Hi, did it in about 2-3 journeys. sound like you may have a different problems as mine never overheated at all when i had the open t-stat installed.
the fact that the top of your rad is hot, the bottom cold,the top of the thermostat is hot and the bottom cold all point to no circulation through the thermostat and radiator. If you've fitted an wedged open thermostat then it has to be the rad.
Ref pump - i filled the system, took of the flow pipe to the heater matrix, put a large plastic bag around the flow pipe to collect any water that may come out - took fuse out so that engine does not fire and start up - had someone turn over the car and and i watched to see if water was being pumped out of flow pipe thus testing the pump.
Wiganerdan
New Member
I would have thought it would be highly unlikely you would get the viscous cutting in in this weather. To test it you need to get it stationary, blanket over the front and steaming hot, then with it running try and stop it with a gentle touch from a broom handle. If you turn it off it will not be locked up as it relies on centrifugal force to drive the liquid through the chambers.
Forget the broom handle - sure fire way of ruining the fan - use a tightly rolled up newspaper instead.....
Wiganerdan
New Member
Broom handle is just what i've always used. Newspaper is a good suggestion though.
Johnny Fart Pants
Member
Sorry to say it, I'm 99% sure that this is a slipped liner. The stories are just the same - intermittent overheat with pressurisation. The blocked rad is usually the cause of the overheat that causes the distortion in the block that causes the liner to slip. I have worked on around 30 P38's where this is the problem and when we strip the engines down - its usually the same liner!
Now we are machining the blocks to accept the 'top hat' liners, it's not cheap!
Now we are machining the blocks to accept the 'top hat' liners, it's not cheap!
im now thinking it will be a slipped or cracked liner ive been to see a guy today at tonks 4x4 in huthwaite and he thinks it more than likely to be a liner after closer inspection it looks like the heads have been off. so now i am debating breaking her or just selling her for someone else to fix or break i am gutted its first car i have driven in a while where i instantly love it
stjohnsmythe
Active Member
I think this is the problem with P38s now, they are worth so little money that when something like this happens it would be financial madness to spend thousands getting a top hat lined block, etc put in. If this ever happens to mine I'll be putting some K Seal in and then eventually try and source a second hand engine from somewhere.
Wiganerdan
New Member
I'm going to buy one with a dead engine next year I think. I have a lexus V8 kicking around I got for another project running on V.E.M.S management that i'm going to put in one.
Wiganerdan
New Member
What you need is a pressure tester and a borescope. engine hot, cooling system pressurised and loo in each cylinder for signs of water.
Wiganerdan
New Member
Trouble is you can't put cylinder pressure into the cooling system with a pressure tester. The way I see it is you have passed a litmus block test, and a pressure test. Is there any tapping when hot? Is it over pressurising? I am dubious about it being a liner/crack or such like. We look for cracked crank cases by pressuring the cooling system then looking in the bores for traces of coolant. We also perform cylinder leakage tests but with a pressure gauge in the header tank, that way if there is a rise in pressure with the leakage kit connected no matter how slight, there is a problem.
The lack of return jet to the header tank suggests a flwo problem and that will make it cook no problem.
The lack of return jet to the header tank suggests a flwo problem and that will make it cook no problem.
