Its alive!!!!

[currylager]

I managed get the engine running today . I was a bit worried because the engine was very noisy after startup but after running it for a bit the hydraulic tappets have freed off and its sounding good.

The revcounter, temp gauge and alternator are working fine, but the engine is defo overheating, i dont think the thermostat is not opening, because the heater pipe coming off the housing is nice and hot but the main pipe to the rad from the housing is still cold .

The temperature gauge was up to 110 and then i decided to play it safe and switch off could this possibly an airlock also? i reckon i have put around 10 -12 litres into the cooling system so far .

Anyhow first impressions are good, it sounds mean with the Mondo back box on too, there is still a lot that could go wrong however, gearbox and clutch need testing, but need to sort the cooling issue first somehow.

Thanks for all the info which has got me to this stage already guys
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HMMM, dont know yet, but i'll have a go!!!!

[easy-does-it]

Nice one dude...

Now get your camera working and show us somw pics
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'76 bay going superfly TDI

[Joel]

it would be either an airlock or the 'stat not opening up

i know of a couple of people who have experienced a stuck thermostat on first start up
they must stick if they've been sitting for a while

congats on getting it fired up
its a great feeling to turn the key and hear all your hardwork pay off
something i finally got to go through about a month ago
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1974 1303 Germanlook Suba-Beetle
Subaru EJ254, BoostR 17", 4 Wheel discs, Topline suspension and A/C

[currylager]

Yep, i guess i'll have to dump the coolant and stick the stat in a bowl of boiling water before i do anything else.

I wasnt convinced the flow through the heater circuit was that good either , the return pipe didnt seem that hot, i did wander if the coolant pump could have seized, but i'd probably expect the cambelt to be squealing if this was the case.

Itching to get back into the garage again
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HMMM, dont know yet, but i'll have a go!!!!

[Joel]

everyone i spoke to said dont even bother with the original thermostat just go new and go genuine subaru
same with waterpump and timing belt
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1974 1303 Germanlook Suba-Beetle
Subaru EJ254, BoostR 17", 4 Wheel discs, Topline suspension and A/C

[currylager]

Yeah, cheers, the stat that was fitted was a bit lazy so i changed it for another one i had which worked well in the old saucepan.

That bit was a doodle, but now i'm really scratching my head . I had connected the small pipe from the thermo housing to a heater matrix in the back of the bus and connected the return pipe to the top of the header tank to complete the circuit.

What is strange is that the return pipe to the tank is not getting warm and it turns out there is no coolant being pumped through it, ie, when the engine is running and you pull the pipe off the header tank there is no coolant being pumped out .

There is definately coolant in the system because coolant pours out of it if you turn the end of the pipe downwards without the engine running coolant, pours out

I removed the timing belt cover and the pump pulley is turning with the belt, so does this mean the coolant pump is knackered

Close but no cigar as they say

xxxt!
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HMMM, dont know yet, but i'll have a go!!!!

[rjes]

Yes, the thermostat not opening despite the small heater return pipe being hot can be an airlock. This is very common, and happens almost every time you will one. Assuming the thermostat doesn't work and taking it out to test it is also very common. I did the first time I filled one. The problem will almost certainly be an airlock rather than a dodgy thermostat. See http://www.rjes.com/html/filling_procedure.html . If you do replace the thermostat, use a Subaru one. See http://www.rjes.com/html/subaru_thermostats.html for why.

If it's a T25, you have probably still got a litre or two of litres of air in the system if you have only got about 12 litres in.

I assume you have a heater bypass?
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Regards,

Richard,

R J Engineered Solutions
Quality Subaru Powered VW Components
www.rjes.com

[currylager]

Thanks for the reply, the vehicle is a bay window not a t25, and its using the reversed coolant manifold, out of curiosity which way does the coolant flow, ie does it flow out of the thermostat housing pipe or is it sucked via this pipe?
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HMMM, dont know yet, but i'll have a go!!!!

[MostlyMonki]

can you do a diagram of your coolant system (in paint or something) and post it on here? it really helped me when i had problems, as everyone can see whats going on.

I'm with the other on an airlock though. you wouldnt believe how hard it can be to get rid of them in subaru motors.... i thought my engine was knackered untill i managed to clear it after about 2 weeks of trying different stuff.

p.s.
top airlock tip:
1. take off the coolant reservoir cap.
2. take off the hose from the stat housing.
3. shove a hosepipe in that pipe until it gets to the rad.
4. turn the hose on.
5. leave it running for about 10 minutes or so with water coming out of the reservoir.
6. get the hose back onto the stat housing while the water is still flowing (tricky).
7. turn off hose. start engine. top up with coolent.
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'72 Ratty Bug - Subaru EJ20 Turbo motor.

[currylager]

Thanks for that tip, it might, or most probably will come in useful .

Things are progressing, after i realised i dropped a bollock and needed to have the heater return pipe connected to the bottom of the expansion tank, not the top, and the coolant manifold pipe takeoff connected to the top.

After doing this and topping the coolant back up plus some bleeding i now have flow through the heater circuit .

I then ran the bus for about half an hour and did about 10 circuits around my local estate and the temperature gauge sat at 90 degrees and did not get any hotter which is a good start, but the pipes to the rad stayed cold.


I believe i need to take the bus for a good run to get the stat to open, so once i get the bumper and engine cover back on i'll take it out next weekend and see what happens.

On the plus side the clutch and the 091 box i bought off ebay seem to work fine. I'm really glad i spent some time reading up on the cooling system threads and spottted my error, or otherwise i'd be replacing a perfectly functional water pump
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HMMM, dont know yet, but i'll have a go!!!!

[MostlyMonki]

[Kai]