S7 Radiator In Nose Cone?

[Guest Chris S]

Hello all,

 

Firstly, as this is my initial post since registering onto the forum I wanted to say hello from County Durham!

 

Tommorow (all being well) I am taking over the ownership of my dad's 2.0 pinto'd S7. He has owned the car for a few years now but has never really managed to conquer the inherent overheating problems that seem to part of owning an S7.

 

He has previolusly fitted the coolman(?) radiator, twin fans (pulling air) and has tried directing air-flow into the radiator by making a fibreglass tunnel within the nose cone to direct air into the radiator, however it still boils up like a kettle. After searching through a few other posts I have seen that a few S7 owners have relocated the radiator into the nose cone itself, therefore allowing the air to enter the rad before hitting the inboard suspension. I was wondering if anyone may have a photo or could give me some advice on how to go about doing this.

 

Hopefully you maybe offer a newbie some much appreciated advice!

 

Many Thanks

Chris...

 

PS. Can anyone tell me how to search primarily for "S7" as the search facility keeps showing an error saying that my chosen search topic hasn't got enough letters in it???

Edited August 26, 2009 by Chris S

[miikae]

Hello Chris and welcome to the home of the Hoodies.

 

My rad is in the original position and since i fitted vents in the bonnet i have had no problems with over heating , the engine bay needs to breath and without vents the hot air has hardly anywhere to go.

 

Mike

[Guest pwlcarz]

I agree with Mike, my S7 also has the rad in the original position, still with viscous fan (supplemented by a simple electric fan in the nose) and since switching to a Coolman rad and putting a stainless vent in the bonnet, no longer has problems boiling up.

 

I assume you have done the obvious, like checking to see if any hoses have collapsed internally, flushing the system for debris, etc.?

 

Do you have a heater fitted? This can add a valuable pint or so to the system.

 

HTH

[Guest red7]

Hi Chris,

Welcome aboard. Firstly, where were you last night? We North East Hoodies meet at the Church Mouse nr Chester le Street on the last Wednesday of the month. We would have sorted your motor out no bother over a pint.

 

I have an S7 which I have run for many years without overheating problems using the standard set up. If you send me a PM letting me know where you are in Co Durham and a contact phone number I will send a posse around to sort your car out. We only require hot drinks & chocolate biscuits in payment for our services.

 

Steve

[Guest Tweedy]

Hi,I wonder if the correct thermostat and radiator pressure cap are fitted?If the cooling system is not under sufficient pressure then the water will boil.For a good explanation go to Century Performance Centre website - Tech Zone - Cooling System Basics.This gives a good explanation.

Cheers Mike

[Guest nick-c]

My S7 ran hot too, in the end we fitted an 83deg thermostat, new rad & fan in the nose and added large vents to the bonnet sides.

 

Now it's fine

 

[Jez Morton]

Chris,

is it venting water from the pipe on the side of the cap if it is you probally dont have a problem its just where the water goes when it expands. Fit an expansion/overflow tank to catch the water look at Capris or similar note when the car cools the water gets sucked back in. I had an S7 with no louvres? it was hot but didn't boil up just vented so I fitted a fan cowl and expansion tank of a Capri which solved the brown puddles, fitting stainless side vents to the bonnet helped reduce the under bonnet temp.

 

Jez

[Guest robinj66]

In addition to checking those things already mentioned, I would check that the head is torqued down properly. Mine wasn't and gave me days of endless fun trying to solve the riddle of the engine that thought it was a kettle

 

Here are a coule of pics of my rad situated in thenose. Rad is from a Seat (Marbella?) but I suspect your Coolman rad is easily up to the job. The fan was just something the right size I found in a scrapyard

[Guest robinj66]

I also fitted an oil cooler which I hope helps to keep the engine temp down. I think it came off a Rover 200

[Snapperpaul]

As a temperary measure i propped the rear of the bonnet up 1/2 an inch, also fitted an air bleed T piece in the waterpump to manifold pipe as this was the highest point in the system.

More vents to follow.

Also check ignition timing, to advanced can cause problems.

[Guest Chris S]

Hi Chris,

Welcome aboard. Firstly, where were you last night? We North East Hoodies meet at the Church Mouse nr Chester le Street on the last Wednesday of the month. We would have sorted your motor out no bother over a pint.

 

I have an S7 which I have run for many years without overheating problems using the standard set up. If you send me a PM letting me know where you are in Co Durham and a contact phone number I will send a posse around to sort your car out. We only require hot drinks & chocolate biscuits in payment for our services.

 

Steve

 

Hi Steve,

 

I will have to try and get myself along to the next meeting and meet all the local owners. Unfortunately I think it'll be my trusty Octavia VRS that brings me though, as now that I have the car up here (turned up late Thurs eve) I am starting to realise that there is a lot more work needed than I had initially expected (not complaining though as I received it as a gift). Never mind though I'll plod on and get there in the end no doubt!!

 

C...

Edited August 29, 2009 by Chris S

[Guest Chris S]

Thanks to everyone for the pointers so far. Car arrived up here on Thurs pm with a dead battery so as of yet I haven't managed to get any further than removing the bonnet. Battery doesn't seem to be taking a charge so I guess I'm off to find a replacement battery today, before the main battle can commence that is.

 

RobinJ66 - One thing I suspect maybe an issue after talking to my dad is that he lifted the head about a year ago thinking the H/gasket had blown. Someone he had spoken to had advised him to use a jointing sealant around the H/gasket when he put it back together. I am thinking this may be very relevant

 

Does anyone know what the standard cylinder compressions on a 2,0 pinto should be? The engine was bought as a re-conditioned unit approx 2000 miles ago so I would expect that if the compressions are low it sould only be the headgasket, and this would make it worth lifting the head again, getting it skimmed and refitting as ford intended (ie without a supplimentary sealant).

[Guest robinj66]

Before dismantling the engine I would just torque up the head bolts and see if that makes any difference.

[Guest trackerjack]

My "other car" is a track prepared Dolomite Sprint putting out approx 170 bhp and this engine is a well known kettle!

 

I agree with keeping the heater also the advice to fit an oil cooler and of course the expansion bottle and bonnet holes.

But do not agree with tampering with the head gasket by using any sealant or opening water holes etc.

A good clean head and block are essential to good sealing.

 

I am in the process of building a 2L pinto to replace my 1600 one and have paid a little extra for a genuine Payen gasket because due to what I have learnt in over 10 years of tracking my Sprint there are many rubbish ones made by various companies.