keith 73tt Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 (edited) hello folks ! I would be very grateful for any input you might have to offer on the following scenario... my car is a 1997 6sp Manual RZ TT ...Some basic mods with after market intercooler , stainless exhaust , HKS air filter and blow off valve other than that she is fairly stock. Driving to work last week , I'm sitting at 70 mph and the steering goes heavy with warnings up on the dash , as I head for the hard shoulder to pull in - there is a burst of steam from under he bonnet. The fan belt / auxillary belt that drives the alternator and steering etc is in ribbons ....the hose has blown off the back of the rad at high level with the clip still attached ...the thermostat is in two pieces ( lower half still sitting loosely in the rad and the cap probably in orbit. Recovery truck takes it to a local grease monkey that kindly fits a new belt and proceeds to tell me that he " thinks" the head is fried and needs a skim and gasket . He proceeds to tell me that a test drive showed it to be running hot but normal enough and not indicate a need to think there is a bigger issue...he goes on to say that a sniffer test was carried out which indicated that the head was fecked. I brought it to my go-to resident expert for all things performance related , at first he suggested we get the head skimmed, fit a new gasket , water pump and timing belt. all in all about £1500 ... I asked him if this was a bullet proof fix and he said it was UNLESS the head is cracked . He commented that the car is getting up to temperature way too fast for his liking and that there may be an underlying issue. I am wondering whether or not I should ask him to do the water pump & timing belt , flush the rad and then see where we are. maybe that's not the best way to get to the bottom of it....so I am open to suggestions. thanks in advance ! Edited June 2, 2018 by keith 73tt (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
and1c Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Water pump is a likely suspect imo. I would do as you said, and see where you are at. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike2JZ Posted June 2, 2018 Share Posted June 2, 2018 Check the basics. - Make sure coolant system is bled properly and there is adequate coolant in radiator and expansion tank before starting. Bleed system using funnel. Are there signs of oil, smell of fuel or excessive bubbling? - Check that both bottom and top radiator hoses are getting pressurized & hot after a small drive, otherwise thermostat might be sticking. - Check that crank pulley rubber has not come loose. If so it could not be spinning water pump & other auxiliaries as they should be. - Do heater fans blow hot air when warm? Does temperature decrease/stabilize when heaters are on full chat? - Are there any leaks on system? Then move to next level of diagnostics - Do a sniffer test on radiator to test to see if any combustion gases are mixing with coolant. This may give some indication about health of head gasket. - Do a compression test. Are all cylinders running equal, or are two or more significantly lower? - Get a mechanic to do a leak down test on your cylinders. This test should show your coolant system getting pressurized if there is a head gasket issue. At least I'd do all of the above before going and spending money on changing parts when it might not be required. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith 73tt Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 Check the basics. - Make sure coolant system is bled properly and there is adequate coolant in radiator and expansion tank before starting. Bleed system using funnel. Are there signs of oil, smell of fuel or excessive bubbling? - Check that both bottom and top radiator hoses are getting pressurized & hot after a small drive, otherwise thermostat might be sticking. - Check that crank pulley rubber has not come loose. If so it could not be spinning water pump & other auxiliaries as they should be. - Do heater fans blow hot air when warm? Does temperature decrease/stabilize when heaters are on full chat? - Are there any leaks on system? Then move to next level of diagnostics - Do a sniffer test on radiator to test to see if any combustion gases are mixing with coolant. This may give some indication about health of head gasket. - Do a compression test. Are all cylinders running equal, or are two or more significantly lower? - Get a mechanic to do a leak down test on your cylinders. This test should show your coolant system getting pressurized if there is a head gasket issue. At least I'd do all of the above before going and spending money on changing parts when it might not be required. Thanks Mike, yes it did fail the sniffer test I was told by the first mechanic. i will talk to the guy that has it now and see where he is with it... last word from him was that he is planning on getting the head tested for cracks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith 73tt Posted June 2, 2018 Author Share Posted June 2, 2018 Water pump is a likely suspect imo. I would do as you said, and see where you are at. thanks pal ...a few more checks first and then I think the water pump will get done before anything else ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dnk Posted June 3, 2018 Share Posted June 3, 2018 If you have to take the head off Get it checked for flatness, if its warped more than 0.1 mm its scrap, check the main face but also check how inline the cam journals are Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris Wilson Posted June 8, 2018 Share Posted June 8, 2018 Sounds like the outer part of the crank damper has come off and hit the thermostat housing, leaving a shredded belt unable to drive the ancillaries properly. Has the outer diameter of the crank damper got ribs around its circumference to match the ribs on the inside of the belt, or is it smooth? If smooth the outer ring has flown off. it *MAY* be lying in the undertray. (That doesn't mean you can Sikaflex it back on, you know who you are....) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith 73tt Posted June 13, 2018 Author Share Posted June 13, 2018 (edited) Thanks for all the feedback and info chaps. I have brought the car to another guy and he is focusing on the cooling system before he starts to consider the head. He has found the thermostat to be corroded and replaced it. The radiator is showing cool spots and I want to change it out . I am looking at the mishimoto 2 row and 3 row rads. TBH im not sure which one to go for and dont know how to call it.... the 3 row rad is only around 50 quid more expensive BUT my concern is that the fins and cores are so dense that the stock fan might struggle to put air through it. Mishimoto have a dual fan set up for 200 notes but the rad is already costing me 3 ton and i dont have more money to throw at it. anybody tell me if the 2 row rad is GTG ? for info the car is a prob 330- 350 bhp ( I dont do track days but like to open it up on the motorway from time to time ) Edited June 13, 2018 by keith 73tt (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mike2JZ Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Buy an AVA radiator which is an oem replacement from TCBParts. They are much better value and outperforms mishimoto ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith 73tt Posted June 13, 2018 Author Share Posted June 13, 2018 Buy an AVA radiator which is an oem replacement from TCBParts. They are much better value and outperforms mishimoto ones. Thanks Mike, but them aluminium ones are miiiiighty pretty I'm hoping a dual core should do the job nicely regardless of make ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burna Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Buy an AVA radiator which is an oem replacement from TCBParts. They are much better value and outperforms mishimoto ones. Good advice, but I'm guessing it will be ignored in favour of "Oooo shiny mishimoto rad!!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burna Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 Thanks Mike, but them aluminium ones are miiiiighty pretty I'm hoping a dual core should do the job nicely regardless of make ? There we go, its shiny, must be better lol. And you'd rather throw more money on crap fans that will nowhere near perform as good as the stock viscous fan? Don't get drawn into the rad being an upgrade, as it's not. I'd listen to Mikes advice if I were you Are you manual or auto? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith 73tt Posted June 13, 2018 Author Share Posted June 13, 2018 (edited) There we go, its shiny, must be better lol. And you'd rather throw more money on crap fans that will nowhere near perform as good as the stock viscous fan? Don't get drawn into the rad being an upgrade, as it's not. I'd listen to Mikes advice if I were you Are you manual or auto? Thanks Burny - you're a real sweetheart. I was joking about the pretty looking rad and my previous post stated that I did NOT want to replace the stock fan... i'm 45 years on the planet so I'm really not easily swayed by the appearance of the radiator. In answer to your question the car is manual. Edited June 13, 2018 by keith 73tt (see edit history) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Burna Posted June 13, 2018 Share Posted June 13, 2018 You're welcome Stick with a stock rad then, cheaper too. Well I assumed when you were on about the electric fans you were ditching the stock fan. The reason I asked if your are manual or auto is because if auto you have another headache losing the heat exchanger in the bottom of the rad if going with most aftermarket rads, but you'll be been fine being manual Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keith 73tt Posted June 13, 2018 Author Share Posted June 13, 2018 You're welcome Stick with a stock rad then, cheaper too. Well I assumed when you were on about the electric fans you were ditching the stock fan. The reason I asked if your are manual or auto is because if auto you have another headache losing the heat exchanger in the bottom of the rad if going with most aftermarket rads, but you'll be been fine being manual Thanks Pal will do ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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