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Sealed Cooling Upgrade Instructions? Ford Kent X-flow

New Cat

By New Cat
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New Cat

New Cat

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During some of my downtime, I'd love to upgrade the cooling system on my x-flow - it does have a tendency to get a bit hot in its old age (especially anything on track / slalom).

I understand there is a well trodden path using 1980s / early 1990s Ford Fiesta parts but would love to see any part numbers / references or fitting guides that anyone is aware of. Alternatively, photos and part numbers from someone with an upgraded x-flow would be great! 

Many thanks,

Jon

  

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Roger King

Roger King

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Wow, that's one of my diagrams that I drew up some 25 years ago; good job someone still has a copy!

The only things I would add are that if you have a heater you will already have the return hose from the matrix attached to the small pipe on the water pump; in this case you need to put what used to be called a submarine into the bottom hose (this is basically just a T-piece) and feed the lower hose from the header tank to that instead. Alternatively, if you do not have a heater there is a good chance that you will simply have a blanking plug in the water pump; in this case you need to remove the plug and fit an inlet pipe (back in pre-history the Ford part number was 6148087, but I have no idea if this is still current or even if the part is available now).

In addition, it is essential to fit a thermostat housing with a vertical orientated small outlet. I don't know if the Fiesta one I used to use is available now (was Ford part number 6814635), but something might suit as an alternative. If there isn't one already, drill a small hole of around 1.5mm  in the thermostat to allow any air bubbles to pass through it and up the thermostat housing. 

Finally, the header tank type isn't critical, so long as it has a screw on pressure cap, a large lower outlet and a small upper inlet. If it fits it should be fine, but mount it as high as possible.

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orangepeel61

orangepeel61

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Just wondering why its so important to use a thermostat housing with a vertical outlet, mine is like this:

FP610M.jpg.a8eebc1091fdc473927f70c9d11c0ebf.jpg

As the outlet is so close to the top would it make that much difference? (with a blanking cap fitted)

Also, with a heater fitted does the bottom pipe from the header tank have to go into the bottom radiator hose or can it be tapped in to the heater hose? (would make plumbing easier)

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Sooty

Sooty

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Basic question. What advantage comes from a sealed system? My 89 Supersprint has open system with the heater having been removed. I get overheating if stuck in traffic but otherwise my Radtec radiator and 11" Spal fan cope well.

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Roger King

Roger King

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To answer three questions.

You need the outlet at the very top so that any air bubbles will go straight up the outlet and into the header tank; this stops the system from building up an air lock somewhere and causing localised overheating. The way the system is plumbed means that the water pump is continuously trying to pull water down from the bottom of the header tank and the top hose to the tank is continuously returning air to the top of the header tank. You also don't need a rad cap on the casting because a) you use the cap on the header tank to fill the system and b) they're notoriously unreliable and often the source of air leaks.

I would always fit the bottom hose from the header tank into the bottom hose but in theory it could go into the heater hose. I've not tried doing it that way, but the most obvious problem would be that if the heater is a water valve type, turning the heater off might disrupt the flow in the system (but it might not because in theory there would still be a circuit in operation via the header tank). You'll have to try and see if it works.

The reason for having a sealed system is to improve cooling and reliability. Before sealed systems were fitted to Caterhams it was very common to see the following - a driver would spend a morning at a track day, before which they had checked their coolant level. During the session, the coolant became hot, expanded and was partially expelled via the relief valve in the filler cap. Then they'd stop for lunch during which the coolant level would be checked and found to be OK. But by the time the afternoon started, the system had cooled considerably, the coolant had contracted, and the filler cap had sucked in air to replace it (in theory it would suck the water back in from the catch tank - if fitted - but this almost always fails to happen) so they go back on track with air trapped in the system and within half an hour suffer a head gasket failure. I can honestly say that when we started fitted header tank systems we at a stroke eliminated over 95% of such failures at track days. With a header tank system, expansion of coolant takes place into the partially filled header tank with any excess pressure being relieved through the filler cap as air. Then, when the system cools down, it sucks air back in again, but crucially, no coolant has left the system and the air stays above the coolant. There's a reason that modern cars of all types run such a system and it's to do with reliability and reduction of warranty claims. Incidentally, if a header tank system loses water, it is nearly always because the pressure cap has failed; as this is the cheapest thing to check I advise to always carry a spare.

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cobaltcodd

cobaltcodd

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Me to!  I've had a look on ebay for an expansion tank - and there are 1000's, and they all appear to be very funky shapes with wierd fixing points - all uniquely designed for their original cars.

So can anyone help identify the sensibly shaped and neatly installed example in the red crossflow installation pictured above?

Many thanks

 

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Drumster

Drumster

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Just looked back through my records. I purchased mine in 2008 from a Rover dealership and the only reference on the invoice is the one previously quoted, sadly no reference to the car model. I can't be sure at all  but maybe a Rover 200 or 400. Hopefully someone else can provide better details.......

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New Cat

New Cat

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This is fantastic! Thank you so much for getting all of this info into one place, original diagrams, descriptions, things to look out for and parts to accumulate. I don't have a heater and have never found the need.

 

Many many thanks,

 

Jon

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New Cat

New Cat

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Looking at expansion tanks, I see the Rover 200 one that is very neat is going to cost over £100 including the cap from the only place they seem to be available - Rimmer brothers. The Freelander one which looks very suitable (and I understand some of you have used) is only £14 including cap!

 

I don't have a heater and the only thing on the bulkhead is the Megajolt box. Any point coughing up for the Rover tank?!

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New Cat

New Cat

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Thanks, I've ordered a Freelander one, which it turns out is used on lots of K series, Sigma and possibly Duratec sevens too, so I'm confident of working out brackets.

 

One other question, the only source of the link pipe piece now appears to be a transit centre in Poland (I've looked everywhere and been asking Ford dealers). It's pretty expensive with postage and below the minimum order so I'm planning to order 2. Does anyone else want the spare one at cost (about £12 plus p+p)? They list for about £7 but now obsolete I believe..

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