Over heating P2

[wooster]

I took delivery of my 1938 14 today. On it's first journey it overheated. After about 6 miles of country lanes I began to smell the overheating and the temp gauge was high so I stopped. The rad took a couple of pints. I left it to cool for 20 mins and continued. After another 5 miles on a main road now it overheated again and took another couple of pints. Eventually got home in a cloud of steam . Top and bottom hoses both hot. Fan working fine. Any ideas anyone? Water pump?

[lakesrally]

Make sure rad is in good condition. The 6 cylinder cars had a problem with water taking the shortest route at the front of the head so the rear cylinders did not get enough cooling and hence local boiling at the back of the engine, especially if sludge is allowed to build up. There was a modification to narrow some of the waterways between the head and the block at the front of the engine to increase flow at the rear, I'm sure there were a couple of articles in Freewheel about it some years ago.

[wooster]

I know the car has done less than 30 miles in the last 3 years so perhaps sludge has built up in the rad. Tomorrow I'll drain the cooling system and give the rad a good flush. I take it I'm OK to use modern anti-freeze?

[lakesrally]

Yep, at least nobody has ever told me not too! In the short term I wouldn't put anti-freeze in until you get to the bottom of your problem, unless it starts to get very cold.

[dhbuchanan]

Once you have solved the overheating problem-and don't be surprised if a power clean or even a re-core is eventually needed- the best possible advice I would give you is to forget conventional anti-freeze and use "4Life" advanced engine coolant instead. Fit it and forget it: it's effective for 10 years. No water is involved -you use it undiluted- and you can be assured that all corrosion and acidity in your car's cooling system will be a thing of the past. If it changes colour from red to yellow, you know your head gasket's on the way out. Boiling point is +180C and frost protection is to -42C.
I got mine from the MGOC(they also do Penrite, the best lubricants for our cars) which operates a very good postal service. UK distributors are PROMAPAC, CAMBRIDGE, CB4 5QZ Tel. 01954 231668.

[wooster]

Thanks DH.
This morning I drained the cooling system and flushed clean water through the rad and the engine. I refilled the rad and ran the car. I expected the water level in the rad to drop as water got drawn around the system but the level stayed the same. I took the car for a run and it overheated again. Next step? Thermostat? Pump? Actually next step is get some imperial spanners!!

[chris dancey]

I hope I can help. I would suggest first thing is to remove the thermostat. There may be an original bellows type in there which has given up. Mike Couldry produces a replacement type .

Try the thermostat in a pot of boiling water to see if its functional.

The main problem with waterpumps are internal leakage, usually due to lack of lubrication, if this is the case then Mike Evans is the person to contact.

[wooster]

Thanks Chris. I was thinking thermostat too.

[chris dancey]

Hi Rich, Best of luck, Like Howard I also use 4-life fluid instead of water in my 10hp, cannot boil and has anti- corrosive properties, I also purchace from the MG Owners Club or I collect from Sussex Classic Car Parts who are quite close to me.

If using anti=freeze, then make sure its of the Bluecol variety which is much better for classics.

[wooster]

Removed thermostat housing to find no thermostat! I guess that hints at overheating problems in the past. The hole between the thermostat housing and the water pump was almost closed by hard orange crud so I've clean that out and given everything a good flush. I'll take it for a test run later if it ever stops raining.