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[JamesV6CDX]

I want to explain in this thread what issue's I noticed with the Elite project driving it home... and I'm looking for a bit of a free for all on ideas etc.

Drove away from guys house, straight onto M4. By the time I'd hit the severn bridge, about 5 miles, the temp gauge went up to just under 100. It sat around this temp most of the way home.

Definately running too hot (and it's not a bad gauge, the engine WAS a tad too hot).

Stopped at the services to let her cool.....noticed coolant was too pressurised.

Then about 10 miles away from home, I went up a very steep (birdlip) hill, and I used S mode and gave it some stick up there. Next thing I noticed, was the temp gauge just went straight up to the red, and there was tonnes of steam coming from the drivers wing! Oh Sh*t... pulled over, and looked under the bonnet... and there was a tremendous amount of pressure in the system, all hoses were rock hard, and coolant was p1ssing from the header tank cap, in all directions!!

Generally she drives smoothly, (and will reach 90+..) but feels like it's clearly lacking guts for a 3.0, especially top end. It won't rev past about 5/5500 rpm, when booting it. And there DID feel like there may have been a bit of a miss under load / when pulling, but I'm not totally sure. HT leads all look fine, no oil etc. (Thank god I have a spare DIS if I need one)

I am thinking, given the HUGE amount of pressure, and I mean huge, that it's probably a Head Gasket issue, and running the engine at 5k for a while up the hill forced a load of exhaust gas in the water jacket?

Some nicer options may be stat stuck closed or HBV etc, but... there was a LOT of pressure, and coupled with the lack of guts, I'm worried about potential HG issues. (Well, not worried, cause I'm expecting to rip the heads off!) ..  Just would be nice to be clear about what's up with it.

Hoses feel too soft, like it's had an oil cooler failure at some time in it's life.

No sludge on dipstick, or in header tank.

I guess I will have to do a compression test, that might tell me something (but doesn't always)..

Whatever it is, won't be the end of the world, remember I have a spare V6 car, with a spare V6 set of heads, engine, oil cooler, basically everything.

(tempted to put the 2.5 heads on it anyway for more compression!!!)

Thoughts most welcome  

[TheBoy]

As previously said, don't write off the HG until you have checked for coolant leaks.  Also, if it has had a cooler failure, its likely if the cap hasn't been changed, that will be shot, hence soon let the coolant out once it starts to pressurise.

Also, if it has had cooler failure, one of more of the rubber hoses may leak, and that would cause over presuurisation...

[tunnie]

I'd give the coolant system a damn good flushing... who knows what blockages there might be after 12 months of standing. Some fresh coolant cooled down the senny, it used to run at 100 at motorway speeds, now it sits at 80. Goes up to 100 in town though (but thats normal as 100 is half way up the gauge)

Has a cooler failure been documented? - Try some bleach in the coolant for a 20 min run the flush again....

[Admin]

Well at risk of sounding like Mark....

Be methodical.

Check the HBV, and that area for signs of leakage.
Clean the coolant out, and run engine up to temperature (preferably not on the roads!)
Check the radiator is fine (top and bottom hoses good, no cold spots?).
Check hoses for splits etc.
Any smell of exhaust gas in header tank?

Compression test won't hurt.

I ahve to say though, booting it hard up a hill with a potential coolant/HG issue was maybe not the wisest action!

[JamesV6CDX]

I have to say though, booting it hard up a hill with a potential coolant/HG issue was maybe not the wisest action!

totally agree.... but.. it's a 3.0 V6.. and it's been a while... and it sounds so nice

[JamesV6CDX]

Sod it, lets not mess about. I'm not needing it on the road fast, I've got another gearbox going on the 2.0 first so I can use that again.

I'm going to strip the complete top end down, heads off etc, oil cooler out. Not sure yet if I will fit brand new cooler, or put my good known 2.5 one in there, any recommendations?

New coolant bridge seals, new stat, new HGs, on 2.5 heads, with 3.0 cams... new rocker
gaskets..everything squeaky clean when it goes back together..

[TheBoy]

Sod it, lets not mess about. I'm not needing it on the road fast, I've got another gearbox going on the 2.0 first so I can use that again.

I'm going to strip the complete top end down, heads off etc, oil cooler out. Not sure yet if I will fit brand new cooler, or put my good known 2.5 one in there, any recommendations?

New coolant bridge seals, new stat, new HGs, on 2.5 heads, with 3.0 cams... new rocker
gaskets..everything squeaky clean when it goes back together..

possibly a bit drastic. do a little investigations first....

[Martin_1962]

Sod it, lets not mess about. I'm not needing it on the road fast, I've got another gearbox going on the 2.0 first so I can use that again.

So you are using it - good too nice to junk!

You have the OMVL kit - lets get it fitted

If you get the Elite sorted I think a brand new system will be worth getting - I will ask what is recommended.

[Marks DTM Calib]

Its probably nothing more than a blocked rad.......

[Matchless]

Do you have any reason to suspect oil cooler failure in the past besides the soft hoses?
If there has been a cooler failure there could be a thin coating on all the rad waterways which would seriously reduce heat transfer. Some traffic film remover or similar water based de-greaser in the coolant might be all you need.
If the hoses are really soft you should replace them to avoid a burst but wait til you have used the solvent.....if it is old oil the hoses may recover.

[razzo]

got to agree with Mark on this one. Mine kept overheating when in traffic but was ok on the move, had a garage check it with a temp sensor a little infra red thingey. Turned out rad was shagged only the top of it was hot, to hot to touch but 3/4 of the way down the rad you could touch it & was bareley warm. Good luck with the project mate

[JamesV6CDX]

Its probably nothing more than a blocked rad.......

I have 2 spare rads

[nixoro]

Maybe worth checking the thermostat, a mate of mine had a stat problem on his old mondeo although not an omega the thermostat was stuck shut and so when it boiled the top pipe went hard and all the coolant was forced back into the header tank and out the filler cap.

Temperature on it sat at 100 before the stat change.

Just a thought :-/