cooling problems on a pinto

[peterpeter]

I was at Bassingbourn today. After a few very hard driven sessions, the temp started to creep up to over 105c , then despite backing off and trying to allow cool air in, it rose to 120 plus and lost somw water too.

The fan is working, but its possible the water was low and there wasnt enough coolant. ANyone use any particular cooling agents ?? anyone heard of "water wetter"??
Im not sure if the thermostat needs changing.
If I do are there any types you would recommend to keep the engine cooler.?

[kitcarman]

peterpeter said:

After a few very hard driven sessions, the temp started to creep up... to 120 plus and lost some water too.

Give us a few clues please.
What car is the engine in?
Has this just started?
Were you driving harder than usual?

Den

[Avocet]

I've heard of "water wetter" - I think it's sold in America by the same people who sell "Redline" oil additives. It doesn't sound like it's what you need though! If you've got up to 120 I doubt any additive would make that much difference!

[supersixfan]

[quote=peterpeter]I was at Bassingbourn today. After a few very hard driven sessions, the temp started to creep up to over 105c , then despite backing off and trying to allow cool air in, it rose to 120 plus and lost somw water too.

The fan is working, but its possible the water was low and there wasnt enough coolant. ANyone use any particular cooling agents ?? anyone heard of "water wetter"??


What I suggest you do is drain all your system, including the cylinder block, (there is a drain plug on the side), then flush through with running water from a hosepipe for a few minutes, (you will be suprised how much s**t comes out, REMEMBER TO PUT THE DRAIN PLUG BACK), then refill, (Don't forget the antifreeze), also it won't do any harm to bung a new thermostat in, they are only a couple of quid, and see how you go from there.

If that does not work, check your water pump, temp gauge and sender.

[GreenV8S]

The stat can fail so that it doesn't open and close properly ,it stays half open. So worth changing if it's been in there a while. An air lock can cause this sort of overheating. Once you have air bubbles going round, the pump mashes them into a froth which it then can't pump, and it all stops working. Cool it down, top up and bleed thoroughly and that may cure the problem. Also wonder why there might have been air bubbles in the first place. Do you have a water leak?(Presumably you checked the water level before threashing the car?) Does it have a decent de-gassing system? Alternatively, depending on the car it could be the rad is simply too small or not getting enough air flow. Has it been OK doing this in the past?

[grahambell]

Agree that flushing the system would be worth a try, but recommend putting some Radflush in first to help loosen the crap.

Once you've drained the system you could have a look at the thermostat, though if you've not had any problems previously that's not likely to be the cause.

If flushing system doesn't solve it, it may be that you need a bigger rad, or at least one with more flutes, or some sort of ducting to channel air at it more effectively.

Final thought is the water pump - what type is it? By that I mean is it a 'pattern' item from Quinton Hazell or similar? If so it'll have an impellor made from pressed steel rather than a cast one as on genuine Ford pumps.

While 'pattern pumps' are fine in normal use they can apparently cause cooling problems at sustained high revs such as you've obviously been using. If you have any more track use planned it could be worth investing in a new genuine Ford pump.