Crossflow head gasket?

[mazzamark]

Hi all, Happy New Year!

My wife has been using the Ford Escort MK2 estate 1,3 1975 to work, I know I know! Since she started, nothing but trouble, never cleans it, washes it, put a tank full of diesel in this week and last night she came back with the coolant needle in the red and nothing in the radiator, only I noticed it when I put it in the garage. I had a quick look and topped it up, there is a serious amount of coolant coming out of the radiator overflow only and no water in the oil. In the last 6 months I've replaced all the hoses, clips, thermostat and coolant and its running great (On petrol) Am I looking at a head gasket or is there anything else you would advise looking first, way too rough to think about this logically this morning.

Many thanks

Mark

[Megaflow]

I'd be giving serious consideration to a new radiator and flushing the system. If the radiator is very old and past it's best it might not be flowing very well.

[mazzamark]

Thanks for the reply, I did flush the system a few times, back flush it too. I'm not saying it isnt the rad as I could have dislodged something but the moment it gets warm, not hot, it starts leaking, almost like it is being pushed out.

[GreenV8S]

Given that it was very low on coolant, it's quite likely that it has an air lock somewhere and now needs to be bled.

[Mignon]

Megaflow said:

I'd be giving serious consideration to a new radiator and flushing the system. If the radiator is very old and past it's best it might not be flowing very well.

Pffft. I'd be giving serious consideration to a new wife and just keep the Mk2. Not many of those left about.

[paintman]

Consider carrying out a sniffer test to check for the presence of combustion gases.

[paintman]

Mignon said:

Pffft. I'd be giving serious consideration to a new wife and just keep the Mk2. Not many of those left about.

Best advice so far

[Mignon]

mazzamark said:

Thanks for the reply, I did flush the system a few times, back flush it too. I'm not saying it isnt the rad as I could have dislodged something but the moment it gets warm, not hot, it starts leaking, almost like it is being pushed out.

Could just be the rad cap not sealing properly.

[99hjhm]

Flushing the cooling system with a hose etc never does anything. Water finds the easiest path and there is nearly always enough routes for it to do this. Same with a radiator, even a blocked one will generally flow fine with a garden hose. Rant over, sort of...

Generally the “sniffer test” will tell you a head gasket is gone even on a perfectly healthy engine, never reliable. There are plenty of hydrocarbons in the engine bay of an old car. Rant over.

As Dave says, make sure the rad cap is sealing and of the correct type(depth etc) and then suspect the head gasket or cracked head etc.

[mazzamark]

99hjhm said:

Flushing the cooling system with a hose etc never does anything. Water finds the easiest path and there is nearly always enough routes for it to do this. Same with a radiator, even a blocked one will generally flow fine with a garden hose. Rant over, sort of...

Generally the “sniffer test” will tell you a head gasket is gone even on a perfectly healthy engine, never reliable. There are plenty of hydrocarbons in the engine bay of an old car. Rant over.

As Dave says, make sure the rad cap is sealing and of the correct type(depth etc) and then suspect the head gasket or cracked head etc.

I did quite a serious flush with about 4x doses (1kg) of oxalic acid, radiator out etc. the amount of crud was incredible. I was quite shocked to see evidence of more rust after all that yesterday as it was really gleaming inside where I could see. I'll certainly get the rad checked out/changed.

I have ordered a sniff test and take on those rants! thanks.

I do however have an update. I took out thermostat, I put in an 82o one for Portugal it originally didnt have one, tested it, it works and so does the car without it. Runs cooler but doesnt throw any water out at all, no excess pressure. I would have thought if exhaust gasses were pressurising the coolant it would happen from cold?

I really appreciate all the comments now my head is becoming clearer.

[paintman]

Interesting that there was no thermostat fitted.
Usually indicates that it had a cooling problem & the stat was taken out to mask the problem & unload the car.

[Megaflow]

Mignon said:

Pffft. I'd be giving serious consideration to a new wife and just keep the Mk2. Not many of those left about.

Very good

[Sardonicus]

Megaflow said:

I'd be giving serious consideration to a new radiator and flushing the system. If the radiator is very old and past it's best it might not be flowing very well.

Catches many owners out on these older vehicles ^ no need for a X flow to be running with no stat they have a perfectly adequate cooling system , may be also worth checking the metal water pump impeller as not eroded away to a point that it no longer provides adequate circulation

[mazzamark]

Sardonicus said:

Catches many owners out on these older vehicles ^ no need for a X flow to be running with no stat they have a perfectly adequate cooling system , may be also worth checking the metal water pump impeller as not eroded away to a point that it no longer provides adequate circulation

Ahhhh ok, I wondered how the water pump might not be pumping, I dont think it is working properly either. Many thanks, I'll hae a look.

[mazzamark]

Sniff test positive the second I rev it a little, looks like the head is coming off

[Megaflow]

I’m not sure how much crossflow gasket technology has moved on since I had mine, but back the the Felpro gasket from Burton Power was the one to have. Bullet proof.

I wouldn’t worry about it getting hot either, it is a very robust engine, I had mine up to 115 degs on circuit a couple of times without any issue.

[Justin S]

Mates 1300 crossflow estate , which was his daily while building his Westfield, many moons ago, we had issues with it overheating. We tried bleeding and new cap and various other things. Ended up with low compression and broken rings. From that experience , I would just do a compression check as well.
He said with the block upside down, he undid the big end and the piston shot out on the floor
He had a rebore and pistons and basic valve lap and back together and ran well again. As to if the head gasket was compromised, I dont know but was obviously replaced when rebuilt. Crossflows are very easy to work on and removing the head isnt a massive task.

[Sardonicus]

Just to add I however would worry about a cross-flow running hot seeing as number three piston (hottest running cylinder ) is prone to failure/melting if abused i.e over-heating to much advance/det etc , not helped by the fact the combustion chamber is in the piston rather than the head , make sure the block and head face's are both flat and the finish is good no nasty faces erosion/corrosion near the water pockets etc , a branded standard/GT gasket works just fine they are not prone to HGF usually IMO I never had any issues with the Fel-Pro gaskets with hairyier builds

[mazzamark]

Thanks for your replies.

Yes I'll order one from Burtons, problem is postage to Portugal is £25! I'll have to wait until someone is coming over. I'm using WD40 daily on those manifold bolts as they look like they are going to be a struggle. Is there anything else to look out for with these HG? Looks quite simple but all these things do, the last thing I changed a HG on was a BSA gold star.

[Megaflow]

mazzamark said:

Thanks for your replies.

Yes I'll order one from Burtons, problem is postage to Portugal is £25! I'll have to wait until someone is coming over. I'm using WD40 daily on those manifold bolts as they look like they are going to be a struggle. Is there anything else to look out for with these HG? Looks quite simple but all these things do, the last thing I changed a HG on was a BSA gold star.

Nope. Head gasket on a x/flow is about as easy as it gets.