James,
Loss of pressure in the cooling system can cause overheating, but usually
the loss of pressure is accompanied by a loss of coolant. If you weren't
loosing coolant, you probably weren't loosing pressure--life's funny
that way. How much pressure did he apply with his pump? Early Spits only
had a six or seven psi radiator cap. Later models ran 13 psi. Could he
have over pressured the core and caused the crack? If it's cracked, from
impact or vibration, yeah it needs fixing. If the radiator is failing due
to neglect or age, don't be suprised if, while they try to effect a
repair, the hole keeps getting bigger, or other hole pop up.
You didn't say how you've been maintaining your cooling system to prevent
overheating. Have you been flushing and replacing coolant every two
years? Have you checked your thermostat for full opening and operating
temps? Have you checked the operation of you viscous coupling or the temp
at which your electric fan kicks in? Inquiring minds want to know.
Charlie B.
Spitfire Pilot
>
> I've noticed over the past 6 months or so that the spit is running hot, not
> overheating, but hotter than usual. Now the summer is here I thought I would
> start by flushing the rad, went to the local quick stop lube to get it done
> (they can get rid of the anit-freeze). The hooked up a gadget to my rad and
> pumped a tool that increased the pressure and found out the top of my rad is
> seeping (hence the overheating). The leaking is not pourous and I haven't
> noticed it on the rad or on the ground before. The guy said I should be able
> to go to a rad shop and get some braize (spelling?) on it for 20 bucks, and
> that should fix it. Any advice before I go ahead with this?
>
> Thanks in advance
>
> Jim Cullen
> 1974 Spitfire
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