<VV> Reading the dang manual ...

[Ian Harding]

My 76 Chevy pickup with a 350 tended to leak a bit of coolant.  No
problem, I'd just top it up before trips.

I left Corvallis on my way to Estacada (about a 2 hour trip) and got
about 30 - 40 minutes into it before starting to ping and lose power.
Pulled over and noticed the radiator cap was sitting on the air
cleaner, and the engine was a bit warm.   Never got high temp
indication, probably because there was no water left.

Called my brother, asked him to bring water.  Topped it up, went on my way.

Started trailing steam, then KABOOM!!!

Radiator had exploded.

Drove with my brother to the nearest service station.  Asked if they
had a  radiator for a Chevy.  "Hang on a minute, I think I have one at
home."  The guy drove home, brought back a radiator.  Paid $20 and
went back and installed, filled with water.  Went on my way.

Steam started pouring out the back.  Turned off and coasted to a stop.
 Figured out that the thermostat had failed closed, not allowing
coolant to circulate, exploding the original radiator. Removed
thermostat, and all was well.

Air is better.

- Ian

On 2/8/07, Charles Lee at Proper Pro Per <chaz at properproper.com> wrote:
> This is a good point, reading the manual and all ... Wish I had thought of
> that ...
>
> I think I may have fallen victim to a high ph level in my coolant causing
> the head gasket to blow.
>
> The ZX-2 that  I mentioned a few threads back (re eBay) went from 80+ mph,
> running beautifully (like it had for 130,000 miles before that (with zero
> repairs, except timing belt) died in a bout 10 seconds, without a groan.
> Just coasted to a stop, dead.
>
> One diagnosis was the coolant, and apparently somewhere in the manual (I
> haven't found it yet) it says to change the water ?
> What ?  Who in the world would change that ?  Oil OK, but water ?
>
> Apparently, the ph corrodes the gasket, which starts thing boiling (this
> confounded thing uses water to cool it !)
> Can you believe that ? Water ? Why ?  Air is free, and you don't have to
> change it (do you ?)
>
> Here's another thing I heard about this : the water temp gauge actually
> measures the temperature of the water.
> OK, that seems reasonable, until you think, "Hey, what if the water leaks
> out ?  Then what ?  There's no water to measure its temp, right ?"
> Well, what I have heard is that that is the reason my temp gauge did not
> register "hot" - because when the water decides to be somewhere else, the
> temp sensor has nothing to measure and doesn't say "hot" - it just says
> "all's well."
>
> Is this true ?
>
> Wouldn't it make more sense to measure the temp of the head ?
> Anyone know if this is true ?
>
> I need to get a shop manual for this thing to find out the truth.
>
> Later,
> Chaz
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <AeroNed at aol.com>
> To: <virtualvairs at corvair.org>
> Sent: Wednesday, February 07, 2007 9:01 PM
> Subject: Re: <VV> Electric Fuel Pump...
>
>
> >
> > In a message dated 2/7/2007 10:34:43 P.M. Central Standard Time,
> > FrankCB at aol.com writes:
> >
> > This is  another good reason to at least skim  through the owner's manual
> > when  you buy a new car.  I'm the only person I  know (besides son Jim)
> > who
> > does that.
> >
> >
> > Add me to your list, but I read it intently. Must be an engineer  thing...
> >
> > BTW My electric fuel pump has the hot side wired through a relay that
> > closes
> > with ignition. The ground side goes through a Vega oil pressure switch.
> > The
> > reason for the Vega switch is that it has both open with pressure and
> > closed
> > with pressure. The closed with pressure goes to the pump and open with
> > pressure  goes to the dash light. I want to also install a inertia switch
> > someday.
> >
> > Ned
> > _______________________________________________
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