Fleet Occurrences

[Split_Pin]

I'm about half way into dismantling the cooling system on the Cavalier now. The radiator has a big hole at the bottom so I'm glad I'm replacing it.

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I was also quoted £800 for a stainless cat back exhaust fornthe Audi yesterday so I'll definitely be going with Eddie Honda's suggestion of trying to make a similar exhaust fit.

[Scruffy Bodger]

Is that the problem then and it's losing water? One of those Cavs should literally be one of the most reliable things on the road if the basics are kept on top of.

[captain_70s]

I imagine the holes will be causing a not inconsiderable amount of pressure loss in the system.

The Acclaim gets through a decent chunk of coolant through the fucked rad but even with coolant in the system it's still running too hot, presumably due to it pumping loads of air and chunks of the rad not functioning

[Hooli]

If it's loosing pressure it can't cool as well either. I forget why but the pressure also raises the boiling point.

[LynehamHerc]

Pressure Affects the Boiling Point
When atmospheric pressure increases, the boiling point becomes higher, and when atmospheric pressure decreases (as it does when elevation increases), the boiling point becomes lower. ... Lowering the pressure lowers the boiling point because the molecules need less speed to escape.

[Split_Pin]

The hole looks even worse now the radiator is out the car. It didnt lose a drop of coolant but the hole was caused by corrosion of the alloy so I'm guessing it looks bad inside.

The waterpump was in good nick albeit a touch stiff to turn.

I'd be very surprised if it wasn't the radiator but then, I seem to own cars that foul up in ways that make people say" I've never seen one of those do that before".

[SiC]

Rotting out radiator bottoms is a Porsche trick. Dirt, grime and debris like leaves and such sit at the bottom. Over time it rots them out.

[Split_Pin]

I got the intercooler buttoned up to the new radiator and cleaned the mating face on the block up in preparation for the new waterpump, wherever that is at the moment.

[Split_Pin]

After managing to make an arse of the waterpump gasket in the Cav, causing it to piss coolant right back out as fast as I poured it in, I refitted it with another gasket and all seems OK.

It was definitely the radiator causing the issue though. Although it wasn't leaking, if the flange that holds the fan on had corroded off outside the inside must have been pretty blocked up with corrosion..

I took it a decent motorway run tonight (which is where it was running hot before) a the needle barely fluctuated from 90 degrees.

A right faff but thankfully an inexpensive fix which is just as well as the MOT is in a month.

Now to concentrate on (all) of the other fleet members which have issues.

[Split_Pin]

Cavalier is back in my garage again.
The thermostat sits at right angles to the head and there is nothing to keep it in place while you bolt the top on. As such it kept slipping down as I tightened everything up and the top couldn't tighten down flush. After 2 failed attempts with coolant lashing out, I conceded that the whole housing needs to come off so the thermostat can be installed on the level. The port for the radiator top hose also decided to start breaking up due to alloy corrosion so I've had to buy a new housing now too.

I also pulled a boot loom and nearside mirror from a scrapper last night for the Civic. I was aware that the donor was a pre facelift and some of the rear lamps are in a slightly different position but I'm hoping that's where the differences end.

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