Radiator Question??

[olly137]

As having to change the water pump and some related bits and whilst waiting for the postman to bring the new shinny bits, i was reading a few topics regarding flushing the water system re filling and bleeding the air out. Regarding the bleed nut/valve on the rad tried to find mine, it is on the off side bottom!! is this right or is the rad upside down?
Does this cause a prob? Any advice on flushing the system and bleeding would be a great help. Thanks

[Top Gear TVR]

is it an alloy radiator or a normal black one? Some have fitted alloys upside down rather than adjust top brackets, which is easy if you know how.

I prefer my bleeders on the top....could you swap it round?

Nothing special really - make sure the heater valve is set to hot and leave it there for a week or so. Fill slowly through swirl pot, squeeze hoses, split the heater valve connection to check its full of water, if not force water with a hose through the matrix side and top up swirl pot when reconnected. Reconnect pipes, leave caps off.

Turn engine over a couple of times just to fire up then stop and refill if level drops, repeat until it does nt drop any more.

Once it doesnt drop, start engine it up with caps off and continue to top up slowly as it burps. Give it a short spell of 1500 /2000 revs for a few seconds every minute or so, decellerate slowly (otherwise it can belch it all out of the pot again.

Once the water starts to 'expand' out of the pot put the caps on and do a half mile run, turn off and let it cool. Check levels religiously for a few days, every time you start and stop (err no, just when its cooled)

Expect a little overflow from header tank when its hot if the header is half full when you start.

Check swirl pot is sucking water back when it cools - keeping swirl pot very full.

Edited by Top Gear TVR on Sunday 10th June 16:32

[olly137]

It`s the black one. Does it make any difference if left this way round (would make bleeding simpler if changed) or am i making more work for my self.

[steve j]

The bleed tap is meant to be on the top

[AutoAndy]

I have been reliably informed that it should have been at the top to aid bleeding the rad.

However, that does not mean that that it is where it is. Mine was also at the bottom as someone in the past decided it was for draining. Not a problem, as I learnt to fill via the swirl pot, but disconnect the top hose at the rad to allow it to bleed when filling. When this starts to overflow then reconnect the hose and then just run to hot, allow to cool and recheck levels.

If my new swirl pot - and its replacement stop leaking then I will not have to do this again!!! (Waiting for the second replacement now).

If you want some help give me shout as I am just odwn the road -Regards Andy of the Norfolk S - possy.

[Top Gear TVR]

'norfolk s possy'...........we must be able to do better than that.

There will soon be enough of us t count on one hand. 6 that is.

[Top Gear TVR]

noisy dozen, oh no thats 12.......