Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

[Roadsport]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

Do you have the air bleed from the highest point of the radiator to the header tank ? As shown in the pic. The tank should also be higher than the rad to let the air out. If the hose makes a dive and rises to the tank the air will not get out. The air will anly rise up.

[team_zi]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

I dont have any air bleed as such from the radiators.

I do have an 8mm rubber pipe that runs from the alloy coil pack housing on the end of the head, back to the header tank. (connecting 1 to 8 in the diagram).

With the engine running, and the lid off the header tank, there is a constant stream of water pumped out of the small rubber pipe, in to the top of the tank. I presume that this is OK? This must be the water being pumped around the cylinder head whilst the thermostat is in the closed position.

The header tank is well above the height of the top of the radiator.

[Roadsport]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

I dont have any air bleed as such from the radiators

I believe you should have one. And the diagram backs this up. I am no expert on blumbing engines but I beliive it is essential to let the air out from the radiator.
And not a big thing to do. You could use this, self sealant take off.

Wrong type in the pic tho but you get the idea.

[team_zi]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

I have bled the radiators, by releasing the jubilee clips, which lets loads of water out (under pressure).

This is essentially, how it is now plumbed in.

Am I right in thinking that the green pipe in my diagram, is the return pipe that allows the coolant to circulate in the head? It is fitted on my engine, and is a 16mm rubber hose.

The radiator is split horizontally, so the water must travel around the radiator, with both the inlet and outlet on the same end.



And should I be seeing the volume of water travelling along the 8mm hose (top of the diagram) that I am? Once pressurised, would you expect this to stem to flow?

[Roadsport]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

Yes the green hose lets the coolant trough the head even when the thermostat is closed and you need to see the flow of coolant to the header tank from the cylinder head.

But if your diagram is correct you need another air inlet hose to the tank. Drawn in red to the diagram.

Also I was wondering does your radiator get hot under revs and cool down while idling?
There may well be air in the system. And it will not come out by loosing the clips. The air may well only push the coolant out.

Or maybe, but VERY far fetched, the water pump can't draw water from the bottom hose with low revs.So maybe the bottom water hose needs to bee low. Alternative routing in grey. But this is highly unlikely the water should cisculate when theres no air in the system.

[Roadsport]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

Here's how I did mine.
One 8mm hose to the top hose and one to the back of the head.
I have no heater bypass hose to allow coolant to the head while thermostat is closed so I drilled holes to the stath. I have water coming from the back of the head to the header tank.

[exboyracer]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

If I'm reading your diagram correctly, then you've got the outlet from the thermostat feeding into the bottom of the radiator. If so then this could be the source of your problems, as the thermosyphon effect will be opposing the water pump.

Other things to check (probably daft ones but I'm just think-typing )
Is the water pump spinning the right way?
Is the thermostat opening?

Also, try drilling a 3mm hole in the rim of the thermostat - this will help dissipate any air bubbles trapped behind the 'stat and possibly causing it to malfunction.

[team_zi]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

The cooling system still isn't running right at low revs. I'm going to drain it and remove the radiator again, and check the thermostat. I reckon there could be a bit of rag left in the block from when I had it all stripped down. It'll be something stupid for sure.

The car drove OK, though I did have to keep my eye on the temperature. I did about a dozen climbs up the hill, some at 20mph following the photographers car whilst Gerard shot pictures sitting in the boot, with a chap called John (aka RescueDude from Uphillracers.com) doing the driving. And then I did some high speed runs with the photographer stood at Bottom S, which gave me the opportunity to really see what she goes like. Fook me, its a completely different animal to when she had the Zetec. She just bursts in to life when I nail the throttle, and the car accelerates like mad. The Titans give it a fantastic throttle response. And the noise from the induction roar is awesome.

The shorter axle arrived on Weds, so I'll fit that over the next couple of weeks, and get her back to t Northampton Motorsport for a 2nd go at getting the wheels aligned. The existing axle is too long and stops the suspension from being adjusted.

The two steady bars I made for the engine, will need to be modified, as they use rod ends to locate them, and this is far too harsh, as when I lifted off and accelerated there was an awful lot of creaking from the bulkhead, so I'll have a rethink. I reckon stiff rubber bushes on one end of each tie bar would make it a lot nicer to drive. This is the first time I've had to really drive the car with some enthusiasm, and its definitely going to need some respect. Saying its Quick is an understatement.

The photographs that Gerard Hughes took, looked incredible. He uses a Canon EOS, with two external flash lamps for lighting, and the pics looked very dramatic on the camera screen. The deadline for the next issue was yesterday, so it looks like mine'll be on the one the following month.

I reckon she deserves to be a cover car, and the pictures that I saw were certainly worthy of a cover picture.

Big thanks to Midland Automobile Club for the use of the Shelsley Walsh hillclimb venue. If you've never been, you can pop in at any time during the day, and after gaining permission, and have a walk up the hill. The steepness has to be seen to be believed, and its by far and away, the best hillclimb venue in the UK. The new watermill and restaurants are looking fantastic.

Gerard setting up for some shots in the paddock.

[4parajon]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

Good news on the feature, I'm sure it was Gerard who shot my Capri for CF 3 years ago.

[team_zi]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

I'm just wondering (before I strip the radiator down) if the thermostat housing that Adamb sent me, requires a different thermostat to the original.
It is the same part as this one on www.part-box.co.uk, which comes with an 82degC thermostat, but I re-used the factory thermostat when I fitted the replacement housing.

http://www.part-box.com/cosworth-thermostat-and-housing-82-deg-c-ford-duratec-mazda-mzr-kit-car-p-12116.html

They sell it as a thermostat AND housing, so I wonder if I should have changed the thermostat too.

And why would there be an 82C thermostat? I thought they were normally 88C.

[team_zi]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

Removed the radiator. The top of which had a lot of air trapped inside.
The thermostat housing in the block is clean with no foreign objects inside.
The thermostat opens in near boling water, though it does not have any markings on it so I don know what temp it is supposed to operate at.
None of the hoses are blocked.

I still need to flush the radtec radiator through, and check for blockages, but i now reckon its caused by the buildup of air in the top of the rad so I'll add a second bleed hose that will run from the header tank to the top hose, or something thereabouts.

Interestingly, adamb has the same issue with his 2.0 Duratec, though he has now swapped for the 82c thermostat. He was running an underdrive pulley on his pump, and reverted to a std pulley due to the pumps inability to circulate water at tickover (exacerbated by the slower running speed with the underdrive pulley). He also went for a larger capacity radiator incase it wasn't already up to the job.

If I run an electric pump, where does it plumb in to the system, as the thermostat surely blocks any flow until it has opened, and the mechanical pump is in the perfect place to pump water round already.

[Roadsport]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

I believe you found your problem.
The green hose in your diagram allows coolant to circulate past the thermostat. IF you need more water to circulate when the thermostat is closed then drill a 6mm hole (or two) in to the thermostat flange.
Electric water pump plumbs between the thermostat housing and lower water hose.

[Adam B]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

have you not got anyone that could TIG a small outlet onto the top corner of your rad? driver side, fed straight back into the header tank.

[dobuy]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

If I run an electric pump, where does it plumb in to the system, as the thermostat surely blocks any flow until it has opened, and the mechanical pump is in the perfect place to pump water round already.

Pump runs best at bottom of radiator, into thermostat housing, with thermostat and waterpump impeller removed.
I made a simple outlet to replace the plastic thermostat housing (which was fine on the Caterham)






I found it best to remove the whole waterpump and make a blanking plate out of 7mm alloy with a bit of engine sealant to seal.

You can either run an electronic controller for the pump, that you buy from Davis Craig or run it on a switch, full time or a signal from your ECU.
I run mine full time as cold engines are really not an issue in Dubai.
I can get EWP80's pretty cheap here in Dubai, about 110 quid if memory serves me right, but would need to check. Am up in Heathrow in a week if you want one.

[mervhill]

Re: Grahamb's Mk1 Fiesta XR2 Duratec HE Hillclimber

Yeah, I believe Matt's runs from the ECU Graham, the best part about that is that the water will circulate when the engine is off too. I think it eliminates the thermostat, you just use a temperature sensor instead. I think Matt has his plumbed into the water rail, but the config is slightly different on the RWD setup in the Escort.

Give Steve a call at SBD, he'll sort you out I'm sure.

See the pic below, at the back of the water rail on the left hand side you can see two sensors, the rearmost with the feed for the ECU, the one in front for the temp gauge.