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HI all,
Picked up my H Reg sportrax today and love it only thing i have found is a couple of problems one is it slowly overheats but as soon as you put the heater on full hot it goes down and there is a clicking noise coming from the front drivers wheel plus it feels a but shuddery till you are under way.
overheating
my sportrax heats up as well goes about 2/3rds up the temp gauge goes down with heater on full blast dont think its my thermostat
overheating
first change the cam belt and while you are at it and in the area whip out the old water pump and change that as well then flush system then back flush system to remove all the crud then refill using anti freeze mixture apart from what OMM(god when it comes to these motors)i would pressure test the system this can be done at home if you have the kit. if not whip it down to your local spanners and get them to to it. this will show up any leaks and then enjoy
as a rule always change the cam belt on any vch that you buy. cam belts cost pennies engines do not
OVERHEATING
MAKE SURE THE SYSTEM IS PRESSURISING BY GETTING IT TO NORMAL TEMP. AND PRESSING THE TOP HOSE . IF IT IS SOFT THEN THE SYSTEM IS NOT PRESSURISED AND MORE THAN LIKELY THE RAD. CAP SEAL HAS GONE AND THE CAP SHOULD BE REPLACED. YOU CAN, WITH CARE, TURN THE SEAL OVER BUT USUALLY THIS MAY ONLY PROVIDE A SHORT TERM SOLUTION. IF DESPERATE POLYTHENE CAN FORM A TEMPORARY SEAL TO GET YOU HOME.
USING THE HEATER ALLOWS MORE WATER TO PASS THROUGH THE COOLING SYSTEM AND OF COURSE IF YOU USE THE FAN THE HEATER MATRIX WILL REDUCE THE TEMPERATURE OF THE COOLANT.
WATER BOILNG POINT IS INCREASED UNDER PRESSURE SO IT WILL OVERHEAT IFNOT PRESSURISED.
SPORTIES DO SUFFER HEAD GASKET FAILURE WHICH WILL OVERHEAT THE COOLING SYSTEM. CHECK THE OIL FOR "SALAD CREAM" CAUSED BY THE MIXTURE OF OIL WITH WATER, CYLIDER HEAD GASKET CAN ALSO ALLOW SUPERHEATED EXHAUST GASES TO ENTER THE COOLING SYSTEM CAUSING OVER HEATING AND CAN USUALLY BE SEEN BY THE FIZZING OF THE COOLANT.
CHECK THE CHEAPEST OPTIONS FIRST THE RAD CAP AND THERMOSTAT. CHECK ALSO THE CONDITION OF THE COOLING FINS OF THE RADIATOR. AGE MAKES THESE GRADUALLY DISSAPPEAR, MORE SO AT THE BOTTOM, AND THIS LOSS WILL HAVE A DRASTIC EFFECT ON THE RADIATORS ABILITY TO COOL IT'S CONTENTS.
GOOD LUCK
OLDMINIMAN
M J Young
thank you
thanks will check it out