Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 No recall as such, it's just a known issue with GM cast heads, (all of them), (as opposed to Cosworth cast heads), older ones are more vulnerable, equally it can happen simply by unbolting and rebolting the head, even following correct bolt sequences. My point was the impression given to others reading the thread who find themselves in a similar situation and decide that it will be safe to press on just that little bit further 'cause they read it was OK". Quote
Moff88 Posted July 22, 2013 Author Posted July 22, 2013 No I backed off pretty quickly. It still had some coolant in the reservoir when I stopped. It's mostly dripped away now though, although I think it mainly came out of where the pipe goes back into the reservoir. Quote
peterg Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 No I backed off pretty quickly. It still had some coolant in the reservoir when I stopped. It's mostly dripped away now though, although I think it mainly came out of where the pipe goes back into the reservoir. Ah, that sounds much better then your original post said it had lost most of its coolant which I took to mean the header tank was dry and most of the block was drained as well, if there was some left in the header tank tank then that's not so bad... Quote
Rab (bombero) Reid Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 Just sped read through this thread (wee poem!) .. and I'm curious If it's just the alternator belt, then where did all the coolant in your footwell come from? A snapped belt would (1)bring on your battery light and (2)see your coolant temp rise, .. but coolant in the footwell! Am I missing something..? Quote
Moff88 Posted July 22, 2013 Author Posted July 22, 2013 1) I don't have a battery light that I'm aware of, unless its the red one below the full beam on the old style dash. Anyhow the sun was behind me. Shows how clueless I am anyway. 2) The coolant tank is mounted above the pedal box so when it's escaped through where it re enters the tank it run down onto my feet. 1 Quote
peterg Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 A snapped belt would (1)bring on your battery light and (2)see your coolant temp rise, .. but coolant in the footwell! Am I missing something..? I'm guessing the header tank boiled over and p*ssed the coolant out all over the scuttle top and it leaked through damn too slow... 1 Quote
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 Lots of guesses, but presumably it was driven far enough with either belt slip or no belt to actually boil over. Chances are it's not lost vast amounts of coolant - a little goes along way. Damn, interrupted while typing! Meant to add, I know the alternator was found loose, but might just be worth checking the water pump is working OK too, wouldn't be the first time one's failed and taken other stuff with it. Quote
Norman Verona Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 For clarification. Moff's driving along the A1 and hears a bang. He pulls off at the next junction. Now, I know he hasn't said but unless he was on the motorway I took that to be yards not miles. Just by the tone. So, how far did you drive with no alternator belt? Quote
Mark (smokey mow) Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 Just sped read through this thread (wee poem!) .. and I'm curious If it's just the alternator belt, then where did all the coolant in your footwell come from? A snapped belt would (1)bring on your battery light and (2)see your coolant temp rise, .. but coolant in the footwell! Am I missing something..?i don't know what engine the OP has but in the case of my MX5 engine the water pump is driven by the same belt as the alternator and so the car would overheat pretty quickly if the belt were to fail Quote
Rab (bombero) Reid Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 That's why I said that the coolant temp would rise! I thought that maybe something else was amiss with coolant appearing in the footwell, but hadn't considered the boiling over at the expansion tank directly above the pedals.. Quote
Moff88 Posted July 22, 2013 Author Posted July 22, 2013 Well I made it back home. I think she's ok. I'll take her for a few shortish runs and see if she loses any coolant. And get a new belt, seeing as the AA couldn't find one, so it was a good the old one ended up on the battery rather than the A1. Water pump seems to be working, so hopefully things will be ok. 1 Quote
Dave Eastwood (Gadgetman) - Club Chairman Posted July 22, 2013 Posted July 22, 2013 Excellent news! Quote
Moff88 Posted July 22, 2013 Author Posted July 22, 2013 And about 1/2 mile tops Norm. Thanks chaps! Quote
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