Cooling system / hose routings

[Uneek]

Having problems with slight overheating and coolant loss on 1985 280i convertible with a Ford 2.8L V6 engine. Modifications done by my brother "created" heating situation (no overheating or hot running prior to his mucking about)after he removed air conditioning, removed electric fan, added expansion tank and numerous hoses --- which he evidently routed and rerouted numerous times to find correct setup --- obviously to no avail. Can anyone send me a diagram or piccie of coolant hose routings to insure that is correct to start with. Car runs between 90-110 once it has reached running temp. Runs hottest at higher speeds. Minor loss of coolant and some steaming after long OR speedy roadtrip. Will be reinstalling electic fan ASAP. ALSO it has a flexible fin fan from a Capri on it instead of a viscous fan. Was this standard on this car?? Thanks for any replies.

[mikeb]

Howdy,

I have several pics that might be of some use. Please mail me at the wedge site (click link below) and i will e-mail you back with the pics.

Cheers

Mike

www.tvrwedgepages.co.uk

[shpub]

There are many pictures of the official hose diagrams and cars in chapter 6 of the Wedge bible but be aware there is no such thing as a standard cooling route so don't be surprised that you may have differences. If it is as bad as you say then I would start from scratch and check the thermostat works and make sure that the basic functionality i.e. water goes to rad and comes back is there. This may mean block pipes and so on but at least you can ensure that you have the basics right, It is also possible that the problems are caused by other issues and not the cooling, although that does look like the culprit.

As for fan type... I've seen both fitted but a 1985 car should have the electric fan setup which was pretty widespread by then.

If this is a US car, there are even more differences as the LHD/RHD differences meant that things changed all over again.

Regards
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

[uneek]

quote:
There are many pictures of the official hose diagrams and cars in chapter 6 of the Wedge Bible......
Regards
Steve
www.tvrbooks.co.uk

Hmmmmm -- if you are referring to the pics in the book on referred webpage --- it doesn't have the heater hoses or connections nor does it show WHERE those numerous hoses connect. In other words ... it doesn't help one whit with this situation. For instance...the long hose that comes from the expansion tank and is intersected by heater outlet hose -- it crosses over the engine and dives down towards thermostat ---- there are TWO connection pipes down there -- which one does it connect too?? Back side of thermostat or thermostat housing itself? Sounds simple and a no brainer -- but my brother hooked it up to the thermostat housing itself -- which to me seems like you have hot water going INTO an "outlet" pipe on the radiator side of thermostat. Doesn't make sense to me. BUT.....having water flowing UP thru the radiator makes no sense to me to begin with And as for starting from scratch -- that is why I want to make sure hoses are connected right to begin with -- lots less insanity that way. My brother complained that it made no difference having thermostat in or out -- and he tested thermostat and put in a new one -- so that is one thing that led me to believe hose routings are seriously mixed up. Someone has been kind enough to offer to take piccies of correct hose connections on similar car -- so will let post rest until that arrives and hoses are checked. Thanks for everyone's help