[Hello from Paula and her Vitesse]

6 minutes ago, johny said:

Ive read Paula that over torqued head bolts can pull up the metal surrounding their holes in the block. I find it hard to believe the resulting 'pimple' could stop the head going down flat on the block but it might be something worth checking. The recommendation is to run a larger drill in the holes to slightly countersink them to remove this possibility...

I'll check that with a flat edge.

[Hello from Paula and her Vitesse]

Is this the stud i need?

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I wasn’t planning on doing anything apart from cleaning it up and a new gasket. 
Can anything be done about the waterways?

oh the thermostat didn’t have a hole or pin in it 

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Here’s the old gasket 

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The gasket looks good to me. I haven't cleaned it up yet but i can't see a definite fault. Is this the stud?

https://www.jamespaddock.co.uk/head-stud-long-16002-liter-mk1-3

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Don’t like the look of this head bolt. It’s the nut end

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Looks good to me

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We’re off!

[Hello from Paula and her Vitesse]

On 28/08/2022 at 20:21, Pete Lewis said:

youre lucky the nuts have not stripped  if and when you dive into heads off   look into buying washer faced nuts from mini spares (3/8 x24 UNF) and 

make sure the studs are clean threaded and not signs of streatch due to the high torque you applied  

the 1600 has a steel shim gasket  and it does need something like wellseal coating on the faces ( its the only one triumph say seal in the WSM ) 

keep us involved when you decide what to do 

Pete

 

These?

https://www.minispares.com/product/Classic/Engine/Cylinder_heads/Studs_bolts_nuts/CAM4545.aspx?100409&ReturnUrl=/search/classic/head nuts.aspx|Back to search

[Hello from Paula and her Vitesse]

19 hours ago, johny said:

You could try pumping the system to pressure with a foot pump (must have a pressure gauge) connected to the radiator overflow and leave it for a while to see if anything comes out?

I'll do the head gasket first and then check again. Sounds so simple when you say it fast!

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14 minutes ago, NonMember said:

If it's holding then you're probably OK for now, but when you do the head gasket you'll probably need to replace the studs and nuts. I'm finding my torque wrench completely illegible these days.

Getting old! 

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Re torquing the head didn’t work. But I’ve a confession to make!

I set the torque wrench to 62 not 42! My bad eyesight read the numbers wrong.

I torqued about 6 of them before thinking this doesn’t feel right. Then once I realised my mistake I just did the rest as tight as I dared.

So as long as I haven’t ruined everything I guess a new head gasket is the next step. 
oh dear 

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Just got back from a test drive and I’ve got the bubbling head gasket thing again. At the front on the engine behind the water pump.

I’m pretty sure it wasn’t doing that yesterday. I guess it’s time to tighten the head bolts and hope for the best again?

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This isn’t waterless. So horse water is fine if you need too. That’s what I thought anyway 

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This stuff

https://shop.tssc.org.uk/product/forlife-radiator-fluid-5-litres

 

[Hello from Paula and her Vitesse]

11 minutes ago, Steve P said:

I used that in a brand new engine, gummed the whole engine up and killed it.

Steve

I use it in the van too. I hope it's not doing that

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2 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

red  coolant ?????   what antifreeze are you using   OAT is pink  and should not be mixed in sysytems that previously had Glycol  ( Blue) 

there are glycol based REDs   from Comma and others   so hopefully you have one of those i wonder if some clown has upped the bonnet and given you a spill to worry about ???

the jiggle pin is just visible on this JP pic   but a 3mm  hole drilled in the rim will also work   without an air bleed the stat will air lock til it starts to open

many dont have this important little thingy

Pete

 

 

 

I ordered it from the club shop. I’ll check for that. Be interesting to see if the old one has the hole

I use 4 life coolant. Have for a few years now

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Yes, it was wet under the radiator when I got back home. Also it was 1ltr low. 
it was red too. 
i was convinced it was the radiator, but it just dried up and that was that. 

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1 minute ago, johny said:

Where did the coolant come from Paula? Presumably the bottle filled and overflowed so did you see a high temperature indication or did it happen after stopping?

I’m not sure where it came from. I just noticed the puddle after shopping. 
I should probably look how full the bottle is!

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Cheers.

I just went for a drive. Everything’s fine.

I’ll order a new rad cap and thermostat  just to be sure.

 

 

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After a drive to Sainsbury’s (about 2 miles) Feargal decided to sick up 1ltr of coolant in the car park. 
I drove home with him overheating slightly and let him cool off.

I’ve topped him up and run him up (and beyond a bit) temperature and it all looks fine. The only wetness I can see is at The base of the radiator but that soon dried up and he’s all happy.

has the bottom drain plug got a pressure release valve on it? 

anything I should worry about?

 

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Not at all! 
 

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They were those ‘inserts’ they made a horrible noise so they had to go! 

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12 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

Toyo Blue  thats different  ....nice  

 

so ring 01858434424 and have a  recital 

Pete

I’ve emailed them. I’m sure they’ll sort me out. 
 

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Had it left over from the Van!