PROJECT SHOESTRING PART 4

As we reported previously, the radiator on our Project Shoestring Acclaim was not in the best of shape, with plenty of green verdigris stains suggesting it was far from watertight. The plastic overflow bottle looked initially to be filled to the correct level, but closer inspection revealed that this was in fact empty – it was so badly stained at the fill level that it was impossible to see at a glance where the coolant reached.

The coolant overflow bottle (or more technically correct the expansion bottle) was attached to the screenwash reservoir, which was also empty. Peering inside the screenwash reservoir revealed plenty of gunk in the bottom, so there was no point in just filling it with fluid and pushing this through the system as that would have quickly blocked the jets. Besides, the plastic outlet stub on the washer motor that was attached to the reservoir had broken away from the pump and was simply dangling on the end of the tubing.

Both bottles were removed as a unit, then separated. Fortunately, I was given a great tip some while back from Rough Luck Racing when they were working on my old MG TF, a tip that I was able to put to good