hose to force water past the thermostat.

Leave the heater on full so that water is flushing through it.

This is what I do & I find that it works well, especially squeezing the top hose to 'burp' the air out.

Also, if the car is a later one & has the separate expansion bottle on the right of the radiator, I find that lifting it from its mountings (just clips in) & holding it higher up helps the trapped air escape from the system.

devilishdesigner · Sep 19th, 2007, 13:29

you can even use the clip for the top of the bottle to hold the bottom of the bottle, so that the bottle sits securely up higher with the hood open, that way you have your hands free for squeezing etc.

48pop · Sep 19th, 2007, 14:28

Mine is a '66 .... No expansion bottle.....

JIM C · Sep 19th, 2007, 15:04

Over the winter last year I flushed the cooling system on my 121. I took the radiator out to do this and the muck that came out I was shocked at. I also replaced all the hoses and the rad cap and anti freeze. When I first filled the car up with coolant I do had a air lock even leaving the heater on. I the let the car cool down fully and carefully topped it up and then started the car up and kept it running at a high tick over keeping topping it up as I could. Finally once fully cooled I finally topped it up again and took it for a small run and checked all the hoses were warm. Once home checked the levels again and everything was now fine.

stuart131 · Sep 19th, 2007, 20:07

fill through radiator cap and run engine for about 15 mins. Run car round the block, let it cool ( really cool - dont want to get scalded)then repeat top up through rad ..eventually it will clear..did with mine anyway.With yours Im just wondering where the crumbly bits are now and if water flow may be obstructed or restricted somewhere.
Good luck with this, I know it can be infuriating to clear, but youll do it if you keep at it.

Sep 18th, 2007, 21:42	#1
48pop Senior Member Last Online: Feb 13th, 2019 21:41 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Near Glasgow	Heater update.....not good :( Well, pulled the thermostat out tonight and half of it was missing.....Ahh I thought, that was an easy fix, and popped in the new thermostat, buttoned it all down and filled up with water, started it up. The needle rose immediatly and the heater was nice and toasty......Unfortunatly, the needle kept rising ! Within a few mins it was off the scale. The top of the radiator was pretty hot, but the bottom was cool to the touch. I opened the drain and cool water came out....I drove a round the block and the needlecame back a tiny bit..., but it still was above the top mark. What do you think....Blocked rad? Worth flushing it or is a rebuild in order?? The rad cap also fell to bits in my hand.... Put the old, open unit back in for the moment All in all, not a very sucessful night...What with getting nowhere with the brakes Cheers Gerry __________________ ________________________________________ Gerry (nr Glasgow) Last edited by 48pop; Sep 18th, 2007 at 21:53.

Sep 18th, 2007, 22:33	#2
Mike Arnold Master Member Last Online: May 16th, 2024 12:39 Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Stockport, Gtr Manchester View Photos By: Mike Arnold	Whenever I drain my Amazon it always gets an airlock that causes the temp to go off scale. If you leave it for a day it seems to clear. I have also tried (with some success), leaving the rad cap off and keep topping up with water on fast tickover. And again, pumping (squeezing) the top rad hose to force water past the thermostat. Leave the heater on full so that water is flushing through it. __________________ Mike Arnold. 1966 122S

Sep 18th, 2007, 22:40	#3
48pop Senior Member Last Online: Feb 13th, 2019 21:41 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Near Glasgow	So it could have just been an airlock??? WHen I popped back in the open thermostat, the temp dropped, (though I did refill it with the engine running..) __________________ ________________________________________ Gerry (nr Glasgow)

Sep 19th, 2007, 00:13	#5
Pigeon Volvo-loving biker Last Online: Feb 3rd, 2019 05:24 Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: All alone in the crazy city	I have recollections of taking a heater hose off to sort this problem - messy but effective. __________________ Pigeon's Nest Be kind to pigeons

Sep 19th, 2007, 14:28	#8
48pop Senior Member Last Online: Feb 13th, 2019 21:41 Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Near Glasgow	Mine is a '66 .... No expansion bottle..... __________________ ________________________________________ Gerry (nr Glasgow)

Sep 18th, 2007, 23:34	#4
BillKat Senior Member Last Online: May 27th, 2024 16:53 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Cambs	Sounds like an airlock esp if the needle moves quite quick. If it goes up/down/up quite quick, sort of fidgety (?) thats usually a sign of an airlock. I found jacking up the front helped while doing the usual run till the stat opens with the header cap off. I added a bleed tap into a heater hose but it didn't seem to help a whole lot really; bleeding/jacking and then going for a drive, and doing it again just to be sure, sorted it.

Sep 19th, 2007, 13:29	#7
devilishdesigner Member Last Online: Feb 1st, 2011 01:16 Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: Melbourne	you can even use the clip for the top of the bottle to hold the bottom of the bottle, so that the bottle sits securely up higher with the hood open, that way you have your hands free for squeezing etc.

Sep 19th, 2007, 15:04	#9
JIM C Forum Support Team Last Online: Jul 4th, 2021 16:28 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: Scotland View Photos By: JIM C	Over the winter last year I flushed the cooling system on my 121. I took the radiator out to do this and the muck that came out I was shocked at. I also replaced all the hoses and the rad cap and anti freeze. When I first filled the car up with coolant I do had a air lock even leaving the heater on. I the let the car cool down fully and carefully topped it up and then started the car up and kept it running at a high tick over keeping topping it up as I could. Finally once fully cooled I finally topped it up again and took it for a small run and checked all the hoses were warm. Once home checked the levels again and everything was now fine. __________________

Sep 19th, 2007, 20:07	#10
stuart131 Senior Member Last Online: May 17th, 2022 10:30 Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: northampton	fill through radiator cap and run engine for about 15 mins. Run car round the block, let it cool ( really cool - dont want to get scalded)then repeat top up through rad ..eventually it will clear..did with mine anyway.With yours Im just wondering where the crumbly bits are now and if water flow may be obstructed or restricted somewhere. Good luck with this, I know it can be infuriating to clear, but youll do it if you keep at it.

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