# johntalbot



## johntalbot

hi there can any one help with my problem i just bought talbot express autosleeper
its a 19 diesel 1990 model has any one had any heating problems,temperature only reaches just over 50 degrees and it is very cold in the van ,after driving 300 miles water in expansion tank is luke warm ,and its blowing cold air ,any solutions ,would be helpfull thanks


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## Guernsey Donkey

Hi johntalbot and welcome to the "Wildcamping" site. The home from home for M/Hers sorry I cant answer your questions but I am sure that  someone will be along to help real soon.

John (Guernsey Donkey)

Pics:   http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/photo-gallery/7168-western-isles.html


Info:  http://www.wildcamping.co.uk/forums/scotland/5607-isle-lewis-isle-harris-western-isles.html


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## biggirafe

johntalbot said:


> hi there can any one help with my problem i just bought talbot express autosleeper
> its a 19 diesel 1990 model has any one had any heating problems,temperature only reaches just over 50 degrees and it is very cold in the van ,after driving 300 miles water in expansion tank is luke warm ,and its blowing cold air ,any solutions ,would be helpfull thanks



Sounds to me like the thermostat in the cooling system is stuck open or missing therefore engine coolant is always flowing into the radiator and getting cooled even when its still cold, the coolant should only go to the radiator when it has reached its optimum temp.


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## coolasluck

biggirafe said:


> Sounds to me like the thermostat in the cooling system is stuck open or missing therefore engine coolant is always flowing into the radiator and getting cooled even when its still cold, the coolant should only go to the radiator when it has reached its optimum temp.






Yes i would agree with biggirafe,either that or it is missing.I remember the days of an overheating v8,where by i took out the thermostat to stop the overheating problem,trouble was i never replaced the said item.!
If it is there change it.


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## uglybob23

I'd second a possible thermostat being stuck open. I had the same on a car I bought. It would reach the correct temp whilst being stood with the engine running but whilst driving would only get up to 60°C. Might be worth doing the same to see if it gets up to the correct temp.

By the way, welcome to the club.

Cheers,

Bob


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## maingate

Hi johntalbot,

There is a lot of truth in what Biggirafe says. Back in the old days we used to chuck a faulty thermostat away but we still got some heat into the vehicle.

The first thing I would do is to get a flushing agent for the radiator and clear out any gunge there may be. I have a feeling that the Heater Matrix may be partially or totally blocked and that is why it is cold in the cab. Even repeated flushing with water might make a difference. As long as its not frosty you will be OK.

On an older vehicle, it might even pay you to physically check that the heater flaps are operating mechanically as they could be stuck in the closed position.

Hope that helps. 

BTW Welcome.


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## LaughingHeart

Some Talbots were fitted with a water/heater tap for summer/winter. If you have got one of these, it will be front centre of floor, up agaainst the bulkhead. it is a large lever that you would expect to find as a domestic water shut off. Its on a pipe with ruber tubes attached. I have this on my Express. I found it when we rebuilt! It is now hidden by front carpet.
  I think the thermostat answer is more likely!
    Paol.


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## Talbot Bertha

biggirafe said:


> Sounds to me like the thermostat in the cooling system is stuck open or missing therefore engine coolant is always flowing into the radiator and getting cooled even when its still cold, the coolant should only go to the radiator when it has reached its optimum temp.



Errmm not being picky but shouldn't coolant be in the radiator at all times? The expansion tank is there to top up the coolant in the engine/radiator and also for somewhere for the hot water/coolant to go when it expands hence the name 'expansion tank'. The thermostat on the tank is there to vent pressure if the water get too hot i.e fan not working. Else the water system could blow. More than likely the fan is running all the time so the electric thermostat that controls this is permanently closed or bypassed.
Also the coolant permanently flows around the engine / radiator otherwise the engine would get very hot very quickly and would ruin the engine.


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## maingate

The thermostat is closed on initial startup so that the engine is only cooled by the water in the engine block. This is to allow the engine to warm up quickly.

The thermostat opens at a pre set temp. to allow the water in the whole system to be used. this also brings the radiator into play to cool the water. With a thermostat removed completely, the only difference, is it will take a lot longer to get to operating temp. The engine may run slightly cooler because there is more of a free flow round the system with a (partial) obstruction removed ie the thermostat. 

The pressure cap on the radiator is spring loaded to make the system work at a slight pressure as water boils at 100 degrees C at sea level at atmospheric pressure. Under pressure, the boiling point rises.

When an engine boils up, it used to blow through the radiator cap but that has changed on modern engines. It can vent through the expansion bottle.

I ran my house on an old genny (1930`s) and it had no water pump. The water boiled out through the top hose into a 90 gallon tank and cool water flowed into the bottom of the engine block.

I do not think there will be an electric cooling fan on this engine but I might be wrong. If a valve is fitted in the system then this may be why no heat at all is getting to the heater.

As for the water only being 50 degrees at the expansion bottle then I think that is quite normal.


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## Talbot Bertha

Ok i stand corrected.
My '86 express has an electric fan because i always let it sit and run till the fan starts if i haven't been out in it a for a while.


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## biggirafe

I remember electric fans being first fitted I believe electric fans were fitted because they work better than belt driven fans at lower engine speeds for instance in traffic jams. In normal driving conditions ie when moving the fan turns off because more air flows from the vehicle moving forwards than the fan can generate anyway.


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## Guernsey Donkey

johntalbot said:


> hi there can any one help with my problem i just bought talbot express autosleeper
> its a 19 diesel 1990 model has any one had any heating problems,temperature only reaches just over 50 degrees and it is very cold in the van ,after driving 300 miles water in expansion tank is luke warm ,and its blowing cold air ,any solutions ,would be helpfull thanks



I told you somebody would be along real soon.  Good to have friends from day 1


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## Randonneur

Hi,

You may have an airlock in the heater matrix. On the Talbot Express the heater radiator is well above the engine block height and if the engine has had its coolant drained at any point in its life you can fill up the engine block but the heater unit is still empty, and that's why the heater blows cold even after a long run.

To fix this, with the engine cold, take off the expansion tank cap and put the heater controls on hot, all the way over so the valve is fully open. Then start the engine and let it idle but keep an eye on the water level in the expansion tank. Keep topping up the tank as it needs it and keep feeling how hot the radiator top hose is getting, obviously keep your hands away from any moving pulleys etc.... 

You will eventually feel the radiator top hose get very hot then go a bit cooler as the thermostat opens, ( if its working ok ).

Then have a feel of the heater matrix hoses, they should both be getting hot as the coolant is pumped through and the airlock is vented through the open expansion tank. You may even see air bubbles coming up through the tank. 

When you are sure there is no more air in the system go inside the van and try your heater, it should now be blowing hot. If all is ok switch off and let the engine cool before replacing the tank cap.

As long as you don't overfill the expansion tank it won't boil over as there is no pressure in the system without the cap, all you're doing is bleeding out the excess air.

I had to do this on our Talbot Express 2.5D when the bleed off pipe on my degassing bottle broke off.

Hope this is useful to you.


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## martyb

Hi,
It couuld well be the thermostat....I also had this problem on my 2.5 diesal. I disconnected the hoses and flushed out all the old water,on doing this I found it to be rusty cooler type water with sluge in it. There is also a small tap by the blower entence in the engine bay. this can be used to drain this water/sludge from the heater matrix in the heater. this has to be done while the engine is running, just top up the header tank while doing this.


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