Have been batteling to keep my Kent cool. Was fine untill I fitted the bonnet.

I need some ideas of how people changed the colling system to a closed system ie. system with expansion tank.

Will make filling the system a lot easier.

Are you running with an overflow tank at the moment? If not, you might like to look at this page...

LINKY

Good info, which worked for me.

Otherwise, I know that many people have converted their Kent to a closed system by putting a "Y" piece iinto the pipe that goes from the pump to the inlet manifold, and putting a pipe to the header tank from there. The small pipe on the header tank goes to the highest available point on the cooling system (e.g. a thermostat housing with a vent - can't tell you which car that comes off!).

David

Do you have a by-pass connection fitted ? --- this is pretty essential, if not drill a couple o small holes in the thermostat valve plate as an interim measure.
If overheating is at slow speeds check the ignition timing isn't too retarded in the idle to 2000 rpm range -- this can cause severe overheating.

Make sure the rad is well cowled in so that all air flow through the 'grill' has to go through it. Once through the rad the air needs to escape from under the bonnet. If it runs fine with the bonnet off it sounds like engine bay venting may need improving.

I am running the standard cooling system like it came out of a Cortina. I want to change to a header tank system so I am looking for some photos of how other people changed their system.

some other useless info :-
I have blocked off the pipe coming out of the head/intake manifould because it is interfering with the mechanism of my sidies. On the tin top it would have only circulated water when the heater was turned on. So I took it that it is of no real bennefit to keeping the engine cool?????

I believe that the connection to the manifold is essential for keeping water circulation when the thermostat is closed.

DJ

No thermostat. Not needed in sunny SA. When it is so cold that the thermostat will function, I use my Tin Top.

You should have a thermostat irresepctive of ambient temperatures, removing it can affect the flow of coolant and won't help with an overheating problem unless the original 'stat was faulty.

I'd put the thermostat back, and pipe in the bypass from the manifold back to the top of the water pump. Crossflows don't need header / expansion tanks (well min never have).
I've been stuck in a traffic jam in the South of France for 2 hours at 35°c - no overheating problems at all.

The thermostat housing that you need is from an XR2i I believe - this has another "rad cap" opening to aid in filling and also a vent that you connect to the expansion tank. Main expansion tank hose joins to bottom rad hose on my car.

Hope this helps
Tom

I had this system for many years on my kent engine and that never overheated, it's still in service on the 20v 4age and also that never has problems, it get to 85 and stays 85, unless at standstill offcourse but that';s what your fan's for.


cooling system

radiator is from an MGb methinks (big thick copper megacooler)
headertank is escort item

grtz Thomas

Thanks
I bought all the bits to install the header tank.
Then when moving the engine to get to the back 2 bolts holding the sump, I found the welsh plug behind the flywheel was a gonner.
Knocked the other WPs also out and cleaned the block of all rust deposits. Hosepipe and a piece of wire. There was about a cup full of scales when the water finally cleared.
Hopefully this will also help with the cooling.

Any reason why I can not turn a 16mm socket into this plugged hole and feed from the header tank into the block through this hole.

Will save a lot of piping by keeping all the pipes on one side of the engine.
Rescued attachment Plug on Block.JPG

Can't see the point of doing that myself when it's so easy to do it properly , although it would probably work ?