Coolant issue.

[trev4]

Hi Alun, when I changed my coolant pipes a couple of years back I took the expansion bottle off to make it easier to fit the small pipe and was really surprised how much sludge was in the bottom, so I could see how it could quite easily get blocked. let's hope it's something simple like that, good luck with it.
Trev.

[ClassicChimaera]

Removed expansion tank and disconnected small pipe. Undid swirl pot bung and put a funnel in topped up with coolant, blew through end of 8 mm hose and water and bubbles flowed.No blockage. Hmmm.

Jacked car up, removed bolt in vent pipe on inlet manifold, nice blue clear water instantly, let a cup full pour out and nipped up. Did the same at the rad bleed screw and the same result. Kept funnel in swirl pot half filled with coolant.
Started engine and warmed upto temps with fans kicking in and out 3 times over about 30 mins as I squeezed hoses and raised and drops engine revs,,, plenty of bubbles and air being released into funnel. Eventually no bubbles at all.

Turned engine off and left funnel in swirl pot whilst it cooled, no extra coolant went in. Removed funnel installed bung and checked expansion tank. 1/3 full

There's no air in there as far as I'm concerned. Heaters hot etc.


Temp gauge rose to about 82 when fans kicking in and out rising to 90 when everything including plenum is hot. Perfect.
Letting it cool down.

A bit of water out the exhausts but nothing more than you'd expect from a cold engine,,, hmmm maybe more than it should be?

Engine sounds normal.
No 1 plug removed after bringing upto temp and has a decent colour but displays silver looking deposits!
No mayo on underside of oil filler cap or in the rocker box.




No 1 plug

[portzi]

Alun it must be a trick of the light, but in picture 2 it does look like porridge inside the rocker cover Very weird?

[ClassicChimaera]

I'm just about to eat my home made cottage pie then test it again.

It takes longer putting these pics up than it does to bleed the system.

Now I'm either very lucky or something's still amiss. No 2 plug looks and felt terrible.

I've never heard anything quite so metallic as last night other than when two stokes broke rings as a youth!

Could the localised boiling or rises and dropping of air in the system cause such horrendous knocking/tapping almost crunching noises within the inlet manifold. An engine switched off and knocking with such force the engine shudders and that can only be the water system surely is something to be seen

Last night I was convinced I heard mechanical parts clashing at one point. Maybe it was the water system all along.
There's got to be a reason for this air and that's what I have to determine next. That and what's happening in my combustion chambers to give such deposits on the plugs.

Doms been great and I hope this is me over reacting but until he's seen it I'm not overly convinced things are in good shape.

Hope someone learns stuff from this. Cheers Al.

[ClassicChimaera]

portzi said:

Alun it must be a trick of the light, but in picture 2 it does look like porridge inside the rocker cover Very weird?

Hmm, it looked like oil to me Mark. Dip stick oil seems ok. Derr, I'll take a pic.

[ClassicChimaera]

Those white bits on the plugs, water by any chance.

[ClassicChimaera]

trev4 said:

Hi Alun, when I changed my coolant pipes a couple of years back I took the expansion bottle off to make it easier to fit the small pipe and was really surprised how much sludge was in the bottom, so I could see how it could quite easily get blocked. let's hope it's something simple like that, good luck with it.
Trev.

Thanks Trev. Well it's not blocked now that's all I can say.
Let me run it up again and maybe take it round the bloc then check when it's all cold.
Then head over to see a real mechanic tomorrow

[portzi]

ClassicChimaera said:

portzi said:

Alun it must be a trick of the light, but in picture 2 it does look like porridge inside the rocker cover Very weird?

Hmm, it looked like oil to me Mark. Dip stick oil seems ok. Derr, I'll take a pic.

It must be a photograph light trick or something , oil to the naked eye phewww!!!

[ClassicChimaera]

portzi said:

Alun it must be a trick of the light, but in picture 2 it does look like porridge inside the rocker cover Very weird?

Dip stick. Less than 3000 mile oil.

Thoughts




To dark to get a decent pic of the rocker box now. I'll check it again after another run up.

[blaze_away]

Hi Alun

The metal on the plugs could be eroded plug tip ?

[portzi]

ClassicChimaera said:

portzi said:

Alun it must be a trick of the light, but in picture 2 it does look like porridge inside the rocker cover Very weird?

Dip stick. Less than 3000 mile oil.

Thoughts




To dark to get a decent pic of the rocker box now. I'll check it again after another run up.

TVRPP will give you the definitive answers, fingers crossed for you Alun

Edited by portzi on Thursday 30th March 20:07

[pb450]

That oil looks pretty good to me. There's nothing in it that there shouldn't be.

[Discopotatoes]

How big is that plug gap? it looks huge, maybe the photo but get a feeler gauge on it and let us know
also have you got a better close up of the ground electrode? you can tell a lot from the position of the colour band

Edited by Discopotatoes on Thursday 30th March 20:21

[ClassicChimaera]

0.7 mm
Iridium so thinner electrode giving false perspective, but I agree better check it again.

[pb450]

Discopotatoes said:

How big is that plug gap? it looks huge, maybe the photo but get a feeler gauge on it and let us know

Mmmm.... true. Looks about an eighth of an inch!

[ClassicChimaera]

Discopotatoes said:

How big is that plug gap? it looks huge, maybe the photo but get a feeler gauge on it and let us know
also have you got a better close up of the ground electrode? you can tell a lot from the position of the colour band

Edited by Discopotatoes on Thursday 30th March 20:21

Is this one any better.




You'll need to thumbsnap it and then press again on pic so see it clearly.
There's something wrong but it might not be as bad as first thought, I don't think it is liners.

[Discopotatoes]

ClassicChimaera said:

Discopotatoes said:

How big is that plug gap? it looks huge, maybe the photo but get a feeler gauge on it and let us know
also have you got a better close up of the ground electrode? you can tell a lot from the position of the colour band

Edited by Discopotatoes on Thursday 30th March 20:21

Is this one any better.




You'll need to thumbsnap it and then press again on pic so see it clearly.
There's something wrong but it might not be as bad as first thought, I don't think it is liners.

if that plug colour is grey then it looks like its running hot/ lean the metallic fleck you mentioned could possibly be detonation, if you can get hold of a boroscope and check the top of the pistons. the other deposits look normal

Edited by Discopotatoes on Thursday 30th March 21:33

[ClassicChimaera]

Discopotatoes said:

if that plug colour is grey then it looks like its running hot/ leanthe metal ice fleck could possibly detonation, if you can get hold of a boroscope and check the top of the pistons

It's the next thing. It's been running really well, I barely rev it if the truth be told.

It's a ruddy nightmare.

[ClassicChimaera]

JWzed said:

Shot in the dark I know, but has your thermostat jammed shut?

I missed this,,, that's gone through my mind but I've bled the system and no water went in, bit of air but only with high revvin. My funnel virtually stayed at the same level throughout the bleeding process maybe 10 mm higher when water was 90 degrees, when cooled it was at vitually the same place as when I started bleeding and fans came on and off. Stats opening.

I pulled the engine breather pipes last night too, bone dry.

Detonation has been mentioned, this is possible . I listen to the engine and exhaust note constantly and marvel at the firing, detonation may have been going on since Saturday, some of these noises could be just that but why. Mbe ign, recently checked over and shown to be running very well.
Something very odd had happened and my idle screw was adjusted because it was to Rich.

Looking at the plugs I've pulled out it looks like it's to lean.

The reality of this is hitting home now. Gutted isn't the word.

[pb450]

So in summary Alun, you can find virtually nothing wrong with all your checks...?