THERMOSTAT FILLER

[alan.barker]

I thought it a good idea to start a different thread for "Thermostat Filler" info.
So it seems there are two choices:
Coolex for a nice job which uses original Rad Hose.
Burtonpower which needs a special Rad Hose imho not soo neat.
Alan

[SimonH]

Is the coolex one the old clivey boy setup?
I always meant to get one and then he stopped

[HCA]

Prefer Coolex. Was going to use one but the rad fabricator threw in an expansion tank 'for free'.

[RichardHawkins]

Simon,

Yes I think Coolex is the same as Clive Boy, but do not have both to take measurements from.

Richard Hawkins

[The Veg]

I have the Coolex item and experienced some issues with poor sealing. Fixed it myself after getting no response from Coolex about it.

[alan.barker]

Hi Veg,
Did you need to machine or was it a problem with Seal surface finish.
Alan

[The Veg]

Hi Veg,
Did you need to machine or was it a problem with Seal surface finish.
Alan

Seal surface finish in three locations:

-Mating surface to head: the casting looked rather porous, lots of little voids on this surface. I glued some very fine sandpaper to a piece of plate-glass and dressed the surface just to be sure it was flat between the voids, then used a sealant in the joint. No problems after installation.

-Seal surfaces to cap: both the inner and outer surfaces looked less than ideally-smooth, like a very fine sand-cast texture. I think I still have pics but I'm not posting from the device they are in so will need to add those later. Once under pressure the cap leaked. For the outer surface I used the same plate-glass technique as described above but with two grades of paper, I think finishing with 1000. For the inner surface, since that's down inside the neck, I applied the paper to the back-end of a large socket that would fit in the neck with a little room to spare and carefully worked that around on the surface, making sure that it stayed in level contact at all times. Took some time but it worked. I also put a little dab of JB Weld into a small void (about sand-grain size) in this surface. No leaks since from two drives totaling about 40 miles, and fingers crossed that it's sorted.

But until the point of fixing it I was tempted to remove the thing and use a header-tank instead, since the sealing surfaces on those are not made of cast metal.

[alan.barker]

Thanks info.
I think it's possible to weld an alloy Rad Filler Neck to standard Thermostat Housing.
Alan

[The Veg]

Taken before I dressed the surfaces:

[alan.barker]

Thanks Veg,
as they say let the Photos do the talking. I was thinkig of buying one but i don't think i will bother now.
However maybe i will look at a Swirl/ Filler that fits in the top Rad Hose.
Alan

[ElanDNA]

Thanks Veg,
as they say let the Photos do the talking. I was thinkig of buying one but i don't think i will bother now.
However maybe i will look at a Swirl/ Filler that fits in the top Rad Hose.
Alan

Hello
it goes otherwise

Urs

[gherlt]

This the one from Clive

[stugilmour]

Coming late to the discussion. Assuming this is the link to the Coolex version that is presently available? Looks similar to the Clivey Boy except for the deletion of the M22 boss for an aftermarket fan controller. Has the recuperation bottle barb.

https://www.coolexperts.co.uk/product/t ... mbination/

Here is the link to the available Burton piece that requires a major reroute of the radiator top hose. Not sure if that approach works with the dual booster Federal brake setup; never tried. I see it has an M22 boss and the recuperation nipple. Lower profile now apparently.

https://www.burtonpower.com/special-the ... p610m.html

Here is a picture of an NLA Clivey Boy version installed in my Plus 2. The original narrow version Plus 2 radiator was recored with three rows. Note deletion of the stock radiator filler and the otter switch boss, replaced by the Clivey Boy.

I used a non-relieving blanking cap on the Clivey Boy top. The low profile expansion tank (from a Volvo 142) is plumbed back to the water pump inlet using a rubber tee hose in the lower heater hose. The small diameter bleed hose between the two removes any air bubbles to the top of the expansion tank. I think the Volvo expansion tank cap relieves about 15 psi; took a bit if a search to find the lowest pressure Volvo cap available.

At any rate the whole deal has never overheated enough to spill coolant out of the Volvo relief hose. Therefore never got around to installing an overflow bottle. Also very easy to fill with no bleeding required.

Grist for the mill.

[The Veg]

Stu,
We're talking mostly about the Coolex neck, which is what I have . And now that I've got it to stop leaking, I'm finding that the coolant that goes into the overflow bottle isn't getting drawn back into the engine as it cools (and yes, the tube goes to the bottom of the bottle). Kind of annoying.

[stugilmour]

I also struggled to get the stock design to work, hence my posted modification. My 80’s vintage BMW had a similar cooling system design and was always trouble free. The Volvo tank fit better though.

The Esprit used both a remote header tank and a separate recuperation bottle located in the right rear wheel well. Found that design was kinda flakey as well. I think the car used over 8 quarts of coolant, so expansion room had to be quite large. The Twin Cam system is only about 5 quarts, even with my modification.

Any time my Esprit system wouldn’t suck the coolant back into the header tank it was inevitably traced to a small leak at a hose clamp, so review all of those. Can you visually check the heater core hose attachments? They are diabolical to access with the engine in, but even a small leak can cause an issue.

All the best. We are presently stuck in an Arctic Vortex, so Atlanta sounds pretty good right now. This is the time if year we all remember 40 below is the same in Celsius and Fahrenheit!