Cylinder block drain tap

[Sloppy 2000]

Hi,

My Auto data book tells me that I need to, when flushing the cooling system, open the "radiator and cylinder block drain taps." I can see a tap at the bottom of the radiator but don't know where the block drain tap is. Can any one help, or better still post some pics.

Jeff

[valencia]

Yes, it's on the right hand side of the block, near the rear, just above the starter motor-rather difficult to get to. I cover the motor with a plastic bag as the coolant dribbles on it.
Mike.

[tony]

In my experience, lots have plugs, instead of drain taps fitted, although in the same place.
Tony.

[Mike Stevens]

I think Mk1s (or maybe even only early Mk1s) have drain taps. Mk2s have a brass blanking plug. This can be removed to much the same effect as a drain tap - just not so convenient!

Cheers,
Mike.

[Clifford Pope]

It's nice when a car has a proper drain tap, even nicer if it has an extension for connecting a garden hose, both for back-flushing and draining into a container.

But I suspect there is some deliberately evasive terminology used when listing specifications and parts catalogue. Suppliers use the word "tap" to mean a point where you can tap off the contents, ie a plug. Real people use tap to mean a tap.

I once bought what was listed as a genuine tap for a Triumph Stag. It turned out to be just a blank plug. I haven't had a genuine tap on a Triumph since my Roadster 1800 of 1947.

[atom]

There were "real" taps on the engines of my 1300TC and Heralds for sure. Not 100% certain if there is one on my 2000 Mk2, I am not in the country right now..

[Sloppy 2000]

Hi all, I found it, Makes a difference.

Does any one think my water pump is weak. I had a boil over so I completely flushed the system of the tomato soup and put fresh coolant in. It has had a really good rinse.

New thermostat 82 degrees, temp sensor, and checked long stainless pipe. It runs about 1/2 way on a run. Between 1/2 and 3/4 at ticker and over 3/4 after the engine has been off for five minutes

I changed all this because it boiled over. No oil in the water and also no bubbles. Tail pipe is dry.

Does this seem a bit high or normal.

Jeff

[tony]

Sounds as if your radiator may need a clean out. To do it properly probably needs bottom tank removing and tubes rodded out.
Tony.

[stuart490]

Jeff,
My car is a mk1 2000. On a run the temperature gauge reads 1/2. On a hot day in traffic it will creep up to 3/4. The temperature transmitter is at the highest point on the engine and heat rises so I have also found that restarting after a few minutes, the gauge is reading 3/4 or more. Unleaded fuel burns at a higher temperature than the old leaded and I suspect that the cooling system is having to do more than it was designed for. I think you are probably OK, but it might be worth taking the radiator out and backflushing it if you haven't already done so. You don't need to drain the block to do that. When you drain the radiator you will be able to see the tops of some tubes through the filler and get an idea of whether if they are silted up or not.
Incidentally, Chris Witor sells reconditioned radiators with "heavy duty 3 x 52 row core" and the originals had 3 x 39 row core. That suggests to me that original spec radiators are marginal in terms of their cooling performance.
Regards,
Stuart

[pete lewis]

if you want to check the actual temperature get a cheap thermometer from the chemist and stick it in the header .
or get a infra red remote reader ,

it will always read high after a stop as the circulation has ceased and the block heat is absorbed by the coolant thats normal.

driving gets ram air idling just gets fan air , hence some small differences ...its quite normal.

there are two senders one for stabilised ( GTR 108) a and one for non stabilised (121997) , gauges ,
intermix them and you get high readings .

but yours sound fine

Pete