Pump for filling coolant system?

[blackiepaul]

Looking in Graham Varleys book he uses a manual pump to fill his coolant system through the bleed nipple, I have searched (very badly) on google to try and find a similar device. Any one no where to get one or what to search for?

Thanks

Paul.......

[TVR Dan]

The pump used in the book looks very simalar to a Rothenberger heating system pressure test kit?

I would check with Graham before making any purchases on this but this does the same sort of job. You can force coolant in at up to 30 Bar i think it goes up to?

Anyway I'm Sure Graham will be along to say yay or nay on this but i seen one on Flea bay at a reasonable price seen as well they RRP at around £100?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Rothenberger-RP30-Water-%26-...

Might be worth a look?
I have one of these if you are near the lake district.

Dan

Edited by TVR Dan on Sunday 19th April 21:23

Edited by TVR Dan on Sunday 19th April 21:25

[GreenV8S]

Is there something wrong with the old-fashioned approach of just pouring the coolant in? It seems to work for everyone else ...

[TVR Dan]

Its easyier to get the air out of the system i think? Topping up your system isnt as bad IIRC?

So you use it to fill from empty?

[blackiepaul]

Hi Dan,

Thanks for this, I have sent a email to Graham so hopefully he will get back to me. It looks like it will do the job but I do not know how I will be able to get the end on the hose to fit to a bleed nipple?

I have now checkd a couple of sites to look for a accesory, hopefully someone will have an answer to this bit of the puzzle.

[pies]

Bleed nipple is 1/4" bsp

TBH i'd just fill from the swirl pot

[blackiepaul]

GreenV8S said:

Is there something wrong with the old-fashioned approach of just pouring the coolant in? It seems to work for everyone else ...

Hi, yep I have done it the old fashined way when changing my hoses to new ones as well as when I put a bypass valve in but I am not sure if I have got it as it should be with airlocks out as good as it could be.

I need to do mine again as well as a friends sagaris so I may as well invest in a piece of kit to get it spot on especially if it is that sort of money.

[TVR Dan]

What size is the bleed niple? i will most likely have a fitting to fit this?

I'm sure i can find something depending on the size of the bleed thread if the test pumpwill do the job?

Dan

[blackiepaul]

Hi Dan,

On your T350, there is a rubber section of tube from the rad followed by a Aluminium piece of pipe with a bleed nipple on it. This is the bleed nipple that I need it attaching to.

This pressure kit should also do the job but it details the fittings a little better. http://www.online-pumpshop.com/xcart/cart.php

Do you think you could get something to fit?

Paul........

[TVR Dan]

I'm Sure there will be a fitting. i'll have to have a look tomorrow at the size of the bleed nipple your reffering to though to be sure i have one. I'll let you know.

[GreenV8S]

Filling via a bleed nipple doesn't give any route for the air to get out so I don't see how it's going to be an improvement. Sometimes people who have a poorly designed cooling system that won't vent properly (or they don't know how to vent it) get desperate and vacuum fill it (suck all the air out then let the suction pull coolant in), and this technique is also used on production lines because it's very fast. But apart from that I can't see why you would want to pump water in; I don't see that it solves any problems.

[pies]

GreenV8S said:

I don't see that it solves any problems.

It doesn't,

[blackiepaul]

pies said:

GreenV8S said:

I don't see that it solves any problems.

It doesn't,

Cheers pies, I love positive views

[pies]

It's not about being positive/negative there is simply no benefit of using a pressure pump to refill the cooling system,if you want an automatic system then it should be a vacuum system,but as you are only likely to use it once a year then it is overkill

The only reason i can see for putting a pressure pump on the cooling system is to allow you to pressurise it and then find any leaks whilst the engine is not running and cold

[GreenV8S]

pies said:

The only reason i can see for putting a pressure pump on the cooling system is to allow you to pressurise it and then find any leaks whilst the engine is not running and cold

That's the only reason I can see too. I use a system that fits in place of the pressure cap. I've also seen somebody who simply fitted a schrader valve into the pressure cap so he could pressurise it with a plain old bike pump. Good idea for testing, but bike valves don't like prolonged exposure to hot anti-freeze so not for permanent use.

[TVR Dan]

Did you get an E.Mail from Graham then to solve this puzzle?

I'm not sure if it would or would not help (kinda sitting on the fence) So if Graham can tell us the pro's and con's of this system and maybe a guide to doing it?

Dan

[blackiepaul]

Yep Graham has been in touch a couple of time and is firmly in the "use the pump" camp.

I am changing a rad this week using the normal meathod and next week i will probually do mine using the pump meathod so it will be interesting to see.

I don't seem to find any good advice on doing it the traditional way apart from jacking the front up filling from the swirl pot and making sure I squeeze the hoses.

[TVR Dan]

Was i close with the pump and has he told you what fitting to get?

[blackiepaul]

TVR Dan said:

Was i close with the pump and has he told you what fitting to get?

Hi Dan, Graham is bringing one with him to Chatsworth, are you coming along?

[TVR Dan]

I really do fancy Chatsworth but afraid i have a 50th birthday party to go to the night before and ain't sure whether i'll be fit to drive in the morning I'll look into it though because i really do fancy it.