COOLER DAYS

Although the cooling fluid in Stella looked clean and blue, I had intended right from the start to drain, flush and refill the system with a fresh 3 to 1 anti-freeze mixture. Eventually last month I got round to getting Stella up onto ramps at the front end and axle stands at the back, the bottom rad hose came off easy, I had already drained out a small amount when I fitted the header tank (more of which later). Most of the coolant I caught in a large bowl, but then I had to get right under the engine and unscrew, one at a time the crankcase drain plugs, situated either side of the case. Getting your arm wet with warm anti freeze is inevitable, however this procedure had to be repeated 5 five times when the 2 part flushing agent was used, with much running of engine till hot, draining and flushing. By the time I had finished it was not only my arm that was wet, but at least I hadn't got scalded. The good news was that there was no sign of rust or sludge in the system.

One last drain and I removed the radiator ready for taking it to the radiator expert, to put in another boss about half way down the left side, (about that header tank), Russ my Stag guru, said that the feed from the header tank should go to the radiator rather than to the top of the water pump, hence planned trip to Gavin at Aaron Radiators.

Whilst the rad was out I degreased the front end of the engine block, changed the rusty return pipe, that goes to bottom of radiator, for a nice shiny stainless one. I also changed both drive belts, alternator and power steering pump, the old belts looked to be sound, as in photo, but new ones fitted, just to be on safe side.

When I collected the radiator, not only had the new boss been fitted, but it had been pressure tested, cleaned and sprayed shiny black. Before I put the rad back in, the two brackets that support the power steering pump were removed, they were a mess, covered in flaking paint and rust. With a flap wheel in my angle grinder, I removed all the old paint and most of the rust. A quick coat of Hammerite I thought, wrong, to get the paint on thick enough to flow it collected in the six bolt holes and then formed large runs. Nothing for it but to grind the paint off and spray with grey primer and then gloss black. That's better, all bolted back and radiator in place.

When I tried to connect the header tank to the new boss in the radiator, the hose kinked, so I decided to use a couple of 22mm plumbing elbows, not the neatest of jobs, but sound enough, but I will paint the copper elbows black to make them less conspicuous.

Last job, before I refilled with coolant was to remove the defunct temperature sender from the back of the cylinder block and replace it with the sender from the new dual oil pressure/water temperature gauge. 

OK, now in with the distilled water and antifreeze, I premixed it 2 to 1 first and then start the engine. Only a couple of little leaks, soon sorted by tightening jubilee clips, job done, new gauge working well. Now time to start planning the next job.