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

You know what I was right not to trust it to go round the block, the only hose that remained unchanged burst and an issue with the alternator not charging when in motion, fine stationary just not when you are moving

Tell me .....do you think my Alp is allergic to moving

si21....on the upside the engine is oh so sweet

She has issues but she actually moved to another place and took me back again just

si21

last Saturday was the kiss of death for me ............110degrees temp

I've given up on it and dont want to waste energy more of my energy time or more importantly money that I dont have anymore....as its just one more thing that needs to be done.

Going to take a year out I think, I might put a clutch in the 21 but other than that I have run out of steam

Everything on the Alpine platform has been cancelled for the foreseeable future........health comes first

si21

Did the head gaskets ever get changed on this car Simon?

[BIG_MVS]

Sorry to hear your woes Si. Maybe sell a few of the projects and just concentrate on the Le Mans?

I really can't understand how most of you boys run/have more than one "toy" because a) I aint got the time, b) I aint go the money and c) I really can't be bothered with worrying about more than one MOT at a time!

Take it easy Simon, hope your health improves quickly, nothing else really matters one jot.. don’t beat yourself up over the car projects, they can come in time if you wish or want to continue later. Be good to yourself and enjoy the break. If it makes you feel any better I’m just as mad and have more engine projects than I have cars by some, and I can’t stop myself, so good on you for taking control!

Did the head gaskets ever get changed on this car Simon?

One last chance before shelving indefinately!!! Yes the gaskets have both been done and its the only thing I can think of. I am going to pull the water pump off and check the vanes. The engine has sat for years so could have suffered corrosion. The car is not pressurized now, its overheating, it hardly lost any water. If its not that I really don't know?!! The car will get shelved the engine junked. I will start to prep an even fire injected lump and just take my time doing it properly. The plan is to have a complete rebuilt engine, box and suspension unit to bolt in at some point during next winter. I'll put a clutch in the 21 and when I am ready ill start working on the lemans, i can get this on the road without spending a fortune, its mainly time and effort it & Will get done when it gets done. I have been putting myself under too much pressure in all aspects of life so I have had to become realistic and accept that despite all out efforts to go sprinting this year, its just not going to happen despite new van and pucker trailer. Maybe ill do some sprints in the 21 later in the year if I can get the clutch fitted.

Si21

si21 wrote:

One last chance before shelving indefinately!!! Yes the gaskets have both been done and its the only thing I can think of. I am going to pull the water pump off and check the vanes.

Sorry to hear you are still having trouble Simon....but glad to hear you are not giving up......yet

A couple of things spring to mind......yes, I think it is a good idea to rule out a pump problem, but when you put it or a new one back, I would remove the thermostat, and run without it and see what happens. Even if you change the pump, I would still remove the thermostat. I would only put the stat back once I was happy the engin was running really cool, with a bit of luck that should protect the gaskets. If she still overheats then I think there must be a blockage in the system. The other thing I would do, if you have not already done so, is to remove the rad and flush it out. This cannot be done successfully with it in the car as I am sure you know the inlet and out let are half way up the sides.

As a matter of interest, when she gets really hot, does the rad fan come on as it should do?

John

All good advice Simon from John.

Only thing, I wouldn't run without a stat unless you put a simple restrictor plate it and block the bypass. Obviously without the bypass circuit closed you will just recirc round the engine and will heat up pretty quick and likely not know it. You need a restriction say 12-15mm hole to ensure the water doesn't flow at maximum flow rate straight past the rad (no latency) and not actually shed heat to the air. When I run my Fiat race motor, I just have a restrictor plate in the stat housing, but never run without something in there.

The other thing I would do is make sure you have the flow restrictors in the matrix heater circuit, as it by-passes the rad completely and returns into return leg back from the rad. This was all revised in the 610.

Are you sure you have actually got all the air out of the system?

. Only thing, I wouldn't run without a stat unless you put a simple restrictor plate it and block the bypass. Obviously without the bypass circuit closed you will just recirc round the engine and will heat up pretty quick and likely not know it.

Not too sure I agree with that Martin......my understanding is that with the engine cold and stat closed, the general idea is to heat up the engine asap, the by pass ( if it has one, most cars these days don`t ) has a restricted flow due to its bore, once the engine reaches running temp, the stat opens and as the rad bore is much larger than the by pass, water then goes to the rad. However if the stat is removed the coolant will be pumped to the rad immediately, and it will take a very long time to reach running temp, so if the temp goes above normal without the stat, then there must be a blockage, or of course a faulty pump.
One thing I did miss out though, it may not be possible to seal the thermostat housing without a stat, so the trick is to remove the innards of a faulty one so you are left with just the flange which should seal the joint.
Also I note that the heater hoses are of a smaller bore than the rad ones, so that in its self is the restriction surely.

John

you don't need to remove the pump to check it. Warm up the engine and see if the heater works. If not then the water is not circulating.

Can't believe you haven't had the rad out yet when you've had such prolonged probs with overheating... They are always half full of cack.

you don't need to remove the pump to check it. Warm up the engine and see if the heater works. If not then the water is not circulating.

Can't believe you haven't had the rad out yet when you've had such prolonged probs with overheating... They are always half full of cack.

Now you tell me....I removed it anyway, I wanted to see with my own two eys TBH .....nothing wrong with the pump I am going to get a new rad fit it, if that doesnt work it'll get put on the Lemans as the rad was not at its best last time I saw it

If that does not work it'll be a new engine, I can be doing with it. Everytime I have had an unreliable engine I have had a rebuilt lump put in new hoses and rad and then enjoyed reliability. I have tried to do this on a shoe string due to the cost of the Lemans, and it has definately cost me more time and money doing it this way.

The engine & rad have all been flushed high pressure water on and off the car, the rad has been inspected by a rad man, pressure tested and flowed fine, apparently all is well last chance hotel for this lump, Mr dell claims he had a similar problem .....changed the rad and has not looked back

So if I am going to do an engine swap I might as well make an improvement. I will be staying normally aspirated 3ltr but will be going even fire injected for around 200bhp as a low cost improvement that does not break the bank .....it's a bit too late its already broken

Si21 .......trying to chill out a bit about it all and take it in my stride

Belfast calling.................

Send it over Simon and you can collect a working car when i'm finished!

Belfast calling.................

Send it over Simon and you can collect a working car when i'm finished!

Genuine Irish warmth .....he's just offered to fix my car for free....either that or he has not read the whole thread!

Both GTA's have made me skint and neither of them are roadworthy yet

Believe you me I would love to afford to send it over and let someone else sort it out for me. However I am not sure the end result would be worth the cash if I had it

I am going to try another rad, if that does not change anything then the rad will be put on the Lemans, whose rad is not as good as it could or should be. The Atmo will be shelved until I have the time and money to drop a later injected lump into her.

I dont know the history of the engine and its already got a corroded hole into the crank case where the engine mounts bolt up, water must have been sitting in the webbing and corroded it right through. Chemical metal now seals it from the outside world. I dont want to spend any more money on a block thats not at its best. I would rather drop one of two 3 ltr lumps I have lurking in storage

The injection will make for better power and economy as 22 to the gallon at a steady 60 MPH is not my ideas of affordable

It only had to last a season until I got the new lump sorted it was laways the plan...Botch of a car

si21

Another 300+ pounds spent and finally the plastic heap is running fine ..... as long as you don't drive it further than a mile and a half........its still over heating .... but hey on the upside it only got to 102 degrees this time.

Now fitted with 3 row cores rad new proper reno stat etc etc new fan new temp gauge. I would expect it to run cool especially with Louvred hatch. Seriously thinking the worst.

It won't even make it to Bromaley a whole 7 miles away.

All I can do now is put another fan and renew the fan wiring loom after that I just give up.

Seriously disillusioned and almost insolvent ... I thought my 19 valver was unreliable but this atmo beats it hands down. Drive a gta as an everyday driver .....not a chance.

Si...2.5 years down the line and I am seriously wondering what its worth in bits!!!