Soo… heatwave?

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geoberni
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by geoberni »

Stephen has giving you a not totally correct description of the antifreeze issue, principally around Colours and the Glycol types.

As you said
59Elva wrote: Thu Jul 02, 2026 5:36 pm Years ago there was a move away from ethylene towards polypropylene glycol as being more pet friendly.
It's the additives that are the issue, not the base Glycol liquid, either ethylene or polypropylene can be the core coolant.

It's about the technology of the additives.
Inorganic Additive Technology (IAT), Organic(OAT), or Hybrid (HAT) (including sub-versions of... :roll: ).
Note that the coolant industry can't even agree on the description, let alone the colours.
Some Companies call it 'Additive Technology' while many call it 'Acid Technology'... :roll:

Anything pre- late 1990s requires IAT, because the engines/radiators include metals that can be damaged by the OAT/HAT additives.


See this USA website for an American viewpoint, including Colours.
In your case, Green is almost certainly right for IAT, but the appearance of the green deposits in your photo is a little concerning....
https://gmb.net/blog/inorganic-vs-organic-coolants/
Basil the 1955 series II

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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

Think I found the problem. I don’t know what the catalyst was that caused the failure. What I’ve found so far seems related to alloy locations. The water pump outlet was solidly plugged. Question is how much more is in the system or of it was limited to the alloy components. Wish I knew what might help dissolve it. Mild acid, vinegar? Caustic, washing soda? Or some kind of organic solvent like methanol? Maybe soap?
Oh well, now I have an excuse to clear and paint the radiator and fan and investigate the crank pulley being out of time.
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Geoberni
Thank you for the link, I’ll check it out .
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by Bill_qaz »

Somebody may of used a sealer like case seal to stop a leak and overdosed being a small engine. Or as suggested earlier some wrong antifreeze type but that usually attacks certain metals, never seen it crystallise. Another possibility is two substances have reacted with each other.
Put samples in dishes and try your various solvents to find the most effective before filling the engine block.
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by svenedin »

I have never seen such severe crystalline deposits in real life but I have seen it on car restoration TV programmes. It happens in engines where the car has sat for many years filled with coolant. Another possibility is that two incompatible types of coolant were mixed causing some chemical or other to precipitate out. If a car is going to be laid up for many years it is advisable to drain the cooling system including the block to prevent this happening. Unfortunately, it is usually never planned that a car is laid up for years.....

Other thoughts are a previous owner topping up with neat antifreeze and never draining down over many years. IAT antifreeze has a limited life and the cooling system should be periodically completely drained, flushed and replenished. I changed to using deionised water some years ago and this has made a big difference in keeping the coolant clean and rust free.

Stephen
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.

Stephen
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

So far the green crystals were confined to the aluminum components. Oddly the metal doesn’t look to be damaged by it. It cleaned up pretty well with a small welder’s wire toothbrush. The radiator looks pretty clean and drains as fast as I can feed it with a garden hose.
So what I have is a 1275 of unknown origin with what looks like an aftermarket alloy pump. I suspect the aluminum thermostat housing isn’t original to what was an air injected head. The studs are too long and no boss to mount the air pump.
The consensus given the mix of iron, brass, aluminum, and a bit of steel is to use IAT, either ethylene or polypropylene coolant?
Thanks all,
Bill B
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

While the radiator was out of the way I pulled the crank pulley and discovered the source of the timing error. One key, two key ways. The original one is damaged. I assume someone cut the second one to save the harmonic damper. Just by eyeball the second keyway looks off a bit.
I didn’t find crank handle spigot bolt in my spares so no starting this one by hand. I was going to post a pic but keep getting a HTTP Error?
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by Grumpy21 »

My little traveller coped ok in the heat except when doing a long (2 mile) uphill on a dual carriageway at 55mph.

Started to misfire towards the top but fine as soon as the road flattened out and I could ease off the throttle

I’m thinking vapourisation and I’m making a heat shield just in case

Been fine before and after now it’s a bit cooler.
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

I now have circulating water!!😃👍
Also a bright yellow fan and a new thermostat. Had the distributor out to check the point gap. Put the pulley back to its original position. I clocked it against the good side of the keyway and set the timing to 7* bdc.
Still running rich so I exchanged the dome, piston, needle assembly from an old spare carb. It sounded better. Worn jet maybe ? I had hoped to drive as is for awhile but if I can’t lean it out I might have to go to the twin carb setup which will force me to come up with a different exhaust system. Suppose I could try to separate the intake manifold and make a blank off plate for the existing exhaust manifold.
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

Haven’t started the truck in a week or so. Been fiddling with the replacement carb and exhaust. I stopped at the auto parts store for some high temperature manifold paint and asked about antifreeze. It’s still a couple months before I need it but this is what they suggested. It’s blue but MAT. What I need with the alloy pump and copper radiator is IAT correct?
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

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59Elva wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2026 12:29 am Haven’t started the truck in a week or so. Been fiddling with the replacement carb and exhaust. I stopped at the auto parts store for some high temperature manifold paint and asked about antifreeze. It’s still a couple months before I need it but this is what they suggested. It’s blue but MAT. What I need with the alloy pump and copper radiator is IAT correct?
Correct, colour is irrelevant because colours change in different markets and there is no international standard for colour coding.

The Industry can't even decide how many types there are .

Some say 3....,
IAT (Inorganic Additive Technology): Traditional green or blue fluid used mostly in older vehicles (pre-2001). It needs replacement every 2 to 3 years.
OAT (Organic Acid Technology): Long-life orange, red, or pink fluid used in many modern cars. It can last up to 5 years or more.
HOAT (Hybrid Organic Acid Technology)

While others break is down even further and include Phosphate-free HOAT, Phosphated HOAT (P-HOAT), and Silicated HOAT (Si-HOAT). :roll:

What you need for pre 1980s vehicles is the Inorganic.

Just to illustrate the confusing state of the Coolant Industry, Valvoline are a significant global company.
Their website https://www.valvolineglobal.com/en-eur/ ... r-coolant/ actually says:
NEVER RELY ON COOLANT COLOR-CODING

In the past, color-coding played a fundamental role when it came to the choice of coolants. Namely, coolant colors indicated different product properties, applications, and vehicle compatibility.

Today, this is not so. Coolant colors may vary based on the lubricant manufacturer. Not to mention that the same color can be used for different products. For example, we mentioned that IAT coolants, used in older vehicles, are green. However, Valvoline’s most innovative Si-OAT coolant formula that is used in newer vehicles, HT-12, is also green.

On the other hand, we can also notice that different colors can be used for products in the same category. One such example is our HT-12 Pink and HT-12 Green coolants.
:roll:
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

Thanks again geoberni. I have the exhaust manifold and pipe painted, the H6 assembled to the intake manifold and a new gasket at hand. Do I start assembly or mow the lawn before it rains today?😉
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by Bill_qaz »

59Elva wrote: Wed Sep 09, 2026 1:24 pm Thanks again geoberni. I have the exhaust manifold and pipe painted, the H6 assembled to the intake manifold and a new gasket at hand. Do I start assembly or mow the lawn before it rains today?😉
Bill, the grass will grow back on its own your car will not.
No contest it's more assembly :lol:
Regards Bill
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

Bill,
I mowed the lawn and did most of the assembly. It just now started raining. Both manifolds are bolted down, exhaust pipe wrapped and in place, muffler and tailpipe are in but I need to install an additional hanger.
I want to put secondary springs on the throttle and choke and think I have a solution. Also want to replace the float valve before connecting the fuel line.
One worry is the proximity of the exhaust pipe to the dip switch. The pipe is wrapped but I may need to add some sort of shield.
Might be ready for test firing tomorrow. Fingers crossed.
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

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Exhaust too close :wink: firing maybe a bad word to use :lol:
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

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It’s alive!
I got it to start. Going to need adjustment. Needed lots of choke. Lots of smoke. Some from the tailpipe but mostly from the exhaust wrap. Also have a fuel drip. Pretty sure it’s the gland packing around the jet. I remember that being a weakness in the old SUs. The reason for the bowl to jet flex tube upgrade. I’ll have to address the drip and smoke before test driving.
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

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59Elva wrote: Thu Sep 10, 2026 10:05 pm It’s alive!
I got it to start. Going to need adjustment. Needed lots of choke. Lots of smoke. Some from the tailpipe but mostly from the exhaust wrap. Also have a fuel drip. Pretty sure it’s the gland packing around the jet. I remember that being a weakness in the old SUs. The reason for the bowl to jet flex tube upgrade. I’ll have to address the drip and smoke before test driving.
There's an improved "super dry" kit for the older SU H type carburettors.

https://sucarb.co.uk/carburettor-kits/j ... l-kit.html

Stephen
Last edited by svenedin on Thu Sep 10, 2026 10:24 pm, edited 1 time in total.
1969 1098cc Convertible “Xavier” which I have owned since 1989.

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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by svenedin »

When it is all going well, and you don't have to keep taking things apart (as often happens in the early stages of re-commissioning) you might want to think about using deionised/distilled water in the antifreeze mix. It sounds like total overkill but it has kept my coolant exceptionally clean and corrosion free.

Stephen
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

Stephen,
Thanks for the SU link. I already have most of a gallon of distilled water that I bought to top up the battery. Should be enough for the coolant refill. It’s cheap enough maybe I’ll drain the tap water and flush with the distilled water before filling with antifreeze.
Now that dinner is done and the truck has cooled down it’s time to restart it and cure the hi-temp paint some more.
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

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No smoking after cooling down and restarting. I guess the paint is cured. I pulled the jet down a few flats and played with the idle speed screw. I never had the ear for the lifting pin procedure. I have a tachometer somewhere that I’ll hook up tomorrow.
The fuel drip appears to be at the union of the carb body and fuel bowl not the jet. Probably going to be a pain to find rubber washers for this old carburetor. Maybe some RTV or gasket sealant?
The new exhaust makes a nice sporty “vroom vroom “ sound instead of the asthmatic wheezing of the 948 muffler. So far so good. Maybe a test drive tomorrow and back to playing with the brakes.
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Re: Soo… heatwave?

Post by 59Elva »

Elleva’ she goes!
Not sure I have the mixture right yet but it starts, runs, and drives. Sounds better and feels peppier. Still work to do on the brakes but they feel a little better than when I last drove it.
I only drove around the neighborhood, maybe 30 mph max, but the speedo was bouncing from 40 to 70. Need to find a 1280 tpm speedometer. I actually have one. A 120 mph black face but the fuel gage is missing as are the odometer gears and pawls. I assume it is those gears that determine the turns per mile? Not transferable from one to another? A120 mph speedo would look impressive though.😉
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