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Cooling Problem: New Engine

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Webb

Webb

Senior Member
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After 6 months of procrastination, I finally got my rebuilt (again) engine started and running well. I filled it up with coolant through the radiator cap, got it full and filled up the overflow tank, and the temp needle was pointing at the red in like 5 minutes. Let it cool, it sucked some out of the overflow, repeat. Overheated again, and I'm currently waiting for it to cool. Should I just keep repeating this until it won't fill any more? Will the air bubble around the pump (I imagine this is the problem) eventually surface, or is there something I need to do?
 
Stick an aspirin in the thermostat to get all the air out.
 
How would that do anything but dissolve and potentially add air/gas to the system?
 
Water is able to pass the thermostat right away and circulate so you can add more vasser.
 
Had a similar issue with the 3A that jumped to 185 in a couple of minutes. Turned out to be a stuck thermosat. Changed it and all is well.
 
To be sure, take the stat out completely and run the car for awhile to see what happens. It's not cold so you won't need it right away. I would then put it in a pot of boiling water to see if it opens while you have it out. That will tell the tale.
 
I don't need to drain the radiator and block to pull the tstat do i?
 
Webb said:
I don't need to drain the radiator and block to pull the tstat do i?
Click to expand...
Not really. But it will make bit of a mess if you don't.

What DNK is talking about is to force the Tstat open with your hands, then jam an aspirin in the gap to hold it open (until the aspirin melts). But if your engine has filling problems, I prefer a more permanent approach : drill a small hole (like 1/8") in the tstat backing plate. That way it will always pass air. (some thermostats already have this mod, along with a 'diddle pin' to block water from flowing through the hole)
 
Some of us are also built that way with a little hole to pass air!!!
 
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:]I don't need to drain the radiator and block to pull the tstat do i? [/QUOTE]

I think that the housing is high enough in the TR6 that you won't have too much of a problem if you go to the kitchen and get one of your wife's turkey basters to pull coolant out of the radiator first. If you do this when it's cold, what ever is in the hose, will drain into the rad and you can pull it out from there. What is in the block will stay.

Lift the stat, take it inside and boil the water. If it opens you are fine. If not replace it.

Also, make sure that the spring side of the stat is in the block, not in the hose housing.

When done, throw baster and boiling pot away, or keep for use in the garage only.

Disclaimer: Try these options at your own risk. Every wife reacts differently to having her kitchen utensils used for car repairs.
 
Disclaimer: Try these options at your own risk. Every wife
reacts differently to having her kitchen utensils used for
car repairs.

Ain't it the truth!!

Webb- I recently changed out the thermostat in the Crypt
Car.

You do not need to drain the system. Remove the housing and
a small amount of fluid will flow out. Put some paper towels
under your engine to catch it. It is poisonous to pets.

Thermostats are so inexpensive, it's hardly worth your time
and effort to boil it, etc. Go purchase a new one and
install it.

It will take a few tries to get all the air out. Just run
the engine a bit, check the fluid level and add until full.
If you run it with the radiator cap off, you can see it "burp" air bubbles.

Good luck.

d
 
Dale, I suggested the boiling to determine if the stat was indeed the problem.

Odds are not high that he would get a second defective one, but then you know all about those odds, right?
 
I am sure this is not the problem but it was kind of funny when it happened.

20 or so years ago I replaced a radiator with one from a salvage yard. The replacement looked in very good condition and I was sure there would be no problems with it.

Well the car over heated and I rechecked everything. Overheated again, checked everything again. Repeated process. Drained system and looked in the radiator and it looked fine. Then as I was refilling I noticed something seem to move inside the top tank. With my flash light I looked to the sides of the tank as best as I could and there was something in there. Turned out squirrels had stuffed the tank full of hickory nuts and pushed them in as far as they could. Removed nuts and all was well.
 
Well, it's a good thing that they didn't use walnuts or filberts, or you might have really had a problem.
 
Brosky said:
Disclaimer: Try these options at your own risk. Every wife reacts differently to having her kitchen utensils used for car repairs.
Click to expand...
For less risk; pick up your own turkey baster at the grocery store (they're only $2-3 for the plastic ones, and worthwhile keeping as a tool, IMO).

The pan is less of a problem, as long as the Tstat is clean ... but any thrift store will sell you one cheap if having poison near your food makes you nervous.
 
Don't forget to open the valve to your heater core (assuming you have a heater) There is a fair amount of space to fill and air to bleed there as well .
 
Good call on the heater core. I am pleased to say that whatever airbubble was stuck inside the engine or pump decided to move overnight and the car no longer overheats. Still, some interesting information and tips have come out of this.
 
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