TopBanana

Doesn't coolant need to be pressurised in order to prevent it boiling? It could be that there's a leak somewhere (leaky header tank cap?) which is causing the pressure to drop and allowing the coolant to boil?

TedRainhill

My reserve gets blown too! For along time I would get steam from the scoop when i stopped, only now and then.. After a good blast on a sunny day i notice that there was a alot of steam, lifted the bonnet to find coolant everywhere. Seems i'd developed a split in the radiator side housing. It didnt leak under normal revs, But when came out under preasure +5500 revs. Car never overheated. I didnt think the preasure should increase in the coolant system? Anyway replaced the radiator, but still blowing the reserve. It has to be a blockage? or engine preasure leak, as stated ealier? Car Runs great otherwise, and i dont loose any coolant from the main reservoir.. must be a gasket?

but for now.. i think i'll leave it be. ps no oil or water where it shouldnt be.

911

James/Ted, thanks for this.
When the coolant does dump, the whole battery side is flooded, and I think the leaking rad above 550 is a good theory, like Rally had too.
I race the car at Shelsley Walsh next weekend, so will persivere till then. Don't race in a Championship again till early Aug so will have some time to fix it!

Even if the head(s) are leaking, the pressure should blow the header pressure cap(which I think is good James) and vent it all off, not dump 1 litre of fluid in 50 seconds due to pressure buildup!
split rad is the answer, I'll remove the stat to see if I can get through Shelsley ok.

how much is a new/secondhand rad, and although not connected, do they come with a/c rad or can I separate them?

My engine is running really hard, so reluctant to open it all up for this.....

Off to watch some Drag racing today with my daughter, back to my roots!

Thanks as ever guys,
911

ademid

OK this is the third time I've tried to reply to this thread so I hope it works this time!!

911 I would be very greatful if you could let me know how you get on with this as my car has started doing exactly the same as yours!

Basically I may have to sell the car of it turns out to be the head gasket and I really don't want to!

So I'll be praying for you (and me) that it's something cheap and simple!

Thanks

Ade

911

Bloody right!
The car runs like a bullit in competition, oil is super clean and all that. I have loaded the coolant with some Barr's rad weld, and ran it on fast tickover for 15 mins (as it said on the tin).
Will give it a hard run tonight or tomorrow to see if this has helped.

One essential thing about the Snet is to share the experiences with others, if this all works EVERYONE will know about it!

If this still doesn't contain the problem then i will dig deeper. Pressure test the rad out of the car proffessionall,. they can be repaired, not to £££££££££££££££££ !

If all is well... then a compression test of the engine is next, not too hard. Add compressed air via a modified spark plug to each cylinder. If bubbles appear in the headertank or filling tank, then, gulp, its that head off.......£ Zillion.
911

ademid

Well I've been trying to prepare myself for the worst. The head gasket set would appear to be about £340ish. Then your looking at 15-18hrs labour!

I'll have to sit down for a bit to recover from that news. Admittedly that wasn't as bad as I feared but far from as good as I'd hoped.

Ade

TopBanana

15-18 hours???

ademid

Apparently. It doesn't sound that disbelievable engine out strip rebuild re-fit. I can believe 15-18 hours.

Took me and a friend 5.5 hours to fit the clutch to mine and that was only removing and refitting the gearbox.

Ade

911

Ade, the engine does not need to come out. The heads are a tight squeeze to get off though. It seems to me that its headers off, inlet off or slackened and held up off the heads, inlet box off, washer bott off, and about a zillion pipes and wires off and you will find the heads!
The rest is a bitch, cam belt etc.
I think 15 to 18 is about right actually.

At £25/hour = approx 400, if you DIY you have saved enough to by the gasket set. Now, which head is leaking, as this could realy reduce the bill/work!
911

ademid

Common opinion from all I have spoken to is that if you are doing one you'd be best advised to do both. Which kinda makes sense.

Also rumoured to be easier to take the engine out than all the trouble of trying to do it in situ.

Ade (trying to work out where I can find £800ish)

911

I was only kidding about doing one side....
After fighting 2 gearbox cahnges and 2 rear diff changes, the thought of getting the engine out is too much to bear!
Scoobycustom has confirmed my problem is/are the head gaskets, and he did his in a day! Supersonic or what?
Will race it this weekend, then i'm off on hols to Le Mans and I've 6 weeks to get it all done !
Might try and do a DIY thread on projects Section if i can master the picture side.

Thanks for your interest. As to finding £800, spend a £ on saturday....I know the feeling.

911

ademid

I think a pound on saturday could be the way forward

It's about the only hope of getting it done before the summers over

Ade