:: Thursday, July 9, 2015 ::
After a suitable period of procrastination, it's time to get this radiator fixed. The car is along at the farm, so I need to take all my stuff along there.
Did I tell you that I bought another car? Yes, I finally succumbed to the temptation of at least 2 years (actually a lot longer, but my wife was a shortarse and wouldn't let me...) and bought a Range Rover. Not a diddy little sport, no - this is a full-fat V8 twin turbo diesel thing, that is so big that it has its own postcode.
So what does this replace? Well, nothing yet... I really must get around to trying out the "selling" side of this car owning business.
It's fast but certainly not nimble. It's really comfy though, you can see for miles from up there provided you don't get nosebleeds, and yes I've reached that age where a Horlicks holder and a place to change into my slippers is getting to be important.
So I load a trolley jack, a bucket and a basin, a toolbox, overalls and two axle stands into the boot, along with a wardrobe and a settee just to pack it out a bit, to stop the other stuff rolling about, and set off up the road.
I have to get the barn key from John, who as usual, launches into a high-volume discussion about the various misfortunes that have befallen him since I was last here - the closure of his steel supplier, the stupidity of some people, the restoration of his Hillman Minx not going to plan because people keep giving him work to do, etc etc. That lasts 30 minutes.
Then I get changed into the overalls and loosen the front near side wheel nuts, then jack the front of the car up on to the axle stands and remove the front wheel for easier access to the bottom radiator hose.
Then the basin and bucket go underneath the bottom hose, and I loosen the clips and remove the bottom hose from the stub. Then I open the radiator bleed valve to let air in the top so that water can come out of the bottom.
Then it's round the other side of the car to remove the top hose in front of the battery, from the stub.
Next step is to remove the two 13mm bolts holding the top of the radiator into the top of the frame, tilt the radiator back slightly (watch, because more water comes out when you do this) and lift it back and out, to the near side, before emptying the last of the water into the bucket.
That took 30 minutes.
While I am packing the stuff. Away and cleaning up, John wanders back over and has another 30 minute blether...
So with the car re-packed, complete with radiator, I head about 3 miles further west to the radiator repairer, tell him the problem, and leave it with him.
Back home, unpack the car, and make a note to buy new antifreeze - some for me and some to replace the stuff that Dave gave me to get home from our trip. Also add the need for new wiper blades, and the need to repair the fag lighter. All good fun!
:: Friday, July 10, 2015 ::
The radiator is repaired, so I go to collect it. I didn’t go into this the other day, but this place is basically a very big shed at the back of a house. Every square foot is taken up by piles of radiators, of various types - some are clearly car or truck, but others are obviously from industrial coolers, central heating systems, condensers, etc, all in various states of disrepair (including many that have obviously not moved for decades). Massive heaps of the things. There are three paths through these mountains of metal, between the gate, the garage, a wee office door, and the house next door that he lives in.
These valleys are patrolled by a german shepherd dog that’s almost black, and with jaws that look like a couple of bulldozer blades. And it’s loud. Which is just as well, because I think the owner is sleeping in the office, so comes out before the wolf has decided its best plan of attack.
Anyway, he has repaired and repainted the radiator, so now to put it back in the car
:: Sunday, July 12, 2015 ::
Load up the wagon, and back along to the farm to re-install the radiotor. John doesn’t work on Sundays so this shouldn’t take long.
I unlock the door and then realise that I have forgotten to bring a light. There is one strip light in the garage, but it’s on the wrong side of the bonnet when it’s open, so the radiator bit is a sea of darkness.
Time to find out if I really can do this blindfolded!
First step - drop the radiator into place - locate the grommets, slide the bottom spigots in, then push the radiator into the top bracket, and insert the bolts by feel (you have to do it by feel anyway, to get the threads to engage). Tighten those up.
Next, the bottom hose. I disconnected it by loosening both clips, and then sliding the whole hose backwards along the metal pipe, so it’s just a matter of sliding it forward and over the bottom stub and retightening the clips. I can almost see what I am doing here so it’s easy.
The top hose puts up more of a struggle in the dark, but eventually pops into place, and I tighten the clips. Then I check that the bleed valve is loose, so that the radiator fills properly.
I have mixed 10 litres of fresh antifreeze, so I pour the first 5 litres into the swirl pot. The bleed valve is just starting to bubble, so I shut it for now and start on the second 5 litre bottle, and fill the swirl pot to just below the neck, then open the bleed valve until there are no bubbles.
Then with the swirl pot cap still off, I start the engine to circulate the water and dislodge any remaining air. After a couple of minutes, the bubbles in the swirl tank stop and the water starts to rise slight;y. I ope the bleed valve again to remove the last air bubbles that have gathered, and then put the swirl pot cap on and leave the engine idling while I tidy away all the tools.
I leave the car till the fan cuts in, and check the temperature - perfect, the needle is just above the horizontal. Wait till the fan stops (needle just below horizontal) and switch it off.
Then I reconnect the bonnet strut, put the nearside front wheel back on, and lower the car off the axle stands. Then I drive it up to the garage door and inspect for leaks. Nothing evident.
40 minutes - not too bad. This would have taken at least 2 hours on a weekday.
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