Stuck on the road with a leaking radiator hose!

[knobby1]

Why would it have a cracked head? I was always taught by my old man if I ever have a hot radiator to refill if very slowly dribble a little bit of water at a time and while the motor is idling over so that any change in temperature does not crack the head. I did it with any the old Holdens I had and never cracked a head. This runs and drives the same as it did wouldn't a cracked head stop the motor or change it noticeably!?

Seems to me like the water must not be flowing around the motor properly because this is what cools motors so I'm hoping it is the thermo when i find it as that seem a logical solution it that's blocked then water could not flow. If water wasn't flowing because of the thermo then filing radiator would not go the head as much too.

The old Holdens had cast iron heads, these transits are aluminium...sudden temp changes can do horrible things to them. He says you may have a cracked head because your cooling system is possibly pressurizing itself more than would be normal.

Thermostat lives here... #2:

http://www.catcar.info/ford/?lang=en&l= ... QzODQrMjcy

Lord Knobrot

[Jaffasoft]

Taking the variables into account with 20/20 hindsight, now I have a fair idea. When it first got hot the weak spot in the hose burst. Hopefully, this was able to release the pressure. From then on I used cap lose with the good instructions from in this forum. Now that the coolant is in the cap lose might be right to get to where can look at this thermo.

Peacing this together I've been slack in keeping coolant up all along and just buy a 4ltr from time to time and also just adding water so the coolant waters been a bit diluted. The water pump was replaced recently so good odds that it is right. The thermostat I do not know much about its history but the replacement motor went in I dunno 5 yrs ago by the previous owner. So I'm in an agreeance that could chance thermo is stuffed could be rusted or blocked or just old in there. I'm hoping so because it seems an easy enough fix.


I know as much that the heads are different and they bit temperamental. How I wish for the old Holden or Ford days. I don't want a cracked head I don't like the sound of a cracked head hopefully i get out of this with enough luck to not have cracked the head. How would one know for certain??


Heres a fresh snap or the motor front is this the location of the Thermostat?

https://imgur.com/4yrrIka

[knobby1]

Taking the variables into account with 20/20 hindsight, now I have a fair idea. When it first got hot the weak spot in the hose burst. Hopefully, this was able to release the pressure. From then on I used cap lose with the good instructions from in this forum. Now that the coolant is in the cap lose might be right to get to where can look at this thermo.

Peacing this together I've been slack in keeping coolant up all along and just buy a 4ltr from time to time and also just adding water so the coolant waters been a bit diluted. The water pump was replaced recently so good odds that it is right. The thermostat I do not know much about its history but the replacement motor went in I dunno 5 yrs ago by the previous owner. So I'm in an agreeance that could chance thermo is stuffed could be rusted or blocked or just old in there. I'm hoping so because it seems an easy enough fix.


I know as much that the heads are different and they bit temperamental. How I wish for the old Holden or Ford days. I don't want a cracked head I don't like the sound of a cracked head hopefully i get out of this with enough luck to not have cracked the head. How would one know for certain??


Heres a fresh snap or the motor front is this the location of the Thermostat?

https://imgur.com/4yrrIka

Unlikely the water pump has failed, they're fairly robust on the RWD's as opposed to the FWD versions which let go with monotonous regularity. I can't see your pic here at my work so I'll need to look when I get home later this evening. It lives at the front right side of the engine as you look at it. A cracked head or blown head gasket can often be detected using a "sniffer", most decent garages will have one... it detects combustion gasses in the coolant and has a liquid which changes colour if the combustion gasses are present in the coolant.

Thermostats can and do fail so it's well worth checking and a cheap fix if indeed it is the culprit.

Lord Knobrot

[Jaffasoft]

Unlikely the water pump has failed, they're fairly robust on the RWD's as opposed to the FWD versions which let go with monotonous regularity. I can't see your pic here at my work so I'll need to look when I get home later this evening. It lives at the front right side of the engine as you look at it. A cracked head or blown head gasket can often be detected using a "sniffer", most decent garages will have one... it detects combustion gasses in the coolant and has a liquid which changes colour if the combustion gasses are present in the coolant.

Thermostats can and do fail so it's well worth checking and a cheap fix if indeed it is the culprit.

Lord Knobrot

The stuffed water pump I took out last time had plastic fan fins the new one has solid metal or an alloy of some kind and looked much more robust.

Will wait until you get home to confirm the thermostat location or someone!

With a quick dig around eBay first one that popped up, this one seems to be the part my engine number on the block is H9FA. Pretty tasty on postal fees small part!!! This part is on the other side of OZ though hopefully can get one nearer NSW or Gold Coast, Brisbane.
https://www.ebay.com.au/itm/Thermostat- ... Sw3q5ahT5S

[knobby1]

Yep, that's the thermostat housing, three small torx screws and it lives inside, just remember you'll lose some coolant when you pull it out.

Lord Knobrot

[Jaffasoft]

Yep, that's the thermostat housing, three small torx screws and it lives inside, just remember you'll lose some coolant when you pull it out.

Lord Knobrot

Cool that looks easy though I don't have the tool will get one somewhere! I went for a 60-kilometer drive in cool drizzly rain and no boiling maybe it was the radiator coolant lacking. Still this thermo i will check out!


https://imgur.com/gallery/KLwgn

[knobby1]

Just remember...that's the cyl head temp, not coolant temp, they don't have a coolant temp sensor.

[Jaffasoft]

Just remember...that's the cyl head temp, not coolant temp, they don't have a coolant temp sensor.

Yeah right!

Is the fan something I should check?

[knobby1]

Yeah right! Is the fan something I should check?

You can check the Aux fan works by turning the A/C on, it should normally come on with the A/C. It will/should also come on if the cyl head temp goes above a certain point, but normally the diesels don't tend to run hot, mine has never come on unless I turn the A/C on, even in the middle of summer. The "viscous" fan coupling should turn easily by hand, it will slowly tighten up as the temp rises, but never lock solid.

Lord Knobrot

[Jaffasoft]

Thanks. Sounds easy enough to check out.


If the motor is a Reco motor will the thermo be one to suit the new motor H9FA or would it be the one from the previous motor? I guess it depends what the fitting mechanic did not sure if there's a standard they follow or just mix and match to make things work?

[knobby1]

All the 2.4's should have the same setup

Lord Knobrot

[Jaffasoft]

Can a standard Hex key unscrew these screws... I've never tried one but don't see many on the shelf in this small country town to buy any but they have got Hex keys. The parts been orders and will take four days to get here I might need to line a mechanic up to fit it.

[knobby1]

Can a standard Hex key unscrew these screws... I've never tried one but don't see many on the shelf in this small country town to buy any but they have got Hex keys. The parts been orders and will take four days to get here I might need to line a mechanic up to fit it.

You might be lucky and get a 4 or 5mm Allen key to fit but the correct one will be a Torx, there's a possibility of stripping the head if the Allen key size isn't the best fit, although the thermostat housing is only plastic so you might get lucky.

I bought a full set of good quality long and short 1/4" & 3/8" drive socket mounted Torx drivers for mine, you'll find your Transit is pretty much held together with them, luckily my new BMW motorcycle uses them too so "two birds with one stone"..!

Lord Knobrot

[Jaffasoft]

Thanks for your help with this Lord Knobrot. I priced a good quality set of Torx tools they are $49. I bought a cheapo hex for $2.99 and they don't grab or fit well enough.

I happen to park on a road and curbside 24hrs and noticed just now a small green pool of coolant been very slow dripping. I got under to have a look at where it's coming from.... I can't tell where the hell.... it appears from that thing bolted on the side of the motor next to the gearbox! I think it's actually the starter motor!? Seems strange I can't see if it's dripping from a loose radiator hose or what not. None of the hoses seem to be dripping. Maybe it's running down through over the starter motor to that area somewhere. It's dripped about 50ml overnight maybe it does more into driving pressure could explain why it was losing water/coolant.

Wonder what's goen on??

Image here:

[Jaffasoft]

An update here: I got onto a thermo part to be sent Monday, so i sat around and enjoyed my stay around this little country town and it has arrived Friday, a conversation with a local produces some kindness offering to replace the old thermo and i gave him $10 for a bottle of wine for his troubles. Now there was a barbeque nearby so i heated water in a pot till near boiling point with the old thermo in there. What is supposed to happen? The old thermo did not open at all or the hot water supposed to just weaken it so water can pressure through?