Scirocco Register

Yes, the heater was set to hot when I refilled it.

These systems are always difficult to refill without getting airlocks, so I rigged homebrew bucket on the bench that has a tap on it, filled it with the new coolant and ran a tube from the tap to the filler tank and set it to a trickle.

I've done this before as it fills the system so very slowly that no water and air locks can form in the system. On Sunday when I did it, I left it to fill by itself and went in for my tea. Got back and noticed that it had filled itself and had overflown the cap - coolant everyehere. Flushed it away with water and dried the area and then pinched the hoses to pump-prime the air out. This lowered the level of the water so I filled it back to the level and ran the engine with the cap off to bleed the system. However, it looks as if there's still some air in there.

The thermostat is only a couple of months old, but I'm going to drain the system again and fit another new 'stat to be on the safe side. The car isn't used during winter, so this isn't causing any inconvenience. It's just a matter of waiting for another clement weekend day to get the job done......

just to point out rovers with k series engines use OAT coolant.... anything else tends to blow the head gaskets (guilty ex rover owner )

hiltow wrote:I'm going to drain the system again and fit another new 'stat to be on the safe side.

Is it just me (or my engine) but does everyone find the stat cover is a swine to get on ?
Mine fouls against a lug on the crankcase and it took me ages to get it in the correct position to get the bolts in ( I was lying on my back though, that doesn't help !)

Oh for a workshop with a car lift

hiltow wrote:I'm going to drain the system again and fit another new 'stat to be on the safe side.

whip the stat out, and chuck it in a pan of water on the hob, gently heat and watch for it to open. when it does, measure the temp with a thermometer.

ghost123uk wrote:Is it just me (or my engine) but ..is the stat cover is a swine to get on ?

Yupski. Aligning the stat, sealing ring and the cover and then holding it all in place with one hand and then bolting in straight. While on back under car, in street. Argh.

Yep, it's a pain, but can be done.

I took advantage of some good weather one weekend before Christmas to thoroughly purge the system out and go back to the G11.

However, I got an air lock afterwards, so then was outside on Boxing day (yes, sad isn't it!) to drain the system and refill it. Then, after all that, the bottom hose split at the end whilst I was tightening it up!!

Got a new hose and just waiting for the opportunity to fit it - short daylight hours and poor weather conditions at weekends mean it can be weeks before being able to do these jobs at this time of year.

That said, I'm trying to source a full set of new hoses - it suddenly dawned on me that whilst in good nick the hoses on the car have been on it for 26 years, so I'm going to replace them all to be safe.

Back to the original thread point, I'd advise anyone to stay away from OAT based G12 coolants - they will find leaks that will continue to leak afterwards. One of the leaks it found was on the expansion hose which, if you've read my other post, I'm trying to source a like-for-like replacement.