From: Mrcheerful on
Gordon H wrote:
> In message <u0aek5956gq1ek726q5lb1k63kobmpiukf(a)4ax.com>, Mike
> <nospam(a)nospam.com> writes
>> On Wed, 6 Jan 2010 18:53:37 -0000, "IanT" <noemail(a)email.co.uk>
>> wrote:
>>> Check the colour of your coolant, it should be a red/pink colour,
>>> anything else and it is unsuitable!
>>
>> That is just so wrong.
>>
> On my old cars, red coolant usually meant time to use rust remover,
>
>
>
>
> and then Bar Seal.

or it was the old antifreeze that changed colour if the head gasket leaked.
Anyone else remember that type? called something like Holts? Colour Change
antifreeze


From: Gordon H on
In message <EpI1n.23625$Ym4.19417(a)text.news.virginmedia.com>, Mrcheerful
<nbkm57(a)hotmail.co.uk> writes
>Gordon H wrote:
>> In message <u0aek5956gq1ek726q5lb1k63kobmpiukf(a)4ax.com>, Mike
>> <nospam(a)nospam.com> writes
>>> On Wed, 6 Jan 2010 18:53:37 -0000, "IanT" <noemail(a)email.co.uk>
>>> wrote:
>>>> Check the colour of your coolant, it should be a red/pink colour,
>>>> anything else and it is unsuitable!
>>>
>>> That is just so wrong.
>>>
>> On my old cars, red coolant usually meant time to use rust remover,
That would be Rad-Clean. :)
>>
>>
>>
>> and then Bar Seal.
>
>or it was the old antifreeze that changed colour if the head gasket leaked.
>Anyone else remember that type? called something like Holts? Colour Change
>antifreeze
>
It vaguely rings a bell. When my g/friend's gasket leaked it was
difficult to see the colour because it had all drained away.

Head skim and new gasket...

You'd think a woman who had owned and driven a car for 40 years would
check the levels on a recently purchased S/H car. They were ok
when I looked at it after she brought it home...
--
Gordon H
Remove "invalid" to reply
From: Mike on
On Fri, 08 Jan 2010 10:46:40 +0000, T i m <news(a)spaced.me.uk> wrote:

>I did that on our old Rover 218SD during a cold snap a couple of years
>back. I think it helped but coincidentally or otherwise a hose split
>(over oil filter) and we lost all the coolant (I knew something was
>wrong when the heater went from warm to freezing).
>
>Unable to make a repair (crimped hose clip) I pottered the 20 miles
>home using the temperature gauge as load limiter and found I could
>average about 50 mph. ;-)
>
>Didn't seem to do it any harm as now on 200,000 miles it just took us
>up to Scotland and back. Heater was still pretty cold though and now
>it seems to be worse on one side so I guess the heater matrix and
>other bits could do with a flush through?

Loose the water flow past most temperature gauge sensors and the
accuracy of the reading goes completely out of the window. On some
vehicles you'll have a very low or zero reading that won't change
significantly regardless of engine load and the next thing you'll
experience is a seized engine.


--
From: Mike on
On Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:26:17 -0000, "Duncan Wood"
<nntptmp(a)dmx512.co.uk> wrote:

>> At one time some folk put a piece of card in front of part of the rad
>> to get it to heat up more quickly ....Is that still done or is it not
>> recommended ....even in this weather ?
>
>Thermostats have impoved in the last 40 years :-)

But on vehicles fitted with an oil cooler without a thermostat
reducing the area of the cooler duct makes a huge difference to engine
warm up and also reduces massive swings in oil temperature when moving
from stop start traffic to open road driving.



--
From: Duncan Wood on
On Sun, 10 Jan 2010 20:22:59 -0000, Mike <nospam(a)nospam.com> wrote:

> On Thu, 07 Jan 2010 21:26:17 -0000, "Duncan Wood"
> <nntptmp(a)dmx512.co.uk> wrote:
>
>>> At one time some folk put a piece of card in front of part of the rad
>>> to get it to heat up more quickly ....Is that still done or is it not
>>> recommended ....even in this weather ?
>>
>> Thermostats have impoved in the last 40 years :-)
>
> But on vehicles fitted with an oil cooler without a thermostat
> reducing the area of the cooler duct makes a huge difference to engine
> warm up and also reduces massive swings in oil temperature when moving
> from stop start traffic to open road driving.
>
>
>

I've not seen a modern vehicle with an oil cooler that doesn't have a
thermostat.