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Cooling system
vorn - 25/1/09 at 08:57 AM

Hello people .

I have just finished the cooling syatem in my build.
I have a riser off the top rad hose with my rad cap making it the highest point on the syatem (arrow 1)
then I have the top heater hose to bleed off air (arrow 2)
I know I have no header tank but I can't see why it wont work this way.
Any comments welcome

Cheers

Vorn Rescued attachment water filler.JPG
Rescued attachment water filler.JPG


t16turbotone - 25/1/09 at 09:31 AM

because you will need an expansion tank to allow for expansion of water as temp rises


vorn - 25/1/09 at 09:33 AM

I'll put a catch tank off the rad cap fitting to sort that .


vorn - 25/1/09 at 09:37 AM

as per photo Rescued attachment water filler.JPG
Rescued attachment water filler.JPG


t16turbotone - 25/1/09 at 09:38 AM

ok...so what makes you think it may not work?


vorn - 25/1/09 at 09:42 AM

Just running it past you guys before i make a cock up and as I see on here most people (as I have seen ) run a high pressure header tank so I guess it gives you auto bleed and a bit more water .

[Edited on 25/1/09 by vorn]


t16turbotone - 25/1/09 at 09:48 AM

i must say that i tried it your way on my build, but for some reason the cooling system kept over pressurising and blew the seals in water pump, plus a loud gurling sound when engine stopped!!
changed to proper expansion tank been mint since..


vorn - 25/1/09 at 09:53 AM

Oh Ok . over the past few years looking for parts in wreckers, I found euro cars had high pressure header tanks and Jap cars seemed to run a system like I have done .
Ill keep an eye on it when I gat some water into some time over the next few weeks


grazzledazzle - 25/1/09 at 10:08 AM

Should be fine. There is no need for a true 'header tank' an expansion bottle as you say will be fine. Land rover series 3 run's a bottle with overflow vent and bracket which you can buy new for peanuts.

Header tank and expansion tank are often confused. I went through this last week. Mine is as per your instalation and works fine.


adithorp - 25/1/09 at 10:10 AM

quote:
Originally posted by vorn
Oh Ok . over the past few years looking for parts in wreckers, I found euro cars had high pressure header tanks and Jap cars seemed to run a system like I have done .
Ill keep an eye on it when I gat some water into some time over the next few weeks


Not sure it makes a difference but, Jap' cars with that system have the rad with top to bottom tanks rather than each side. Is that engine is designed for expantion tank or an overflow bottle? Overflow bottles also loose some water by evaporation (the water going into them is hot).

adrian

[Edited on 25/1/09 by adithorp]


t16turbotone - 25/1/09 at 10:27 AM

good point about the radiators, i also tried a cortina rad on my build (top to bottom flow no tank) and it worked ok apart from not big enough...


nitram38 - 25/1/09 at 10:34 AM

In the "old" days, the catch bottle was and "upgrade" to the simple vented cap to save top ups.
When the coolant escaped it went into the bottle, but as the pipe is below the water level (in the bottle), it would draw it back into the cooling system as it cooled.
The expansion system was developed so that there was no loss of coolant possible (except overheating/leaks etc) so in theory you should be able to run the system for years without hassle.
From the age of 18 (I'm 44) I have built cars/engines and I think that the expansion bottle system is the hassle free way to go.
Your way will work, but an expansion tank is better long term as you will just do a quick visual check now and then without needing to open to check.
On both the MotaLeira and F1-2, as they are rear engined and can't see any steam etc when there is a problem, I fitted an expansion bottle with a float switch (MG rover) and a simple led on the dash.

I also forgot to add that the expansion bottle aids easier filling and helps to remove air that is trapped and hence less prone to cavitation in your block (hotspots) and less likely to overheat.

[Edited on 25/1/2009 by nitram38]


britishtrident - 25/1/09 at 11:18 AM

Fit a proper expansion bottle.

With the design of your systen if you loose even a a small ammount of coolant coolant the level will fall below the level of the thermostat.

The reason why an expansion space is require is quite apart from the thermal exansion of the coolant the coolant contains disolved oxygen, carbon dioxide which are forced out of solution as the coolant temperature approaches boiling point.


MikeRJ - 25/1/09 at 12:39 PM

quote:
Originally posted by nitram38
In the "old" days, the catch bottle was and "upgrade" to the simple vented cap to save top ups.
When the coolant escaped it went into the bottle, but as the pipe is below the water level (in the bottle), it would draw it back into the cooling system as it cooled.


Note this only works if you have the proper type of cap fitted with a one way valve to allow coolant back into the system.


britishtrident - 25/1/09 at 01:35 PM

quote:
Originally posted by MikeRJ
[
Note this only works if you have the proper type of cap fitted with a one way valve to allow coolant back into the system.


All caps have a return valve to break the vacuum formed on cooling.


vorn - 25/1/09 at 06:43 PM

Cheers guy's

Ill get a new rad cap this week and put some water in it and let you know how it went .

Cheers

Vaughan