Is it just me or what??!!

[TVR Beaver]

Trying to find out where my bit of coolent is going, I pressure tested the system last night... 2 bar on it and it held pressure for over 1 hour... but did see the slightest of weeps on the rad bleed valve... so gave it a pull!!... Jackpot!!... This was too small to be my problem but resulted in the rad out yet again... Since I've owned the car (1 year)I've had the rad out about 5 times now!!... First 3 due to an initial poor re-core... then to do the body lift... and now.... Bugger... never known as many annoying issues like this on a car... it's everything you do to them turns into a mammoth task!!... May be I'm just a hand fisted sod??!!.. O will... off to the rad shop... will give me a chance to reduce the top hose tube where it restricts the air pipe!! and I can rip it out in about 15 mins now with a few mods I've done and the vast knowlage I now have on this job!!

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 4th November 08:43

[dhf]

Ask Santa Claus for a leven Ali Rad,you will will never look back.....

[Johno]

dhf said:

Ask Santa Claus for a leven Ali Rad,you will will never look back.....

Still can't seem to justify this . . .

I run a modified engine and still see no need for an ally rad. I finally had the rad re-cored in the summer as there was a weep from the bottom after 70k. . . It's been out a few times for differing reasons, flushed regularly and had to have the bleed bolt re-brazed after I over tightened it.

Had a better core put in, but didn't have any cooling issues before the re-core and certainly none after.

I do have the later Cerberra fans as it's a later car, but still do not see the necessity on a Griffith for an Ally rad at £400+. It's not like they're without their own issues of cracking mounts etc . . . some guys on here are on their2nd or 3rd even.

I've generally not scrimped on anything for my Griffith, but I still fail to justify £400 for an ally rad to over cool the car unnecessarilly. . . perhaps it's just my set up, regular maintenance (I do my own so I know it gets doen properly) or something else that's meant no need for expensive radiators.

My original set up has run in 40 degree heat in traffic (evidently not in the UK) and there's been no issues . . .. perhaps it is the up rated fan's. I've mucked about with lower temp stat and otter switch combinations which undoubtedly helped a lot. But part of the reason to re-core was to have the otter switch hole blabked off in the rad end cap tp neaten it up (fans run from ECU temp feed from block)

So I'd say stick with ya old one, get it re-cored properly, better the devil you know

[TVR Beaver]

Agree... It's already re-cored... 3 bar so no need for that... infact my problem can be running cold on the motorway!!... sub 70 on the gauge so have a winter stat fitted!... cooling is fine....
just a tad miffed that the stupid fittings come off.. but if yours has done the same... may be it's not just me!!.. Cheers..

[spend]

I use a fibre washer on the bleed valve, and it needs little more than finger pressure to seal.

I still maintain the red synthetic coolant specifically for ally engines prevents furring up much better.

[TVR Beaver]

It did have a fibre washer on it... but when the system was filled when the cam was done.. they must have removed it or it's broken?... anyway... it didn't want to come out without taking the boss with it!.. It's being mended today and they are also putting the infeed pipe at an angle so I can get the ACT front pipe in... it would not fit before so may have another go at that....
.
But my main concern now is where the coolent going following the rolling road setting up....?
.
Has this blown a gasket a bit or opened up a pin hole... as I said in my other post... the level has been 33mm all year.... having got it back from the RR it was 19mm.. so topped it up and went 5 miles or so... now down at 30mm!!... The joy's!!

[spend]

Bleeding is an art form
..don't convince yourself that you are losing water
until you are absolutely positive
that you are not just 'finding' the air

ETA: I always fill with water first, and when happy there are no leaks and system is full... I syphon some out and add the expensive anti-freeze. Tight or what?

Edited by spend on Wednesday 4th November 12:12

[TVR Beaver]

No.. tiz a good idea.... yet again I have anti-freez all over the garage floor that will get brushed down the drive!! only done 2K with it in!!... will do this myself.... but at 40% mix how do you get this out without creating air gaps or taking pipes off??.. The two tanks full can only be 2 ltrs??

Your right on the leak... The manifould was off when the cam was done and the system drained.... V8D re-filled it by taking off the heater hoses etc but who's saying they got it all out?? and it's only done say 200 miles since.... may still be air coming out... although I did check it before it went on the rollers and it was sat at 33mm.... but could have been coincidence I suppose?.. It did blow out of the cap on the rollers... but put this down to high temp / rev's.... ??... who knows till it's back on the road propper...

Just thinking of how a head gasket may fail though... I'm sure they don't just go bang... more start a small leak path and develop... Same with liners etc....... Paranoide!!!!... How hard should thoes hoses be??

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 4th November 12:57

[dhf]

My OE TVR radiator 30,000 miles approx basically disintegrated,looked fine but if you poked your finger into it,it turned to dust.i didn't even then have any overheating problems but as i always replace with better on my TVr's, i went the Leven route for less future trouble.a benefit was also the cooler running of the car.

[spend]

Paranoia can spoil your fun if you let it John

Many swear by waterwetter for its assistance in bleeding trapped wind, rather than any of the other claims...

If you've had heads / inlet / front cover off recently (sorry can't recall exactly what you've had done) well worth a quick spanner check anyway. Jubilee clips are the spawn of the devil and can easily nip a channel for air in / water out, why proper pipe clips are so rare beats me...

[TVR Beaver]

Never had the heads off (yet)... but the inlet manifold was done by Rob... so sure that will be fine.. But did have the pressure tester sat on it (although cold) last night for 60 mins and it held 2 bar... that's not to say it will when warm so thats the next test once the rad's back....
But what pressures can you get to in the heads at full RPM... and could a 'bit' of this be causing the issue???.. The sniffer says no FC's in the coolant so thats a positive.... but you hear so much about these issues!!.. there's No bubbling... no oil / fuel on the water... but if it's a micro-leak, would you see this anyway??...
The pipes run at the cap pressure obviously.. and thats about 1.3 bar (20 psi).. I would say thats about right in comparison with say a bike tire at 20 PSI when you feel them.... and under normal conditions it appears okay... just when you thrash it... could it be letting a bit past?? Don't think any came from the cap when it fell from 33mm to 30mm so again, another positive... so could be air? or as you say a clip or pipe when hot....
Only one way to find out... run the thing and monoitor what happens... but worrying about it does spoil it a bit... I'd like to be sure!!!... Cheers

Edited by TVR Beaver on Wednesday 4th November 14:30

[V8 GRF]

spend said:

Paranoia can spoil your fun if you let it John ...

See..... not just me saying that

[TVR Beaver]

I know.. but like things to be 100%... could not even sell a car if I knew it was not right!....
and with all the miles i do in it.. I don't want it letting me down do I

[V8 GRF]

Yea, I know where you're coming from but I think at times you expect something that is actually only 90% even when it's 100% (if you follow) to be perfect by today's standards and that 'ain't going to happen.

[TVR Beaver]

well.. as I say.. get it screwed back up when the rads back and put some miles on it... if it keeps on going.. it's off somewhere...
Just don't want winter to pass me by if something needs doing... and get to next spring and have to pull the engine... That's no fun!!...
Was looking at a Tuscan 2 convert earlier... Yum!!??

[V8 GRF]

TVR Beaver said:

Was looking at a Tuscan 2 convert earlier... Yum!!??

That's the spirit, spend £30k to fix a £30 problem

[TVR Beaver]

Didn't say I was going to get one... just looking!!... No.. need to sort this out... hope it is only £30...
.
there was a post on here a bit back over head failure showing 3 gaskets as they failed.... was trying to find that but no luck... Will call MA tomorrow see what he says.. he's probably seen more cars on the dyno than anyone!!...
.
They are nice though arnt they... £24 K actualy.... ... whats my car worth in PX??.. £10K to find??