Cooling issues
Posted: Sun Feb 17, 2019 3:39 pm
Hi everyone,
I am a new owner of a 1947 Rover 12. Picked it up today and drove it home (about 20 miles). The car is low mileage (49k) but not really been used for about 9 years. The car starts easily and seems to run well. Within a few miles it was blowing water and steam from the radiator cap. The previous owner had thoughtfully left a gallon of water in a container in the boot!. Managed to limp home with a couple of water top ups. On investigation the radiator cap does not seal at all well so I made up a better gasket. I also checked the thermostat, that appears to be missing assuming it would normally sit in the little aluminium housing under the top hose. Took the car for another run and it still started to blow through the cap after a few miles. Temperature rises to about 90 on the gauge. I will try the cheap option of some sort of cooling system flush stuff but not having high expectations of that working. Water seems to drain out the bottom of the rad fine and didn't seem that mucky. Assuming the flushing does not work I suppose the next step is to get the radiator re-cored? Any hints, tips or thoughts gratefully received. My first car was one of these back in the early 60's and that never overheated.
Geoff
I am a new owner of a 1947 Rover 12. Picked it up today and drove it home (about 20 miles). The car is low mileage (49k) but not really been used for about 9 years. The car starts easily and seems to run well. Within a few miles it was blowing water and steam from the radiator cap. The previous owner had thoughtfully left a gallon of water in a container in the boot!. Managed to limp home with a couple of water top ups. On investigation the radiator cap does not seal at all well so I made up a better gasket. I also checked the thermostat, that appears to be missing assuming it would normally sit in the little aluminium housing under the top hose. Took the car for another run and it still started to blow through the cap after a few miles. Temperature rises to about 90 on the gauge. I will try the cheap option of some sort of cooling system flush stuff but not having high expectations of that working. Water seems to drain out the bottom of the rad fine and didn't seem that mucky. Assuming the flushing does not work I suppose the next step is to get the radiator re-cored? Any hints, tips or thoughts gratefully received. My first car was one of these back in the early 60's and that never overheated.
Geoff