Atmo..........................

si21

MOT & TAXED but the botch still wants to dump the contents of the Radiator all over the ground

Simon, you say its dumping the contents of the rad out, but where is it actually comming out of? If there is an air lock in the cooling system, the pressure builds up higher than if the air lock was`nt there, and when you release the filler cap, the water will gush out.
John

MOT & TAXED but the botch still wants to dump the contents of the Radiator all over the ground

Simon, you say its dumping the contents of the rad out, but where is it actually comming out of? If there is an air lock in the cooling system, the pressure builds up higher than if the air lock was`nt there, and when you release the filler cap, the water will gush out.
John

Hi John

It keeps blowing pipes. Initially I had a crapy expansion tank and that split! Then hoses under the manifold let go I have replaced all the hoses I could only those remaining that looked in resonable condition were not available to me new.

The system was checked for pressurisation and head gasket neither test showed anything up and the car was running for best part of an hour.

After inspection I found that the hose that let go in this instance (hot water supply to the back carb) looked perished from the inside. I am hoping that the pipes had just let go and were leaking a little air into the system with the air leaked in then expanding pressurising the system and causing further damage.

I have just received a text from Mr Dell and my new top main hose has arrived from Ruin U, this had also developed a minute pin hole and there was the very slightest weepage from this pipe which may also have been a contributing factor. The question is now whether its the cause or whether it something else which is causing the pipes to let go?

I am praying its not the liner seals!! TBH its not looking good I have been here before with another Renault it was the Head Gasket - but I am trying to remain optimistic

si21 - so if there is a GOD please dont let it be my liner seals or my head gaskets

Steve sort this forum out It pees me off when I get corrected for saying a word which means female Dog

si21

Simon...Two things occure to me, first, these liner seals you speak about, I take it they are the ones at the bottom of the liners, If these seals go, the water will go into the oil in the sump as the water pressure builds up..... there is very little crank case pressure as it is vented back into the air cleaner, so the pressure will not come up through the seals. So I am pretty sure you have not got a liner seal problem
The other thing worth a try, once the coolant is in place, is to start the engin with the coolant filler cap off, and as the temperature rises, see if there are any air bubbles comming up into the expansion tank, if there are, this would indicate head gasket failure
Two words of warning, which I am sure you already know,.....do not take the cap off when the engin is hot....and, when you start the engin with the cap removed, immediately check to see if the coolant is being blasted out of the expansion tank all over the altenator, as this indicates an air lock, which stops the coolant from circulating, and is subsequently pumped out of the expansion tank. I would suggest some protection for the altenator

Simon...Two things occure to me, first, these liner seals you speak about, I take it they are the ones at the bottom of the liners, If these seals go, the water will go into the oil in the sump as the water pressure builds up..... there is very little crank case pressure as it is vented back into the air cleaner, so the pressure will not come up through the seals. So I am pretty sure you have not got a liner seal problem
The other thing worth a try, once the coolant is in place, is to start the engin with the coolant filler cap off, and as the temperature rises, see if there are any air bubbles comming up into the expansion tank, if there are, this would indicate head gasket failure
Two words of warning, which I am sure you already know,.....do not take the cap off when the engin is hot....and, when you start the engin with the cap removed, immediately check to see if the coolant is being blasted out of the expansion tank all over the altenator, as this indicates an air lock, which stops the coolant from circulating, and is subsequently pumped out of the expansion tank. I would suggest some protection for the altenator

I note your comments on water in the oil, there is definately no Mayonaise, the water has been tested chemically for head gasket so I am hoping its just faulty pipework. The other issue could be the rad, I have no history on the rad and the car has sat for over 6 years. I have flushed the rad with Holts Rad flush a lot of rusty crap came out and the rad and engine were both back flushed with high pressure water which ran clear and the rad seemed to be flowing back ok on the returning pipe.

Fingers crossed its an airlock as an aftermarket temp gauge was only reading 86-87 degrees when it dumped the coolant last. It had pressurised and overheated slightly the previous day hence the 2 part flush on the rad an block. It also had a jet blocked in the small carb so it was running lean which cant have helped temps either. So many vairables that keep changing its hard to diagnose.

Thanks

Simon

Simon,
Take John C's advice on filling coolant. Open up radiator valve.
Best to fill slowly from a small container not a hose, I usualy use a 1 litre container. (during filling massage the hoses that go in to thermostat housing lol)
Once full, close rad vent and start engine once temp rises again open rad vent to ensure hot water is coming out and have heating on full blast.
This should eliminate most of the airlocks. (I usually then go for a spin and recheck rad vent after several minutes to reconfirm hot water coming out)
The first two times i filled my coolant, I did so to quickly and ended up with problems another tip is to have the rear right slight higher too.

Since I have adopted the slow method I have not had any airlock /problems,
and I have filled it on countless occasions, dont ask.


Dave

Simon,
Take John C's advice on filling coolant. Open up radiator valve.
Best to fill slowly from a small container not a hose, I usualy use a 1 litre container. (during filling massage the hoses that go in to thermostat housing lol)
Once full, close rad vent and start engine once temp rises again open rad vent to ensure hot water is coming out and have heating on full blast.
This should eliminate most of the airlocks. (I usually then go for a spin and recheck rad vent after several minutes to reconfirm hot water coming out)
The first two times i filled my coolant, I did so to quickly and ended up with problems another tip is to have the rear right slight higher too.

Since I have adopted the slow method I have not had any airlock /problems,
and I have filled it on countless occasions, dont ask.


Dave

Mmmmmm I did open the valve yesterday there was no air only a few choice words as I boiled my fingers like Frankfurters. Still pressurising though. If it was just the rad it would overheat, though the system must pressurise once its hit 100 degress and turns to steam so I am still not really sure where I am TBH.

New Rad ....its never a bad thing is it? I have had the car running with the cap off. It runs at idle no problem its only when you drive the car withing a about 3 miles it all goes wrong.

Si21

Any more helpful comments greatfully received

si21

I wonder if the thermostat is stuck closed. Might be worth taking it out and seeing if it opens when you heat a container of water with the thermostat in it, making sure it opens before the water boils. Unfortunately wax stats fail closed, while the bellows type fail open. I dont know which one is fitted to the Alp. I take it you know of the second bleed point by the thremostat.

I hope you put the cap on when you drive it!

If the stat's closed, the pipework to the front never gets hot.

I know i'm the bottom of the mechanical pile here but i too had this problem once- take the advice fill it very very slowly so allow air to always be able to escape from the filler neck. Then when full start car, and idle to temp slowly adding more if needs be. When a levels been found close the cap and fast idle for a minute or two. Turn the car off, slowly slowly undo the cap so as to allow air out but not coolant then leave it off have a cup of tea and let all the air rise to the top.

Repeat as necessary - sometimes that was once sometimes more....

Hope this helps a little, but had to add my penneth as finally there's something on here i know how to get right!

[phildini]

Simon just leave the keys in the ignition and I will do you a favour

Simon just leave the keys in the ignition and I will do you a favour

They posted the keys back through the letter box telling me it had broken down 2 miles up the road

si21

I wonder if the thermostat is stuck closed. Might be worth taking it out and seeing if it opens when you heat a container of water with the thermostat in it, making sure it opens before the water boils. Unfortunately wax stats fail closed, while the bellows type fail open. I dont know which one is fitted to the Alp. I take it you know of the second bleed point by the thremostat.

thermostat with a small hole drilled in it. It also opens slightly earlier by a couple of degrees sourced by Mr Dell.

I am sure I double checked it before it was put in as this pressurisation has been a problem since october last year ......10 months. I just keep fixing the problems and running into a brick wall its so frustrating

The engine has also previously had the cylinders compression tested nothing out of the ordanairy showed up I will test it again to see if anything has changed.

si21

I know i'm the bottom of the mechanical pile here but i too had this problem once- take the advice fill it very very slowly so allow air to always be able to escape from the filler neck. Then when full start car, and idle to temp slowly adding more if needs be. When a levels been found close the cap and fast idle for a minute or two. Turn the car off, slowly slowly undo the cap so as to allow air out but not coolant then leave it off have a cup of tea and let all the air rise to the top.

Repeat as necessary - sometimes that was once sometimes more....

Hope this helps a little, but had to add my penneth as finally there's something on here i know how to get right!

#

....now I am desperate, nothing is indicating a headgasket at least it wasn't. I am going to try refilling as you said tonight if I can (dam no tools tools left in van!)

I'll be over the moon if it is just an airlock. It seems to behave at idle but if you drive it the temp hits 90 deg and just keeps climbing in a very short space of time -- its just like a mobile kettle except its plastic and on wheels oh its a trendy red kettle