Under geared and under cooled

[Mark Reeve]

Hi All,  As a Newbie here Im shaw this has probably been asked before ,But does any one out there have the same problem as me !!!!    Melos fitted with 2ltr Pinto ,what looks like 4speed escort box and axle/ radiator.  Runs fine if I keep below 50mph but over heats eventually if I go faster not shaw if its because of the escort rad or the fact that the gearing is so low.

[Adrian Southgate]

Have you still got the fan on the waterpump?

Have you got an electric fan?

[Mark Reeve]

Hi, That's what I was thinking, Its still got the standard fan on the waterpump pulley . Ive removed thermostat flushed out rad and fitted a new 13 psi rad cap as it only had a 9psi fitted . Did about 40 miles today and was better,BUT would still go up to 3/4 on temp gauge when going over 50mph but soon comes back down to 1/4 when you slow down . I haven got a rev counter fitted so don't know what the revs are at but I haven't been above 75 for more than a few seconds as the engine is reving so high.

[39wffahpkuy0j]

you need to replace the radiator and fit the largest radiator that you can fit in the space available. also fit the largest electric fan that you can. and then make sure that the air flow to the radiator is ducted to ensure that the air is going through the radiator and not around it.

you say that you have removed the thermostat....

have you replaced it with a new one of the correct thermal rating.

have you topped up the radiator with the correct mix of antifreeze.

also check timing and plugs to make sure that they are set correctly.

[39wffahpkuy0j]

p.s.

nice looking car,

can we have some more pictures please.

:-)

[Adrian Southgate]

If you are using the 2 litre pinto then you need the deeper capri / cortina rad.

My Sierra uses an old capri rad and the waterpump fan and it works a treat.

You also need to make sure you have the right temperature sender in the block, this needs to match the instrument cluster.

For example, escort mk1 mexico clocks need the escort mk 1 sender, capri clocks need a capri sender etc.

If in doubt use an electronic one with an in system sender that will give you an actual reading of the water not one transmitted through a lump of brass.

[James Doulton]

I don't see why an Escort radiator should not be able to cool your car adequately if you are only using the same sort of average power but you want to be able to use the extra power and I guess that means a bigger capacity radiator. For now I would suspect airflow. Have you tried removing your grille?

I guess that your radiator is in front of the chassis cross member, it normally is with a Pinto, so the standard fan on the water pump won't do a lot for you as it is too far away. Do you have an electric fan fitted on the front of the radiator?

If you have a standard Escort back axle with a 3.89:1 ratio then 6000 rpm should be about 104mph in top. If you have the 4.22:1 axle then it drops to 96mph. Using the 3.89 then 6000 rpm is 28, 48, 73mph in 1st 2nd and 3rd, with a 4.22 those speeds are 26, 44 and 67mph. But before you go thrashing the old thing, you'd better check your speedo.

[Big Vern]

Most likely the air isn't going through thr radiator but round it, also ditch the mechanical fan if you still have it as its not close enough to the rad or shrouded so not really doing anything. Box in around the rad so air is forced through the rad and mount an electric pusher fan between the grill and the rad. Good enough for 140bhp 2.1l

[James Doulton]

I think that people have experimented with different options to find out if either works better but I don't think that the results showed any difference. However, with a Pinto in a Melos then the radiator is normally in front of the cross member and is pressed hard against it. The cross member goes right across the back of the radiator meaning that you can't sensibly fit the fan behind the radiator, so it goes in front and pushes.

[Dave Adams]

As big vern says.......ducting. if the air is not forced to go through tthe rad it wont go through but round.......

[Dave Adams]

I have seen a radiator manufacturer who claims there is no advantage to fitting fans to either side of a radiator.

[rob saul]

When you say "overheat" do you mean full on steam,hissing and drama or are you relying just on the gauge and where the needle is showing ?

If its the later my 1st point of call would be to check there is a voltage stabalizer so the gauge is getting the correct voltage and then try to get a actual water temp when the cars running

Grill on your car looks fairly tight that's not helping then as others have said duct the rad before anything else

[Mark Reeve]

Hi, With NO thermostat fitted and keeping to back roads I did 40 miles with the temp gauge staying between cold and 1/4 no steam no probs could go on forever,,,,, But then within  a few miles at 60mph the gauge is closing in on the RED and I am driving a "STEAM ENGINE".  The Rad is fited engine side of the frame cross member and the water pump driven fan is almost touching the rad  so I don't think its cus its too far away from it. the grill is just a simple wire mesh so don't think that is restricting air.I don't know what the rear axle gearing is but it is very low as I only need to use 2 gears  I don't have a rev counter at the min but at tick over in 4th it will trundle along at about 14mph .I will try some ducting for the air flow and get some pics on here of the engine and rad But Its getting darker and darker every day when I get home now,   so my play time is getting shorter  lol.