IceCream in expansion vessel.

[andybond]

I put in a new engine about 2 months ago.

It had a failed headgasket and was rebuilt ( admittedly not by me )

I ran the engine gently , and noticed a small amount of "goo" in the expansion tank.

i cleaned the expansion tank out - but the "goo" returned.

The car does not have any signs of HGF - no missing , idle issues , use of water or smoke. No overheating either.

Could it be crap left in the engine from when the HG went bang last time ?

If so - what's the best way to flush it all out ?

[Tony Walker]

Is it the same way as the headgasket had gone previously? oil in the expansion is usually radiator or cracked head :( theres a topic a few weeks ago with some pictures in it. Best bet is some sort of rad flush or even washing up liquid is pretty good, run engine up to temp then maybe attach a hose to one of the hose pipes and keep the engine running pushing the water out of the hose you've taken off to connect to the hoe pipe. if that makes sense? lol

[andybond]

I didnt see the HG go last time , so I dunno.

Makes sense what you are saying ..

[Kenobi]

I didnt see the HG go last time , so I dunno.

Makes sense what you are saying ..


Like Tony says Bondy, Hose pipe in header tank and pull bottom rad hose off.

Keep at it till it runs clear really.

We can do it on my drive next time your over this way?

[Ashy]

I wouldn't pull the bottom radiator hose off as you want to keep the coolant circulating whilst you flush it.

I've just had the exact same problem on old whitey. it was like soup in the header tank. The only places that can allow water into your coolant are as Tony Said, cracked head (unlikely) or radiator plus it could also be the turbo core.

To test mine I just bridged the turbo water feeds and drove it back from POD to test if that was the cause but when we got back it was still making soup.

So the only options left were rad or head.

With the engine off I removed the oil cooler pipework and pressure tested the coolant system to 30psi, found a few leaks and plugged them. The hope was that if the head was cracked I would get water in my oil which would show up as mayo under the rockercover cap and if the oil cooler were at fault I would see water leak out of the bottom fitting.

The pressure test did show up a few leak points but I didn't get any mayo under the cap or leakage out of the cooler. So it must of only been leaking at high oil pressures 50psi+.

So i decided to change the rad as I had a spare and since then I've never had any issues.

The best way I found to clean the system out was to:

Remove the thermostat.
Remove the header tank and shove the hose pipe up the bottom left hose and flush for 5mins. Then shove the hose pipe up the bottom right hose and flush again.
Blow through both hoses to clear as much water out.
re-fit header tank, bleed system and run upto temp.
Drop a dishwasher tablet into the hot header tank and go for a 5 min blast.
Park up and allow to cool.
Flush the system as above.
Repeat until its fully clean.
You will eventually get lovely clean lemon fresh water coming out.

Then pop the thermostat back in and you should be sorted.

Hopefully its something simple like the radiator mate :)

[andybond]

Ashy ,

Fantastic stuff. Many thanks !

Kenobi - Ill not be down your neck of the woods until I have it clear , but thanks for the offer.

[Sparkie]

The hope was that if the head was cracked I would get water in my oil which would show up as mayo under the rockercover cap and if the oil cooler were at fault I would see water leak out of the bottom fitting.:)

unless of course the oil way through the head cracks, in which case you will get oil in the water. :)

[andybond]

noooo!

Dont say stuff like that.

Any easy ways to check for that ?

I have no mayo under the oil cap ..

[Tony Walker]

Test the rad first by bypassing the oil cooler section, either joing hoses or fitting a test cooler. then by pass the turbo water pipes, best not raggin it round like this tho, and only do one thing at a time so you can rule things out. if it isnt the turbo or rad then its only the head and/or gasket left. chances are it isnt the gasket tho :(
Rad is your first main test.

[andybond]

Definatly not the rad
Definatly not the turbo.

Carried on getting icecream in the expansion tank.

Taken the head off tonight , and nothing unusal under there ( I wasnt expecting a squirrel or anything ) just not major sign of FAIL

http://img190.imageshack.us/img190/1113/img07371.jpg (http://img190.imageshack.us/i/img07371.jpg/)

http://img818.imageshack.us/img818/3999/img07381.jpg (http://img818.imageshack.us/i/img07381.jpg/)

http://img4.imageshack.us/img4/1155/img07391.jpg (http://img4.imageshack.us/i/img07391.jpg/)

http://img593.imageshack.us/img593/3141/img07401r.jpg (http://img593.imageshack.us/i/img07401r.jpg/)

Looks like it was running lean , but I havent run over 12psi on it.

No unusual bumps , bobbles , bits missing , cracks or scores.

I guess the head has just got a crack in an oilway ?

[Ashy]

Definatly not the rad
Definatly not the turbo.

Carried on getting icecream in the expansion tank.


I guess the head has just got a crack in an oilway ?

Famous last words, my money is still on the radiator!!

[Ashy]

unless of course the oil way through the head cracks, in which case you will get oil in the water. :)

Thats what I meant marrow...




With the engine off I removed the oil cooler pipework and pressure tested the coolant system to 30psi, found a few leaks and plugged them. The hope was that if the head was cracked I would get water in my oil which would show up as mayo under the rockercover cap


i.e. if the head was cracked and it was the cause of the oil in my water (becasue oil pressure is higher than the water pressure when the engine is running) by pressurising the coolant system i would force the water into the oil and in turn get mayo under the rocker cover cap?

Another thing is your block and head surfaces look a bit ropey, i hope you clean then up properly before re-fitting the head?

[andybond]

Famous last words, my money is still on the radiator!!

Swapped it out for another know good rad. Same result ..

[andybond]

Another thing is your block and head surfaces look a bit ropey, i hope you clean then up properly before re-fitting the head?

Will do. I have another clean head , I literally just lifted the head and took pics. Ill get them as clean as I can.

Any tips ?

[michael tierney]

remove the end plate from the head and u might see an oil stain on the water side of the casting!!(in the water jacket)

[andybond]

Ill do that tomorrow. Thanks for the tip

[michael tierney]

did u get it running with the different head yet?

[James5]

did u get it running with the different head yet?

Yes he did without mayo aswell turned out to be the head, just got missfire problem down to dizzy gear out slightly

[andybond]

I am not 100% sure its out James.

I aligned it all up just as the Haynes book of lies , even down to the Y on the dizzy pointing in spot on the right direction.

I am gonna try making it adjustable , and annoying the neighbours as I get my son to rev it to 6k :cooter:

No way crud on the TDC sensor near the flywheel could upset it ?

[andybond]

Made the dizzy adjustable , put it 180 out. Redid the ht leads.

Cannot get the car to idle sensibly. Sounds like it is idling on 3 cylinders.

2 minor electric shocks later from the ht leads ( even tho I had a thick towel over it ) and I still couldnt get it running right.

Move it back to the "fixed" position , and voila. Idles fine.

Couldnt take it out to boost ( where no doubt it will miss ) as kids in bed.

WTF?

[andybond]

Fixed.


Reference pipe from top of FPR to the Carb top was cracked on the inside.

Cut it back , put it back on , job jobbed.

[michael tierney]

did u remove the end plate from the head and u might see an oil stain on the water side of the casting!!(in the water jacket):confused:

[andybond]

I did remove the endplate , and just found gunk.

Had no more since , so I will put it down to a poorly head ..

[michael tierney]

dont throw out the head just yet...i'll be trying to work on a fix if i can locate one here!

[Sparkie]

i got an old boy near me, to drill out the oilway and epoxy a brass tube up the inside of the hole. woked a treat, cost about £40 though.

[michael tierney]

did u try it on the car first or devise a way of pressure testing the oilway?

[Sparkie]

no i just fitted it. :laugh: worked ok.