Is your bottom hose cold?

Peg leg Pete · Post by **Peg leg Pete** » Sat Mar 31, 2007 10:11 pm

I purged all the air out of the system on tickover.

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Sun Apr 01, 2007 1:49 am

And...........................??????

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 9:29 am

Just returned from a few days in the Highlands

After climbing the Belach na Ba to Applecross, a 3 mile climb up to just over 2000 ft in the 3 lower gears...................yep - the bottom hose was "warm"

gauge never past 11 o'clock. The top of the rad/hose was way too hot to touch (normal) but cooled to warm by the bottom, in fact the lower tank was virtually cold................surely this suggests the lower tank is choked

Jamesnjane · Post by **Jamesnjane** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:27 am

i would of thought the stat would of opened after that sort of run????

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 10:46 am

I'm sure the stat is open and coolant is circulating fine, just that perhaps the bottom radiator tank is blocked a bit.

It would be worth finding out if the 2 peeps who replied that their bottom hose is hot had a new radiator fitted.........

Vanmanerik · Post by **Vanmanerik** » Fri Apr 06, 2007 11:28 am

Scotland, thats where I want to go this year, what a great picture to encourage others to follow in your tracks.

This Bongo cooling problem is a real pain, the only way for you to diagnose it is to take your rad. off, block the bottom outlet, stand the rad upright and pour hot water in through the filler hole, now feel the rad and see if it has any cold spots, if so it is blocked in this area.

Looking at other threads in the Forum covering overheating you can see where people have replaced their rads and are still having overheating problems.

I think what I would like to do is:
a) Install a piece of 'see through' hose somewhere in the top or bottom pipe so you can observe if the water is flowing, if it flows you should not have a problem, if it doesn't flow when the engine is hot then the thermostat needs checking to see if it is working OK, if it is OK then the radiator needs flushing and cleaning out or replacing.

b) If after carrying out all the above then I would think that fabricating a thermostat housing that will fit in the top hose and removing the thermostat from the bottom hose would be worth a trial.

A lot of work, so do I leave it and take a chance, I am not overheating but I am one of the top hose hot, bottom hose cold category.

bongoing-mad-simon · Post by **bongoing-mad-simon** » Sat Apr 07, 2007 11:08 pm

hi to all that are interested, I have voted cold on the poll and i have had a brand new radiator as well as water pump,thermostat and head.My bottom hose still remains cool even after heavy use.I have driven 8 people around today including luggage and done over 100 miles up and down cornish roads in gorgeous hot sunny weather and bottom hose was still cold. Bongo is running great but obviously having a new rad as made no difference to the hose temperature .

________________
simon

I'm bongoing mad R U?

Is your bottom hose cold?

Does your bottom hose get warm after a 5 mile run?

Purged air.

Cold pipe