Coolant loss

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by owenfackrell

Checked after driving around for an hour or so and the top radiator hose is just to hot to touch and the bottom one is stone cold. This is also true if you reach in and touch the radiator it's self.
Would guess that I have a blockage in the radiator.

..... or the thermostat isn't opening sufficiently.
There's basically a flow restriction so you can either solve it in one hit by flushing the system and fitting a new thermostat housing or take a chance and flush only but if the thermostat is the issue, you'll have to revisit.

[owenfackrell]

Going to check the temps with Vida shortly to see what they are doing but yours is a good suggestion and I think I will do the thermostat at the same time as I will need to drain flush and refill anyway.

[owenfackrell]

I ran Vida whilst drunk bing into town which is a 40 min journey plus with traffic. The temp climbed up to 88 before then settling in to a 88-85 wave.

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by owenfackrell

I ran Vida whilst drunk bing into town which is a 40 min journey plus with traffic. The temp climbed up to 88 before then settling in to a 88-85 wave.

Based on that, my advice in comment #11 still applies.

[owenfackrell]

I am still having this problem. So far I have flushed the radiator and block both of which ran free. Changed the thermostat and fitted a new expansion bottle cap. Still have over pressure issues and that the bottom hose is stone cold even when the fan cuts in plus I have noticed that even if you put the heater controls to max heat it’s not that hot. I am now wondering if it is a Cade of the water pump not pumping for what ever reason.
Thoughts?

[cheshired5]

Are both heater pipes too hot to hold?

[owenfackrell]

No I could keep my hand on them. The metal elbows were the hottest bit and even on those I could keep hold.

[MissSpentYouth]

Sounds like the coolant is not circulating to me

I wonder if someone has fitted a cheap water pump whilst doing a cam belt change and the impeller has come off ?

Not seen this myself just a thought.

Is there an easy way to test flow ?

What about disconnecting the top hose briefly whilst the engine is running and see if water pumps out ?

[cheshired5]

Originally Posted by owenfackrell

No I could keep my hand on them. The metal elbows were the hottest bit and even on those I could keep hold.

When you flushed, did you remove the hoses and run a garden hose/running water forwards and backwards through the heater core?
If not, do that to verify good flow through the core.

[owenfackrell]

Had the pump off today and it is intact and rotated smoothly. I took the opertunity to flush with the hose again. I did in via the expansion bottle. Disconnect both sides of the heater matrix and flush that both ways I also went back down the hoses to it. I did the flushing both with the pump removed and when I put it back. There was a good flow each time. I also did the radiator again. I tried to check the thermostat but struggled a bit. Will try and check it again after getting the engine really hot. When I did check it there was a small flow through it but a dribble rather than it being fully open. As it’s a replacement one what do you think the chances of it being faulty from new are? I can’t think of what else would give me the pressure in the system (which remains once it’s cool) and seemingly no flow through the radiator. I also can see any indication of flow through the expansion bottle and hen it’s hot.