Info needed to simplify coolant pipe work.

[fred rowland]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)

I have plonked a f7r into my 5 and to simplify the coolant plumbing i have done away with all the original pipe work. i have put in an air cooled oil cooler rather than the water cooled jobbie and done away with the auxilary electric water pump. i have however kept the heater matrix pipe install but what i need to know is do i take the water return from the matrix that goes to the header tank and T it in before the rad or after the rad? i have been looking at some dude who goes under the name of Holey who has a f7r on throttle bodies but i cant quite make out where his pipe work goes. His header tank also has only 2 outlets rather than the standard 3 hole job and i also dont think hes running the heater matrix. ahh help!

[Os8472]

Got mine T'd into the top rad hose that comes from the stat housing, hope that helps

[steer from the rear]

I have done away with all my renault hoses and run a mocal oil cooler, will take some pictures if you like, I run a 54 plate style header tank with only the small pipe on the top and one inlet so I've a top hose a bottom hose a pipe to my heater matrix from my stat housing a pipe out my heater matrix to my header tank and the small pipe from my stat housing through my turbo and off to the small pipe inlet on the header tank :agree:

[James5]

I have done away with all the OE renault coolant hoses on my F7p and I only use 1 main out on the header tank bottom and the small return on the top. I also use an external oil cooler located were my driver side foglight would be.

My coolant system goes like this

90 deg from water pump to base of clio rad, then it comes out of rad to thermostat housing, then back of thermostart housing goes to base of heater matrix, then heater matrix to header tank, block off other header tank lower port, the little one at the top goes to the theremostat housing top. I also blocked off the side out on the theremostat housing which would have gone to my other header tank port that I blocked. I have not had any coolant temp problems or pressure problems at all with my setup.:agree:

[Os8472]

i'm using the 3 port gtt header tank on mine.

From the water pump to bottom of rad.

Top of rad to stat housing with a T off to lower right of header tank.

Stat housing rear to turbo.

Turbo to heater matrix.

Heater matrix to lower left of header tank.

Top of headerto top of stat housing.

[fred rowland]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)


I have done away with all my renault hoses and run a mocal oil cooler, will take some pictures if you like, I run a 54 plate style header tank with only the small pipe on the top and one inlet so I've a top hose a bottom hose a pipe to my heater matrix from my stat housing a pipe out my heater matrix to my header tank and the small pipe from my stat housing through my turbo and off to the small pipe inlet on the header tank :agree:

I've done the same as you by the sounds of your description apart form mines still naturally aspirated and the small pipe from the stat housing just goes straight to the top of the header tank.
what concerns me tho is if the flow from the thermostat goes to the matrix, then comes out the other end of matrix to the header tank then where does the water flow to next to get circulation for the matrix? surely it would just stop dead at the header tank? would it be better to have a header with 3 connections like the gtturbo so that you could use the 3rd connection to return to the main pipe before or after the rad? or does it not work like that?

[fred rowland]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)


I have done away with all the OE renault coolant hoses on my F7p and I only use 1 main out on the header tank bottom and the small return on the top. I also use an external oil cooler located were my driver side foglight would be.

My coolant system goes like this

90 deg from water pump to base of clio rad, then it comes out of rad to thermostat housing, then back of thermostart housing goes to base of heater matrix, then heater matrix to header tank, block off other header tank lower port, the little one at the top goes to the theremostat housing top. I also blocked off the side out on the theremostat housing which would have gone to my other header tank port that I blocked. I have not had any coolant temp problems or pressure problems at all with my setup.:agree:

Do you still get heat from your heater? also does your expansion tank water level rise a little when the cars running? mine does but its not head gasket but just wondered if it was sposed to rise a little.

[Os8472]

if your engines going in an r5 why not just reuse the header tank from your c1j setup, gotta be easier than messing around for ages trying to get it to work with just the 2port job

[James5]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)



Do you still get heat from your heater? also does your expansion tank water level rise a little when the cars running? mine does but its not head gasket but just wondered if it was sposed to rise a little.


Heaters work fine plenty of warm air if needed, and yeah the coolant level does raise up and down a bit but not had any problems with it although I have only done just over 200miles on the f7p turbo now. I am using a phase 2 GTT header tank

[fred rowland]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)


if your engines going in an r5 why not just reuse the header tank from your c1j setup, gotta be easier than messing around for ages trying to get it to work with just the 2port job

its up and running with the two port but was just a bit worried bout it as i've already had to do the head gasket on it once before when being mot'd when the fan didn't kick in. Bit paranoid to say the least! cheers for your help tho, much appreciated. fred.

[fred rowland]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)


Heaters work fine plenty of warm air if needed, and yeah the coolant level does raise up and down a bit but not had any problems with it although I have only done just over 200miles on the f7p turbo now. I am using a phase 2 GTT header tank

Will prob put up some pickies of what ive done and then see what you lot think, if its right or wrong and all that. cheers for your help bud.

[Os8472]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)



its up and running with the two port but was just a bit worried bout it as i've already had to do the head gasket on it once before when being mot'd when the fan didn't kick in. Bit paranoid to say the least! cheers for your help tho, much appreciated. fred.

I take it that it got hot when the HG went? if thats the case and the fan didn't cut then I start looking into why that didn't cut in first, check the stat that controls it, namely by pass it, dunno if its a switched live or earth on yours so just put a wire to the terminals on the alt depending on what it needs, should kick in straight away then you know the stat is dodgy.

If not try a different relay and check for any fuses gone

[fred rowland]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)


I take it that it got hot when the HG went? if thats the case and the fan didn't cut then I start looking into why that didn't cut in first, check the stat that controls it, namely by pass it, dunno if its a switched live or earth on yours so just put a wire to the terminals on the alt depending on what it needs, should kick in straight away then you know the stat is dodgy.

If not try a different relay and check for any fuses gone

This happened a few years back when it was in a clio 16v shell. the fans sweet as a nut now. i was just saying i was keen to get the coolant pipes sorted properly incase i had another head gasket miss hap. cheers for that info tho also. i will pop some pics up when i gat a mo for you peeps to check out and see if you can see any probs or not. probably easier than trying to explain.

[James5]

New poster! (less than 10 posts)



This happened a few years back when it was in a clio 16v shell. the fans sweet as a nut now. i was just saying i was keen to get the coolant pipes sorted properly incase i had another head gasket miss hap. cheers for that info tho also. i will pop some pics up when i gat a mo for you peeps to check out and see if you can see any probs or not. probably easier than trying to explain.


Yeah get some pic's up, also noted the area you live in your not far from Markey Mark so if you get really stuck and you need help I am sure he will help out:agree:

[Markey Mark (BD)]

Yeah get some pic's up, also noted the area you live in your not far from Markey Mark so if you get really stuck and you need help I am sure he will help out:agree:

Helped out many a time mate over the years i've know Fred! :D:p