Hot running

Here's an interesting one! I have recently bought a GTA turbo off this site. It overheated on the way home.... The hose to the turbo cooling was weeping, but I found it was blocked, as was the metal pipe going into the turbo and the one coming out, and the turbo itself!!! Much prodding and got it all free and flushed the cooling system. Now fitting a new radiator... Be warned, this was full of Bars Leaks or similar and the antifreezer content was very low. Change your coolant often! Also adjsuted the tappets, what a job!! Well worth it though. Got the a/c working with a regas and fitting a new thermostat. New tyres too. All this in four days of ownership!!

From my experience with 2 Turbos and an Atmo, the cars seemingly rarely have their coolant changed, ( perhaps because the GTA is inexpensive now) the radiators are often clogged and on both the Tubos I have worked on the hose to transfer coolant to the turbo was blocked.

The radiator is of the brass core type with plastic tanks. These tanks can be removed and the core cleaned properly by rodding it out, and new O rings to seal the tanks.

I have though just got a larger custom fabricated aluminium radiator made for my turbo. It has the same number of cores as the original, but they are now 25mm wide each, instead of 12mm.

Changed the radiator today, not a pleasant job..... I took one tank off and the old one was completly blocked. The tank was half full of rubbish, a mixture of rusty stuff and leak sealant. Needless to say it runs nice and cool! Although the warning light for the underbonnet temp/fan is a bit keen to come on in traffic - is that normal? Adjusted the valve clearances too, what a difference!! You are right about owners not being too carefull or not being able to afford maintenance etc. Just need to repair the mirror hinge as it blows off above 80!

[stephendell]

Although the warning light for the underbonnet temp/fan is a bit keen to come on in traffic - is that normal?

It shouldn't but I have had cars that were like that with no long term problems.