Pootle getting hot and bothered

Pootle's Owner

Pootle's Owner

Active Member
Hello all. So the fettling progresses slowly on Pootle and we are now looking to improve cooling as she is running a bit hot. I have flushed out the system with Wynn's rad-flush but to be honest it didn't do too much and I think we really need to have the radiator re-cored to do the job properly. There is a good place for this near us in Cranleigh to do this but, before I get it done, has anyone tried fitting a bigger radiator? Looking at the one fitted it's 18" wide and 12" deep but there is a 3" gap below it so it could be 18" * 15" which would be a useful increase I think? I could perhaps fit a bigger radiator from some other vehicle or get this rad rebuilt with a longer core... Any views or experiences? Cheers Tony.
 
Hi Tony, I think there is the scope for making the rad taller and also thicker. A bit of modern tech should help keep things cool. Have you moved your awkwardly placed additional rad??
 
When I had to get my radiator recored, the specialist offered me two choices..........
Standard cooling or 30% uprated at the same price (More tubes more fins).
A no-brainer as far as I was concerned.
Mine's a diesel, but same radiator.
I would think all the specialists have the same options available to them.
A couple of points.
Even when cleaned out, old radiators get less efficient due to crumbly fins and corrosion inside the tubes.
When my engine was getting hot it was due to a build-up of sludge behind cylinder 4 which is the part where the coolant flow is lowest round the circuit.
 
Chamba said:
Hi Tony, I think there is the scope for making the rad taller and also thicker. A bit of modern tech should help keep things cool. Have you moved your awkwardly placed additional rad??
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Hi Adam. I removed the little radiator blocking the grill and haven't refitted it yet. I suspect it was doing more harm than good where it was and just fitted in the cab heater loop anyway. Will remove the rad and take it for a re-core later in the week and progress from there.
 
Agree with Colin, the water jacket around No4 cylinder is very prone to silting up and all the blocks I've looked at have been to one degree or another. Popping the core plugs and hosing the jacket out while digging around with a welding rod will get rid of a lot
 
Hmm, unfortunate I didn't replace all the core plugs when I rebuilt the engine as I could easily have cleaned out the block then. Stupid mistake I fear.... Is is feasible to remove a plug or two to try to clear out the cy4 silt with the engine in place? Replacing core plugs in situ might also be tricky perhaps?
 
The one that usually blocks up pretty easy to get to but you will need to remove the starter motor. Ideally the one behind the flywheel should be popped as well but that's a big job. I've done both and easy to replace with the right sized socket to tap the new plugs in.
Pickling the jacket with acetic acid is supposed to work well (Morris Minor chaps recommend) but not sure how it will affect aluminium components so a bit of research required.



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Hmm some real radiators there. Not sure SWMBO would fancy those - having realized that making rad 3" deeper blocks the access for a starting handle has caused problems with management I fear. Unfortunately overheating looks pretty dire to me at the moment so clearing crud from galleries and as big a radiator as possible looks the only viable way forward to me....
I can look at popping some core plugs - Panky which side plug did you mean? Number 3 below?

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