Good old trusty Triumphs

[Badwolf]

The oil pressure switch pressure 'trigger' is the one I find most interesting. Gauge is reading low, but not that low when hot and at idle. Lokks like a mixture of cheap oil and pressure switch that is making the warning light come on.

[NonMember]

The switch is specified to come on between 3-5psi but they have a habit of failing high, so that they come on at 10, 15, even 30psi. If the gauge reads reasonable pressure it's definitely worth swapping out the switch.

[Pete Lewis]

you have a gauge  you dont need a light ....      bell or buzzer will awaken you better , no one sees the light ............................till the racket starts 

they are pretty useless in the real world .     

Pete

[Badwolf]

Trouble is the gauge is a bit hidden behind the steering wheel so the light is a bit useful. At least now its LED I can see it in daylight... come to think of it, maybe its always come on at about 20psi and I never knew until the new bulbs went in .... hummm...

[RAW1969]

Hi all

Can I just come in on this for a little help please? 2L Vitesse mk1 no electric fan. Owned for 3 years. I've not done many miles as car tends to be partly dismantled. When I do drive it the temp gauge always drifts up to H. 

When purchased I found it had no thermostat. (Subsequently found a garage bill from the 1990s detailing it's removal to address overheating issues). So a long standing issue.

I put in a new thermostat then found quite a lot of coolant escaping to the overflow bottle and not returning. So i replaced tbe radiator cap (7lb).

Car runs fine but still on H which I don't like but not losing coolant.

So trying next steps.

I've drained the system. Engine block drain tap let very little out even when poked with a paper clip. I've taken the stat out again for better access. I hadn't seen Pete's advice on jiggle pin hole when I fitted it. Plan to replace it and put a hole in it this time!

So on to the questions:

To back flush the coolant system do I need to connect the garden hose to the engine block drain tap or can I do it equally well from a more accessible connection at the top (heater or thermostat pipes); and

All advice is for heater to be in  the on position. My heater control won't budge. I can move the valve but the cable is seized I think. So just checking that for the valve to be open it's pulled up (ie control pulled out if it would move).

My plan is to flush. Then reverse flush with water Then put something stronger in. Was thinking the Holts product but read elsewhere about white vinegar or other mild acids. So if vinegar how much do you put in? Presuambly a bottle of vinegar and toppex with water. Not filled all with vinegar? Also I have some Oxalyic acid for cleaning rust off chrome. Would that be ok instead do you think? The inside of the thermostat housing looks grim and i can only think all the other channels are similarly lumpy.

Once all flushed through I'll also probably change the temperature sender and then finally maybe the water pump. It makes a "pssht-y-cuf" sound reminiscent of Ivor the Engine.

Trigger's broom!

Thanks for looking.

Richard

[Ian Foster]

Hi Richard

You should try and get the system as clean as you can, so flushing a chemically cleaning are the top priority.

The whole drain tap can be unscrewed which will give you a 1/2" diameter hole to poke through. Stiff wire (eg coat hanger) and a robust cable tie can be used.

I have cleaned with Holts Speedflush (single part) and the two part product. Follow the instructions and you will be surprised how much crud will come out. Heater valve open for flushing and refilling.

I would keep your existing sender for now, just so that you can monitor whether the cleaning has made any difference. does sound as though your water pump may be past its best and they are fairly cheap to replace.

Happy flushing. Do report back.

Ian F

[NonMember]

As Ian says, get the system clean first and see what effect that has before you swap the sender.

I once had a 2500S engine that let not even a dribble out of the drain plug (no tap on the later engines). I even ran it fully up to temperature with a full system and the block drain plug removed... and not a dribble. When I took the manifolds off, the coolant hoses were solid full of rust. Amazingly, that engine never overheated!

Try the Speedflush and see what you get, but I slightly suspect the pump may be your main problem. What condition is the radiator in? Be warned: that same 2500S , after I flushed the cooling system clean, suffered radiator failure because the rust was all that was holding it together in places.

[Pete Lewis]

cheapo simple washing soda crystals work well run for a few days and flush well

does it blow water out the overflow  is it actually running hot or just reads hot  there are two senders units , get them mixed and you get persistent hot gauge readings when the engine is fine  as there ongoing  hot history me thinks sender is the problem

stabilised (slow needle ) gauges use GTR108

non stabilises quick moving needles use 121997

they used to be different coloured insulators but all seem black these days  ( used to be red or green )

[daverclasper]

In the past, Iv'e wrapped by hand around the top hose. If it feels hot, though not unbearable , then this seems about right. Of course this is subjective, though practice on a few hoses that you know are running ok temp.

Not sure if this is ok advice, or a bit silly?.

Dave

[68vitesse]

Have a Mk1 2L Vitesse with electric fan, some water pumps on offer not very good, been driving it regularly in the current hot weather. Out this morning in it, temperature in high twenties, guage in red after restart after short stop but soon drops as water starts circulating.

As Pete says tempurature sender, is your fuel guage accurate, near as a Triumph one would be as both guage run from the voltage stabiliser.

Regards

Paul

[Pete Lewis]

Dave not silly  .gives a good humanoid guide , you could get your mits calibrated   and hire them out   ha ! 

[Colin Lindsay]

24 minutes ago, Pete Lewis said:

Dave not silly  .gives a good humanoid guide , you could get your mits calibrated   and hire them out   ha ! 

If mothers can test milk by dipping their elbows in it, Dave's idea is probably spot-on.

[Anglefire]

4 hours ago, Colin Lindsay said:

If mothers can test milk by dipping their elbows in it, Dave's idea is probably spot-on.

Isn't that bath water?

[Pete Lewis]

yes  the bottle squirt is on the back of the hand,   elbows for the bath 

there are better ways but testing  milk temperature,  but it gets you arrested 

Pete

[Gully]

Also check that your radiator cap is actually seating on the inner seal and allowing the system to pressurise. I bought 3 different caps before I finally found one deep enough to seat properly. If only the top seal works, the water quickly expands into the overflow bottle.

Gully

[RAW1969]

Thanks for all the inputs. My slow progress continues. Having put the drained coolant in bottles to take to the tip it occurs to me I only have collected just over 3 litres. Thinking this is not enough I'm wondering where the missing liquid is. Initial thoughts are the heater valve is blocked so there is no water coming out of the heater matrix (if there's any in it?). Heater cable seized. With cable disconnected the valve moves but expect it's a bit hummed up after years of being shut. Also there was no water in the overflow bottle which if my reading if WSM is correct should be half full when engine cold? So before trying to flush the block and radiator I'll try and get the heater working I Think. Maybe new valve and flush heater matrix. 

Any thoughts / pearls if wisdom gratefully received!

Thanks

Richard

[Pete Lewis]

If verym little came out the block drain I guess the missing is still held in the block 

As apart from removing a core plug the back end plug is the only way to empty the block

Pete

[dougbgt6]

Yes, as Pete says your drain may be blocked, It could be rust sludge or dry grit left over from casting the block. Removal can be done with a bent narrow blade screwdriver, it's time consuming and wrist achingly tedious. Casting grit is worse than sludge. You may not be able to get it out, this is not too disastrous as the drain reservoir is to one side of the cooling jacket and not an integral part of the cooling system. The downside is you can't drain quickly through the drain plug. Turns out my own drain plug has been blocked since the engine was new.

Therefore, as Pete says, you can't empty the block, but you can flush it, hose into the head, pushes it all around, squirts out the bottom. Hose in the bottom, squirts out the top! 

(Pete Lewis amusing remark to follow)

Doug

[Pete Lewis]

ok  ..you can keep taking the pills 

Pete

if the core plugs easy it gives a lot more access to the crud

then   Bloodnok:   had Great spluddocks of crud!    often sovled by henry crun and  minn,    argh    the wick in the engines gone out Minn.

youl find in a brown paper bag under the seat henry

well its too  blasted  hot !!!!

[dougbgt6]

Wow! The Goon puppet TV series, I remember that.  

"He's fallen in the water!" and so on.

db

[Pete Lewis]

https://www.comedy.co.uk/radio/the_goon_show/videos/886/the_ying_tong_song/

 

you dont have to be mad but it helps

Pete

[RAW1969]

"He's fallen in the water" indeed. If only water would fall from the drain!

I've had another go. Decided to tackle in three parts. Radiator, Block and heater.

Radiator quite simple and I think now flushed. Block messy. Will come back to that. Heater. Taken pipes off the valve. Pretty clear that the valve is blocked and needs to come off. Soaked in WD40 but not made any progress in loosening the nuts. Quite small 8mm weirdly and awkward place so nervous of rounding them off. Think I might go back to flushing the block with the heater valve bypassed. Not a permanent thing but who needs a heater at the moment!

Everything's so slow. Having limited tools doesn't help!

Richard

 

 

 

 

[Chris A]

It would be worth persisting with the heater. i recently did mine and the gunge that came out was incredible.

Mine is a Smiths heater.

The valve was completely blocked so took it off, yes the nuts are small but the WD40 will have helped, use a good quality spanner and go carefully.

I replaced the valve, well the other was corroded/ blocked beyond recovery. Don't forget the rubber 'o' ring when you refit /replace.

I agree, who needs a heater. Mine is in a convertible so needed even less.

Don't forget that a heater plus fan does give a little extra cooling for the engine (not you of course) should you need it one of these very hot afternoons !

[RAW1969]

Thanks Chris. I was sufficiently encoraged to have another go at the heater valve nuts tonight and managed to get the valve off. Some crud came out too. So now flushed the heater matrix with hose water. Soaked the valve n a bowl of water and the mechanism seems to work. What I can't figure out is how it's meant to work. When the lever is down (which would be heater control pushed in to the dashboard if connected) I can blow air through the valve suggesting water would flow into the heater. But when the lever is up (dash control out) I can't blow through it so heater off? Seems back to front to me? Heaters never worked so never thought about it. Can anyone enlighten me? Could it be the control cable should pull from the bottom not the top and so reverse my observations? 

Sorry if this makes no sense. It's late!

(1967 vitesse. Smith's heater valve)

Cheers

[Pete Lewis]

Youre right in is valve closed oit is valve open ....normally   guess it doesnt matter too much so long as you know

The valve should follow the cam down to close the valve  with control pushed  in.  

Maybe sometime in its life its had a reversed  unit fitted , if you could swap the outer for the inner at the valve then it would reverse the movement,  imtake it the outer is clamped to the bracket and the inner is on a nipple on the valve operting lever ??

If the valve is   locked you can remove the rivet and rotate the halves to disassemble,  mark it so refit gets its angled correctly

The halves can be rotated to meet any cable entry variations ,  that may be where your problems starts 

If you dont have the rubber olive that seals to the matrix  its easy to shape a chamfer ona peice of heater hose to make one