Is it an airlock??

[kylemrushall]

Hi

I have been messing with my car all day (works a bit quiet at the mo). The symptons seem to suggest an airlock but could it be something more sinister??

I have fitted a brand new SBC with injection ... when running the engine up to temperature the top hose ie the one from the thermostat to the expansion OS tank/pot is pressurising and if i undo the cap even after it has cooled down water spuws out??

The tank on the NS is getting hot but the tank/pot on the OS is not even changing temperature?? I have run it up to temperature a few times and even though i keep letting air out of various pipes it still keeps building up pressure in that top hose?? I have jacked the back of the car up and run the heater on full heat.

Is it a case of keep trying or is it a possible head gasket problem??

There is a very small amount of mayo in the rocker breathers but that has got less and less as the day has gone on, i hope that is just condensation as the engine has been un run for many weeks??

thanks

[LuckyP]

When first filling the car stone cold I have a full swirl pot (n/s) and about a third in the expansion tank (o/s). As the car gets hot so the water expands up the expansion tank, until it reaches such a level/pressure that the pressure cap is activated and the water flows out to ground. When the car cools, the water finds it's own level, and then I just check it to that (about an inch off the base of the exp tank in my case).

To get rid of the bubbles I kind of 'milk' the pipes (ooher!) and the bubbles can be expelled from the swirl pot - when cold.

HTH

[kylemrushall]

thanks Pete

Yes that helps...

my expansion tank n/s isnt getting warm at all even though the car got up to 200 degrees F!! Does the hose from your swirl pot to the thermostat housing build in pressure??

I have got the heater really hot so i dont think the heater is airlocked and the rad was hot all over. Im a bit unsure what is going on.

thanks

[kylemrushall]

Has anyone please got a piccy of how the water system works ie its layout, then i can check all my hoses are connected correctly??

thanks

[crafty]

I had the hoses connected the wrong way around on mine the first time and had an overheating problem.... I cant remember what the problem was, or how its connected now.. Steve'll know!!

[Pb3]

Hi, things you could check:

1) The swirl pot has the non-pressure cap
2) The expansion tank has the normal pressure cap
3) The expansion tank is connected to the very top connection on the swirl pot
4) The second highest swirl pot connection goes to the rad, the small bore pipe which is an air bleed
5) Squeezing the top hose, from the thermo housing to swirl pot to check their is coolant at all times when running - it should get hot when the thermo opens. As Pete says, this also helps remove some air. When filling the coolant should at least cover the 38mm pipe entry from the engine.

[LuckyP]

kylemrushall said:

...my expansion tank n/s....

Kyle, for clarity, when you say your exp n/s, what do you mean?

On the LHS (nearside) of my car is the swirl tank - this ia always full, cold or hot. My RHS (offside) is the exp tank, which is almost empty (I think Pb put it better) and then pressurises (of course, doh!) when hot. Which is on what side with yours?

I feel a little piccy coming on, give me 2 mins........

[LuckyP]

Here shows the LHS swirl pot and the RHS exp tank - you can follow the hoses (black small bore) for yourself. Same as yours?

HTH - Lucky

[kylemrushall]

sorry pete, yep that is the same as mine!! thanks for the piccy i will check i have all the connections the same as yours.