Final touches...

[timshap]

Having now spent circa 4 weeks under and over the car with completed brake upgrade,outriggers and wishbone clean up, induction and drop links done I am now finishing off with new black silicon and stainless hoses etc..
Tim from ACT sent me extra heat matting and have managed to re do the engine heat shields and must say they look great with the smooth bore pipes et al.
As per tvr5000 still in process of shining up the swirl tank with plenty of brasso which I should finish off tonight.


Question is: Could anyone remind me of the ideal mix for the new coolant. The old blue stuff that came out looked like 100% pure Glycol. I know its not but must have been high when I had the radiator re cored 2 1/2 years ago. The car has never lost water to my knowledge although when I siphoned out the fluid from the radiator it looked as if the level was about 4 inches down from the top. I havent had overheating problems with the new rad which has a bigger core than standard but must have had a large air pocket in the system. The swirl pot level has always been 2 inches below the inlet from the thermostat.

When its back together off to Offords begining of March for service and Cherry bombing!

Looking forward to Chatsworth

[Cider Andy]

Minimum 25% anti-freeze, no need to exceed 50%.

[Aubrey]

Good idea on the cherries, well worth it!!!

[paulathome]

Swirl pot should be completely full to the brim, always.
The expansion tanks about two or three or inches from the bottom.
Paul.

Edited by paulathome on Monday 18th February 20:22

[Bomber Denton]

paulathome said:

Swirl pot should be completely full to the brim, always.
The expansion tanks about two or three or inches from the bottom.
Paul.

Edited by paulathome on Monday 18th February 20:22

I thought about three inches from the top for the expansion tank???

[Johno]

The dwirl will never be full to the brim, as the overflow is situated at the top and therefore the top in or so will always drain to the expansion tank, which I have between 1/3 to 2/3 full. Each car is different though.

[Cider Andy]

Johno said:

The dwirl will never be full to the brim, as the overflow is situated at the top and therefore the top in or so will always drain to the expansion tank, which I have between 1/3 to 2/3 full. Each car is different though.

The swirl pot should always be full. Under acceleration coolant will be forced into the expansion tank, carrying with it any air. As the revs fall back coolant is drawn back into the swirl pot from the expansion tank. But as the expansion tank should always contain coolant and its feed tube is connected to the bottom of the tank, it cannot draw air back into the swirl pot. It's a clever, self-bleeding way of alleviating the need to have the expansion tank at the highest part of the system.

As for the level of coolant in the expansion tank, it's not critical, but if there's too little in, it WILL draw air back into the system. If there's too much in it will tend to spit it out through the cap. Half full is a good starting point.

[timshap]

Thanks all for the comments..mines a pre serp so no expansion tank only the swirl pot fed from the thermostat.
When its all back together i will carefully fill up ensuring at least 30% mix and that the rad is full and swirl at least 3/4 full. Let it run to ensure the rad is fully toppped.
I noticed when taking of the swirl/expansion tank that the bolts pass through the water pump casing to the block and that when the lower one was removed more fluid came out. Should i mastic around the bolt head when tightening up....there seems to have been some sealant there before.
Andy is your car silverstone silver as mine and if so whats the best paint match to use?

Tim