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

....now I am desperate, 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

I would be inclined to remove the thermostat, refill and try the Alp without it. Also check the thermostat as described above.

Just to put all the comments together re:- filling with coolant.
Loosen both bleed valves, fill slowly, (as Dave said, 1 ltr bottle at a time) leave say 30secs or so between fills. While filling, repeatedly squeeze the rubber hoses, this will dislodge air in pipes. When coolant spills out of rad bleed valve, tighten it up. Continue until coolant comes out of thermostat bleed valve....then tighten that one up, top up to just above the plastic upright in reservoir. Once full, cap on, take the car for a spin, the action of acceleration, braking, turning left and right will help dislodge air in remaining air pockets. This will not happen if the car is stationary. Dont go too far as level should drop as air pockets fill. On return let engin cool, remove cap, bleed both valves, then top up. You may have to do this a couple of times.

Just as an aside, it does not matter if the heater is on or off, the heater matrix coolant when running is always as hot as the engin coolant, the only thing the heater on/off control does is direct air either into the car, or not. The heater matrix actually acts as an extention of the rad to aid cooling.

Hope this helps

John

I take it you know of the second bleed point by the thremostat. [/quote]

It was initially seized so I didn't want to risk snapping it off. After it boiled the first time I put in a new stat, seal and the nipple was freed off and small hole was drilled into the stat to give some flow to the system allowing hot water to reach the stat sooner rather than the water conducting the heat it will physically move towrds the stat hence opening the stat slightly ealier. I am sure my Dad checked the stat for me but its no biggy to leave the stat out is it.

Thanks for all your advice chaps

Simon

but its no biggy to leave the stat out is it?

No big deal at all, the only thing it will take a long time for the coolant to reach normal operating temperature...if ever. but for the sake of this test, its worth doing, if only to eliminate the most likely cause of your problem....the thermostat.
The only thing to remember is if the thermostat is stuck closed, the longer you leave it in, there is more chance of blowing the head gaskets
But when you refill the system after stat removal, follow the method above

John

I put in a new stat, seal and the nipple was freed off and small hole was drilled into the stat to give some flow to the system allowing hot water to reach the stat sooner rather than the water conducting the heat it will physically move towrds the stat hence opening the stat slightly ealier.

Just rereading your last post, and I am not too sure that I fully agree with your theory. Heat will conduct wheither the water is flowing or not, the small hole will allow so little water through as to make little difference. The reason the small hole, and usually a little loose rivet type thingy through it, is there (called a jiggle valve), is to stop an air pocket developing beneath the stat when refilling the system. As you will realise an air pocket under the stat where the wax container is, will cause the stat not to open, hence the hole.

John

I put in a new stat, seal and the nipple was freed off and small hole was drilled into the stat to give some flow to the system allowing hot water to reach the stat sooner rather than the water conducting the heat it will physically move towrds the stat hence opening the stat slightly ealier.

Just rereading your last post, and I am not too sure that I fully agree with your theory. Heat will conduct wheither the water is flowing or not, the small hole will allow so little water through as to make little difference. The reason the small hole, and usually a little loose rivet type thingy through it, is there (called a jiggle valve), is to stop an air pocket developing beneath the stat when refilling the system. As you will realise an air pocket under the stat where the wax container is, will cause the stat not to open, hence the hole.

Fair point. That said, I definately tested the old stat and it opened it was in poor shape so I binned it and put one with a hole and an earlier opening temp, I am sure my dad tested it with a thermometer just to make sure. I cant see it being the stat. I will endeavour to take it out though.

Thanks Simon

John

Simon, another thought has occured to me. When you remove the stat, see if you can see the pumps impeller in the housing, as there is another possibility that it has become detached from the shaft in some way and is not turning. If you can see the impeller, remove the drive belt, and with a screwdriver strategically placed to stop it turning.....try turning the pully.... Its a long shot, but worth a check. If you cant see the impeller, and the Alp still boils with the stat removed, I would be inclined to remove the pump for checking, as this type of failure would cause the coolant to boil.

Cheers

John

My Dad asked me the very same question. It's the only external bolt on part apart from the geabox I have not changed on the engine. I have not had chance to get back to the car as its parked at my parents...not two miles away from where it was MOT'd I was late home from work and it Hissing down with rain last night and I woke up late this morning and forgot to pick up the tools & a change of clothes:?

I will definately try and check the pump out though when I get back to the car.

Many thanks for your pointers

Simon

Have not had the time to get back to the car, a friend called in a favour so I spent the whole of Saturday sorting out my house and then the whole of Sunday sorting out a mates shop....... a 14 hour makeover new floor laid decorated inside and out.

Si21

having slept three nights on the floor my luck could only get worse.

Having finally managed walking full of anti inflamitories the first thing I did was to climb under the GTA remove the rad and get it checked .....

..........bad news it was fine this meant it had to be something else and I was right my worst fears became a reality.....Many thanks to Mr Sage for popping round to my house and carrying out a chemical test my head gaskets for failure amongst other things

si21 New Master will make a great new team wagon good for towing

So what did Mr Sage conclude ?

So what did Mr Sage conclude ?

si21

[phildini]

So what did Mr Sage conclude ?

Head gasket then?

now I've blown a gasket too Just trying to sum up some enthusiasm to take the thing apart for the umpteenth time I have actually lost count the times I have stripped the inlet manifold carbs and supporting spaggetti pipework.

Interstingly my father has just purchased a brand new torque wrench

The trouble being is that I am now struggling to find the time to put it all right, I have been working with the constant help of Mr Dell to get it to run for months, now and I have put off doing so many other things I have to put it on a back burner for now!

I have not even thought about the Lemans project at all

Well we will just play it by ear I am hoping to change the gasket/s with the engine in situe. I have a really bad back as well at the moment so bending over the back of a GTA is not really an attractive option at the moment either

si21

[phildini]

Simon this is always an option

..........I did not pay you my last tenner for you to burn the wrong car

si21