big 2 days

Kizza · tinkerer Joined: 06 Oct 2001 Posts: 440

well i just finished pulling 2 engines out, swapping gearboxes, starters, alternators, inlet manifolds, swap carby for a weber, and then put new engine back in.
fill fluids up, went for a strap only to find i had an airlock and possible suspect thermostat.
didnt kill the engine but any overheat isnt good.
i guess ill be working an a gem again tomorrow. yay Rolling Eyes

Poida · Posted: Sun Apr 08, 2007 10:57 pm Post subject:

I find it helps if you leave the back heater hose disconnected when filling the block till the water runs freely out that pipe. Once you get a steady flow of water (no air bubbles) flowing out that heater line, attach the heater pipe and tighten the clamp while the water is gently running into the radiator.

Although most after market thermostats don't have them, I always drill a small hole 1.5-2.0mm in the base part of the thermostat and put a tiny split pin in it. Just enough to prevent air locks but not enough to allow large amounts of water to pass while the engine heats up from dead cold.

Other than that I always fit a new thermostat in a rebuilt or replacement engine and I let it warm up with the cap loose. If you have any airlock ot will blow water out the radiator filler when the thermostat opens. That is because the water rushes to fill the head and it gets instantly heated on the hot metal above the combustion area causing a sudden production of steam which blows the water out.

Never seal the cooling system and drive off till you are sure the heated water is flowing by seeing it in the top tank through the filler hole.
_________________
I try to tackle one day at a time, but often several days attack me at once.

(The views I present are my own and NOT necessarily of the administrators or other members of this site.)

Kizza · tinkerer Joined: 06 Oct 2001 Posts: 440

i usually do, i was just impatient, the thermostat was only 3 months old but im going to get a new one today anyway.

LOK15 · Posted: Mon Apr 09, 2007 9:37 pm Post subject:

what motors and stuff wewre you swapping???? the coupe one into the wagon i suspect?

Kizza · tinkerer Joined: 06 Oct 2001 Posts: 440

coupe 1800 into belindas td, and her 1600 back into the coupe. but i didnt quite get the 1600 back in the coupe.
i ended up putting a 71c thermostat and a thermofan as a backup.

LOK15 · Posted: Thu Apr 12, 2007 6:18 pm Post subject:

and the verdict was??? is it all sweet now?

Kizza · tinkerer Joined: 06 Oct 2001 Posts: 440

yeah all good, will need a new radiator one day as without the thermo going it gets hot still, carby is booked in for thursday to be jetted properly using a gas analizer.
they said between $50 and $80. it runs sweet now but the new plugs are pretty black already so its better to just get it done and save money on fuel.
had another blowout with the auto cooler line. turns out the auto hose that was on there was a bit old and dodgy so i just got a meter of line for $5 and its rated to 60 bar (over 1000psi) also had to buy efi hose clamps which are different to the normal hose clamps.
goes a little too well for her now i think. planted the foot coming out of carbitz and it stepped out for about 5 meters before it kicked to the next gear.